The next morning came, but, I wouldn't have known that if a guard didn't decide to wake me up, shouting "Hey, hero! We need you to escort us! UP AND AT 'EM! STOP LAZING AROUND, AND GET UP!" That last part was practically a roar, and was more than enough to wake me up from my sleep. I then exited my tent, and groaned, not really starting off too well thanks to how I was woken up. Backstabs, on the other hand, seemed to be doing very well, and somehow seems to have made a full recovery, well, okay I kinda knew why, but I didn't expect a full recovery that fast, even with my help. I went back in my tent for a bit just to make sure I put on my armor, and just to make sure that I had my bag of holding... given its contents, I was almost certain that it would come in handy, if not immediately, then somewhere down the line, for sure. Oddly enough, the rest of the cave was quiet, as if someone or something defeated everything else that would get in our way for some reason. 

	Well, either that, or since the defeat of those wolves, things just knew to stay away from us. Sure, there were bats, but there weren't any giant bats that could actually pose any sort of threat to our group... even if more than a few cowards in said group decided to scream and run away at the sight of the flying mammals, which only caused more of them to wake up and start flying around... it was a vicious cycle, the more they screamed, the more bats they woke up, and the more bats they woke up, the more they screamed unfortunately. The princess finally said something about this with "SHUT UP, you cowards! They're HARMLESS, they eat bugs for crying out loud! Do any of you REALLY think you're f***ing BUGS!? Ugh, and you wonder why people call you stupid..." of course, she put that in just about the rudest way possible, but, after another wave of bats from the princess' own screaming, everyone finally shut up.

	There it was... the light at the end of the tunnel... and once we made it out, the stronghold was already visible, with several dragons flying to and from it. It seemed to be an old human building, and, a human would probably label it as 'ruins', with what looked to them to be crumbling walls were really just dragons making the hallways and doors large enough for them to actually use them... of course, the dragons built over several parts of it, and given the difference in used materials (the humans used a somewhat rare, white stone while the dragons used the more common grey kind which could be found all around this place.), it was easy to tell which parts were built by which species. I approached the building, leading the rest of my group, and only grew more nervous as I approached it... the dragons SUPPOSEDLY get along with us kobolds, and especially drakes, but... they historically have disapproved of kobolds actually living with them, no matter what context for that living arrangement was, and they have yet to provide any sort of sanctuary to kobolds, even after hearing about a possible extinction of our species due to the humans. 

	That was just the kobolds. From what I've heard, dragons don't get along too well with goblins or trolls, and have often eaten members of those species as snacks, and here I was leading multiple goblins and trolls two of each of whom were actual teammates right into their jaws. Maybe... just maybe I'll be able to convince them to let us stay here, and MAYBE I could get them to not eat any goblins who might need to stay there, not to mention trolls. I finally get to the giant, obviously-dragon-built door, and shout "We, the Kobolds of the forest of Yole would like to request sanctuary in this dragon stronghold!" apparently at least one of the dragons heard me, as the giant thing landed off to my left, and said in its typical growly voice "You require sanctuary? Hmph... you 'kobolds' are supposed to be dragons, why can't you fend for yourselves?" I then answered "The humans... they're stronger than us, but, not me, for I have killed at least one of them," the dragon then roared, and said "Prove yourself in battle, and perhaps we could arrange something... you need only to defeat one of US in combat, but not here. We have a place for that," the dragon then flew off, and somehow, the door opened in front of me... the dragon on the other side of the door gestured for me to follow him, and so I did, eventually coming across what appeared to be some sort of gladiatorial arena... of course, I was on the bottom part of it, where the fighters were generally gathered.