Luoma

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┃✠ Fierce Protection ✠
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xxxxxThere once was a time of great conflict where humans and elves and dragons all fought, though no one could remember why anymore. All that was left was the fighting. The blood soaked the earth, and cries filled the night like water in a cup. Somehow, in all the turmoil and pain, in all the chaos and death, there was life. From opposing sides came a love to inspire tales, though it ended in nothing more than claws and teeth and swords. So goes the story of old.

xxxxxI awoke to bright sunlight and a boot to the ribs. The rest of the unit was already up and about, but I had somehow missed the roll call. My squad must have been in a particularly bad mood if they'd waited this long today. My ribs smarted and my ears rang with the sounds of insults accompanied by a handful of orders. "Breakfast" was a meager affair of cold bread and last night's stew. It was eaten quickly and silently, then we moved out.
xxxxxThe marching was not as much patrolling the kingdom borders as it was mechanical movement over and over again. Nothing unexpected ever happened out here. It gave everyone too much time to think. How were our families back home? Were the dragons done yet, or had we hunted the last of them? Most of the others would be wondering when the elves would just give up and hand over their majiks. Me? I wondered what the weather would be like.
xxxxxFighting was nothing new to me. My earliest memories are of a smoking building. A charred hand clasping at the sky. A bloodied sword. As I grew up, the others despised me because of my parents. Who knew when I would turn my halfling mind against them? I certainly never dreamt of such traitorous actions, though that never stopped the others from taking out their issues on me. These thoughts and more ran through my head as the leagues passed by underfoot. The monotony was known to put men to sleep on their feet.

xxxxxThere once was a time of great conflict, but love somehow found its way into the war. A young man and woman came together on the battlefield, fighting against a common and scaly foe. There, the two found companionship beyond that which their respective peoples thought possible in a world where the largest worries were to protect your own skin. But these two were much different. They ran away from the battles, the blood, the fights. They ran to a quiet and peaceful place to raise a child. And yet, even there, the war found them, and it did not find them kindly. So goes the story of old.

xxxxxWhat was that?! The whisper carried around me in a nonsensical echo. What was that? The mysterious sound drummed against my ears in a familiar pattern. The sky seemed to press in through the leaves overhead as I looked up. Pressure hit my head in waves as the sound grew louder. I prepared my weapons even before the commanding officer ordered it. A crossbow with its loaded bolt and a short sword loosened at my hip. Apparently, we had not managed to hunt them all. This one, though, would definitely join its fellows.
xxxxxI ducked behind a tree for cover as the rest of the patrol scattered in a panic. Heat blasted the earth and burst in all directions, propelled by the enormous bellows of leather wings. A roar shattered the sky as my troop began to fire, some with trepidation, others fear. My aim remained steady, and my mind cold as ice. One bolt down. Load the next one. The next bolt shot. Duck back behind the tree and attempt to reload faster.
xxxxxThe ground trembled as the dragon landed. Trees snapped as the massive tail lashed behind it, and the wind from the enormous leather wings buffeted the trees and my squad hiding within them. In a sudden fit of motion, the dragon spun with a blast of flames. Screams sounded around me, and the fires began eating every living thing. Heat crawled by in waves that immediately set my skin to sweating. My short sword slid out of its sheath. This heat had ruined my crossbow, and the shimmer of it everywhere would throw off any attempt at an aim. I moved forward, toward the scaly beast that clawed at trees and tiny humans. Screams and cries of pain echoed around me as the flames spread at an ever-increasing rate. A harsh snap, and a tree began to fall somewhere very close.

xxxxxThere once was a time of great conflict where even the strongest bonds of love could not survive. Even as love ran, the conflict devoured all, even a little cottage for three in a secluded valley. Fires ate at the timbers lovingly carved into a home, and strangers trampled the remains. The three who lived there were not spared. The traitor and the enemy were slain, but the halfling child was allowed life. Young though it was, the child became part of the service that had just created an orphan. So goes the story of old.

xxxxxBright lights blinded me as I opened my eyes. Before I could try to sit up, a hand pushed me back down into something soft and warm. A bed, maybe, though a warm wetness oozed uncomfortably around my knees. Hurried conversation commenced in a hushed corner as the doctor explained what happened. Apparently that tree had fallen closer than anticipated. Most of the wood shards had been successfully removed while I was unconscious, but there was one in particular that would have done more harm in coming out than it would in staying in. This all felt rather familiar.
xxxxxAfter some convincing, I was allowed outside to sit in the sun and relative quiet. Whispers followed me in an unusually large number, but I could have sworn there were even more hostile looks than normal. The small house must have been an impromptu medical base, since the rest of the villagers seemed to cast curious eyes at the people inside. Their gazes hardened or dashed away when they found me, though. Whatever had happened while I was unconscious had not helped these people trust the likes of me.
xxxxxThe sun was warm, and I tilted my face towards its light. My superiors should be here soon, so I might as well take advantage of this respite while it lasted. I sat on the ground, feeling a strange grate in my knee. When it was bent completely, a small bump pushed at the stitches painfully. I stretched out the leg and relaxed into the heat from the wall behind me.

xxxxxThere once was a time of great conflict that devoured every soul. Young and old, male and female, innocent and guilty, warrior and family, human and elf, the conflict devoured them all. Some lost their souls in the blood, some in the punishment of early death. For some, though, the punishment was life. The life of a halfling was as much punishment as the death of its parents, for the life of this child was despised by both sides. It was forced to act like a warrior long before most others would have. Marching and killing and marching and living, the halfling child moved on. So goes the story of old.

xxxxxI awoke to a not so gentle prodding of my temple. When my eyes opened, they looked upon the visage of a young girl dressed in a homespun tunic of red and blue. Her short brown hair had a single braided lock that almost hid in her straight bob. She was a cute little thing. The rest of my squad had talked about having young girls or young neighbors back home and how they were all so innocent and charming.
xxxxx“You snore,” the girl said earnestly before giggling and skipping away. I watched after her, confused, but decided it wasn't worth it to get up. Most of the adults around the healing house glared at me from behind raised hands, giving the familiar crossed fingers to ward against evil. Whatever the little girl had wanted, I laid back, unconcerned and wanting rest. My squad was normally noisy in the mornings, and this quiet was a welcomed respite from my normal routine.
xxxxx“Aren’t you going to chase me?” a familiar young voice asked. I opened my eyes again and spotted a small brown bob quickly disappear behind the building’s corner. “The others said you would chase me,” she said again, sounding a bit disappointed. Innocent, maybe, but she was definitely charming in her own way. I let a smile tug against my lips before I replied.
xxxxx“Now, why would I chase you, fair maiden?” I called out, resting my head once again against the wall. The answering reply was faint, and slightly grumpy. I laughed a small laugh and painfully got to my feet, using the side of the building as support to make my way toward the girl’s corner. My knee grated at being bent, and the stitches pulled and pulsed uncomfortably.
xxxxxWhen I reached the corner, I leaned down, slowly poked my head around, and quietly said “Boo!” to the children gathered there. They all went squealing away, and I smiled broadly at their innocence. There was the girl with the bob and spun dress. Another girl wore her small braid and apron over a dusty grey tunic. The two boys wore similar trousers, though the apparently older one had lost his shirt at some point. Judging by the redness of his shoulders, the kid was used to it. I straightened and turned around, almost running into the chest of a very large and very angry villager.

xxxxxThere once was a time of great conflict where only the strong survived. Strong in strength, the dragons commanded fear. Strong in majik, the elves demanded respect. Strong in arms, the humans dominated all. Strong in wit, the halfling avoided destruction. Strong in heart, the child asked for trust. The strong arms, majik, and strength thought nothing of the strong heart or the strong wit and discarded them to be trampled underfoot. The strong wit noticed this and thought to better itself by becoming more like the strong in arms, but none would take its plea, and so the strong heart was all that was left. So goes the story of old.

