“Ugh, stop staring at me, human, just out with it!” said Rugo uncomfortably. He was closely being inspected up and down by Ogen.

“Hold on, I’m inspecting moasrahn’s actual physique,” said Ogen, he tucked his spectacles a couple of times on his nose.

The carriage was spacious, there was also a small table with a tableware set in the corner.

“Are you perhaps a hybrid, Rugo?” asked Ogen.

“Sharp eyes… yes, I am a jagupard,” Rugo replied.

“Rosette patterns with spots, Jaguar. A long tail? Leopard,” Ogen smiled. “I also teach about animal kingdom in the University, of course I can identify what type of moasrahn you are,” he added, then resumed inspecting Rugo.

After he wrote a whole page on his hand-sized book, he cleared his throat, and closed the book. “Where have you been all this time? Not you individually of course but your race,” asked Ogen.

“It’s gonna take time, alright, let me tell you,” said Rugo. He told moasrahn was exhausted after the war, the war that lasted for six hundred years. To avoid further conflict they divided their already small number into small groups. Then they spread all over the world, to preserve themselves and waiting for their population to matter again before returning to the civilization.

Rugo also revealed historical knowledge that made the professor never stopped his excitement. Of course Rugo vaguely told him about where he came from, he just told him some forest in the land and he just got out from the said forest to see how was the world after moasrahn seclusion.

To add more gasps, Rugo actually knew so much information about humans, their culture, habits and even their history.

“You studied about us? I thought moasrahn never cared about other races?” Ogen poured a brown translucent liquid into two handleless cups on the table, the steam produced sweet fragrance as the liquid filled the cups. Then Ogen offered them to his guests with his hand gesture. The carriage was spacious enough to prepare such tea, and there was minimum vibration from the carriage because they traveled with a slow pace.

Rugo reached the cup with his big hand. “Of course, while watching the forest, I read, we have a lot of books.” he said before he one gulped the tea, “not bad,” he continued.

Cain leaned towards the table and took the cup, but he realized the tea was really hot to the point he put the cup back to the table. He rolled over his eyes at Rugo, but not only him, Ogen also wide eyed over Rugo. Both of them had how-he-drank-this-hot-tea-with-one-gulp expression.

Ogen quickly wrote another sentence, absolutely about Rugo’s show.

“Moasrahn is bound by history because we tend to worship our ancestors. So when we spread all over the the world, besides family, history and knowledge books were our luggage,” said Rugo, “oh yeah, there is actually a book about Gomara, the mysterious hero in our collection.”

“Ah! I missed it!” gasped Cain.

Rugo shrugged. “Unfortunately, I haven't read that book, so nothing I can tell you.”

“Moasrahn has a book about Gomara? Interesting… Gomara’s history is full of holes even to us, but your race is actually have a book about him? Hmm…” Ogen stroked his beard.

“Of course we have others as well, even older ones, like Letra, or Krilos, the Conqueror,” said Rugo.

“Letra? The the one who sank Tinvaly Continent thousands years ago? It’s in basic history lesson, and Krilos… hmm that Fallen Hero who conquered Nazula. It’s not rare either, you can find it in every library in the city,” responded Ogen. “Oh well, nevermind, it’s not my focus, but, you have all that knowledge and never left the forest?”

“What I know is just from literatures, I have no actual experience about them. Such as beach, I’m eager to see the blue scape on the horizon, running on the sand, I read it’s hard to run on such terrain. And the fiery sun above your head that would leave mark on your skin!” Rugo tapping his chin with two fingers while looking at the meadow from the glass window.

Then he chuckled. “Even riding this carriage is also a new experience for me.”

The old man smiled, gentle and heartful. “Welcome back to the civilization, moasrahn,” Ogen said.

They talked about a lot of things, one of the subject that really made Ogen bemused was moasrahn’s culture. When Ogen asked about that, Cain jumped in with a simple question.

“When we at the elder’s house, I got the impression that moasrahn doesn’t have any meaning about slavery,” said Cain, “is there no slavery even in the ancient days of your race?”

“You have talked with moasrahn elder!?” Ogen wide-eyed, fixed at Cain.

“He was a guest of honour in the village, though it’s only a day or two,” sneered Rugo.

“That must’ve been an extravagant experience! Ah, how envious!” said Ogen.

Cain just smiled. “So?” he looked at Rugo.

