《Seraphim》


 Prologue: Plans and Whims

    A long time ago, two ancient races came together to build a ship of ridiculous size and purpose. An ark, one that could sail through the stars and beyond to anywhere that was touched by light and dark. The size of a continent, it was built to shepherd away a host of people and beasts alike.


    But this ark was not meant for the two races. No, they built this for a world they had determined had the most fertile ground to raise something new from, something that could face a coming ruin. So when it was finally completed, they pushed the empty vessel out into the currents of reality.


    It would never reach its intended destination.


    Instead, the force they hoped to subvert would stumble upon this ark and divine its purpose. These things amused it, so it decided not to destroy the craft. Instead, it crippled the vessel and sent it hurtling towards a seemingly dying world.


    This world had once been filled with its own magic, which in its early days left it quite chaotic. While the people warred with one another in the beginning, it wasn¡¯t long before groups and collectives formed. One, an empire whose name would be discarded at the height of its power, came to be the largest and most powerful faction on the planet. Its borders expanded until it had a presence worldwide and its elite citizens prospered.


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    Once they had conquered all mortal challenges before them, they faced the magic of their world down to claim it as their own.


    Scholars and warriors pushed the limits of what they were capable of. Prominent families abused and expanded their often great power. Both the monstrous and the mad attempted to unleash and control powers they had no hope of understanding. In the end, it would be one who was a combination of these things that would shatter everything.


    An Emperor, one whose name would be erased from history, destroyed the source of the world¡¯s magic in a vain ritual and brought his empire to its knees. Those they had conquered rose from biding their time, seizing their one opportunity. And amidst that fresh chaos, the ark fell to the earth.


    Both imperials and their enemies from across the world watched as the sky tinted crimson and a massive, black disk glided across the horizon in flames. But the ancient races had not left the ship witless, and it hit the ocean flat like a skipping stone. Despite the raised sea level, tidal waves, and mountains it formed as it collided with the largest land mass left on the planet, the destruction left the already shattered world still stable. So the fighting continued with most too afraid to approach the smoldering wreck.


    But one tribe, one who had remained mostly secluded in a southern tundra, would be led north into the mighty vessel. There, they made contact with the ship¡¯s creators and changed their world¡¯s fate forever.

 Chapter 1: Baby Steps

    Along the coast, northwest of where the great ship had fallen long ago, a forest of crimson leaves and mahogany wood covered the land. This forest was relatively new in the world, having sprung up nearly two decades prior, and was still radiating with the energy that had created it. For this reason, it remained mostly isolated from most beasts and people. Some creatures lived there, but few would ever be seen and none were wholly of the world.


    The air was filled with a constant heat that was not natural for its climate. It was still, humid, and teetered on the edge of comfort. It coated everything under a thick canopy that towered over more than twice an adult¡¯s height. The leaves there soaked in the sun¡¯s rays, until they began to emit a dim golden glow that would last well into the night. But even when enjoying this sight from beyond the forest¡¯s edge, many would speak of feeling ¡°the gaze of the light¡± from the still and silent wood. This was to be expected, as the forest was a fresh Memorial. The last battleground of the last imperial war.


    So it would have caused quite the panic if anyone had seen the small curled figure materialize in the air, before being lowered down to the still water¡¯s edge.


    Smaller than a lion cub and coated in scales that played with the light on the water, it slept like it had fallen asleep beside its mother. Its body shone from white to silver, with shifting hatches of gray and black. Two small pairs of platinum horns curved upward from the back of its skull, matching the saw-like spines that trailed down its spine to a tail pointed with a curved blade. Resting on its back was a set of wings too weak to use, but had stark white membranes that mostly blanketed its body.


    Many would see this creature as an infant dragon, a hatchling by all accounts, who continued to sleep comfortably despite its unusual arrival. The water behind it began to stir unnaturally before erupting into a wave that crashed over the new arrival. When the water receded, it began to groan.


    Slitted eyes opened for the first time. They shone the same blue as a clear day with slitted black voids for pupils engulfed amber flames that flickered to a deep violet before settling back. Even as the hatchling roused itself, its body continued to shift outside of its notice. The color of its eyes, the shades of its scales, the very makeup of its joints, muscles, and even bones. Each piece of its body down to the smallest level, searching for what it would consider a natural state. Then it stopped, all settling on what appeared to be the design of what it had woken up as, at least on the outside.


    It stretched, scratched itself, and rose to its full, minuscule height. It looked up and down the long, peaceful coast before yawning. It turned around and saw the vast sea that stretched beyond the horizon. It blinked, then turned back to the forest.


    The only thing that was on the small creature¡¯s mind was a hunger that gnawed in its core, though it hardly identified this sensation. It sniffed, catching something that cut through the scent of saltwater and provoked more hunger. It was something sweet.


    The hatchling moved with hesitation at first, steadily planting one foot in front of the other before gaining a rhythm. It built this rhythm until it began bounding towards the tree cover, only to trip over a large root that hid behind the red foliage. It rolled forward, back spines digging into the soft dirt as it landed with wings spread.


    It blinked up at the crimson leaves, surprised, but then caught the scent again. Getting back up, it continued forward, more carefully this time. As it did so, the dragon began to hear something, a sound that grew with the scent. It was deep, warm, and hummed with a somewhat random melody, as if a giant was recalling a tune during a morning routine.


    The hatchling was happy to listen.


    Eventually, it came to the source of these things. A place where the trees parted from one another, all giving space to one tree. It was shorter than those that surrounded it but was far larger than any one of them. Its bark was as white as the hatchling¡¯s wings, with twisting branches that seemed to snake through one another around the limbs before coming out and down into a slope. Bright blue buds in various stages of development lined their undersides, those closest to the trunk being the least developed. It was the end of the branches that held the hatchling¡¯s prize. They were crowned in azure leaves and shimmering with such heat that it finally noticed a temperature change.


    Shining golden apples, each hanging several feet in the air and flooding it with that same sweet scent.


    As for the hatchling, it approached slower than it had before. The heat was intense at first, but something in its body began to react to the experience. To the dragon, it felt as if something both invigorating and burning had erupted from its core like sprouts from a seed. It dug itself through the tiny thing¡¯s form before halting right below its scaled skin. While it surprised the dragon to be sure, it was not an unpleasant sensation. In addition, the heat was once more at a comfortable level upon its completion. Even as it stood on its legs and began to jump uselessly at the broiling fruit with an open maw, all its mouth tasted was something refreshing that was just out of reach. Finally understanding its fruitless attempts, the hatchling turned to the white tree and came to notice something.


    The humming had stopped.


    It was sure the noise had been coming from the tree before, but now the forest had once more gone silent. However, even this newborn creature could tell that this was not the same silence as on the coast. That had been empty, peaceful. The dragon could feel that this place was not empty. Something, perhaps many things, now watched it.


    It blinked, unsure of its next course of action, before its core let out a quiet but low rumble. That had settled the matter.


    The hatchling approached the white tree, its sharp tail swishing from side to side as if to wave off whatever may be watching it. When it reached the trunk, it lifted a taloned hand and pressed all four digits into the wood. The claws sunk in easily, finding purchase in the thick bark. With a jump and a desperate swing, its other hand gripped higher. Its back feet hooked in beneath it as a reaction, securing its hold further. It slipped out its lower hand then, bringing a leg up with it, and began to climb.


    Steadily the dragon continued up onto the tree, its bark more than strong enough to support the small creature. It climbed up and over the first layer of branches and up the tree¡¯s largest limb. It stretched high, but the young one only saw its goal. Once at the crest of the limb¡¯s slope, it hunkered and skidded down the largest branch.


    The hatchling felt a rush as it slid right above the tree cover, its claws tearing through bark and leaves before it tightened its grip. It came to a crashing halt before a large, seemingly ripened golden apple. But before it could claim its prize, there was a crack,


    Most of the branch came crashing down, taking both the hatchling and the apple with it, though the small thing barely felt the impact. Instead, when the apple landed before it, there was a flash of light and a high-pitched hiss. It was in an instant, and it didn¡¯t take long to regain its wits and rise. When it did, it saw that the patch of grass around where the apple had landed was now overgrown and lifting the fruit as if in presentation. More importantly, the apple was bruised but intact.


    It still radiated the same intense heat, but the hatchling was unconcerned even as sizzling juices dripped from the wound. It grasped the prize with both sets of claws and began eating with a satisfying crunch. The taste was nothing it could describe. A subtle sweetness spiced with a unique kick in the aftertaste. The flesh and juices gave a feeling of complete rejuvenation with each gulp.


    The dragon was so engrossed in its meal, in its victory, that it failed to notice the massive amber shape slowly approaching behind it. A massive thing of muscle and fur with paws big enough to crush the smaller creature completely. Its eyes were a royal blue that contrasted the snarling, impossibly white fangs that lined its mouth.


    This beast that took the shape of a bear was a Memorial Keeper, and though the hatchling knew nothing of this title or its responsibilities, that did not matter to the Keeper. Not with this sin.


    It rose on its hind legs, blotting out what sun could enter around the great tree. Then the tiny thing saw what had found it. The golden beast stared down and the dragon stared back, both waiting to see what the other would do. Then something else broke the silence.


    The humming returned, but not in the same content sound as before. This was a deep, emotionless rumble. The hatchling barely heard it at first, but it grew quickly.   Soon, it dipped past the point of sound alone and began to vibrate the world around it. The Keeper was reacting now as if it had only just noticed the noise through the sensation. Its massive head stared at the tree in what the dragon understood without comprehending it as confusion.


    When it ended, the bear seemed momentarily stunned before looking back down at the hatchling. The keeper stood as if in consideration, but the snarl slowly returned and it raised a massive paw.


    The dragon watched the shadowy mass come down and it wondered what the blow would feel like.


    The air cracked violently from somewhere in the forest, startling the beast as its head whipped over to look in the noise¡¯s direction. It had only a second before a form appeared between it and its prey.


    The intruder appeared human, with golden skin and a messy patch of long brown hair. It was big, almost as big as the bear, and was garbed in auburn leather lined with stark white furs. The shape was born from countless hours of devotion to physical ability and resilience, with small scars of all types scattered across his form. Its amber eyes held a focused gaze that betrayed the primal, crackling golden energy that danced across its body. But on its sculpted, long face was a wild smile.


    This was what the hatchling glimpsed in the split-second it had before the human spun on one leg, jumped, and brought down its foot into the Keeper¡¯s neck. The air cracked again as the force drove the bear''s pillar-like legs into the ground. Heavy force ripped through its target, spreading through the earth and air before finding the dragon.


    The unseen wave cut through the hatchling¡¯s being, drenching it completely. Its sensation flowed through its being before reaching its core. There, it was subconsciously burned into its being.


    But the bear, despite its pained roars, was still standing. Its buried legs rose from the earth like it was water, both arms out wide to grab hold of the attacker, but the human was far too fast. It moved down and around its target, all the while delivering nearly unseen thundering close-range punches until it was behind the beast.


    The hulking thing stumbled forward, prompting the hatchling to step back more as a spectator would, rather than another possible target. Even before its heavy head rose, the newborn could tell it was no longer focused on it. The massive Keeper whirled back at the human, its snarl having transformed into an epitome of predatorial rage. The dragon was certain its fangs and maw had grown in size.


    In response, the human¡¯s smile turned into a full grin.


    That was when any intelligence that could be seen in the Keeper¡¯s gaze was lost beneath an eruption of furious golden flames. It lowered itself on all fours, locked its legs back, and launched forward with the loudest sound that the hatchling would hear that day.


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    Most creatures in that world wouldn¡¯t have been able to see what happened next. For the newborn¡¯s part, its vision did not operate like any other creature¡¯s in that world. Regardless, the violent experience prompted a violent change. Spiking pain emerged above its enraptured eyes, deep in its skull. It winced, listening as the sound of something massive violently crashing through the brush cascaded through the forest before halting with a heavy thud.


    The hatchling looked back up, seeing the human standing with its back turned, facing a fresh trail of ripped earth and shattered brush that stretched deep into the forest. Its fists were on its hips and it stood tall, but the young one could somehow feel an anxious guilt emanating from its rescuer.


    ¡°I may have pushed it¡­¡± it said like a dragon who had gotten too invested in a game. It turned back to the small intruder, its smile far more restrained now, though still present. ¡°We¡¯ve gotta go,¡± it said before sprinting towards the hatchling. That was when it noticed the human¡¯s golden aura had faded, leaving it with labored breathing. Despite that, it quickly crossed the distance between them before scooping it up. It didn¡¯t resist, as it had already begun to like the human, but his claws still left shallow cuts on the man¡¯s form. He didn¡¯t seem to notice though.


    With the pain ebbing away, it had begun to process what it had seen. In the instant that the bear had charged it, the human¡¯s golden aura grew thick and coated it entirely, creating a white silhouette in a golden flame. The Keeper had been halfway to it by then when the human was suddenly above its lowered head. There had been a single blow then, straight into the top of the charging beast¡¯s skull. Its head met the ground in that instant, its back weight continuing forward, sending the once indomitable guardian spinning hind-over-head through the forest ground. All the while the lightborn figure had bounced from the impact over its target, landing before the power had vanished completely.


    The dragon couldn¡¯t guess how long the conflict had lasted, let alone that sliver of time, but it was happy to have seen it all. That was its initial conclusion at least, before the ground began to shake, and a familiar roar echoed from somewhere in the forest.


    The human tensed. ¡°How is that thing from the Light?¡± He asked under his breath before turning away and running. Damn thing is built like it was born in the Dark. The hatchling looked up at its rescuer.


    It knew the human hadn¡¯t spoken the last words, yet it had still heard them.


    His eyes, now hazel instead of fiery gold, met the dragon¡¯s then, and the smile grew natural again. ¡°I guess introductions are in order,¡± he said while effortlessly weaving through the crimson trek. His breathing was still labored, but he gained ground quickly. ¡°I¡¯m Naroe, apprenticed to Reil Fordring. Pleasure to meet you!¡± Eyes that had first opened that morning blinked up at him, and Naroe could feel the intelligence behind them regarding him with interest. It was a small gesture, but both felt joy well up in Naroe at the idea his rescue had been acknowledged.


    The ground began to shake then, and that question¡¯s priority fell steeply. The sounds of heavy bounding, crashing, and crushing through brush, were growing louder. All chorused by a constant, reverberating growl.


    Naroe glanced back, his free hand reaching into his leathers and pulling out a vial of golden liquid. The white tree was long gone now, but the hatchling could see the now darkened amber mass, its face only twin flaming orbs and shining white fangs. It took two at once, last one has to be for the escape. He tightened his arm¡¯s grip around the dragon and gently scratched its underbelly. His voice was lowered as he popped the cork on the vial, but it was calm and confident. ¡°I got you, don¡¯t you worry.¡±


    The dragon, having not felt any danger through the entire experience, regardless felt the full sincerity and belief in those words. It still had no way to communicate as the human did, so it turned back to the charging beast and simply nodded.


    With that motion, an understanding was forged between the two. With that understanding, the newborn entity subconsciously formed a link between their beings. A connection born of taken responsibility and trust that had been acknowledged and accepted by them both.


    Naroe felt it as a cold and warm rush from the small creature cradled in his arm. He felt familiar adrenalin begin to beat through his system, mixing with the rush, and the world seemed to slow around him. It wasn¡¯t the same as when he took the Brand Link, the last vial of which was still in his hand. For one, the Keeper was still closing in on him at a speed that left little actual time to think, and he didn¡¯t feel the Light¡¯s bristling intensity. It was this second observation that made him worry about how a dose would affect him in that state. Though, it wasn¡¯t like he had many choices.


    But his hand only got halfway to his mouth before something deeper than the Keeper¡¯s growl rippled through the forest. To Naroe and the Keeper, it was purely a vibration that made the human almost drop the vial and the bear brace before coming to a skidding halt. But for the dragon, it was a note. A low, warm, threatening note.


    It was followed by another, this one softer, as the air hazed and what little light there was under the shaded canopy was drained. All three felt their skin tingle as quick bursts of lightning trailed through the environment, taking the form of a sharp, foreboding beat in the mind of the hatchling. For the first time, Naroe¡¯s smile dropped into a neutral expression.


    At least he¡¯s not angry, his thoughts again echoed in the dragon¡¯s mind.


    The crimson leaves of the trees began glowing softly as they began to sing in chorus with the growing power, their voices in harmony within the newborn¡¯s mind. Their sound was that of joyous recognition.


    And then it all ended. Silence and light returned to the forest floor, then the brush nearby shifted, and out stepped another human. At least, that was its outward appearance.


    It was older and smaller than the other one. Its tanned body was lean, with tightly cut gray hair and stubble on its face. It was decorated in similar clothing to Naroe, though it seemed a fair bit more worn. Its face, while bearing an expression of paternal patience, was fit for a conqueror who had outlived both his enemies and those under him. Blue eyes that carried a gentle but clear authority stared directly into the Keeper¡¯s, which had regained their former intelligence.


    ¡°I must apologize, honored Keeper.¡± Its voice was warm and gentle on the surface, but it sank in on them like chains. ¡°I understand this little one is not meant to be here, but I must ask that you look by this incident and allow us to take it into our custody.¡± The bear growled but didn¡¯t move. ¡°My deepest apologies once more,¡± the older human bowed. ¡°I could hear the destruction taking place from the edge of the forest, but I have already deduced my student has only followed my teachings.¡± Reil motioned to the two in question. ¡°It is both his and my responsibility to secure rare creatures for their safety and the safety of ecosystems they may disrupt. This small dragon is such a creature. I will speak with the Order members stationed here and inform them of what has happened, they will expedite the healing process.¡±


    The bear stared at Reil for a moment before giving its offenders one low growl, then huffed and walked away.


    Naroe untensed then and began looking for the cork he had dropped when Reil appeared beside them with its hand. ¡°Thanks,¡± Naroe said calmly but didn¡¯t meet his gaze.


    There was a moment of silence as the younger human resealed the vial and stashed it away. His master stared at him, before moving to the newborn in his arms. It could not read Reil¡¯s gaze, nor could it feel its emotions like with Naroe.


    ¡°So how did that start?¡± Reil asked, his eyes moving back to his apprentice with little visible judgment.


    ¡°He was about to bury this little guy, ¡° Naroe held the hatchling up to Reil, who only blinked at him. ¡°So I had to step in at his defense.¡±


    ¡°You took two doses at once,¡± Reil recounted as if he had been there while reaching up and taking the dragon. ¡°I could feel how excited you were through the link.¡± He began to examine the small dragon, his fingers massaging, feeling, measuring. ¡°You had the time of your life fighting that Keeper, short as it was. I have to wonder how much of a priority this little one was to you.¡± He side-eyed the younger human. ¡°Did you think you could beat it?¡±


    Naroe stuck his hands into his pockets as if he were holstering weapons, his thumbs resting on the outer fabric. ¡°Not at all, I had a plan,¡± he spoke as if he was recounting a game he had played.  ¡°Use two doses to stun the bear, grab the dragon, and then run. Save the last one for if it caught up.¡±


    Reil shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine you underestimated the Keeper, so I can only assume you overestimated how much of a difference the second dose would have made.¡± He cradled the small hatchling in his arms. ¡°You would have been better off taking one, grabbing this one,¡± the older human pet the head of the small dragon, ¡°and running off while taking them to extend the usage. I would have subdued the Keeper when you got to me.¡± Reil let out an exasperated sigh but his gaze softened. ¡°I understand such an¡­ experience does not come often,¡± Naroe¡¯s smile returned with the chosen word, ¡°but your power will be different when you receive it.¡± He smiled then at his apprentice. ¡°Do you really want to grow used to using mine before you even see what your gifts will be?¡±


    Naroe¡¯s amber eyes moved away from Reil¡¯s. ¡°No, I guess I¡¯m just worried.¡±


    Reil gave a chuckle, one far more hearty than his small frame should have allowed. ¡°I know that feeling too well,¡± he looked to the crimson canopy above them. ¡°So why don¡¯t we head back? I¡¯m finished here and we should get back to the wagon before the sun sets.¡± He looked back down at the dragon, who had been silently watching the exchange. ¡°Have you come up with a name for him yet?¡±


    Naroe cocked his head. ¡°It''s male?¡±


    ¡°Going off the body structure, I¡¯d say so,¡± Reil responded while gently lifting the dragon to feel underneath it. ¡°However, that¡¯s where the similarities with any other dragon I¡¯ve examined end. For one, it¡¯s remarkably docile for one so young.¡± He brought it back down to his chest. ¡°Two, I have no idea what could be hiding under this hide. Three, I can¡¯t even begin to guess the skeletal makeup in composition or even structure.¡± Naroe¡¯s grin returned and Reil let it infect him as he looked down at their patiently listening catch. ¡°We¡¯ve found ourselves quite the surprise,¡± he said before turning back to his apprentice. ¡°So, a name? We can always change it later if we¡¯re wrong.¡±


    His apprentice smiled then. ¡°Well, I found him eating an apple from Tirion¡¯s Tree.¡±


    Reil froze, looking back down at the hatchling. ¡°He seems fine, he was able to eat every part of the apple?¡±


    Naroe nodded. ¡°He could be attuned to light.¡±


    Reil turned back to Naroe. ¡°So Ember? Sora?¡± He gave another chuckle. ¡°Apple?¡±


    Naroe¡¯s smile widened. ¡°I was thinking White.¡±


    Now it was time for Reil to tilt his head. ¡°White?¡±


    His student nodded. ¡°His scales remind me of Dessian¡¯s tree. Plus,¡± Naroe counted each point with a hand, ¡°we have no idea where he came from, he¡¯s unlike any dragon we¡¯ve ever seen, and I¡¯m willing to bet he hatched recently.¡± He rubbed the dragon¡¯s head. ¡°All that makes him a blank white slate.¡±


    His master matched his smile and then turned back to the dragon. ¡°Well?¡±


    In truth, the hatchling felt little about the concept, but something told it a name would be helpful, so it nodded.


    ¡°Beautiful,¡± Naroe grasped the newly named White and took him from Reil. ¡°Hopefully you don¡¯t take too long to grow, traveling¡¯s going to be much easier once you¡¯re big enough to ride.¡±


    The older human rolled his eyes. ¡°What makes you sure you¡¯ll be able to have him as a mount?¡± Naroe said nothing as he walked through the redwood, so Reil continued. ¡°What makes you think he¡¯ll bond with you?¡±


    ¡°Because he already has,¡± Naroe replied cooly.


    For the first time that day, White was startled. There had been no noise, no rush of air and force like with Naroe and the keeper, the old human was just now standing before them as if he hadn¡¯t moved at all. And unlike with the bear, White felt no reaction in his body. This discrepancy frustrated him, but he didn¡¯t understand why.


    From the outside, this appeared as his head jolting back upon seeing Reil, followed by the clenching of his jaw.


    Naroe, however, took Reil¡¯s action in stride even as he stared at his apprentice with a skeptically cocked eyebrow. ¡°Care to explain?¡±


    ¡°I felt it when the keeper was charging us,¡± Naroe responded casually. ¡°He gave me power in that moment. Not a lot, but I¡¯m sure I felt something.¡±


    Reil stared at him for a moment. ¡°I believe that you believe he¡¯s bonded to you. But Naroe, you don¡¯t have a branding yet. Even if White is attuned to light, even if he was a Lightborn incarnate, there¡¯s nothing for him to connect to to form a bond.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it was like that though,¡± Naroe insisted. ¡°This felt different.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    Naroe paused, attempting to piece his answer together carefully. ¡°There were traces of what felt like light,¡± he hesitated as he looked back down at the now-calmed dragon. ¡°But instead of that raw fire that gets poured in from outside, White dug in underneath and ignited what was already there.¡±  His eyes returned to Reil¡¯s. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not a traditional bond, but it''s something.¡±


    Reil¡¯s expression remained unchanged for several seconds. ¡°If he has somehow made a connection to your soul, I feel I should be concerned. However¡­¡± his blue eyes turned gold then, and White saw the air shimmer once more between them. ¡°I haven¡¯t sensed any hostility from this little one or anything wrong with you. Still, I don¡¯t see a connection either. If there is a bond, it is beyond my senses.¡± His eyes reverted to their usual, calming color. ¡°With any luck, his Majesty will have the time to examine him personally. We can decide what to do with him then.¡± Reil¡¯s smile returned. ¡°In the meantime, you can take responsibility for him.¡± His gaze moved again to the dragon. ¡°Though I wonder how long you¡¯ll have before it starts being the other way around.¡±


    Naroe snorted and walked by his master. ¡°You say that like I can¡¯t look after myself.¡±

 Chapter 2: Sanctuary’s Teeth

    By the time the three of them had exited the forest, the sun had lowered in the west. Hills of varying sizes rolled across massive fields, rippling throughout the land and ranging from barren to supporting full ecosystems. Though none were like the massive crimson wood the dragon had appeared in.


    Beyond the eastern horizon, a line of jagged shapes caught the dimming light of the sun. Stretching from the northern coast to beyond their sight, these peaks turned golden in the orange rays, threatening to pierce the darkening sky.


    Waiting for them beyond the line of red trees was a wagon made from ebony wood, its bed roofed with a thick white fabric that sheltered its cargo. Inside, more than a dozen metal containers were securely and neatly arranged. The hatchling could smell the cargo before it reacted to the presence of the humans. Several calls and cries rose from the bed as they stepped from the forest edge, each belonging to a different species of beast. Though each of their scents carried similar sweet scents to the apples it had consumed earlier, they were all different. Some carried a sour tang that ranged from barely perceivable to almost overpowering, while others held a much more subdued, almost savory taste that was just as varied.


    Next to the wagon was a tower built in stark white stone, its skinny frame supporting a rounded balcony at its top. Despite its plain appearance, the infant could see something stirring just beneath the surface of its construction, like light dancing beneath clear water.


    When the trio approached the wagon, Reil ran his hand over the wagon¡¯s fabric. The cries began to settle as the white cloth turned gold briefly, before beginning to fade. By the time it returned to its original color, the cries had stopped completely.


    ¡°Naroe, tend to the cages while we have the opportunity,¡± he said while gesturing to take the dragon. ¡°I¡¯ll figure out how our new friend will be traveling with us.¡±


    Naroe didn¡¯t move. ¡°I think I¡¯ll be fine holding him.¡±


    His master paused and raised an eyebrow. ¡°I understand you feel a bond of some sort has formed, but I think it¡¯d be best if we found a container for him.¡± His eyes moved down to the hatchling who stared back at him with an almost empty gaze. The contrast between it and the natural intensity of the dragon¡¯s eyes made Reil question again what it was they had found.


    And again, White was unable to sense Reil¡¯s thoughts as he had with Naroe. Even as they had walked, he had heard the surface thoughts of the younger human, but none were like the statements he had heard before. Those had been focused, loaded with intent. These thoughts flowed by as if being carried by a river, which made them much easier to ignore.


    Naroe had gained White¡¯s trust in that incident, even if White hadn¡¯t consciously realized it, and thus he was more than happy to be carried to wherever. Especially if it meant going with the one who had ended that conflict.


    Naroe hesitated before handing the still-passive dragon to his master. ¡°I really don¡¯t think he needs one,¡± he reasserted.


    Reil¡¯s brow furrowed quizzically. It was rare for Naroe to be so insistent with him.


    ¡°What makes you so sure?¡± the older human questioned.


    Naroe could only offer a shrug. ¡°A feeling.¡±


    Reil looked at him for only a moment before turning away and making his way to the front of the wagon. Naroe¡¯s instincts were good, Reil knew this well, but so were his own. In addition, his instincts were enhanced and backed by decades of experience. But here was a creature that he felt nothing from, a creature he couldn¡¯t feel anything from, as if its very existence was a blind spot to him. In addition, his apprentice had somehow bonded with it.


    Reil shook his head. Whatever had occurred, it had not changed Naroe and everything pointed to this being a dragon, ignorant of itself and the world around it. However, he still found its incredibly relaxed state disconcerting.


    White, for his part, was trying to see the being that had emerged from the forest in the one that carried him now. In his arms, the hatchling felt a comforting warmth propelled by a steady flow of energy that moved through every fiber of the man¡¯s being. The intensity that had been in the forest was gone, but White could feel that same light pulsing from deep within the elder¡¯s core.


    Yet still, despite having been taken in his arms as Naroe had done before, White could not feel Reil¡¯s thoughts or intentions.


    The two reached the front of the wagon where a fabric-padded seat the length of the vehicle acted as the driver¡¯s area. Resting past that was a large trunk that was built into the wagon with several drawers lining the driver¡¯s area. Reil sat White on the seat before opening the top of the massive trunk, producing several pieces of meat and a long tube.


    ¡°Here you go little one,¡± he spoke as a grandfather would to a new member of his family. ¡°I believe you¡¯ll like these.¡± The meat he gave White was dried, but the dragon could smell the familiar sweetness from the strips and was quick to begin his meal, taking several at once within his mouth. Though the meat¡¯s texture and taste were completely different, they had a similar effect to the apples. ¡°You have quite the appetite it seems,¡± the old human¡¯s words held just as much amusement as warmth. ¡°It¡¯s a shame I only have those pieces.¡±


    White stopped eating and turned sharply at Reil, whose smile faded. White hoped to hear assurances that there was the possibility of more food in the future. When Reil only continued to stare at him, White began to take smaller bites.


    Naroe¡¯s words drew the dragon¡¯s attention, though Reil didn¡¯t turn away. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re in pretty good shape,¡± he called out while walking over. ¡°Most of them just needed dinner, weren¡¯t any messes¡­¡± the apprentice trailed off when he noticed his master staring. ¡°Everything alright?¡± he asked tentatively, his gaze moving to the hatchling.


    Reil nodded, recovering. ¡°Yes, I believe so,¡± he replied calmly as he looked back at Naroe. ¡°I¡¯m going to be in communion for a moment.¡± Reil uncapped the tube and shook out its contents, a thickly rolled parchment with hundreds of tiny crystals embedded into unseen designs across its surface. ¡°I believe White can ride up front with us without issue, but he¡¯ll be sleeping with you.¡±


    Naroe¡¯s smile returned fully at the decision. ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± he turned to the dragon. ¡°I promise I don''t snore.¡±


    White paused to look at him, unsure of his assertion, before finishing his meal.


    Reil took his apprentice aside then to whisper in his ear, but that dragon could still hear his words in full clarity.


    ¡°He is still an infant,¡± the older human began, ¡°but it¡¯s clear his mind might be more complex than we initially thought.¡± His apprentice moved to look at him, but Reil pulled him back. ¡°There is a high chance he understands us rather well, but I believe we¡¯ll need His Majesty to understand him.¡±


    Naroe looked back at White, who sat patiently looking at them, his meal finished. Naroe turned back to his master. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much to understand,¡± he whispered back. ¡°He¡¯s just a kid without a home.¡±


    Reil stared at him, and Naroe knew what he had struck. But it didn¡¯t change that he felt it was the truth, and Reil understood that perfectly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll contact Varen tonight and let him know of our intentions for when we arrive tomorrow,¡± he said as he moved back a little. ¡°Ask him to make preparations for the rest ahead of time so we address this quickly.¡± He glanced at White again, who only blinked at him, before looking back at his apprentice. ¡°I¡¯ll follow your feelings on this, though I feel he¡¯ll be living in a controlled environment regardless of either one of us. In the meantime, enjoy your time with him but please, don¡¯t overload him.¡± He gave the larger man a smile that matched his light¡¯s warmth. ¡°Just because he can understand you doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯ll be able to listen to you all night.¡±


    Naroe returned the smile and nodded before Reil clasped him on the shoulder and moved to the back of the wagon. As the towering youth turned back to the dragon, he found it watching him as if waiting for his word. He couldn¡¯t resist his smile broadening at the attention the small dragon was giving him.


    White felt his joy as well, and while he didn¡¯t understand where it stemmed from, he was happy to be the cause of it.


    Naroe reached over and petted the dragon. ¡°I get why Reil¡¯s so nervous about you, but I hope you don¡¯t end up stuck in The Sanctuary.¡±


    He walked around and hopped onto the other side of the long seat, pulling out a large cover and cushion from one of the trunk¡¯s compartments. Only needing one of his arms to hold White comfortably, he picked up his new friend before getting comfortable in his makeshift bed. When he was on his back, he placed the dragon back on his chest. The blanket was thick and soft, providing a comfortable bed for the hatchling and a cushion between it and the human.


    White got comfortable in his new position before turning back to the apprentice, the young man¡¯s hazel eyes seemingly echoing the amber spark from earlier. Something in the dragon told it these were the actions to prepare for sleep, but it felt no such intention from the human. It tilted its head at Naroe, and that was enough for the human to know its question.


    ¡°How old are you?¡± He began.


    White blinked. As a being who only acquired the ability to perceive reality that morning, he hadn¡¯t had time to digest the generous amount of understanding he had been given regarding the world around him. Now this human had brought the passage of time as a concept to his attention.


    He held up a single talon.


    ¡°A year?¡±


    The dragon shook his head.


    Naroe blinked. ¡°A month.¡±


    The dragon shook his head again.


    Naroe worked his jaw. ¡°Were you born yesterday?¡± His voice was half a whisper at this point, but his grin had grown wide once more. White felt something spark aflame in the trapper¡¯s core.


    White shook his head again and pointed to the nearly set sun. He traced his talon in the air to where it had been when he awoke on the beach.


    Naroe let out a wheeze, startling the dragon as he sat up partway. ¡°You were born today?¡± White stared up at him, matching his wide-eyed surprise before nodding. The human collapsed back onto his pillow, a breathless laugh escaping his lips. ¡°How in the world did you get here?¡± He spoke with the minimum amount of air required before breathing deeply. He centered himself as he had been taught by Reil and White felt the flame that had erupted begin to condense into a tiny sun.


    White could feel its warmth, and he realized that this had been what he connected to. At the very least, it was the gateway.


    Naroe¡¯s eyes moved back to the dragon. ¡°Was there anyone else there?¡±


    White shook his head, the surprise ebbing away.


    The apprentice paused before asking his next question. ¡°Did you hatch from an egg?¡±


    White traced his memory back to the near spotless beach and shook his head again. Naroe¡¯s grin lessened then, his mind trying to work out the possible explanations for this dragon¡¯s sudden appearance. That last answer in particular left him with no grounded theories.


    ¡°Do you know anything about the world?¡± He finally asked. White shook his head again, and Naroe hummed in response. Every instinct told him that White had been answering truthfully through the exchange and that only made things more confusing. ¡°An understanding of our language, but no instinct to run from a charging keeper. Abilities that interact with the souls of others but with no connection to the Planes¡­¡± he trailed off as his mind worked.


    White found the whole experience curious, the sensation of Naroe¡¯s mind sorting through his knowledge and memories was like a library coming to life. He felt the pages all turning, looking for an answer it was unsure it possessed as he watched from its window.


    The image dispersed in flames as Naroe grunted, his eyes moving back to the smaller creature. ¡°Do you know what the Planes are?¡± White blinked, turning to the expanse of land that lay before them. ¡°No,¡± Naroe said, pulling his attention back. ¡°The Planes of Light and Dark?¡±


    White stared blankly at the human. He understood the words that had been said, but he did not know what they meant. The realization struck him as odd.


    Naroe gave a slight nod, his arms moving to lay under his head. ¡°I figured you weren¡¯t born from either one since the Keeper attacked you, but I thought I¡¯d ask. But I¡¯ll take that as you can understand us, but not because of any worldly knowledge.¡±


    White ran through the human¡¯s statement once more before coming to understand it and nodded. He did not know how he understood his surroundings or the human¡¯s speech, but he knew it came easily. He did not know much more than that though, other than he enjoyed food and his current company.


