Chapter 43 Consolation “You should go to him,”Jhamet said to Ezma. Ezma and her dragon just happened to be practicing in the open fields at the same time the students returned from their mission to observe a patrol in the north. Somehow the Belkins Oracle got assigned to the detail, but Ezma herself did not. “Why?” Ezma thought back. “He will need consoling.” “How can you be so sure?” “His aura is off. Also, he reeks of having walked in the abyss. Even the other students seem at odds with him.” As Ezma watched, her dragon was correct. There was a strange air about Lykan. Most of the other students kept a respectable distance away, everyone but his former charge Telka, and the other wood elf Kolana. They stayed by his side, while he carried a pile of dirt that had been wrapped in rags. It took Ezma’s mind a second to understand what she was seeing. “Is that his sword?” She asked, looking at the once magnificent spirit blade that now lay in ruins. “Yes.” The word of Jhamet rolled through her mind. “Wait, what could break a spirit sword?” “I don’t know, but you need to ask and find out. His aura reeks of slaying dragons again, though this time they feel different.”Jhamet replied. “Different how?” Ezma asked, while feeling her bond urging her forward so she would have to interact with Lykan. Inwardly groaning she forced her way through the various students and towards Lykan. “You’ve come to see the beginning?” Dathney said, her knowing smile sending chills down Ezma’s spine. Once again that second rate prophet had been able to witness firsthand what she was just now realizing as an important moment. But how? Shaking her head Ezma pushed her way past Dathney, only to find that Dathney now followed her one-half step behind, like a little lost puppy. An annoying lost puppy that felt like it was one second away from nipping at her heels if she wasn’t careful. Only when she was a few paces away from Lykan did her dragon speak again. “Ask him for me to meet with him. I need to find out something.” Jhamet said. Hearing the words of her bonded, she knew she at least needed to make the attempt. Though seeing the boy, no man before her, she suddenly felt flustered. “Lykan Vita.” Ezma said, her voice going formal as was often the case when she felt lost. Lykan who had mostly been in a daze to this point stopped and looked up, his eyes locking onto Ezma’s. There was a golden yellow glow to his eyes that had not been there before. Seeing those eyes, a shiver ran down Ezma’s spine as she stared back at him. Had his eyes always been golden? She didn’t think his eyes had been golden before, they were more of a light brown right if she remembered correctly. Though they now had an intense golden hue, that reminded her of something. Then it hit her, his eyes glowed with a similar energy to dragons. They paused for so long that others who had been walking also stopped to stare at the spectacle. “Well, are you going to ask him?” Dathney inquired. Hearing the words Ezma turned back to Datheny, her mouth hanging open for a second. Dathney seeing this, only huffed before turning back to Lykan. “She has been asked by her dragon to have you meet with him. It seems rather urgent.” Dathney said all this, while pointing to the items in Lykan’s hands. Lykan looked down at the broken pieces of sword and the broken sphere within his hands and a faint ray of hope filled his face. “Come on.” Ezma who had witnessed the entire exchange looked confused for a second. How did she know? Then the realization hit her that she once again predicted the future before she did. Was she just using her ability every second? Wasn’t that taxing? Shaking these thoughts away, she began leading Lykan and his entourage to where Jhamet and a few of the other dragons were standing nearby. “Don’t let the Oracle get to you. Also have the boy place his bundle before us.” Jhamet said, as they got closer. Ezma realized that once again, she still had a long way to go if she ever wanted to exude the same level of confidence that her mother had. She also made a vow to never let her mother and Dathney meet, as she wondered if she would be disowned and replaced almost instantly. “Don’t worry. I could never go to Piran, it is far too cold up there. Besides I am more than content with my life in Belkins.” Dathney said. Ezma looked at her, and then wondered if she had some type of mind reading ability as well. “No, nothing so serious as that. Just a good understanding of people. I’ve also played out this scenario where you talk to me.” Dathney said. “How?” Ezma found herself asking. “In one version of the future we were friends and we spoke. In that version you said what you were just thinking.” Dathney admitted. Then a slight pause, “and before you ask anchor points.” Ezma paused completely, as she had no idea what those two words meant. “Anchor points?” “Oh, you weren’t going to ask how I kept it straight in my head what was a possible version of the future and what was actually the present?” Dathney asked, then shrugged. After hearing that a shiver ran down Ezma’s spine as those were her thoughts. Or where her thoughts were leading to, but she had just not gotten to that full train of thought yet. “Oh, I get it, you are more guarded so there is a delay in your free thinking.” Dathney said, understanding what was happening and walking in front of Ezma who had been stopped as her mind tried to make sense of what was happening. Shaking her head, Ezma rushed forward to keep up with everyone. Lykan for his part was still walking, though his pace was at a near sprint for everyone else to keep up with him. “This will be bad. We need to be prepared.” Dathney said, as she pulled up a few paces away from Lykan who had the items in his hands still. Ezma was confused for a second, but then followed the trail of her eyes and saw she was looking at Lykan. “Place the items on the ground.” Jhamet said. Ezma