The Celestial Way

Chapter 20 - Clearing Ways

CHAPTER 20 – CLEARING WAYS

"...Paragons of virtue, reachers of stars,

Bringers of peace, enlighters of knowledge...

...Passing the zenith of wisdom,

The Stalwart crumbled into tyranny.

...Knights rose against Masters,

Battled both Orders, fought for naught,

Victory left an empty Cosmos.

...Devoid of hope, bereft of horizons,

Scions kindled hunger in their hearts,

Sought the quest for power,

Spilt the blood of kindred spirits,

Coveted the prize of grand suzerainty.

...Thus began the endless war for Supremacy."

– "True Legends of Reality", Datalinks

Early morning, Ilsorin's gardens, Terra Para

The remaining dragons of the Radiant Order, excluding Alomar and his gang, had gathered by the lake alongside with their soulkin. The dining hall had become too crowded with refugees for the dragons to maneuver safely around, so they had begun to eat their meals outside. Veralla lay contently on the glowing grasses, taking in for the aeonth time the majestic sight of the gardens. The Radiant Knights chatted pleasantly among themselves as they had breakfast, the humans sitting on folding chairs at outdoor tables, while the dragons lounged around like Veralla did.

"Hey Claw, what's Shpagus' conquest count already?" Tehalix called with a sly grin. She stabbed a piece of deep-fried cheese and chewed it. "I bet he's the talk among the refugees by now."

"Ah, sex and food," Bernard said in a relaxed manner, reclining in his chair. "I see you're a master at mixing flavors, Teha."

"Honestly, I'm a little concerned with some of these people Bern takes into our room," Zeromon replied. "A few have asked me if I'm willing to mate with them."

"Oh, what a shocking development!" Tehalix said with exaggerated surprise, while several of the other dragons hrrr–ed with a mix of indifference and distaste.

"I don't see anything extraordinary," Bernard said easily. "I like girls who have an adventurous spirit like myself."

"Only girls, Shpagus?"

Bernard waggled a finger. "Don't mistake omnisexuality with lack of preferences, dear Teha. I can have an intercourse with everything that moves, but I still pick my partners. Like I've said, good cuisine and good sex – they have a lot in common. Both can be satisfied in myriad of ways, yet quality is what sets apart mere indulgence from wholesome gratification."

"Yah, in that case, you're the burger joint of the galaxy, by your own comparison," Tehalix said, winking. Some of the Radiant Knights laughed at the joke, while the rest continued to converse on other topics.

"Is it wrong for a human and a dragon to have sex?" Veralla asked.

"No, it isn't wrong," Samantha replied, brushing a strand of her long red hair away from her face. "We Knights don't hold taboos, and if everything is agreeable to all parties involved, then there's no problem. Including relationships between disparate partners."

"Yeah, we even had sex once," Glosserax said casually, munching on a pyramid-sized dessert.

"Rax!" Samantha slapped her soulkin's flank, blushing furiously. The blue-and-cream dragon growled in amusement and leaned down, licking her with a forked tongue. "Ew, stop it! You're smearing chocolate on me everywhere!"