Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Archaiphage ❯ Dragon's Errand ( Chapter 3 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Chapter 3: Dragon's Errand

The dragon's home was laid out in a rather impressive fashion -- bookshelves lined the walls on one side of the room, and windows -- illusionary, but very convincing -- lined the other. A large pile of cushions sat in the corner, with a fireglass lamp on a small table beside it. Two doors, one obviously sized for the dragon and one more human-sized, were positioned on the other side of the room. The most surprising thing however, was the clearly human-made furniture -- a table, a few chairs, a desk -- positioned along the windowed wall.

/Please, have a seat,\ Thielos positioned himself on the cushions. /Make yourselves comfortable.\

Kuen sat down on the floor in front of the dragon, while Rystard showed no sign of doing anything more than lean against the wall, his arms crossed. Eita sighed, and picked up a chair from near the table, moving it over by the dragon.

/Now, where to begin...\ Thielos drummed his claws on the floor of the room. /Well, I supposed I ought to explain something about dragons first.\

"You think, maybe?" Rystard said.

Thielos ignored him. /Feel free to ask questions... I'm not used to this.\

"To what?" Kuen asked.

/To talking to people. As you can imagine, there are some things that I can't do... like walk into a town and strike up conversations at the local pub.\ He seemed to shrug. /Well, there's no helping it.\

"Wait a moment..." Eita said. "This..." she waved a hand encompassing the room. "All of this doesn't come out of the ether. If you can't deal with humans, how did you get all of this?"

/Well, that's part of what I need to explain to you. Where to begin... well, we dragons are very old. We live far longer than a human does, and are born with the knowledge of our parent.\

"Parent singular?" Eita asked.

"Last time I checked, you usually needed two creatures to have a child," Rystard said. "I suppose there are exceptions -- microbes and some water animals -- but most big things you need a male and female."

/Dragons are very high-maintenance creatures... and nearly impossible to kill... if we were able to reproduce at will, we could be very likely to drain our territories of resources. So, usually we only lay a single egg when we are coming near the end of our lives.\

"So, you aren't a male or a female dragon?" Eita ventured. "It seems a bit rude to refer to you as an 'it'."

/If it helps, I've always thought of myself as a masculine personality. But that is neither here nor there. We dragons may be intelligent and wise, but it is impossible to be intelligent and want to isolate oneself away form all other contact. Intelligence is a hunger far more insatiable than the physical one.\ Eita caught Rystard nodding when Thielos said this. He turned to look at her watching him, and stopped, resuming his scowl and defiant attitude.

/So, we dragons created the chiera. We each select a member of one of the Mortal Species to be our Hand. They speak to the outside world for us, they run errands for us. They serve as a person to talk to and debate -- the only unifying factor among the chiera are a great intelligence, a greater curiosity and a bit of magical ability... which is necessary to create the bond between the dragon and his chiera.\

"Bond?" Eita said. "What kind of bond?"

/You notice how I speak to you now... I am technically mute, but I am able to use magic to communicate with your mind -- after all, the ear is only a tool. The mind is what interprets the pressure waves of sound. With my chiera, I am able to do more that that... I am able to create images as well. I am also able to see through his senses, and he is able to see through mine... the bond is balanced. Anything I can do through it, he can also.\

"You know, that's great," Rystard said. "What does that have to do with us? I don't know about Eita or Kuen, but I have better things to do with my life than be a dragon's errand boy."

/Quite all right. Not everyone is open-minded enough to be a chiera, even if they do have the qualities of personality.\

"You mentioned there was a person we needed to heal," Kuen said, the first time she had spoken in a while.

/Yes... I better just tell the story. I believe you have the required background now...

/Several months ago, my chiera-- a human named Chosief Riit, I know you humans put much stock into names -- was on business for me across the Iyaran border. Unfortunately, he was forced to use some magic to defend himself, and a zendlo happened to be in the area.\

Eita nodded. Even in Ferina, they had heard of the zendlo of the Iyaran branch of the Cult of Orihan. They were said to be gifted with the power of Creative and Destructive magic. As well as being competent fighters, they were trained to use their magic to block magic in others. The Iyaran government used them to keep watch on the various magic users who had been taught to suppress their gifts. Eita could only imagine if they came across a mage who had not only embraced his gifts, but also had befriended a dragon.

