Day 341 (319)

Day 341 (319):

(Dream)

Set, Vanity, and I were sitting on the ledge where the outpost's ramp met the sea. Floating in front of us was Brimagor, reduced to Falcon's general size.

"How fair my children?" he asked, concern etched across his scaled face, "I cannot reach them or they do not heed me."

"Their pain is great, my Lord. They are watched constantly in case they should harm themselves or others," I sadly reported.

Brimagor sighed so deeply, I gripped the ledge to prevent being pulled into him. Even in this dream state, I could feel his conflict.

"My Lord," I began softly, "I understand your dilemma. You do not condone Konfotuta's actions since he is causing so much chaos. Yet, you cannot condemn him because he is still behaving in a very draconian manner. I, too, am torn. He is evil and must be stopped, but I, as one bonded to a dragon, find it unsettling to be plotting the death of another dragon."

A small smile softened Brimagor's features.

"Even in dreams, you can read me so well. I cannot fault him for retaliating against even such a small attack. However, my children hurt, in a way I cannot heal, from his retaliation. How to resolve this conflict?"

We sat and thought.

"If we knew his underlying goals, perhaps they would shed light on this problem," I suggested.

"He wants the 'Soul of the Sea'," Set reminded us, "Could this all be about Ocean's dad?"
Brimagor jerked, "He wants what? How long has he sought that treasure?"

"Since he and Alkon terrorized their wards, my Lord," I told him.

Brimagor rolled out a lengthy list of swearing in draconian, common, elf, plus many other languages, some that had not been spoken for centuries. When he finished venting, he faced us once again.

"All these centuries, he has hidden this desire. This I find alarming. There must be a way to find out why he wants the 'Soul of the Sea'." 

"In sleep, part of the mind is unguarded, painfully honest, and approachable. Perhaps we can get his own mind to betray him," I offered. 

Without warning, Brimagor whisked the three of us off the ledge and, impossibly fast, took us out to the saurguin city. Konfotuta was dreaming of his victory. Brimagor went invisible, but held us stationary in the water.

"Konfotuta!" I bellowed underwater.

He saw us and swam over.

"Odd to see you here. Come to chide me for killing your friends? Do not bother. They were very tasty."

"For that? No, that is done and cannot be undone. We want to know why you seek the 'Soul of the Sea'? What power do you hope to gain?"

"'Hope'? Hope has nothing to do with it. It is the essence of a Primordial, older and stronger than the gods. Since even my own creator is too shortsighted to see the dragons' enslavement, I mean to consume that primordial power and free all dragons to be what they show be: rulers of all other races."

"You intend to eat the 'Soul of the Sea', gain the Primordial Water's powers, unseat Brimagor, and make all living things subject to dragon rule? No one can accuse you of small thinking," I said, a bit sarcastically.

"For a soft creature, you have a quick mind. Yes, I intend all of those things. I was going to share power with Brimagor, but our talk showed me that he would only fight me and cause a dragon civil war. No, he must be eliminated and a new order, a real dragon order, put in his place. I am the only one willing to do such, so the burden is mine to supplant him."

Brimagor's rage was making it hard for him to hold us still. Konfotuta seemed oblivious to our movement.

"Is such the dragon way?" I asked like I didn't know, "Do many dragons seek to topple their god, their creator?"

"The dragon way? There is no dragon way. Every dragon acts as we see fit. The notion of a 'dragon way' is more archaic than I."
"So there is no code or tradition that guides dragon behavior?"

Konfotuta laughed, "Small body, small brain, both very fragile. Brimagor has tried for eons to solidify that pathetic system. It, like him, will be tossed when I gain godhood."

"Then you will not hold dragons to any model and open the belly of the Great Dragon for all to enter," I remarked.

Again, he laughed, "The Great Dragon? A fool's tale that only fools believe. Any dragon, even this whelp here, with an ounce of sense does not believe such rubbish. When I am a god, that group of stars will be obliterated and the tale will gather dust in terrestrial archives."

Brimagor could hold still no longer. Encasing us in a cloud of bubbles, he shot to the surface and back to Arvocan. Without a word, he set us down and zoomed off. We three decided it was best to waken.