xxxxxMy wrists hurt. My throat was parched. I swear, these stockades were built too low to kneel and too high to sit. It was probably on purpose, considering these things were supposed to be a punishment. Sadly, they had become regular friends of mine as of late, as had Alice. The sight of the brown bobbed girl made me smile. I waved from my pinned position, and she came skipping up in her favorite dress.
xxxxx“I brought a key!” she said happily. She always brought random keys when I was here, which had been fairly often since the army no longer wanted me and I had nowhere to go. My squad wasn't worth the name anymore, and my poor commanding officers seemed to think I attracted the dragons with my majik. It was a silly notion, but I'm glad they left me here.
xxxxx“Why don’t we go give it back?” I suggested, letting her try the key before lifting the stocks off. I’d served my time already, so there was really no need to wait for the magister. These old locks would open with an amateur lock-pick. They weren't even worth the practice.
xxxxxWe walked through the village holding hands. She said it was for me, since I still limped quite a bit, but I went along with it. The village adults would not hurt me while the girl was present anyway, so it kept pain away for a while. Houses turned from stone to sticks as the street went from cobble to dirt beneath our feet. The fields were out this way, and I began to wonder where Alice was taking me.
xxxxxToday, the key belonged to Alice’s mother, a surprise I was not entirely prepared for. The furious female of the large farmhouse came barreling out of the house, almost instantly chastising her daughter for a myriad of things; stealing, shirking of duties, and outright disobedience were among the long list. Her skin shook loosely around her chins as she trembled in rage. The thin, oily hair hung in a messy bun that lost more shape as the scolding continued. I marveled at the words that flew from the woman’s mouth, and in my stunned state did not react in time.
xxxxxWith a sudden vengeance, the portly woman lashed out at her daughter. Alice did not cry out as the loud smack resounded, but the redness forming on her face gave testament to the strength behind the blow. As the angry woman raised her hand once more, I moved. I did not think, but simply stood staring in defiance at the suddenly flabbergasted woman. It was a familiar pose, and the memory of a sting spread across my own cheeks.
xxxxx“I don’t know where she gets it,” I said quietly. How could such a wonderful child come from such a terrible woman? I turned and held out my hand. “Could you help me back?” I asked Alice. Her eyes darted from me to her mother before she quietly took my hand. The woman behind me attempted to once again start railing at the child, but I ignored her and the scared glance Alice sent over her shoulder. We walked for a time before I asked, “Is that where all those bruises come from?”
xxxxxAlice didn't speak for a while. The dirt was just starting to transition to cobble again before she shook her head. “Sometimes Papa gets mad at Mama and me,” she said, “and sometimes I just fall.” I tightened my grip on the young girl’s hand. I couldn’t leave the child in such a household. It reminded me too much of after the fires. There had to be something I could do. I knew what kind of damage that kind of environment could make. I thought until the houses turned back to stone around us.
xxxxx“I have an idea,” I said, dropping to my uninjured knee so we could be eye level. Alice had to stop, but she didn’t look entirely at me as I continued. “If I said I could find us a place without bruises or angry Papas, would you come with me?” I asked quietly. This one girl had been the first to show me kindness in a long time, and I wanted to do something in return. If there was anything I could do, I would do it.
xxxxxAlice shifted on her feet, and I worried slightly. Would this innocent child come with me? I did not want to leave her, but I did not want to force her to go, either. If she refused now, maybe the best I could hope for would be time to convince her. Plant the idea, and water it until she really wanted to go. Finally, she said, “Don’t tell Mama.” When she looked me in the eyes, hers were filled with tears, so I quietly reached up and brushed them away. Her skin was warm and her tears hot, but I didn't care. If I protected this one creature, I would be happy.
xxxxx“Alright,” I said, “I will take you to a place without bruises.” She smiled at me, and for a moment, I was flying. This would work! Alice would let me take her away from here and protect that innocence before the fighting could stain it. I beamed down at Alice, but as she looked over my shoulder, her face blanched. I never knew what hit me, though I assume it was something hard.

xxxxxThere once was a time of great conflict, and it destroyed the dreams of many. The strong lost dreams of peace as they fought, and the weak lost dreams of grandeur as devastation rocked the world. Somehow, a small dream began to form. A dream of peace and safety, of a place where a halfling and a child could go without pain. The halfling vowed, and the strong of heart trusted. The strong in arms were threatened by this dream, and despite the great conflict the strong in arms moved. So goes the story of old.

xxxxxPain. That single sensation blocked out all semblance of thought. Agony burned away all other feeling. Torment, all focused on one place. I think I cried out, but the only thing in the world was the pain. Why? Hands held me down as I tried to escape the pain. The pain sat there for an eternity before it moved away and I was allowed to pick up the pieces of myself that had been shattered. Suddenly, more pain, though not as intense as before. Why?
xxxxxI was roughly thrown into a stone, cold room, and the sound of old metal creaked and clanged behind me. Rough voices called behind me, and curses about majik and kidnapping echoed around the dark cell until a heavy door thundered shut somewhere high above. The pain faded, though it remained present as ever. Why? I crawled to a pool of water fed by a leak and looked down. What I saw by the torchlight took my breath away.
xxxxxAngry and red, a mark stood boldly in the center of my forehead. It was crude, but the symbol was there. It was the symbol of traitors and miscreants and possessors. The large and angry dot did not stand alone. Radiating from the mark were four pointed arms reaching for my brows and hairline. The imitation of the familiar ward made it more painful than the iron they had used to burn it there. The two combined marks puffed up as I watched, and I felt the swelling in my brow. Sluggishly, my mind registered what had happened, and I continued my examination in the dim light. Just below my eyes were knife slits, the blood coagulating as I stared, incredulous. Had the marks not been enough? Had I not been blindfolded, would they have gone for the eyes instead?
xxxxxI crawled pitifully back from the light, wincing as my injured knee took my weight. What of Alice? Was she alright? I needed to get out, to fulfill my promise, to protect her from this blasted war. A thought occurred to me at that point. What would she do if she saw me like this? I no longer looked like the halfling she had befriended. I bore the mark every child was taught to run from. With my face bloodied and swelling, would Alice even recognize me? Could I stand it if she rejected me now? No. I couldn’t.

xxxxxThere once was a time of great conflict where dreams were few and prejudices high. Every action was read twice and thrice over through muddy pools of popular beliefs. Elves were evil, conniving thieves to all but the elves. Dragons were power hungry war mongers to all but the dragons. Humans were ungrateful plotters to all but the humans. And what of the halfling? The halfling was judged to be both human and elf, though none of the glories of either. The elves rejected it outright, not even letting such a thing into their cities, but the humans were different. They tolerated the halfling and watched with suspicion every interaction. They used but did not trust the halfling. So goes the story of old.

xxxxxA time passed, marked only by the progressively longer intervals between one gruel and the next. My face had now mostly healed, though I no longer looked to the puddle for fear of the deadly scars left behind. When I noticed the puddle had thawed completely, I realized just how long Alice had waited. I stood, as if to leave, but one look at my thin legs and trembling hands stopped me. Again, I was reminded of how successfully I had taught myself to ignore my body's signals.
xxxxxAn elder hurried to my cell at some point, carrying a bright torch. He had been the first visitor since the adults had finished with their taunting, but even that had been before the puddle froze. He asked for my help in a desperate voice, to which I responded with silence. The light from his torch burned my eyes, and I turned away from it. He offered freedom, wealth, anything I desired. When I looked back, an old sword was in the man's hand, the bloodied hilt held toward my cell. I finally consented, and he dragged me out of my bars and into bright sunlight.
xxxxxThe scene was complete chaos. Men running everywhere, and others dashing for supplies. A familiar booming sound drummed my ears, but it had been too long. The mysterious sound held a familiar pattern I tried to place as I shifted my sword and weight. The sky seemed to press in against the stone houses around me as I looked up. Pressure hit my head in waves as the sound grew louder, and I finally remembered.
xxxxxThe resulting conflict was terrible. The dragon had only to land, and the battle was his. The uneducated farmhands were slaughtered mercilessly, becoming obstacles for me as I sliced with my borrowed sword at wing and tail. One strike to the shoulder struck to bone, and the sword stuck as the dragon pulled away with a bellow of rage. Fire flew from it, igniting rooftops in a deadly blaze. It began stampeding, and I limped quickly after it, terrified at the direction it had taken.
xxxxxThe dragon’s talons crashed through the roof of the shelter, crushing stone walls and bone alike. Children wailed in the sudden confusion, and those unable to fight scattered from beneath the beast. Alice was not among them. There was the other girl, and those two boys. Her mother's form lay collapsed under a beam she thought would protect her.
xxxxxI limped under the dragon, searching for the brown bob and red tunic. Talons and tail danced furiously over me, creating more obstacles until I spotted her. Quickly, I tore Alice away from the sight of corpses, and together, we rolled to safety. Now, without a weapon and a terrified Alice cradled to my chest, the dragon turned.
xxxxxThere was no one left to fight it. Bodies lay around it, and though the sounds of children crying rose from houses nearby, no mothers comforted them, and no fathers stood in doorways to protect them. It was just me, Alice, and the dragon. The only thing I could do was stare death in the eye. The dragon lowered its head and looked at us before it rumbled, “Don’t you fear death?”
xxxxxThe question was unexpected. I could smell old meat between its teeth, as well as the rotten egg of sulfur on his breath. I moved a hand to cup Alice more firmly to me as the dragon's head drew near. “Great dragon, I have faced death my whole life. It no longer holds importance to me,” Alice trembled in my grasp as I spoke. I tightened my grip on her shoulders. This girl would make it, even if I didn't. “Spare this innocent! Her spirit has not been crushed by this accursed war!” I called out, protecting the child as much as I could. I had to do something for her.
xxxxxA strange look came over the dragon. It was something like regret mixed with resignation. I saw his eyes grow dark as something was recalled. Once more, it spoke. “May this be my final act in this war,” it trumpeted to the sky, “To spare a life instead of take it.” From the ground, this baring of the throat was an immense measure of trust. Wings flared, and the tail lashed behind in one final throe of battle.
xxxxxA sudden rush of wind created by wings, and the beast was gone. The dragon rose in tight spirals, then dashed off the way he had come. The sun slowly sank and flashed off of the retreating scales and a sword embedded in the shoulder. He flew with the weight of an entire village’s snuffed out souls, yet somehow his wings were light from the sparing of two. After a long silence for the realization to set in, I looked down to Alice in my arms and said quietly, “Ready to go on an adventure?”
xxxxxThe young girl reached up and gently traced the scars imprinted on my face, and I winced, having forgotten they were there. They had healed badly, and the skin over them was a deep red instead of the typical silvery white. I looked down at Alice and was surprised I didn't see fear or revulsion in her chocolate eyes. “Fierce protector,” she mumbled quietly, then stronger, “Let’s find the place with no bruises.”
xxxxxThere once was a time of great conflict. No one cares to deny it. It was long and full of pain. It was shortly filled with times of love. It was harsh, and souls barely survived. It was a never-ending tide of dying dreams. But, amidst the chaos and the prejudice, the world moved on. Dragons were defeated and elves driven off the continent. Time moved on, and a halfling grew into a fierce protector, chasing a dream of peace and safety with the strongest heart determined to find the light in the dark. So goes the story of old.