/They didn't expect a chiera at first -- they must have thought Chosief was a normal Ferinan mage. Consequently, he was able to escape their custody. I told him to make for the border, and that I would be there as soon as possible. But, he was weakened from his earlier fight and imprisonment...\

"What happened?" Kuen asked quietly.

/He managed to make it to a kitsune thicket before he passed out. One of their healers used a nice bit of magic to create a temporary mindbond to mentally ask him what was wrong. It was then the zendlo with his reinforcements stored into the settlement. They carried Chosief off without the healer having a chance to sever his spell.\ Thielos's claws were digging into the cushions, scattering feathers everywhere. Eita also noticed tears in his expressive eyes as he continued. /They took Chosief to their enclave in the capitol. They... well, I'm sure you've heard stories about what they do to mages to get them to renounce their magic.\

Rystard nodded grimly. Kuen, on the other hand, was turning a lovely mixture between paler than normal -- quite a feat -- and seasick green. "If you are expecting the three of us to mount a rescue mission..." Eita began.

/There is no need. He is dead. I felt it.\

"I'm sorry," Kuen said. "I really am."

/A dragon learns to cope with the loss of his cheira... though this was much sooner than I expected to have to face it again.\

"Then what in Heaven and Earth do you need us for?" Rystard asked. "We can't bring back the dead."

/Nor would I ask you to. Death is the only thing that gives life meaning. Only things that end are important. What I need you to do is to look after that kitsune healer. He picked up Chosief's last weeks in this world, as did I. However, he didn't have the age or training to sever the link or shield his mind -- it would be as if he were experiencing all of the pain Chosief felt himself.\ As one, Kuen, Rystard and Eita winced. /I need you to bring him here and help me sever the spell -- as a creature seeped in magic myself, it is very difficult for me to dispel it.\

"Where is he?" Kuen asked.

/It will be about a day's walk north,\ Thielos explained. /It is very close to the Iyaran border, so I don't want to get that close. A matter of courtesy, you understand.\

"Of course," Rystard said dryly. "Instead you expect the three of us to go."

/Well, you would raise fewer suspicions. If you are careful and keep your secrets, any zendlo in the area will leave you alone... they fully support Creative Mages, as they believe it is related to the will of their deity. You are free to take any food supplies you wish from here -- Chosief was always good at keeping the larder stocked.\ The last sentence was said in a wistful tone.

"Let's go back outside -- we should send a message to the driver to go on ahead," Eita suggested.

/Of course,\ Thielos said. /I'll leave the door open for you.\

The three walked up the stairs. "What do you two think about this?" Eita asked.

"That poor man..." Kuen was still looking a bit pale.

"Are you okay, Kuen? Maybe you shouldn't try to climb these stairs," Eita put a hand on Kuen's arm to steady her.

"No, I'll be fine... the fresh air and sunlight might help," Kuen told her quickly.

"Well, I still don't trust the dragon," Rystard said slowly. "But I like the zendlo even less. And this seems harmless enough."

Eita nodded. "I can't really read dragon body language, but he was either genuinely concerned or a good actor."

They reached the entrance again and blinked in the bright sunlight. Rystard took out a piece of paper, brush and ink. Writing the message, he then carefully folded it into a paper crane. He carefully painted two glyphs on the wings, then spoke to the paper bird. The glyphs lit up, and the wings started to flap. "Go to the driver of a horse cart about 15 minutes' walk down that hill," he instructed it. He released it into the wind, where it drifted for a bit, making its way in roughly the right direction. "I told him that we were needed on another matter, and that he should continue on to Rotuche with our trunks. We would be there in a week at most."

"A week?" Eita said.

"One day to walk to get the kitsune, one day's walk back, maybe a day to break the spell and recover. Then we have to walk to Rotuche... which will take maybe another day or so. I added in the extra time in case the dragon thinks we can walk faster than we can."

"You better bet on it. I don't like walking," Eita said.

"Get used to it," Rystard said. "We're going to be doing a lot of it -- unless we need to carry equipment or people, walking is more practical. Save the horses for emergencies."

"I would say that any time a healer had to make a house call instead of having the patient brought into town would be an emergency," Eita countered.

"Not with how most rural communities are spread out. If a person is bedridden or has a broken limb that was set, they won't be able to get into town."

"I still say we should have use of a horse and cart. We are healers after all."

Rystard rolled his eyes. "Well, whether or not we have one in town, we don't now. So get used to it. Let's go see what supplies this dragon keeps... I don't know about you, but I didn't bring camping equipment.