I opened my eyes to see my sisters and companions leaning over me. Worry hung over all of them. As I rose, I noticed I, the bed, and an area around us was soaked. Set, also, was dripping.

"Fear not, my loves, this is ordinary sea water. When I tell you our vision dream, you will understand."

Set, Dawn, Echo, and Bo took up the task of drying out the bed and room as I found a towel and dry clothes and recounted our trip. Unlike their usual reactions, they were all silent and still. I couldn't blame them. I was still a bit shocked at the idea myself. 

We decided to consult Sky Thunder, as the oldest dragon available, as the possible success of Konfotuta's plan.

Once he got over his shock and, like Brimagor, vented a long list of swearing, he sat with us to discuss this matter.

"Konfotuta is wrong. I have seen the Great Dragon from the inside. The story is long, but the short of it is I died, went to the Great Dragon, was told it was not my time to enter, and awoke to find myself being healed. He is the fool if he believes it does not exist.

"His ambition is not dragon ambition. I have met some truly ambitious dragons, some who also aspired to godhood. They were perfecting their magic, their skills, or their strength. None have attempted such a short-cut, cowardly path to divinity. Such a view is unheard of among any other dragons I know. Brimagor must be furious."

"He is," I reported, "So angry is he that he ripped us away from Konfotuta without a word. What he may do, even I cannot see."

"He cannot have it!" both Sarah and Gretta stated uncharacteristically loud.

We all turned to face them. They began stammering, trying to explain their outburst. We smiled.

"No, Sisters, he shall not," Ian confirmed, "It is secure in the Hoard and such as he shall ne'er lay eyes upon it."

"Can it do what he claims? Can swallowing it make him a god?" Gretta asked, barely above a whisper.

Ian shrugged, "Dunna know, we've no way to determine such."

"Kayla can!" Callie exclaimed, then blushed deep enough to hide her freckles.

Ian gave her a grandfatherly smile, "Well, it seems I am to be escortin' Kayla to the Hoard."

"Uncle," Gretta said softly, "may I come, too? I would like to see my future home, maybe meet more family?"

Ian laughed, "Of course, child. However, how are we to get there? It took us a couple of days to get here."

"I believe I can aid in that," Sky Thunder volunteered.

We ate as we coordinated our trip and what the rest would be doing in our absence. They would plot the best place to confront Konfotuta and work with the deep aquatics to get the timing of the waterspout and the Clapper.

Using my riding set, I saddled Sky and added two more spots. Sky promised Set he would not fly too fast and overtax Set's "small" wings. I let Ian take the front-most position in order to guide Sky to the Hoard. Gretta's excitement over meeting more family overrode her fear of riding a dragon again.

We kept a leisurely pace, one Set could easily maintain. Over ocean, above fishing villages, and over the warming terrain. Spring was trying valiantly to throw off the blanket of winter.

Before long, Set sent me the excited message that "treasure", and a lot of it, was close. Gretta reported feeling a faint vibration that was growing stronger. I began feeling the presence of hundreds of leprechauns and non-leprechauns, most likely mixed like Gretta and I. 

As we landed in what appeared to be an empty field, a swarm of armed people seemed to erupt out of the ground. Seeing Ian at the reins of a wild dragon, they were, understandably, confused.

"Mi till thugaibh, m'sluagh, leatha, Gretta, m'banacharaidean agus piuthar seachd an claidhnean," (I return to you, my people, with Gretta, my female relation and Sister of the Sword.) Ian announced as he dismounted.

Gretta waved shyly as she and I, along with Set, joined Ian. I unsaddled Sky to allow him to wait comfortably. He proceeded to explain our purpose for visiting the Hoard. Gretta, like Anna, discovered a large, previously unknown, family. While I could tell she wanted to bask in this love, she reminded Ian of our purpose. Blushing slightly, he led us under the concealing illusion into the holding town of the Hoard.

It was, truly, a town unto itself, hidden even better than Gowgornok. This illusion not only shielded the town, but kept me from sensing the full population. Only Set's sensitive nose gave any hint as to its location. No wonder no invader had found it. Anyone short of a dragon would have no chance of even accidentally stumbling across it.