“Yes, there’s no slavery in our culture. We have this instinct to be the strongest, but if you can’t, follow the strongest,” said Rugo. “So, if one clan invaded by another clan and lose, the losing side only has two choices; leave, or willingly to follow the winner, hoping they could learn more to become stronger themselves. Yes, we do have nature to dominate, but it isn’t in form of slavery, but just to beat other with strength or brain.”

“What about revenge for the fallen ones?” asked Cain.

“Ah, revenge, yes. You could settle your grudge, the winning side would allow that. If you have the power that is, most don't have that, that’s why the other wins. That being said we also allow the losers to leave, no one is forcing them to stay, but just like what I said, most will follow, because the winner proved they’re stronger than them and they could offer more protection to the elderly or children. In other words, we never enslave our own kin,” explained Rugo.

“How about enslaving other races?” asked Cain.

“We didn't really care about other races in the past, remember?” answered Rugo.

“Ah, right,” Cain nodded in response.

“Interesting… “ Ogen looked at Rugo curiously, “how about your age? I know moasrahns have a long lifespan. So I’m curious about your age.”

“My age? Hmm… I’m seventy one.”

Cain gawked at Rugo for a few seconds.

“And how many years exactly you have left?” asked Ogen, he wasn't surprised at all.

“Who knows, but I expect I have…” Rugo frowned and rolled up his eyes. “I expect I still have four hundred to five hundred years left in me.” he said.

“Seventy... man, you’re old! I thought you were thirties!” exclaimed Cain.

“Meip!” Beil also gave his opinion.

“Not really, for a moasrahn, age up to 100 years is still considered young, right?” responded Ogen, he looked at Rugo.

“Right, for our physiques that is, but our minds are just like what you humans have been through for seventy years.” Rugo tapped his temple.

“Huh? I don’t really get it,” said Cain as he frowned.

“Our minds have a growth similar to human’s, but our bodies grow slower because of our longevity. If I were a human, just think I’m an old man in a body of twenties or thirties.” Rugo smiled a little.

“I see, wait, you’ll even get taller than now?” responded Cain.

“I will, you saw the elders, that’s the pinnacle of moasrahn’s height, though some even grow taller and bigger. But I think the tallest jaguar or leopard moasrahn was 7 to 8 feet.” said Rugo.

Cain nodded a couple of times. “Yeah, I bet Koghr’s height is more than 10 feet with his antlers!” he exclaimed.

“Meip!” Beil seemed to agree.

Ogen was busy with his pen and book.

“Ogen, let me ask you two questions,” said Rugo.

Ogen stopped writing and closed his book. “Sure, sure, ask away,” he said.

“Why are you so interested in my race?” asked Rugo without wasting breathe.

“Hmm…” Ogen gently stroked his beard. “History of other races are fascinating, even more your people history. A powerful race that didn't really care about others, suddenly had a massive civil war and vanished. What we really knew about you back then? Almost nothing, as most of your people was so strict about the ancient pact. History always taught us about something, what we should avoid, what we should do. Because history is a cycle, we could learned so much just from looking back. Just like how some ancient technologies are better than what we have right now. It’s a shame, war after war is what makes the creation of the Goddess, us, races of Nazula, degraded.”

“Learning history from other fallen races to prevent disaster and preserve your own race… really, human is so cunning,” said Rugo.

“History of other races could give you a whole new perspective, I think you can relate to that,” said Ogen.

“Indeed, learning other’s culture is always interesting,” responded Rugo, “now, the second question… what will you really do with the knowledge about my people?”

“Publish it of course! There are plenty of people who are curious about moasrahn!” exclaimed Ogen. “Or would you rather to keep it for myself?”

Rugo chuckled. “Do as you wish, if it’s really the time, your publication will help my people reappearance.”

“Moasrahn is planning to reappear!?” What a wonderful news!” gasped Ogen.

“Still planning, but the gear of motion has already been set,” Rugo smiled lightly.

“I see! Whenever that time comes, I’ll support it wholeheartedly! But I hope it’s soon, I’m already old!”

“No promise here, but thank you, Professor,” responded Rugo.

Ogen nodded with a smile.

“By the way Professor Ogen, what can you tell me about this beach town, Ulstena?” asked Cain.

“Ah, beach town, it used to be the town’s name, Beach Town. When the town grew into a big town because its white sands and friendly waves, oh, not to mention it became one of the major trading ports with other countries by sea, King Gulfet named it Ulstena twenty years ago, based on the same name of the Grand Dragon Ulstena, Heir of the Ocean,” said Ogen.

“Ah! That’s it! I’ve been wondering where I’ve heard that name before! It’s one of those Grand Dragons!” exclaimed Rugo.

