The winter passed slowly. I found and cleared a few more of the “dungeons” and also located a few more races that were on the continent. I left them alone, much to Arienach’s chagrin.

“If we let the others bring them in, then they get a feeling of accomplishment. Rather they do the diplomatic work for us.”

Most of the time was spent sleeping in the caldera since I had little use for the cold, even though it didn’t effect me as when I went on two legs. Arienach and I talked long about many things. I think even he was impressed with what the elves had done in the short time they had to reconstruct their town. It looked alive now. When we weren’t talking, I was thinking about the future. I was scheming even then about how I wanted the soon to be trade city set up. I had a few other ideas as well, but time would tell. I could only await spring and the arrival of my “hands”, the dwarves.

The first goal was to set up a trade city around the harbor and have it act as a gateway into the inner ring of my lair. Later on, I would have them build another city, much different around my volcano. It would be the hub at which the dragons would meet and have council. I would also task them to build lairs around the outer ring facing inward. Depending if I could get any of the other dragons on board. Time would tell on that as well, though. It really wasn’t high on my list of priorities. I also wondered if the land around where I was planning the inner city was fertile. If so, then we could have farms protected from the outside if something did decide to come calling with trouble in mind.

Surprisingly, the ice had barely melted from the harbor in early spring when I first sensed something moving up the channel to the harbor. I took to the air and met them at the harbors side closest to the entrance to the inner lairs. It was a flat bottom barge and it was packed with both elves and dwarves. A rarity, as it seemed historically those two races did not get along well. I also noticed two who at first I thought to be on horseback. Then I noticed the lack of horse head. Centaurs. I hadn’t seen their like yet and they were a shock to me. There were also a few strangely colored elves, who Arienach informed me were drow. Again, the stories I had read before put the drow and the elves at odds. I supposed at least the orcs were predictable.

“I know not what is going on here, Michael. There should be no way that even the elves and drow should be there, let alone the rest of them.”

I was about to step forward to greet them, when I felt something off in the distance. It was circling over the route the elves and dwarves had come from. I let my eyes focus and Arienach hissed. “Viennarinia”. A pale gold dragon, she looked to be an ancient. She watched me as I watched her over the mile or so between us. She had a row of spikes down her back and her horns tilted forward as mine sloped back. She was majestic in the sky. After a while she flew moonward, or west I suppose. I was falling into the terms of this new land. I figured, rather than have the distraction now, I would talk with Arienach later about this new wrinkle. Several of our guests spotted her as well and looked decidedly uneasy. To break the spell, I greeted them.

“Be welcome. You are safe here.” I paused, looking towards Viennarinia’s flight. “On my word.”

They slowly made their way off the barge, many were pointing. My lair in the distance, the wall of mountains, the new harbor... and of course, trees. Strangely, even the dwarves were interested in the forest that stretched out around the harbor. Many wandered the shore looking at the scenery and talking in a subdued manner. Most seemed uneasy with me. Arienach chuckled and pointed out that dragons did not have the best reputation. The approach of Haladoria and Dorvus prompted me to shift. I was getting better at the vertigo that sprung from the balance shift and the change of perspective, but it had been a while and I almost staggered.

“Greetings Lord Dragon.” Haladoria said with a grin.

I just looked at her. “Michael, milady.”

She just grinned bigger and replied. “Who else can say that they can tease a dragon and live?”

I couldn’t help but laugh. The various people around us looked on curiously. Dragons laugh?

Dorvus actually smiled. “Greetings Michael, I find I be not that brave. Of course I did some of the cleanup work in Calalistos.”

I nodded. “I regret that I didn’t clean up after myself, but I am not really equipped for it.”

Dorvus chuckled. “Ya did quite enough removing that plague. I also have heard rumors that ya took care of a few other towns as well.”

“I was trying to remove trouble before it started.”

“That is all well and good, but it leaves us short on places to train our warriors and build our wealth.”

I was surprised. “I didn’t realize you could get wealth from removing those pests.”

“Ya didn’t... Oh, yes. Ya wouldn’t. I couldn’t guess at your level, but I doubt either was a challenge for you."

“What do you mean by level?” I asked curiously.

He looked at me strangely. “It be that long since anything were a challenge for ya? The rewards be based on how much of a fight ya have.”