    ¡°I wish we had a better way to communicate,¡± he said, reaching over to pet the dragon. ¡°I think I can figure out the easy stuff, but I¡¯d like to figure out the complicated stuff too.¡±


    ¡°Then your best bet is still His Majesty,¡± Reil spoke as he came around the side where Naroe¡¯s feet lay, his face grim. He opened up the main trunk again, placing the parchment back in its tube and putting it away. ¡°Varen will set up an escort to meet us at the gate. They¡¯ll get us to the nearest warp bay and we¡¯ll meet with him by the Heart.¡±


    ¡°Then why do you look worried?¡± Naroe¡¯s smile faded.


    ¡°Because his Majesty had just left for Andromeda.¡±


    Naroe¡¯s demeanor shifted fully then. ¡°Why?¡±


    The older human shook his head. ¡°Something¡¯s triggered their instruments, but they can¡¯t make sense of it.¡± His eyes moved to White then, scanning but not with hostility. ¡°I don¡¯t like the timing, but they requested His Majesty¡¯s assistance in deciphering the matter.¡±


    Naroe glanced at White then and saw he lay unfazed by his master¡¯s gaze. The notion that this newborn had any insight to offer decayed even further in his mind. ¡°What do you think?¡± He asked as Reil pulled a large tied sack out of the trunk.


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    ¡°I can¡¯t convince myself it¡¯s a simple coincidence, but the Empire has been silent for a while now.¡± He shrugged a motion that made Naroe¡¯s skin crawl. He never liked the idea of his master not having an answer, but watching him do it in the same breath as mentioning that ancient terror twisted his gut.


    White, who had been resting directly above where the feeling formed, turned to his new friend. The sensation made him uncomfortable, as it didn¡¯t mesh with the image of the human that had been forming in his mind. For the first time he tasted anxiety, and he hated it.


    Naroe¡¯s eyes moved back to White then, noting the smallest change in the tiny creature¡¯s gaze. He began to pet him once more, an echo of his earlier smile forced onto his lips before turning back to his watching mentor.


    Reil had taken in the scene and softened his gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s them though,¡± he continued. ¡°Andromeda may be a prime target, but it¡¯s too deep into the continent. No one else noticed anything and they haven''t found any damage, at least not yet. Even if it wasn¡¯t them, it doesn¡¯t change the coincidence.¡± His eyes moved to the small dragon on his apprentice¡¯s chest. ¡°I was tempted to follow His Majesty, but he¡¯ll cover ground much faster than us, and I would hate to extend our cargo¡¯s journey even longer.¡±


    ¡°What about General Mareth?¡± Naroe asked. ¡°Could she make something?¡±


    Reil shook his head gently. ¡°She went with him, both as protection and to assist in their investigation.¡± He turned to the back of the wagon, still looking at them. ¡°We¡¯ll just have to wait for their return. In the meantime, we¡¯ll decide how to proceed with Varen.¡±


    Naroe¡¯s smile returned in earnest then. ¡°Think White can stay with me while we wait?¡±


    Reil allowed himself a chuckle. ¡°We¡¯ll see. While the King¡¯s gone, Varen will have the final say.¡± He gave his apprentice an amused side-eye as he walked back out of sight. ¡°You¡¯ll have to talk to him.¡±


    Naroe¡¯s gaze returned to White. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, General Rain¡¯s great.¡± His hand moved back behind his head as he closed his eyes, yawning. ¡°I just hope his daughter isn¡¯t there, she¡¯d make things difficult.¡±


    ________________________________________________________


    White stared out at the passing greenery around them, taking in every detail without intention. The sun now hovered over the peaks he had seen when they had exited what Naroe had explained was ¡°Tirion¡¯s Grove.¡± The peaks they had been making their way to since early that morning.


    Reil had been the first to awake before the sun had even emerged from beyond the rolling hills. He spent over an hour taking sections of beasts out of their cages, each organized to have the least likelihood of friction, and let them stretch their legs for a while. He had taken the time with each of them to imprint general commands and instincts to keep them in check for the journey. Birds were allowed to fly high and far, while various small critters scampered about the hills. Some almost sparkled in the pre-dawn, darting at intense speeds across the skies and fields. Others melded in and out of what shadows the fleeting night still provided, their movements seemingly heavy despite their grace.


    None entered the bounds of the crimson forest, and all returned to Reil before long. White had watched all of this, Reil giving him a nod when he had first emerged from behind the wagon. Though he saw nothing like what had occurred the day before, he could feel something pulse through the air every time Reil interacted with the cages. Every time the small creature felt it, the back of his skull itched.


    Reil said nothing that morning except to wake Naroe with the instruction that it was time to leave. It was only when Reil took the front seat that the wagon began to move forward unprompted.


    It had been slow at first, but it gradually gained speed as it turned out onto a barely trodden path that snaked through the hills. White felt that same light gradually pouring from Reil once more as it did. It ignited from his body and seeped through the wooden frame, seemingly bringing the vehicle to life. While White could see traces of yesterday¡¯s flame in embers only he could see, this was a far gentler light that gave him the same feeling as when Reil had been handling their still quiet cargo. It was as if the old human was gently encouraging the wagon to move, and so it was.


    Now, several hours into the ride, the once-distant mountains were showing their true size. White had watched clouds pass and be split by the snow-topped range, and their morning shadows had reached them before he had even seen that. He had yet to see even where they began or ended.


    What he could see was that their course was taking them to a canyon that looked to snake through the range.


    Reil and Naroe had not spoken much since they had departed, but it was not a bad silence. Naroe had pulled out a small leatherbound book, tied by a single strap. He had been reading its contents the entire way, idling stroking White¡¯s head as he did so. Reil kept his eyes on the road for the most part, his gaze occasionally flicking to the wagon bed and White. While the dragon had kept his eyes forward, more specifically the enlarging mountains, he had registered Reil¡¯s glances as rays of sun on a cloudy day.


    ¡°They¡¯re quite a site, aren¡¯t they?¡± The older man asked.


    He had said it when White had felt the warmth of his focus, so the hatchling looked back at him and nodded. White did like them, though he couldn¡¯t quite say why. He supposed it was just because of their size. The trees in the forest had been big to him as well, but this felt different.


    ¡°¡®Sancutary¡¯s Teeth,¡¯¡± he continued, ¡°where our home met the planet a long time ago. When it arrived, it changed the world in many ways.¡±


    ¡°I remember my first time seeing them,¡± Naroe spoke up. ¡°I¡¯ve never felt so small, but I can¡¯t imagine how you feel White.¡±


    White looked back at the closest peaks, his eyes tracing down their slopes to the nearing canyon. In truth, this was not the only path to their destination, but it was the closest one they had. Though it did not appear that way to the small creature.


    To him, they were so large that they had completely restricted their path to a single option. He had realized then that this was why they impressed him so much. Yet, this thought also quietly disturbed him. A part of him, a rather significant part it seemed, disliked being limited to this one option.


    His eyes moved back up the steeply carved rock to the slopped land above and wondered what he could see if they were up there.


    An amused chuckle came like a warm breeze and White turned back to a smiling Reil. ¡°This is the first time I think I can guess what you were thinking.¡± He said, ignoring his apprentice¡¯s questioning look. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get to see soon enough.¡±


    The sun was still high when they reached the ravine, its light filled the winding carved path until they came to its end. What awaited them there was a void.


    A wall of clean, purest black stood at more than twice the height of the wagon. It was clean, completely devoid of any dust or marks. As White stared into its surface, something seemed to hover just beyond his senses. It wasn¡¯t until the wagon came close to touching it that he was finally able to feel, rather than see, movement underneath the surface. Something stirred then, recoiling at his notice, though the wall remained visually unchanged.


    He felt another pulse from Reil, something much stronger than any he had felt that morning, but just as gentle and warm.


    Movement again from beneath the surface, but this time a deep bassy hum sounded. The wall split down the middle, its two pieces receding into the rock that surrounded them, and all was silent again.


    The first thing White noted was the smell of a village¡¯s worth of baked goods even before he saw the rows of humble buildings. Each was built from piled gray stone topped with sloping red shingles. Cobblestone roads stretched out from the main path down alleys and were lined with stalls, several of which hosted parked carriages and wagons drawn by horses of various sizes, many of which carrying full loads. In the distance, White could see the road stretch far beyond the village, trailing down seemingly endless farmland.


    But no business was being conducted, nor was anyone treading the various paths. Instead, the near entirety of the town¡¯s population stood by the gate, their wide eyes locked onto the trio¡¯s carriage from behind two lines of over three dozen armored humans that stood parted from the newly opened entrance. All were clothed in simple but clean clothing, the only exception being the farmers who appeared to have stopped in the middle of their work to be there.


    Upon seeing the travelers, they broke into excited cheers with broad smiles and waving hands. The guards who kept their path clear crossed their arms over their chests and gave deep bows.


    One set was garbed primarily in black and shades of blue, their gear adorned in cool-colored feathers with spots of white accenting the masterfully crafted metal. Their helms were shaped to resemble various birds of prey with beaked visors that covered their faces.


    On the opposing side stood their opposites, a group armored in white and shades of yellow. Etched into their plate were the designs of various beasts, their pauldrons shaped into clawed paws that rested on their shoulders. Their helms were made into the roaring faces of their chosen iconography.


    As the carriage rolled forward and the wall closed behind them, Riel waved a hand at the gathered citizens. Many called out ¡°Welcome lord Reil!¡± and attempted to present him with baskets of various goods, though not one attempted to get closer to the wagon.


    The wagon stopped directly between the two lines and the guards rose. One in white armor, a larger human with the helm of a lion, approached the old trapper. As he did, Naroe disembarked and began moving down the crowd, which had closed in behind them, thanking the people for their welcome and graciously accepting what offers he knew his master would be willing to take.


    ¡°Lord Reil,¡± the approaching human began in a growling voice that matched his helm, ¡°it is our honor to welcome you to Roarshire, and back to Lugatea.¡±


    Reil met him with a pleased smile. ¡°Sir Kear, it¡¯s wonderful to see you again, and as a captain no less! You honor us by bringing your troop all the way here as an escort, though I hope we didn¡¯t take you away from anything important.¡±


    The man named Kear shook his head. ¡°No trouble at all my lord. This entrance is still not used often and we wanted to be sure you had as smooth a journey back to the capital as possible. To that end, we¡¯ve prepared a teleport circle for you just outside of the village.¡± He stopped then, his gleaming visor turning to look at White, who hadn¡¯t moved.


    The small dragon had been taking in the sheer joy and excitement he felt from the crowd of humans, but also glancing at each of the armored figures that stood nearby. Those in bright armor exuded a light like that of Reil¡¯s, but the ones in black possessed something similar to what had been inside the wall. A darkness that coated their bodies as comfortably as their armor.


    When he noticed the captain¡¯s gaze on him, a duller feeling than what he felt from Reil, he met it with his usual impassive expression. The air between them began to gain that same shimmer as it had when Reil first looked him over and it didn¡¯t take long for the warrior to turn back to his still-smiling senior.


    ¡°He¡¯s quite the discovery, isn¡¯t he?¡± Reil said in way of an explanation.


    Kear gave a nod.¡±I¡¯d say so, though I must admit I¡¯m a little concerned at him being out in the open.¡±


    White, to his confusion, was inclined to agree. But as the excitement in the crowd began to die down, it began to be mixed with some other emotions. Many citizens had already taken note of his presence and openly stared at him in awe and bewilderment, with some beginning to grow a little concerned. White could feel as much the guards as he did their captain, but many of their gazes were also locked onto him. The ones in black were akin to a gentle breeze, while their counterparts were on a level lower than their captain. However, with many staring at once, it felt like his body was split between a hot day and a chilling night.


    ¡°Consider it socialization for him,¡± Reil responded with an optimistic tone. ¡°He¡¯s rather smart too, so Naroe and I would like to keep an eye on him.¡±


    Kear nodded without hesitation. ¡°If that is your judgment, sir, then I¡¯m happy to defer to it.¡± He turned back to the line of black-clad humans and approached the one at the end whose helm resembled a crow.


    Naroe returned after placing several filled baskets into the bed, bringing one filled with still-warm pastries up to the front with him. He pulled out a buttered roll and offered it to his master who accepted it with a thankful nod. After pulling one out for himself, he showed the basket to White. ¡°Want one?¡±


    The small dragon looked inside at the assortment of near-identical treats. Thinking back to how Naroe had handled them, he reached for one at random, taking it in his small hands before sitting up and biting in. There was none of the energy that had been in his previous meals, but it was a wonderful new experience regardless. The warm and fluffy bread was perfectly baked and filled with a sweet cream. Just like that, White almost completely forgot the gazes centered on him.


    Naroe stroked the dragon¡¯s head, how pleased he was with White¡¯s enjoyment flowing freely through their link before the captain motioned them forward.


    Reil gave another wave and round of thanks to the people, apologizing for needing to be on his way so quickly. They waved back, their eyes still sparkling with the excitement of putting a face to a name they all knew. The wagon pulled forward once more, keeping pace with the two lines of marching guards as they traveled down the main road.


    They were deep into the farmland when they finally came to a spot off the side of the now dirt road, where a circle of crystals similar to those in Reil¡¯s parchment but the size of White was waiting for them. It was large enough that the carriage had ample room to park inside.


    Both Kear and the crow-faced warrior took up opposite positions on each side of their vehicle, the rest of the troops circling behind them. ¡°We¡¯re posted nearby, so we¡¯ll be parting here,¡± said the captain.


    Reil nodded. ¡°We appreciate the escort and expedited transport captain. I¡¯ll be sure to give my regards to Rain and Graves for your troop¡¯s help when I see them.¡±


    Kear crossed his arms across his chest in salute, giving a slight bow. ¡°Anytime lord. The border has been uneventful, thank the Planes, so we were grateful to have the chance for a change of scenery. Especially in aid of one like you.¡±


    The master smiled at him and nodded before giving thanks to the rest of the troops around them. ¡°Keep your stalwart vigil, Knights of the Order. The kingdom depends on and is grateful for it. I will keep you all in my thoughts, wherever my next task takes me.¡±


    White began to feel power pulse from both warriors beside them and the world around them blurred and bled into a mix of colors. All around them, it began to spin and White heard the soft tones of a flute from beyond the vortex. It was only a few notes, but the fading sound seemed to calm the chaos, and soon the world around them settled into a completely different sight than when it had begun.


    They now occupied a space in a clean, silver chamber with high ceilings more than five times the height of the carriage. Scattered around were several counters and tables in the same style as the room itself, each holding various apparatuses that utilized the same crystals White had been seeing since he was found.


    Surrounding them were several robed individuals, some holding what looked to be smaller versions of the devices that littered the room. They were garbed in the same style as the black-clad guards from their escort, with several feathers and trinkets decorating their fully covered bodies, but none had the look of warriors. Instead, the only metal on their bodies was in the form of beaked masks that covered their hooded heads.


    One wearing the face of a raven stepped forward, giving the same salute and bow Keal had. ¡°Welcome back Lord Reil,¡± he said before rising and nodding to the younger human, ¡°and to you as well Sir Naroe.¡± His voice was aged from use but was embedded with a melodic tone that bordered on pompous. Yet it still carried the same respect the captain¡¯s had. ¡°We¡¯ve been anticipating your arrival since we received the news last night.¡± His beaked hood turned to the dragon sitting between the two new arrivals. ¡°I take it this is him?¡± As he spoke, his compatriots moved to the back and began unloading the containers from the carriage.


    Reil gave him a nod. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too, Poe. And yes, this is White.¡±


    Poe took another step forward, prompting Reil to hop down from his seat. White didn¡¯t move as the black beak came within inches from his snout, feeling the dark equivalent of Keal¡¯s light wash over him. The chill it gave was almost cautious, it picked across his body inquisitively as if testing him for a reaction. When the small dragon gave it none, it draped over him like a mother¡¯s embrace.


    ¡°I see now what you meant when you said you felt nothing at all,¡± the masked man turned to Reil. ¡°But I¡¯m certain there is something there.¡±


    ¡°I thought as much, but was hoping you would be able to discern more than that.¡±


    Poe put a gloved finger to his beak in thought. ¡°His material makeup is completely alien, though I assume you had guessed that as well. I cannot discern any details in the structure either, but not for lack of sight.¡±


    Reil¡¯s brow furrowed at that. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    The ebony mask turned back to White. ¡°From my perspective, it¡¯s as if his body is in a state of constant shift. It¡¯s hard to explain and I can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s his natural state or a reaction to my probing. Has he shed any scales or the like that I could examine?¡±


    The older human shook his head. ¡°No, he hasn¡¯t even relieved himself. He does eat, however, so a saliva sample should be possible.¡±


    ¡°And you still intend to keep him with you?¡±


    ¡°At least until His Majesty returns, unless Varen has any objections.¡±


    Poe glanced over at the various containers being hauled out and cataloged by his subordinates, his finger still to his beak. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like you didn¡¯t bring plenty for me to look at already. Though I hope the lord general will allow me to check in now and again.¡± He turned back to the trapper. ¡°You¡¯ll find him waiting in the eastern field by The Sanctuary''s Heart. But first, I¡¯d like that sample please.¡±

 Chapter 3: The Heart of a Kingdom

    White lay in Naroe¡¯s arms while he and Reil stepped into a cylindrical room, leaving Poe barely satisfied with the amount of material he had to work with. White¡¯s saliva turned out to dissipate rather quickly after leaving his body, and not into the air. This fact had left the raven-faced man rather annoyed, especially since every attempt required them to provide food to the small dragon to provoke a reaction. They eventually succeeded, but not before Poe acquired a specialized vial from one of the instruments in the chamber and White had eaten double his weight in energy-infused meats.


    As such, the small dragon was visibly more content than he had ever been. At least until the room began to shudder and move.


    The movement itself wasn¡¯t the issue, not even when the air pressure shifted enough for Naroe and Reil¡¯s ears to pop. No, it was what they were moving towards. White didn¡¯t know what that was, and neither of the humans said anything as they continued their journey, yet something had begun to work its way into his mind.


    It was at the edge of his senses at first, but its strength grew quickly. He could smell that familiar sweet scent once more, but it was much stronger now. Too strong, to the point of being a tang in the air that he could taste. It wormed its way into the room and his vision¡¯s contrast began to shift high and low, the room changing from blindingly bright to near perfect darkness. It rushed against his body much more heavily than Reil¡¯s or Poe¡¯s examination had, like water searching for weaknesses in a dam. Finally, he began to hear it.


    A choir of voices, an uncountable number of them, began to sound in his mind. They had every pitch, every tone, every note singing a wordless song in perfect harmony. It shifted effortlessly between joyful and tearful, excited and melancholic, gentle and harsh. Yet its volume never became overbearing. It sparked something in White¡¯s mind, igniting images of endless silhouettes living lives that he couldn¡¯t understand. In what felt like seconds, he watched them create, converse, grow, love, fight, and die. The experience would have been enough to shatter any mortal mind. But for this newborn creature, his mind had digested this glimpse into the power they approached as if it had been a vivid dream from a deep sleep. Then it was gone.


    To the two humans in the room with him, the only thing they saw was the dragon scrunch its nose, blink slowly, and then tense before relaxing. However, both still noticed these things and their eyes moved to one another before the doors opened once more.


    Green grass waving in golden rays of light was the first thing White noticed before his eyes moved to a massive structure no more than several dozen steps away. Shaped like the mountains White had seen before, though little more than half their size, it was made from two opposing elements in perfect union. Void-like rock made its skeleton, an obsidian so black it appeared to be cut away from reality. Massive white roots snaked around and throughout the structure like intricate nerves, emanating a glow that ignored the all-devouring black. Tall arches rounded its perimeter, layering up its sides while casting unnaturally dark shadows into its hidden interior. In place of the unseen ceilings, something like stars twinkled, as if the building held a private night sky. It stretched nearly out of sight from where they stood, but White could see it came to a point of perfectly carved crystal. The same type of crystal he had seen being used again and again. All of it emanating with the same force he had just felt.


    Stepping out from the lift and into the gentle breeze, White saw that its tip was pointed towards the sun. At least, he had initially assumed it was the sun. But as he squinted at it, he felt that it was much closer than it had been. His eyes adjusted, unbothered by its brightness, and he realized it wasn¡¯t the sun at all. It was a shining dome, embedded into a false sky.


    White blinked up at the object, his fresh mind digesting the information, when Naroe rubbed the back of his neck. The dragon turned to him, and the human pointed out to their left. There, beyond a nearby forest, he could see the peaks of several mountains poking up from behind the canopy of emerald leaves.


    There was a hiss from behind them, and White watched the metal cylinder they had just emerged from close its doors and lower into the ground. Within seconds, a seamless spot of grass sat in its place.


    ¡°Welcome to The Sanctuary,¡± Reil said. ¡°This is where we would normally find a home for you, White, as we do with any creatures we procure in our travels, but you¡¯ve proven to be a special case.¡± He pointed to the building in front of them. ¡°Every creature here has a special connection with what¡¯s in there, the Heart of the Kingdom. This is usually something they¡¯re born with as a sort of mutation and this environment allows us to care for and study them.¡± He turned to the hatchling. ¡°You, however, do not have this connection, at least not in any way we¡¯ve been able to gleam. Yet you are clearly unique. And so we are at a bit of a crossroads.¡± The old man gave a smile that he allowed to convey the small bit of excitement he had at the notion. ¡°We¡¯ll soon be figuring out what path to take, but I¡¯d like for you¨C


    ¡°Reil!¡± The voice that came was loud, powerful, and as deep as the darkness it came from. All three turned to the building to see a massive figure approaching. Even from that distance, White could tell it would stand above Naroe and surpass his bulk. Black plates emerged, taking traces of the darkness with them as if they had been drinking from it. They wrapped around the form in a complex interlinking of heavy armor that was far beyond any set White had seen that day. In between the plates, the blue of early morning radiated from within, forming the face of a parrot with a large hooked beak on the broad chest. Hanging from the sloped shoulder plates, a heavy cloak waved gently behind the heavy-treading boots. As he emerged from the building, the light from the false sun bounced off flecks from his armor, giving it the appearance of a star-filled sky.


    His head was bare, with deep almond skin framed in black, tightly cut hair. Icey sapphire eyes lined with more troubles than years held nothing but joy at seeing them, and this was reflected in the broad perfect smile that he wore. His face matched his armor, chiseled with a presence that looked to stand toe-to-toe with any other. ¡°Welcome home!¡± He called again, his voice no less powerful despite its lowered volume, and spread his armored arms wide.


    ¡°Varen!¡± Reil called out, matching the motion as he walked to meet him. The larger man had to bend down to reach his older and much smaller friend, but even he couldn¡¯t quite overshadow Reil¡¯s presence. ¡°It¡¯s great to see you again, son.¡±


    ¡°You too, Reil,¡± Varen broke away and turned to Naroe, who still stood off to the side holding White. The dragon realized his friend was debating how to act, but Varen¡¯s smile didn¡¯t even falter. ¡°Naroe! Come here, you¡¯ve grown!¡± He motioned the young man to come forward. White felt no nervousness from him towards the much larger human, but as Naroe approached he could tell this was a new experience for his friend.


    ¡°Thank you for the welcome, General Rain,¡± he settled on.


    Varen clasped Naroe¡¯s shoulder when he got close enough. ¡°No need for the formalities. We haven¡¯t had much chance to speak, but you¡¯ve spent more than enough time with Reil, I imagine he sees you as part of the family by now.¡± He turned to the man in question, whose expression shifted to one of mock consideration, which prompted a hearty laugh from the general. ¡°So don¡¯t worry about it, I¡¯d love to hear all about how these last years have treated you guys,¡± then his eyes moved to White. ¡°But I think that¡¯ll have to wait.¡± The armored giant stepped back and leaned down to get at the dragon¡¯s eye level. White felt the power in his icy iruses, but unlike every other human, there was no attempt to probe into his being. Instead, he only bore his glacial gaze into White, as if waiting for him to introduce himself.


    He blinked, finding himself unsure how to react. He began to wonder if this human had that effect on everyone.


    Steps echoed out once more from the building, prompting Varen to break his stare. White followed his gaze to where the general had initially emerged from, but these steps were nowhere near the weight of his. White was surprised that Varen had heard them at all. A much smaller figure began to emerge from the archway, lean and carrying the sound of shifting loose metal. It walked with an inherent grace that was clear even in the dark.


    Varen leaned back towards the trio, a hand coming up between his mouth and the approaching figure. ¡°She¡¯s not in the best of moods,¡± he said in a hushed, almost cautious tone, ¡°so I¡¯m hoping you¡¯ll indulge her a little.¡± He rose to his full height and called out once more. ¡°Avira, come see what Pop-pop brought home!¡±


    She stepped from the shadows, garbed in royal blue and dinged metal armor. Simple plates were tied around her limbs and chest, shaped to perfectly fit over her padded garments, all of which were covered in dust and flecks of dirt. Her gloves sported several holes and there were multiple tears in her pants. But her boots, while still worn, were completely devoid of dirt. Long black hair hung just past her shoulders, framing a young, pale face. There was a slight resemblance to Varen there, though her features were softer, and her hooded violet eyes looked out into the world with a naturally calculating expression. Her mouth was set in a small but genuine smile. Then she locked her gaze on White, and something changed.


    White felt her mind and her focus, but both were unlike any other he had felt until then. She had no power like Reil or the others, but her mind was a natural fortress. Her surface thoughts were a layer of digesting information from whatever she was considering, which seemed to be multiple things at once, slowly being fed into conclusions behind those walls. Her deconstructing gaze took in everything she saw, but when focused on a point as it was now with White, the rest of the world died away immediately.


    All the others saw of this was a small hesitation in the steps and the dilation of her eyes, but Varen recognized the change immediately and his smile somehow broadened further.


    Avira¡¯s focus moved to Reil as they embraced, but White still felt a mental pin had been placed in her mind regarding him. ¡°Hey Pop-pop,¡± she said. Compared to Varen, her voice was practically muted in volume, but it was as smooth as her movements. ¡°Glad you¡¯re home safe.¡± When they separated, White realized that Reil was wiping his eye.


    ¡°You look so much like your mother now,¡± he said with a somber smile.


    Avira returned it but didn¡¯t respond to the comment. In her mind, White felt the walls fortifying as she turned to Naroe. ¡°Hello, Naroe. It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    White had felt the unease from his friend the moment her name had been called, but as Naroe shifted to holding the dragon to one arm while holding his hand out to her, the source of the feeling became clear. He was afraid she was going to take White from him.


    ¡°Yes it has,¡± he said as they grasped forearms. ¡°I can tell you¡¯ve been busy.¡±


    She nodded with the same smile she had when she walked out. ¡°Same to you.¡± Her eyes returned to the dragon. ¡°Though, picking up a companion before receiving a blessing might be rushing things,¡± her eyes flicked to Naroe as he chuckled.


    ¡°Like you have any right to tell people not to rush. I bet you¡¯d sprint to the heart the moment I let you hold him.¡±


    Avira¡¯s smile showed her teeth then and White could feel her relax. ¡°Please, I at least have the decency to wait for my father¡¯s verdict.¡± She leaned forward, her hair falling by her face as she took off a glove and offered a pale, callused hand to White. ¡°As well as let my companion choose for themselves.¡± The dragon extended his neck to rest his head on the hand and he felt Avira¡¯s excitement rise. ¡°He¡¯s so calm,¡± she almost whispered as she scratched White¡¯s chin.


    ¡°He¡¯s like that with everyone,¡± Naroe responded confidently. ¡°But he¡¯s been the most content to stay by me.¡±


    She rose, replacing her torn glove while looking at the young man. ¡°I¡¯m sure he has been, but now he¡¯ll get to meet plenty of other people. Maybe even find someone he¡¯s more comfortable with.¡±


    Naroe began to scratch around White¡¯s horns, turning to their silently observing elders. ¡°Will he now?¡±


    Varen glanced at Reil, who gave an uncommittable shrug in response. ¡°Well,¡± the general began while considering his words. ¡°I don¡¯t see him causing any issues in the near future.¡± He looked back at the building behind them, ¡°and while he doesn¡¯t have a connection to the planes, they aren¡¯t hostile to him.¡± He turned to see the eagerness in both apprentices¡¯ eyes. ¡°He can probably stay with one of us while we wait for Elicus.¡±


    Naroe and Avira looked at each other then and White felt them both come to the same conclusion. Naroe lowered the dragon to the grass before letting him go, then began stretching out his body.


    ¡°Are you sure this is how you want to settle this?¡± Avira asked as she began to do the same. ¡°I know I said you¡¯ve been busy, but last time didn¡¯t work out for you, did it?¡±


    Naroe gave an honest laugh. ¡°I admit I underestimated you, but I was young and inexperienced.¡± He looked back at her with a wry grin. ¡°I won¡¯t be making the same mistake this time. Besides, you got lucky.¡±


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Avira shrugged, appearing nonchalant despite her growing excitement. ¡°Luck has its place on the battlefield.¡±


    ¡°True, but it¡¯s unreliable.¡± He turned to his master. ¡°How are we doing this?¡±


    Reil lowered himself to White, who had taken a seat on the ground next to his leg. ¡°Why don¡¯t we let White decide who he wants to go with?¡± He suggested.


    White shook his head at him. If he was reading Naroe right, and he was pretty sure he was, he¡¯d rather see how this all played out.


    Avira looked at the hatchling with intrigue now, but Naroe only laughed. ¡°There¡¯s no doubt either one of us could take care of him,¡± he said before looking back at Avira. ¡°I¡¯d bet he¡¯d have a great time with you, but I want him with me. Plus,¡± his eyes moved to White¡¯s, ¡°I know what he¡¯s thinking.¡± White blinked, a little taken aback at the statement given how little thought he put into anything. ¡°At least, I know what he¡¯s interested in besides food.¡± Reil rose to look at his apprentice, his eyebrow cocked while silently waiting for him to continue, but Naroe¡¯s smile never faltered and his eyes never left White. ¡°Power.¡±


    Reil blinked as if he had found a piece of a puzzle that had no right to fit yet did so perfectly.


    Avira looked at Naroe now, pulling a strap from her pocket and tying her hair back. ¡°That¡¯s not a good case for either one of us.¡±


    ¡°When I first saw him, he was about to take a hit from a keeper, but he wasn¡¯t afraid,¡± his gaze moved to his master. ¡°He was just waiting for it to happen. Even when I was going up against it only a few steps away, it was like a kid watching fireworks.¡± Reil smiled at that.


    An image flashed in White¡¯s mind, a clear night by a lake shore, a massive city on the other side, and the hundreds of bursting lights painting the sky. He could feel the depth of its imprint on his soul and though he didn¡¯t know the context of the moment, its sensation left him inclined to agree with the comparison.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even think it¡¯s specifically power,¡± Naroe continued. ¡°I think it''s a little more complex than that, but I know he watched that entire fight in a front-row seat.¡±


    ¡°You really want him, don¡¯t you?¡± the older human asked.


    ¡°I do, but I also know I¡¯m right about this.¡±


    White gave a gentle tug on Reil¡¯s pants and he looked down at the dragon in surprise. White nodded, hoping that would be enough to convey his feelings on the matter. That seemed to surprise Reil further before something else seemed to click and he rolled his old eyes. ¡°Of course, he is still a dragon,¡± he scoffed at Naroe. ¡°Either that or this is your influence. Your point¡¯s been made regardless.¡±


    Varen spoke up then, exasperating Reil in an instant. ¡°Then we should let you show him some real power.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± Reil almost snapped.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Varen asked casually.


    ¡°We¨C¡± the older man gestured to himself and the armored giant, ¡°are not a part of this duel.¡±


    ¡°But we are a part of this decision,¡± Varen argued. ¡°He¡¯ll be living with one of us either way and we¡¯re both their teachers.¡±


    ¡°This is meant to demonstrate their abilities,¡± Reil countered. ¡°Us augmenting them with our power invalidates that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying we need to use Brand Links, but we can lend them weapons.¡± The general crossed his massive arms, giving him the impression of an obsidian monolith. ¡°We¡¯re both on the same level too, so it¡¯s not an uneven boost.¡±


    The older man¡¯s glare was like a harsh sun. ¡°So you only want to augment the most dangerous elements of the duel.¡±


    Varen met the look with the impassiveness of a void. ¡°We can dictate when they break.¡±


    Reil paused. ¡°First to a clean hit then?¡±


    Varen nodded, turning to Avira and Naroe. ¡°Sound good to you two?¡± They exchanged glances and nods. ¡°Good.¡± He reached his hands out into the air, summoning trails of black from his armor. They snaked and coiled into a long silhouette as dark as the metal they came from. It stretched to two-thirds of Avira¡¯s height before solidifying. On its end, the edge of a curved blade slid from the surface as if emerging from the water, a wide guard forming beneath to complete a glaive.


    As Avira approached, she gave him a look. ¡°We could have just used training ones, Dad.¡±


    Varen smiled at her. ¡°Like that¡¯s how you want to show your grandfather how you¡¯ve progressed.¡±


    She silently conceded with a smile and took her father¡¯s creation. As the young woman began walking into the vast field behind the group, she began to idly swing her new tool, judging its weight and feel.


    Reil sighed watching her go, shaking his head, then turned to his apprentice who stood with a satisfied grin. ¡°Don¡¯t you look at me like that,¡± Reil chided him half-heartedly.


    Naroe continued to say nothing as he held up both hands to his master. Reil groaned as he took him by both wrists. Similar to Varen, light began to condense and coil around Reil¡¯s hands, trailing up over Naroe¡¯s before covering them entirely. The layer of light thickened and began to take the rough shape of a pair of gauntlets, one holding the thin shining shape of a dagger in the same style as Avira¡¯s shortsword.


    Naroe flexed the fingers of his temporary equipment, twirling the dagger in his hands as he did so. While Varen¡¯s weapons appeared forged solid, Reil¡¯s seemed to shift from still states of glass to shifting liquid as Naroe moved. Seeming satisfied, the apprentice made his way to a spot that was equal distance to them and to where Avira stood.


    ¡°As stated, it will be to the first clean blow using the weapons provided,¡± Reil said to them, ¡°the duel will end when a combatant is disarmed. ¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± Naroe said as he finished his stretches.


    ¡°Understood,¡± Avira lowered her glave¡¯s edge at him, leveraging it under her right arm as she shifted her body down midway into a runner¡¯s starting position.


    Naroe took a straighter stance, keeping his left side forward with his dagger and bringing his fists up in a loose guard. While Avira settled into perfect stillness, he swayed his body in perfect rhythm.


    ¡°Ready?¡± Varen called out, raising one night-clad hand. ¡°Begin!¡±


    The moment his gauntlet fell, Avira launched forward. Her father¡¯s hand had only just completed the movement when she reached Naroe, the glaive¡¯s point a black cut in the air pointed directly at his abdomen.


    Naroe was ready for it, his blade crested into her weapon¡¯s guard, catching and redirecting it just enough to pass by his back. A sound like glass on metal rang out from the collision, accented by crackling energy igniting the air. His right fist came in low, the golden gauntlet like a ball of flame, but the speed was nothing compared to when he had been empowered.


    Avira kicked the ground, launching her weight into her weapon as she encircled him and attempted to bring the blade back and thrust once more. A white aura crackled to life around Naroe¡¯s weapons, and Avira¡¯s glaive was forced off his dagger as if it had been struck. The sudden burst threw off her balance, but she compensated quickly and jumped back as Naroe¡¯s other fist attempted to follow her.


    He would have pressed the attack, but Naroe was well aware of how quickly Avira recovered. Sure enough, she had already switched her grip before she had landed, taking the glaive high in both hands and immediately leaping back at him. Again her blade sang and again Naroe listened, this time hearing a roar of raw weight and power. He wasn¡¯t going to deflect this.


    The air cracked as the weapon struck the earth, kicking up grass and dirt to the point of concealing the duelists. White felt the wind from the blow hit him, and he felt the same draw as he did when he had watched Naroe fight the first time.


    ¡°How long has she been practicing with a borrowed weapon?¡± Reil asked.


    ¡°A little over a year at this point,¡± Varen replied. ¡°Even if she¡¯s a late bloomer physically, her mind was more than ready.¡±


    Another impact, this time from both blades meeting as their wielders recognized each other¡¯s presence in the dust. Avira had backstepped after the miss, her weapon splitting perfectly into two separate pieces, the blade and baton catching Naroe¡¯s attacking fists.