Our presence caused a stir that followed us as we descended into the heart of the Hoard. As we traveled, whispers of "Chathair Caillte" followed us. Ian told us that they surmised that Gretta was a Lost City child, explaining her human height but leprechaun kin. I also heard "seidh" when someone saw my purple eyes. Set was almost ignored.

Many levels down, we came upon a small pond of the purest water I had seen outside of the Faerie Realm. In the center, just below the surface, a large blue sapphire sat. Around it, tiny beings attended it, keeping it, and the water, pristine.

"Gallday, mi siblia. Ma chay soka du 'Sola de Ocea'?" I asked the little water pixies.

"Meh? Heh su choka du Faeria langa?" one of them asked, probably shouting, of me.

"Ie du Faeria Regalia childre," I answered.

"Um," Gretta interrupted, "translation?"
"Sorry. I said hello and asked to see the 'Soul of the Sea'. They asked how I knew the Faerie language. I told them that I am the Faerie Queen's grandchild. Actually, 'childre' means 'girl child of distant descent'."

"Oh, good, are they willing to let us see it?" she asked, a small quiver in her voice.

"We are, if you can tell us why you need to see him," the same one replied.

We told them about Konfotuta and his quest. They were outraged. As a group, they lifted the massive gem out of the water. Gretta stepped back to where its song was easiest to bear. I took a couple of deep breaths before accepting the gem. Just as Ian had told us, the story of how the Primordial Water became a gem played before me. Once he became this gem, his life slowly ebbed away. I could feel little life and a hint of godly powers residing within its beautiful crystal structure. Still strongly tied to water and the seas, it had not the power Konfotuta sought. Finished, I returned it to the caretakers and faced Ian and Gretta.

"While beautiful and magical, it is nearly a corpse. Not much life resides inside. An elemental wizard could conjure great storms with it, but it cannot grant godhood."

Ian let out the breath he had been holding as he relaxed. Gretta got more frightened at this news.

"This will anger him. He'll think we're lying when we tell him. This is not good."

"I know," I reassured her, "but, we do not have to fear him actually achieving this goal. No evil sea dragon god."

She relaxed slightly. The gem was returned to its previous position. We headed back up to the surface. We were met by a group who wished to visit with us. A meal was served as we discussed Konfotuta, Gretta, and other things. By the time we rose to leave, Gretta had a post, house, and family waiting upon her return.

Sky Thunder was finishing his meal. He swallowed the last bite as we surfaced around the illusion barrier.

"No go, eh?" Sky chuckled, "Good, teach him to take a short-cut to power."

"Still, he must be defeated," Gretta quietly mentioned, "He has done too much evil to go unpunished."

"Yes, he has. Let us return to Arvocan and plan his punishment," Sky agreed.

To save time and energy, Sky enfolded Set, Gretta, Ian, and I into his embrace and took us through kirlan back to the plaza in Arvocan. Our sisters, companions, and friends ran over to us. To my sisters, we instantly shared all we had learned. To the rest, we verbally told them our findings. The aquatics were saddened that he was passing away in such a manner. Some resolved to formally mourn him.

With that settled, we decided to officially call out Konfotuta to face us. In the message, we put our findings on the "Soul of the Sea", letting him decide if we spoke truthfully. Written on water-proof material, it was carried by a rider to the saurguin city.

Since we were waiting for Konfotuta's reply, we asked the Council if they were ready to test Set. They were and all of us seven and our companions joined them in a theatre of sorts. My sisters and companions took seats in the audience along with the Five. Set and I were on the stage with several aquatics and items similar to what the dwarfs had when they tested him. Having us present eased Set's fears at being captured again.

"Emperor Sarroset, this will be a series of tests to gauge the strength of your breath weapons and other abilities," one of the testers told him, but loud enough for all to hear.

"I try," Set replied out loud, hesitantly.

