by M Arienach
Meetings with the other lands had stepped up and there was a new building outside my lair. It sported several map rooms, planning rooms and a meeting hall. The dragons now all had communication crystals and they were all determined to protect the people of the lands. Funny thing was, none of the ones who had shown up had rejected the empire’s stand that people did not have to have wings to be equals. Maybe all of this would be worth it. I prayed it would be worth it.
The Winds of War
It was later that year about early fall when a damaged merchant came in. Two cruisers of the Torgos fleet escorted it into the harbor. I was called well before they arrived and was awaiting them when they dropped anchor. Haladoria and Dorvus were with me and none of us felt like talking. The lands seemed to be under a blanket now. The worst news was from a com transmission that said they had downed a dragon who was attacking the merchant. Those words echoed in my head.
Downed a dragon.
Gods had it come to this?
I greeted the elf that stepped from the boat that had rowed him in from the merchant.
He looked up at me and asked; “You are Michael Arienach, Emperor of Dragonhaven?”
“That is I.”
He sighed. “Thank the gods. I am Alain of the Moonsinger nation. Now forced vassals of Lady Viennarinia.”
“It has gone that far.” I half whispered.
“I would not be here now if not for your ships. I know not what those weapons are, but it seems the only chance of living if the dragons find you.”
“They are weapons I had hoped would never see use.” I sighed. “Our lands here were at peace till the news arrived about Viennarinia.”
“Where will you go now?” Lady Haladoria asked.
“I have nowhere to go. My land is in ruins and the dragons rule the skies. They even fight each other and no one dares work the fields.”
“How much of the lands are like that?” Dorvus asked.
“All of them. The states and kingdoms are all but ash now. Our people are slaves.”
I turned to Haladoria. “Call a meeting. All of the nobles and dragons up at the arena in Dragonhaven. Tell them it will be held in two hours. I want Torgos there as well.”
“What will you do, Michael?” Haladoria asked.
“What I have to. This must end.”
The meeting went as well as could be expected. The dragons were all for attacking their brethren. I wanted the empire protected and finally they backed down and understood. I still had major protest over not wanting anyone with me. Torgos and the warships of the other nations were to patrol the seas around the empire. The dragons were to aid them. All of the map rooms were to be manned and to watch the sea at least a few hundred miles out.
We got what intelligence we could from Alain. There were actually few dragons left that supported her, from what could be told. Most went along just to keep from drawing her attention. So, if this went well, it would not be a true war. I hoped. Surprisingly, neither Haladoria nor Dorvus tried to talk me out of what I had planned. The only thing that was said was from Haladoria.
“I did you no favor by making you emperor.”
“You were not to blame in this.”
“You will come back to us.”
“That I will.”
Once I received word that everyone was in place, I shifted and ported.
Over hell.
The lands looked to be a battlefield. Crops everywhere were in ruins and there were craters and burnt areas that stretched for miles. In the first hour of flight, I saw nothing living. I had my radar full up and only located a few dragons. Two ran from me and only one, a ragged looking ancient approached.
“Who are you?” It asked weakly.
“I am Michael Arienach.”
“Oh, thank the gods. Please kill me now.”
“Why would I do that?”
“To end the torment that bitch has inflicted.”
“I have a better idea.” I opened a portal. “Go to my lands and live in peace. This will take you to the city of Calalistos where you will be met.”
The old dragon stared. “Truly?”
“Truly. Go rest.”
I suddenly felt the crown of the empire and it was a heavy thing. I wondered at the choices I had made to this point. Strange how it wasn’t really power that caused this, but fear. All of this because of the fear of change. Maybe if I had gotten the portals up sooner? No use guessing, deal with what is.
He left through the portal and I resumed searching. I used my planar sight and flew to the next group of dragons I had found. Again, most ran. None attacked. I talked to one of them and found that they were trapped here as the empire would murder them and Viennarinia would use them. With what she had done to them, I wondered at why they would still believe her.
“You will not be murdered in my lands. If you do not wish to join us, then there is a portal on an island south sunward of here about three hundred miles out from the coast.”
“Where does it lead?”
“To another world. One where neither I nor Viennarinia will bother you.”
“Viennarinia will always find us.”
“Not where she is going.”
The dragon stared at me for a few moments. “What are your lands like?”
“All the races, including dragons are equals. We live in peace and learn from each other.”
“Then send me there. I would know.”
I opened a portal for him with the warning. “Harm no one there. Listen and learn.”
“I will lord dragon.”
I didn’t bother to correct him, as finally I felt the full weight of the crown I didn’t have. The next group were of five, who were attacking a seaport. When I flew up, two ran and the other three attacked. I let them. Their ice and flames did not even test my shield. One screamed in rage and flew at me. I opened a portal in front of him and he was gone. The other two screamed and attacked again. I grew tired of it and captured them with a portal as well. I knew then that some of my brethren were quite insane. There would be no way to save them all. Please whatever gods listen, let this be worth it.