“Well, it has been a century or two…” I worked to cover my ignorance. Arienach chuckled.

Haladoria chimed in. “He cleared Calalistos in a few hours by himself. I have no idea what level that would take, but it is far beyond anything we could do. Or imagine for that matter.”

“I promise to hold back in the future unless called. Would that be acceptable?”

Haladoria smiled. “We do not chide you over removing those problems. If left to themselves, they spread across the lands and cause greater problems.”

Dorvus agreed. “Yea, we had let those towns go because of the green skins at the port city. No harm done.”

“Still...”

Haladoria grinned. “Hush. I believe we will have more than enough to keep ourselves busy for a while. I suppose we should have asked, but do you mind having our peoples move here?”

I was pleasantly surprised by the offer and looked to Dorvus, who smiled.

“Some of our people as well. We would have representation here if ya will it.”

That took care of me asking, anyway. “I would be honored to have you. I have nowhere for them to stay, however.”

They both smiled at me and Dorvus spoke. “Let us take care of that. Now, would ya care to have mines and stonework?”

I laughed. “Of course… If you are willing, I would like a few lairs built in the outer ring.”

His eyes widened. “Lairs? Dragon Lairs?”

“Yes. I am considering on taking those willing in on this venture. There will be rules, of course, but in the long of it, I would like to make this an open community to all. A place to trade ideas as well as goods.”

They both stared at me, first in shock and then in speculation. Haladoria spoke first.

“How do you plan on keeping them from ignoring your rules.”

I sighed. “I am the eldest ancient. They will not cause trouble in my presence more than once.”

Haladoria and Dorvus just looked at each other. A little elf girl came running up. “They want to know where to pitch the tents.”

They looked at me and I shrugged. “Not like I need one. I do not know what you need to do what you wish, I leave this in your hands as I have no need of a building, let alone know how to build.”

Dorvus just stared, then chuckled. “I suppose ya have a good point. So anything outside the ring?”

“Yes. Do what you need to, to make it work. Shops, houses, farms or whatever. I may be able to travel between planes, but a plow is beyond me. If you wish, design the city how you like. I just ask that the ones staying are housed first.”

Haladoria stared at me for a moment. “You mean... you wish us to design a city... you trust us that far?”

“You have far more knowledge than I and my fore-claws would make short work of an axe or a pick. I will be less than useless for this task. The only suggestion I might make is to leave a wide clear path up to the valley to the inner ring.”

Dorvus grinned like the cat that ate the canary. “Would ya mind us taking residence in the peaks to either side of the valley?”

“As you will. Later on, after all is settled, then we can see what else we might need. Oh, before I forget. You do use gold for trade?”

“Gold, silver and copper.” Dorvus smiled.

“Ah, then a down payment on the coming work. I assume your people will be working with them on this, Haladoria?”

“Yes, of course. We may be taking another clan in and they will probably have people that wish to move here as well.”

I smiled and opened a portal back to the caldera where I had put some gold aside. I pulled through a couple of small rocks... and forgot that I was no longer a dragon and my size estimation still sucked. The rocks were a little over a foot in diameter. Trying to play it down, I asked. “Will this do for a down payment on the town and the docks?”

Dorvus fell to his ass staring at them. “Uh... um... yes.”

Haladoria wasn’t much better. “Milord... there is wealth there for six cities.”

I smiled. “Then make one that will make all of us proud. I suppose these will have to be minted, but it should keep your workers paid and give cushion to any unexpected problems. Is there anything else you might require?”

Dorvus just looked at me with a snort. “You mean like mithril and silver?”

I smiled slightly. “Just a moment.” Silver was easy, I had some laying around. I wasn’t sure what mithril was, but I had seen some of the elven hardware and had a clue what it looked like. It didn’t take long for me to locate a vein and pull up a few pieces through a portal. “Will these do?”

Dorvus just stared. “Good goblin gods. The mithril alone would pay for this town you wish built.”

“Ah, then after things are done, I know where a vein of it is. It is down quite a ways however.”

Before we could go farther down that track, Haladoria started and moaned. “I had forgot... Michael, we have a couple of centaurs who wish to stay here as well.”

“They are welcome. I will not turn anyone away that wishes to abide in peace.”

