Halatraxion growls toward Lactania, challenging her with "I don't need you for your skill. I need you for your power output. You're nothing but a battery to me—a rowdy one that needs to be taught her place. Now, kneel!" He points his finger at her, and a beam of magical energy fires out straight at her chest.

Lactania sloshes up a wall of milk that blocks the attack. The blast that ensues scatters milk everywhere, leaving warm rivulets to run down not only her body but Halatraxion's.

Halatraxion growls, wiping himself down. "Disgusting," he growls. "I'm going to have to wash up this ridiculous substance when I'm done with you, and then I'll-what!?"

Markus leaps out from the coins, wrapping his arms around the red dragon's waist. His eyes are like slits as he holds him tight. "You're not going to do anything to my Lactania!" He snarls, lifting.

Lactania sloshes milk to Markus, and the dragon turns his head and cheek against Halatraxion's side and opens wide. Splashed with her milk, he lifts the red dragon and throws him back, slamming him against the piles of gold.

Halatraxion grunts but slams his tail down, striking Markus against the head and sending the other dragon falling to his knees. The red master of this dungeon leaps up, his claws brandished and his eyes feral slits.

"You two are insulting me far too much! But it's not enough to stop me. It's never enough!" His muscles bulge, and his eyes crackle, and from his pure might of magical energy, the gold shifts and stirs, flying around the room as a treasure tornado.

The many metal bits buffet the two, sending them staggering from their positions, and in the center of the maelstrom stands Halatraxion, holding his arms up, laughing as he watches them suffering the attacks of thousands of tiny bits of shrapnel.

"You think you're so powerful? Do you think that you're something more than you are simply because I desire to control you? That's not how this works. That's not, ha… how any, mmm, of this works."

He blinks, shaking his head, his arms lowering, but then he lifts them again, only to throw them down, sending the piles and piles of gold slamming down and covering their bodies.

"I appear to be growing bored of this battle. You two better stay down while I call upon whatever guards you didn't dispose of." He turns from them, stomping from the chamber and towards the exit.

But between the cracks of the coins, a white glistening liquid emerges, shining brighter and more vibrantly than any of the gold in the chamber. A moment later, the coins explode, clattering throughout the room, mixed with a veritable torrent of milk.

Halatraxion spins around and uses his arms and wings to block the assault. He stumbles back and groans as he's pelted with flecks of metal and liquid, falling and losing his balance.

Markus and Lactania both stand firm and with complete resolve. Their faces bear the steely gaze of grim determination, undeterred by the wet milk pouring down their bodies.

With a huff and a puff, Halatraxion stares at both of them. He grits his teeth and stomps his foot, pointing to them.

"How dare you throw my coins with your milk! That milk will be a component to create my most powerful spells, it, gah!"

That's when a powerful blast erupts from Markus's hand, sending the red dragon crashing back into his pile of gold.

Groaning, Halatraxion's neck lulls back, his chest slowly rising and falling as he takes deep breaths. He grips against the coins, slowly pushing himself back up. "I'm not… done… yet!"

But thanks to the milk's steaming, it has spread everywhere as a thick cloud. His deep breaths bring more and more of the milk steam into his mouth, and droplets that fall from the ceiling hit his tongue. As he pushes himself up, his arms give way, and he falls back. "What's happening?" he tries to say, but it comes out as a long, protracted yawn.

"My, don't you know the old insomnia cure?" Lactania says, hands planted on her hips. "It's a nice steaming cup of warm milk."

The dragon groans, raising his hand, the arm trembling, his mouth hanging open, but only a long-winded yawn emerges.

Lactania leans against Markus's shoulder, and together, the two turn around, heading right out the door they came in from.

“Nh… unhh… nooo…” Halatraxion groans before collapsing, his eyes close, his consciousness drifting to the oblivion of sleep, dreaming soundly of the conquest using Lactania's power that he would never have.

As Lactania and Markus walk out of the fortress, they are greeted by a bright and sunny day. The dragon leans in and kisses the forehead of his milk mage. "Well, that was fun," he says. "We should thwart a dragon's plans more times, don't you think?"

"Whatever you say," Lactania says. "But let's get back to our study. There's still so much you need to learn."

He licks his lips, staring down over her milk-stained chest. "Well, after a fight like that, I need a little pick-me-up if you're interested.

"Oh, of course you do," the milk mage says, turning to face him, and lifting her hands over her head. "Go ahead and drink deep. You deserve it!"