One of the ones who had ran returned cautiously.
“Who are you?”
“I am Michael Arienach.”
“Why are you here?”
“To find Viennarinia.”
“Are you going to kill her?”
“No. I am going to send her away.”
“You won’t kill?”
“Not unless I have to and she is no threat to me. I wish to end this plague she has started.”
“May I help you?”
“If you would help, find all the like minded dragons and gather them together. I have a home for them either in my lands or another world that has not been settled.”
“You would not enslave us?”
“I would see all creatures free. If I wished, I could do as Viennarinia, but that way only leads to grief. Find the others, I would give them the choice.”
“I will do this lord dragon.”
The weight of the crown increased. I flew though the day and the night. I found group after group of dragons. Some ran, some talked, some attacked. I tried to spare what I could, save for the ones who showed no signs of sanity. There were more of those than I cared for. It was the next morning when I found her. She was with three ancients and they were ripping the wings off of an adult. My first blast shredded the one that was holding the poor dragon down, the second took the one who was ripping off the wings. Both her and the ancient attacked me. Flying at me blowing flames. They met with a portal.
I flew down to the dragon. “Are you alright?”
It coughed up blood. “Finish me now. I hurt.”
I remembered what I had been told by the elven healers. For a change, I had the control. I had the weight of the crown. I let a trickle of magic follow the lines of the healing spell that they had painstakingly showed me. I let it flow into the battered dragon and watched in awe as the wings knitted back
together and her twisted limbs straightened. I had learned to heal. I stayed at it till I could sense no more wounds.
“Can you fly now?”
“I think so?”
“Then come with me. We need to go to the rest of the dragons. I would save what I can.”
“Wait, my mate is close. Let me go see if he is alright.”
I followed her to a small cave. She went inside and shortly returned with an injured dragon. His wings were shredded and one eye was gone. His left foreleg was broken as well.
“Who are you?”
“I am Michael Arienach.”
“Come to finish the bitches work?”
“No, I have come to fix it. She is gone.”
“Gone?”
“I sent her away, she will not be back.”
The little dragon just stared at me. I focused on his injuries and repeated what I had done for his mate. It was almost noon when I finished.
“You are not what they said.”
“I give a choice. There is another world you may go to, or you can join with me.”
“What do you mean, join with you?”
“My lands hold all people, dragons or the other races as equal. We live in peace and learn from each other. You will be free either way.”
“I think I would join with you. What may I do to repay your kindness?”
“As much as I loath asking, would you go through the lands and see if there are any who would join us as well? If not, there is an island about three hundred miles off of the south sunward coast. There is a portal on that island that leads to a mountain world.” I conjured a crystal. “When you tire of this task, call me with that crystal and I will come for you.”
“I will do this lord dragon.”
“I thank you. I will make sure there is a lair on the inner ring waiting for you.”
I watched as him and his mate flew off.
I met with the dragons. There weren’t that many, most looking worse for the wear. I healed the worst of them and gave them the choice. Most went to Calalistos, but a few took wing for the island. After it was over, I called Haladoria.
“It is pretty much over. I sent those away that I could, killed the ones I couldn’t save and sent the ones who were held hostage to you or the other planet. There are probably still some that I haven’t found, but most of what I have found are with you.”
“Are you a right?”
“As well as I can be right now. This land is hell, we will need to bring in food and shelter for the survivors. Could you coordinate with Torgos to send a convoy with escort here?”
“I will set it up, what will you do?”
“Much what I have been doing, trying to save what I can.”
“Be safe Michael.”
“You as well, lady Haladoria.”
I flew to the nearest city that was on the coast and started clearing the wreckage that was blocking their harbor and docks. As I worked, a few came out to watch me, but none approached. I started working my way up the coast. The third city was what used to be a major seaport and I worked to pull the wrecked ships off to the side. I made sure not to use magic as I was sure the survivors had seen enough to haunt their dreams for a lifetime. I was several hours into the work when I noticed a human woman watching me from one of the docks.
“Greetings, may I help you?”
“Hello! What are you doing?”
“I am clearing the docks. Ships from my land will be here with food and shelter for those who need it.”
“We can’t pay for it.”
“You have paid enough. It is over now.”
“Over?”
“Viennarinia is gone. She will not return. I will stay and guard against any of her followers.”
“She will be back. She always comes back.”
“Not this time. She is on the plane of chaos. Not even my magic works there.”
The woman just stared at me for a time. “Who are you, dragon?”
“I am Michael Arienach.”
“But they said you were evil.”