    ¡°She¡¯s quite good at manipulating it,¡± Reil commented before the two separated, Avira already shifting into another assault. ¡°Did you teach her that trick?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nothing,¡± Varen said as Naroe held his ground, throwing the dagger at her charge. ¡°That was the first thing she thought of when I taught her how to mend the weapon.¡± Avira dodged the throw without slowing down, but the dagger didn¡¯t get far before it began to arc back in the direction had come, blade spinning.


    Something tugged at Avira¡¯s instinct and she rolled to the side, the blade barely missing her and landing back in Naroe¡¯s right hand. He had rushed her when she dodged, his other fist already pushing forward. She couldn¡¯t bring her weapons up in time and Naroe had the dagger in his back grip ready for a gutting cut. So she dropped lower, bending back under the punch while pressing her weapons and open hands into the ground. Her feet came up, kicking the gauntlet that held the dagger into Naroe¡¯s chest. His lungs were knocked empty and he was pushed back, but Naroe kept standing, backing away to recover but never leaving his stance.


    White made three realizations in short order at that moment. The first was that Naroe¡¯s blade had left no mark on his body. The second was he wanted details as to what was happening. Third, he would not only have to communicate this to the two humans but do it without looking away from the fight.


    He tapped Reil¡¯s boot with a claw, still not looking away., and he felt the familiar warmth of his gaze. ¡°Yes, White?¡± Came his voice. Avira was already charging again, her weapons having reformed back into a glaive.


    White cupped his clawed mitts in the same two-handed form Avira held her weapon then, before acting out the earlier split and throwing a few punches in the air. Reil was silent for a moment, but White didn¡¯t dare look away as Avira launched a series of quick long-range stabs. Naroe parried and dodged, focusing on learning her movements rather than attempting to close the distance.


    ¡°The weapons?¡± His question was close enough that White nodded. ¡°You like them?¡± He nodded with some hesitation, because that was also true, but not what he was trying to say. Luckily, Reil¡¯s lack of extra senses when it came to White only left him more sensitive to what he could glean from the dragon. ¡°You want to know more about them?¡± White nodded much more excitedly then, his eyes still not moving from the fight.


    Naroe had the timing down and he moved into a thrust, his gauntlet crackling with reactive energy as he grabbed under the blade. A black flame erupted from his grip and Naroe winced in pain. Avira''s weapon suddenly increased significantly in weight before he could take advantage of the closed distance. As his balance buckled under the sudden change, the front end of the glaive separated again. Avira moved to strike with the now shortened baton, but Naroe had already dropped the black blade and had his armored hands up to block the attack, his boot pinning the fallen blade.


    Energy sparked from the clash and a contest of short strikes began. Avira attempted to keep the momentum long enough to create an opening and recover her other weapon while Naroe attempted to press the advantage. Naroe held weapons in both hands and was faster, but Avira¡¯s baton gave her more reach despite her smaller form. In addition, he had one foot stuck in place while she freely circled him.


    ¡°We create them with the energy gifted to us by the Planes.¡± Naroe¡¯s foot shook as Avira attempted to recall her weapon as he had, but Naroe kept his weight firmly on the weapon. ¡°As you might have guessed, Lord Rain was blessed by the Dark and I was blessed by the Light. We are allowed to channel their power through these blessings into extensions of our will for many different purposes. In this case, the weapons you see them using here.¡±


    The blade under Naroe¡¯s boot crumbled into dust at that moment, the sudden change sapping his focus for an instant. Avira hadn¡¯t slowed, slipping her baton between his guard, but It wasn¡¯t fast enough and Naroe backed away from the thrust. When he landed, he saw the dust come back together and reform the blade just as it rose into Avira¡¯s lowered palm. The weapon was not as it had been however, returning in a much more worn shape than when Avira had lost it.


    Reil folded his arms at the sight and White could feel he no longer had most of the older man¡¯s attention. ¡°Both Naroe and Avira can access echoes of our power through them, how much being dictated purely by their own ability, though the potential isn¡¯t limitless. Things like changing the weight and density of a weapon, small enhancements to physical ability, bursts of power, and even restoring it to its previous state are all possible, but each action takes a toll.¡±


    White could feel Naroe¡¯s desire to push forward and regain his lost advantage, but Avira¡¯s trick had made him wary. As for his opponent, she was more than willing to charge despite the damage done to her weapon. She replaced the curved end on the baton, taking the glaive once more in a two-handed stance, and launched a new wave of spinning strikes that targeted Naroe¡¯s weapons. Blade met blade and pommel met gauntlet as she battered his defenses.


    ¡°There are some differences between the two as well,¡± Varen spoke up then. Avira loosed a heavy swing right onto his dagger¡¯s guard, the battered blade shattering his weapon in a small explosion of sparks and dissipating shards of gold. ¡°In the barest of terms, the Light¡¯s nature is that of the ethereal, while the Dark is the physical.¡±


    Avira pressed in, hoping to capitalize on what she thought was an opportunity she had made for herself, but White felt her surprise when Naroe stepped into her attack.


    Reil¡¯s apprentice was undaunted by the loss of his weapon, instead, White sensed something alight within his friend. Naroe¡¯s style shifted completely, abandoning the conservative methods he had used throughout the duel for what could only be described as a brawler¡¯s fight. A gauntlet came up, setting off a wave of energy that flung back the oncoming glaive.


    Avira recognized her mistake immediately as his larger form closed in, the other fist tucked tight and blazing once more in radiance. With no time to spare, she ripped off the baton once more, its tip colliding with the oncoming attack. An explosion of light and dust erupted with the impact, casting a shockwave that echoed throughout the field. Avira emerged from the cloud, having been flung back several feet, the broken pieces of her baton dispersing into whisps of black smoke.


    She landed on her feet, skidding as she did so, just in time to see Naroe had already closed the distance. The gauntlet he had used in the attack had not faired much better than her baton, but his other fist was still rocketing toward her, pulsing with the same power as before.


    White felt something harden within Avira, and her blade began to trail darkness in the air. She resolved to meet his charge head-on, the tip of her battered weapon thrusting forward to meet Naroe¡¯s fist.


    One more collision rang out from the fight, one more burst of power and dust before both combatants landed on their backs, both completely disarmed.


    White was stunned, unsure of what this result meant. When he finally tore away his eyes to look up at Reil, there was a small smile on the old man¡¯s lips. ¡°A draw.¡±

 Chapter 4: Light and Dark

    No one was fully satisfied with the duel¡¯s ending, least of which the two duelists themselves, though the feelings they had against the ending were varied. Naroe lost what he saw as a definitive ruling as to who White would stay with, possibly even partner with. Avira was frustrated at having to add this, what she saw as far too short of a rematch to have such a conclusion, to an already long day. Varen felt second-hand disappointment for his daughter and Reil now had to contemplate White¡¯s lodging. White, for his part, was just upset that the fight ended.


    None of them, however, would deny the skill that had just been put on display. And so, Naroe, still splayed out on the ground despite having recovered his breath, chose to laugh.


    ¡°Care to share what¡¯s got you so happy?¡± Avira called out as she sat up.


    Naroe calmed himself, still choosing to lie on the scarred grass with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s gonna suck if we get blessed by the same Plane.¡±


    She scoffed at him. ¡°Where did that come from?¡±


    He raised his head to look at her, ¡°Or if you got Light and I got Dark.¡±


    She got to her feet, dusting off her clothing and plates as she did so. ¡°Then we¡¯d just have to learn to use what we¡¯re given,¡± she said shrugging. ¡°Besides, that just means our potential with that blessing is greater.¡±


    Naroe hopped to his feet and presented his fist to her. ¡°Even if it is, I wonder if it¡¯d be as fun as that was.¡±


    That made Avira smile. ¡°I wonder too,¡± she said, bumping her smaller fist with his. ¡°But now we have to figure out where White¡¯s going.¡±


    All turned to see the small dragon barely sitting still, his claws twitched enough to dig into the dirt, and his tail¡¯s constant waging had formed a patch of ruined grass.


    Reil kneeled next to him, smiling warmly as he began to pet the dragon. ¡°What do you think, White? Do you know who you want to go with?¡±


    White looked at both apprentices, he sensed the same anticipation from both of them, but outwardly they were completely different. Naroe was smiling, his knees bent with hands resting on his legs, but his gaze occasionally glanced at Avira.


    She had started taking off her metal plating, placing them neatly on the side in layers to carry it all in one load on the breastplate. She feigned disinterest flawlessly, her eyes never moving to the hatchling as she worked, keeping a neutral expression the entire time. White found the disparity between her actions and her feelings confusing, though it did make going with her seem more interesting.


    At the same time, he had already ¡°bonded¡± with Naroe, as he had put it, and while White believed Naroe was correct in that statement, he had yet to figure out what that meant.


    He put a claw to his chin, weighing the options long enough for Avira to finish removing her armor. She sat on the ground then, keeping her gaze on the mountains in the distance. He felt her anticipation had grown, and she could no longer bring herself to look at him.


    White came to a decision then, one he felt rather impressed with. He pointed with two claws at both duelists.


    A silence fell over the fields, broken only when Reil rose and turned to the General, clearly amused. ¡°I think it''s a little selfish, but what do you say?¡±


    Varen looked back at him, his face slowly shifting to one of chilled-like excitement. ¡°Really?¡±


    Reil shrugged. ¡°It¡¯d be only for a week, I think one more away from home wouldn¡¯t hurt.¡± He gave the younger man a sly smile. ¡°I doubt even you could tell me when Salra will get back.¡±


    Varen laughed and clasped Reil¡¯s shoulder before turning to the still squatting and now somewhat confused Naroe. ¡°Well, Naroe? Not like we¡¯re lacking in space.¡±


    The apprentice¡¯s eyes widened as realization dawned and his gaze moved to Avira, who had turned to him now. She only shrugged at him. ¡°Dad¡¯s not wrong and I¡¯m always for having Grandfather around. Besides,¡± her face turned to White and she smiled. ¡°Even if he went with you, I was going to make time to visit.¡±


    Naroe chuckled as he rose to his feet. ¡°I figured that much. Reil, I still have those errands to run.¡±


    ¡°Of course, and I need to meet with Poe to get up to speed with how things are progressing here.¡± He looked at his granddaughter, a knowing smile on his face. ¡°Why don¡¯t you and Varen take White home to get settled? Both Naroe and I should be there tonight.¡±


    Avira nodded, her facade barely containing the beaming excitement that leaked through her eyes and the corners of her mouth. ¡°Good idea,¡± was all she said.


    Naroe eyed Reil, visibly disappointed. ¡°I was hoping to show White around the city.¡±


    Reil let his apprentice¡¯s objection slide easily, his smile undaunted. ¡°I think he¡¯s had enough excitement for today,¡± he gazed down at the intently listening hatchling. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you back something special, so I hope you¡¯ll be for them how you were for us.¡±


    White blinked up at Reil, watching as the false sun¡¯s golden rays wrapped around his form as if he wore them like robes. The small dragon realized then that Reil¡¯s presence had intensified since they had entered The Sanctuary. Like the sun within him had grown stronger.


    No, it had drawn closer.


    ________________________________________________________


    When Avira, Varen, and White emerged from the distorted world inside the teleporter, it was in the center of a cross-shaped building tinted by a setting sun. Amber rays strayed through a large circular window over the western entrance, scattering from the ivory floor onto the ebony pillars that lined its sides. They towered at more than twice Varen¡¯s height beside graystone walls, reaching into an arched ceiling colored with the sun¡¯s gold. The eastern hall was its mirror in design, but with such little light, it appeared to be in the early morning rather than sunset. Both the northern and southern halls were inversed to their counterparts, with a sky-blue ceiling over white pillars and black tiling.


    They stood on a platform made from the same stone as the walls decorated with the crystal pattern of a teleporter. Varen descended the eastern side of the platform in a single step, Avira¡¯s discarded armor tied in a black binding he had created under his arm. Avira, who carried White atop her interlocked arms and chest, followed her father down the short steps.


    They had taken the same lift as before to a large chamber filled with dozens of teleporter pads, all in various states of use by other members of what Reil referred to as ¡°The Order.¡± There, White had waved goodbye to Naroe and Reil, which had Naroe contending with several conflicting emotions.


    Avira had been kind enough not to make too much of a show of it, despite how much she adored the gesture.


    The colossal warrior in the armor of night reached the even larger set of metal doors and held one open for his much smaller companions.


    Avira thanked him politely and brought White into a city in twilight. Huge buildings, far larger than what he had seen in the village, with surfaces of dark metal and glass cut the sky. The structures closest were painted the most in the sun¡¯s setting rays, while others were mostly or completely shadowed by taller neighbors. They took various shapes and sizes, surrounding them in all directions behind packed roads and passages.


    The city inhabitants were all garbed in long or thick clothing that protected against the winds whipping between the buildings. While their fashion varied from person to person, all had a sort of simple elegance to their choices, whether they wore a few or many pieces.


    A smooth, obsidian-like street that stretched out beyond even White¡¯s vision began just beyond where they stood, marked with use by the constant traffic of carts and footfalls. Rams that stood taller than most citizens with spiraling horns to match pulled wagons containing all different types of cargo, bellowing in short but deep calls that rattled their mountings. Linked metal containers marked trails in the middle of the road, turning off into larger paths in between buildings. Some of them were lined with windows, revealing seated and standing passengers within.


    They stood in front of an ancient stone building, its age plain from the outside despite the obvious care for it, with an entrance flanked by two sculptures carved from the same grey stone as the building. They were rings the height of the General, each carrying an inverted triangle that matched their size. White flowers hued with gold grew around their bases, stretching down a stone path to an onyx metal gate. Thin, densely planted trees flanked their exit and obscured the fence in both directions.


    Varen took the lead once more, walking towards the gate with Avira silently following him.


    While she said nothing, White could feel her excitement even without his extra senses. Her heartbeat was harder and faster than Naroe¡¯s ever was, and her hands had the smallest tremble as she scratched around his horns. He noticed it was right where she had seen Naroe do so.


    Varen clasped the lock and White felt something react underneath the metal¡¯s surface, not unlike what he felt when they first entered the kingdom. There was a click and the door swung open freely. ¡°Why don¡¯t you wait here while I grab a carriage? Draw a little less attention?¡± He said looking back at his daughter with a smirk. ¡°Maybe we can stop and grab some food before we get home.¡±


    White perked up at the mention of food, and Avira could no longer suppress a grin of her own. ¡°Pop-pop said he¡¯d probably eat anything.¡± She looked back up at her father. ¡°What about that fish place that just opened up?¡±


    Varen¡¯s smile widened and he pointed at White. ¡°Spoiling him already? Lucky for you I¡¯ve been eyeing Ladon¡¯s Labor.¡± He turned away, then paused before turning back to her, his expression much more subdued. ¡°Reil told me he made some fort of ¡®bond¡¯ with Naroe. He seems fine and you know I trust your grandfather, but please be careful with him. We have no idea what the implications of forming whatever this bond means.¡±


    Avira stopped petting White and he felt her mind stop. He turned to look up at her and she locked piercing violet eyes onto his.


    White blinked. Her intense gaze wasn¡¯t one of hostility, but simply the byproduct of her mind tackling several tasks at once. One was instilling that same focus she had when she first saw him, another was deducing what Naroe had done, and a final one was the response for her father.


    She broke the stare to put on a reassuring smile to the waiting warrior. ¡°I will.¡±


    Varen¡¯s opened his mouth to say more, before closing it and shaking his head. What he said next, only White was able to hear. ¡°I hope so.¡± Then he exited out into the street, the gate locking shut behind him.


    When he left, Avira finally gave an unrestrained smile at the dragon. ¡°Hello, White,¡± she said. ¡°Did you like the duel?¡±


    White gave an enthusiastic nod. He didn¡¯t understand everything that had happened, and he knew that, but it didn¡¯t change the sensation he felt watching the two of them battle. In fact, when he began to consider it, he had enjoyed it more than when Naroe had fought the bear. He wondered why that was.


    She scratched around his horns again, ¡°Do you like being pet?¡±


    He nodded more casually. Like most things since yesterday, it was just one of the things that had started happening to him, but it certainly wasn¡¯t one he disliked.


    ¡°Have you had fish before?¡± she asked.


    White¡¯s head cocked to the side in consideration, as he never found out what it was that Reil had fed him.


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    Despite not giving a clear answer, the small motion elicited pure glee from the young woman, which she now displayed openly. ¡°You¡¯re too cute,¡± she said as she lifted the hatchling to nuzzle him with her head.


    The sudden indulgence in the desire that White had felt bubbling within her caught him slightly off guard. While certainly more than what he was used to, Avira kept it quick enough that White had a moment to process it before it became overbearing.


    When she pulled him away, she still looked gleeful but now there was a quizzical layer over it. ¡°What did Dad mean when he said you formed a ¡®bond¡¯ with Naroe?¡±


    White, hanging from his forelegs in Avira¡¯s hands, thought a shrug was the only appropriate response. He knew he still felt Naroe, even in that moment could point in his direction, though White couldn¡¯t say much more besides that his friend was far. It was like a flame without heat, but bright enough that he could always see it. If he focused, he could hear its crackling take the form of Naroe¡¯s more focused thoughts.


    ¡°Do you miss him?¡± Avira asked then.


    White shook his head, though he felt like he might have if he didn¡¯t have this connection.


    ¡°Is that because you feel him now?¡±


    The dragon stared at her, now wondering if she could also read minds, before nodding again.


    She hummed. ¡°Going off what Dad told me, you did it pretty quickly with him, so they thought you might have imprinted on him in some way.¡± She smirked and pulled him close again, scratching under his chin. ¡°But I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case. You left Naroe to come with me pretty easily, even with my apparent good first impression.¡± She stopped scratching, looking up into the dimming sky in thought. ¡°I wonder just what kind of bond it is.¡±


    White felt her thoughts spill freely as they overflowed from her mental walls and he glimpsed then the true nature of her mind. Naroe¡¯s had been an energetic mind, a constantly shifting and improving font of information that grew as he observed and analyzed. White simply had to glance in a new direction to catch bits of his stored knowledge then. But Avira¡¯s was something else.


    Beyond the walls she had built around her mind was an ocean, with depths that went far beyond the natural light of the world. Competing and clashing currents of thought spawned waves that crashed against one another, Everything White had felt from her up to that point had been what was strong enough to steam from the water¡¯s surface.


    White felt an impulse to dive his consciousness into those depths, but the walls rose once more when her gaze lowered. She stared at him and White felt a sudden awareness about her that had not been there before. White heard something ripple from the depths of her mind. It was diluted and distorted from its journey to the surface, but White was able to interpret it through the emotion that rose with it.


    White? Curiosity, surprise, caution, doubt, and the smallest hint of something like fear. Concern seemed. These had given shape and power to the thought.


    This upset White, as he liked Avira and didn¡¯t wish to upset her. It also confused him as to how she knew he had been observing her mind. Naroe never noticed, or if he did, he never mentioned it.


    White nodded in response and Avira¡¯s pupils shrank into pins. He heard the fortress of her mind grow completely quiet. Her body went rigid as she slowly blinked and looked off into the distance, her expression of complete neutrality. Then, slowly, White began to hear something stirring from her mind. Then there was more and soon, emotion and thought erupted once more from behind the walls. But these were not the same as before, they were larger, faster, and greater in number. They battered against their confines as Avira¡¯s carefully constructed barrier was pushed to its limit.


    The small dragon didn¡¯t like this either, so he did what came naturally to him. He rose from his position above her chest and gently pressed the top of his skull into her chin. The brewing storm began to settle and White heard Avira take a deep sigh.


    ¡°I guess I don¡¯t get to hide anything from you if I keep you,¡± she stated as a sad truth of the world.


    Something beyond the gate emerged into their line of sight then. White looked to see a massive black wolf with eyes like ice harnessed to a large azure carriage. It stared forward, ears up and alert as it motionlessly scanned its surroundings.


    Avira sighed as she looked at the beast. ¡°When he said a carriage,¡± she said rolling her eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t think he was getting the carriage.¡± She smiled before beginning to pet White once more. ¡°I thought it was weird when he said he didn¡¯t want to attract attention, I guess he just meant for you.¡± She approached the gate as Varen emerged from the carriage door, the wood shifting only a little as his armored bulk stepped out. The General opened the gate once more as Avira approached him. ¡°That was quick.¡±


    ¡°Ladon¡¯s is bound to get packed quickly, so I rushed a little.¡± He responded cooly.


    As Avira stepped beyond the fence and onto the steps leading into the carriage, she stopped and looked back at her father. ¡°Am I going to have people telling me they saw you carrying a carriage again?¡±


    ¡°You can tell them it was empty this time,¡± he smiled and gave her a thumbs up.


    White felt Avira take a deep breath before simply saying, ¡°You can tell them,¡± before entering the vehicle and locking the door behind her.


    Varen, to his credit, expected this reaction and took it in stride. After all, he was on his way to getting his own treat. But as he sauntered over to the driver¡¯s seat, not even bothering to take up the wolf¡¯s reins, he did note that even his mount had not noticed White¡¯s presence.


    As he drove, greeting passerbyes both who knew him and dared to approach despite only knowing of him, he resolved to speak to Reil as to why he had such trust in the dragon.


    Avira was silent until they arrived at a massive park that was steadily being filled. Long awnings with crimson shingles provided scattered shelter between patches of vegetation and gardening. Lanterns shaded in blue and gold produced tinted spheres of light that became more pronounced as the night drew in. At its center stood a large rounded building, shielded bars lining its base. Inside, cooks dressed in white aprons and caps ran from station to station, their gloved hands working unseen tasks. They were beset on all sides by dining patrons, hundreds of tables had been filled. At each corner of the plaza stood a sign with the image of a golden sea serpent carrying a bulging linen sack in its mouth.


    When Avira saw how busy the place was, she gave a disappointed sigh. ¡°I guess he was right, but it didn¡¯t seem to make much difference anyway.¡± Varen appeared at the window, holding up a finger with a smile before casually striding off towards the restaurant. ¡°Oh no.¡±


    Several diners had already paused in their meals to stare dumbstruck at the General approaching, these people he did not engage with. Most averted their eyes but did their best to act as natural as they had been before noticing him. A few met his gaze with a smile. These people would nod or wave, and Varen would respond in kind. One of the chefs had noticed him the moment he had stepped onto the property. This chef was the owner.


    Varen had spotted the man¡¯s mark of esteem amongst his peers, a metal name tag in the style of the golden serpent from the sign outside, the moment he had arrived. This was not something he would normally do, especially as a first impression, but Avira did not ask to eat out often. She was doing this in part for White, Varen knew but he still was happy. For this lord of darkness would be able to knock out three birds with one stone. He could visit a new restaurant, have a nearly full family dinner, and turn his daughter further away from the morning¡¯s¡­ disappointments.


    The owner was someone who carried what had brought him to his position and he brought this to bear before the General. He was not tall, with faded golden skin worn with deep lines. Withered eyes were set below tightly clipped gray hair, seeing only the approaching figurehead take over his world. None of the other chefs dared stop their tasks, but those within line of sight couldn¡¯t help the occasional glance at who was at their door. The owner bowed deeply.


    Inside the carriage, Avira watched as her father exchanged words with her. She allowed a brief sigh before looking at the hatchling that rested on her legs. ¡°He¡¯ll be a little while, but not long.¡± Her gaze flicked back to the unfolding scene to see her father being led inside. ¡°At least he shouldn¡¯t be.¡±


    White was sitting up, looking out the darkened window at the mass of people. The village didn¡¯t have this many people when they arrived and a number of them had been members of the order. There were a few scattered amongst them to be sure, figures of light and void usually grouped together, but the vast majority were average citizens. Each one was like a glass portal that led to another world, their lives a sea of color and shapes before the dragon. The longer he stared, the clearer the images beyond became. The farther the soul, the less he saw of it.


    But that was already changing, his senses growing stronger every second he looked into that world. He blinked it away, Avira¡¯s words resonating once more in his mind.


    ¡°I guess I don¡¯t get to hide anything from you if I keep you.¡±


    White had been thinking about those words and his bond with Naroe. The hatchling had never entered Naroe¡¯s mind, but that was because Naroe¡¯s mind was embroiled by an open flame. From that flame, White was able to glean a great deal. Not to say the apprentice¡¯s mind was simple, fire rarely kept a single shape after all, but it was reactive and unafraid of showing itself.


    Avira¡¯s was different. While White was able to read the writing on her walls and what spilled over the surface, her true thoughts were layered. Levels of observations both internal and external intricately flowed through one another, producing trains of thought that led to conclusions. These were scrutinized, then put through the process again or stored away in a deeper layer.


    However, there was a spirit not unlike Naroe¡¯s that this mental facility fed into. This familiar spirit was what allowed White to continue deciphering Avira¡¯s mind without intruding into her thoughts.


    He turned to the young woman in question, already disinterested in the other humans outside, and found that she was staring at him. Once again he questioned just how much she was able to see from his being.


    The ocean within was stirring once more, he could feel that clearly, but not with anxiety as it had been. It was moving with a singular purpose now as if everything was being directed towards one fine point.


    Then White felt it, the result of her hidden efforts. A small portion of her mental fortifications came down, revealing a portal not unlike a whirlpool within the surface of her mind. He couldn¡¯t tell how deep it went, but her anticipation was that of someone presenting a wild animal with an offering of food, hoping to gain its trust.


    Even the newborn could tell this was not an action taken likely, and although this was a first for him, he instinctively knew how to proceed.


    His mind reached out, gently touching the surface of the water, and felt Avira¡¯s own emotions become more clear. She was nervous, but White knew at once that she had done something like this before, and that made him trust her with this process more.


    With that trust in hand, he descended into her mind, gently floating down into its depths.


    It was dark, but by no means devoid of activity. White felt her thoughts glide across him freely as he sank and he in turn allowed her mind to sink into his. There wasn¡¯t much for Avira to see obviously, and she realized this rather quickly, but that did not lessen the weight of the experience for her.


    For White, however, there was a great deal more to digest. Avira was very well educated, even for her age and status, and White felt her develop a deep fear of overwhelming him. But White wasn¡¯t afraid, even as all of his perceptions were enveloped by her mind because he truly felt Avira at that moment.


    She was carrying him down as gently as she did in the outside world, letting him explore at his leisure. He could have revealed all her secrets at that moment, leaving her carefully guarded mind with nothing he had not already seen. But he didn¡¯t.


    Instead, White was content to follow the trail that had been formed for him gradually. It was her thoughts of him, all observations, guesses, and conclusions that she had garnered since first laying eyes on him, spreading out from her core like the line of a web. As he followed it, the thoughts turned from pure fascination and adoration to hopes and plans she believed she could fulfill with his help. Hazy images of an older Avira riding a much larger White to vanquish an unknown enemy flashed by, varying wildly in setting and timeframe. While these visions piqued White¡¯s interest, he was not at the bottom.


    They stemmed from something deeper, an intense desire that had planted itself within her core. A desire to protect the people and world she had grown up in had embedded itself in her very being. And when White finally arrived at the sea bottom made from the stone that was her resolve, he caught a glimpse of what had formed that foundation.


    A distilled memory of a younger Varen dressed in black, his clothing tailored much more intricately than anything White had seen among the other citizens. A midnight vest, buttoned down the side with azure trimming, and pants to match. He stood grinning more than a head taller next to an almost sickly pale woman, her raven hair braided and covered with a flowered white veil. Her violet iruses matched Avira¡¯s, though her smiling round face was much softer and gave her a far more gentle appearance. Her gaunt form wore a long dress of pure white that trailed behind her, golden petals clinging to the fabric as if it had been formed in part from sun-soaked flowers.


    This was the source of the spirit White had sensed from her and it stood untouched from the darkness of the sea.


    Understanding had been achieved, and thus the bond was formed.


    White¡¯s vision returned to the waking world to find Avira still staring at him. Her expression was unchanged, but he could now clearly feel the layers of anticipation, excitement, and concern that flowed through her.


    She hadn¡¯t been sure what to expect, but she digested the full breadth of the experience rather quickly and gave him a pleased smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re just a baby,¡± she said gently stroking under his scaly eye with her thumb. ¡°They¡¯re all so worried about you and you don¡¯t have the slightest clue. But that¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re taken care of properly.¡± Then her smile faltered as another fact rose to the surface of her mind. ¡°Though that does beg the question of what these connections you¡¯re forming are. As far as I can tell, it¡¯s just your nature taking action, but that doesn¡¯t explain much. It¡¯s not like the blessings, I don¡¯t feel Naroe like you do for one, but I can feel you and your thoughts.¡± She chuckled then, ¡°If they can even be called thoughts.¡±


    The door to the carriage opened then, Avira¡¯s gaze darting away from the hatchling. White could now feel the action had startled her, but she had expertly kept the reaction deep beneath the waves.


    Varen¡¯s bulky form leaned in, carrying two large bags marked with the design of the restaurant. ¡°Helped them out a bit, so they gave me some extra treats.¡± He shot the hatchling a winning smile, but White knew through Avira that there was still some trepidation beneath it. ¡°Figured White could would appreciate them.¡± He turned to his daughter then as he set down the bags on the floor of the carriage. ¡°You two good?¡±


    Avira gave her own smile, ¡°Yeah,¡± she said casually while turning back to her new friend. ¡°We¡¯re good.¡±

 Chapter 5: Family Ties

    White stared out the window from Avira¡¯s lap as the carriage was pulled through an open steel gate, a crest depicting two interlocked triangles decorating both the long sloped doors. They entered an empty lot that sat near the front of an old three-story building made from the same gray stone as the one that held the teleporter. Four pillars surrounded the main entrance and supported a rounded balcony on the top floor, the building¡¯s wings flanking them decorated with large circular windows and swirling patterns.


    The expansive front yard was decorated with circling flowers, the outer layer of black petals shifted into blue, gold, and then white. At their center, a pedestal held the massive stone ends of an axe, hammer, spear, and sword statue digging into its surface, as if they had all struck the same point at its top.


    They pulled to the end of a long row of closed stone bays, notably less aged than the building itself, on the outer edge of the lot before stopping. Varen sent a weak pulse from the driver¡¯s seat, prompting the gate to close behind them.


    The General disembarked before opening the large set of wooden doors of the closest bay and removing the massive wolf¡¯s straps. He ushered the beast in then, lovingly scratching around its collar and leaving the doors partly ajar, allowing it to come and go as it pleased.


    White looked back at the bags that still sat on the floor. He had smelled the cooked fish since it had been brought in, but he could tell that now was not the time to eat. He hadn¡¯t figured this out strictly on his own, his first instinct after Varen had begun driving again had been to dig through them. No, it had been his newly made connection with Avira.


    Since his only point of reference was with Naroe, he couldn¡¯t help comparing the two bonds. In that first moment with the apprentice, it had been like something ignited in him. When their bond had formed, that flame had connected with the one inside Naroe and they both grew as a result.


    It hadn¡¯t been a fire that had connected White and Avira, but something had grown in him regardless. What that was, he had no idea.


    Turning back to the young woman in question, he caught her gaze. She hadn¡¯t looked away from him since the carriage had started moving and he had felt her focus the entire time. He knew she was monitoring everything that had been happening and he felt her mental note-taking now. The door opened and she finally turned away to look at her father.


    He was staring at her, his expression blank. To White, the expression didn¡¯t fit his face.


    ¡°What?¡± asked Avira.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± said Varen, before taking the bags and walking towards the entrance of the building.


    Avira blinked at White, a small twist of anxiety taking hold around her core. She knew that look on an instinctive level, and now White did too. Her father was waiting for her to explain herself.


    How does he already know? The question boiled in her mind before subsiding with a defeated sigh. Of course he knows.


    They disembarked, following the long shadow of the General through a set of tall black doors that he held open for them. Inside, crystal lanterns lined around the walls lit up in a gentle gold, allowing White to behold a massive two-floor foyer dressed in the colors of early morning. A spotless grey rug stretched out to exits, hallways, and a splitting grand staircase on the other end.


    ¡°I¡¯ll put these in the dining room,¡± said Varen as he closed the door. ¡°Why don¡¯t you let White come with me and go get changed?¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± she turned back to her father. ¡°I take it we¡¯re going to wait for Pop-pop and Naroe, right?¡±


    Varen nodded. ¡°Even if they end up getting food before they get here, I¡¯d like to at least offer dinner before they stay with us.¡± He hefted both of the massive fabric bags of still-warm food. ¡°We have plenty to share. Why?¡±


    She looked at him and White felt her hardening as she sorted through a narrowing selection of words. ¡°Can we wait until they do before we talk about White?¡±


    Varen wore an unreadable expression for several seconds before answering. ¡°Is there something to talk about?¡±


    Avira frowned and White felt her grow agitated, but her voice and expression only gave the smallest shift. ¡°Dad, please. You had the same look after the Drake incident.¡±


    There was a pregnant silence before Varen spoke again. ¡°Did you think I wouldn¡¯t notice?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she kept her tone steady, despite the gathering storm behind the walls. ¡°But I wanted to see for myself if I could. And if I could, what that meant.¡± She clutched White a little closer. ¡°Naroe spent over a day with him in his lap and I¡¯ll be the first to tell you he was in good form. He¡¯s not dangerous.¡±


    Despite having formed a connection with White, Avira did not passively feel it to the degree he did. So she had the smallest hesitation when she felt his legs spring out from her gentle hold. When he landed, he felt her focus on him again, this time even more keenly through their connection.


    What are you doing? The words bolted through White, and he flinched from the impact. Avira¡¯s confused but calm visage collapsed, and the hatchling felt her regrets and unspoken apologies like gentle tides.


    He turned back to her and she knew he had understood. White was happy to feel her relief when he turned to the waiting General. Varen hadn¡¯t moved and his expression hadn¡¯t changed, but White had his full attention.


    The comparatively tiny dragon approached the dark steel mass that was at his eye level, before sitting down and looking up at Varen. The overwhelming difference in stature had him arching his neck far more than he was used to, but the General went to one knee before long. The bags gently thudded beside White as the two continued to stare at each other. In truth, White had no idea what to do in that situation, but he felt that Varen¡¯s attention should be turned to him rather than Avira.


    White felt the world grow colder as something pulled at the very surface of his being. It wasn¡¯t like with Poe, that had been methodical, cautious. This was invasive, direct, and merciless. Varen was attempting to dig into the empty void he felt in his senses, but the void gave him nothing. But White¡¯s blazing eyes were a fiery reflection of the ice in Varen¡¯s own.


    After a few tense moments, Avira¡¯s father returned his attention to her, looking as if waiting for her to continue.


    ¡°He¡¯s just a baby,¡± she said. ¡°We don¡¯t know what kind and he understands a lot more than he should, but he was still born yesterday.¡±


    Varen rose to his full height once more. ¡°How much do you know?¡± His voice was low but still even.


    ¡°He woke up on the coast outside Tirion¡¯s Grove,¡± she responded cooly. ¡°He ate from Dessian¡¯s Tree before being attacked by a Keeper and Naroe saved him.¡± White looked back at her, since he had not shared any of that with her directly, but also did not feel her accessing these memories.


    Avira didn¡¯t look at him, but her thoughts sounded through the link. You¡¯re a bit of an open book, but we can fix that later.


    Varen sighed, his eyes closing as his shoulders slacked like the bags were suddenly too heavy. ¡°It¡¯s the fact that I know you made it happen.¡±


    Avira blinked. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You were ready to try to form your bond the moment you realized Naroe had done so,¡± he deadpanned at her. ¡°But unlike Naroe, you¡¯ve had experience with mental connections. I know all too well how you¡¯ve learned to protect your mind. If a connection was going to be formed, you¡¯d have to prepare for that.¡± Avira said nothing, letting her father¡¯s implied meaning hang in the air. ¡°Which means not an hour after I had asked you to be careful, you purposely let an unknown entity into your mind.¡± Avira opened her mouth but he cut her off. ¡°Child or not, what if the Planes refuse to bless you now because of this bond?¡±


    ¡°Naroe was still able to use Reil¡¯s borrowed power even with his bond!¡± Avira argued.