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┃✠ Homecoming ✠
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xxxxxAfter leaving the protection of the Mount, not everyone felt at ease. Majus helped set up a watch rotation and harbored beneath his wings those who attempted sleep. Many found it difficult to adjust, and there were more than a few who were struck blind by the sudden light they traveled through.
xxxxx“Majus-vat, a word with thee?” a young Civati inquired.
xxxxxMajus stopped his cloudwatchng and snaked his head in the bright Civati’s direction and said quietly, “What is it you wish to talk about, Leta-vat?” He felt badly for those he had under his care whose dreams were of happiness, like Leta. This was not a journey he'd wish upon anyone, but those who dreamed of happier things had it tougher.
xxxxx“What are we to do about the Silence and Song? Many of our eldest desire a balance, though they themselves ascertain the need for stealth in such foreign lands as these,” Leta said. Her hands twisted before her, and though she didn’t look at Majus, he could see the worried flick of her large ears.
xxxxx“Leta-vat, I will not be upset with you, nor with those whose complaint you bring to me,” Majus said. He reached out one clawed foot toward her until she put her hand on it. “I know the Silence and Song must balance, and I have thought on this matter long. I believe I may be close to a solution of sorts, but let us wait for the Gentle Light to shine so that all may hear of it first,” he said. Leta looked about ready to object, but he nudged her gently with his claw. “Go. Sleep while you may. I will Guard you as best I am able,” Majus reassured her.
xxxxxDespite his advice, Leta was one of the first to awaken by that moonrise. Her yellow hair had yet to be cut, so the greenish tint had begun to show in earnest at the ends of her rippling curls as she emerged from under his wing. Peku, unfortunately, was not far behind.
xxxxx“Majus-vat, thine inabilities to mind the queries of thine dependents appalls mine sense of justice,” the redhead blurted. Majus simply blinked at Peku and sighed.
xxxxx“Peku-vat, your intuition is always a blessing, but in this surface world, I am more accustomed to the dangers inherent in inhabiting this place. Please, wake the rest. I shall endeavor to Guide you in this,” Majus said. Peku stormed off again, but Leta remained. She stayed until the rest had awakened and emerged from under his wings. Grey veils covered all eyes, but some leaned more heavily on one another than the rest.
xxxxx“Majus-vat, what dost thou desire to convey?” a voice called from the crowd. Another joined in, “Should not we continue journeying while the Gentle Light still graces the heavens?” Before any more grumbling could drown him out, Majus sat up and flared his wings.
xxxxxThose wings were ratty old things. Torn so badly he could never fly, and scarred elsewhere by rocks and fire and thorns. In his youth, they had been a brilliant red. Now, they looked almost comical. Grey cloth had been sewed into the leather so as to prevent any more blindness during the Harsh Light of day. Around those patches and where the stitches had set were growing patches of a red darker than any scale he had ever worn. It had hurt, but Majus hadn’t objected to becoming more able to protect his people.
xxxxx“Civati of the Mount,” he called out to them, “My appreciation for your patience is only outweighed by my desire to Guard that which I was brought to protect.” Many Civati shuffled in the crowd, unsure why this meeting had taken place. Majus didn’t hold many meetings of this scale, but they were always important when he did.
xxxxx“My adoptive people, I know it has been a struggle within yourselves to keep the Silence and Song within such unbalance, but those who I would Guard against would surely hear such beauty in this time of war and seek to crush it,” Majus continued. Many of the eldest began to grumble again, but the youngest among them nodded and whispered agreement. “I have ascertained that there remain four avenues to balance. The first is simply to return to a state of Song and Silence, as when the Mount was still our home. This avenue would bring down against us more than I might handle alone. If this way is chosen, all Civati must master the ways of self defense to better survive the attention the Song would bring,” Majus said, pausing to listen to the grumblings of those in his care. This was the least adaptable option, since it would require this passive people to learn how to fight. The elders knew how to use their black walking sticks to joust in sport, but if they taught the younger generation, it might work. Such a drastic change in theology however, might not.
xxxxxOnce the crowd quieted again, Majus continued, “The second path toward Song is a quieted time. Now, the purpose of Song remains to offset the Silence, so this avenue would have us practice a longer, quieter song than what remained in the Mount.” Here he held up a scaled leg to hush the crowd. “You all obviously find this option distasteful as well, so I will progress. The third option is to disguise our Song into the sounds of nature itself. None in this place would question the sounds of cricket, frog, bird, and wind, though too many owls might raise the Guard of those around us and lead to a need for the first avenue,” Majus said. This idea seemed to take more to the taste of the Civati around him, but those who were oldest and most set in their ways glowered at their neighbors.
xxxxxSomeone from the crowd, Billibojo most likely, called out “What is the fourth avenue you spoke of?” Majus smiled into the crowd. That one was older than many he knew, but Majus admired the adaptability of the Civati, even imitating his own way of talking to a degree.
xxxxx“The last avenue I can conceive is to find and claim an area untraveled by others and begin again,” Majus said. There were many gasps throughout the gathered Civati, and a few confused looks from those more skeptical members.
xxxxx“Majus-vat, dost thou know of such a place as thou hast described?” Leta spoke from the front of the crowd, and all gazes turned expectant and hopeful as they looked toward the dragon who led them.
xxxxx“Leta-vat, your words speak what the rest hope for. The mountains east of here are the most probable location for such a haven. There are a number of valleys accessible only by flight in that range. So, also, are there mountains whose sheer size present a danger to flying over. If the Civati would desire to claim one such valley as their own, I would endeavor to Guide you true and assist you into such a place,” Majus said. Leta turned a distinct shade of pink at his praise, but she still joined with the resounding cheer that arose at the end of his small speech.
xxxxx“Now, my adoptive kin, let us make haste. Should any retain doubts or conceive of a question concerning our current course, let them bring it to me as we travel; however, until we arrive at our destination, I ask that you attempt the third avenue during our Song,” Majus said. He’d noticed Peku in particular hadn’t cheered as enthusiastically as the rest. With one motion, Majus knelt, and those too old or too young to travel swiftly clambered upon his broad shoulders and back, riding all the way down his spine and even to his tail. It was an awkward way to travel for Majus, but the weight of so many Dreams upon his back helped remind him why he was Guard and why Zemni had chosen him as Guide.
xxxxxThree nights they traveled, sleeping and recovering strength during times of Harsh Light. When they finally reached the base of the massive mountain range the Civati would be calling home, those who had doubted had been convinced, and some who had believed were beginning to doubt. They looked up at the height of each peak and grew tired at the sight of such a climb ahead. It was at this point that Majus began carrying more than just the very old and very young.
xxxxxThose with enough energy ranged ahead, scouting trails and bringing news to Majus as they climbed into the mountains. Every Civati helped their neighbor, and those riding upon Majus began to voluntarily switch out with those who didn’t, whispering encouraging words as they passed those more tired than they.
xxxxx“Rest, and think of what it will be like to not walk.”
xxxxx“Our destination cannot be further than yesterday.”
xxxxx“Almost there.”
xxxxxThere came a night when even those words grew quiet, and Majus made a choice. He gathered his adoptive people and spoke to them again. “Civati, I know this journey has taken its toll on your bodies and minds. Rest this Harsh and Gentle Light within the protection of these caves while I search ahead,” Majus said. He was interrupted very noisily by a certain red Civati.
xxxxx“Dost thou desire to abandon thine duties as Guard? What should happen to us, should thou not return to us?”
xxxxx“Harken, my kin, to the words Majus-vat utters. I believe he hast thought of our plight and wishes it over with quickly,” Leta said to her people. She and those near her looked toward the dragon with hope, while those around Peku continued to grumble. At a nod from Majus, Leta continued, “Civati, look to thine reflections. Thou burden the young with years they have yet to earn, and thine elderly yearn simply for rest. Allow Majus-vat to Guard thine energy and ascertain the ways in which to Guide thine steps.”
xxxxxFor the first time since leaving the Mount, the entirety of the Civati people slept under stone instead of under patchwork wings and dark-rimmed scales and grey cloth. A watch was set up of those willing to give up their rest, and Majus made last minute arrangements. A time of meditation was set up while he was to be away as well, in the hopes that thinking ahead would rejuvenate the spirit as well.
xxxxx“Leta-vat, a word with you,” Majus called as the rest retreated from the coming sun. The bright Civati came forward and stood before the dragon’s lowered head. “Leta-vat, I wish you these. Keep them safe for me,” he said.
xxxxxLeta gasped as a small pile of black seeds and a horn of purest silver fell into her outstretched hands. “Majus, I cannot take these. This horn is for the Guide alone,” she said, trying to put the thing back in his grasp. She suddenly stopped and flushed, quickly blubbering, “Majus-vat, excuse my over familiarity. Mine words were ill thought, and I intended no disrespect to thine adoption!”
xxxxxMajus gave a deep chuckle as he pulled away. “All is forgiven, Leta-vat. Please, keep the horn safe while I move forward. It is important not only to me, but also to our people. Should something happen and I am unable to return, give it to Peku-vat. He may be abrasive, but he knows what is good for the Civati and will know how to start choosing the next Guide,” he said. As tears began to fill Leta’s eyes, Majus moved his snout against her. “Do not fear. I am not completely helpless,” he said, grinning and showing his sharp teeth.
xxxxxThose next two days were difficult for the Civati. They were lost without their Guide, and they were skittish without their Guard. Even the newest members felt it, though there was one who was born beyond it. With a bright, blinding light, a green Civati made his first appearance at Majus’s side during his travels. Majus had been returning when this young one appeared, and he made even more haste, knowing that the others would need this one.
xxxxxAt his arrival on the evening of the second day, the Civati rejoiced. Majus thought they looked tired and scared, but many shoulders relaxed as they recognized his form. Many cries of delight also rose up as the newest member of their kin was shown to them. He remained almost glued to Majus’s dark red scales, but the dragon saw how brightly his dream glowed at this meeting with the people he’d been told about.
xxxxxLeta approached and lifted the horn of purest silver, smiling as she said, “Name him, Guide, and welcome him as our kin.”
xxxxxMajus was surprised, then berated himself. He should have been thinking of a name since the young Civati had appeared. “I request that you hold this for me, Leta-vat. I do not wish to break such a precious thing,” he said quietly to Leta. She smiled back at him and positioned it in a way that might be easier for him to use. He thought a moment longer, then lowered his head to the horn. Blowing gently, he brought out a single tone as pure as the silver it came from. Loud and simple and long, it reverberated around their cave, and when the echoes died, Majus proclaimed, “Welcome, Mathias-vat, member of the Civati!”
xxxxxFrom that cave, the Civati journeyed more toward the southern end of the mountains. When Majus had made the journey alone, he had moved faster, so instead of the single night it took him, now it took them multiple nights. They traveled over mountains, and Majus shuttled them across a small canyon. Through all of this, Mathias never left his side, despite Majus urging him to socialize with the other Civati. The green Dream was a quiet one and rarely spoke. The first time was on the last day of their Journey.
xxxxxThe night had been spent shuttling Civati up the steep side of a mountain. Leta noticed that Mathias was not on the dragon’s back like normal and went looking for him. Just a little higher, on a thin outcrop of stone, the green Civati stood, looking down on a lush valley below. Waterfalls cascaded down the opposite side of the valley, their water feeding the roots of trees untouched by human, elf, or dragon.
xxxxx“Mathias-vat,” Leta said, “What dost thou look upon?” When she reached his vantage, her questions halted in her throat.
xxxxx“Home,” Mathias said quietly. That single word ran through the Civati as quickly as the sun’s light colored the clouds that morning.