I shrugged. “I have learned. My lands are free and human, elves, dwarves and drow work together along side dragons. I suppose to them it was evil, as it denied that they were supreme.”
“I will tell the others. Thank you Michael.”
I nodded and tossed another wrecked ship onto the pile.
Epilogue
Epilogue
The world was now the Dragonhaven Empire. I still stay in my caldera, but visited the lands more often. I also entertained the girls more often, much to their delight… and mine.
It took several years to rebuild the other continent and to set the damage right. The dragons who had went to the other world came and went as they pleased. They held to the rule that no one was to be harmed on my world.
The people advanced. Research into science and magic grew by leaps and bounds. I taught them many of the enchantments that I had learned and I was taking lessons in painting. I was looking forward to showing Haladoria my first painting. It was of her. I should say the first one that I finished, as the others were not that good. But I can learn. Arienach still talks with me at times and I think he has found peace. Actually, I think he understands peace now.
The other dragons have spread across the lands. They make their homes where they will and the people welcome them. They aided some researchers on the new continent to learn to fly. The elves had refined the motors to the point that they could power airplanes. They are moving forward and growing as I watch. There are all manner of ships now, from pleasure sailboats to cruise liners. The ships of the fleet still patrol, but they haven’t fired their guns in years. All of the towns and lands have the guns now, but they are kept covered. They are not needed.
There were a few restless souls that sought out the portal to travel to the mountain world. I even visit there on occasion. It took little time for the dragons there to see that the other races were the promise for the future and there is little difference now from this world to that one.
Over time, the cities have grown. People come and go as they would. There are still dark creatures in the lands and some still play the game, so things are held in balance.
Oh… and I leveled.
Michael Arienach
LEVEL - 8765
EXPERIENCE - 1274 / 0%
RACE - Planar Dragon
BREED - Silver
AFFINITY - Fire, Magic
CLASS - Ancient
ALIGNMENT - Good
I still wonder if it was worth it.
The others do not realize yet.
We are falling in love with mortals.
Yours,
Michael Arienach
Emperor of the Dragonhaven Empire
Afterword
Where to begin? I have RPed a dragon for over a decade. Both in forum style and as of late, in the world of Second Life. It has given me a different view of dragons. It is not an easy thing to play a dragon as a character and do it realistically. For one thing, space is a premium. You do not land a multi ton, multi story flying creature in the middle of a town. Seriously. Not unless you wish to risk breaking your wings or anything that happens to be in the street at the time. Likewise, a true dragon is a very hard thing to kill. With just those two factors in mind, they become very aloof creatures. you cannot just drop in to visit friends and what friends you do have will probably not be around in a century or two.
The makeup of a dragon would naturally tend to be isolationist. Even with the knowledge that they have picked up over time, there is little way for them to apply it in a real world setting. Few could imagine a dragon’s views. There is little that they would see that would be new to them, which would also make for an almost tunnel vision. His surprise at finding the mostly carved dragons on the mountian and the lairs which he flew by repeatedly is a prime case of this. He had seen the mountains, why focus on them? He was more interested in the city that had bloomed outside his lair ring.
It was also
brought up that he did not focus on the details. That should actually be pretty obvious.
What goal do you have when there is nothing that can challenge you? Where do you find drive when you have entire universes at your claws? What do you buy when you own the wealth of a thousand worlds? Where do you call home when you don’t even know the name of the planet you live on?
I think the best word to describe it would be jaded. It comes down to; is it important enough to influence him or whatever he is working on or with. If not? Then why pay attention to it?
Now that is over with, why I really decided to add this. Thank you. I have never tried to put a story down like this and I have never had formal training in writing. To tell the truth, I had to look up some of the references that some had written about in their comments. What you have given me a starting point. I know now what I have to learn to write something decent now. I did pay attention to every comment. Even the ones that I had a hard time taking seriously. Your comments are what I needed to give me a direction in which to improve. To all that commented, to all that read it.
Thank you
Teaser
Michael stared down at the small boat. It was hard to believe that one little thing would trouble him so. The other dragons were quiet as were the people who were in attendance. A little elf mage said words over the boat then turned and looked up at me and nodded. I gently pushed the boat out into the harbor. I heard the other dragons shift behind me. Strange how everything seemed to come into focus. I watched at the boat drifted out from the shore. For some reason even the ripples the boat left were etched upon my sight. I shook myself and took a deep breath and let a long stream of fire out. The boat, which had been soaked in pitch went up in flames. I heard a strange high pitched keening sound and realized that it was coming from me. I heard my keen echoed by all of the dragons present. The only thing that I could think was;
“Goodbye Haladoria.”
Sequel in the Making
My fans suggested I add this as a chapter so that all that are following this could find it.