    ¡°You know that¡¯s not the same,¡± said Varen, gently shaking his head. ¡°When the Planes choose to bless you, it¡¯s a complete inspection of your being. Having another tied to you will force them to consider that being as well, complicating the process even further.¡± His expression turned pained then. ¡°I know this morning didn¡¯t go how you wanted, but I worry that you just made things more difficult for yourself.¡±


    Avira kept her composure, but White could feel her bristling deep within. ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying, but I don¡¯t think Pop-pop would have brought him here if he thought it was going to be a problem.¡±


    ¡°And what about what I thought?¡± Varen¡¯s tone was even, but it cut Avira regardless. Now she looked hurt.


    ¡°Dad, please,¡± she said softly. ¡°I get what you¡¯re saying and I know you''re worried, but there have been plenty of records of arcane connections being adopted into the Order. Though, I¡¯ll admit this doesn¡¯t feel like that.¡±


    ¡°I bet it isn¡¯t,¡± Varen¡¯s voice was low but not hostile. ¡°We would be able to feel it if it was, Avira.¡± He rested the bags on the floor. ¡°Why did you do it?¡±


    ¡°Everything felt like White needed my help, so I want to help. I can teach him things much more easily now and even understand him to a degree.¡±


    ¡°He already had Naroe,¡± Varen pointed out.


    ¡°Yes, but I think he might need more than Naroe. And I figured that there was always the chance it wouldn¡¯t work.¡±


    Varen looked down at the small dragon who hadn¡¯t moved or looked away from him. ¡°Do you still feel Naroe?¡±


    White nodded.


    The dark warrior¡¯s sigh was like a tundra breeze. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re dangerous, but it doesn¡¯t change that you¡¯ve put my daughter¡¯s future at risk. Though,¡± he turned back to Avira who still held her gaze with firm resolve. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can really blame you for that.¡±


    White blinked up at him. In truth, the hatchling did not follow the full scope of the conversation, but he understood the gist. He didn¡¯t like it. It didn¡¯t take much searching through the link to see what Avira had been thinking when she had done this.


    She had reasoned that the bond would not be strong enough to interfere with the blessing. That was a primordial thing and came with rituals and power. While White couldn¡¯t judge this reasoning for himself, he was inclined to agree based on what he had seen.


    However, that didn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t understand what her father was saying. White was not a simple beast that could be raised in a specific way, she could confirm herself now that his soul was far more complex than that. He could be influenced, but there was a good chance that his affinity towards either Light or Dark could be guessed by now. If anyone could actually see inside his being.


    White blinked again, this time in surprised comprehension. See inside his being? Was that what they had been trying to do? Did all humans of the Order do that?


    He looked the General up and down, taking in the perpetual void that swirled just beneath the surface of the midnight armor. White wondered just how similar the two of them were in each other''s eyes and was suddenly much more annoyed that he was unable to speak directly to the human.


    ¡°He wants to talk to you,¡± said Avira. Both the dragon¡¯s and general¡¯s eyes widened as they turned to her.


    ¡°What does he want to say?¡± asked Varen, his tone much more curious than it had been.


    Avira looked back at the hatchling. White knew he had just been wishing for the ability to speak aloud, but now that he had the chance he found himself hesitating on what to say. He decided that he should start with what he knew for sure.


    ¡°He says he doesn¡¯t remember anything before waking up on the shore,¡± Avira spoke like she was reading from a letter, ¡°and that he likes Naroe and I.¡± White turned back to the shadowing titan, letting her speak for him. ¡°He doesn¡¯t want bad things to happen to either one of us, so he''ll do what he needs to make sure that doesn¡¯t happen.¡±


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°What about Reil?¡± Varen asked. ¡°You spent just as much time with him, didn¡¯t you? What if bad things were going to happen to him?¡±


    White blinked and Avira chuckled, prompting a look from her father. ¡°Sorry, I get all of it quickly and am interpreting a little, but he says that he likes Pop-pop too. Though Pop-pop doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯d need help from stopping bad things from happening.¡±


    Varen erupted into a bellowing raucous of laughter, and it took until he had to stop for a breath to answer. ¡°That¡¯s fair!¡± He looked down at the hatchling, practically beaming. ¡°That¡¯s good enough for me. When the man himself gets back, we¡¯ll have a real chat about these bonds. But you¡¯ve got both Naroe and my daughter vouching for you with Reil¡¯s passing grade, so make yourself at home.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Avira¡¯s face lit up, her restraint completely cast aside.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± said Varen as he grabbed the bags and approached one of the doors leading out to the left of where they entered. ¡°You went and already made the bond, nothing to be done about that now. Might as well settle in with the situation and figure out the next steps. But first, food. These have to stay fresh until the other two arrive, so I¡¯m going to go take care of that.¡± He turned back at the door, now wearing a full smile. ¡°You still have to change, but do whatever you want after that. I¡¯ll call you when they arrive.¡± With that, he left without another word.


    White looked back at Avira, who had the biggest smile he had ever seen her with. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll show you where my room is.¡±


    The hatchling was led up the stairs, and into the opposite wing that Varen had gone into. They continued down a lit hallway, passing by windows White was too small to look out of. The idea of carrying him again rose from Avira¡¯s mind when she realized this fact, but he was able to signal to her that he was fine. He was enjoying stretching his legs.


    They came to a room not far from the foyer and Avira opened the door to let White in.


    Her room was nearly spotless, which was impressive considering how much was in it. There was a full furniture set cut from ivory wood, including a packed, massive bookshelf that took up an entire wall. Padded chairs sat behind a desk and bureau on the other side, while cushions rested around a table in the middle. A large canopy bed stood between two tall windows, blue drapes tied neatly to their sides. Stuffed toys in the shapes of beasts and birds were scattered throughout the room in purposeful placements, from hanging on the walls to sitting on the sky-blue carpet. In one corner sat a stand holding several types of wooden weapons. Hanging from the center of the ceiling was an eight-point crystal star that spilled out a much stronger light than the soft glow that lit the hallway.


    ¡°Take any seat you want,¡± Avira said as she walked past White. ¡°I won''t be long.¡± She approached one of two doors on the uncovered wall next to her desk and entered what White already knew was a closet. The door beside it was a bathroom. There would be another door inside that connected the two rooms.


    White wasn¡¯t sure how much of this information Avira was freely giving him, as it was steadily flowing in through the link. He didn¡¯t remember Naroe ever doing this. If it wasn¡¯t on purpose, did that mean his connection with Avira was different?


    The dragon shook his head as he approached one of the large cushions on the ground, when did he start thinking so much? He reached for the soft fabric before pulling back, the image of his claws slicing through the seat flashing in his mind.


    That, White knew, had come from himself. He looked up at the table, judging the distance between him and it. He jumped, clearing the tables¡¯ height far more easily than he had been expecting, and reached the height of the chandelier.


    In those brief seconds in the air, he stopped himself from reaching for the star, reoriented his body to break his fall, and landed on all fours in perfect weight distribution. The result was a light thud on the ivory table and the smallest of indents where his claws landed.


    White blinked, momentarily stunned by both his mistake and subsequent recovery when the closet door opened again.


    Avira poked her head out, ¡°Are you okay?¡± she asked.


    White nodded at her, still slightly shaken.


    Avira blinked before nodding with an amused smile. ¡°Good, try not to hurt yourself.¡± Then she closed the door.


    White nodded at the door, collecting himself. His body was much stronger than it had been, another change.


    The dragon lay on the wood, getting himself comfortable as he waited and let his eyes wander. They inevitably found their way onto the rows of books that made up the other wall. They were organized in some sort of fashion, though White couldn¡¯t tell exactly what.


    His eyes slowly trailed down the lines of titles from the top row, there had to be hundreds. He wondered how she got the higher books.


    His focus settled on one title in particular; Memorials in Summary. It sat at the beginning of a varying line of similarly styled titles that looked to increase in age. White recalled the same term being used for where he had woken up. It was on the second-tallest row, high above him.


    He looked around, but couldn¡¯t find anything that would allow the young woman to reach that high of a row. He locked onto the book again, his mind steadily working through the problem. He could jump high now and could probably reach close to where the book was, but looking at the marks he had already made on the table, he wasn''t sure how good of an idea that was.


    Something turned on in the bathroom and White heard the sound of running water. He realized he could just wait for Avira.


    Several seconds passed before he decided he couldn¡¯t wait for Avira.


    But how to reach the book without damaging her things? He stopped in sudden realization and turned to look back at his wings. He hadn¡¯t tried using them yet, and he wasn¡¯t sure why. Something in him had just assumed he couldn¡¯t, but now¡­


    He hopped down from the table, doing his best not to scratch the wood further, and lined himself below where the book sat. Putting just a bit more energy into his leap than he had before, he jumped directly upward. He got just above where the book sat before desperately flapping his little wings. He felt tufts of air graze across his membranes, but he hovered for less than a second before falling straight down.


    White broke his fall as he had done the first time and landed with a soft thud. The dragon looked up at the book and tried again. Then again. And again. By the fifth time, he was able to keep himself in the air just enough that he tried to grab the book. He mostly pulled it out, but his grip was too weak for fear of damaging the cover. On the sixth jump, he successfully pulled the book that was half the size of him from the shelf. It landed on his head.


    The hatchling blinked, caught off guard but not hurt. Looking over his assailant, he found it to be mostly undamaged. With a heave, he tossed the book onto the table and hopped up with it. He was pleased to see he could do so without damaging the furniture now.


    He opened the book and began fanning through the pages. There were a lot of different types; mountains, rivers, old buildings, even sections of ocean. White found it curious that the illustration of a different Order warrior, all brandishing armaments and stances accompanied each image that depicted these places. Near the end, White finally came to what he was looking for. The crimson forest was named in the pages as Tirion¡¯s Grove.


    Below the title was a perfect recreation of the forest and the image of a man covered in simple white robes. A head of honey skin rested on a form that would rival Varen Rain¡¯s, with golden eyes burning in a face that could have been carved from stone. Tightly cut silver hair covered most of his head with a beard to match. He stood straight, staring back at the reader as if he had been inconveniently summoned.


    A trail of text next to the illustration named him Garret Dessian. He had been a General, though White had no idea how long ago he had served. Some dates marked when he had become an apprentice, when he received his blessing and the times he had distinguished himself. But the hatchling didn¡¯t even know what day it was.


    Dessian had primarily been a healer and a very good one at that. Regrowing lost limbs and curing a wide range of illnesses, he even had some success in treating mental ailments. Rising to his position before the Twelfth Imperial War, Dessian led his forces in numerous defenses alongside many seemingly important allies. When the War did return in full, he took to defending the continental front with the bordering tribes. Until finally falling in a last stand that had taken place where the grove now stood.


    An enemy force had successfully and discreetly charted out a fleet of ships around the frontlines of the war, bearing a full invasion force past the kingdom¡¯s allies and onto its doorstep. Dessian had been on his way back to the kingdom to rotate the troops under his command when ships were spotted landing on the northern shore.


    Rallying the battle-worn soldiers under his command, he led them to deny the Empire its newly gained foothold. The book told of Dessian channeling his light far past his suspected limits for several days, allowing his warriors to fight nearly tirelessly against a force that greatly outmatched them in size and armaments.


    When reinforcements were organized and finally arrived at the battlefield, they found that the imperials had been driven back into the sea. The fresh combatants described finding a scene of distant ships bombarding an army of the living dead, Dessian himself having dissolved into nothing more than a star of healing light on the shoreline. It was said that only once the reinforcements started destroying the ships, forcing the shambling fleet to retreat into the turbulent northern waters, did the star fade from the world. Those who had given all they had and more to defend the shore collapsed where they stood then, and were given their last rites where they fell.


    Not a year later, the sprouts of the forest began to emerge in place of the fallen, and the bone-white tree of Dessian grew where his star had faded. The Kingdom decreed it as a new memorial and made Garret Dessian a saint. His widow had been asked to name the new landmark, and she gave it the name Tirion. The name of an old hero whose tale she and her husband had loved.


    Thinking back on that tree and his efforts to claim an apple from its branches, White suddenly had a much greater grasp as to why that bear was so upset with him. The dragon winced as he recalled the damage he had done to the branches on his descent when he realized the water had stopped running at some point in his reading.


    When the door to the bathroom opened, steam poured out from the top of the opening. Avira emerged dressed in baggy midnight blue pants and a simple black top with socks to match. Her hair was still damp, hanging loosely by her shoulders in combed trails, and her eyes were wide at the sight before her. White felt several thoughts churn against one another in the span of only a few seconds as she comprehended the scene.


    Did Naroe teach White to read? No, she would have seen that. Did White know how to read before or did he just gain that ability? Is he even reading? What is he reading? How did he get the book?


    White, responding faster to Avira¡¯s state than she to the situation, presented his memories to her openly.


    Avira paused, taking in the information before instantly coming to a response. She hadn¡¯t stopped pondering her questions but decided she had enough information to move forward. ¡°I wondered why Saint Garret popped into my head,¡± she smiled warmly as she approached. ¡°What had you interested in the Memorial?¡±


    In truth, White didn¡¯t have much of a reason. He was bored and it was the first thing on the shelf he recognized.


    Avira chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± she bent down under the bed, reaching under its skirt to pull out a rectangular black sheet of stone that rolled on four wheels.


    She pressed its long side to the base of the bookcase, there was a muffled thud as it drew itself into an indent in the wood. Avira pressed her finger on the obsidian surface and White felt a different pulse than usual. It came from the device itself as if it was waking up. Sand erupted as if the stone had started to grow sleek, unnatural roots upwards. In a few seconds, they formed a stepping ladder the size of the bookcase.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave it out so you can grab what you want,¡± said Avira. ¡°Just try to get me before pulling too many out at once.¡± She looked down at the open book. ¡°What did you think of Saint Dessian?¡±


    White thought he seemed very strong, but something bothered him. That line about an army of the living dead, he didn¡¯t like the description.


    ¡°It is a grim picture,¡± Avira agreed. ¡°But from everything else I¡¯ve read, not inaccurate.¡±


    White looked at her, unsure of how to take that.


    ¡°Nothing about how that war went was good, that battle included.¡± She gave a sad smile, and White felt the churning of a familiar ache deep within her. Familiar, but unlike any he had felt until then. Intimate, but not entirely Avira¡¯s own. ¡°But it was still legendary. This account actually annoys me with how much it doesn¡¯t talk about.¡±


    White, sat back and looked at her, giving his full attention.


    Avira took a seat next to him, taking the book in her hands, and slid into the explanation as smoothly as she slid into the chair. ¡°It¡¯s estimated Saint Dessian attacked that shore with little more than four thousand Order combatants. They had sent word about the landing when they first found it, stating that camp was already set and outpost preparations were already on the way. The monarch at the time, Queen Melina, ordered Dessian to set up camps around the landing point but avoid engaging.¡±


    She got up quickly and put away the book before taking out another, moving up and down the latter with experienced ease. She opened the new book to a map that White thought might have been of the world. He could see Tirion¡¯s Grove marked by a dot near the pointed marks of Sanctuary¡¯s Teeth. The mountains stretched from the northern coast to the southern, separating the massive circle that was the eastern Kingdom of Lugataea from the rest of the world.


    ¡°This was an escort in the final trek of a month-long journey back to the kingdom from the front lines,¡± Avira continued, ¡°and Melina knew that it would be a suicide attempt to deny them the position with that force.¡±


    She pointed to the Grove and traced her finger west in the opposite direction of the Lugataea, over a collection of several territories that collectively were somewhat larger than the Kingdom itself. Her trimmed nail stopped at the eastern coast, beyond which lay several islands dotting the ocean. Beyond them, the map ended with the red words ¡°Imperial Territory.¡±


    ¡°In addition, Dessian was on his way back to replenish himself with the Heart of the Kingdom,¡± explained Avira. ¡°He was still a force to be reckoned with, but he wasn¡¯t at full strength. However, they had received essential supplies on the way back from our allies, so sustaining a camp wasn¡¯t an issue.¡± She closed the book then, her voice taking on a tinge of regret. ¡°But Melina didn¡¯t realize just how quickly the Empire was able to set up there. Even if she did, they couldn¡¯t organize a force fast enough to engage them. So Dessian asked the weary soldiers with him to make the ultimate sacrifice with him, and they marched.¡± Her smile grew sad, but White still felt her wrestle with conflicting pride.


    ¡°There were some who declined, of course,¡± she said. ¡°They continued the journey to the kingdom and delivered Dessian¡¯s decision by letter to the Queen. Pop-pop thinks he did that because he couldn¡¯t tell her himself over communion. But the rest went with their General, and with little numbers and less equipment, they threw themselves at the Empire.¡± Her eyes began to grow distant then and White saw her imagining the battle firsthand as she spoke.


    ¡°They spread themselves out to encircle them with Dessian at their center. Every time they fell, he would raise them again and again, until their souls could no longer hold on or they took wounds too great to heal. When Queen Melina herself arrived at the head of a fresh host of order combatants, the last defenders were little more than husks, hunkering down in the remnants of the Imperial fortifications to shield themselves from bombardment. Three hundred souls utilizing bare wisps of what their power had been only days ago.¡± Avira shook her head. ¡°And the Imperials were too scared of them to even set foot on the shore anymore.¡±


    White stared at her, a silence settling between the two as the hatchling considered his next thoughts. He had a greater appreciation for the event now, that he was sure of, but it left him with more questions. The Empire, these wars, and the Order itself, it all stirred something in him. There was the feeling he had when he first watched Naroe fight, as well as a bit of the feeling from when Naroe and Avira had their duel, but also an ache similar to what he had felt from Avira.


    The hatchling shook his head, there was starting to be too much to sort through, and he wondered what should take priority.


    Avira¡¯s soft chuckling brought him out of his thoughts. ¡°Sorry, if that sounded like rambling,¡± she said as she began to pet the dragon. ¡°The Twelfth War was a small obsession for me.¡±


    White wondered what made a ¡°small obsession.¡±


    It was a simple thought, but it followed the path straight to Avira¡¯s core. Something cracked open, for barely a second. But in that instant, White saw the gentle smile of the violet-eyed woman and felt that intimate ache. The dragon looked up at her, hoping his silent apology could be felt.


    There was a pause, then Avira let out a quiet sigh. ¡°It¡¯s not a big thing,¡± she said, recovering with a small but real smile. ¡°Not as big as you knowing how to read for example.¡± She leaned in, that smile spreading to a point White wasn¡¯t fully comfortable with. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about that.¡±

 Chapter 6: Theory Testing

    White was just small enough to sit on Avira¡¯s shoulder, something she was very happy about. He did however have to pay attention to his balance, he almost fell when she opened her bedroom door.


    They had spent four hours uninterrupted in Avira¡¯s room, something she only realized after seeing the deep night outside. She had half expected her father to casually walk in after the second hour. But thanks to that, Avira¡¯s questioning had fallen into a flow that White was hesitant to interrupt, even when he had grown a little tired of it. Though, he couldn¡¯t argue with the results.


    Avira had found that White¡¯s memories were different from hers, not in content but in quality. If White presented her with one and she focused her mind on its stilled image, they became visions. Not just in sight, but in every sense including emotion and thought. The dragon was able to recall everything it had experienced in perfect clarity. Her shock came not from the ability itself, but the fact that it was an ability shared by the members of the Order.


    However, only the likes of the monarchs or Generals could recall the memories so fully and with such clarity.


    With White¡¯s permission, she had used this ability fully, carefully examining every element she could from the hatchling¡¯s small library of life. After two hours she had come to a few conclusions.


    The first was that White had always comprehended their language even before Naroe bonded with him, but had not read anything until laying eyes on her library. There had been signs in the village where they arrived, and White could recall what they said perfectly, but it was clear he hadn¡¯t read them at the time. The same went for any glances he got in Naroe¡¯s unmarked book, which turned out to be notes he had taken under her grandfather¡¯s tutelage, and the signs at Ladon¡¯s.


    She couldn¡¯t be sure about the trigger, but the timing had fit too well. Something had changed in White after the two had bonded, which meant that something probably also changed when he bonded with Naroe. She believed she had guessed what these changes were, but couldn¡¯t be sure until she had questioned Naroe.


    The next two hours had been spent experimenting with White¡¯s physical capabilities. With Avira able to get first-hand experience through White, she was able to guide him through a couple of small tests. Cutting paper, then wood. Jumping and running through small, makeshift obstacles. The only thing he struggled with was using his wings. But after some torn notebooks, ruined furniture, and nearly leaving a mark on the ceiling, Avira had developed a theory.


    White had an extra degree of control over his body, but it was still in its earliest stages. Right now it was an instinctual thing, a response to something neither could quite identify. White could do some things relatively easily despite their complexity. Sharpening and dulling his claws, shifting his mass to gain a little extra muscle, and even growing his wings a little. However, this last change didn¡¯t help much with flight, despite White¡¯s increasingly frustrated attempts.


    Again, Avira drew comparisons from this to her experience with borrowed weapons. This was the second thing White and the planes shared, though both were superficial in the grand scheme of things. However, if her hunch was right on the third, then she really might not have a voice in keeping White.


    White didn¡¯t like that thought, as he was quite enjoying his time with Avira despite the exhaustive investigation, and as such chose to ignore that pool of thought. Unfortunately, it had only grown since Avira had it.


    They returned to the foyer to find Naroe and Rain waiting for them. Varen had removed his armor, now dressed similarly to how he was in Avira¡¯s memory, but lacking any of the intricate stitching or additions. Despite this, his presence had not diminished at all.


    Naroe had changed from the furs White had seen him wear since the hatchling had met him, having thrown on a worn grey tanktop and matching long pants. His boots had been left by the door next to a long ivory coat hanging from its hood on the wall. He smiled at the the dragon as they arrived, but it soon faltered.


    It was only when Naroe¡¯s familiar flame flared again that White felt a difference. Not in the flame itself, but in what he could perceive from it. As if experiencing Avira¡¯s mind had helped him see through the fire''s glow. He realized there was a world in there too, but it operated under different rules than Avira¡¯s. Though he didn¡¯t need to understand those rules to feel the young man¡¯s newfound hesitancy and concern.


    ¡°She works quick,¡± said Varen. That earned him a deadpan from Avira and a chuckle from his guest


    ¡°I see that,¡± said Naroe before looking at White. ¡°I thought I felt something earlier, but now I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s something I want to talk about over dinner,¡± Avira cut in before the conversation could plant roots. ¡°Is Pop-pop here yet?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s here,¡± said Naroe. He jerked a thumb back at the foyer entrance. ¡°Just saying hi to your other residents.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he misses the pups,¡± Avira responded as she finished descending. White¡¯s wings flexed behind him as he worked to keep balance on his perch.


    ¡°They¡¯re either with members of the Order or in The Sanctuary, right?¡± Naroe asked. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll check in on them at some point.¡± He smiled at White. ¡°How do you like their place? Did you see the garden?¡± he asked


    White flashed his memories to Naroe as he had learned with Avira, seeing it as the best answer to his question. There was a moment of comprehension for the apprentice as he slowly turned to the young woman.


    ¡°You kept him in your room the entire time?¡± he said, clearly disappointed.


    Avira blinked. ¡°Did you fully grasp what it was he showed you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I saw all of it,¡± Naroe said folding his arms. ¡°Four hours and all you did was experiment.¡±


    Avira frowned, mimicking Naroe¡¯s stance but keeping to the second step to stand just a little over him. ¡°White seemed to have fun,¡± she said, her tone having the slightest defensive hint. ¡°Or can you not experience his memories like me?¡±


    ¡°You can do what?¡± Varen broke in, taken aback by his daughter¡¯s statement.


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain at dinner,¡± Avira responded with an unsaid plea in her voice.


    Naroe surprised her by picking up the conversation from before her father¡¯s objection. ¡°I can experience them just fine,¡± he countered, earning his own look from the General. ¡°But you still had daylight and could have let him run around outside.¡±


    Avira turned her head to her small rider. ¡°You would have told me if you had wanted to go outside, right?¡±


    White blinked. He thought he would have, but the thought hadn¡¯t even occurred to him so he couldn¡¯t say for sure.


    ¡°He¡¯s practically a baby,¡± Naroe chided. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t know if he wanted to go outside unless he understood the opportunity. You didn¡¯t even show him outside the window.¡±


    ¡°He wanted to walk on his own,¡± Avira was growing agitated. ¡°I thought you said you thought he¡¯d have a ¡®great time¡¯ with me, so why are you being so critical?¡±


    ¡°Because he didn¡¯t expect you to form a bond with White so quickly,¡± Reil called out from the closing foyer door. All four of them turned to look at the approaching old man, who now wore simple white robes. ¡°I didn¡¯t either if I¡¯m being honest, but we both knew it would be a possibility.¡± He looked at his apprentice, a knowing smile on his lips. ¡°Now he¡¯s worried that his impression of White may have been off.¡±


    The words struck home on Naroe and the dragon felt the young man¡¯s flame flicker in reaction. He turned away from Avira, whose growing annoyance had melted almost immediately from her grandfather¡¯s words. A smile worked its way onto her lips now, spiced with a hint of smugness.


    ¡°Aw¡­¡± she cooed. ¡°Did someone get a little overconfident again?¡±


    Naroe looked back at her, his usual smile now half-heartedly concealing the steadily blazing fire within. ¡°More like I¡¯m worried you¡¯ve taken advantage of White¡¯s trusting nature.¡±


    Avira¡¯s storm began to brew, and White shot her a worried glance. ¡°I¡¯m taking advantage of him now, am I?¡± she said, still smiling despite how much his jab had stirred her.


    ¡°Enough,¡± Varen declared with an authority he hadn¡¯t shown before. It was more than enough to cow both of them. ¡°We¡¯re all here and I have dinner waiting, so let¡¯s eat.¡± He turned back to his daughter and her perched companion. ¡°Then we talk about what¡¯s happened and what¡¯s going to happen.¡±


    ________________________________________________________


    Avira was surprised to find that Naroe had fully digested all the time that she and White had spent together before they had even sat down. He even agreed with what Avira was thinking, though he had to give her theory some thought.


    That just left the two authority figures who had no way to validate any of this information themselves.


    When Varen served dinner, White had almost pounced on his plate while the General set it down on the long table. The decorated dining room was built to feed many more guests than were present, and no one had any issue with the small dragon sitting on the table¡¯s ivory-blanketed surface off to the side. Naroe and Avira had taken opposing seats beside him, while their respective teachers sat next to them.


    White had devoured everything offered to him both on his own plates and by others at the table. He had enjoyed the meal so much that he wondered if it was from the quality of the restaurant or just that he really liked fish. Either way, he loved the food raw or cooked.


    And the entire time he ate, Avira had explained her findings to all present.


    ¡°It¡¯s an interesting hypothesis,¡± Reil began after finishing his fried cephalopod, ¡°that you and Naroe both can invoke physiological changes in White, but our ability to check such a thing is very limited.¡± He leaned back, his eyes moving to the ceiling. ¡°Poe sent me a missive while we were out. He¡¯s already plenty frustrated with how little he¡¯s been able to gain from the sample we gave him.¡±


    Avira nodded. ¡°But Naroe and I can check,¡± she said while glancing at the young man in question, who conceded a nod.


    ¡°White¡¯s definitely different.¡± He said. ¡°He¡¯s putting much more thought into things.¡±


    Varen looked skeptically at the dragon who was still shamelessly indulging in the meal. ¡°Is he?¡±


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Naroe smirked. ¡°He still loves his food, but if you had put a meal in front of him this morning, the rest of the world wouldn¡¯t have mattered.¡± He leaned in towards the hatchling and White paused midway through the breaded tail of some cooked crustration to look at him.


    The dragon blinked slowly, wondering if he shouldn¡¯t have been listening. But the taste of the sweet coating was too much and he couldn¡¯t stop his sharp fangs from crunching into the treat.


    Naroe¡¯s toothy grin showed itself then. ¡°You¡¯re fine, keep eating.¡± White was more than happy to take him up on that, and Naroe sat back. ¡°He took things as they came, but now he¡¯s starting to consider things if only a little.¡±


    Reil crossed his arms, staring somewhat accusingly at his apprentice. ¡°You¡¯ve been bonded to him for over a day, why am I just now hearing about any of this?¡±


    Naroe only offered a shrug. ¡°When it happened, I knew he was practically a newborn so there wasn¡¯t much there to begin with. Besides, I don¡¯t think much changed when I bonded with him.¡± He popped a fried fish ball into his mouth and downed it quickly. ¡°He already liked food and fighting, I know that much.¡±


    ¡°But I think something did change,¡± Avira spoke up and gained everyone¡¯s full attention, except for White. ¡°His physical ability. His claws were sharp enough to dig into Dessian¡¯s Tree and even damage it to a degree. But after he bonded with Naroe, he didn¡¯t hurt either of you once.¡±


    Naroe paused midway through chewing a cut roll of layered fish and he considered her words. He swallowed before answering. ¡°You¡¯re right, but you think that was him controlling his claws like you brought up before?¡±


    Avira nodded. ¡°I think he gained the ability to alter his body once he bonded with you and I think his mind evolved after bonding with me.¡±


    Varen cocked an eyebrow at that. ¡°That¡¯s certainly a compelling claim, but what¡¯s your evidence?¡±


    She turned to her father. ¡°Our affinities.¡±


    Varen blinked in surprise, then cocked his head with a hand to his chin in consideration. ¡°I can see what you¡¯re suggesting, but that doesn¡¯t add up for me.¡±


    Reil looked at the General and nodded. ¡°Neither for me,¡± he turned back to his granddaughter and apprentice. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to say anything earlier since you were just saying the idea aloud Naroe, but I¡¯m pretty certain I know which planes will be blessing the two of you.¡± Neither Naroe nor Avira reacted to this, as both had had their affinities examined years ago and both believed they knew the answers as well.


    But there was someone who sat at that table whose blessing had shocked everyone who had known him at the time. It didn¡¯t happen often but sometimes the affinity readings were wrong and sometimes affinities changed as a person grew. There was even the rare occasion that someone¡¯s affinity had changed after receiving their blessing and then had to go through the ritual to get a new one. So there was always that chance of a surprise and in Naroe¡¯s and Avira¡¯s minds, having someone at Reil¡¯s level voice their opinion now subtracted from that possibility.


    However, the situation seemed a little more important than that surprise. The two glanced at one another before sharing a nod and turning to Reil to continue.


    ¡°White,¡± Reil called to the dragon, who stopped midway through eating another tail. ¡°I understand you¡¯re listening, but this is important. Please wait for a moment before you keep eating.¡±


    White blinked, surprised by the sudden seriousness in Reil¡¯s voice, but downed the tail and pushed his plate behind him to keep it out of sight. Even if he could still smell the delicious spices and nothing else, he hoped that would be enough to prevent him from reaching for another morsel.


    ¡°Varen told you during the duel that the Light deals in the ethereal and that the Dark deals in the physical. This is primarily the case, but as he also said it¡¯s the barest of explanations.¡± His eyes turned to the General then. ¡°In fact, I¡¯d go so far as to say it was a rather slapdash explanation.¡±


    Varen scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t go all ¡®old mentor¡¯ on me now, I was talking to an infant. Like I¡¯m going to go into detail about how primordial forces work.¡±


    Reil raised a hand in acknowledgment. ¡°You¡¯re right, it worked for the time so I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± He turned back to White then. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect us to need to go into it so soon either, but here we are. The truth is, White, that Light and Dark are the fundamental building blocks for nearly everything in existence. Both in things we can perceive and things we cannot.¡± Reil raised his palm flat and the lights in the crystal lanterns on the walls went out.


    Then White saw a light with no source coalesce around the old man¡¯s empty grasp. Something from nothing, an orb of the purest light. Every color of every spectrum burned at once within that orb, and White saw them all. Each one was accompanied by its own sound as if the droplets in a waterfall had each taken up a note to form a crashing song of raw power. No one would know then, but White dispaired then. Not at it¡¯s might or strength, but at his deafness to its song. He could only feel it pound at the doors of his soul, not in an attempt to get in, but simply as a side effect to its sheer presence.


    For the first time, White felt Reil.


    The old master¡¯s entrance into his life had been nothing compared to this. If he had the experience, he would have compared it to the heart of a nebula, with all its terrible power and beauty washing over him.


    Naroe¡¯s was a world that shifted with the flames and embers of something burning in his soul. Avira¡¯s was an ocean fortified by carefully constructed barriers. Both had their challenges in understanding them, but White felt for the first time that he could get lost in that light. Then he felt something beyond that Light gaze into him.


    Before if he even had the chance to think about that, it disappeared.


    The small dragon had been staring intently at the orb for several seconds, though no one there felt that was an unexpected reaction. The only one who was confused was White, as it seemed Naroe and Avira had no idea what he had just experienced. To them, he had simply been mesmerized.


    ¡°Pretty, isn¡¯t it?¡± Reil asked with an amused smile. ¡°Light and Dark come in many different forms, not all of them can be perceived with the five senses alone. When it comes to judging one¡¯s affinity, two elements of our souls are examined and judged in strength. For Darkness, it¡¯s the mind.¡± Reil nodded to Avira. ¡°As I¡¯m sure you can guess, Avira excels in this category, she was judged to have an affinity for it and has worked hard to hone it.¡±


    White felt Avira ripple with pride, but her temperature dropped when a stray thought froze near her core. Why don¡¯t I have my blessing then? But the only thing she allowed herself to show was a bashful smile.


    White found himself wondering just how much the members of the Order could read people because he saw no reaction from Varen or Reil.


    ¡°If I¡¯m getting this wrong, stop me Avira,¡± Reil continued. ¡°I believe her theory is that since you share similar abilities to what is granted to us by the Planes, forming a bond with you would be similar as well. So by bonding with Avira, who we currently believe to have an affinity with the Dark, your mind has reacted.¡± He stopped to look at Avira, who nodded in agreement. ¡°As for Naroe, we believe in his affinity to the Light. This we measure through one¡¯s spirit.¡± He gave a sly smile to his apprentice. ¡°This you¡¯ve seen first hand,¡± then the old man frowned as he turned back to his granddaughter. ¡°But how do you connect spirit to control over his physical body? Simple enhancement I could see, but what you¡¯ve described goes far above that.¡±


    Avira grinned inwardly. White knew she had been waiting to put this forward since she came up with the idea, but he wasn¡¯t sure why. All he knew was that the idea of her being correct made Avira very excited.


    ¡°What if,¡± she began, unable to stop her smile from growing, ¡°his body and spirit are one and the same?¡±


    There was an absolute silence as her words hung in the air before they fully sank into the minds of two elders in the room. Reil turned to Naroe, his expression unreadable. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Naroe, having already heard the idea through White¡¯s memories, shrugged. ¡°I think it makes a bit of sense. He eats anything, isn¡¯t made like anything else, and just appears in a place no dragon has any reason to be in.¡±


    ¡°To be a spirit made into physical form¡­¡± Varen trailed off, he glanced at the White and realized he had eaten another tail whole at some point. ¡°It does explain a couple of things,¡± he looked back at the rest of the table. ¡°But it also adds a lot of questions.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s putting it lightly,¡± Reil added. ¡°Where he came from still being near the top, there are two more.¡± Eyes belonging to an avatar of Light locked onto his counterpart from the Dark.


    The General already knew what was on the older warrior¡¯s mind. ¡°If he carries so many similar elements to the planes,¡± Varen began, ¡°then why has neither one made contact with him?¡±


    The question triggered a memory in White, the moment he had been in the elevator. The two who could see the memory looked at him in confusion. It was clear to White they hadn¡¯t seen anything.


    Reil stiffened. ¡°Or has he?¡± It wasn¡¯t entirely a question.