oh nooooo Majus nooo D:

┏━━╍╍┅┅┉┉
┃✠ Falling Flame ✠
┗━━╍╍┅┅┉┉
xxxxxThe sword dug at his shoulder, but Majus didn’t care. He had killed his last, and he’d make the others back at Kaneda base see that. The sun glinted off the red dragon’s scales as he flew ever north and toward the dragon kingdom. Maybe they’d let him teach flying lessons or astrology. He’d been studying the stars at night. All he needed was a suitable mentor to tell him what was actually up there.
xxxxxThe reception at Kaneda base wasn’t as friendly as normal. Instead, there was a buzz of unease as the others noticed the human sword still stuck in his shoulder when he landed. A younger blue dragon quickly scampered up and pulled the weapon free, resulting in a small trickle of blood.
xxxxx“He doesn’t even bleed,” a newbie whispered. They were quickly hushed by their companions, but Majus didn’t mind. They could be in awe of him, but he wasn’t going out on any more missions. Not if he had his way.
xxxxx“Flyby, where is the commander?” Majus said. There was some more muttering from the now gathered crowd, but the blue dragon silenced them.
xxxxx“Young Flame has returned! We all know his routine, so this must be serious. Make way and don’t eavesdrop,” she said. Majus was pleasantly surprised at the level of command the younger dragon could exert on this batch of newbies. She was still a small dragon to him, but everyone seemed small. At least Japa could take care of herself with her training as Flyby.
xxxxxAt the entrance to the commander’s building, Japa stopped to drive off the stragglers that thought they were stealthy enough to sneak up and listen in. It didn’t matter that the place was shielded by the constant whistling of wind. Majus walked in, wings held tight to his side as he ducked through the doorway.
xxxxxThe interior of the commander’s quarters were surprisingly still. Papers rustled softly under stylized weights, but the general warmth and stillness warred with the soft screaming of the wind outside the entryways.
xxxxx“Young Flame,” a large black dragon said, “it is surprising to see you so soon after a mission. Did something happen?”
xxxxx“Sir, I’d like to quit,” Majus said simply, his absurd courage riding the exaultant wave he still felt. The commander of the Kaneda special forces simply looked at his larger companion for a moment.
xxxxx“What are you saying, precisely?” the black dragon asked. His tone was low, but it wasn’t a growl. Not yet.
xxxxx“Sir, I would like to retire from the Kaneda special services. I distaste all this killing and would like to stop performing it.”
xxxxx“You can’t do that.”
xxxxx“What? Why not? I’ve served our queen for years, and I certainly believe I could teach young dragons.”
xxxxx“That is precisely why you cannot stop. Young Flame, you may be unaware, but everyone here looks up to you. All the newbies get an earful of the feats you have accomplished. Your presence pushes them to fight for our glorious queen as hard as you do. Some even want to be better. Soldier, you are turning into a war hero. What would happen to morale if you announced that you were about to quit?”
xxxxx“What is he doing?” The quiet question came from the doorway. Japa stood there, staring at Majus as if he were somehow turning colors he shouldn’t be. Suddenly, the blue dragon rushed over and said, “Was it the wound? Young Flame, we can stitch that up! You’re still strong. Even if you get a couple scars, you’re still amazing!”
xxxxx“See what I mean?” the black dragon said simply, “Young Flame is a legend among the special forces. You haven’t been to the soldier schools, but there are entire hordes of younglings who want to meet you. If you drop out of the forces, all those potential soldiers for our illustrious queen’s war would feel disheartened, and a disheartened soldier is a dead soldier.”
xxxxx“But they’re being sent out to kill. Commander, these are children!” Majus exclaimed.
xxxxx“Are you saying our wise queen is wrong?” This time the black dragon’s voice growled.
xxxxx“Of course he doesn’t!” Japa burst in, “He’s just tired and confused.”
xxxxx“Are you contemplating treason Young Flame?” the commander said. Majus stared in horror at his commander. What was that? He wasn’t planning treason. How could not wanting to kill be considered treason? “I see. Young Flame, I will address this issue with Zanu at her earliest convenience. Until then, you are to remain on active duty. Dismissed.”
xxxxx“Young Flame! What’s going on?” Japa exclaimed once they were out of the commander’s station. The red dragon looked at his younger companion. She was so innocent. He wrapped one large wing around her small frame then casually left. She followed him all the way to the highest point in camp, but he didn’t respond to any of her outbursts. “Majus, talk to me! What’s wrong? You come back and suddenly you’re acting weird. Talk to me!”
xxxxxOver the next week, Majus waited for a response. When he wasn’t being pestered by Japa, the newbies were pretending to accidentally be in the same room. After that time, he only spoke seven words before he was sent to his next mission. Japa had noticed her mother’s appearance and came to ask Majus again, but the look in his eyes was different.
xxxxx“Japa, stay safe. Don’t die. Stay sane.” Majus's large wings only released her after three deep breaths.
xxxxx“Majus, what does that mean? Don’t walk away from me! What’s going on? Majus?”
xxxxxThe next day was supposed to kill him. Majus was sent on a solo mission, just like usual. A morning patrol was sent out, just like usual. Unusually, those two typical things intersected. The patrol found Majus flying toward his next destination like the good soldier he was supposed to be. The first one who dropped on him hit a wing.
xxxxxWhat the patrol did was finish a legend. Young Flame would go out in a blaze of glory and become the hero this generation needed. All for the glory of the golden queen. Of course, Majus fought back. This surprise wasn’t anticipated. The mission was assigned straight from Zanu. However strong he may have been, an entire patrol was too much for him.
xxxxxA horn snapped. Wings were bent out of shape. All scales turned red in the aftermath. What happened to the patrol was blamed on the humans and elves, the large gouges caused by a new majik. Those who were there knew what happened.
xxxxxAs it was, though, that patrol never returned, not because of an unprecedented cooperative effort between elves and humans, but by a single dragon big enough to tower over all his assailants and driven by a sudden elevation of adrenaline. Of course, their numbers gravely wounded him, but he was finished with them before they finished him.
xxxxx“Don’t come back, runt. My queen is displeased with you. You are dead to us,” Zanu said. She was the only one left, and she had managed to pin Majus with a claw to the throat. Her claws drew blood, but she pulled back after a good death glare. “Don’t die. Don’t get seen,” she said over her shoulder.
xxxxxZanu left Majus there as he bled on the ground. There were a number of tears in his wing membranes as he stumbled away from the bodies behind him. He didn’t know why Zanu left him alive, but he was fairly certain she wasn’t supposed to. Without anything else to do, the red dragon wandered into a fairly sizable cave where he promptly collapsed due to a significant amount of blood loss.
xxxxxSometime after Majus was drifting along the border of awareness, his mind was suddenly brought back to the land of the living by a particularly high-pitched screaming coming from somewhere behind him. Carefully, cautiously, and as quickly as he could manage, the red dragon turned deeper into the cave to see a number of elves gathered behind him. Two held balls of flames as if they’d been returning from some cave stroll while a third was covered in symbolic runes, specifically on her closed eyes. The last of the party looked to be the one who had screamed, and she currently held out a rather pointed sword in his direction.
xxxxx“Defend me from those who wish me harm!” the last one screeched. She let go of the sword, and though Majus was surprised that it floated where it was, it did not attack him. This seemed to puzzle the others with her, but the elf covered in tattoos stepped forward and held out a hand.
xxxxx“I apologize for the rude actions of my friends. Since you are not screaming, and the others are not attempting to burn you, I assume you have no ill intent. I am called La Kamika, the leader of this small delegation. These are my handlers, Lor Vantu, Lor Amano, and Marloha. Please forgive her. Who might you be?” the old elf said. Majus definitely knew she was old, even if her red hair didn’t show a strand of silver. La Kamika carried herself in a manner that reminded him of the retired teachers, though he was confused why she wouldn’t open her eyes.
xxxxx“I am Young—I am Majus. Apologies for startling you,” he rumbled slowly. The flame bearers seemed surprised that he spoke at all, but their defensive positions didn’t loosen. Deciding that it couldn’t hurt to ask, Majus continued, “As it is, I am currently in need of a place to stay. Do you know of any nearby?”
xxxxx“La Kamika, this dragon is large, even by their standards. I would suggest not trusting him,” one of the flame bearers muttered to the old woman.
xxxxx“Lor Rista, be thoughtful. I smell blood,” the old woman said, “Majus, do you have something preventing you from returning to your own people?”
xxxxxMajus looked at his wings, then grunted as he shifted to an almost standing position. “It seems my queen does not want me any longer. If you know of a place to hide, I would appreciate the knowledge. If you do not, I will continue on my way,” Majus said quietly. He didn’t think they would take in an enemy, but it was worth a shot.