Just like the dwarfs, they set up a large pot of water and asked Set to heat it up as hot as he could and boil out the water. We were all informed that it was saltwater and needed more heat to boil. There was no wood flanking this pot. Set puffed until smoke trailed from his nostrils. He let loose a vent of flame. I took a step back to avoid the intense heat. Within seconds, steam rose from the pot, which began glowing with the heat. Set exhausted his fire and sat to rest. The pot was white hot, the stone pedestal it sat upon was glowing red, and steam rolled from within. I praised Set for such a good job. The testers were writing furiously and measuring pot, water, and stone. This all was set aside with testers still observing it. Another set-up was brought forth. This was to be frozen. Having rested and cooled down, Set pumped his sides until a light frost gathered upon his nose and lips. With all his might, he blew cold upon the pot of seawater. In short order, the pot and stone pedestal were enshrouded in frost. This, too, the testers examined. The water was solid. One tester tapped the pot and it shattered like glass. The ice within, free of the pot, toppled off the stone pedestal and crashed onto the stage floor. Cracks webbed out from the impact site. A tester made to touch the ice and, due to his wet skin, became stuck to the block. When he stopped panicking, warm water freed him. With care, the ice, pedestal, and pot shards were taken away, also with observers. A human head-sized chunk of black rock was placed upon another stone pedestal.

"This is obsidian, forged in volcanoes and very hard. Sarroset, we ask you to shatter this with your lightning," the main tester requested.

Set's skin began to crackle as he powered up his lightning power. He spat a bolt that arced to the stone. With a deafening *pop*, the obsidian shattered into razor-sharp shards, wounding a few of the testers. Set shrank, afraid he was about to be punished. However, they had foreseen this possibility and treated their wounded quickly. The main tester reassured Set that no punishment was forthcoming. The shards were carefully gathered and taken away for study. Next came the measuring. While they were getting his weight, height, length, etc, vials were produced. I aided in the collecting of the carrier oil from his tail barb. With and without it, the other components were collected. Scales, spit, and anything else they could think of was also collected. We were thanked and allowed to leave.

By now, it was nearly nightfall. Set was famished. The rest of us were also hungry. We joined our friends in the outpost eating area. 

During this time, those who had not been with us asked us about Set's testing. We were pleased to be able to tell them how well it went. Some could not understand what was so special about him that warranted such scrutiny. We took a moment to decide on how to explain.

"Friends," I began, "dragons such as Set are very rare. He is only the fourth hatched in fifteen thousand years. The last one before him was hatched three thousand years ago. No record survives of his powers, skills, or abilities. The physical descriptions of his horns and coloring are the only records of Emperor dragons that any remembers. This opportunity is not to be missed. Seeing him grow is a rare sight. While there may be years, centuries, to record him as an adult, there is a small time limit to record him as a wyrmling, juvenile, and young dragon. Do you understand this now?"
Our friends, plus many around us, both spoke and radiated their understanding. Now, they saw my partner in a new light. The rarity, not only of him but of this time in his life, made the "fuss" logical and rational.

I could tell everyone was thinking to what historic or legendary figures were around three thousand years ago. 

One elderly aquatic blurted out in the hush of the room, "Derrock Tatamore! He was said to ride a beast of the elements, that made the mountains shake, the tides turn, even stop the sun, moon, and stars from traveling across the sky. Was that an Emperor dragon?"

We looked at each other. We seven and many others had never heard of Derrok Tatamore.

"Elder," Sarah gently addressed the speaker, "we do not know this figure. Please, elaborate."

He sat with us, "Derrok Tatamore lived before Moa sank and Larroa burned. From a humble family of farmers and common laborers, he became a hero when, it is said, the gods gave him the gift of this mighty beast. Derroc and Murrock, the beast, defeated the tyrant that was bleeding his people. The pair raised an honest leader to replace the tyrant, defended the land, and died together stopping 'a disaster'."

The large room was silent, processing the tale and trying to remember if they had heard of this before.

"What territory did they guard?" Lisa asked.

"The southern tip of this continent. Kingdom known as Sappotay."

The room filled with noise as memories flooded those listening. Unfortunately, most of us seven had never heard of either of them or the kingdom. Lisa and Alice were the only ones who recognized the land. Even through them, we knew we had never been told their story.

It was late, so we shelved this for now. Everyone parted to their homes and dwellings. We went to our room. Alice suggested sending for their story to see if Murrock was an Emperor or even a dragon. We went to bed still working it out.