    The dragon blinked, looking at the four other diners. He had no idea if that had been the planes or not, nor did he know why those bonded with him didn¡¯t see everything he saw, but he had no way to say that directly. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t need to.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t know,¡± both Naroe and Avira said in unison. They looked at each other before Avira motioned for Naroe to continue.


    He nodded in thanks before continuing. ¡°We¡¯re not getting everything from the memories. Something is missing from them that only White seems able to get.¡±


    ¡°Can he describe what it is?¡± Varen asked.


    They all turned to the dragon, who had almost successfully eaten the last tail before their attention returned to him, its crispy frills sticking out his mouth. They had less than a second to register it before it was gone completely.


    White swallowed audibly before slowly blinking. He wasn¡¯t sure how to convey what had essentially been the overwhelming of every sense he possessed.


    Avira turned to speak for him. ¡°He says that his senses were overwhelmed in the elevator.¡± White practically dropped in the relief of having good translators.


    The answer was met with visible surprise and another shared glance. Reil spoke up first. ¡°I thought he might have been reacting to the Heart as we got closer, but I didn¡¯t think it was the planes attempting contact. It¡¯s usually a much more pleasant experience when it happens.¡±


    Varen rubbed a massive hand over his face. ¡°But they still let him in, even at the center of The Sanctuary.¡± He looked back at Reil. ¡°We might want to take him into the Heart.¡±


    Reil¡¯s eyes widened as he stood out of his chair, hands gripping the table¡¯s edge. ¡°We haven¡¯t even spoken to the King yet, are you insane?¡±


    Varen looked at him calmly. ¡°As Generals, we can perform the rituals of direct communion or blessing with whomever we choose, without waiting on ceremony. I don¡¯t see why that authority doesn¡¯t include this situation.¡±


    Reil leaned in, his small figure exuding barely controlled outrage, and White could feel a sun roiling within. ¡°What¡¯s the point of rushing only to take him to see the Dark? Aria is with his majesty and unless there has been some miracle you haven¡¯t told me about, John can¡¯t make the journey.¡±


    Varen¡¯s expression remained unchanged, his eyes still on his opposite. ¡°We have another General of Light.¡±


    The wood shattered where Reil had been gripping it, flameless burns marking its surface as the snow-colored cover cindered. ¡°I¡¯m not a General.¡± The old man breathed out like a furnace.


    Naroe and Avira had both retreated down the table, lifting White to take with them. Neither was scared, especially with how calm Varen still looked, but both were more than a little nervous about what would happen next.


    There was a silence where Varen continued to sit calmly and Reil¡¯s broiling presence kept steady, neither increasing nor decreasing.


    Varen leaned back. ¡°You know that¡¯s only true in technicality.¡± Reil looked ready to object again when Varen held up a hand. To White¡¯s amazement, the burning star let him speak. ¡°How about this, we take him to see John tomorrow, see what he thinks. If he likes the idea, you take his place. If he doesn¡¯t, I drop it until His Majesty gets back.¡±


    There was an unchanging moment, and then the extra light in the room departed as Reil reigned himself in. ¡°Why are you so intent on throwing him into such an experience?¡± The older man asked. ¡°He¡¯s a child. Our own apprentices haven¡¯t even been called to them yet.¡±


    Varen looked over at the three who had yet to return to their original seats, the two humans holding back a small dragon that was desperately reaching for another bite of food. None of them were looking to jump in at this part in the conversation and Varen couldn¡¯t blame them.


    ¡°I just feel it¡¯s the right thing to do,¡± he said.


    Reil deflated. ¡°A gut feeling huh?¡± he said before chuckling and shaking his head. ¡°What gives you the right to use my excuses?¡±


    Varen gave him a wry grin. ¡°Umbran or not, your influence doesn¡¯t go away easily.¡±


    Reil sighed before looking up from across his ruined section of the table. ¡°I fully believe White will end up with His Majesty, so I¡¯d prefer him there with us. But you rule in his stead for good reason, so I¡¯ll go along with this.¡±


    ¡°Great,¡± Varen rose and clasped his hands together. ¡°But you owe me a table set.¡±

 Chapter 7: Visions and Worries

    White was given free rein to sleep where he wanted, since that was the only way to avoid another contest. That and choosing to not sleep with Naroe or Avira. This didn¡¯t satisfy either of them, but both appreciated the consideration. Instead, the small dragon had wandered the halls and looked for a place to rest. The doors in the large home were all easy enough for him to open and Varen had said he was free to explore. ¡°So long as you wait for me to feed you,¡± the General had added after seeing just how much the small dragon had eaten.


    So White had wandered the second and first floors until he had found a nice, big chair by a window. Clouds had moved in at some point, releasing a misting shower into the darkened city, and White had found the sound of rain on glass soothing.


    He wasn¡¯t tired, so he stared through the fogged glass. The window¡¯s view was fuzzy and distorted, but his eyes were able to pick out the obsidian poles that held white lights. They illuminated the streets and the dragon guessed that they had risen from the ground at some point, as Avira¡¯s ladder had.


    That had sent his mind to reflect on that day. And from there, into the day before.


    White hadn¡¯t been alive very long, at least by his own estimate, but he felt like a lot had happened in the past two days. He began to wonder if things were just as eventful for other newborns or if he was a rare case. He wondered what would have happened if he hadn¡¯t bonded with Naroe and Avira.


    From what he had heard at dinner, it sounded like he wouldn¡¯t be thinking about these things at all. It seemed like he wouldn¡¯t even be able to. That made him wonder if that would be better.


    The small dragon huffed on his cushion, suddenly annoyed with the thought. He had a belly full of food and shelter from the rain. On top of that, he had made his first two friends. If Naroe hadn¡¯t been there, he¡¯d have been smacked through a tree by a giant bear. Though, he was curious if he would have survived that. Or if he¡¯d just break. That made him wonder what would have happened then. What would happen if he broke?


    The hatchling huffed again and rubbed his head into the cushion. How did Avira deal with this? Maybe that¡¯s why she had all those books.


    Maybe it was because he was bored. He looked around the fairly large room he was in. It looked like it was meant for people to simply sit in, as various chairs and small tables were scattered in groups but never encroaching on one another. Small shelves held mostly glass sculptures of animals while paintings of landscapes and creatures White couldn¡¯t identify hung amongst them.


    He hopped down onto the piled gray carpet and moved to a table with a cabinet door underneath it. Opening the inside, he found a dark cube that was more than half the size of him. Finding he could move it easily, White gently took it out into the dim light and revealed the dark purple of its wooden surface. He picked out the minuscule cut that marked its lid and began to open it. The moment the lid disconnected from its base, a single, very real note keyed from inside.


    White immediately replaced the lid and looked up in fear of waking the others from their rest. He knew both Naroe¡¯s and Avira¡¯s souls had not stirred in their slumber on the floor above, but he had no way of checking on Reil and Varen on the third floor. He couldn¡¯t know how strong their senses were, so if he wanted to hear what the cube had to say, he¡¯d have to take precautions.


    Now how to carry it? He looked at the wooden box, it was too big to pick up with his mouth. He could carry it on his back, but he worried that his spines would damage it. So that left only one option


    White approached the cube and dulled his talons. He gripped its bottom and used his tail as a support to stand on his hind legs, lifting the box with him. Then, starting with shaky waddles that steadily improved, he approached the door opposite to where had entered. Setting the box down, he jumped and pressed down on the door¡¯s handle. It swung towards him to reveal a staircase down into perfect darkness, one the hatchling could not see into.


    This looked promising, but how would he get the box down with him? White looked at the steps to see they were carpeted in dull gray and short enough to slide the cube as he went. Angling the box above him, he rested it on his head as he carefully descended into the basement.


    When White felt he had reached the end, he slowly lowered the box onto the floor. Glancing around, he couldn¡¯t determine any way to turn on the lights, if there were any. But he did feel his eyes responding to the dark, a gentle tingle at their center. He blinked and saw the faintest traces of outlines in the void.


    He became curious.


    White climbed the steps and pulled the door close, sending himself into pitch blackness. He waited, the tingling in his eyes intensifying every second. He blinked and the feeling pulsed in his head. The small dragon continued to do so and was rewarded with a gradually forming picture of the descending stairs. When he could see a cube-shaped cutout in the dark that was an even deeper void than the space around it, he descended.


    Taking it in his hands once more, White looked around the room. It was a drinking area, judging from the various biting scents competing for the hatchling¡¯s sense of smell. A bottle-lined wall was sitting behind a long bar with a larger seating area taking up the rest of the room. It had a much more humble look than the rest of the house. Both the bar and all the furniture appeared wooden. White could just see the shaded grooves formed in the surface, the faintest light catching its somewhat glossy finish.


    Wait, where was the light coming from?


    He approached the bar, watching as the light grew stronger and coalesced into two shades. These took circular shapes when he was less than a foot away from the surface. The first and larger of the two he recognized from images he had seen in the bonds he had made. It was the same blue in his own eyes. But the second, one that was split into two and was more focused than the soft blue around it, was new to him.


    He wouldn¡¯t know it at the time, but it was the same violet that flickered in his eyes when he first awoke. At that moment, he simply took it as another change. They had yet to explain to him what his body being his spirit meant, and he didn¡¯t feel like swimming through Avira¡¯s steady transfer of information to make his own guesses yet.


    So White looked for a spot to place the box. The bar was too high for him to throw it up there, so he settled for a table. Lifting it up and over onto one nearby, he hopped up and removed the lid once more.


    The same note played a single soft cord on a piano that slowly descended into a slow melody. It played like a lullaby, stunning White with its unexpected gentleness. Inside was a slowly spinning figure of a large bird resembling the one on Rain¡¯s armor made from shining steel. It rotated at the center of a whirling gear that was built into the box, obscuring most of its inner workings. Next to the parrot¡¯s platform were a series of buttons, numbered with engravings from one to fourteen. Next to them was a single sliding control. He nudged the slider upwards and the volume from the box increased as he did so.


    Now that it was activated, White could also feel both pulses of Light and Dark from within, working together to bring life to the machine.


    As it continued to play its comforting yet melancholic notes, other instruments began to join in. Steady strings sounded in both high and low ranges to carry the lullaby into a grander sound. It gave White a chill, but not an unpleasant one. The music he had occasionally heard from souls had been impressive experiences of their own, but as White saw it then, they had all been chaotic. It was more like listening to a living body function rather than an ensemble play. This was something that took its many pieces and refined them into a singular, focused vision.


    That vision took a rough shape in White¡¯s mind. Two individuals, it didn¡¯t matter who so their silhouettes never stayed the same. The only consistent thing was that they were always comforting one another, and White could feel it was in response to tragedy.


    The song continued to play, filling his mind with hazy images. It was like experiencing the world within a soul but without the intensity.


    As much as White enjoyed the new experience, there was something in him that made it feel like it wasn¡¯t what he wanted right now. Some part of him was dissatisfied with the gentle notes that were currently playing. He looked down at the numbered buttons again before gently pressing down on the metal two and stopping the music. There was a low whir from the machine before a new song began.


    There were no instruments at first. It started with a choir, wordlessly singing in praise. It felt like a more comprehensible rendition of what White had heard in the forest when Reil arrived, though that had felt more like the result of a happy surprise. What was playing now felt more ceremonial and was sung in gentle reverence.


    Then they stopped and drums took their place. White heard the rhythmic range of all types, forming numerous but distinct beats that could have been the marching tune to a horde of beasts. From crisp percussion to rumbling booms, they each had their place in the beat. When the choir returned, the two came together to fully realize the vision.


    This was the song of one who would march through anything. An undetailed shape of power and presence that kept forward despite what nature or war brought against it. White could see all the weapons thrown against it, the bombs, the natural disasters, but no matter how much White focused on the colorless blots of shapes in his mind, he couldn¡¯t see what the warrior was marching to.


    In addition, he still wasn¡¯t satisfied with the music itself. It wasn¡¯t played in poor quality by either the box or the performers themselves, but the song itself felt like the wrong key to a lock White only just realized he had. He wondered how long it had been there, though that didn¡¯t really matter. Now that White knew it was there, he couldn¡¯t help but scratch against it.


    The hatchling looked down at the still-spinning bird and the controls beside it. He debated with himself briefly, before deciding on one at random. There was a soft click from the button labeled number seven. White almost jumped when the box began blaring a far more bombastic intro before hastily bringing down the slider and the volume with it. White could feel that Avira and Naroe were both still asleep, so he took that as a good sign and kept it playing.


    Percussion, strings, wind, brass, and more seemed to compete for the listener¡¯s attention, all while never deviating from the cohesive design they played into. It was loud, joyful, even celebratory, like the theme for a traditional festival. And for the first time, White felt at risk of being overwhelmed. He could see the lines of musicians giving life and light to a night of smiles and memories. He felt it, the weight this song was given from being used to mark an occasion.


    White blinked, then muted the song entirely. He could have kept going, in fact, he wanted to in a way, but the idea of listening to such a song alone in the middle of a pitch-black room didn¡¯t sit right with him. Though, when the music died away, he was surprised at how tired he felt. He couldn¡¯t decide the cause of this, as he had felt fine before the third song and felt no change from the previous two, but he resolved to take it up with his¡­ he needed a term for Naroe and Avira. Another thing to figure out later.


    He looked at the still-moving bird on the music box, then back at the buttons. There was still that lock inside him. He debated briefly if that lock was more annoying than he was tired, and came to a conclusion. One more.


    White pressed the metal eleven and moved the slider up just a little.


    What played was completely different from anything that had come before. A single chord that reverberated deeply, waning and waxing in a distortion. It lasted into another long, deep note, and White saw them both take the shape of a vast sea. Then a beat was formed with alternating strikes, sparking the sky with lighting. Steady as they were, they made the roiling electricity appear more like nature¡¯s heart pumping.


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    Something else joined in, higher pitched yet still with greater range than what had come before, and began to sail through the chaotic world the previous instruments had created. There were words there, but White barely heard them, the voice of the singer instead taking the form of a blazing beacon out in the distance. It cut through the storm, acting as a marker, hovering above the water and giving life to the crew of the ship. If it marked land, White could not see it, and the shifting ship of sound never seemed to get closer. Yet it confidently rode the storm.


    As the song played and the image roiled with life, White rode the ship. He let it take him through the storm willingly, watching as the ghostly wisps of the crew rushed from station to station. Standing by the helm stood a figure more defined than the rest, appearing to yell and gesture with the vocals. It was tall, broad, and dressed in a long coat and large, pointed hat.


    As White rocked with the ship against the melody¡¯s current as the beat lit the churning sky with energy, watching all of it. The crew around him, despite their apparent loose hold within the vision and jittery movements, felt excited. Almost as excited as their captain, who whooped with the triumphant tone of the vocalist as the chords that had set the sea sparked to life. They took the form of a wave that tipped the ship forward, it¡¯s bow cleaving into the ocean like a dull knife before ripping itself out and dousing the crew in water.


    Yet they only cheered with their captain in response, reaffirming their willingness to push forward toward their goal. This was what they chose, and they would see whatever end it would take them to.


    The music began to fade as the song ended. White replaced the box¡¯s lid and stared at it in the darkness. He had gotten what he was hoping for, that much was for certain, but now he had to verify.


    When he listened to it again, the experience was very similar to his first time, but small things had changed in a way that added up. The brightness of the sky, the way the ship cut through the sea, how close the beacon was to the horizon. This excited White. Now, like Avira had shown him, he could test something.


    Bonding with Naroe and Avira had many effects on him to be sure, but they weren¡¯t the only things that had changed him. There was something else, something that had truly moved him. The fact that Avira hadn¡¯t mentioned it made him disregard it for a while, especially since he had no idea how to recreate the feeling it had given him. Naroe¡¯s duel with Avira had been without question a sight to see, but it had been a duel. Reil displaying his vast power had been an extreme experience to be sure, it was contained and put on display only.


    When Naroe punched that bear, a beast that may have even stood over Varen, he had shaken the earth. That hadn¡¯t been a duel, that had been a fight. Borrowed power or not, Naroe had committed his life to a conflict and had put everything into winning it. That had left an incredible impression on the hatchling.


    But now this song had done the same, and it was much easier to replay than Naroe¡¯s life-or-death situation.


    He discovered on the third listen that he was able to take the base elements of the vision¡¯s world and change them. With this came the realization that he was the source of these visions rather than an effect of the music box. His mind dove freely into the music then, pushing the limits of what was possible until it deviated too far from the song and collapsed.


    After another ten replays, he had successfully tired himself of the activity. Closing the box, he resolved to listen to the other songs at a later date. There was no guarantee they would have the same effect, or if he even needed the same feeling to alter their worlds. He also didn¡¯t know if any of this was actually useful, but everyone seemed so keen on figured out what made the small dragon tick, so he figured might as well help where he could.


    He gently lowered the box to the floor before taking it over to the bottom of the steps. Placing it down, he looked back up at the door at the top of the ascent. White wasn¡¯t sure what the best option was to bring the box safely back up the steps, but he believed opening the door ahead of time was the best starting point.


    He climbed up to the last steps before clearing the extended jump and pulling the lever. The door swung into the first floor, revealing little had changed both inside and outside. What was different, however, was that an identical wooden block to the one White had just left sat in front of the door, as if it had been waiting for his return.


    White looked back down the staircase to see that his box was no longer there. He side-eyed the cube that sat near him, then he did the same to the rest of the room. He slowly inched over and gently lifted the lid of the box. The first note from the first song played once more before White closed the lid.


    The hatchling hadn¡¯t sensed a thing, which in his mind pointed towards someone of the Order. He couldn¡¯t read them unless some sort of conditions had been fulfilled and he didn¡¯t even know what those were yet. It was especially dark down there and given whose house this was, White was fairly confident in his guess.


    How long had the General been watching him? Why didn¡¯t he make himself known until now? Forget about sensing his soul, how had White not seen, heard, or smelled him and the dragon knew for sure that everyone had smelled like fish after dinner. Granted he still smelled the various alcohols from the basement, but he didn¡¯t think he could ever forget that fish.


    He closed the door and grabbed the box, deciding to put it away where he had found it. Then he took his seat again, looking out into the still pouring rain. White couldn¡¯t begin to guess what the mind of Avira¡¯s father looked like, so he decided not to dwell on it for now. Out of every possible interaction, Varen had decided to aid the small dragon without even allowing it to thank him. Though it wasn¡¯t like he could properly voice his thanks. White wondered if the General even knew the hatchling had realized it was him.


    His ethereal gaze flicked to Avira¡¯s soul in the distance, a churning fortress that shifted even in her sleep. Yeah, her father was probably capable of figuring that out.


    White let out a huff. He thought he had tired himself out, but this tiny event that spanned an instant had added enough fuel to restart his mind. It didn¡¯t help that Varen had been on guard with him until just a few hours ago. That change still puzzled him.


    His throat admitted an annoyed growl that matched his age and size in tone as he shook his head in an attempt to settle his thoughts. Why was he so concerned about this now? He just wanted to sleep. It was so much easier to sleep before thinking had come into play.


    There was a tap of ceramic on wood and White¡¯s head snapped to the nearest table. Sitting there was a plate carrying a steaming hot mug and a small, rounded, yellow pastry.


    White blinked and searched the room again and found nothing. He hopped from his seat and cautiously approached the table. When he got on top, he smelled something familiar. It was mixed in the warm melted chocolate in the drink and the freshly baked batter of the cake, that sweet scent that was unique in its strength yet was only ever there in hints. White had smelled something like it only in the apples and strips of meat he had eaten, but this wasn¡¯t quite the same. Those had come with a sort of kick that White found difficult to describe. This was subtle, gentle. A flavor took hold of you before gently carrying you in.


    He eyed the presented food with some trepidation, then decided the meal was worth any risk.


    He began with the cake. It had no toppings or fillings, in fact, to most eyes it appeared quite plain. But it was warm, moist, and fluffy. That unique sweetness was worked into every bit of the simple batter, taking over its taste entirely. While the warm, chocolate drink had sweetness to spare. It had the same extra element the cake did, but its subdued taste worked to take off the edge from the rich chocolate. This meal was a deadly combo and White felt it was a crime that there was so little.


    The small dragon alternated between the two in complete bliss, completely forgetting the thoughts that had been plaguing him. By the time he finished the meal, he was yawning. By the time he lay back into his chair and licked himself clean, he had fallen asleep.


    All the while, dwelling within the extended shadows of the room, the master of the house smiled with the joy of a satisfied host.


    ________________________________________________________


    The clouds had parted to reveal the rising sun just barely poking out from behind the buildings of the city. Puddles left from the rain lay scattered about the yard and roads, but citizens were already going about their days through steady foot traffic. Birds sang as they took to perches around the waking metropolis.


    What awoke White had not been these marks of a beginning day. The hatchling¡¯s nose perked up as it caught something in the air. It was faint, but it filled his skull and naturally snaked its way into his stomach. It had none of the unnatural sweetness like his midnight snack, but its source pulled him in just as those golden apples had.


    He raced off his seat, opening and running through doors at an increasingly efficient rate, following the scent. He heard the sound of sizzling trailing through the halls before finding the source. Standing in the kitchen, humming the tune that White had been listening to while tending to a lit stove, was Reil. He wore simple gray clothes with a pair of white socks. In his hand was a rather large pan holding sizzling strips of meat.


    The kitchen itself was large, with lines of cabinets and various cooking stations taking up its walls. In the center was a massive steel container, something dark pulsed from within. But White didn¡¯t care about any of that.


    Reil¡¯s eyes caught White¡¯s wide and intense gaze, and the old man couldn¡¯t help but grin. ¡°Catch.¡± He reached over the counter next to the stove and tossed something in the air. White knew what it was the instant Reil had taken it. The hatchling could smell it, see it, and when it left Reil¡¯s hand it appeared to move in slow motion.


    So it was a bit of a surprise for Reil when WhIte was already moving before he had fully thrown it. The dragon rushed forward, pounced up at the perfect height, and caught the piece of cooked meat in his mouth before its throw had peaked.


    It was a little charred, but it had a savory flavor with just a bit of spice. White loved it. He looked up at Reil expectantly, his tail slowly wagging side-to-side.


    Reil gave an amused laugh, ¡°Varen told me you had a late night, but it¡¯s nice to see you so active in the morning.¡± White stopped, unsure of how to react to the confirmation of the General¡¯s presence. ¡°I don¡¯t mind him spoiling you while you¡¯re here,¡± Reil continued, ¡°that''s partly why I didn¡¯t want him taking you to the heart.¡±


    When he glanced back down after setting aside the meat, he saw he had White¡¯s attention. The old man wasn¡¯t sure if that was because of his words or the food he was preparing, but he decided to act in favor of the former. He went to the steel box in the middle of the room, lifted up one of its latched lids and retrieved a wooden container. White felt a particularly cold touch of darkness and realized the coldbox¡¯s purpose while Reil opened the container to reveal secured lines of large brown eggs. He began again as he started cracking them into different bowls and pans.


    ¡°I believe it¡¯s safe to say you¡¯ll change things, White.¡± He didn¡¯t look at the dragon when he spoke. ¡°You¡¯re proving that quite quickly and I have no doubt you¡¯ll be a good friend to have, but we still don¡¯t know what you are.¡± Now he looked at the hatchling, who hadn¡¯t moved.


    White didn¡¯t know why, especially given the previous night¡¯s contemplations, but he wasn¡¯t particularly worried about that part. That being said, he understood what Reil was getting at.


    ¡°You seem so likely to be connected to the planes,¡± Reil continued, ¡°yet they don¡¯t recognize you at all. So, since you appear so young, I thought maybe something would develop with time and that raising you took priority.¡± The older warrior shook his head as he emptied a few pans and poured a beaten mix of eggs into a skillet. ¡°I believe that one day you will come into contact with either of them naturally, but Varen appears determined to expedite the process.¡±


    White was listening, but neither Naroe nor Avira were nearby so he had no one to speak for him. He had to admit that the situation annoyed him a little, but the fact that this felt more like a lecture rather than a conversation didn¡¯t seem to deter Reil.


    ¡°I know they will more than likely remain silent,¡± he said as he rolled up various fillings into eggs. ¡°But if they do react to you, then there will be no going back. So I can¡¯t help but feel we¡¯re rushing things here.¡± Reil turned back to see White staring intently, rapidly dissipating drool occasionally dripping down from the corners of his mouth. ¡°Were you listening?¡± He asked.


    White nodded because he had been.


    ¡°Do you feel any sort of way towards your situation?¡± Reil asked.


    White wasn¡¯t sure how to communicate that he felt his situation would improve drastically if he could eat whatever Reil had just cooked. He could only nod then point at the counter where the food lay, then nod again while patting his stomach.


    Reil blinked at him, nonplused. ¡°Do you grasp the situation you¡¯re in?¡±


    White nodded again because he did, but he didn¡¯t feel one way or the other if they waited. He had been given plenty of examples about how powerful the planes were and he saw how seriously they were all taking it. He also felt how important it was to Naroe and Avira that it went well.


    Yet, despite these things, he just wasn¡¯t worried about the planes. If they didn¡¯t do anything, then things stayed as they were. He had no complaints if that happened. If they did something, he would just have to learn to live with it. He had only just started living, true, but learning to live with power didn¡¯t seem that bad. He supposed they could end up hurting him, though he didn¡¯t get the sense it would come to that. He couldn¡¯t form an opinion of the planes yet, however, they didn¡¯t seem like the type to just destroy what they didn¡¯t like, despite what that Keeper had attempted.


    So none of that had been a real focus for him. Keeping Naroe and Avira happy, getting good food, and learning more about what he could do, were problems he was currently focused on.


    Reil couldn¡¯t have known the full extent of White¡¯s feelings on the matter, but he released a defeated breath and lifted a plate down to the hatchling¡¯s level. White was delighted to see more strips of meat and a large egg roll packed with an oozing filling.


    As the dragon devoured its breakfast, Reil went back to prepare for the inevitable request for more. ¡°Maybe I am worrying too much.¡±

 Chapter 8: Rail Trip

    Breakfast was uneventful but enjoyable and it wasn¡¯t long before four figures left the massive home for the morning air. The mist had cleared and there were fewer puddles than when White had woken up. Spotting one in the road as they exited the property, White could see the water sink into the dark stone as easily as it did into the soil.


    Reil closed the gate behind them as they stepped onto the slabbed path next to the road. White had seen them a lot during his ride with Avira, they stretched along nearly every road they had used. Though, from where he sat on Naroe¡¯s shoulder, he had a much better view than from behind the tinted screen of a carriage.


    The winds were back and were buffeting against his scales. White now understood why all three of them had donned longer clothing. Reil had thrown on his ivory cloak, the thick fabric barely waving against the wind. Naroe had his own, but his was the natural white of a fur pelt, one large enough to cover most of his tall form. It was this soft cloak that made White choose Naroe as his perch.


    Beneath these regal coverings, both were dressed rather casually. Naroe opted for a similar getup he had arrived in the night before and Reil wore what White had found him in that morning, but with only their faces and the tips of their worn leather boots showing as they walked, now they appeared as the archetypical master and student.


    The last member of their party, Avira, was dressed in her father¡¯s colors with a black insulated padded body suit as her first layer. A knitted midnight blue sweater clung to her top above a white belt that clasped around black denim pants. She wore the same worn boots as she had in The Sanctuary, freshly cleaned after her duel with Naroe. She strode with the two other figures with her usual grace, adding herself to the image next to her grandfather as a separate but equally present companion to the matching duo. While on the inside, White knew she was pouting over his chosen seat.


    Varen had intended to go with them, but Poe had contacted the General that morning and requested his presence. Varen had not told the others why and Poe had not given any specifics, but the implications were clear enough to them all.


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Varen had told them. ¡°Having me there won¡¯t make much of a difference, John¡¯s opinions are his own. Just be sure to give him my regards.¡± So they had left, with Varen stating he¡¯d catch up if possible but the group shouldn¡¯t wait on him before making any decisions.


    Reil took the lead, followed closely by Naroe then Avira, with the younger woman keeping just behind where White perched.


    The day before, the hatchling had perceived the passing roads and buildings as interesting but unimportant sights. After all, there were plenty more immediate matters to turn his attention to. So, while he could recall everything he had seen the day before in perfect clarity, none of it had actually meant anything to him at the time. This stroll through the towering buildings and lines of roads was a much different experience.


    White could feel the changes Avira had spoken of much more keenly now. His mind not only archived his experiences, now it made sense of them at subconscious level. A map began to form in the small dragon¡¯s mind, starting out as a simple overview of the roads and paths he had traveled. The more attention he gave this strange thought pattern, the stronger it became. Simple shapes that had represented the buildings became three dimensional, obtaining the smallest details from White¡¯s perfect memory. This trend continued to the storefronts at their feet, their goods on display, the drains along the roads, even the cracks in the paths. Before long, White had perfectly mapped out every visible part of the city they had passed.


    Despite having caught glimpses of this process, neither Naroe nor Avira were free to question him on it. This was because multiple people who were acquainted with the hatchling¡¯s companions had noticed their group, and most were comfortable enough to question them on the stunning creature who appeared to be staring off into space. It hadn¡¯t helped that his eyes had drifted away from one another in an attempt to expand his field of vision, giving White the wall-eyed stare of a common lizard.


    ¡°Is he okay?¡± Reil had asked after saying goodbye to an old friend.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Naroe answered before Avira could decide her opinion. ¡°He¡¯s just taking everything in,¡± the younger man said with a chuckle.


    His master blinked, weighing the words before continuing forward. ¡°Does he have any questions he¡¯d like answered?¡±


    That had been what pulled White out of his mental project, the small dragon¡¯s gaze returning to normal as the group turned another corner. He found his mind could produce a large number of questions for the elder now, enough that picking out the most pressing proved challenging.


    So he went with the most immediate.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to see one of the Generals of Light,¡± said Avira, answering his thoughts. She pointed towards a wide building, made from cut ivory stone that layered up and around lines of arching windows. It stood shorter but much wider than most of its counterparts. ¡°He lives on Lugatea¡¯s Northern Province, so we¡¯ll take the train to get there.¡±


    Reil glanced back at the three of them as he walked. ¡°Avira, please remember that I¡¯m relying on both of you to communicate for White. I¡¯d like to hear his questions as well, not just your answers.¡±


    Avira swallowed her embarrassment and White felt the tides of her emotion recede as she reigned them in. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said.


    Reil looked forward again before speaking. ¡°It¡¯s alright, just please understand that I¡¯m not privy to White¡¯s thoughts like you are. If I¡¯m asking him a question, I ask that you relay his thoughts as best you can.¡±


    Avira nodded, but her eyes shot to Naroe. She wasn¡¯t quite glaring, more scrutinizing, but it was close. ¡°What?¡± he asked, unperturbed by her gaze.


    ¡°You¡¯ve spoken for him multiple times, even just now,¡± she said. ¡°I felt I needed to be quicker.¡±


    Naroe glanced at his master, but he never looked back. Naroe could tell the old man expected them to figure this out themselves. He looked back at his fellow apprentice, meeting her patient violet eyes to find no expectation behind them.


    White found himself impressed with how well he read her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Naroe began. ¡°I tend not to think when I talk and if I can answer something, I feel the need to do so. But I should be giving you the chance to develop things with White.¡±


    To Avira¡¯s credit, not even Naroe noticed her carefully contained surprise. She shook her head, the edge in her voice completely gone. ¡°It¡¯s a weird situation, especially with everything else happening.¡± She smiled then. ¡°I tend to get a little competitive and I apologize.¡±


    Naroe waved off her apology. ¡°No harm done, it was an honest concern.¡±


    Only White felt the light in Reil grow brighter at that moment.


    When they entered the building at the end of the road, they were greeted by the rush of the kingdom¡¯s morning commute. Stores and bars lined the walls and middle of the massive hall, each hosting anything from a few to full lines of customers and serving everything from travel supplies to drinks and foods.


    Reil began to lead them through the hordes of shifting travelers, taking Avira¡¯s hand as he set off. White knew Avira had confidence in her ability to stay with them, but she said nothing as her grandfather made their path.


    Neither did Naroe as he resisted both White¡¯s and his own urges to stop for a quick taste, much to the small dragon¡¯s dismay.


    When the group slipped free of the masses, they found the end of the hall just as busy. Lines of civilians steadily filed forward towards wooden checkpoints, each manned by a gray-suited individual that took presented papers or cards and judged them. Some were quick with only a single item presented, while others took longer. One shook her head, saying something as she handed back the papers. The older man she had been serving groaned up to the ceiling before walking away, shaking his head.


    Behind that sat a long staircase that descended into distant noises of people and machinery. Standing in front of those stairs at equal intervals were six towering guards of the Order. Light and Dark, one after the other, stood completely unmoving and in perfect attention. Spears stood strong in armored hands, as if nothing could move them from their station, and were paired with tower shields that reached almost as tall as their users. Each was engraved and painted with a scene of the sky, clear sunny days for the light and starlit nights for the dark. If it wasn¡¯t for the constant pressure of their blessings, White would have thought them to be decorative statues.


    Reil looked back at his granddaughter with a grateful smile before letting go. Then he turned back to an empty checkpoint, past the back of the lines. There were a number of glances toward the group as they walked by, several of which even recognized the old man in the lead. White felt those that did come to life with fresh excitement and joy. A hero had returned home and that brought a lot of joy, but none dared to interrupt his day.


    Others did not know him or those following him. They only saw the monochrome shades of the order and the unusual dragon before deciding to see what the guards did.


    To the surprise of many, one of the guards, a Light warrior clad in the claws and helm of a bear, began to march forward. It dropped its spear and shield, both fading from existence in white silhouettes before they hit the ground with the sound of distorted wind.


    As both Reil and the guard converged at the unmanned station, White could feel an anxiety build in many of the witnesses, particularly those unaware of Reil¡¯s identity. It was only when the guard raised the barrier for the group with a bow did their feelings turn to surprise.


    Reil and his companions only said their thanks as they continued down the steps. The lower they went, the greater the noise became, and when White finally saw the floor that awaited them, his eyes widened and his mouth dropped.


    The crowded path stretching from the steps was flanked by more restaurants, bars, and food stalls, filling the floor with a variety of new scents. They trailed up to and around a circular pillar that hosted more downward stairs. In the distance, metal carriages glided in and out of bays, leaving out of sight down dimly lit tunnels. But while the new foods and new to experiences excited White, that wasn¡¯t what had left him dumbstruck.


    Beneath the surface of the kingdom, he could now feel the staggering network of power around them, beyond the walls around them and the floor beneath their feet. He knew, through the shifting paths of dark and the busy trails of light, the true size and complexity of the station.


    They stood at the top of twenty floors, each similar to the one they were in now with their own bays and facilities. The metal ceiling was lined with thin strips of crystal, each holding a charge of light and providing gentle lighting for the entire facility. But beyond the tunnels where the trains departed was a living network of rails that grew, attached, and detached seamlessly. The trains that rode this network were unmanned and relied on the rails to get them where they needed to go. It didn¡¯t take much for White to see that the Dark handled the rails while the Light moved the trains, but they did so without any recognizable input.


    Avira had already caught on to the dragon¡¯s train of thought, and assured him they could talk about it later. Meanwhile, Naroe stood staring at a line of fizzling deep fryers.


    He swallowed dryly. ¡°Hey Reil¨C¡±


    ¡°Floor six, bay twelve, twenty five minutes,¡± Reil cut him off before turning and holding out a jingling fabric pouch. ¡°You can grab what food you want for the trip and meet me there.¡± Naroe said nothing as he took the pouch, but he had the same grin as a child with free reign in a market. ¡°And take Avira too.¡± Then he was gone, through the crowd and down the steps.


    ¡°How much did he give us?¡± Avira asked as Naroe opened the pouch.


    ¡°Enough that we have our choices,¡± he responded before putting it in his cloak. ¡°Any preferences?¡±


    Avira shook her head. ¡°How about something for White?¡±


    The two of them looked at the dragon in question, who was still sitting awe-inspired at the sight that was Lugataea¡¯s main station. It ended when Naroe snapped his fingers in front of the dragon¡¯s face.