xxxxx“You can hide in death!” Lor Amano hissed.
xxxxx“Calm! Majus has not threatened our safety with this request,” La Kamika said.
xxxxx“Does that mean he’s running from the war? An entire species did it once, so why shouldn’t a giant dragon be able to?” Lor Vantu said.
xxxxx“I don’t think we should take him in,” Marloha mustered, “but I have heard that the humans are looking for dragons in a city southeast of here.”
xxxxx“You’re right. Our cities would currently not appreciate a dragon within their protection, but I can bring it up at the next meeting,” La Kamika said. She turned toward Majus and waved a hand at him. “You should travel west and see the human city of Larem. Be careful in your approach, but announce your presence.”
xxxxxMajus lowered his head in a bow to the strange group of elves. “Thank you. Stay living,” he said before turning out and leaving the fire, sword, and old elf behind him. Larem, huh? Majus watched the skies anxiously on his way east, hoping to avoid any more dragons. Compared to them in the sky, he was a walking target. His wings were so torn, he couldn’t hope to fly more than a few paces if he tried. That compounded with the certain knowledge that the patrol he had killed was meant to have killed him sent chills down his spine.
xxxxxQuickly, he thought back to that strange elfling who had protected the human child. He’d promised not to kill again, hadn’t he? If that was true, did that make him a liar? He’d come home and killed a patrol of his own kind. The mangled forms of that patrol followed him all the way to Larem, where he’d finally managed to make it to the city without needing to kill anything but his meals.
xxxxxThinking back to his conversation with the elves, Majus let out a casual roar. He needed to get the humans’ attention without seeming threatening. A flame burst through the sky was distinctly more threatening. When the knights of the area came running out toward his hulking form, Majus quickly lowered his form into a relaxed crouch, placing his forehead on the ground in the dragons’ respectful bow. His strange position seemed to make the knights pause, and when they saw the state of his wings and form, Majus could hear confused whispers around him.
xxxxx“Greetings,” Majus rumbled in the two-leg tongue, “I mean you no harm.” Personally, he was pleased with how his speech had improved since the last time he’d spoken with humans, but these knights were less impressed.
xxxxx“State your name and business!” one of them, probably a commander, demanded.
xxxxx“I am Majus, and I seek a place to hide. I was told the humans of Larem were looking for a dragon and came in the hopes of sanctuary,” Majus said. He kept his head down and body relaxed, but he listened for the sound of movement.
xxxxx“Sorry, Majus, but we cannot have some war monster wandering our streets. I hope you understand,” the commanding officer said. Majus was about to respond when he heard it. Someone moved with that slow gait that meant they didn’t want to be noticed. Majus jumped up, but it was too late. Two short bursts of whistling ended in a suddenly drowsy feeling as Majus fell to the ground and the knights scattered around him.
xxxxxWhen he awoke, the darkness told him all he needed to know. However, this place was so small, he couldn’t stretch out. There was no need to pace this box, since he could feel the closeness of the walls all around him as he lay there, crumpled to the ground like some discarded deer waiting to be eaten. As he became more aware, he could feel the coolness of water below his talons. It was narrow, but surprisingly deep, as his curious claws found out.
xxxxxImmediately, Majus felt his pulse quicken, and he worked terribly to keep it under control. This wasn’t like last time. He could talk to the humans this time and convince them he wasn’t a threat. It wouldn’t be a catastrophe. The sky was there. He just had to patiently work towards it.
xxxxx“Is this him?” a voice said from somewhere by his tail. Majus tried to turn to look at whoever was speaking, but his head hit the ceiling, and his size was too large to turn around. “This one barely fits in here! How did you bag such a giant?”
xxxxx“This one came in by the forest and asked for a place to hide. The guy volunteered, which was plenty suspicious. Didn’t think he was this big, though,” another, more familiar voice said.
xxxxx“How interesting! Hello! Are you awake in there?”
xxxxxMajus guessed this last remark was directed at him, so he moved his tail by where he assumed the humans were. “Greetings,” he rumbled, “Are you the one in charge here?”
xxxxx“Oh! It talks, too! Yes. I am in charge around here. Good observation! Now, I’m afraid that I must leave you as you are, but either an assistant or I myself will come back to check on your behavior regularly, alright?” the voice said.
xxxxx“Please wait,” Majus said, “Could I request a temporary favor?” There was silence, but the ceiling didn’t move, so he assumed that was a good sign. “I would like to see who I talk with, but this cell is too small for me to turn around. Would it be possible to request this of you?” he asked.
xxxxx“You’re right. That is an issue. Unfortunately, we have nothing but your word that you won’t just attack all of us as soon as we give you some motion, so that will have to wait until you have proven yourself trustworthy. Well, off to examine our next sample!”
The voice drifted away as something ground to a close behind him. He couldn’t tell if it had been the ceiling this time, but he could finally attempt to get into a more comfortable position.
xxxxxWithout anything better to do as he waited for the check-ins, Majus began to carve on the walls he could see. True to their word, the head human came back regularly, usually sending someone in to carry some dead animal toward his head. He couldn’t tell if it was the same human who decided to be brave and feed him, but he was definitely sure that the head human was coming by less and less often.
xxxxxNow, only the assistants came by. Eventually, it was just the feeder. At some point, Majus had run out of wall to carve, so he’d shifted his weight and began carving the other side. These carvings were intricate, swirling clouds and spiraling stars above them, all detailed with small dragons and birds, some even reflecting those he had once known back home.
xxxxx“Hello! Meal time! Please stay still so I can get you your food,” a voice called from the back.
xxxxx“Thank you. I have shifted slightly since you were last here, so please be careful,” Majus said. The sounds of grunting came closer to his head until there was a small thud that announced his food was here.
xxxxxFor some reason, though, the brave human didn’t decide to go back to the entrance. Instead, they asked, “Why are you so complacent?” Majus, about to test his food, paused and mentally searched for a solution.
xxxxx“Honestly, this is not the first time I’ve been in one of these, though I think this one is smaller,” Majus said slowly, “Last time, I drove myself mad trying to find the sky and ended up killing a number of your kind. I regret it, and this time the head human has promised to let me turn once I have proven I will not run or attempt to hurt your kind.”
xxxxx“The sky?” the curious human asked.
xxxxx“Yes,” Majus chuckled, “I may have a distaste for flying, but the sky is beautiful, is it not? It’s always been patient for me.”
xxxxx“Do you know a dragon named Young Flame by any chance?”
xxxxxMajus grew silent, and instead of answering asked, “How do you know that name?” His voice was quiet and almost broken. Had he done so much harm that even the humans knew his cursed Kanesa name?
xxxxx“My great-great-gramma said that she was part of these projects at the very start of them. They caught a dragon who talked to them, though he talked funny the way my ma tells it. All ‘am youn fame’ and all that. Turns out, he’s the first one who ever spoke to us with human language. The scientist in charge of that place wrote down everything about that dragon, including his name.”
xxxxx“And why do you want to know of this dragon?” Majus asked quietly.
xxxxx“I want to know which one to aim for.”
xxxxx“If you want my opinion, you’d better focus on your own survival first. Young Flame was terrible, but he disappeared after his last mission. Even if he was supposed to be the next dragon war hero, I don’t think he liked the killing. I know I don’t.”
xxxxx“So you did know him!”
xxxxx“Nobody knew him!” Majus snapped. Pulling his head toward the wall, he quickly took a deep breath and let out a small puff of hot air. “Listen, I’m sorry. Just, please understand that this is a bit of a sore subject with me.”
xxxxx“Is it because you hate flying?”
xxxxxMajus chuckled slightly and moved his head back to look for his meal. “I suppose you could say that.”
xxxxxFrom then on, the human who brought him food was always the same one. The only reason Majus knew was because they stopped to talk with him. “What do you do down here all day?” he was asked once.
xxxxx“Would you like to see?” Majus asked. The human responded with a sound of excitement, and Majus chuckled at their energy. “You’ll have to trust me enough to climb up by my horns. I don’t want to singe you on accident.”
xxxxx“Why wouldn’t I trust you? In all the months I’ve been bringing you food, you haven’t tried to eat me once,” the human said. Majus smiled and moved his head toward the sound of the human’s voice. After some clumsy climbing, they were both ready for Majus to show off his work of boredom.