“Unfortunately, Grand Dragons are nowhere to be found since the War of the Dragons ended, and that is more than a thousand years ago. There are still dragons out there though,” said Ogen.

“Yeah, I know, shortly after War of the Dragons, the great civil war of moasrahn started. Too bad, huh, I wanted to see a Grand Dragon before my eyes just once,” said Rugo.

Ogen’s gaze met Cain’s eye, then he rolled his eyes at Rugo.

“You don’t know?” asked Ogen.

“Huh? What?” Rugo replied.

“There’s is actually a Grand Dragon you could see,” said Cain.

“What!? There is!? Where!?” said Rugo, a perplexed look on his face.

“Hmm… you don't know what caused the War of the Dragons to end?” asked Cain.

“Come to think of it, I have a vague knowledge about that, I think the book containing the record of War of the Dragons that I read was half burnt. I asked the elders, they gave me the answer about how the Abysmal Grand Dragon Arxeo was sealed by Luxigrum, the Hope Grand Dragon. That’s it,” said Rugo.

“It’s true, but what your elders did not tell you is Luxigrum himself is guarding the seal, in the land of west from here, even now,” said Ogen.

“Are you serious!?” Rugo became excited.

“Uh-huh, But you’ll be disappointed when you see it, he’s neither alive nor dead,” said Ogen.

“What do you mean?” asked Rugo.

“Hmm… the sun is setting,” Ogen looked over the window. “How about we make a camp and rest for the day, in the first light we’ll continue to Ulstena. While enjoying the supper I’ll tell you what happened between Arxeo and Luxigrum, though I’m not really knowledgeable in dragon’s history but I’ll tell what I know.” offered Ogen.

“I already know about the dragons but it sounds good to me for supper,” said Cain.

“This knowledge about dragons interest me,” responded Rugo.

Ogen nodded lightly with a little smile.

After the caravan stopped, they camped by the side of the road. Their camp was quite big, there were sixteen bodyguards plus Ogen, Cain and Rugo. They enjoyed the bonfire and the meal. They cooked their supper in the bonfire, with a simple metal structure to hold the pot over the fire, meat stew was the menu.

Cain, Rugo and Ogen sat near the bonfire, Beil was sleeping on Cain’s lap. They finished their supper, except Rugo, he’s on his third plate, thankfully they cooked a lot.

“You like the idea of camping in the wilderness, Professor Ogen?” said Cain to Ogen who sat across him, with the bodyguards as they background, talking one another. But most of them were watching the unusual figure there, the moasrahn. They looked so curious, Rugo ignored the glances, instead he focused what’s in his plate.

“Hah, I like the idea of camping, but when it’s time to sleep I always sleep there,” Ogen pointed the carriage they rode with his thumb, “my old back can’t take it with only hay-stuffed sleeping bag,” he chuckled.

“I see,” Cain smiled, then he drank from a small metal mug.

“Is there any left?” Rugo asked one of the bodyguards as he glanced at the pot.

“Uhh, yes, we all have eaten, you can have what’s left on the pot,” said the bodyguard.

Rugo got up and went to pot. He took the entire pot with two hands, did not bothered by the heat from the pot that touched directly by the fire. Then he sat back at his initial spot.

The same expression Cain and Ogen wore when they were drinking tea at the carriage now adorned the faces of the guards.

“Look at fuckin’ that, Dearg! He touched the pot as if it was nothing!” said Bogram.

“Moasrahns are amazing, aren't they!” said Dearg, he shook his head in amazement.

Rugo ignored them and just ate the meat directly from the tilted pot that he lifted slightly above his mouth with two hands. First chug, Rugo chewed the meat then onto the next chug until the third chug made the pot empty.

Rugo put down the pot and wiped his mouth with his forearm. “Not too tasty, quite bland, but still meat, can’t really complaint,” he said.

“Big appetite I see,” said Ogen.

“Now I’m full, let’s hear about the history of the Grand Dragons,” said Rugo.

“Sure, but, do you want me to tell you about the reason of the war in the first place?” asked Ogen.

“I already kno-...” Rugo paused, “sure, I wonder if it’s the same as the one I read.”

“Alright,” Ogen smiled. “Oi boys! Sit down you muscle heads! I’ll tell you an important history,” shouted Ogen to his bodyguards. “And maybe this history could give you a scholar title when we get to Heldar.”

The bodyguards responded with smiles and chuckles, they gathered near the bonfire and sat down, ready to listen.