Ep 6. Pay Your Respects. (1)

 

As Serenis and Raizel entered the nesting area of their kin deeper in the rocky valleys, the dragonlord could feel multiple presences closing in. Raizel had agreed to guide Serenis into the heart of the valley to find an elder dragon to speak with, and they ended up walking together side by side.

Well, if being ordered to say yes counts as agreeing.

“I really don’t think I should be accompanying you…”

“How come?”

“My kin aren’t too fond of me.”

“Is that because you tackle them while in flight?”

“No, it’s because they’re all weaklings.”

Serenis raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

“Really? The entire dragonkin’s weaker than you?”

“There are maybe…two in the entire kin that could even leave a scratch on me. Everyone else is a weakling.”

A metal affinity granted lots of things, and peerless defense was one of its most shining features. Arkrana, too, took pride in her nigh invincible scales.

But unlike Raizel, Arkrana was never shunned for being exceptionally strong. In fact, it was the complete opposite; whenever small skirmishes occurred between other tribes, her kin looked to Arkrana more than Serenis. Serenis usually settled disputes peacefully, but Arkrana enacted revenge for them in the name of justice. ‘The strong shall not harm the weak,’ as she would say.

‘Arkrana…you passed down your affinity, why is it that you failed to pass down your righteous heart?’

At least Arkrana never tackled her in flight. Or sniffed her body from head to toe.

Serenis felt a pang of sorrow as she remembered life in the old days, but her memories were forced to scatter when other dragons finally showed face.

Most of them looked hesitant to meet them directly, merely peeking from a distance. Some of them seemed outraged, some worried.

The rage was mostly directed at Raizel, and the worry was mostly directed at Serenis.

“…You really do have a lot of enemies, child.”

“I told you!”

“Yes. Yes you did. But at least none seem keen to attack us, so…”

When Serenis turned her gaze to the side to face Raizel again, she instead saw someone’s angered fist, driving the metal dragon into the ground.

‘I spoke too soon, didn’t I.’

Boom!

A roar of smoke followed the thunderous noise. Serenis watched the scene unfold with an unamused expression, unsure of what to expect from her kin anymore.

When the dust cleared, another strange girl was madly stomping on Raizel’s head that was already mostly driven into the stone floor. Despite being in human form, the red scales on her tail and the two horns jutting from her purplish hair made it quite obvious that she was a dragon.

“Raizel, are you kidnapping children now?! I told you not to stir trouble with humans! How many times do I have to tell you?!”

“Actually, she was just guiding me-“

Serenis’ voice was either inaudible from the stomping, or ignored altogether. Instead of listening, the girl that had suddenly appeared grabbed the dragonlord by her cheeks, examining her left and right.

“Gosh, are you okay? You must’ve been so scared. I’m so sorry, I promise I’ll get you home soon.”

‘Actually, if this is the dragonkin’s nest, then this would be my home…’

Serenis didn’t bother speaking. No need to complicate matters when the stranger was clearly on her side.

But before long, Raizel’s arm burst forth from the ground, grabbing the red dragon by their ankle and slamming her down unto the floor.

The metal dragon angrily climbed back up, muttering curses under her breath.

“I didn’t do anything!”

“Actually, you did…you tackled me midflight and sniffed me like your dinner.”

Raizel turned her gaze towards Serenis with a devastated look.

Wow, it really does sound like an abduction when you put it like that.

The red dragon rose to her feet before long. Her hair was a mess now, as was her black, surprisingly human-like attire.

“…Sounds like you kidnapped him.”

“I did not.”

“Do settle down. It really wasn’t an abduction. I came here of my own will.”

 The girl turned towards Serenis with an even more worried look.

“Oh my gosh…Raizel, did you threaten the poor boy to say that?”

“I did not! Why are you accusing me of everything bad that happens around here?!”

“Because you’re always behind everything bad that happens around here?”

“…”

‘Interesting. Must be true, seeing how that shut her up instantly.’

Serenis cleared her throat.

“…No, I really did come here of my own free will. I wish to speak with your lord. This girl here didn’t seem to know where they were.”

“Lord?”

“Yes, lord.”

“What lord?”

Not this again.

“…Do dragons not have a ruler anymore?”

“Well…I heard that we did until just a while back, about a hundred years ago…but she was a leader, not a lord. And after she died, we never elected another one. I think we only elected one at the time because we were at war. I was still a little child though.”

“Oh yeah, we did have a temporary war leader.”

“I also heard that you never listened to her, Raizel.”

“Because she was always nagging about how I can’t do this, I can’t do that…old hag was crazy.”

If Serenis could learn one thing from this entire conversation, it was that whoever this leader-figure was, she was not a lord. A kin referring to their lord as an ‘old hag’ would’ve gotten them killed instantly.

Serenis tried to ignore her aching head as she spoke again.

“So…the dragonkin doesn’t have a lord. Or a ruler.”

“Not really.”

“See? I told you.”

Serenis rubbed her forehead.

Her entire way here, she’d planned to speak with the current dragonlord about her situation. She was almost positive that the current lord would be a grandchild of hers. She was positive that they’d be able to help her somehow. A millennium may be a long time for humans, but it was only a few generations for dragons.

‘I’m well aware that changes are usually sudden, but…isn’t this a little too much change?’

Serenis let out a deep sigh. The red dragon worriedly looked at her and knelt down to meet her eye level.

“Sorry. I’m not sure who you are, but if I can help in any way, do tell! My name’s Ilias.”

“I appreciate your concern, but…let’s do it the easy way.”

“The easy way?”

Serenis glanced around the valley. She could both see and feel dozens of other dragons nearby, watching and listening to the situation at hand like some sort of entertainment.

“☐☐☐.”

It didn’t matter if they could hear her or not. Draconic speech was a spell, not a command. As long as they were within Serenis’ range of perception, the spell would take effect.

And as if to prove her memories correct, dozens of dragons came down in unison, kneeling down on one knee with their heads lowered. Raizel and Ilias joined them at the forefront, kneeling directly in front of the dragonlord.

None of them seemed to know what was going on. Except Raizel, who’d suffered the same spell not too long ago.

Another sigh escaped Serenis. She hoped that at least some would recognize the spell, the signs of their lord. But now it was painfully clear that the notion of a ‘lord’ was simply a forgotten piece of history.

If it’s forgotten, then nothing but to reinstate it.

“Raise your heads.”

The dragons all raised their heads in unison to meet the little figure’s gaze. Despite being a mere human boy, they could all feel something oddly different. An unrecognizable, and yet, painfully familiar sensation that was driven into their heritage.

“My name is Serenis. A former dragon of stars, and…”

She scanned the area for any signs of recognition. Nothing.

With a hint of sadness in her voice, she finished.

“The first lord of the dragonkin.”