xxxxxCarefully, Majus breathed out a constant, small flame that lit up the wall before him. It was covered in detailed etchings of clouds and dragons mid-flight as they danced with birds that reflected the light softly with his flame. On the ceiling was a beautifully detailed sun whose rays played with more clouds and the stars among them. On the floor was a sky view of a tranquil river flowing through a forest of trees. All of the surfaces Majus could reach were covered in the tiny carvings.
xxxxxThe human on his head let out a small gasp, and as Majus ran out of breath said, “That was beautiful! How did you learn to do that?”
xxxxx“Trial and error,” Majus said, lowering his head, “and a lot of time with nothing to do. I think I am running out of space, though. I may have to experiment with the use of my back claws.”
xxxxx“Is that what it looks like?”
xxxxx“The sky? When you’re flying in it, there’s so much more than just the image. There’s wind in your wings and ears. The birds call out to you while the sun warms your back. There’s just nothing like it. Nothing at all,” Majus said.
xxxxxAfter that, the human began to change again. They also seemed to be coming in larger intervals, but Majus waited. Sometimes, he could catch the hint of something moving beyond his cell, but most of the time it was quiet.
xxxxxWhen something finally happened, it wasn’t the sounds he was expecting. Where once there was a solid wall behind him, suddenly there was nothing but air and a series of gasps as armor shifted and clattered together.
xxxxx“Stay where you are, dragon! We will attack if needed!”
xxxxxThis voice had a strange inflection to it. Curious, Majus called back, “Greetings. Does this mean the elves have taken over?”
xxxxxThere was a stunned silence as his ability to speak sank in. “Have you been here long?” one of the elves asked.
xxxxx“Maybe. Hard to tell time in this position. Think I could come out? I wish to see the sky,” Majus tried again.
xxxxx“Hold still.”
xxxxxTo Majus’s pleasant surprise and wonder, the ground beneath him began to slide out beneath him. As he sat still, the cave he’d been in slid past him. When he made it to the empty space beyond, he attempted to stay in his crouched position, but without the support of the wall at his back, he could feel himself sliding into a sprawled position.
xxxxx“I told you to hold still, beast!”
xxxxx“I’m sorry. I don’t remember standing being quite this difficult,” Majus said.
xxxxx“Ma’am, look at him,” one of the elves said in awe.
xxxxx“La Tor, please call over our commanding officer.” Majus struggled to maintain his sitting position until a number of wide, supportive portions of metal met his side. “Please, rest. Your state is reprehensible, even by prisoner standards.”
xxxxx“Please, I’ve done little more than rest since I got here. I only wish to see the sky again,” Majus said, but he couldn’t resist the pull of gravity. His side rested against the ground, and then the elves helped to rest his head comfortably next to him. When he looked up, though, he let out a small cry. “Where is the sky? What have you done to it?” he whimpered in his own tongue.
xxxxx“Lor Omaru, I have arrived, and I think this human might be able to help us figure out what is going on here,” a commanding voice said.
xxxxxAs Majus looked toward the ceiling, a small voice reached him. “This one was recorded as Majus, ma’am.”
xxxxx“And what is the reason for his current physical state, human?”
xxxxx“The thirtieth head scientist decided he would be good for the experiment. First records show that he arrived at about this size, but since this was the largest container we have, they were unable to give him one larger.” Majus listened only partially, feeling like this voice was at once familiar and not. “When the thirty-first head scientist took over, the goal of the project was changed, and this dragon no longer fit the parameters well. It was at this point that he was slotted for euthanasia, but there was one worker who took pity and asked if he could attempt to tame the dragon. He and his kin have cared for it since.”
xxxxx“You make it sound like dragons are beasts. How do you justify fighting a war against beasts, human?”
xxxxx“Dragons are intelligent, but so are wolves. We simply perform population control.”
xxxxxAt this point, Majus placed why the voice sounded so familiar. “He wanted to fly,” he said quietly, closing his eyes as he remembered all the conversations. “He had a life mate and hatchlings of his own.”
xxxxxThe human screamed in terror, and there were sounds of a small scuffle. Though Majus tried to look at the sounds, it was too much effort to move at the moment.
xxxxx“Are you one of the hatchlings, then?” he asked, “Or did the hatchlings have hatchlngs?” The sounds stopped, and soon the human was placed before his eye. The poor thing was shivering, but she didn’t struggle any more.
xxxxx“How can you speak like this?” she asked quietly.
xxxxx“Trial and error,” Majus said with a small smile, “and there isn’t much else to do when you can’t move.”
xxxxx“Majus, what was your relationship with this human’s progenitor?” an elf said. He was tall for an elf, but even though his silver head only reached the human’s shoulder, he definitely had the situation under control.
xxxxx“He brought me food, company, and sanity,” Majus said, “But what happened to the sky? Hatchling of my friend, where have you put the sky?”
xxxxx“It seems this complex was built underground as a defense measure against the escape of a dragon. We can take you out to the surface if you would like,” another elf said. This one was female, with tattoos on her forehead and arm depicting something representing a hawk.
xxxxx“I would rather walk,” Majus said with a small smile, “But I would gladly accept your aid.” The female elf nodded and motioned the group back, giving him space to attempt to stand. Majus had to struggle, but he found his feet below him. Metal beams bent and provided support as he walked away from the small gasps behind him.
xxxxxOutside, the sky wasn’t exactly easy to see, but the stars that showed through the occasional pillar of smoke was beautiful to him. “Majus, when was the last time you had a decent meal for a dragon of your size?” an elf said. It sounded like Lor Omaru, but Majus didn’t turn to check.
xxxxx“The trees were green when last I hunted. Not the new green, but the deep green. The humans have brought me deer, though, so I haven’t starved,” Majus said to the stars.
xxxxx“Dragon, your frame says otherwise. You are clearly starved beyond the point of understandable malnutrition. Your body also seems to have sustained injury as well. These humans almost killed you with a lack of food, so I will understand if you wish to take out your anger. I can have a selection brought forward for you,” Lor Omaru said ominously.
xxxxx“They almost killed me, but I have killed so many of them. I suppose I should be mad, but I’m glad just to see the sky again,” Majus said. There was a bit of a hushed and confused conversation behind him as Majus continued to look at the sky. He leaned more and more heavily against the supports, though, until his body was once again on the ground.
xxxxxWhen he woke again, Majus was inside a large stone birdcage with a selection of humans tied to their bars. They all squirmed as he stirred, but when he noticed them, he stilled. Something was strange here.
xxxxx“What is the meaning of this?” Majus asked the nearest human.
xxxxx“You monster! The elves have majiked it to speak our language! Don’t trust a thing this animal says, alright?” This came from a rather important looking figure tied to a bar not too far off. There was a general chorus of agreement from the other humans, but they quickly fell quiet.
xxxxx“Dragon! We have rounded up the humans responsible for your current deplorable condition. Exact your vengeance upon them!” an elf called out from somewhere behind him. A sudden strength flowed through him, but he still rose only slowly.
xxxxxFrom his place in the central square, what was left of the city was on display. There were elves gathered at various points of interest, especially around his cage. On the roof of a nearby tavern and sitting in the floors of others not quite abandoned were elves of various age and gender, and all of them had tattoos somewhere on their person.
xxxxxWithin the cage, one of the humans broke. “Please! Have mercy! I don’t want to be eaten! Please! Don’t kill me! I have a daughter, see? I need to go back to her!”
xxxxx“Shut up!” the important looking one said, “I told you, they’ve done nothing but majik a monster into speaking our words. There’s no way this thing’s going to keep you alive just because you have family!”
xxxxxMajus felt another surge of energy and something malignant enter his thoughts, but he leaned down to the broken human and whispered, “When I let you go, don’t run out. Those elves will kill you on the spot. Come towards me, and I’ll try to get you back to your hatchling.”
xxxxxOf course, the moment his careful claw cut her bonds, the human was off and running out into the waiting crowd. His prediction proved accurate, and he sighed slightly. The others, thankfully, stayed where they were, but he paused at the important one.
xxxxxSuddenly, his thoughts turned to eating this particular human. How hungry he was, and how bright its blood would be. There would be no better thing in the world than to satisfy his cravings with the thrill of battle.
xxxxxRising, Majus looked toward the elves with a determined glare. “Whoever is doing that, stop. You asked me to exact my vengeance, but messing with my mind will make it yours, and thus make you liars and thieves. Now please stop,” Majus said, his voice low enough to vibrate the tiles on some of the houses. Instantly, the need to feed faded, and he looked down to the humans.
