It was later that year about early fall when a damaged merchant came in. Two cruisers of the Torgos fleet escorted it into the harbor. I was called well before they arrived and was awaiting them when they dropped anchor. Haladoria and Dorvus were with me and none of us felt like talking. The lands seemed to be under a blanket now. The worst news was from a com transmission that said they had downed a dragon who was attacking the merchant. Those words echoed in my head.

Downed a dragon.

Gods had it come to this?

I greeted the elf that stepped from the boat that had rowed him in from the merchant.

He looked up at me and asked; “You are Michael Arienach, Emperor of Dragonhaven?”

“That is I.”

He sighed. “Thank the gods. I am Alain of the Moonsinger nation. Now forced vassals of Lady Viennarinia.”

“It has gone that far.” I half whispered.

“I would not be here now if not for your ships. I know not what those weapons are, but it seems the only chance of living if the dragons find you.”

“They are weapons I had hoped would never see use.” I sighed. “Our lands here were at peace till the news arrived about Viennarinia.”

“Where will you go now?” Lady Haladoria asked.

“I have nowhere to go. My land is in ruins and the dragons rule the skies. They even fight each other and no one dares work the fields.”

“How much of the lands are like that?” Dorvus asked.

“All of them. The states and kingdoms are all but ash now. Our people are slaves.”

I turned to Haladoria. “Call a meeting. All of the nobles and dragons up at the arena in Dragonhaven. Tell them it will be held in two hours. I want Torgos there as well.”

“What will you do, Michael?” Haladoria asked.

“What I have to. This must end.”

The meeting went as well as could be expected. The dragons were all for attacking their brethren. I wanted the empire protected and finally they backed down and understood. I still had major protest over not wanting anyone with me. Torgos and the warships of the other nations were to patrol the seas around the empire. The dragons were to aid them. All of the map rooms were to be manned and to watch the sea at least a few hundred miles out.

We got what intelligence we could from Alain. There were actually few dragons left that supported her, from what could be told. Most went along just to keep from drawing her attention. So, if this went well, it would not be a true war. I hoped. Surprisingly, neither Haladoria nor Dorvus tried to talk me out of what I had planned. The only thing that was said was from Haladoria.

“I did you no favor by making you emperor.”

“You were not to blame in this.”

“You will come back to us.”

“That I will.”

Once I received word that everyone was in place, I shifted and ported.

Over hell.

The lands looked to be a battlefield. Crops everywhere were in ruins and there were craters and burnt areas that stretched for miles. In the first hour of flight, I saw nothing living. I had my radar full up and only located a few dragons. Two ran from me and only one, a ragged looking ancient approached.

“Who are you?” It asked weakly.

“I am Michael Arienach.”

“Oh, thank the gods. Please kill me now.”

“Why would I do that?”

“To end the torment that bitch has inflicted.”

“I have a better idea.” I opened a portal. “Go to my lands and live in peace. This will take you to the city of Calalistos where you will be met.”

The old dragon stared. “Truly?”

“Truly. Go rest.”

I suddenly felt the crown of the empire and it was a heavy thing. I wondered at the choices I had made to this point. Strange how it wasn’t really power that caused this, but fear. All of this because of the fear of change. Maybe if I had gotten the portals up sooner? No use guessing, deal with what is.

He left through the portal and I resumed searching. I used my planar sight and flew to the next group of dragons I had found. Again, most ran. None attacked. I talked to one of them and found that they were trapped here as the empire would murder them and Viennarinia would use them. With what she had done to them, I wondered at why they would still believe her.

“You will not be murdered in my lands. If you do not wish to join us, then there is a portal on an island south sunward of here about three hundred miles out from the coast.”

“Where does it lead?”

“To another world. One where neither I nor Viennarinia will bother you.”

“Viennarinia will always find us.”

“Not where she is going.”

The dragon stared at me for a few moments. “What are your lands like?”

“All the races, including dragons are equals. We live in peace and learn from each other.”

“Then send me there. I would know.”

I opened a portal for him with the warning. “Harm no one there. Listen and learn.”

“I will lord dragon.”

I didn’t bother to correct him, as finally I felt the full weight of the crown I didn’t have. The next group were of five, who were attacking a seaport. When I flew up, two ran and the other three attacked. I let them. Their ice and flames did not even test my shield. One screamed in rage and flew at me. I opened a portal in front of him and he was gone. The other two screamed and attacked again. I grew tired of it and captured them with a portal as well. I knew then that some of my brethren were quite insane. There would be no way to save them all. Please whatever gods listen, let this be worth it.

One of the ones who had ran returned cautiously.

“Who are you?”

“I am Michael Arienach.”

