Torin the dragon rider (TOME 12 of the TIAMAT'S WARS SERIE)

The kids play.

I was in my barn in dragon form thinking about all the things that had happened to me but I was overwhelmed.

Rubix was very smart, much smarter than me, but I think it's me in my head that's setting limits.

I feel the power and strength of nature in me, like I have the strength of a thousand volcanoes but I was looking in the mirror on the wall and I was actually confused.

The problem was that everything was going too fast. I wanted to go back to a medieval world, or at least an agricultural one, away from computers and the madness of the cities.

But I thought we would be fine, but like on Sosaria, there are always troublemakers, troublemakers and the violence that goes with it.

I liked the straw, the hay and the smell of the farm. It was soothing and the horses...

I knew all my animals... they had a name each and they were sort of friends, especially as I understood their primitive, simple language and they were happy... They were bred to have an even better life at the best stud farms.

But now I had mum crying, and Rubix whining at me...

It was heartbreaking.

I didn't know where to start.

Dragon Mom was also distraught and all the problems were building up like a millefeuille, layer by layer and together it was making something hard, impossible to break.

I had all the strength in the world and divine powers but...in the end...what good would it do?

Dad and Exodus stood together and stood up to fate.

So I gave Rubix a lick to give her courage...

"Rubix, my little gem, we must move on, do something.... "

She pulled her little dragon head up and Frizor came and sat against her on the other side.

Frizor: "Rubix. Thorin is right... you are good at computers... I'm sure our combined magic could open doors or access the computers of the scoundrels who kidnapped Azure and your parents. Besides, we're here with you and we can now take human form...at least long enough to infiltrate the bandits."

Rubix : "But the Judge, the archdragon...??? if she detects my magic...she'll kill us you think??"

"I'll be there with you and no one will hurt us..."

Meanwhile,

Valtrax turned into a beautiful 4 year old girl and she had to use magic to make herself older, like a 17 year old girl. Even though she was old on Solaria, when she came to this world, she was like everyone else, practically newborns, children even if they didn't want to admit it.

She called a taxi and went into town.

The woman who had mentioned a Kobold, she had to find her.

And, she used magic on a pin stuck in a cork floating in a glass tube filled with water.

The taximen was going crazy

"This way, no, this way, keep the same direction...."

He was relieved to shoot the girl and her compass... another pokemon hunting game he thought. Next time he'd put a sticker on the door forbidding the hunting of virtual monsters.

Valtrax frowned as she arrived at the house where the little Kobold was being held.

The house was quite simple with a hedge in front, a step in front of the door and a driveway to the right, leading to a courtyard at the back and the sloping garden behind. Another driveway to the right ran up behind the house and ended in a simple garage/workshop.

There was a first floor and probably a converted attic with V-lux windows.

She opened the small white metal gate that creaked and pressed the doorbell.

The next moment, Florinne opened the door.

"Hello Miss, what's that for? If it's for the Patro, they came by ten minutes ago."

Valtrax stared into Florinne's eyes and she froze in fear.

Her eyes cracked open and she knew immediately that she had a dragon in front of her.

"I'm coming for Zat!.."

Florinne fell to her knees and began to sob... "Please, lady dragon.... I love the little one... It's not just a slave's life....."

The girls were running after the little Kobold and playing when he felt the aura of the dragoness.

He let go of everything and rushed to the front door. He passed by Florinne and looked at Valtrax and ran over to her.

Valtrax caught him in her arms.

Zat: "Mommy Valtrax....." and he hugged her with all his strength and started to cry and wail in Kobold/draconian...

Valtrax stroked his back and gave him lots of kisses...

"How I missed you...."

Then her gaze lowered to Florinne and she held out her hand...

"Stand up straight, Florinne... I feel that you wanted to protect the little one... I thank you."

Then the two girls caressed the little Zat.

"Mummy! Mummy! We don't want Zat to leave !!!! you promised!!! We love Zat... he is our little brother..."

Florinne started to cry and Valtrax caressed Florinne's cheek.

Then she began to think. At the farm, it was a mess with the investigators... and the Kobolds didn't have an established place yet...

"Mrs. Florinne, may I come in?"

She left Zat on the floor in the hallway and he went after the girls to play hide and seek.

Valtrax smiled to see the little Kobold in good hands.

"Mrs Florinne, I can see that the boy is having fun with your children, but it's not his place. You know that... The Kobolds are like children to us... Yes, they work but it was to play... to take care of our treasures but... deep down, they stayed of their own free will and received our protection and our blessings... It was the humans and hunters who called them slaves to degrade us and justify their capture... For their skins... faux dragon leather... if you see the horror of the world we come from."

she then served her best coffee and offered cake to Valtrax and the three little ones...

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Valtrax... I thought... "

"No..but you had the courage to face us for the sake of the little one...and for that, I am willing to let Zat stay with you for a while .

You heard the news. We are attacked and 3 dragons have been kidnapped, the kennel is lost and months of work are lost.

We are being provoked and our restraint is being tested and everyone is a possible suspect. On the other hand another dragon is lurking around us and we don't know if the attack is related or not... Stay away and don't draw attention to yourself or Zat... he's safe here. "

Florinne: "Another dragon... one of you???"

"That would be too easy, but according to our staff information, she is a young woman like me but with the aura of a powerful dragon and my husband, Exodus knows more