* * *

"You purposely put all the heavy stuff into my pack, didn't you, Rystard," Eita struggled up another hill with her pack.

"Of course not," Rystard said from the crest of the hill, where he waited with Kuen for the last member of their trio to catch up. "I don't like waiting for you any more than you like carrying that thing. All three packs weigh the same -- and don't think I didn't see you trying to find the lightest one, last night."

"I couldn't sleep... who'd know a dragon snores?" Eita shifted her pack again.

"You can put some more stuff in my pack," Kuen offered. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Rystard gave her a concerned look. "You do have the tent."

"I'm sure... I'm stronger than I look."

Eita remembered how Kuen had lifted her trunk. That's an understatement for sure. She's probably stronger than Rystard thinks. For that matter, she might be stronger than Rystard... the man's a reed. "If Kuen really thinks she can handle it, we should let her."

"You're just saying that to lighten your pack." Rystard commented. However, he did stop long enough for Eita and Kuen to stop to transfer some things from Eita's pack to Kuen's.

As they crested the next hill, Kuen held out a hand. "Stop," she said, in an even more hushed whisper than her usual tone. "Look." She pointed.

At first glance it looked like some kind of deer browsing on the scrub surrounding the hills. However, only the most suicidal of deer would be colored bright gleaming white, and most deer had two horns, not the single spiraled one emerging from the creature's forehead. It was very close... only about 10 paces down the hillside. It didn't seem to acknowledge their existence.

"It's a unicorn," Eita said softly. "I've never seen one before."

"There are quite rare," Rystard agreed. "They are said to only appear around virgins. Guess that means if the one is rare then--yeouch!" He stopped talking as Eita stepped on his foot hard.

"Don't be such a pervert," she reprimanded. "Hone-"

"Shh!" Kuen hissed, a finger pressed to her lips. "Don't scare it away. They're good luck. You know, the Cult of Orihan sees them as a sign of their deity." She tapped the icon at her throat for emphasis.

"So?" Rystard asked. "You know, their god is no fun at all if he picks a creature that symbolic of keeping your shift on as his sacred animal." This got a nasty look from Kuen, which shut him up.

"It's not really virginity," Kuen said. "It's purity of spirit. The unicorn can sense a pure body, mind and heart at 100 paces."

"Figures you'd think of virginity first," Eita said in disgust. "Honestly, men are all alike."

"Shh!" Kuen hissed again. The unicorn had stopped browsing the plants and had its head up. Its ears twitched, listening. "I think it heard us. If you two don't be quiet, I... I don't know what I'll do." She balled her fists up. She actually looks angry, Eita noticed. Even when Kuen was telling Rystard and myself to stop fighting for the seventh time in one day, she barely looks anything more than a bit annoyed. She's a strange girl... she looked as sick as we did when Thielos mentioned how Chosief died, but she does seem to worship Orihan the same as Iyar. Eita shook her head. There are too many missing pieces...

The unicorn seemed to hear her. It snapped to attention and broke into a gallop, heading right towards Kuen. It reared up on its hind legs, and Kuen collapsed to her knees, bringing up her hands over her face and giving a squeak of surprise. Eita froze. It's so big... and those hooves look dreadfully sharp. Not to mention that horn...

"Go on! Git!" Rystard was waving his hands around and moving to come between Kuen and the unicorn. "Go home! Home!"

The unicorn seemed to pause, then it calmed down, resuming its footing. It gave Rystard a dirty look, than elegantly turned around, walking away with a swish of its tail. "What did it step in, I wonder?" Rystard said. "It has a major attitude problem. Are you okay, Kuen?" He turned to look down at her, offering his hand.

She took it. "Yes, I'm okay. A little shaken, maybe." She bent down to pick up her parasol.

"You hurt?" he asked, looking at the dirt on her skirt, and her crooked headpiece.

"No... no, I'm fine," she smiled at him. "Just a little shaken up. It'll pass once I start walking again."

"Well... all right," Rystard grinned sheepishly.

"Hey, Rystard...." Eita said hesitantly. "That was pretty brave. Incredibly stupid... but brave."

"Thanks, Eita." Rystard started walking again.

I wonder what spooked the unicorn... or why it zeroed in on Kuen... that girl is strange... She knew the problem would continue to pull at her until she solved it, but it would have to wait until she found more pieces.