A flash of light caught the dragons eye, and he banked down to investigate. He saw an man, relaxing in his garden. The man was spinning something metallic in the air, it was the glint of the sun on the metal that had caught the dragon's eye. The dragon was about to rear upwards and onwards, when he got a surprise. The man spoke.
"You really should stay awhile, dragon."
The dragon peered down at the man, but could not see his face.
"How did you see me? Even in this magical world, and invisible dragon is only seen by the greatest wizards and witches."
The man did not turn around, but continued to toss the metallic object in the air. It was a beautifully carved dagger, with an ornate handle. The dragon had seen it before, and tried to recall where.
"I know you, dragon." The man's voice, the dagger, they were familiar, but from so long ago. Could it be?
"Runger? Have you returned?"
The old wizard turned to face his greatest companion. "Yes, my good dragon. And I have a new adventure for you..."
The dragon felt the joy of a reunion, as the wonderful memories of their shared past flowed back to him. "Where shall we fly to today, great wizard? Somewhere in this universe... or another?"
The wizard smiled, and shook his head. "Good dragon, my days of casting spells to create universes have come to an end... our adventure is in this magical world, and this world alone."
The dragon was curious. Something had changed in his old friend. The carefree power and windswept charisma had been replaced by a more patient, and other worldly man. "Runger, what is different about you… What has happened to you? The time has changed you..."
The wizard pointed with his silver dagger. "Fly me, this way, good dragon. I will show you."
The dragon lowered his head to let Runger on his shoulders, and they were both cloaked by invisibility. Rising into the air, they soared to their destination. The dragon was impatient to know what was burning so deep in his old friend's soul. He got his answer soon. The wizard commanded him. "Down, dragon. Do you see the girl?"
The dragon coasted down and spotted a girl, walking a path beside the glow of a fairy. "Yes, I see her. Who is she? She is very beautiful..."
The wizard leaned forward, and whispered closely into the ear of the dragon. "She is my daughter. Her name is Geronimo. I want you to teach her magic..."
The dragon was confused. Runger wanted him to teach his daughter. Why didn't he teach her himself? He knew so much more about magic, he was one of the greatest wizards who had ever lived. The request just didn't make sense.
Runger knew the dragon needed an explanation. "Can you see what she is doing now?"
The dragon looked closer, and saw she was making roses bloom as she walked along the path. "Runger, she already knows magic... What are you asking me to do? I'm a dragon, I don't really know how to teach anything!"
Runger was gazing at his daughter. He floated off the back of the dragon, and hovered next to him in mid-air as he spoke. "Glinda and I have spent the last years teaching her so much. She knows spells and incantations, she can turn a house upside down and make the sun rise in the middle of the night. But we are her parents, and she is always safe with us. She needs an adventure. She needs a good companion to adventure with. I couldn't think of a better companion than you, good dragon."
The dragon had to agree. No soul could know greater adventures than a dragon. But his question remained. "But what do you want me to teach her, good friend. She is your daughter, I want to do well by her, and by you."
The wizard looked at his old friend. "Be the dragon you are. She will learn about real magic from you, just as I learned from you."
Runger went on. "Do you know what happened to me, good friend and dragon?"
Since the moment he had seen his old friend the wizard, the dragon had wanted to ask where he had been, what had happened to him these last twenty or more years. "Please, friend and wizard, why could I not find you. We had such good adventures, then... nothing."
Runger remounted the dragon's shoulders. "Down, dragon." They descended to an open field, where the wizard took a seat on a log. "I was sent to a world without magic..." He recounted his tale, and how Geronimo had followed her glowing red heart to find him and bring him back. "So you see, good dragon, she is a special girl. She knows magic, yes, but spells and incantations are the basics. I can show her my ways, and teach her my mistakes. But you, you can only show her adventures, from which she can learn real magic."
The dragon had listened intently. He responded slowly. "Good friend, I know what you want from me. I will do what you ask."
Runger looked genuinely overwhelmed by gratitude. "Thank you, my friend."
The dragon continued. "And I know where to take her."
The wizard looked up, surprised. "Where?"
The dragon grinned an invisible grin. "A magical city called Paris."
Runger sighed a melancholy sigh. "I miss our adventures together, good dragon. Remember when I split a galaxy in half, and we rode through the centre, stars exploding left and right?"
The dragon's heart lit up at the memory. "We flew beyond any limit I had ever known, more amazing places that I had seen behind the core door..."
The wizard gazed in the distance. "A part of me wants to join you and my daughter in Paris. But I know I must leave you both to your own path."
The dragon gave a gentle beat of his wings, and began to rise in the air. "We will meet many unexpected people in Paris. Perhaps, if I need you, I will call you to join us..."
The glint in Runger's eyes returned. "That would please me, good friend and dragon. Where are you going?"
The dragon hovered a moment. "To introduce myself to you daughter Geronimo!"
Part 2: The path to love
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