The call from Imar came several minutes ago, however, as I stared down at the peaceful smiling face of Haladoria, I was loath to wake her. But I gently shook her awake as I wanted her to be there when I talked with the other dragons.

“Awaken, sleepy head. Rise and tell me what it is like to be eaten by a dragon.”

She awoke with a grin. “Twas heaven upon the lands. Tis no wonder that the princesses in the stories never return.”

I laughed. “Best get ye dressed, we have dragons to go see.”

“And why should I be dressed, none of you be when you are in your wings and scales.”

“Minx, you only wish to see them fall from the sky with your beauty.”

Her eyes widened. “I know not where you are learning these sweet words, but methinks we need send you there more often.”

I laughed. “You need not fish for complements, I find you entrancing as you are. I am just learning how to say it in words you would understand.”

She shook her head and finished dressing. I noticed she did little to straighten her hair and she looked a little messy as if she had hurried her dress. I wondered at her reason as we really had little reason to rush and she had taken her time getting dressed. I was a mix of a human and a dragon spirit, but neither could provide the answer. So I did the only smart thing that I could think of… I ignored it.

After partaking of a light snack and a little lighter teasing, I opened a portal to the coliseum and stepped though. I could hear a rather “lively” discussion going on as we made our way inside. I thought it rather ominous when it got completely quite upon our discovery. Looking around, I could see we had everyones attention.

“Greetings” I tried a smile with that to see where it led.

Noregus waited till I was up on the stage to speak.

“Greetings Lord Dragon.”

I sighed. “Michael, please.”

“Arienach, I have no idea what you are playing at, but it would seem lord dragon is more apt than Michael.”

“I am playing at nothing, Noregus.”

“You truly don’t know what you are about here, do you?”

“What do you mean?”

Noregus shook his head. “Do you know how many planar dragons are on this world right now?”

“Last I remember, (checking with Arienach) less than half a dozen.”

“Yes. And they are the only ones that can escape this madness if they do not wish to join your little experiment.”

“I am not forcing anyone to be here, Noregus. I only want those here who wish to be here.”

“And if we do not wish to be here?”

“Then leave.” I said flatly.

“How?”

That gave me pause. “I don’t understand? I am not holding you here.”

Noregus just stared at me. “You really have no clue. Amazing. I really didn’t believe them when they told us.”

“Then would you explain what the problems is? Because I am not understanding it.”

“Arienach, we have no where to go. If we do not join you, we will be exiled to lands that are uninhabitable and even then, we will be pushed out. Do you think your little empire is going to stop here? I have seen what it has done for both the dragons here and for the people and yes, I understand now that they are people, here. You WILL take over this planet. You could crawl into your lair and never leave again and you will still take it over.”

“I… I see…”

“No, I don’t think you do. I actually agree with what you do. We have been a plague upon this planet since time unknown. Not knowing that we were less than even the lowest scavenger. You have opened the eyes that would open. BUT. There are many who will refuse to open their eyes.” He looked at me an chuckled. “You may be on the path to a war between dragons. A war that the others have no chance of winning… because of you.”

I was dumbstruck.

Noregus laughed. “I can see now that you had not thought where this would go. Do not worry on it much. There is little now that you can do to change it. But be warned that if you do not wish to see your people harmed, you had better find a way for the others to escape or you will have to destroy them.”

“I wish none of them harm. I could not care less if they do not agree with me. I will find a way through this, if it be possible.”

“I wish you luck then, as I don’t see a way.”

I looked around the arena and saw the other dragons nodding. “I can do nothing but try.”

“That be as it may. While you were rolling around with your elf, we were talking about things we might aid in.”

I bristled at his comment, but Haladoria just laughed. “He seems to have you there, Michael.”

“We are thinking about a dragon transport service.” He continued. “Fast transport for high value cargo and people.”

That stopped me. “What would you want out of this?”

He laughed again. “Same thing you are getting. A chance to be with and learn from your people and to have a home here. To be useful.”

I was starting to get numb from all the continued shocks I was receiving.

“Don’t worry Michael. We all agree that your people are now to be protected. No one here would lay a claw on any of them.” He glanced at Haladoria with a grin. “We might see if any want something else laid upon them, however.”

Haladoria laughed long and hard. I just shook my head dumbfounded.

After the meeting Haladoria and I walked back to the mountain ring to visit with Dorvus. After the shocks to the system, the walk did me good. But I was still a little dazed when we knocked on his door.

“Greetings Haladoria, Lord Dragon.”

I laughed. “Greetings Lord Dwarf.”

“Behave you two.” Haladoria said with a smile.

“Yes mother.” Dorvus said with a grin.

I just shook my head and took a seat. Haladoria joined me.

“Ta what do I owe the pleasure?” Dorvus asked still grinning.

“Oh, we just got some more dragons, I promised you a talk about rails and I was also wondering about that tube I wanted built.”

“Aye, it be a social call then.” He said with a laugh.

“There is news as well. I was there for the talk at the arena. Seems there are a few things that we missed that was pointed out to us.” Haladoria said, her smile fading.

“Oi? What might that be?”

“The dragons think that if we continue on the path we are on, there will be a war between the dragons.”

Dorvus’s face went white. “No…”

I sighed. “Yes. They made their point quite clearly. It seems by opening the lands to the dragons, I drew a line in the sand. They either join or die. NOT what I had in mind, but the general consensus is that I could go into hiding now and the world would still come under my rule.”

Dorvus thought for a few minutes. “And there be no where they could hide. They would almost be forced to attack.”

I shook my head sadly. “And no where they could leave……”

Dorvus and I looked at each other at the same time.

“The portals!” We almost said it in sync.

Haladoria just stared at us. “What portals?”