Haladoria turned and waved the two over. One was black with white socks and a full head of black hair on his head, the other was a chestnut with matching hair. The black was male an the chestnut was female. They both looked uneasy as they approached. Haladoria had to encourage them. They huddled together as they stood slightly behind her, both towering over her. They stood a good eight feet tall.

“This is Micky.” Haladoria said, pointing to the black haired one. “And this Jessie. They are part of a small herd moonward of here. The whole herd is looking for a home and work.”

I smiled at them, but before I could speak, Micky softly spoke. “We don’t want to trouble you, we can go now.”

“Wait!” They had half turned and jumped when I called to them. “Be welcome. If you wish to bring your people here and help, then feel free. So long as you help and do not cause trouble, you are welcome here. I am sure Dorvus or Haladoria knows your requirements, so let them know where you would like to be and they can work it into the building plan.”

Their eyes wide, Jessie spoke. “We have no gold for housing.”

“I am sure that if you help out, money will come. Consider the housing down payment for your work.”

Micky looked shocked. “You would do that?”

Haladoria looked at him and laughed. “Told you he was a strange dragon.”

I grinned. “Let your herd know they are welcome. There is much to be done and the more hands the easier the work.”

Jessie gushed. “Thank you, thank you mister dragon. Thank you!”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “I am called Michael.” then held up a hand. “Not lord or any other title, just Michael.”

Micky hesitated slightly, then almost formally said. “Thank you Michael, I will go fetch them. Jessie can stay here.”

Jessie looked a might uneasy, so I said. “Nothing will happen to her while you are away. These lands are mine and I will keep peace here.”

Micky nodded and Jessie looked relieved. “Thank you very much.” Micky said.

With that he trotted off. I wondered how he would clear the river that I had branched off of, but when he got there, he simple kept going. It only slowed him slightly. I shook my head. Apparently centaurs were strong. We kept chatting and suddenly I sensed another trailing Micky.

“Excuse me, I think someone is about to try to cause a problem.”

The other three looked puzzled, as I jogged far enough away as to not cause a problem myself and shifted to my native form. I then launched myself upwards and climbed high enough to prevent anyone from getting drawn into the backblast as I ported. I came out just ahead of Viennarinia just as she started to drop into a dive at Micky. She hurriedly kited her wings and launched a fire ball at me. I caught it, looked at it, then at her and tossed it back. She scrambled to get out of the way.

“Now, is that any way to be?” I dead panned.

“I don’t know what you are trying Arienach. I saw those creatures coming to your lair.”

“I plan on trading with them.”

That set her back for a moment. “Trading? What do those vermin have to trade?”

“Knowledge. I seek peace for the lands. I cannot build, but they can. I know the mysteries of the planes, but not the subtle skills of those who have weaker magic. I seek other than destruction and waste. We have all that the worlds can give us, yet we have nothing. Our legacy is nothing more than eating and killing. I would see that changed.”

She hovered in the air just staring at me. “You have finally lost it. I heard that elf witch went after you, she must have knocked a something loose upstairs.”

I didn’t think it politic to let her know that Arienach was only a guest in the house at this point. Instead, I told her. “I care not if you join with me. I do ask you not to interfere. The one below is pledged to me, therefore, I will watch over him and his people. Be warned Viennarinia.”

She blew a jet of fire at me, which I allowed to hit me in the chest. While I just stared at her. Then she turned and flew off. Arienach informed me that she was one of the next strongest dragons below me, at less than half my levels. In other words, she didn’t have a chance of a snowflake in a blast furnace. I looked down as Micky stared up in awe, so I dropped down away from him and walked up slowly.

“You are safe now.” I conjured another call stone, this time an emerald, and tossed it to him. “If her or any of her kind bother you on your way back, use that to contact me and I will come.”

“Thank you lord...”

I interrupted him with a fore-claw waving back and forth. “Not lord.”

He looked sheepishly. “Yes Michael.”

“Go to your people. Take care of them and I will watch over.”

“Yes sir.” He backed away then turned and ran.

I decided to fly back to give myself time to think. Arienach let me for a while, then interjected.

“You realize that most of the dragons, including me at one time, have her mind set.”

“I figured as much. All I can do is try. This is going to take a while, I know. It may turn out that the greatest enemy will be our own people.”

“I cannot council you on this. What you do, I don’t understand, but I will not judge.”

“I thank you for that, Arienach. I thank you.”