The Celestial Way

Chapter 14.3 - Small Way

After that conversation, Veralla's mornings took on a different routine.

When she announced her intention to reject her innate battlefury, Glawlrhain decided to instruct her in the art of meditation. So instead of training to fight, she spent the early hours of the day learning how to focus her inner energies. While there were many schools of thought regarding the finer points, there was not a whole lot of theory about the actual exercise itself, and, just like walking upright, one got better with practice.

On Glawlrhain's advice, Veralla meditated mainly in the gardens, where the environment was most tranquil. She liked to be at the bottom of the mountain's hollow, by the lake, where she had picked a spot among a group of large peach-colored rubber plants growing under the soft shadow of an overhang. She sat there with her slit-pupiled eyes closed, opening them from time to time to gaze at the lake or the magenta rays skipping across its surface.

She found meditation boring at first, as she easily got distracted. Yet gradually she began to like the exercise, feeling quiet joy spread inside her as her mind held still. Her sporadic thoughts during those serene moments were often related to Airo, and sometimes she felt like she could sense his presence across the planet. This heightened awareness never lasted long; she cherished every occasion when she managed to sense his soul, happy for being able to connect with him even in such a fleeting way. It made her all the more determined to train, to meditate, to become better, so she would be able to help Airo and make him company, so he could free himself from his sadness.

Yet a part of herself wanted very much Airo to feel the same for her, too.

Suddenly, she heard an immense thud, followed by four others. She opened her eyes and saw a group of dragons who had landed near the lake. It was Alomar and the other dragons who had no human companions. They had come to the lake to drink, their boisterous voices rumbling throughout the empty gardens.

"Those freebooters are starting to get on my nerves," a wiry maroon-scaled dragon said.

"Bah, you always find something to mantle your wings at, Hater," another dragon said, whose plain green body was adorned with large sails along the back.

"Shut up, Scorn, or I'll tailslap you!"

"Personally, I don't care for these primates as long as they don't stand in my way," a third dragon said, flexing his spiky bulk as he hunkered down to drink.

"It had been long since there've been only primates among their number, Discord," Alomar snorted with disdain. "Though I wonder why they still call themselves transhumans..."

One of the dragons spotted Veralla and rawr–ed. "Hey, it's her! That whelp who follows the Dragonslayer everywhere!"

Alomar and the others turned their heads. Veralla tensed. She had a bad feeling, yet did not know what to do. She rose, realizing she would not be left alone to finish her meditation.

"Well now, what a chance encounter," Alomar said with malicious glee, moving closer to her, his gang in tow. "You're the little runt everyone talks about. I see you haven't changed much since they first scooped you up aboard the skyship. You're still an ugly-looking fledgling with a blubbery body and stumpy limbs." He smirked with disdain, while the other dragons growled in amusement. "And your scales will give the Goddess Herself vertigo."

Veralla looked down at herself, noting for the aeonth time the differentness of her shape. She felt shame building inside her. But then she halted herself and took control over the feeling. She was not weak, even if she was different. She lifted her head, mind becalmed by meditation, and met Alomar's sneering gaze. "And you are still a rude dragon!" she said defiantly.