I opened a portal to the room we had put them in and they followed me through. Haladoria just stared as they were demonstrated.

“The problem is, I don’t know if they will work from one planet to another.” I said.

“Then ya might wanna find out, lad.” Dorvus said with a chuckle.

I knew of one planet, mostly mountainous, that would suit the dragons, so I traveled there and pulled one of the portals to me. Touching it, it activated and I could see the room that I had just left. So simple. I stepped through back home and just looked at the two of them with an uncertain smile.

“When did you… never mind. What were you going to do with those?” Haladoria looked uncertain.

“I was going to link our cities with them. Keyed to the nobles to keep them from being abused.”

She thought about it for a minute. “Wise, I suppose. Those things could be dangerous.”

“Aye lass, I told him as much, but I be thinkin he knew it already.”

I sighed. “I have been feeling… uneasy? These projects came to mind. Maybe I knew what the dragons were saying, or suspected it. My meetings with Viennarinia may have had something to do with it. Either way, I wanted some tools to unite our lands in case of trouble. These and the communicators came from it.”

“Communicators?” She cocked her head to the side with a frown.

“Aye lass. They be lettin ya talk across distance.”

I pulled the other one that I had made that night and handed it to her. “Think of me and say something into the crystal.”

She stared at me a moment, then raised it to her lips and asked; “Michael?”

The stone on my necklace echoed her words. I watched as she dropped it in shock. I bent over and handed it back to her. “You can call Dorvus the same way. They will not work unless you actively allow it, though.”

“These are your powers. You have found a way to share them.” She said in awe.

“I thought they might be a way to keep the people safe.”

She shook her head. “So long as that is all they are used for.”

“I have them keyed to you and Dorvus so far. If anyone else tries to use them, they will not work.”

Dorvus looked at the remaining portal. “Where ya be thinkin on puttin it?”

“I am going to get with the other dragons and see what they recommend. I doubt having it on these lands will be a good idea. The other dragons will probably have to be the ones who tell Viennarinia and her crew anyway. I doubt from this point forward that any visits I may make with them will be productive.”

Dorvus laughed. “Ya have a way of understatement there, dragon. Now, what were ye sayin about rails?”

I smiled. “At least this will be a good thing for you, methinks.”

The talk on rails and the wheels that would make them work was quite enlightening for the dwarf. He was almost dancing as he said his goodbyes and ran from the room. Only to run back in and tell me that my mystery tube was in my workshop. Haladoria and I both laughed as he ran back out.

“What be this tube thing that Dorvus was talking about?” Haladoria asked with a smile. “Another good thing?”

I frowned. “I do wish I could say yes. But it is something that I hope we never need.”

I walked to the shop and looked at the tube. It was nothing special, just a rod of metal with a hole through it. I looked through it and it was smooth and straight. I shook my head sadly as I conjured a crystal.

“Michael, why does this trouble you so?” Hadadoria looked at me perplexed.

“Follow me and you will understand.” I said quietly.

We went outside and I looked around. Walking around my lair a little ways till we had a clear line to one of the mountains that had not been turned into lairs. I enchanted the crystal, which I had formed with little fins on the back and slid it into the tube.

“You may want to cover your ears.” I said.

She just looked at me strangely and did as I suggested. I put the tube up on my shoulder and sighted along the barrel. A touch of magic, a whipcrack sound and five or six miles away, a very large explosion as the magic inside the crystal was released. It was several seconds before the cloud of dust settled enough to see where it had blasted a hole into the side of the mountain.

“My gods, what have you done?” She whispered.

“I have made it so that your people can kill mine.” I said sadly.

“Oh Michael. No. No. This thing must never be used.” She said, her voice almost breaking.

“If it comes down to your people and the renegades, I think this will be a bargain, as one of the dragons can destroy a town such as yours with little trouble. I do not want to see this used. I pray this is the only time something like this is ever used. But I will not turn away if it becomes necessary. Dragons have ruled through destruction enough. The smart ones tire of it and come willingly. The others? I have no clue what they will do and I would be a fool not to protect you and the others. I cannot be everywhere and if they attack several places at once, this is the only way I can see that they can be stopped with minimal damage to all.”

She was quiet for a long time, then she said; “We did you no favors by making you emperor.”

I smiled sadly. “It needed done. I will do what I must to protect my land and my people. I cannot just take the good without the bad and I swore to protect you. I think my next stop is the blacksmith again, as we have a new tool to make. One that hopefully will not be used and put away quickly. I want these placed around every town, at least four on towers and at least one on each of our ships. I will make them so whoever is keyed to them will be the only ones who can fire them.” I managed a half chuckle. “At least pirates will no longer be a problem.”

Haladoria stayed with me when I went to the blacksmith. I showed him the design as best I could and explained what it needed to do. Four much larger tubes with rectangular magazines that fed them. Mounted about three feet apart in a square. It was the same design as the old WWII anti-aircraft cannons, but they had no clue about that. After explaining the swivel for it and the elevation mechanism and how to mate it with the sights, I gave him enough gold to get the material he needed and then to make a larger foundry and to increase his tooling. By the time it was getting on towards evening meal, we had the dwarves and the centaurs there as well. While none asked the purpose of the strange devices, it seemed that all knew that they were not instruments of creation. All looked uneasy at what they saw.

We ate a quite meal at the Dragon Head, then went to see an artist. I had her sketch out for me a very strange picture. It was a piston inside of a tube with valves and a crystal set into the top. It was the work of a few hours, but it captured what I wanted. I went back to the senior blacksmith and showed it to him, telling him to make a small version for me to work with. I showed him where it needed drilled and what the bearings should be made of.

Late that night, Haladoria followed me back to my house and we entertained each other till we fell asleep in each others arms.