    ¡°White?¡± he asked while drawing the dragon¡¯s attention. ¡°I know it¡¯s cool, but trust me, the food is better.¡±


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    They wandered the floors then, White¡¯s two guides suggesting, commenting, and occasionally arguing over what they should ultimately get. When this happened, White would pick something that interested him, either a sight or smell, and ask them to pursue it. When Avira confirmed they only had five minutes left to meet with Reil, White followed a scent of mixed fruits to an uncrowded smoothie bar. A choice that not only Naroe approved of, but Avira had an apparent weakness for.


    Their entire stock was held in tinted glass containers that coursed with dark energy and seemed fused to the foundation of the station. They were built to preserve the fruit for an extended period of time, which begged the question as to how White had smelled the fruit in the first place. While Avira considered asking White if he had any idea, a different question was asked.


    ¡°So why fruit?¡± Naroe spoke as they walked away, all three holding wooden cups containing different frozen mixtures.


    White gave his best shrug after breaking between sips of his oversized cup. At the time, the cut ingredients provided the most interesting scent, so he went with it.


    ¡°But why was it interesting to you?¡± Naroe asked as he sniffed the air. ¡°I¡¯d say there are a lot of nice smells.¡±


    ¡°Does it matter?¡± Avira asked between eager sips.


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s a dragon,¡± Naroe responded. ¡°The first time we met, he was eating an apple. He did eat some meat on the wagon and fish last night, but we¡¯re back to fruit again. Do you just prefer fruit?¡±


    White blinked, unsure of how to answer. To him, it was just how had felt at the time. It wasn¡¯t that other stands didn¡¯t smell good as well, some of them smelled far more incredible than the fruit, but it had been the mix of individual scents that had caught his attention. It had been as simple as following his curiosity.


    ¡°Plenty of dragons eat fruit,¡± Avira said. ¡°If he can eat both, he can prefer fruit at one point and meat at another. So, I wonder again, why ask?¡±


    Naroe shrugged. ¡°None of us know how his mind works, questions can stimulate his thinking and help us learn something.¡±


    ¡°And you chose food as the topic to do this?¡± Avira asked, having beaten even White in finishing her drink.


    Naroe glanced at her empty cup as he answered. ¡°Have you not seen how much White loves food?¡±


    She nodded, placing the cup onto a rack filled with empty cups and trays by the stairs. ¡°True, but considering our links, I think it¡¯s a rather inefficient way to gain that info.¡±


    White finished his drink and Naroe took it from his small claws to put on another rack. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re looking at the same mind.¡± He gently tapped the small dragon¡¯s skull, drawing its eyes up in a near cross. ¡°There¡¯s nothing in here that isn¡¯t already sitting in front of him.¡± His eyes moved to bay twelve then, looking for his master. ¡°The best response we get is through food.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re forgetting an important advantage we have,¡± Avira responded. ¡°We can observe his reactions on the deepest level,¡± she tapped him on the shoulder then, pointing to an emerging Reil from the restrooms. ¡°We get plenty from letting him just experience the world around him.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right in that sense,¡± Naroe admitted, ¡°but where we disagree is how much there is to observe. Letting him experience as much as he can early on is important, but right now we don¡¯t have the time to do that. Pursuing what keeps his attention can provide more results. For example, how do you think White feels about this conversation?¡±


    Both of them turned to the small dragon, who still sat comfortably on his perch, watching the station around him and the people who occasionally caught his gaze. He had been listening, but the truth was White didn¡¯t much care about the outcome of the conversation. He trusted the two of them, and thus believed whatever choice they made would be the best one. He was simply happy to continue seeing the world and experiencing new things, though he had certainly loved the food so far.


    Naroe smiled smugly at Avira. ¡°No thoughts,¡± he grinned. ¡°This is why I love newborn animals.¡±


    Avira huffed. ¡°He¡¯s not a beast you can train with treats.¡±


    Reil had already spotted them and was moving to meet them at the entrance of the long bay when Naroe replied. ¡°Yeah? Watch this.¡±


    When Reil reached them, he motioned to the empty bay where the train was set to arrive. ¡°It should be here any minute,¡± he said, eyes flicking to his apprentice¡¯s cup then back to the hazel eyes above it. ¡°Did you get anything for me?¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s a good lesson, White,¡± Naroe began, bringing a finger to the air. ¡°You need to know how to use your senses. My master here has already gotten himself some food and hidden it on his person.¡± Reil¡¯s eyes widened and began darting between Naroe and the dragon perched on his shoulder. ¡°If you find it, I¡¯ll give you the rest of my smoothie.¡±


    Immediately after White launched himself toward the older man, the whelp was plucked out of the air by his target. Reil had not turned away from his apprentice even as the dragon struggled in his grip. ¡°What are you teaching him?¡± his voice was calm as he slid White under his arm, careful of his wings.


    ¡°Was I wrong?¡± Naroe asked.


    ¡°Naroe, we can¡¯t be teaching White that jumping on people is okay.¡±


    ¡°But was I wrong?¡±


    ¡°You were wrong to use White to prove a point, but neither of you are necessarily wrong in how you wish to raise him. He needs stimulation and exposure, but how we go about both is still something for debate.¡±


    Naroe put his fists on his hips, looking down at his tranquil master. ¡°Reil, stop reading us and answer the damn question.¡±


    Reil turned then, motioning again to the tunnel behind them just as a pair of lights appeared from the unnatural darkness. ¡°Ah,¡± he said, ¡°our train¡¯s here.¡± At a speed that left most unable to notice and angled so that Avira and Naroe couldn¡¯t see, Reil¡¯s hand moved. White saw up close as his free hand reached into his white cloak, pulled out a muffin, bit off half, then presented the other half to White. White, whose mind processed information fast enough to keep up with Reil¡¯s speed and had food pressed up to his face, ate the other half as fast as he could.


    Naroe and Avria watched them walk to the approaching train in silence, very aware of Reil¡¯s actions. The long metallic carriages came to a stop along the line, the windows revealing the passengers lining up to disembark on the other side of the bay. Naroe was the first to break the silence. ¡°You know, the tribes see how much the kingdom loves its food.¡±


    She looked at him quizzically, but responded earnestly. ¡°We¡¯ve historically almost always had a surplus thanks to The Sanctuary, so we had a lot of opportunity to develop cuisine.¡± She glanced back at the milling commuters moving between bays, stands, and stairs. ¡°But we¡¯ve done our best to share that bounty with others.¡±


    Naroe met her eyes as the last of the arrivals filed out. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean anything by it,¡± he jutted his chin over to White, who still lay tucked under Reil¡¯s arm, the small dragon looking a little large under the lean limb. They stood in front of a train door that remained unopened, even as others began to move inside. ¡°I¡¯m just saying it¡¯s pretty convenient for him.¡±


    Avira followed his gaze and nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right about that.¡±


    ¡°Growing kids eat a lot,¡± Naroe continued, ¡°but not only has White eaten raw energy in addition to his own weight in two days, nothing¡¯s come out. Even if it did though, there hasn¡¯t been any physical changes either. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s even grown at all.¡± His hazel eyes closed then, brow furrowing in concentration. ¡°So now our top questions are,¡± he held up his fist and began counting fingers with his questions. ¡°¡®Where did he come from?¡¯ ¡°What does he need to grow healthy?¡¯ And ¡®was he purposely sent here?¡±


    ¡°And if he was sent here,¡± Avira added, ¡°then what are they hoping we do with him?¡±


    ¡°I imagine it¡¯s what we have been doing,¡± Naroe said. ¡°But I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a bad thing.¡±


    Avira¡¯s eyes grew a near imperceptible amount. ¡°You say that before he¡¯s seen General Graves, his Majesty, or even the heart. This could go a completely different direction from what either of us hope for.¡±


    Naroe only shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t see you hesitating. Besides, we both know that the Empire more than likely isn¡¯t a part of this. I don¡¯t think they could make anything like him and not have it be rejected by the planes.¡±


    There was a soft but loud buzz, announcing that the train doors would be closing soon and that the two should be moving. As they approached where Reil stood, they saw him speaking to a black robed figure, their face covered in a flat, darkwood board of a mask. They stood near the doorway of the frontmost carriage, a section that no other passenger had entered or even approached. The figure nodded with what Reil was saying enthusiastically, then stepped further inside while beckoning the elder to follow.


    Reil and White had taken a seat on the other side of the roomy cabin, resting on a padded metal bench built into the wall under a wide tinted window. On one side stood the door to the next cabin over, on the other was a long, thick curtain that housed the robed figure they had seen earlier.


    Naroe and Avira took the seats closest to them, across from where the other two travelers sat. It was only then that Naroe realized that their private conversation wouldn¡¯t stay private for long. Both he and Avira knew that White would realize it at some point through their links, but only Naroe knew the extent of Reil¡¯s senses, both natural and gifted.


    But, to his surprise, as the doors closed and the train pulled into the complex network in the darkness, his master never said a word.


    Their ride was set to be long but not unpleasant. White watched as they smoothly exited the rail network, standing on his hind legs to lay his head against the edge of the back cushion, his fiery eyes staring out the window behind his seat. The black void beyond the small softly lit gray cabin had given way to an open blue sky, the sun still making its ascent, casting its golden curtain through the opposite window where Naroe and Avira still sat. The former sat reading his notebook silently while the latter let her eyes wander out the window the small dragon watched, occasionally glancing at both the small form and her grandfather. She didn¡¯t possess the surety Naroe did regarding his abilities, but she was still surprised when he had laid his head back, crossed his arms, and closed his eyes. Before the light of the day had revealed itself, his mouth had fallen open to allow quiet snores to escape into the cabin.


    While their transport shot high above the ground on raised rails, the land below was a grid-like expanse of urban development. Occasionally, a building taller than any White had seen in the city before would pass by. As they continued, these appeared less and less often, making way for smaller structures of bricks and wood, and the small dragon found himself fascinated with the transition.


    Want me to tell you about it? Avira¡¯s voice reached his mind like an echo, and he turned back to her.


    White experienced something strange then, something he wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about. Avira¡¯s words could only have been heard by him, but his reaction to them had not gone unnoticed by Naroe. There had been a flicker in his flame, as if the dragon had blown a gust of wind at him. What had that been then?


    Anxiety, White suddenly realized. Something had changed with White¡¯s state that Naroe hadn¡¯t recognized, and that had caused him to emit a flicker of panic. Yet he had been able to, faster than even White had realized, register the lack of threat and prevent his body from reacting. But still, White didn¡¯t like causing him discomfort, and briefly considered relaying Avira¡¯s words to him.


    You¡¯re allowed to have private conversations, Naroe thought to him without looking up. I think she just doesn¡¯t want to disturb the silence.


    Avira had noticed White¡¯s hesitation by then and glanced between him and her neighbor. White realized then that Naroe had been right, as he could see the concern rising to the surface of her mind, and he realized he needed to respond to calm that concern.


    It only took a second before Avira relaxed and smiled at him.


    The Sanctuary¡¯s hull stretches out in a big circle, with Center City at, obviously, its center. The rest is split up into eight equal parts, four provinces and four parks. The closer you get to Center City though, the more you see its influence no matter where you are.


    White asked multiple questions at once then, each one Avira sorted and tackled with excitement, enjoying the mental exercise.


    The Heart at the center of The Sanctuary allows for the easy building of those large metal structures, the farther you get from the Heart, the harder building them becomes. They¡¯re larger outside the Center City because the city actually sits on an artificial plateau built long ago, so most people moved out of and around the city rather than build further up. A lot chose to set up new settlements throughout the provinces. Most of our food comes from the farms and fisheries everywhere in the eastern province, but we use the parks to preserve natural ecosystems. Sometimes, certain people are authorized to remove creatures to renew, rotate, or create new livestock. We trade a lot of it with the tribes too.


    She was able to convey all her answers within less than a dozen seconds. The more she had projected her thoughts, the more efficient she became at transferring the information. It became less about speaking her thoughts to him and more about transferring the information through the connection, like two friends sharing a book..


    ________________________________________________________


    Midway through the ride, after a young man no older than Naroe but standing half his size in a cleanly pressed marine blue dress uniform had offered them a selection of snacks and drinks, Naroe had decided to join in on the conversation.


    ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve done a lot in six years,¡± he said as they were putting their trash into a bag that had been left with them by the attendant.


    Avira stopped sipping the juice she had been given. Reil had not woken up at all, even as they had made their orders, so she spoke with the same volume. ¡°Same to you. Though I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t return when you turned eighteen.¡±


    Naroe swallowed the cookie he had been eating. ¡°We were at Libra at the time and Reil still hadn¡¯t finished his business there, and I¡¯m not in any rush. It¡¯ll happen when it happens.¡±


    Avira looked at him quizzically. ¡°You think you¡¯ll receive a direct summons?¡±


    Naroe shook his head, wiping his mouth with a cloth. ¡°I doubt they would go that far for me. I¡¯m saying that I think I¡¯ll find myself there when it''s time.¡±


    Avira blinked and slowly turned to White, who had procured a full box of the cookies Naroe had been eating. ¡°Six months ago I started begging my father to let me see the Heart right after my birthday. It took two months to convince him, but I just think he didn¡¯t want me to be disappointed.¡± She smiled then. ¡°I ended up getting cold feet a week before, and told him I wanted an extra month of training. But¡­¡± she trailed off, shrugging. ¡°You saw what good that did.¡±


    Naroe wrapped his hands behind his head and leaned back. ¡°I¡¯ve got three years on you, do I look like I¡¯m in a rush to check if I¡¯ve earned my blessing?¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you?¡± Avira finally asked, releasing the question she had been holding back since he and Reil had arrived.


    He looked at her and smiled, ¡°Because I¡¯d rather get it when I¡¯m overprepared rather than just prepared.¡±


    Avira stopped, visibly processing Naroe¡¯s words. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ not a bad point,¡± she said finally.


    ¡°Right?¡± was Naroe¡¯s only reply before wordlessly asking White for another cookie. The dragon obliged by tossing him one from the packaging. There was another pause where the only sounds were Reil¡¯s snoring and the two sources of munching.


    ¡°So, what was Libra like?¡± Avira asked.

 Chapter 9: A Generals Duty

    After three hours of riding over towns and forestry, the group felt the train begin to slow. White watched as the rows of small buildings grew until their tallest reached the height of the rail, less than half the size of the buildings they had seen at the beginning of the ride.


    They resembled the buildings from Central City in visual design, but just as Avira had said earlier, none contained the dark metal that had been used in so much of the construction within the city. Instead he found constructs of stone, brick, concrete, and wood, most painted in various colors of the Order while some opted for more subdued and natural-looking abodes.


    What drew White¡¯s eyes however were the countless murals painted on the buildings and the variety of statues that were dotted throughout the small city. The murals depicted everything from beasts, landscapes, people, and even scenes of war The statues were usually of individuals dressed in the Order¡¯s style carved out of white and black marble, but a number of them took on more abstract designs with curved shapes mingling with jagged structures. They reminded White of the building he had seen within The Sanctuary.


    The train pulled into a station with far fewer people than the one it had departed from, pulling into one of two open bays. It stood within an open platform raised to meet the rail¡¯s height over two dozen feet above the ground, a tinted glass ceiling the only thing blocking the outside elements.


    When the doors to the cabin opened, Reil¡¯s eyes opened unprovoked and he scooped White up to leave. As the group disembarked, a man stood waiting to greet them.


    He was dressed similarly to the speaker White had seen earlier, but instead of robes of a single color, his was decorated in the full panoply of the light. Blue embroideries in the shapes of flames ran down his seams and around his cuffs. A golden stole tipped with tassels hung from his neck down to his stomach. His bronze bald head was uncovered, carrying a subdued but genuine smile even as he bowed to the approaching group. When he rose, his amber eyes glanced at the small dragon before returning to the one holding him.


    ¡°Welcome home, Lord of Lightning,¡± he said.


    ¡°My thanks, Deacon Isaac,¡± Reil replied, ¡°but I no longer carry that title.¡±


    The priest shook his head, still wearing the same smile. ¡°My apologies, but to the Light you still do.¡±


    Reil sighed before offering his hand to the man, who took it with a firm handshake. ¡°It¡¯s good to be home, how have things been here?¡±


    Isaac¡¯s smile broadened as he gestured to the small city around them. ¡°Not much has changed here in the Temple¡¯s City, but the Northern Province itself has developed quite extensively since you¡¯ve been gone. I¡¯d offer to give a tour of the changes,¡± his eyes moved once more to the dragon then, ¡°but I understand you already have business to attend to.¡±


    Reil placed another hand on White¡¯s head before gently stroking it. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have been the case if it wasn¡¯t for Varen.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll find no complaints from me, I¡¯m simply happy to see you returned to us.¡± Isaac then turned to the two apprentices who stood behind the old veteran. ¡°And it is good to see you both as well, Lady Avira, Sir Naroe.¡±


    Avira and Naroe gave respectable bows, but only Naroe replied when he rose. ¡°No need for the Sir with me, Lord Deacon.¡±


    ¡°If that is your wish,¡± Isaac replied. ¡°However, I believe your extensive time with Lord Reil has earned you that much at least.¡± He motioned then for them to begin walking as he turned toward a set of descending stairs. ¡°My father has prepared for your arrival and is waiting for you.¡±


    ¡°And how is John?¡± Asked Reil.


    Isaac pursed his lips before answering. ¡°He spends much more time in rest and meditation than he used to, and speaks only monthly now at services.¡±


    The older man frowned. ¡°Has he been able to keep up with his duties?¡±


    ¡°He has,¡± Isaac assured. ¡°Even in his sleep he keeps a constant connection with The Sanctuary. He is able to cast his mind anywhere in the Kingdom and coordinate with the speakers without issue.¡±


    ¡°But?¡± Reil pressed.


    Isaac gave a tired sigh. ¡°But his body is losing its ability to support his power. General Mareth and I have tried talking him into retiring many times but the most we¡¯ve been able to get from him is a list of approved candidates for when he passes.¡±


    Avira¡¯s emotions hardened at the news. ¡°That seems incredibly selfish,¡± she said with a low and clearly annoyed voice.


    The Deacon looked back at her as they exited the stairs onto the street. ¡°I agree, but if you asked him, he would say he¡¯s leaving us a ¡®weaponized Memorial,¡¯¡± he quoted with resentment before continuing on. ¡°But you¡¯re in agreement with many others besides myself, Lady Avira. Despite my father¡¯s bull headed thinking, His Majesty has also been pressing for his retirement.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Naroe cut in. ¡°Why can¡¯t he choose a successor and die how he wants?¡±


    The Deacon didn¡¯t get to reply before Reil rebuked his apprentice. ¡°Because if he chooses a successor, His Majesty will have all the more reason to force his retirement. And if he were to die as he is now, his soul would forever be bound to the basilica¡¯s cannon,¡± he said sharply. ¡°And even though that idiot would gladly accept that fate, I¡¯m sure his friends and family wouldn¡¯t, especially during a time of peace.¡±


    Isaac nodded without turning back. ¡°Precisely. There¡¯s no reason for him to make such a sacrifice, especially when there¡¯s a chance to remove and replace him with something else to power the cannon.¡±


    Reil looked back at him sharply. ¡°Is that really possible?¡±


    Isaac only shrugged. ¡°While the gifts of the Light are undoubtedly keeping him alive, General Mareth has already had several ideas of how she could go about it. She believes she could create a mobile version of the throne that supports him now and create a system to power the cannon.¡±


    Reil let out a low whistle. ¡°Her mind astounds me. It makes me wonder why she wasn¡¯t claimed by the Dark.¡±


    Isaac gave a light chuckle. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, her spirit is just as strong. In fact I¡¯m thankful everyday that you named her your successor.¡± His face suddenly hardened as he lowered his voice. ¡°She¡¯s gotten so close to getting that stubborn bastard to step down, but he keeps refusing her.¡±


    They turned a street corner to see a massive structure waiting for them. Standing at nearly the height of the tallest buildings around it, It was covered in flawless platinum and built closer to a fortress rather than a place of worship. Bulwarks stood connected to arching roofs and flanking domes, their near spotless surfaces perfectly mirroring both the city around it and the blue sky above. Tall painted windows stood over the grand entrance, a series of five mosaics telling of a deep indigo disk carrying a city¡¯s depiction crashing through a fiery sky.


    Seven spires rose from beyond the outer walls, each one topped with transitioning ornaments that glinted in the sun. The left three spires held depictions of a sun rising from the horizon, while the right showed a crescent moon waxing into full. In the middle, where the sun had risen and the moon was revealed, they overlapped into an eclipse.


    As they approached the long stairs leading up to the structure¡¯s great doors, Isaac stopped and turned to the group. ¡°Before we go in,¡± he said while turning to White, ¡°I¡¯d like to ask a question, Lord Reil.¡±


    Reil nodded. ¡°I¡¯m relieved it¡¯s only one.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s smile returned with the older man¡¯s comment. ¡°Why ask for my father¡¯s opinion at all?¡± He gestured to the small dragon still silently sitting in Reil¡¯s arms. ¡°Even with the obvious mysteries, you¡¯ve already taken him deep into The Sanctuary without incident and there are very few that would object to your judgment.¡±


    ¡°Because rank must be respected,¡± Reil responded simply. ¡°I may have experience and much of my strength still, but I haven¡¯t been a General in years. Light¡¯s blood, I¡¯ve barely been in Lugatea in the past decade,¡± he chuckled. ¡°Even if John has been confined to the basilica, he¡¯s been here, within the kingdom and near the Heart. He¡¯s stayed connected with the citizens, even if he can¡¯t speak with them as often as he used to.¡± Then Reil¡¯s eyes gained a mischievous gleam. ¡°And I¡¯ve known him long enough to know that if I did try to throw my weight around, he¡¯d probably rip himself from his chair to try and make me step back.¡±


    Isaac gave a soft, almost sad laugh. ¡°You¡¯re probably right,¡± he said before turning back to the ornate doors and pushing them open.


    Inside was a long hall lined with wooden pews and unlit braziers, their end crossing with a platformed podium that stood beneath a curtain of golden light. From the entrance and the sides, more light from outside spilled through the painted windows, casting shades of violet and orange through most of the hall. Black metal tubes lined with slots snaked across the upper walls, all trailing to the very back of the room to line up with multiple sets of keyboards. Standing in front of the intricate organ was a humble wooden podium.


    Besides these things, the hall was barren of decoration and other people, but it was by no means empty. The moment the group had stepped through the doors, White had felt power in the air. Invisible energy that crackled at the edge of his senses like the silent whine of electronics coursed through every inch of the structure, even in the dark pipes. While there was no obvious source, a familiar sweetness lapped against White¡¯s nose and tongue.


    Isaac locked the doors behind them as the group continued down the lines of seats. Each step increased the intensity of the air¡¯s flavor and by the time they reached the podium, the sensation was leaking through the link and into Naroe and Avira¡¯s senses.


    Naroe smacked his lips, tasting the sensation. ¡°I would have thought the Light tasted like spices.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s stride broke immediately and he turned back to the apprentice. ¡°What?¡±


    Naroe gestured to the small dragon. ¡°White can perceive the primordial energies different to us, and we get traces of that. In this case, General Graves¡¯ energy is very sweet.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s eyes slowly shifted to Reil¡¯s small passenger, his expression unreadable to the unblessed in the room. ¡°You don¡¯t say¡­¡± He blinked then, seemingly reverting to his previous state before Naroe¡¯s comment before continuing onto the platform.


    The Deacon¡¯s hand ran across the podium, sending a light pulse throughout the entire structure. After a moment, something in the ceiling slotted into place with a dense thud and the golden light that had been shining above them grew brighter as a low hum began to sound through the chamber. The sweetness in the air grew more concentrated than ever as the room began to light up in its entirety, as if a star had descended into the basilica.


    Then it dimmed, the power in the room retreating inward at the command of a singular will, and the source of light began to descend. A small platinum platform carried the source down to where the group stood and a blinding figure slowly came into focus. It sat encased in a throne of golden crystals, the gems growing from its seat to cover its form almost entirely. They swirled with stored power, each side offering a new kaleidoscope of colors and stars. If the figure had been able to stand, it would have come close to Naroe in height. In its current state however, it had to crane its head to look up at its visitor¡¯s faces. Wispy gray hair trailed down its skull to brush against the shining material around its shoulders. Its deeply tanned face was lined with years of stress, scars, and golden, pulsing veins that crept up from its neck. But what stood out the most was its eyes. Piercing cool blue orbs that showed the strength that was contained within, they looked out at the world with judgment and immovable conviction.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    When those eyes found White, they squinted with scrutiny as the familiar feeling of being examined washed over the dragon.


    ¡°General John Graves,¡± Reil spoke while sketching a slight bow, Avira and Naroe mimicking the motion. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, old friend.¡±


    General Graves turned toward his old comrade. ¡°Reil,¡± was all he said. ¡°I was beginning to wonder if you¡¯d find your way home before the next war started.¡± His voice was both rough from years of speeches and edged from lack of use, but it carried with it the same authority as White had heard from every other General.


    Reil shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy. Tribes to visit, creatures to save, an apprentice to train,¡± he motioned his head toward Naroe.


    ¡°So I see,¡± said Graves as he looked the apprentice up and down. Both Naroe and White felt the old man sizing him up before turning to Avira. ¡°It is good to see you as well, young Avira. How is your father?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s well,¡± she replied with some reluctance. ¡°He wanted to be here with us, but he was called away to other matters.¡±


    Graves scoffed. ¡°As usual. But I guess I can¡¯t complain too much, he¡¯s been good at keeping the bureaucrats off my back since I¡¯ve been stuck here.¡±


    Avira nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be happy to hear that.¡±


    Graves¡¯ aged lips cracked into a smirk then. ¡°That being said, let him know I¡¯ve been getting pretty bored sitting here.¡± Then he gave a wide grin, his teeth sparkling in his natural light. ¡°Aria¡¯s given the cannon a whole new set of bells and whistles and I¡¯ve been itching to test it. I¡¯m hoping he can give me a target.¡±


    ¡°I will pass that along,¡± was all Avira said.


    Graves nodded in satisfaction before returning his gaze to Reil and White. ¡°So, this is what all the fuss is about?¡±


    Reil nodded before presenting the dragon to the gleaming General, the two of them locking eyes. ¡°Indeed,¡± he said, ¡°this is White.¡±


    Graves grunted at the introduction. ¡°I can see why Varen wanted me to be aware of its presence, but I don¡¯t know what he expects me to say.¡± His eyes narrowed in distaste. ¡°You already can tell it has no connection to the Light, but if the Planes didn¡¯t have a problem with it getting close to the Heart, I don¡¯t see an issue with him staying in The Sanctuary.¡±


    Reil¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°We¡¯re not discussing whether or not he should stay in The Sanctuary.¡±


    Graves blinked a few times before realization dawned, his eyes widening in visible outrage. ¡°He wants to try and bless it?!¡±


    Reil sighed. ¡°Of course he left me to explain that. Yes, he wants your permission so that we can take White into the Heart and bring him before the Planes.¡±


    Graves let out an audible snarl at the dragon, like a beast who had caught an intruder in its domain, but White didn¡¯t even blink. ¡°I give Rain credit for a lot, but this little bastard could be a ticking time bomb for all we know. It¡¯s one thing if he goes off somewhere random in the Kingdom, it¡¯s another if it happens in the heart.¡±


    Reil nodded. ¡°White has given us no reason to doubt him so far, but I understand your position. With His Majesty indisposed, I was quite upset with the suggestion.¡± The veteran placed a hand over White¡¯s head then and gently began stroking it. ¡°That being said, his instincts are as good as mine.¡±


    ¡°And what do your instincts tell you?¡± asked Graves.


    ¡°That he isn¡¯t a product of the empire.¡±


    Graves frowned. ¡°Is that it?¡±


    Reil nodded. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t inspire confidence, Reil,¡± said Graves. ¡°It¡¯s a far cry from your usual deductions. In fact, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re even entertaining this with so little to go on.¡±


    Reil shrugged. ¡°As I said, I wasn¡¯t happy with the suggestion either, but I¡¯m not the one who needs to make the decision. Your fellow General is the one who came up with the idea and his station is why I¡¯m here presenting it to you.¡±


    Graves groaned and a pair of disembodied golden spectral hands formed to rub his face. ¡°Light save me, I wish Aria was here. I¡¯m a warrior Reil, my job is to destroy those who threaten Lugatea, not figure out its mysteries.¡± There was a pause before the encased General gave a long sigh. ¡°Isaac.¡±


    The Deacon stepped forward, his hands clasped behind his back. ¡°Yes, General?¡±


    ¡°Could you please play a hymn?¡±


    Isaac blinked, the question catching him off guard. ¡°Any particular one?¡±


    Graves was silent, then the summoned hands faded away to reveal his gaze locked onto the opening he had descended from. ¡°Hyperion.¡±


    The Deacon nodded before approaching the intricate organ in the back of the room. It was clearly made to be used by multiple people, with far too many keys in too many places for only two hands. Yet when Isaac lowered his fingers onto the first keys, it was as if the structure-spanning instrument stirred at his touch. And with its awakening came a deep shiver that ran across White¡¯s very being.


    He started slow. Low, almost alien notes rumbled from the long pipes, layering onto one another like the first touches of paint on canvas. His hands reached for only a few notes as he slowly built the song¡¯s intro, but each had an almost ominous power. As he played, they slowly became louder and louder, like he was gently coaxing the great pipes into awakening. Then, when he was satisfied, he truly began to play.


    White felt his body tremble from not just the volume, but the melody. No, the symphony. This ancient creation sang not only with a deep, ethereal voice, but with strings and strikes. It was as if it was trying to aid its conductor in place of those who would be normally joining him. Together, they forged something resonating with strife and struggle. But there was a strength there that stood undaunted by the waves around it. In a growing storm of malice, it burned bright in White¡¯s mind. Then he realized it wasn¡¯t only within him, but the basilica itself.


    Graves¡¯ station had become a reflection of his son¡¯s artistry, a blazing sun of potential power different from before. Not blinding, not overbearing, but a welcoming flame of pure light blazing with color. The painted rays from the windows were now washed with pale gold and the shadowed corners had receded completely. Only the pipes remained purest black, stoking the fire with their loving song.


    That¡¯s when White felt them, the General¡¯s eyes.


    They were only two pins of flame now, two blue orbs that burned despite the spectrum around them, yet they bore into the dragon like nothing had before. For the first time, White felt completely naked. He froze, completely unsure of how to react, practically paralyzed beneath the weight of pure vulnerability. It was¡­ painful. And White responded to that pain with rage.


    His teeth clenched and his claws flexed, causing Reil to immediately change his grip. White let him, his focus still on the thing that was Graves. His pupils thinned and he bared his fangs, flaring his wings out as much as he could. The small dragon let out as low of a growl as he could, though it was completely drowned by Isaac¡¯s uninterrupted playing. He didn¡¯t attempt to escape Reil¡¯s grip, as he did not intend to attack, but he intended to make his discomfort clear.


    The flaming figure did not visibly react, but White felt its efforts focus into a singular point, like the thinnest needle piercing right through his being. White¡¯s body reacted to the intrusion the way it would a virus and the hatchling flinched before beginning to sway groggily. Naroe and Avira tensed as they caught the echoes of nausea and fatigue, barely containing their objections to what was happening. Avira¡¯s fist clenched and Naroe¡¯s teeth gritted, but neither moved as they watched the General perform his duty.


    The hymn was drawing close to an end, causing Graves to speed up his efforts. White felt his presence begin shooting across his soul like a comet, scanning all it could while leaving a burning sensation in its wake. Yet still, White did not consciously attack the probe. Graves could feel that this was not just due to the hatchling¡¯s trust in those that brought him here, but also because of something specific Graves has not done. The General could see the figurative line in the sand for the dragon, only because he felt himself toeing it, but neither he nor White knew what would be crossing it. Yet even when Graves found what he had been looking for, the very core of White¡¯s being, the dragon still did not revolt against the interrogation.


    Now, as Isaac¡¯s playing began to die with the final long notes, the General reached out with a gentleness that had not been present in his search. Every bit of White tensed with anticipation as the probe of light slowly, carefully, brushed against his core.


    Then it was over.


    Graves pulled back immediately as the song ended and the room began to shift back into its original state. The flame that had encased the General faded with the power in the room, revealing his eyes to still be locked onto the dragon. Though now, he bore an expression of dumbfounded confusion.


    Reil pulled the dazed dragon close, attempting to comfort it in the wake of the intense experience, but he had never taken his eyes off the throne of crystal. Avira and Naroe had relaxed somewhat now that the ceremony was over, but they still stepped in to check on White with their own eyes, glancing between their companion and the still silent Graves.


    Isaac moved to rejoin them, visibly sweating with shallow breaths as if he had literally siphoned himself into his performance. ¡°Are you alright, father?¡± He asked at Graves¡¯ side.


    Graves nodded, his mouth opening but not speaking. He closed it again, visibly contemplating his next words. His eyes settled on his son after a moment. ¡°Did you hear or feel anything, Isaac?¡±


    Isaac raised an eyebrow before gesturing to his sweat-stained robes. ¡°You mean besides all the power you were focusing? No, I was too busy conducting its flow so you didn¡¯t overload yourself.¡±


    Graves ignored the comment and turned to Reil. ¡°Did you?¡±


    Reil nodded, still gently petting the recovering White. ¡°The Light seemed shocked when it touched him.¡± He frowned then, reviewing the memory. ¡°But it wouldn¡¯t say why.¡±


    ¡°But it did say something, didn¡¯t it?¡± Graves pressed.


    Reil nodded but said nothing, turning his gaze instead to his granddaughter. ¡°Find an Umbran and ask them to summon your father and Poe. Now.¡± Avira blinked and began to say something, but Reil cut her off. ¡°Please Avira, we need them here as quickly as possible.¡±


    She didn¡¯t attempt to argue further and rushed out the door. Naroe watched her leave the room before turning to his master. ¡°Do I get any answers?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Not right now you don¡¯t,¡± said Reil before handing the now almost sleeping dragon to him. ¡°Right now, you get to take care of him until everyone else gets here.¡± He then clasped his much taller apprentice¡¯s shoulders before turning him to face a simple door off to the side of the hall. ¡°Go wait in the commons for now,¡± then Reil paused and turned back to Isaac. ¡°Have you restocked your kitchen by chance?¡±


    Isaac blinked, then nodded. ¡°I went shopping yesterday.¡±


    Reil smiled apologetically, ¡°You¡¯ll probably need to go again when White wakes up, but I¡¯ll reimburse you.¡±


    ¡°No you won¡¯t,¡± Graves said as more a demand than a statement. ¡°Whatever he eats will be on me,¡± Reil looked at his old comrade with genuine surprise. Graves shrugged a pair of spectral shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s the least I can do after that whole thing, especially if we actually heard what we think we did.¡±


    Reil smiled at him gratefully. ¡°Just don¡¯t go back on your word when you see how much he puts away.¡±


    ________________________________________________________


    Avira returned not long after she had left, joining Naroe, Isaac, and White in the common area while Graves and Reil spoke in private. White had slept for a mere thirty minutes before awakening with a ravenous appetite. Both Isaac and Naroe had been set to prepare food for him with specific instruction. Naroe would use what they had on hand to prepare a traditional dish for the dragon, then Isaac would take it into the Sacristy where they kept a multitude of artifacts and tools of The Sanctuary.


    Ordinarily, simple treats like plain cookies and wafers would be imbued with a small amount of energy from one of the planes and presented to a member of the Order to refresh or strengthen their bond to the planes. Now Isaac found himself pouring light into a freshly cooked steak and couldn¡¯t help but feel ridiculous. Still, these were the orders of two who were far closer to the Light then he was, and so he prepared it dutifully.


    Avira had refused to leave White¡¯s side since returning and watched him carefully from when he slept to when he ate. Both she and Naroe had been worried about the nausea they had felt from White earlier, so it was a relief to watch him tear the steak apart. Then new worries rose as White proceeded to clean every dish presented to him.