xxxxx“I want them to run,” he said, “and I wish to give chase. There is no better thing than a good hunt.” Hopefully the humans would understand what he was getting at while the elves didn’t. Majus saw a couple glints of understanding here and there, but not in all of them. “I will give you until the count of ten,” he said as he cut the bonds of the last human, “Now lead the way. One. Two. Three.”
xxxxxInstantly, the humans were running. Elves backed away from them, and someone majiked away the bars of his birdcage, but still he waited. “Eight. Nine. Ten. Here I come,” Majus said. His count had ended with a chorus of elves counting with him, and they all cheered as he began walking after the scattering humans. They were running off in groups, and he chose to follow the one that looked most obviously in danger of not understanding what to do.
xxxxx“Won’t you attempt to find your escape tunnels?” Majus taunted, “Or are you going to try the wilds outside these city walls? Will you make it the far?” The elves were definitely following him, but there was nothing he could do about that. They wanted to see him eat something, and that thought almost made him lose his appetite altogether. Their thirst for blood was almost terrifying, but he had dealt with this kind of thing before. Granted, that particular mission hadn’t had him as a prisoner in his own scales, but it was a close enough situation to draw from.
xxxxxMajus chased a human into what appeared to be a stable. There were still horses left, and when he pushed his head into it after the human, he pushed them into the back and hissed when they screamed. Quickly, he killed one of the horses, making sure to smear his muzzle a bit. He gave the human a single blink before careening back out of the building. His horns had ruined the entrance quite a bit, but he quickly took an experimental huff of air.
xxxxx“There are more that way!” a helpful elf cheered among the hollering. Quickly, Majus followed the directions, hoping the human made it out before the elves figured him out. For a moment, he contemplated killing these elves to get away, but his brain recoiled from the thought as a mangled dragon patrol manifested before him. Not only had he promised himself he wouldn’t kill, but the elves were majiking him again. Majus let out a small growl, then stopped.
xxxxxThe dragon lowered his head to the ground and took a deep breath. “Running to the woods, are you?” he said to himself. Of course, there was no scent there, but he needed an excuse to leave the city. He followed the “scent” through various alleys that were much wider when he was through them. He lost a good number of observers as his chase suddenly lost steam, but there were still a number of more powerful elves following him.
xxxxxJust as Majus was about to leave the city, the elves still following seemed to catch on. One caught his leg in a grip of stone. “Let me hunt,” Majus growled back at them.
xxxxx“Your hunt is in here, dragon. Come back.”
xxxxx“Leave the dragon alone!” a human voice cried. Majus instantly tried to shield them, but the elves simply used their majik to quickly deal with the troublesome thing.
xxxxx“If you’re going to kill a prisoner of war, do it quickly. Now, come before we decide we are done with you.”
xxxxxMajus was stuck where he was. His body had energy, but no stamina, and when he looked at the body of the human who had tried to help him, he just couldn’t stand it anymore. As he paced back to the center under the elves’ watchful eyes, his chest heated and cooled with each breath.
xxxxxBack into the birdcage he went, but he didn’t wait long. Once all the elves disappeared again, he grabbed the bars in his jaws and began a slow, hot flame that licked at the stone and scales that held it in. When he finally chewed off a goodly portion of the wall, he climbed out and began depositing the molten rock on various buildings on his way out of town.
xxxxxWherever he threw up the magma, wood caught fire quickly. He had no energy to run, but his purposeful stride carried him to the guards, where they tried using their majik to trap him again. He could feel enchantments and transmutations working to stop him and put out the flames, but he wouldn’t stop.
xxxxx“Halt, dragon!” the elves cried. When he continued to keep moving, they attempted to threaten him with death. He was already so close to starved, he didn’t care. Eventually, the elves ran from the giant red dragon who apparently felt none of their majiks, and he quickly escaped outside the city walls.
xxxxxThe forest that had been there when he was captured was driven back a significant distance, and even there, the trees were much younger than he remembered. Somehow, he made it into the cover of the trees and deep into the cover of night. When his body finally collapsed from pure exhaustion, he heard footsteps behind him.
xxxxx“Dragon, please don’t attack us,” a human voice said. Majus groggily turned his head toward the sound and saw three humans huddled around a large deer carcass. “As thanks for your mercy,” one said, gesturing to the food.
xxxxxMajus could feel the draw of the food, but he couldn’t work up the energy to get to it. “Sorry, but could you please bring it closer? I’m afraid I’ve run out of their energy,” he said, slowly turn his head into the bowing position that seemed to put so many people at ease. He held it only as long as it took the humans to drag over his food and back away before he devoured the meal.
xxxxxWhen the deer was gone, he laid his head down. One of the humans shuffled forward. Brave of them, but maybe they just noticed how tired he was. “Dragon, thank you for saving us. We didn’t deserve that mercy,” they said.
xxxxx“I have resolved not to kill, human, but your thoughts are on the right track. Starving out a prisoner is not an honorable thing to do,” Majus said.
xxxxx“Dragons always kill, no matter what you think. It’s in their nature. Come on, Dolores, we need to keep moving,” another human spat.
xxxxx“If that’s so, how did this one resist killing us?” the human Dolores retorted. She then turned back to Majus and said, “She’s right, though. Most other dragons would kill anyone. What were your plans?”
xxxxxMajus let his tired mind think for a moment before he responded. “I encountered some elves before coming to Larem who were on a diplomatic mission to some third party. I don’t think it went well, but since it obviously wasn’t human, there must be another, neutral party out there,” he said. The dragon released a hot puff of air before continuing, “That one’s predecessor mentioned a destination to the south of here. Delegations would go that direction looking for assistance. Elves don’t like the south, and if it was dragons, the queen never told any of us¬¬¬. I think I’ll go that way.”
xxxxxThere was the sound of shuffling, and when the red dragon looked toward it, the humans had disappeared. Though he knew he wanted to rest, the threat of the elves behind him pushed him to his feet again, and he moved forward. His wings ached, and the joints he had been resting on creaked with each motion as he headed south. He hunted his fill each morning, and then again at dusk until an observer wouldn’t be able to see his skeletal structure. As the trees faded away, he grew increasingly worried that a passing dragon would recognize him and attack.
There was one instance in the plains when a young dragon suddenly dropped in front of him. “Stranger! State your business and purpose!”
xxxxxMajus was about to answer honestly, but he thought better of it. This tiny dragon was just a child. He wanted to avoid a fight with them if at all possible. “I am a special force agent working for her majesty the queen, may her radiance shine. I have been commanded to keep my mission a secret, but I can see you are a loyal soldier, so I will trust you with that much,” he said.
xxxxx“Imposter! The queen has been dead for years!” the young dragon said.
xxxxxMajus stared at the bristling young thing and felt unexpected tears come to his eyes. This seemed to disarm the poor young soldier. They seemed to waiver as Majus felt his knees give way. His queen—no—his mother was dead. Had been for years. “I didn’t know,” Majus said weakly.
xxxxx“What mission did she send you on that you wouldn’t know or have contact with her for years?” the soldier asked.
xxxxx“I,” Majus started, “I can’t tell you.” His wings fell, and he pressed his head into the ground before him to ward off the growing headache. “I have been gone for a long time. She was in perfect health when she sent me away!” At this point, Majus was yelling at the ground. He wasn’t sure why, but it was definitely scaring the poor child before him.
xxxxx“You need to come back to the Nest,” the young dragon said carefully. With a swift motion, the larger dragon hit his head against the ground, then raised his head.
xxxxx“I need to make an impossible request of you,” Majus said hoarsely, “Tell no one of me or my mission.” He looked the soldier in the eye. “I will return when I have finished what she requested of me. Please, let me have this.” The young soldier seemed hesitant, but he stepped aside and waved a wing. As Majus passed, though, the soldier spoke again.
xxxxx“How did that happen to your wings?” he asked quietly.
xxxxxMajus paused and said in a low voice, “I received these wounds in the service of my queen. May you find a kinder fate.” Majus left behind him a very confused and worried young warrior as he traveled toward the reclusive hint of a people known only as the Civati.