“Why are you here?”

“To find Viennarinia.”

“Are you going to kill her?”

“No. I am going to send her away.”

“You won’t kill?”

“Not unless I have to and she is no threat to me. I wish to end this plague she has started.”

“May I help you?”

“If you would help, find all the like minded dragons and gather them together. I have a home for them either in my lands or another world that has not been settled.”

“You would not enslave us?”

“I would see all creatures free. If I wished, I could do as Viennarinia, but that way only leads to grief. Find the others, I would give them the choice.”

“I will do this lord dragon.”

The weight of the crown increased. I flew though the day and the night. I found group after group of dragons. Some ran, some talked, some attacked. I tried to spare what I could, save for the ones who showed no signs of sanity. There were more of those than I cared for. It was the next morning when I found her. She was with three ancients and they were ripping the wings off of an adult. My first blast shredded the one that was holding the poor dragon down, the second took the one who was ripping off the wings. Both her and the ancient attacked me. Flying at me blowing flames. They met with a portal.

I flew down to the dragon. “Are you alright?”

It coughed up blood. “Finish me now. I hurt.”

I remembered what I had been told by the elven healers. For a change, I had the control. I had the weight of the crown. I let a trickle of magic follow the lines of the healing spell that they had painstakingly showed me. I let it flow into the battered dragon and watched in awe as the wings knitted back together and her twisted limbs straightened. I had learned to heal. I stayed at it till I could sense no more wounds.

“Can you fly now?”

“I think so?”

“Then come with me. We need to go to the rest of the dragons. I would save what I can.”

“Wait, my mate is close. Let me go see if he is alright.”

I followed her to a small cave. She went inside and shortly returned with an injured dragon. His wings were shredded and one eye was gone. His left foreleg was broken as well.

“Who are you?”

“I am Michael Arienach.”

“Come to finish the bitches work?”

“No, I have come to fix it. She is gone.”

“Gone?”

“I sent her away, she will not be back.”

The little dragon just stared at me. I focused on his injuries and repeated what I had done for his mate. It was almost noon when I finished.

“You are not what they said.”

“I give a choice. There is another world you may go to, or you can join with me.”

“What do you mean, join with you?”

“My lands hold all people, dragons or the other races as equal. We live in peace and learn from each other. You will be free either way.”

“I think I would join with you. What may I do to repay your kindness?”

“As much as I loath asking, would you go through the lands and see if there are any who would join us as well? If not, there is an island about three hundred miles off of the south sunward coast. There is a portal on that island that leads to a mountain world.” I conjured a crystal. “When you tire of this task, call me with that crystal and I will come for you.”

“I will do this lord dragon.”

“I thank you. I will make sure there is a lair on the inner ring waiting for you.”

I watched as him and his mate flew off.

I met with the dragons. There weren’t that many, most looking worse for the wear. I healed the worst of them and gave them the choice. Most went to Calalistos, but a few took wing for the island. After it was over, I called Haladoria.

“It is pretty much over. I sent those away that I could, killed the ones I couldn’t save and sent the ones who were held hostage to you or the other planet. There are probably still some that I haven’t found, but most of what I have found are with you.”

“Are you a right?”

“As well as I can be right now. This land is hell, we will need to bring in food and shelter for the survivors. Could you coordinate with Torgos to send a convoy with escort here?”

“I will set it up, what will you do?”

“Much what I have been doing, trying to save what I can.”

“Be safe Michael.”

“You as well, lady Haladoria.”

I flew to the nearest city that was on the coast and started clearing the wreckage that was blocking their harbor and docks. As I worked, a few came out to watch me, but none approached. I started working my way up the coast. The third city was what used to be a major seaport and I worked to pull the wrecked ships off to the side. I made sure not to use magic as I was sure the survivors had seen enough to haunt their dreams for a lifetime. I was several hours into the work when I noticed a human woman watching me from one of the docks.

“Greetings, may I help you?”

“Hello! What are you doing?”

“I am clearing the docks. Ships from my land will be here with food and shelter for those who need it.”

“We can’t pay for it.”

“You have paid enough. It is over now.”

“Over?”

“Viennarinia is gone. She will not return. I will stay and guard against any of her followers.”

“She will be back. She always comes back.”

“Not this time. She is on the plane of chaos. Not even my magic works there.”

The woman just stared at me for a time. “Who are you, dragon?”

“I am Michael Arienach.”

“But they said you were evil.”

I shrugged. “I have learned. My lands are free and human, elves, dwarves and drow work together along side dragons. I suppose to them it was evil, as it denied that they were supreme.”

“I will tell the others. Thank you Michael.”

I nodded and tossed another wrecked ship onto the pile.