The guestroom of the duke’s manor was a well furnished room with large, plush sofas and tables that could comfortably seat as many as two dozen people. Today it was hosting less than ten people and a dragon, so there was plenty of space for everyone.

“My name is Rueban,” The red robed man said with a bow aimed towards the duke who sat at the center of one particularly large sofa, with Eric on one side and Able on the other. “I am an enchanter, I’ve got some very interesting things to offer you tonight.” He said gleefully. “But, first, let me offer the use of my purified dungeon core to your dragon.”

Rueban was a strange looking fellow, with an almost fanatical look to his eyes, he was pale and looked as if he'd seen little sun in months. He was thin and moved oddly, his hair was an unnatural shade of red that looked dyed, but only a few loose locks and the eyebrows were visible on his otherwise clean shaven face. He looked middle aged, but there was an odd timeless quality to his appearance.

He held out a plain looking dull red gem sitting in an open box lined with a deep red cloth. Then set it on a low table near the dragon, who had been waiting patiently. Idea observed, then focusing on the gem, instructed Rex,

Rex was conscious of all the eyes on him as he hesitantly stretched out his tongue and reached out to the gem with the appendage.

“I say,” Rueban said, “please don’t let the dragon eat my PDC, it is quite an expensive item.” he said, putting his hand to his cheek in an exaggerated gesture of concern.

“Don’t worry, mister Rueban,” Karla explained, “Rex has some sort of analysis spell he can do with his tongue,” she explained, “he’s not going to eat it.”

“A spell, you say?” Rueban asked, “Why how amazing, a dragon that can use magic.” he mused.

Leonard looked interested at this new information too, but didn’t interrupt.

Idea asked, a bit concerned.

Rex replied as his tongue touched the PDC.

A surge of magical energy flowed from the gem into Rex, and Idea was momentarily disrupted by fluctuations from the magic as it reached out for Rex’s brain. But Idea had become good at recovering from magic induced errors, and was back up and running in under a second. Idea tried to make sure the magic wasn’t doing anything suspicious, but it only wanted to gather information, so far as the AI could tell.

Rex was momentarily confused but then said,

Idea gave a rambling account of what the AI was doing, before putting up a new blue screen up in Rex’s field of vision.

Name Rex Ideaseven Species Cybernetic Dragon Class None Selected Level 3 > Would you like to select a class? (Yes/No)

Rex answered tentatively, unsure how to operate the floating flat box in his field of vision.

Idea offered.

> Error: No classes currently found for your species. > Would you like to create a new class? Yes/no?

Rex said excited.

And then the gem cracked loudly, a deep line nearly splitting the gem in two appeared, causing the blue screen to fade away.

Idea observed, with some concern.

“Oh no! Did you just break my precious gem?!” Rueban exclaimed loudly. “You used your magic to break it, didn’t you! I demand answers. What did you do?!” The enchanter said, pointing an accusatory finger at Rex.

Rex realized with a sinking feeling. It was true, while everyone else in the room had been surprised, Rueban had immediately jumped to accuse the dragon.

“No!” Karla exclaimed, “Rex would never do that.”

“Oh? Perhaps you’d like to prove that what you say is true?” Rueban said, with a glint in his eye.

Idea said.

“Karla, don’t…” Rex tried to warn her.

But it was too late, “Of course,” Karla said.

With a flourish, Rueban pulled out a new gem, a smaller pale blue gem that glowed brightly when he said, “This is my own invention, a truth gem!” He said, “It glows blue when the person holding it is speaking something they believe to be true. I modified a dungeon core to make it.” He announced proudly, putting the gem in Karla’s hand. “Now then, my pretty little catgirl ask the dragon, did he break the PDC?”

Karla frowned, “He can understand you fine, mr. Rueban.” the gem glowed a bright blue. “Rex?”

“No, I did nothing to break the PDC,” Rex told Karla, making a grunting noise while he sent the message. He then pulled his tongue back in after almost accidently biting it.

“He says he didn’t do anything.” Karla said defiantly. The gem continued to glow blue.

“Well,” Rueban said, with a predatory smile, “But the gem is only telling us that the slave believes what the dragon said. Tell me, little catgirl, has the dragon ever lied to you before?”