was about to translate, as she got the exact statement in her mind. But before she could say anything Lykan was already placing the items on the ground then took a few steps back so the dragons could all go forward and sniff the package. Most of the dragons scrunched up their noses in disgust. “You cleansed a cursed dragon?” Jhamet asked. Lykan paused for a second, then reluctantly nodded. “You did a valuable service for us, but there were younglings with the corrupted?” Jhamet asked. “Yes, hundreds. Maybe even a thousand. They were all wild and barely able to be turned back once the matriarch was dispatched.” Lykan said in Piran. Fortunately, Ezma knew this language well as it was the half human, half dragon tongue that her people had created to speak easily to even unbonded dragons. Hearing that Jhamet nodded his head in the deferential way that only dragons could. He lowered his head and neck to the ground then raised his chin up three times a sign of respect. The reason this position was a position of respect was the dragon was the most vulnerable to a strike at such a time. Should any blow occur on their neck while in such a pose they would be killed nearly instantly. For a dragon to perform such a gesture to a human meant they felt a great debt to that individual. As Jhamet performed the action, so too did the other dragons who had gathered and smelled the pile of items Lykan brought with him. Soon seven dragons were performing the sacred act of submission. “I always heard of the act of submission, but to see it is something else entirely.” Dathney said, as her eyes glowed in their icy blue haze. Seeing the Oracle gaze at her, it was clear that she had a Power level that was far beyond Ezma’s current level. Even with a superior class, it was apparent that their difference in Attributes more than made up for this shortcoming. I am outclassed by someone with an inferior class, Ezma realized as a cold sense of dread overtook her. “Don’t worry, while they are gone you can talk to me for comfort.” Dathney said, placing a reassuring hand on Ezma’s back. “Wait, what?” Ezma asked, wondering why someone would dare touch her. But before she had a chance to act. “Princess. We must go and cleanse out the corrupted dragonlings before they spread. We should be back within the month.” Jhamet said, then giving a nod to the other dragons they all began to run away from the group trying to gain speed. In a motion that Ezma had seen all so often the wings flapped and they were soon off in the air. “Why can’t I go with you?” Ezma asked, suddenly feeling very alone. She was in a foreign land, while she had guards and attendants, her one true claim to power was her dragon. A dragon that had suddenly taken off on his own. “We must stop the corruption of our young.” Jhamet responded back through their mental link. Then before the distance became too great, Jhamet shared everything that his senses had picked up from smelling Lykan. First, he smelled of golden sunflowers and honey. These were pure smells to a dragon, showing that he had no ill intent. Second, he smelled of faint traces of corrupted blood. In fact, under the clothes there was a patchwork of healed skin that had come into contact with corrupted dragon blood. Third, the great spirit blade and extension of Lykan’s very soul had shattered from battling a corrupted dragon. It was this last act that made the other dragons realize the importance of striking out the corrupted flock of dragons now before they got too powerful. Jhamet and the other dragons also felt it was their duty to see how the corruption began in the first place. “If you would like to discuss the corruption. I would love to have you over for tea.” Dathney said, after a few minutes. Dathney for her part just shook her head. She looked around after her mind had managed to process the densely compacted thoughts and emotions of her dragon companion. Ezma blinked once, then twice. Once her mind came back into focus, she realized that the world around her had moved on. Most of the students had gone, Lykan and his entourage included. She quickly looked around, and only found him once Dathney pointed off in the distance towards the dormitories. Sighing Ezma realized that she had missed her moment. “You haven’t missed your moment.” Dathney said. “Would you stop that.” Ezma shouted. “Hahaha. There, that is the Ezma I love so much.” Dathney said. Ezma paused, then realized that frustration was the real her. The one she had been trained to hide from others. Looking at Dathney with curiosity and a sense of hope, she wondered. Could we be friends? True friends? “Again, there was one time when we were friends.” Dathney said. She left off the part where they were co-conspirators in a war against Sidhertha that ended with both their home countries losing miserably. Now Dathney tried to re-create that same bond, this time without the need for an unwinnable war looming over them. Holding out her hand Dathney asked. “Would you join us for a spot of tea?” Looking at the long dark beautiful fingers Ezma felt a sense of wonder for a moment. Then nodding to herself she decided to see what this Oracle offered. “I could use a good drink.” Ezma began. As she moved, Miran her new top guard came forward to be by her side. Seeing this, Dathney’s husband and his entourage of guards also fell in line. “So dear one, you have finally made her your friend?” Khan Anwar asked. “Not yet, though we are finally on the right path.” Dathney admitted. Hearing this Ezma felt her ears burn as she wondered if she was being played. Then a different thought hit her, was making an alliance with the leaders of another country really that bad? Even if he was just the second crown prince, that was still something right? She thought this as she looked towards Dathney whose eyes glowed with a magnificent silver. Dathney for her part just smiled a coy knowing smile.