    Another half an hour passed before Rain and Poe, both in uniform, walked through the doors of the basilica. Their arrival seemed to revitalize the darkness that had retreated in Graves¡¯ presence, and the room appeared much more as it had when the group first arrived. When Reil went to retrieve the others from the commons, he found several stacked plates surrounding a very happy dragon.


    Isaac locked the doors to the basilica once more before returning to the now completed group. Reil cradled White in his arms, the dragon content to lay still after his meal. The old veteran nodded to the two new arrivals. ¡°Before I explain the summoning, I¡¯d like to hear what you have discovered, Poe.¡±


    Poe¡¯s beaked mask dipped in affirmation. ¡°I have heard Lady Avira¡¯s theory and believe my findings support it.¡± He gestured to White as if he were a tool at work. ¡°His body, or what we can understand as his genetic makeup at the very least, is made with a unique spiritual energy not unlike those of Illuminates, yet different.¡± He reached into his robes and pulled out a small vial of clear viscous liquid that glowed gently in its dark container. Wrapped to its side was a finely cut golden crystal that showed the same power that Graves had been burning with earlier. ¡°There were two things we needed in order to keep a stable sample. The first was a finely controlled and steady stream of Light energy for it to feed off of. Too much and the sample dissipated into what we know as pure Light, too little and it broke down into nothingness. The second,¡± he tapped the dark vial, ¡°was that it needed to be in contact with some concentrated form of Darkness to keep its shape.¡± He let his words and their unspoken meaning hang in the air before stating it plainly. ¡°I can only conclude that White is a product of both the Light and Dark.¡±


    No one said anything for a long while, everyone was trying to gather how best to respond to the information. Everyone except the dragon in question, who had grown bored during the explanation and let his mind wander off.


    Varen turned to his old master then, the two facing each other with sober understanding. ¡°So,¡± he said, ¡°what did you find out?¡±


    Reil and Graves glanced at one another before the former General answered plainly. ¡°The Light called him ¡®Family.¡¯¡±

 Chapter 10: Missing Links

    ¡°I want it to be known,¡± began Reil, ¡°That I still think we should wait for His Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Noted,¡± said Rain. ¡°But you already agreed to this, so we¡¯re going through with it.¡±


    Everyone who had been in the basilica, with the exception of the remotely monitoring General Graves, now stood packed in a descending lift. White had moved to Avira¡¯s shoulders, as was only fair since she hadn¡¯t had a turn yet, and she had silently explained that portals lay at the bottom of all The Sanctuary¡¯s elevators. Beneath the top layer where the kingdom stood, these portals opened at the ship¡¯s command to hundreds of locations across its interior. The one they were in now was going to take them directly into the Crucible, the building where the Heart was housed.


    Initially, despite how everyone around him had been acting, going to the Heart hadn¡¯t meant a whole lot to White. But the genuine excitement of both Avira and Naroe was beginning to rub off on him and his tail was gently swaying behind them.


    Reil sighed with all his years, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his calloused hands. ¡°If he¡¯s from both, it''s all the more reason to wait.¡±


    ¡°The two of us can handle whatever happens,¡± replied Rain. ¡°Especially with our backup,¡± he gestured to Isaac and Poe who stood behind them.


    The Chief Speaker, as White had learned his title was, was trying to stop shaking. What he was shaking with, the dragon couldn¡¯t tell beneath his uniformed ensemble but his mirror, The Deacon, appeared to be vibrating with excitement.


    ¡°Besides,¡± Rain continued, ¡°we¡¯ve gotten no word from them since they arrived in Andromeda. Which means the Council is probably wasting his time, as usual.¡±


    ¡°Did you at least send word of what we¡¯re doing?¡± Reil asked.


    ¡°Of course I did, I asked John to send out a message to Aria before we left.¡± The General nodded back to Isaac then. ¡°And Isaac grabbed one of those new communicators so he can contact us if he hears back.¡±


    The Deacon pulled out a small metal box then, showing it to Reil. It was barely the size of his hand, with a smoothed crystal antenna and a few unmarked buttons. ¡°General Mareth has been tinkering with their design as a ¡®pastime,¡¯ she says.¡± chuckled Isaac. ¡°They work directly with The Sanctuary without the need of a blessing. There¡¯s only a few, but we can talk to people across the Kingdom from anywhere in its borders.¡± He smiled with pride then. ¡°Once the design is finalized, we¡¯ll be able to give one to every member of the Order, then anyone in the Kingdom!¡±


    Reil stared at the device. He was clearly impressed, but it wasn¡¯t enough to outweigh his concern. ¡°Still¡­¡± he said.


    ¡°What has you so worried?¡± Rain¡¯s question was asked with legitimate concern. ¡°If anything, I worry we¡¯re wasting Isaac and Poe¡¯s time. It¡¯s not like anyone is needed to bless a Monarch.¡±


    ¡°But he isn¡¯t a Monarch,¡± retorted Reil. ¡°Not only that, I have never once, in any records or in my own experience, heard of either of the Planes referring to something as ¡®family.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Yet we¡¯ve confirmed that he¡¯s at least related to the Planes. We¡¯ve never seen anything like him before, true, but that only adds more to the Light¡¯s statement. If we name someone who¡¯s been blessed by both Planes as our ruler, I don¡¯t see what the issue here is.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, he isn¡¯t a monarch.¡± Reil repeated. ¡°Why aren¡¯t we able to sense him as we are His Majesty? Why did it take so much effort to look inside him? Why have the Planes remained silent regarding him until now?¡± The veteran shook his head. ¡°There are still too many questions.¡±


    White felt them pass through the portal then, signified by the familiar rush of power and pressure that he had felt during his first descent. There were two differences this time however. The first was the vastly increased intensity, he could feel he was much closer to the source of it now than before. The second was that, despite the increased intensity, the things that lived in that power gave him a wide berth. The air was still heavy and he could even see wisps of light and dark flying freely through everything. A fair few gravitated towards those who were blessed with their element, who sensed but did not see them as the dragon did.


    A few from both sides hovered around him, but did not get close like they did with the blessed. White felt an unfamiliar feeling run down his spine. He didn¡¯t feel any hostility but nor did he feel welcome. He felt out of place, but also at home. And to make things more complicated, he believed the things that lived in the power were just as confused as he was.


    The metal doors to the lift opened then, revealing the contrasting interior of the Crucible and a hall twice the size of their elevator. It was similar to the exterior, with black stone making up the foundation of its structure and sucking in any light that touched it. But the glowing white roots that were its veins now dripped with sparkling sap, that rose into the air before dispersing into a rainbow of color. The thicker the roots, the more varied the colors became.


    The party stepped out onto the stone and the elevator behind them disappeared into the floor below, leaving no trace that it had disturbed the room to begin with. None of them could bring themselves to break the silence beyond their steps, and even those seemed muffled. As they continued down the corridor with Reil and Rain leading the way, though White had no idea how they knew where to go. Turning back, there was no sign of the openings he had seen from the building¡¯s outside.


    The silence grew heavier not just around them, but within White as well. It felt almost suffocating and it worsened that unknown emotion that had now taken root inside of him. As his connections to his companions continued to strain under the growing pressure, White steadily began to panic. It wasn¡¯t that long ago he had met Naroe and Avira, but he had already begun to change so much from their influence that their sudden absence was having a greater impact than he could have imagined. But when neither of his companions appeared to notice the change, White subconsciously collared his emotions. He could see that this meant a lot to them, he would not disturb it.


    For Naroe, this was a first-time experience. His eyes darted to every little detail they passed, taking it all in with restrained bewilderment. Despite what he had told Avira earlier, he had not expected to be here on the same day. He had thought that if General Graves gave the okay, Reil and Rain would have been the ones taking White through this. What he had not expected was to be heading in himself with a full party. Now he could barely guess at what was going to happen.


    Normally only a maximum of three people entered the crucible at a time. On the solstices, only one apprentice at a time would walk through the halls. They would meet with two waiting Generals from both sides of the Order within the innermost chamber to test for a blessing. The exception was if someone was directly apprenticed to someone who had at one point possessed the rank of General, then their master could choose to test them when they chose. He had heard stories of those blessed being incredibly empowered in the presence of the heart, where members of the order were made into gods.


    Naroe¡¯s pupils went to pinpricks as his body tensed involuntarily. His large hands balled into fists as he suppressed a crooked smirk, even as a bead of sweat rolled down his cheek. Then just as quickly, he breathed and relaxed just enough to suppress the anxiety and not the excitement.


    But that sudden burst, that ignition of Naroe¡¯s spirit was just enough to spill through the smothered connection. Just as when they had first met in the forest, the dragon understood his companion once more. Naroe wanted to see the heights of strength and scale them. White didn¡¯t understand why, but those burning desires resonated with him on an instinctual level.


    A spark of that made its way to him and that burning excitement slotted into place as something that just made perfect sense, and it ignited something inside him. It wasn¡¯t like in the forest, with conflicting sensations flowing out with a burst of power. It was small, like the flame of a single candle. But this flame, now that it was lit, would never go out.


    White relaxed with a deep sigh, feeling the panic subsiding a little with the flame¡¯s inner warmth.


    Avira, having made this same journey the day before, was less awed by their surroundings. The otherworldly brilliance of this sacred place still had an impact on her, but she had known what to expect already and that mental bracing is what allowed her to notice the silenced breath on her shoulder. She glanced at the dragon, and only then did she notice the change between them.


    He turned, meeting her widened violet eyes. For a moment, White thought she was beginning to panic as he was, but she said nothing. Though with how deep they had gone, White wasn¡¯t sure he would have heard her if she did. The carved stone had faded into a smooth void and the roots had lost their physicality. They became like liquid light, their colorful sap flowing freely into the air like spectral mist before fading into the perfect abyss.


    Avira slowly took White into her arms, cradling him as she subtly pointed curious formations of the roots and how they interacted with their dark neighbors. Pillars in the dark stood wrapped in roots, their sap staining the void¡¯s liquid surface like stellar winds in nebulae. She pointed to their footsteps, which now rippled the surface of the ground and left imprints of swirling mists of changing color. She pointed to the walls where spiral roots had erupted from seemingly no source, blooming misty petals that resembled the arms of galaxies. Black holes and quasars churned restlessly against the surface of the walls, drinking and spewing the energies around them.


    The walls and ceiling had become an endless, living painting of the universe.


    White realized then that he had been identifying things that he had never seen before. It wasn¡¯t hard then to find the small stream that had begun flowing through his link with Avira. It wasn¡¯t anywhere close to the ocean he knew was on the other side, but Avira was steadily pumping her knowledge and memories through the cracks in the choked connection. It was a gentle flow that White¡¯s mind easily took in, so easily that he hadn¡¯t even noticed it was happening. He reached into the stream, attempting to add to Avira¡¯s efforts, and was rewarded with more information than he had ever taken on at once.


    It was an old story, older than their world and everything they¡¯ve ever known, told to them when her ancestors first entered The Sanctuary.


    The Planes are places, peoples, and powers all at once. They are fragments of greater things that came before them, lost long ago in event of extreme grief and pain that they dare not speak of. But before they lost what they once were, the Dark and Light had created by repeatedly colliding with one another, testing themselves in contests of their very being, each resulting in a new space for life to spring forth. These spaces, which contained their own rules and realms, the Planes had referred to as ¡°Verses in Life¡¯s Litany.¡± And so they came to be known as ¡°Verses.¡±This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    White was stunned as a chill ran down his body, a sensation that took a moment for him to understand. He had comprehended her story in its full magnitude. Without realizing it, Avira had just infinitely expanded the small dragon¡¯s world in an instant, giving him her own comprehension of existence itself.


    Her gifts poured into his being like a fresh flood, its current swirling around the flame Naroe had ignited before growing into heavy clouds that surrounded the fire. But instead of smothering what had come before it, the storm fed the flame, making it strong enough to in turn begin feeding the storm. Then both began to grow.


    White¡¯s eyes widened as his pupils became thin slits, gaining a thin layer of royal indigo fire, but nothing happened to gain Avira¡¯s attention as she cradled him. White, however, felt this instant change as a surge of self-awareness. He suddenly understood the significance of where he was going and exactly what was waiting for him.


    Yet still, there was something inside him, buried deep from before he ever awoke on that shore, that was telling him this was where he wanted to go. When he accepted that voice, he relaxed and even felt his own excitement begin to rise.


    Just as White made peace with himself, something came into view from the depths of the Crucible. It was gentler than White had expected, a soft gray glow that drifted against the end of the hall. He could see tall, deep blue grass waving in the rolling fog.


    White suddenly realized he couldn¡¯t recall how long they had been walking.


    The blessed began to change in the presence of the end, the power inside welcoming them like a mother would her returning children. It embraced them, lending them whatever it could.


    Isaac had changed the least out of the group, but not by much. His silk robes had become like alabaster, as if he wore a statue¡¯s clothing like he would any other garment. His stole now appeared spun from golden fire while his stitching burned with blue embers. His eyes glowed a brilliant amber from bronze skin that glowed gently amongst the roots.


    For Poe, his form became like a wraith, his legs appearing seeming to fade entirely as he glided across the floor. His robes grew to flow behind him like a trail of the void that was around them. His trinkets gleaming like distant stars as their once silent tinks sounded now as gentle bells. The raven mask, which now looked to be made from dark crystal, hung from empty darkness.


    Then there was Reil and Rain, who¡¯s transformation left the rest of the party pulling back from the intensity of their blossoming transformations.


    For the former General, his small body was no longer physical. He moved like a heat haze with each step, his form faded and trailing the mist the roots around him produced. The colorful light that had marked Graves trailed a silhouette under his translucent form, silent golden lighting dancing across its paths. The air around him shuddered and popped as his power fought the air pressure around him, though the being that was once Reil didn¡¯t seem concerned with the lack of oxygen. Where it walked, the void eagerly gave way for the stars that were born in its steps. This champion¡¯s counterpart was the only one unbothered by the transformation.


    White didn¡¯t know when the world around them had begun to shake, but it did so now. No Light, not even Reil¡¯s could reach the pitch black mass that shook the crucible with its footfalls. The movements of its limbs were only identifiable by the rush of air that instantly filled the vacuums it created. The miniature black holes that had been sustained in the walls broke free, and threw themselves into the growing form. By the time it reached the end of the hall, it had to bend down to fit through the exit.


    The two demigods stepped out into the chamber, somehow disappearing into the fog. Both Isaac and Poe looked at Avira, then at White, and she nodded. Avria lowered herself to place the dragon on the ground, who looked back up at her. Isaac smiled and Poe nodded in approval before they both followed their superiors inside, the last three not far behind.


    The inside was almost like the Sanctuary¡¯s, with light blue walls that steadily became darker as it rose into the unseen ceiling. The light was coming from the top of a hill, the only hill in the room it seemed. Obscured in the fog, its dull platinum shine stood tall and somehow lit the entire room in deep breaths of light.


    As soon as White set foot in the grassy chamber, the mist came alive. No longer drifting naturally through the air, tendrils around White reared at him like smoking serpents. But they didn¡¯t strike, so White didn¡¯t pay them any mind. What had his attention was that Naroe and Avira hadn¡¯t followed him inside.


    He turned back and looked at them, Naroe leaning against the dark stone and Avira waving White on. Naroe nodded at him, smiled, and pointed at the source of the fog before giving a thumbs up.


    White blinked before nodding and began climbing the hill to the Heart.


    The wind began to pick up as the fog concentrated around the dragon, following him in pacing coils that still kept a distance. As it did, the area around the Heart grew more visible and White found where the members of the Order had gone. All four of the ascended blessed stood by the towering source of the fog, two flanking each side. On the left was the Deacon and the old trapper, the latter now too far to see any detail and giving him the appearance of trapped lighting. The General of the Dark and the Chief Speaker stood as their opposite. the gigantified Rain standing as a true monolith with nearly the height of the Heart itself.


    When White was halfway up the hill, the fog seemed to finally let go of its hesitation. The smoking tendrils slowly, almost carefully. began enveloping White¡¯s body. It coated him in its swirling power, obscuring the world around him entirely. Then he felt nothing from the world at all.


    White was suspended in endless nothingness. No Light, no Dark, just pure emptiness. The only thing that existed here was him, though he no longer felt the body he had grown used to. Where was he?


    That was the wrong question. White searched the empty world once more, but found nothing. It had been the barest of things, devoid of voice and volume, but they were the clearest words White had ever heard.


    Who he was was easy. He hadn¡¯t lived that long, but he¡¯d been given a name and he had gotten to see a lot of stuff in that short time. He liked a lot of what he¡¯d seen and he wanted to see more of it. He wanted to be a part of it. Yes, ¡°who¡± was easy.


    What he was was a completely different story. He had been completely reliant on the people around him to figure that out and White had thought they had been doing a good job of that so far. He didn¡¯t feel any need to complain, though he was stuck in a world of nothingness.


    ¡°When¡± felt like a hopeless question to ask in that place and why¡­


    Why had opened up a trove of fresh questions. Why the questions in the first place? Why wasn''t he back at the heart? Why didn¡¯t Naroe and Avira come with him? Why was Rain so adamant about doing this? Why was Reil so hesitant? Why were the Planes so conflicted about him? Why was he left alone? White didn¡¯t know for how long his thoughts cascaded, it felt like time had no meaning, but something silenced them.


    He had grown bored. Bored with the questions. Bored with nothingness. Bored with the lack of a body. And most of all, he was bored with waiting. Something needed to be done, so he decided that if the Planes brought him here, the Planes were going to do something about his boredom.


    He thought back to the night before in Rain¡¯s bar and found the moment number eleven¡¯s introduction had ended. The suspended soul that was White pulled everything he could into him like he was the dragon he used to be, sucking in all the air he could for his first roar. But here, he drew in the nothingness.


    He could feel it now, the space around him was finite, and it was shrinking. It invigorated his efforts even further and right as he felt the walls around him, the song was unleashed. It crashed against the space that had been crafted to hold him, and shattered its boundaries completely. White let it play, his soul its only source as it resonated with the sounds from his memories.


    He felt them now, the limitless spaces of Light and Dark. They surrounded him on all sides, the endless void and limitless light, though White didn¡¯t care. They brought him here, now they needed to do something about it.


    But to his surprise, they did nothing. Numberless eyes and ears all turned toward his soul in that one moment and he held their gaze with the song of his choice as his voice. And they watched and listened.


    And when the song was over, a silence fell over everything. The Planes didn¡¯t react and White had no idea what his next course of action should be. He considered playing something else, but the only other song he knew the entirety of was Hyperion.


    Then the Planes shrank, or condensed rather, into two floating orbs, one light and one dark.


    ¡°Better to keep things simple, yes?¡± The Light sounded like a chorus of layered voices that changed as it spoke, inflecting its words several different ways at once.


    ¡°Agreed, time is short.¡± The Dark had been what White had heard in the emptiness. ¡°You are welcomed, sibling, but we cannot aid you yet.¡±


    White pulsed multiple questions to them involuntarily, catching the rest before they could slip into their alien communication. It wasn¡¯t like with Avira and Naroe, in fact White got the feeling this is what it was like to speak with him.


    We apologize to you, the Light communicated, we had attempted to accelerate your growth in a dimensional pocket¨C


    Which succeeded, The Dark interrupted.


    But only partially, the Light continued with no reaction. You have the capability to act as a conduit for us as the Heart does, but not to utilize us. In order to grant you that ability, you must bring home this kingdom¡¯s monarch.


    He has spent a great deal of time with us, a fine ruler, continued the Dark. His soul will act as the blueprints for what will be our connection with you. As you grow, it will aid you in rejoining the Family.


    White understood what they were asking of him, but he weaved his discontentment at the ambiguous statement into his questions.


    ¡°¡®Sibling¡¯ may not be entirely accurate at the moment,¡± the Light clarified. ¡°We are not what we once were, but we still possess the fragments of our progenitors. You were broken by something before you could become anything. What was responsible now turns its attention to this kingdom.¡±


    ¡°That Empire stirs beyond our sight,¡± said the Dark, ¡°but we see some who use it as an entry into this world. We do not know how you came to be here in your current state, but your arrival has not gone unnoticed by them. Both for his political and practical power, the Monarch must remain where he is in case something happens during your journey.¡±


    ¡°We predict it will take time for you to acclimate with him anyway,¡± assured the Light. ¡°The more time you spend together before you¡¯re brought before the Heart, the easier the process will be.¡±


    White felt the pressure that had smothered him begin to fade with the conflicting sensations of the planes. His vision began to fade when both planes spoke. ¡°Dear sibling, this connection is not one we can maintain, but we have opened the doors. Bring King Elicus Vala home and we will teach you how to step through them.¡±


    Then the physical world returned and White found himself standing on the side of the hill he had been climbing. The fog was gone and the dragon found himself looking up at a coiling structure of white and black. A double helix of two disconnected forces that rose from the center of the hill over a shimmering beam of dull platinum light. They trembled with energy, rippling in place like struck chords rumbling with a deep but soft bass.


    Turning to the four who had flanked the structure, White saw that each of them had reverted back to their pre-ascension states and stood with absolute stillness. White had surprised people multiple times already, but he could tell that whatever he had done in his trance went beyond anything that they had anticipated. He turned to look over at the two he had bonded with to find that both seemed even more shocked than then the others.


    Then the dragon realized that their connections had not only been reopened, but strengthened. As he looked back at them, feeling something like a chuckle attempting form in his chest, White remembered what the Planes had called him. He felt his mouth slowly work into a smile. He liked the sound of siblings.

 Chapter 11: To Andromeda

    ¡°I want to go with them,¡± Avira told her father. The two of them stood outside of their home back home in Central City with Naroe and Reil loading their wagon in the driveway.


    Only after White had explained what had happened with the Planes had the dragon found out he had inhaled all fog in the chamber while he was in his trance. That fog, he was told, had been the runoff of the Heart¡¯s energies. In time, it would reaccumulate in the chamber and no harm had been done, but it certainly hadn¡¯t been expected. Things seemed to calm down somewhat after White had given a full retelling of the communication through his brother and sister.


    ¡°There¡¯s no reason for you to,¡± Rain¡¯s literal and figurative stance had appeared to turn him into one of the Crucible¡¯s walls.


    ¡°He¡¯s calling me his sister,¡± Avira argued, the point somehow making a crack in the General with the smallest wince. ¡°I think that¡¯s a pretty good reason.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the child in him,¡± Rain retorted. ¡°He¡¯s grown attached to you like any child would. Now he needs to grow attached to His Majesty and that¡¯ll be easier without you there. The only reason Naroe is going is because he¡¯s Reil¡¯s apprentice,¡± he gave her a look then. ¡°Which means they stick together.¡±


    She met his eyes, arms crossing and mimicking his stance despite needing to look up at him. ¡°I¡¯d be gone two weeks at max and much less if I fly back with His Majesty. They¡¯re not going on another world tour, it¡¯ll be less than a month.¡± Avira let her arms drop then, her gaze softening. ¡°I¡¯ve never been out of the Kingdom and now I have a pass to go to Andromeda. This¡¯ll be a good experience for me and I¡¯ll be with family who¡¯ve been there.¡±


    Rain cracked a smirk at that. ¡°Is Naroe family now?¡±


    ¡°According to White, he is.¡±


    ¡°Since when does White determine that?¡± Rain asked, still smiling.


    Avira shrugged, shaking her head. ¡°I kind of saw him as a cousin to begin with, but that doesn¡¯t really matter. Look, I¡¯m not leaving the continent, I¡¯m going to its most developed civilization outside of the Kingdom. I¡¯ll have Pop-pop on the way there and his successor plus the most powerful individual in the world on the way back. And if both Planes say that White will bond with His Majesty, I really doubt my presence alone is going to prevent that.¡±


    Rain was silent for a while, his smirk steadily fading before he sighed. ¡°Look, I was hoping that the connections he made with you two would break under the Heart¨C¡±


    ¡°But they only got stronger,¡± Avira interrupted, but her father held up his hand the exact way he had done with an enraged Reil. The way that silenced any speech.


    ¡°And I¡¯m not sure how to feel about that,¡± he continued. ¡°Now he¡¯s going to add Elicus into the mix. Things are getting even more complicated than I had expected and I bet it¡¯s only going to get more so from here. I want you here, so we can finish what we started before jumping into something that we are only just starting to comprehend.¡±


    Avira was unmoved. ¡°Dad, I already jumped into this. I¡¯ve already made efforts to comprehend this. I helped interpret the Planes¡¯ message! I know how much of a rush I was in to get down there, but now I understand that age isn¡¯t the biggest defining factor. Trust me, I want my blessing more than anything, but I don¡¯t think staying in the kingdom is cutting it.¡± Again, she softened her expression, looking up at him. ¡°It¡¯s less than two weeks.¡±


    Rain stared down at her. He felt his resolve slowly crack under her violet eyes, eyes that, to him, had remained unchanged since he first looked into them over eighteen years ago, and he caved. ¡°Fine,¡± he breathed slowly. Avira grinned and lightly jumped in place. ¡°But,¡± he continued, ¡°you do not wander off. You do everything your grandfather tells you to do. You remember your manners when you see Elicus. You say hi to Aria for me. And,¡± he clasped her on her shoulders and leaned in close, ¡°You do not try anything else with White. Understood?¡± Avira¡¯s smile never faltered as she nodded in agreement with him. ¡°Good, go pack. Essentials and backups only,¡± he tapped her shoulder before she rushed inside. The General sighed again, his massive shoulders sagging in the dark armor, before he approached the now nearly packed wagon.


    Reil was organizing the front trunk with White laying in the front seat and Naroe organizing the back bed. ¡°So she¡¯ll be joining us?¡± Reil asked without looking up.


    ¡°I assume you¡¯re happy,¡± Rain said.


    ¡°I get to spend time with my granddaughter, of course I''m happy,¡± said Reil. ¡°But I think she is right. Being aware of the world is incredibly important for a member of the Order,¡± the old man looked the General in the eye then. ¡°It¡¯s why I took you everywhere I could and why I¡¯m disappointed that she¡¯s never been outside our borders.¡± Rain said nothing as they stared at one another, letting the silence hang and tense. Reil was the one who broke it. ¡°I understand why, of course.¡±


    Rain nodded, his face breaking into an apologetic smile. ¡°I know, it¡¯s my own issues and I appreciate you still consoling me despite me not doing the same when it came to White. Especially when you were right.¡±


    The old veteran waved him off as he shut and locked the trunk. ¡°We were both right in a way, which I think is the best kind. And besides,¡± he looked at Rain again, matching the General¡¯s expression with his own mirthless smile, ¡°you aren¡¯t the only one to have those issues.¡±


    Rain¡¯s own face grew both grateful and pained then before he mastered himself to turn to White, who had watched the exchange as still as possible. ¡°You¡¯ll like Andromeda,¡± he said. His words felt more forced than White had ever heard. ¡°Plenty of great sights and different foods. Hopefully you¡¯ll have time to enjoy it before work calls.¡±


    White raised himself to sit up before slowly dipping his head towards the General, his eyes closed as he held the bow.


    The small gesture had been more intentional than anything White had done before. They weren¡¯t the movements of a newborn, he made them with recognizable practiced grace and Rain had understood their meaning immediately. The dragon was thanking him.


    Rain was momentarily stunned, the unexpected gesture shocking him out of his growing stupor. Real joy returned to his expression as he bowed back at White. ¡°You¡¯re welcome here any time,¡± he said before turning to the back of the wagon. ¡°And that goes for you too Naroe.¡± The apprentice in question emerged from the other side of the wagon having just finished loading the supplies, Rain jutted a thumb at Reil. ¡°We¡¯ve both been this old nut¡¯s apprentice, so if you ever need anything, you can come to me.¡±


    Naroe didn¡¯t attempt to hide his surprise at the show of comradery from the man who was in every way his senior. The statement wasn¡¯t unexpected when it came from Rain, what was unexpected was the emotion he had put behind it, as if Naroe truly was a member of the family.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, not even trying to hide how the General had thrown him off balance. ¡°I definitely will,¡± but he did his best to inject just how grateful he was into his words.


    Rain nodded in satisfaction before turning back to Reil. ¡°If you need me, send a communion.¡±


    ¡°You have your own responsibilities here, Varen.¡± Reil replied somewhat sternly. ¡°An entire nation to look after even and you¡¯ve already spent plenty of time on us.¡±


    ¡°This was an issue worth spending time on,¡± the General said.


    Reil nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes, but now it¡¯s been handed off to myself and soon to His Majesty. You currently don¡¯t have any reason to give this matter more attention.¡±


    ¡°My apprentice is going with you,¡± Rain countered, ¡°I think that still gives me some official responsibility in this matter.¡±


    Reil gave him a withering look. ¡°You know that won¡¯t hold up in a court if you go awol. You¡¯ve given temporary responsibility to me, which means it¡¯s now my job to take care of her.¡± Then he side-eyed the larger man. ¡°Unless you think I¡¯m incapable of taking care of two people.¡±


    Rain gave a deep chuckle as he held his hands in surrender. ¡°Of course not, just wanted to throw that line out there.¡± Naroe hopped in the front seat with White, placing the dragon onto his lap. Rain looked at the pair with thought before speaking. ¡°How do you two feel about the ¡®brother and sister¡¯ thing?¡± The General asked.


    Reil only shrugged. ¡°The Planes didn¡¯t even bring up their connections, so I don¡¯t see much of a problem with it.¡± He turned to his apprentice then.


    Naroe beamed back at the two authority figures. ¡°I have a little sibling, and it¡¯s not just a dragon, it¡¯s a mythical dragon. I¡¯d say I¡¯m pretty happy with that,¡± he said as he scratched White¡¯s head.


    Rain chuckled, the last bit of tension leaving him as he shook his head smiling. ¡°I should learn to look at things more like you, Naroe.¡±


    The response left the young trapper visibly confused. ¡°I always thought you were a pretty positive person, Lord Rain.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just ¡®Varen¡¯ to you Naroe, and I¡¯m glad you feel that way,¡± his smile turned tired then. ¡°When I send out the weekly missives to the people or when I speak before them, it¡¯s not a complete act. I never lie and I never exaggerate, but I don¡¯t always tell them everything.¡± He looked at all three of them, surprising White most of all with an expression that the dragon somehow knew was a command to listen. ¡°What the planes said lines up with what we¡¯ve been getting reports of. Last year, Salra took out thirteen cells of Empire agents on the continent. We¡¯re only a quarter of the way through this year and she¡¯s already hunted down six.¡±


    Reil and Naroe tensed, though neither said anything, and White could feel his older brother¡¯s flame grow and roil. Its proximity was enough to begin fueling his own.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I need to tell you,¡± Rain continued, ¡°but Salra¡¯s age has not dampened her abilities. I highly doubt she missed any last year, and if she did it certainly wasn¡¯t that many.¡±


    Reil nodded in understanding. ¡°They haven''t been this quiet this long in centuries. It was only a matter of time before we began to see the signs.¡±


    Rain¡¯s lips curled. ¡°But this time is different.¡±


    Reil¡¯s brows furrowed and his frown deepened, as if Rain had suddenly insulted him. ¡°How so?¡±


    The General put his gauntleted hand below his chin as he mentally reviewed the information for what was clearly not the first time. ¡°The Empire¡¯s psychological conditioning has taken a strange turn. Salra described them as ¡®savage.¡¯¡±


    Reil practically snorted and scoffed at the statement. ¡°Is that anything new?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the crazy thing though,¡± the General said. ¡°We¡¯ve seen their agents do some gruesome things, but it was always done with purpose, not here though. Besides that, they screamed.¡±


    There was a pregnant pause as everyone stared at the General. Reil was the one to break it. ¡°What?¡±


    Rain nodded, as if Reil had just pointed out the main issue. ¡°It wasn¡¯t from psychological damage by Salra or her Runners either. It wasn¡¯t provoked, they hadn¡¯t even been cornered, yet the instant the agents recognized that their cover had been blown, they attacked like enraged beasts. If anything, it was like they had intended to make the biggest scene they could before being put down.¡±


    ¡°What about the ones captured?¡± asked Reil.


    Rain didn¡¯t say anything for a moment, but it was clear he wasn¡¯t sure what words to use for what came next. ¡°The moment they became unable to inflict any more damage, their heads...¡± Rain looked down at White before looking up at Reil. The General raised a closed fist before letting his fingers explode out, his expression one of pure disgust. ¡°Salra doesn¡¯t think they¡¯re even aware of it.¡± He shook his head then. ¡°I¡¯ve seen their expressions through communion and I¡¯m inclined to agree with her.¡±


    Naroe swallowed hard and, despite the General¡¯s attempts to spare White the image, couldn¡¯t help but imagine the scene, giving White a pretty clear picture of what Rain was talking about. It did startle him, the dragon flinched involuntarily at the pop that resounded in Naroe¡¯s skull, but the image didn¡¯t hold any real revulsion for the dragon. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Naroe on the other hand was visibly disgusted, but White didn¡¯t understand why. Weren¡¯t the people they were talking about bad?


    Naroe gently patted White¡¯s head, hoping to calm some of the thoughts he knew he was responsible for. You¡¯re right, he said. Those people were trying to do bad things here, but the people who sent them here are worse. They sent those people, whether they were bad or good, to do terrible things and find terrible deaths.


    ¡°Were they able to gather any information at all?¡± Reil asked.


    Rain shook his head. ¡°They came here through the expected methods, either smuggled through the islands or the long way by boat, but if they had any real plans, we have no idea what they were. They came with minimal supplies and had no evidence of correspondence with the Empire, planned acts of terrorism, or any espionage. Voids, they never even came close to the kingdom. Instead, they committed comparatively smaller crimes within the tribal territories. They stole seemingly random letters and packages from mail carriers, defaced or destroyed historical artifacts and places, and spiked dozens of food shipments with hallucinogens and other unknown drugs. Yet there have been no fatalities. What¡¯s more, they¡¯ve never directly targeted the Order, only the Tribes themselves. Our branches have only ever been hit by the waves of their impacts.¡±


    The old trapper was silent for a moment, taking all the information in. ¡°I¡¯ve been hearing about some of these issues for a while now. They¡¯ve caused a lot of discourse in the territories and even sparked a few conflicts between them.¡± He sighed and scratched his head through thinning hair. ¡°They can guess who¡¯s really at fault, but rivalries always turn into wars so quickly. Regardless, this is the first I¡¯m hearing the details so I imagine this isn¡¯t that widely known yet.¡±


    Rain nodded. ¡°Salra has been meeting with each of the Chieftains personally to discuss everything, but she¡¯s also having to stop and deal with whatever new cells she finds. So far, Canis, Ursa, Draco, Leo, and Ares have all renewed their agreements with us and begun war prep. Our branches in each have kept our relations as good as they¡¯ve ever been and I expect the rest of the continent won¡¯t be an issue either. But the islands¡­¡± he trailed off, looking at his former master.


    ¡°Orion is as ready as it''s ever been,¡± Reil assured him, ¡°all they do is prep for the next war. Aquarius has not only rebuilt, but expanded their navy. I know their current Chieftain isn¡¯t too thrilled about the possibility of needing to rebuild it again, but she understands how limited her options are. I believe she¡¯ll be as cooperative as her predecessor, but we¡¯ll probably need to reimburse her fully this time if they lose that much again. As for Libra, they¡¯ve fixed a lot of the damage and the defenses are impressive, but¡­¡± he sighed and rubbed his face with a hand. ¡°They¡¯re preparing for the possibility of a full evacuation.¡±


    Rain blinked, taken aback by the news. ¡°Where do they plan on going?¡±


    Reil shook his head, rolling his shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t know and I don¡¯t think they do either. I¡¯ll bet they¡¯ll petition us and the tribes for emergency sanctuary during talks, but I don¡¯t know if anyone besides us will take them.¡±


    Rain sighed and leaned back to look at the darkening sky. ¡°Then it¡¯ll probably be us, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯d be that bad. Aria¡¯s improved their reputation here considerably, despite a few holdouts, and the Southern Province has the space. I bet they could set up a good city there.¡±


    Reil gave a humorless chuckle then. ¡°Then this Kingdom really would change, I can¡¯t even begin to imagine what sort of technology they¡¯d bring with them.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m almost scared to see what it would turn into.¡± Then he saw his former apprentice looking at him and smiled. ¡°Good thing that won¡¯t be my problem.¡±


    The tall doors to the home swung open then, revealing a running Avira dressed in a buttoned deep blue long coat, gloves, and boots. Her black hair was tied back in a ponytail that hung against two stacked sacks tied to a large backpack. She ran to the back of the wagon and began finding the best place for them amongst the cargo.


