down anyway, at least he didn't want to be covered in sand. ‘He surprised me too. He remained conscious for at least that brief moment.’ The dragon collapsed onto the cold floor and transformed, knowing what was about to happen. He instantly felt exhausted and stretched out on the stone, almost lifeless. He had long since discovered that the coolness of marble alleviated the terrible wave of fatigue, but today he felt it many times over. He was only glad that he had taken off his shirt before transforming and would not have to return in completely soaked clothes.
‘Do you need help sitting up, or can you manage on your own?’ The elf waved a large jug of water over Draco's head.
The dragon only raised his hand, not even bothering to speak. Ari pulled him up, which caused dizziness and the appearance of dark spots. The reptile was about to make a snide remark, but only sucked on the jug.
‘It really is better,’ the sharp-eared one whispered. He seemed afraid to admit it out loud, lest he jinx it. ‘Gods, I'm so happy,’ he added more clearly.
‘Wait with that joy until it's completely successful,’ Draco grumbled. ‘For now, it's just the first big step.’
‘The most important thing is that it works,’ Ari smiled broadly. ‘Speaking of things that work.’ He took a familiar vial from his pocket. If the dragon had had more strength, he would have grimaced, but all he could do was give the soldier a sad look. ‘Don't look at me like that, just drink it.’ He pushed the potion into the reptile's hand and looked at him expectantly.
Draco put down the jug and sighed. The regenerative potion wasn't very tasty, but its effectiveness couldn't be denied. The dragon uncorked the bottle and drank it in one gulp. He was so tired that he didn't even taste it. The pleasant warmth heralded improvement, but everything takes time.
‘Aren't you overdoing it a bit?’ he asked Ari, who sat down next to him on the floor. ‘With the potions?’