┏━━╍╍┅┅┉┉
┃✠ To Evolve ✠
┗━━╍╍┅┅┉┉

xxxxxCamping is usually an enjoyable adventure, but the activity tends to get tiresome when it becomes a necessary part of survival for months on end. Although the entirety of the Civati population could comfortably hide beneath Majus’s wings during the Harsh Light, that was nothing like a permanent residence one could call a home.
xxxxx“There are mountains all around us! We could finally escape the Harsh Light for good!”
xxxxx“We do not want a repetition of what occurred at the Mount. We should build individual mounds to live in.”
xxxxx“What if we cut down the trees and use their wood like the humans do?”
xxxxx“What do the elves do? It must be more comfortable than the humans, however clever they are.”
xxxxx“Elves do little better than camp themselves, but what about the dragons?”
xxxxx“Idiot. Do you wish to expose yourself to the elements even more?”
xxxxx“What are we to do for shelter, then?”
xxxxx“Majus-vat, please do something for us,” Leta said to Majus, “We may have arrived, but we are lost.” The small yellow Civati had crawled out from under the dragon’s immense wings before the sun had disappeared behind the tall mountains around the valley.
xxxxx“A good rise to you, Leta-vat,” Majus rumbled in greeting. He could feel all the small Civati under his wings as they rested, and though he was loathe to wake them, this conversation needed to be had. “I have heard the murmurs. There was once a technique I heard the dryads used before they disappeared into the sea, and I am considering it,” he said.
xxxxx“The dryads sailed away from the continent?” Leta asked. Her head tilted to one side, both sets of her ears mirroring the motion.
xxxxx“They did not sail, little one,” Majus said, suppressing his chuckles so he wouldn’t disturb the other Civati still sleeping under his wing, “The dryads disappeared into the sea, but they did not sail. They were driven out of their forests by the humans’ need for building materials until there was only one place left for them.”
xxxxx“Did they drown?” a young voice asked from somewhere above Majus’s head.
xxxxx“Mathias, come down and join the conversation,” Majus said, tilting his head to one side so the small green Civati would slide off and have to join. “To answer your question, no. The dryads did not drown, but they changed. The stories tell that they transformed into nymphs who grow trees in the seas and oceans around the continent,” he finished.
xxxxx“What about the dryads prompted you to consider their shelters?” Leta asked him.
xxxxx“Supposedly, while they were still living in the land forests, the dryads molded their trees into places to live,” Majus said. He saw the confused looks on the two Civati before him and smiled. “We cannot mold the trees as they are, but if we can create homes that sustain themselves and grow larger on their own, it would solve our shelter problems. However, we are unable to mold the trees immediately, so this idea would have us wait even longer than we have. That will be difficult for us, since we have finally made it to the end of our Journey.”
xxxxx“Patience,” Mathias said.
xxxxx“I’m sure the others would understand, Mathias-vat, but I do not wish to press our family more than is necessary,” Majus said to the small green Civati.
xxxxx“Our family?” Leta asked. She seemed confused by the term he had used.
xxxxx“Yes,” Majus said, “Where I was adopted from, young members were born very differently. It involved one male and one female, and the young that came from them were considered their responsibility. Since the Civati do not operate under such rules, I have been using a comparison with Mathias. I was adopted by the Civati and became your brother. Now that I am Guide and Guard, you all are my responsibility. Where I am from, it would be as if a blood brother rose up and filled the role of one of the parents to lead his siblings.”
xxxxx“I was not born with you, but you are all family,” Mathias said. His solemn eyes locked on the brighter Civati with the same intensity he used for everything.
xxxxx“But what does blood brother mean?” Leta asked, avoiding the eyes locked on her.
xxxxxMajus twisted his face as he thought of a suitable explanation. “On the Journey, you witnessed how when a Civati fell and got a small wound, their body sent a red fluid to the surface. That is blood, and in cultures where it is important to know whose mother and whose sister one is, a family is considered to all have the same blood,” he tried.
xxxxx“So, when one bleeds, they all feel it?” Leta asked.
xxxxx“Something similar, yes,” Majus said, giving up slightly on defining such a strange concept to her. He couldn’t think of a way to explain it that wouldn’t be more confusing. “In my case, family is more of a bond than shared blood, which is why I can make the comparison,” the dragon finished.
xxxxx“How delightfully maudlin,” a sneering voice said from a red head.
xxxxx“Good rise to you, too, Peku-vat,” Majus said to the peevish Civati, “Did I wake you?”
xxxxx“No,” Peku said as he crossed his arms over his chest, “though it appears that many of the Civati wish to speak with you this Gentle Light.”
xxxxx“Please gather the Civati once the Gentle Light is fully visible, then. I wish to work this through together,” Majus said. He dipped his head toward the red Civati with his request. That should work to keep the elder appeased for a time.
xxxxxWhen the moon finished rising above the mountains, the Civati were ready and waiting for the dragon to speak. “Civati, I wish to welcome you all home, but I would not be a proper Guard if I did not keep you safe from the elements,” Majus said. His tone was not commanding, but his size helped to make the sound travel over them with seeming ease. Without hurrying, Majus continued, “As we did when discussing the Song, I wish to put forward a number of options and reveal to you what the dream Zemni-vat bequeathed to me has shown in more recent times.”
xxxxxThe crowd of Civati and their glowing dreams drew instinctively closer. In the past, Majus made decisions and explained them as they went. If he was asking for a discussion, then that meant he could not figure out the correct path on his own.
xxxxx“As I see it, there are many ways we can provide shelter for ourselves,” Majus said with his head lowered toward them, “We can find or carve out own caves out of the mountains around us. Too much, though, and we risk bringing down the walls that protect us from the outside. This rock is soft, so consistent carving would weaken it to the point of collapse, but if we limit the amount that is carved, the mountains should remain steadfast for many, many years.” There were some heads that bobbed as they thought of this, though the faces Majus could see looked like they were waiting for the other options first.
xxxxx“I have heard the thoughts to use the trees around us like the humans do,” he continued, “This is not a bad idea, but I would caution against this. It is much too easy to become confident in the quick and easy use of these materials. Without careful vigilance, the valley will be stripped of trees in the next hundred years.” There were a few surprised looks as Majus watched them. The surprise glowed on the faces as he spoke, then faded to a simple concentration as they considered what their approach had to offer.
xxxxx“Another option is to continue using my wings to protect you from the elements. However, despite my seeming ageless existence, I will eventually grow old. That end is still thousands of years away, but at that point, I will not be able to Guard you,” the dragon said. There were a number of gasps in the crowd as he bluntly confronted his mortality, but Majus smiled comfortingly.
xxxxx“Like I said, that end will not come to pass for a long time yet. However, there is one more option I would like to discuss with you,” Majus said. The crowd waited expectantly as Majus lifted one giant wing to gesture at the valley. “If we use the trees as they stand and mold them into living pods, then we may feasibly be able to create a sustainable source of shelter for as far as I have been shown,” Majus announced, “However, before you grow excited with this final option, be aware that it will take years to train the trees to grow as we want. I am not even certain we will be successful with the first trees we attempt. Please keep this in mind while discussing among yourselves. I wish to Guide you well, so offer me sights only you can see.”
xxxxxMajus watched with pride as his family began to discuss with their neighbors the benefits of each course of action. They even continued speaking when they climbed upon Majus’s broad back to do their regular exploration of this strange new valley they were calling home. They walked the perimeter, where Majus cleared the path of trees for those behind him. He heard them discuss mixing strategies and ideas, and when he called for Silence, he could feel the weight of each Civati deep in thought.
xxxxxToward the end of the Gentle Light, Majus froze mid-step. Bilibojo and Mathias had been sitting upon his head, discussing their own ideas, and now an image of their combined ideas rooted Majus where he stood. The base of the valley walls were covered with a layer of glistening rock, and behind that rock lay a single ring of tunnels and small carved abodes. Outside, the trees glowed with the dreams and Civati resting in their sculpted boughs. Unconsciously, Majus began to laugh. It was such a simple answer!
xxxxxWhen he told the Civati what he had seen, they all seemed ecstatic, and even Peku stared off in awe at the future Majus described. They started that very night. Whatever the Civati carved from their tunnel, they brought outside to the waiting dragon. There, he seemingly ate the jumble of rocks, heating his mouth and the contents inside until it was liquid and he could then slather it on the base of the cliffs. Whatever they took from the mountains went right back to them, reinforcing the walls just outside the large tunnel.
xxxxxMeanwhile, Mathias and Leta led a group of Civati each night to look for large, healthy trees they could mold to become shelters. When it came time to escape the Harsh Light, the Civati gathered under Majus’s wings, and when they began carving the small sleeping quarters within the walls, the young voluntarily let their older members take the first few.
xxxxxIt was a busy few years, only slowed by the incessant raining that happened once a year. As Majus had predicted, though, once the Civati finished their tunnel and the apartments within it, the trees were ready to be inhabited. The Civati grew adept at weaving the trees into living homes for themselves. Some even began experimenting with a second level on their trees, opening up more possibilities.
xxxxxAfter the tunnel was finished, however, there wasn’t much for Majus to do. Each Civati carried their Dream, so there wasn't a Vault for him to Guard, and the new valley seemed a perfect place for them, so there wasn't much need to Guide. He visited the Civati around the valley and called the Silence and Song, but other than the occasional quarrel, he was largely unneeded. There came a time when only one Civati remained with him during the Harsh Light. His green head remained firmly under Majus’s wing or atop the dragon’s skull, climbing the extensive horns there.
xxxxx“Mathias-vat, you should create a home for yourself,” Majus said one night, “You are the best weaver, and I know you assist the others wherever we stop, but would you not like a tree of your own?”
xxxxx“I will help family, but I want to stay with you,” Mathias said. Majus paused in his study of the landscape and looked under his wing at the Civati.
xxxxx“I am honored by your sentiment, but I will not be here forever. You should find others with whom you wish to live,” the dragon rumbled softly.
xxxxx“That is why I want to be with you now,” the green Civati said. There wasn’t much Majus could think of to challenge that logic as he felt the soft weight that was Mathias scamper up to his brow. “What are you doing?” he asked once he was seated in his usual spot.
xxxxxMajus chuckled and said, “I am trying to be useful. You know how you can see part of at least one wall of the valley from wherever you stand? I hope to make a map so that none will become lost so long as they can see the walls.” Majus studied his surroundings just a bit more, then turned to the wall. “I will carve in these landmarks where they stand, and next time I come by, I will carve beside them, so that travelers will know what lies beside the current mark.”
xxxxxMathias traveled with the giant dragon as he carved an image for the lake they passed. Majus made note of where the moon rose, and also where the cliffs created the natural entrances to caves where the valley’s rivers ran out. He noted the portion of the valley dominated by fruit trees, and he made a small monument on the edge where the Civati first entered their new home. Majus carved the direction of the sunset and the location of the “Sunless place” past the falls that fed the main river in the valley. He observed the clouds that seemed to constantly form around the peak of one mountain and brought rains. Mathias then helped identify the entrances to the tunnel that ran the perimeter of the valley, and Majus took notes on them as well.
xxxxxBy their third trip around the valley, other Civati were joining them for short times. “I have heard tell that a brother by Fruits found a new way to weave.” “The sisters by Sunset are taming one of the wild creatures in the area.” “Our family at Lake are sending a group to the center to sow the black tree seeds.” Majus gladly helped them along, since his traveling speed was much swifter, and the added conversation was very welcome.
xxxxxMathias and Majus continued to make their circuits around the valley, carving new details each night until the entire wall of the valley was covered above the canopy with delicate and intricate carvings depicting the interactions of the nearest landmarks. Within the swirling carvings were images of dragons and elves who peeked out of fanciful clouds and swirling stars. Humans made occasional appearances as well, but the real central species was the Civati people themselves. To commemorate their entrance to the valley, Majus carved a large Civati carrying many dreams. Since it was a landmark, it went all the way to the valley floor. Entrances had a simple column of fanciful designs, but this particular landmark was the most detailed.
xxxxxOne thing Majus never learned about, though, was the way the Civati emulated him. Within the tunnel, it became a personal challenge to decorate the walls in and around one’s apartment with images personally important to the artist. Within the trees, Civati carved the limbs with names and images, often leaving messages as they moved between the pods woven from living branches. At first, they used stones for their carvings, but some clever Civati noticed that the scales Majus dropped around the valley were harder to break and could be sharpened to a more permanent edge. Each scale was split in half to make attaching handles easier. The blades of these knives were a wine red, the sharpened edge a shade of midnight blue.
xxxxxWhile he was carving, Majus was also introducing new Civati to their family. Binti-vat, Japa-vat, Micah-vat, and Jespet-vat. Zanu-vat, Moya-vat, Yarem-vat, and Korim-vat. Larem-vat, Harite-vat, Amu-vat, and Vorcim-vat. All of these and more Majus named, and all he greeted with the same words.
xxxxx“This is your family. There will be troubles, and there will be arguments, but best of all there will be joy. Welcome home.”