    ¡°Are you sure you have everything?¡± Rain called out.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Avira called back. ¡°Triple-checked with backups.¡±


    Rain¡¯s smile returned as he and his former master embraced, his armored bulk patting the smaller, older man¡¯s back with heavy thuds. ¡°You guys be safe,¡± he said.


    ¡°Of course,¡± said Reil before pulling back and hopping into the front seat.


    Avira came around to hug her father, having to jump up to wrap her arms around his neck. ¡°Bye Dad,¡± she said while hanging from his height.


    He hugged her back, ¡°Bye, my little aquila. Be good and be safe.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± She let go and hopped into the back of the wagon.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have us there in a couple of days,¡± Reil assured him.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t rush it,¡± countered Rain. ¡°Top speeds for extended periods probably wouldn¡¯t be good for the wagon. The last thing I want is for you to break down in the middle of nowhere with no way to fix it.¡±


    Reil nodded. ¡°A good point.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re getting old,¡± Rain continued. ¡°You need your rest¨C¡±


    The wagon came to life as Reil compelled the wood to swerve across the stone in an impossibly smooth turn. White felt the Light course through the wood, the now clearly noticeable embedded circuits alight with the old trapper¡¯s will. He put enough power in to lift the wooden wheels just enough off the ground to turn on a single point away from the General, who backed off to not get hit as the wagon cut through the air and out their open gate. The sounds of Naroe and Avira giving their goodbyes fading in the distance as Reil drove down the quiet road.


    After a few moments, Naroe turned back to his master. ¡°I get that the planes gave us a mission and we¡¯re in a hurry, but I think Varen was right. Maybe we should have waited until morning to leave.¡±


    Reil shook his head, his eyes focused firmly on the road. ¡°That little trip to the Heart has left me feeling spry and I want to take advantage of it. Besides, Isaac and Poe offered to set up a teleport circle and I¡¯d rather not make them start their mornings with that.¡± Naroe nodded and turned back to Avira.


    She had organized a nook in the bed by the front seat and appeared to be getting comfortable. A long cushion had been placed between her and the wood with a thicker but smaller pillow acting as her head rest.


    ¡°Comfy?¡± Naroe asked.


    Avira nodded, leaning against the fabric top of the wagon and unrolling a blanket she had packed. ¡°I figured I should be, it¡¯ll be a long trip.¡±


    Naroe chuckled. ¡°Just be happy you¡¯re traveling with us with no cargo,¡± he said before turning back to the road.


    ¡°I can imagine,¡± Avira smirked. ¡°I can still smell them.¡±


    ________________________________________________________


    White watched the now familiar sight of the world warping around him as the wagon emerged within a circular pattern of planted crystals, Poe and Isaac stood flanking the design. They had appeared in the Western Province, the market hub of the Kingdom. Beyond the fenced pavilion they had arrived in, a city of steel, stone, and wood stood proud and lively.


    There was no part not decorated in some sort of fashion to catch the eye. Various themes of color ranging from monochrome to the full spectrum made their homes in storefronts, competing with one another in the forms of signs, statues, and trinkets. They stacked and lined up along buildings several stories high, sometimes taking up to half their floors as store space. Platformed walkways were built to reach the higher stores with stairs both inside and out to move throughout the multilayered market. On every level, people filled the pathways on their evening activities. After giving thanks to the Speaker and Deacon for their assistance and bidding them farewell, the wagon entered the sprawling maze of commerce.


    This was Pollux, the entrance city of Lugatea, and in their sight stood its most notable and busiest section. The city stood both on The Sanctuary¡¯s border and in the center of the Teeth, making it the main route both in and out of the Kingdom. It was also the start of a very large road that had come to be known as ¡°the Monarch¡¯s March.¡± The road stretched from Pollux directly to Central City and was lined not only with inns, restaurants, and stores, but also bases of the Order who were all too aware of the risks the route posed. In some circles, the road had even become known as ¡°the Invader¡¯s Invitation.¡±


    White was getting better at passively processing information from Avira. With the strengthened connection, White had begun to find knowledge within him that had never been there before. If he spotted something new to him, it would almost instantly be understood. He appreciated the convenience, but found himself missing that feeling of discovery. It did bring up a question however. Why didn¡¯t he get the same experience from Naroe?


    Naroe had knowledge, but it was different from Avira¡¯s. The dragon could see it as wicks in his flames, condensed and sorted, these had been put away to be accessed only when needed. Instead, the knowledge he let flow did so freely throughout his body. It poured into every cell, down to the smallest level, and it was used to infuse every part of him with a singular flaming will.


    White had no idea what that actually meant or what he would receive from Naroe as a result, but it did mean he found Naroe warm in multiple ways now. Which made him a very comfortable place to rest.


    The group approached the main gate of the city, a massive version of the one White had initially entered through that stood open and close to the height of many of the buildings he had seen by Center city. Lookout towers and bulwarks were stationed with defenses ranging from simple ballistic weaponry to thin rods of crystal for channeling the Planes¡¯ energies in group efforts. Beyond the obsidian structure was a worn road almost as wide as the March. It flowed between the two snow capped mountains that were the fangs of the Teeth and was filled with travelers and the temporary stalls of traders.


    The guards of the border bowed to the group as they passed, already having been made aware of the departing party. Reil and Naroe waved back, but Avira remained hidden in the bed. It was only when the members of the Order were fully behind them and able to see inside, did she reveal herself with a wave to the onlookers.


    White felt her amusement as bubbles in the flow. She had recognized a few of them and was enjoying guessing the reactions hidden beneath their helms. A fair few waved back excitedly, their muffled laughs loud enough to be heard from the wagon. Most seemed temporarily bewildered and confused at what they had just seen.


    ¡°So,¡± she said, now turning to Naroe. ¡°How long do you plan on keeping him to yourself?¡±


    Naroe gave her a skeptical look. ¡°Are we going to do this the whole way there?¡±


    ¡°That depends,¡± said Avira, her eyes wandering to the dragon in question. ¡°White?¡± The small head looked up from where it had been laying. ¡°Do you have any input on this? Or do you just want to be passed around and argued over for a few days?¡±


    Well when she put it like that, there wasn¡¯t much other option. White got up from his spot, stretched out his limbs, then climbed onto the warmest lap on the wagon.


    Reil chuckled and scratched behind the dragon¡¯s horns, eliciting a low rumble from White¡¯s chest. ¡°There,¡± he said, ¡°the choice has been made.¡±


    Naroe¡¯s eyes shot to Avira. ¡°You could have just waited for him to come to you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get upset because you¡¯re experiencing my pain,¡± Avira said.


    ¡°I¡¯m experiencing it because of you,¡± said Naroe evenly.


    ¡°You¡¯re both acting like children,¡± Reil declared with a grin and no hostility. ¡°It¡¯s getting dark anyway, why don¡¯t you two get some sleep. We have a long road ahead of us and there¡¯ll be plenty of opportunities to argue over White later. Or, if you two are able to compromise, even play with him.¡± He looked at both of them. ¡°Sound good?¡±


    In unison, they both breathed deeply then voiced their acknowledgments with nods, a moment that gave White an unexpected amount of joy.


    ________________________________________________________


    Evening had turned to night as their wagon made their way across the rolling hills beyond the teeth. A moon shadowed into a crescent had risen from the horizon, its pale light shining bright despite its thin cut in the dark sky. There had been several other travelers that had been on the road, but all had been heading towards the kingdom, so their wagon had the night to itself.


    Naroe had gathered his sleeping materials and made a spot for himself on the other end of the wagon¡¯s bed. Both he and Avira had fallen asleep some time ago, but Reil had kept a steady pace since they had left the mountain range. White found himself either unable or unwilling to sleep, he wasn¡¯t sure which, so he had remained in the old trapper¡¯s lap.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand you,¡± Reil suddenly said.


    White¡¯s only reaction was to lift his head up at him. With both his interpreters asleep, he was only confused as to why Reil had chosen that moment to say it. White had no way to respond.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Reil said, his eyes still on the road.


    White blinked in surprise. Had Reil understood him?


    The old man smiled then, his eyes glancing down at the dragon. ¡°I¡¯ve got the gist of what you¡¯re saying, I think. It¡¯s gotten easier as we¡¯ve found out more about you, but I¡¯ve been watching and listening to your soul as you speak to Naroe and Avira.¡± Reil looked behind him into the wagon, ensuring that both his passengers were still asleep. ¡°Whenever you communicate with them, your soul, or what I think is the equivalent to your soul, fluctuates. Its rhythms are as subtle as they are complex, but it¡¯s been growing stronger since I noticed it the first night you spent with us.¡± He turned back to the dragon. ¡°Now that I don¡¯t have to work so hard to see and hear it, it¡¯s a lot easier to make out what you¡¯re feeling.¡±


    Well that was all well and good, but that just brought the initial statement back to the forefront of White¡¯s mind. Reil should be able to understand him better than ever now.


    Reil gave a patient elder¡¯s smile. ¡°Not what I meant,¡± he said. ¡°Let''s start with this, every dragon I have ever met has been a fiercely independent creature, yet not you. You¡¯ve allowed us to handle you, take you where we wished, and subject you to all manner of activity, yet you¡¯ve never even tried to leave. Of course, there¡¯s the possibility that you¡¯ve only taken the form of a dragon, plus we have been feeding you plenty, but still...¡± He looked back to the road, his eyes drifting up to the starry sky. ¡°Then there¡¯s this message from the planes, this threat in contact with the Empire, their new agents, and whatever it is that Andromeda picked up to drag Elicus away in the first place.¡± Reil took a tired breath. ¡°I guess what I¡¯m saying is, why just go with whatever we say? It¡¯s clear that you could argue for your own opinions if you wanted.¡±


    White looked at him nonplussed. He knew next to nothing about the world or himself, but thanks to their decisions he¡¯s found people he¡¯s liked, been given food he¡¯s loved, seen wild sights one after the other, and now he¡¯s been told he¡¯ll get more of that when he meets their King. White couldn¡¯t possibly fathom why he wouldn¡¯t want to spend all his time doing what they wanted.


    Reil said nothing for a while and White began to wonder if he had said too much for the old veteran to understand, but then he nodded. ¡°I can accept that reasoning. I have another question though, if I may.¡± He looked back down at the small would-be dragon. ¡°The threat the Planes spoke of, did it mean anything to you?¡± When White met his gaze, Reil saw a new focus that had freshly bloomed behind the dragon''s young eyes, but those colorful glowing orbs were still those of a child with no answers. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, ¡°I thought not.¡±

 Chapter 12: The Jade Line

    The seemingly endless planes around the wagon had abruptly ended before the morning¡¯s end. The folded hills topped with forestry had shrunk before disappearing completely, establishing an unnaturally clean break between them and the drastically shifting environment. The road began to decline into a barrier of heavy humidity and mist. White had sensed Reil ease his coaxing of the wagon to allow gravity to do most of the work.


    He sat in the front seat next to Reil, catching whatever sights he could of the elusive forest denizens. Trees stood strong everywhere, towering twice as thick as any the dragon had seen and more than three times the height of the wagon, long branches with countless stems swarmed the air. There had been a canopy of branches in Tirion¡¯s Grove, but it had been nothing compared to this. The plant life took on an intense vibrancy, their greens and browns saturating into hues White had never seen before. They dazzled White with how the light from the morning sun played with the colors, giving them an almost uncanny beauty. They almost looked like illustrations ripped from one of Avira¡¯s books.


    They formed layers over one another in strong stacks of foliage, their branches interlinked by vines and debris to form another world above the ground. Most of White¡¯s senses could pick up the various small forms of life that had claimed that suspended world as their own, from the scouring insects and crawling critters to the stalking birds that roosted in the upper layer, their smells and sounds being the only constant traces of their presences.


    Yet very few decided to brave the world of the forest floor. They moved from branch to branch, leaf to leaf, sometimes trunk to trunk, but none ever came close to the littered ground.


    Eventually, the dragon¡¯s eyes wandered past the bed where Avira and Naroe still sat, the former of which had her eyes glued to the scenery through a gap in the thick wagon bonnet, trying to catch sights as White was. The latter however, was watching him with a completely passive expression. He had been since he woke up, but had never moved from the far end of the wagon.


    White realized why as soon as they locked eyes, both through their link and his own growing instincts. Naroe was watching his reactions with anticipation but no expectation.


    White¡¯s response was to engage with a question.


    ¡°The ground is where the big ones play,¡± Naroe responded out loud with a smile, prompting Avira to look back at him in brief confusion before understanding who he was talking to. ¡°They won¡¯t come around the road and most of them are pretty docile towards people, except for the forest¡¯s rulers.¡±


    ¡°The lukashi?¡± asked Avira, now turning fully to face Naroe, her interest shifting completely away from their surroundings. ¡°Have you seen one before?¡±


    Naroe smiled then, his eyes momentarily flickering to somewhere not in the present, and White saw the brief memory of a hulking four-legged silhouette in the night with sharp antlers almost half the size of the body.


    ¡°We ran into a few my first time here, they tend to move in small groups, and we had to take cover to let a few pass our way. The second time we came around though, I got to hunt one with a party.¡± Naroe let his body relax as he sank into the still images of a memory that was too fast to remember clearly. White saw him running, dodging antlers, and spearing a mound of jade hide amidst a group of fur-clad hunters. ¡°They look like deer, but there are reasons why the bears and wolves never go one on one with them.¡± Then he looked directly at White, still smiling. ¡°They taste great though.¡±


    White blinked. The memory had already piqued his interest, but now he felt his mouth watering. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t even get to pulse his next question before it was shot down.


    ¡°We¡¯re not hunting a lukashi,¡± said Reil without turning around. ¡°There¡¯s no reason to.¡±


    ¡°But shouldn¡¯t White learn how to hunt?¡± Naroe pressed, his smile unfaltering.


    ¡°If you want to teach him to hunt, there are plenty of choices in the canopies,¡± Reil said, gesturing to the layered branches around them. ¡°They seem far better matches for him, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Naroe waved off the statement, despite Reil¡¯s eyes still being on the road. ¡°You think he¡¯s going to settle for regular squirrels and rabbits? Besides, he can¡¯t fly yet, so how is he supposed to chase them down?¡±


    Reil shrugged, still facing forward. ¡°Then maybe he¡¯s not old enough to be hunting yet.¡±


    Naroe huffed at his master before turning to Avira. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Avira¡¯s gaze wandered as her expression grew more considerate. She wanted to see them herself of course, but Reil had made a few good points. There were options to hunt one safely, but whether or not it would be worth the resources was another story. Her eyes moved to White and he knew she was looking for something to push her decision one way or the other. And though White had no idea how to help, she found inspiration in him anyway.


    ¡°Pop-pop,¡± she said slowly. ¡°Your license as a Hunter is as a grandmaster, right?  So you could task us as apprentices with hunting one.¡±


    Reil turned back to his granddaughter, his eyes squinting with playful suspicion. ¡°You know that¡¯s not the issue, Avira.¡±


    She knew, but getting him to admit to the rules was the first step. ¡°And I know we¡¯re loaded up on supplies, including plenty of food,¡± she paused to look back at her elder, but he said nothing. ¡°But I imagine none of what we have would be as nutritious for White as a lukashi.¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t need to eat high-grade meat every day,¡± Reil responded with a warm chuckle. ¡°What we have now is more than sufficient until we get to Andromeda.¡±


    It was an indirect admission, but Avira still counted it as another step. ¡°True, and I know the only way we could really hunt one would be to use Brand Links,¡±  making the concession before it could be brought up, ¡°but that would just mean more training for Naroe and I.¡± She smiled, she felt her argument grow tighter as a sense of growing confidence. ¡°I¡¯m sure the two of us,¡± she jerked her head to the side at Naroe, ¡°with that power, could get it done quick enough so we don¡¯t lose any real time. Plus, White would get more experience interacting with Plane energy.¡±


    As she spoke, Reil¡¯s genial expression had faded into neutrality. His old eyes flicked to his apprentice. Naroe met that gaze with silent stoicism.


    White had no hope of reading the colorful inferno that was Reil, but Naroe surprised him. For the first time, White¡¯s older brother was hiding his true thoughts from him. The fire¡¯s surface had grown bright, even if the flame itself hadn¡¯t grown in size or intensity. The light was the projection of a single thought and though White could catch minute instances of what lay beneath, there was one message being focused throughout his older brother¡¯s being.


    Right now, Avira spoke for Naroe.


    Reil slowly looked back at Avira, who remained the only one smiling. ¡°And what about the rest of the catch?¡±


    Avira blinked, cocking her head in genuine confusion. ¡°I mean, I thought we¡¯d trade it at Minoris. They¡¯re nocturnal right?¡± ¡± She looked back at Naroe, who nodded in agreement back to her. ¡°So we wouldn¡¯t be hunting until we¡¯re practically at their gates anyway, and they would want it more than anyone, right?¡±


    Reil blinked, a clear crack now forming in his resolve but Avira was still confused as to why. ¡°They don¡¯t go near the town, we¡¯d be carrying the carcass at least another hour out,¡± he said.


    Avira nodded, believing she had identified her grandfather¡¯s issue. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯d stink, but you guys are used to that, right?¡± She again looked back to see a smirk crack over Naroe¡¯s once stoic expression, but he said nothing when he nodded to her. ¡°I thought you guys would have something to wrap that up.¡± She turned back to her grandfather, a thought she hadn¡¯t considered already showing on her face as concern. ¡°Unless it¡¯d be too big¨C¡±


    ¡°No, no,¡± Reil waved her off as he turned back to the road, ¡°we have the materials to carry it that far. Just, just¡­¡± the wagon began to slow as the elder trailed off. ¡°Just be careful, please. Both of you.¡±


    Avira looked at Naroe, her concern for her grandfather laid bare to her fellow apprentice. White knew better than she did about how much Naroe understood his master, but the dragon felt a sincere plea in her silence now. It was one born of confusion, she couldn¡¯t understand the change in her grandfather¡¯s mood. Was their prey that dangerous?


    Naroe linked his fingers on his stomach and leaned back, his expression one of knowing solemnity, the blinding shroud thawing away from the deep sincerity in his voice. ¡°We will be.¡±


    The wagon regained some of its speed. And White understood.


    Not really, but he understood the important pieces, the ones that were affecting the situation right now. Their family had lost a very important piece, and Reil was worried about losing another. White didn¡¯t understand why, everything he knew and was learning pointed to him watching an empowered Naroe and Avira beating a big deer and then getting dinner, but there was something more complex lurking under the surface of the situation.


    Regardless, Reil seemed to settle after Naroe¡¯s claim, though the same could not be said about Avira. She, like White, knew that there was some underlying factor that she wasn¡¯t seeing. Regardless, she didn¡¯t seem comfortable enough to press the issue yet, so it was much to her relief when Reil spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep a pace to get us where we need to be by sundown. You two should come up with a plan for how you want to do this.¡± He turned back to his granddaughter then, his expression one of an instructor at work. ¡°I take it your father provided you with a full set?¡±


    She nodded, taking out three vials of night blue liquid from one of her bags. They sparkled as their contents swirled in its casing as she held them up to all of them. ¡°I haven¡¯t needed to take them out in a while, but Dad always said they¡¯re for emergencies.¡±


    Reil¡¯s tired face cracked a small smile. ¡°Good,¡± he turned to his apprentice then. ¡°Your new Brands aren¡¯t ready yet, but you should both only need one each for this.¡±


    Naroe¡¯s habitual smile returned then. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m more worried about taking it down too fast for White to learn anything.¡±


    ________________________________________________________


    By the time the sun had risen into the morning over the forest, plans had been argued, deconstructed, and rebuilt. Their prey¡¯s capabilities were reviewed and discussed before they spoke of their own abilities, as well as what they would gain through the Brand Link. By lunch, the two apprentices had a rough idea of how they would approach the hunt.


    Reil chose to stop the wagon for lunch, finding an indent in the tree line big enough for them to comfortably park and unlatching a beam of wood below the wagon to brace it against the uneven ground. Naroe set up a small, portable stove outside that he lit using the fallen brush around them, and cooked something for each of them from their rations. He had little difficulty cooking on the sloped ground, carefully preparing each ingredient with the intensity of someone who had ruined food in similar conditions.


    White had the thought to ask Reil if there was a story there.


    Both he and White had spent the night silently speaking to one another, mostly Reil telling stories to the intently listening child. Reil became much more animated in that mindset, using his hands and fingers to play out scenes as he told them. All of them had been about old heroes solving problems and achieving feats of strength and power in lands White had no knowledge of. But when he spoke at lunch, it was much closer to a lecture.


    ¡°We¡¯re in the Jade Line.¡± Reil began to White as they all took their freshly prepared meals. He pulled out an old rolled parchment from the front trunk and unrolled it, presenting it to White as the dragon bit into the small sandwich Naroe had made for him.


    On the right was the large, circular territory of Lugatea, which was surrounded by mostly ocean, but White noticed a small peninsula to its south. Reaching out to the frozen bottom of the world, it was barely connected to the original landmass along where the ship had settled so long ago. It clearly wasn''t a part of the vessel, but it was still marked as being a part of Lugatea.


    It took up a sizable chunk of the map, but the marked area sitting beside it was able to match almost half the size of the kingdom. Marked over it in bold were the words The Old World. The only thing that encroached on the seemingly empty space was a clearly more recently marked territory along its north-eastern edge. Small cartoon trees had been drawn with Tirion¡¯s Grove written underneath.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    White connected the dots and moved his eyes past the green lands they had already crossed and to where Reil was pointing. His finger lay right in the middle of a line marking a boundary between territories that ended in a dot titled Minoris, where it split northward and southward. They eventually reached the shores, carving two massive territories out of the continent. To the north was Ursa and to the south, Canis. Stretching across both territories was the depiction of the forest around them, the words Jade Line were written clearly above the trees.


    Beyond that lay a collection of various territories that fit together like intricate puzzle pieces. White recognized a number of them from Rain naming them before they left. All of them together made up a larger area than even the kingdom, but what caught his attention was that they surrounded a single mass of water fed by various seabound rivers. Written at the lake¡¯s center was the name Andromeda.


    Reil readjusted his grip on the map to cover its left side. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the rest of this,¡± he said while pointing back to Minoris. ¡°This is where we¡¯re stopping first. These two groups,¡± he pointed to Ursa and Canis, ¡°built it a long time ago. You see, they¡¯ve always been competitive with one another.¡± He put away the map and pulled out a round thermos, settling back against the wagon¡¯s front edge, letting his hands do all the movement as he spoke. ¡°A very, very long time ago,¡± he said, taking on the air of an old sage, ¡°the Empire ruled over the people who would become the two tribes. Back then, they hated one another for some old unknown grudge that we¡¯re not even sure they knew the details of. But regardless, despite their situation, both peoples held as much contempt for each other as they did their masters. So their masters decided to make use of that contemptment.¡±


    White knew without turning that now Naroe and Avira were fully focused on both of them.


    ¡°They made a coliseum,¡± Reil continued, ¡°but not just a coliseum, but the coliseum. The arena in which every arena from then on would be measured against. Big enough to house people from all across the world and built to put on any kind of stage that its creators could want. Then they filled it with traps, trinkets, beasts, and monsters.¡± The old trapper paused then, watching White¡¯s wide eyes stare at him in wrapped attention. ¡°Can you guess what they did then?¡± asked Reil.


    White was caught off guard, and blinked. From the train of thought Reil had been building and everything the dragon had heard about the Empire, the answer seemed obvious. Even so, White wasn¡¯t sure if Reil was expecting him to answer directly, since they hadn¡¯t told their companions about their discovery, so his response came as an unfocused pulse to reach them all at once.


    Both his siblings blinked in confusion before looking at each other. ¡°I got ¡®threw the tribes into the arena,¡¯ at least I think I did.¡± Avira said.


    ¡°I got ¡®pitted the tribes against one another.¡¯¡± Then he eyed his new brother as any suspicious older sibling would. ¡°But that response came out weird, and I mean a different weird.¡± His eyes shifted to his master, who met them with a touch of mischief in his own.


    White glanced between Naroe and Avira, the sandwich still midway in his mouth, before he sent a more focused apology to each of them with a sheepish look.


    ¡°I got both.¡± Reil¡¯s interjection got the attention of both apprentices. ¡°As well as a question as to why they would do such a thing in the first place,¡± the older man glanced to White with a shine of amusement in his eye.


    Naroe¡¯s usual smile grew stronger. ¡°Was waiting for you to catch up and here you are leaving us in the dust.¡± he said.


    Reil snorted at his apprentice before turning to Avira, ¡°I¡¯ll explain the details later, but I believe I can keep up with both of you.¡±


    Avira couldn¡¯t contain her soft laughter as she covered her mouth with a sleeve. ¡°Clearly. But maybe you should tell my Dad that you understand White now,¡± she removed her sleeve to reveal her smile. ¡°I¡¯m sure that would help him worry less.¡±


    Reil nodded with his own smile before turning back to the dragon who had just stuffed the rest of the sandwich in his mouth. ¡°You were right, on both accounts, and I¡¯ll answer your question now.¡± White swallowed the meal without much difficulty before nodding eagerly up at him. Reil smiled and White knew through Naroe, who had dropped the blinds around his soul completely, that the old veteran was enjoying the moment. He had always been a passionate teacher and White¡¯s presence had begun to fuel that fire.


    ¡°See, this forest,¡± Reil gestured to the overshadowing woods around them and getting back into his flow, ¡°is old. Older than we can ever know. And a very long time ago, years before The Sanctuary crashed, the world was very different. Back then, the world was flooded with an energy called the ¡®arcane.¡¯¡± Reil formed his hands into a circle before White and the dragon watched as a small sun, barely bigger than the tip of Reil¡¯s thumbs, formed at its center. ¡°Arcane energies are very different to the primordial energies of Light and Dark for numerous reasons, but we¡¯ll save those for another time. The one worth talking about now is that the arcane was born of this world, built into its very foundation, and that means it¡¯s able to influence the world in many ways. These influences are called ¡®magics.¡¯¡± Reil motioned to the trees around them then. ¡°This place is a prime example, it sucked up so much arcane energy that the trees began producing it at some point. Even now, centuries after most of the arcane has died out, they¡¯re still able to emit small traces of it into the world.¡±


    White wondered then if that was what gave the forest its look, but also wondered where this was going and whether or not his question was actually going to be answered. Regardless, he kept these thoughts to himself as Reil continued.


    ¡°Now, the people of these woods were very finely tuned with it and they continued to be so even after the Empire had subjugated them long before the colosseum¡¯s creation. In addition, they had developed bonds with two of the great predators that had stalked these woods, the bears of the north and the wolves of the south. These bonds granted them very unique magic at the time and that I¡¯m sure was very interesting to members of the Empire.¡± Reil¡¯s smile fell as soon as he brought up the ancient nation and his unfocused eyes moved to a spot on the ground. ¡°Both the people and their companions were used as both hunters for materials within the Jade Line and as personal guards, but there were plenty who found themselves sent away to be turned into test subjects for someone¡¯s twisted experiment.¡± He regained himself with a quick intake of breath. ¡°But back to the main topic,¡± he focused again on White, his demeanor more serious. ¡°The Empire had such control over the flow of information at the time, that neither tribe knew the other had been conquered. So when groups from both factions met on missions for their overlords, deadly and desperate battles would be waged over their objectives.¡±


    White interrupted Reil then with a questioning pulse to everyone, doing his best to make sure he was clearly understood this time, and Reil¡¯s smile returned. It was the same smile a teacher wore when asked a question he had been hoping for.


    ¡°Their overlords within the empire weren¡¯t necessarily on the same side. From what we know, they acted rather independently from one another during this time, and so didn¡¯t realize at first what was happening during these failed missions. But when they did, they went to investigate a previous battlefield and realized that the deaths of Jade Line natives had a peculiar effect¨C¡± Reil suddenly cut off and White saw an idea spark into life in the elder¡¯s eyes, before it was gone like lightning.


    Avira had only partially been listening, as she was well-read in world history, and only looked up from her plate after she had realized her grandfather had stopped. Naroe had caught it though, and knew on an instinctual level what it meant for all of them. Something had sparked his master¡¯s curiosity.


    The gap in Reil¡¯s speech lasted only a short  few seconds. ¡°It wasn¡¯t long before the overlords decided that reproducing that effect was the best use of the tribes,¡± he continued as if he hadn¡¯t stopped. ¡°They told them that the Empire had conquered both of them and were now deciding which tribe would hold dominion over the forest. They told them that in order to decide this, they created a true test of the forest, in the form of their coliseum. They said whoever passed would have their tribe made into rulers of the other and full dominion over the Jade Line. But¡­ no one was ever meant to pass.¡± Then he sighed, shook his head, and leaned back. ¡°Thankfully, it was only a few years afterwards that the Empire collapsed under its own weight and the tribes began overthrowing their masters. Then Lugatea brokered peace between the newly established Ursa and Canis, and Minoris was built a few centuries later to help solidify their improved relationship. And that¡¯s our first stop.¡±


    ¡°You rushed a little bit at the end,¡± goaded Naroe. ¡°Spent all that time on preamble only to gloss over the actual establishment of the town.¡±


    Reil shrugged a little too nonchalantly as he began finally cutting into his own plate of grilled strips of poultry. ¡°I¡¯d like to eat lunch too,¡± he said.


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Naroe made no effort to hide how unconvinced he was. Avira and White glanced at one another before looking at the other apprentice, but he only shook his head.


    ________________________________________________________


    They continued much like that for the rest of the day, chatting amongst themselves and acknowledging anyone they passed. Most of those seemed to be merchants, carrying large hauls of cargo on fully loaded wagons drawn by either horses or by the same rams White had seen in Central City. Usually they were accompanied by a few armed and armored guards and though none of them bore any clear allegiances, all were friendly enough to wave or nod to their fellow travelers. A few of them had the confidence to attempt a transaction, especially when they caught sight of White, but Reil declined them easily enough. The ground had leveled out well before twilight fell and Reil parked on the side of the road again. Naroe and Avira had already prepared themselves well before the wagon had stopped. By hanging up two rolled sheets of fabric, they made a space in the wagon to change into clothing more appropriate for a hunt..


    Naroe¡¯s armor was a bit heavier than what he had worn before. Layered pads of cloth, chainmail, and leather covered most of his body, his joints being the only exception. Poking out through the gaps of auburn were his dark green garments and a black body suit of thick but stretchy fabric. White could feel his discomfort in the extra weight and layers, and see it in his fidgeting, but also his firm understanding of their necessity.


    Avira wore the same suit under an ashen set of ashen garments, her long hair having been braided neatly by her grandfather. Unlike Naroe, she seemed more than comfortable in her gear. Even with the added weight of the strapped metal plating, the same plates she used in their duel, her movements still held natural grace.


    But there had been a small change, one not unlike her grandfather¡¯s when he slipped into a storyteller¡¯s role. The currents within her mind grew warmer, giving her efficient movements an energy she didn¡¯t normally carry. There was a lot of excitement there, bubbling up in the rising temperatures of her soul. But there was also a resolve there, keeping that excitement from rising to the surface and forged from an intense desire.


    White had some difficulty discerning what that desire was, given how naturally it came to Avira and she wasn¡¯t exactly thinking about it. He decided he would ask her about it later. Right now, they were going to hunt.


    It had been decided that White would accompany them for the tracking phase of the hunt, but would be watching with Reil from a distance once they engaged. As much as Naroe and Avira wanted him with one of them, and as much as White himself wanted to experience the hunt as closely as possible, Reil was not willing to take the risk.


    ¡°We can see how he handles direct exposure to the Brand Links another time,¡± he had said. ¡°I admit it¡¯d be good prep for his Majesty, but it doesn¡¯t need to be during combat.¡±


    And so White found himself on his older brother¡¯s shoulder, using their connection to follow the trapper¡¯s gaze as he spotted hints of their quarry. The sun had nearly set completely and almost none of the leftover light could pierce the canopy layer. Yet Naroe¡¯s eyes had adjusted as quickly as the sun had left and he flowed through the woods as silently as any predator.


    Even in the near pitch black, his eyes were able to make out the outlines of most of their surroundings at a good distance. Close up, he was able to even spot details like tracks, debris, and discarded material. Though that last one he could usually smell well beforehand. His ears were tuned to every sound around them, searching for even the slightest hint of a threat through the forests¡¯ white noise, which had only grown stronger as they moved deeper in. He stopped every little while to feel the ground, searching for the vibrations of distant, heavy steps.


    Avira did not hold the same bond to the woods as Naroe did. Her father had trained her in darker environments numerous times before and her senses were just as good as his. She had been on hunting trips in the past and had been given lessons by veterans of the trade and while she wasn¡¯t as fast as Naroe, she moved with almost complete silence. But all her experience had been within the Kingdom, within artificial spaces constructed by mortal hands. These woods were a remnant of primordial chaos and she did not know them.


    It was this fact that led Avira to suggest Naroe take White and why she was following behind them. White would learn a lot more through Naroe¡¯s eyes than hers in this instance. She still took the same precautions Naroe did in scanning for any threats but mainly used the time to familiarize herself with the area as much as she could. White could feel her matching plants to entries in books in her head behind them, like the gentle vibrations of a small engine.


    For the small dragon, he had been given one other goal outside of learning how to hunt. When they had begun, Naroe had stressed the importance of stealth when looking for prey. ¡°No matter the prey,¡± he had said, ¡°you never want it to know you¡¯re there until you¡¯re ready to strike.¡±


    For something covered primarily in bright, shiny scales, even White knew that wouldn¡¯t be easy. Naroe was initially going to wrap him up in cloth while they tracked, but Reil had been the one to shoot the idea down. Instead, the older man had told White to watch his siblings and try to be as stealthy as possible. So that¡¯s what he had done.


    From the moment they entered the forest, he had focused on what they were doing. It had started as watching them, but his focus had grown to encompass their connections. He began to feel their movements as they made them, from the gentle confidence in each measured step to the silent hiss of their controlled breathing he came to understand what they were doing.


    As White came to understand ¡°stealth,¡± his body reacted with his desire as best it could. His scales slowly began to drink in the darkness around them. The roaming gray clouds on his body grew darker and larger, spreading across his scales before spilling out over the rest of him. After twenty minutes, White¡¯s colors had inverted and he melded with the darkness better than Naroe did. Even the glow from his eyes had left, leaving them barely visible even to Avira.


    Her surprise at the change had lasted barely any time at all, especially given Reil¡¯s previous interjection. Neither White nor Naroe had noticed, both far too engrossed with the task at hand. That focus made Avira hesitant to point it out for fear of breaking the transformation.


    The three of them stalked for a while longer, long enough that the sun had completed its descent, plunging them into even deeper darkness. Naroe never stopped for long and Avira never lost track of him, neither lost their sense of direction. Then Naroe froze mid stride, causing Avira to do the same. This wasn¡¯t like how he had stopped to check the ground multiple times before, this was an instinctual response of such strength that it froze White through the connection.


    Something was looking at them. Not like White had felt before with the Planes, this was immediate. Physical. But there was still power there, raw and driven purely by nature. White realized that nature was making a judgement at that very moment: Had it just sensed prey?


    In the instant that followed that realization, three things happened. The first was that White¡¯s senses honed in on the perceived threat¡¯s location, something he actively shared with his siblings. The second was that White glimpsed the soul of what had seen them. Piercing green eyes that shone with an intelligent power that had dominated this part of the vast forest for years. And the third was that those eyes found White.