Rise of the Darkness

World of Magic

Oculeera

It is common for dragons here to eat in human form because less food is needed to fill one's stomach. Being full in one form means you are full in the other, one of the paradoxes brought on by the Joining that no one can really fully explain. The difference is not much for spirit dragons like me who are naturally small. Even fortune dragons eat a modest amount. But the colossal swift and strength dragons eat many dozens of pounds of food a day in dragon form and eating in human form matters.

I only have one more dragon to satisfy before having my wings unbound. Minerea daughter of Deliksa and mother to Master Wukro. An old strength dragon who has long since lost the strength to fly and is losing her sanity. The Elders keep her in the shielded area with the mothers because Minerea refuses to transform into human form. Everyone who sees her knows she lives a miserable life, land bound and prone to hallucinations, but the few wits she has left tell everyone she has no intent to quietly let old age claim her. Master helps heal her of ailments that might otherwise kill her, ones that other dragons would let kill them. There is a reason few dragons live beyond a century and a half, without their wings and independence there is little to live for.

I drop the basket held between my teeth and shake my head of the water from fishing. Little droplets fly from my mane, hitting the leaves around me. Everyone else was considerate enough to take one or two fish and had me torch their food. Some even wanted their fish smoked but that is no big deal. One basket is enough to feed several dragons at a time while Master Wukro watched me. But not for Minerea. So far, she has eaten two baskets of fish and I carry the third. I might have to find an alligator or one of those invasive pythons if she requires more food.

Picking up the basket I continue. Several mothers give me stern looks as I pass them, but most ignore me. Either they do not care or have seen me enough today that there is no reason to look. One of those glaring at me has a good reason; I shook the water off me near her nest. The week-old hatchlings started to chirp and squeal from discomfort and I had to use magic to dry them as my punishment. Not to mention give them food.

The rest of the dragons that disapprove of me likely do so because of what I did among humans. No wonder the Elders include me when keeping us sequestered. In the end I found the stronger one of the prophecy and never revealed myself to humans. And I got to experience more of the human world, at least looking at it from above. So many exciting things. But they do not see that. They see a reckless youngling that endangered them all. In a way it is fair, but ultimately nothing happened.

Finally, I reach the tired old strength dragon. All dragons shed scales, but they quickly grow back. Minerea's scales drop off from her hide with nothing to replace them. Different from the browns and blacks that make up the pattern of a strength dragon's rough, pointed scales, pale tan skin covers most of her. Wrinkled, scarred skin, spotted by a few remaining scales here and there.

"Fish..." she mutters, lifting her head. When I place the basket in front of her snout she nudges me away. Luckily the basket is natural material because it follows the fish down her throat.

"Do you need more?"

"No more eating."

"May I leave?"

"No, Geeo daughter."

I sigh. "Do you need anything?"

"I talk. The conjurer, you found?"

"Yes."

She uses her wing to scratch behind the crown of her head before continuing. "He aware of his prophecy?"

"Yes. Most dragons here are."

"He is of this prophecy?"

I fight the urge to growl at her. Master is nearby, and I do not want to deal with any sharp words from him, not now. Minerea is not fully sane and speaking with her can be a challenge. "Yes. The stronger one."