Dragon Falls (Indigo Apocalypse Book III)

Chapter Ten: The Last Of The Domingo Women

BROOKLYN:
    All I could think, when I truly saw the land that was Dodona, was, "Shit, Mom was right, all the way through." Every story, every bedtime tale, all of it, was, true. Perhaps it wasn't Ancient Greece, but it was still, archaic, as Audrey put it. Across the river of Clearity, sprawling rainforests dominated the plains, all the way up to the first fo the mountain ranges, the edge of Dodona's country. A huge spire of rock that erected itself from Dodona's forests and jungles, and marked it's end, and the beginning fo another territory. And, as Huntor had predicted, they knew we were coming. As we flew in on Huntor's honor guard, Seeka Vello, Draco Zavala, Decre Kneecora, and a new dracon, someone whom Huntor had called Azule. Though the E, was pronounced as an A. Or as an accented E. She was a small dracon, a lot smaller than the rest, and a violent purple so purple she was near to black. The Northern Lights flickered and glistened over her scales almost dementedly. As we drew in however, there were figures waiting for us on what looked like a greeting plain. Many figures. I sat behind Huntor and his mate on Kneecora's long back, and as she landed gracefully, The two slid off her from opposite sides, and Huntor gestured I dismount. I slid off heer back and tried to stand proudly, even through deep inside, my mind and body was filled with dementia, I was completely broken. Completely and udderly ruined.
    "Welcome Huntoruukos, to Dodona." Nine females stood on the plain, all dressed in armor made from wood. All holding spears that looked like simple sharpened sticks, though I had no doubt they could handle their own. At least, against any normal attack. Huntor tilted his head, and answered with, "Just Huntor if you please, the whole ruukos is, disbanded." The female who'd spoken tilted her own head, mirroring his move perfectly. "If you will." Then, another female melted out fo a tree, and I realized they were dryads. Sarah, who stood by Seeka's side, had her mouth open in awe, utterly gaping. Seeka nudged her, but Sarah didn't look the least bit ashamed. "If you'd follow us." "Well then." Sarah murmured as we followed the nine, now twelve dryads into the forest, along a dirt path. "Really quick service here." Seeka nudged Sarah again. "What?" Sarah asked, just loud enough for the whisper to carry. Briella shrugged as we stepped under a root that was about the width of a dracon's body, lengthwise. "It'll linger." She said dryly. Kupoa and Lucy stepped under the root, and said together, "We could live here, but we wouldn't approve of such stifling conditions." "Now now children." Huntor said, patting the air. "We're here under business, to consult with Dodona, so to speak, let's behave ourselves." Briella shrugged irreverently. "Fine, but why did you bring me along? You left my new friend behind." "Lorna and Arachne don't have to be here." Sydney said reassuringly. "No Camille, I selected you three, along with Sarah Brook, Kitana and Luna for a reason. Though I'm rethinking that choice because of all the whining. "Fuck you." Briella mumureed. None of the twelve dryads had spoken a word, and continued to keep their silence as we moved along.
    As we entered another clearing, the same dryad who'd spoken the first time said, "You will have to be searched and examined, any weapons you smuggle in will be confiscated and destroyed." For the first time, she sneered at the crowns atop our heads, and the talons that were out on Draco's and Vello's hands. The fans on Kitana's body. Indeed, Kitana stroked one of those fans. "We'll be searched," Huntor crooned. "Gladly and willingly, but however, we will not discard our weapons. Which," he said as she opened her mouth. "You were already aware of, so let's not waste anymore time than we already have with our clever little banter." "Banter?" I wanted to ask, but the dryad merely shrugged stiffly and waved her hand. The nine others came forward, two remaining by her side. They switched out their spears and patted Huntor and Sydney down first, then moved to Kitana and Luna. Kitana gave them a werewolf's grin. Baring her pointed fangs. One of the dryads went an interesting shade of green, and backed quickly away as she finished with Kitana. Finally, two turned toward me. They shared deep green eyes, and long willowy blonde hair. They were tall and thin, and their armor was a dark brown. They approached, in sync with each other's steps. But it wasn't like Kupoa and Lucy. Their synchronization was predatory, feral control, dominant power. It spoke of centuries in the trees, centuries living off the land. But these were more military, more detached. They came closer, to the point I could see the deadness in their eyes. "Deadness." I thought. "Deadness, why? Why why why why why?" They patted me down, never looking directly into my eyes, into my face.
    "See me." I wanted to snarl. "See me see me see me see me see me see me see me, see who I am, who's daughter I am, see who I am. See the oracle I am. See me see me see me see me see me see me." But they didn't, they never looked me in the face, in my brown eyes. Never saw me. One blonde backed away, opening her mouth to speak, but, "Wait." Her mouth snapped shut, and the second, who stood in front of me, spoke, "Where did you get this blade?" She reached to unsheath Katoptris. I slapped her hand away and rested my hand protectively over the blade. "It was given to me." The blade was glowing, how could I never have noticed. It glowed a bright poisonous green. How had I never noticed it until now? "Where, did, you—"I doubt that if you ask it again she'll tell you." Said Briella dryly. The other blonde snapped. "She was not speaking to you. Only speak if you are spoken to." Briella smiled, a dark feral smile. "Is that so?" "Indeed." She said coldly. "Then you, can go and shove that stick, up your ass, since you love to stand so stiffly, may as well stick it up there and really improve your posture." "You Half-Blood demon." Another dryad, one with dark brown skin and pitch black, no, dark dark brown hair stepped toward Briella. "You do not speak to us in that manner, you only speak if directly spoken to." "Excuse you, maybe you oughta clean out your ears, because she did speak directly to me, so I had every right to speak back ot her." "Now now children." Huntor said, again patting at the air like a teacher. "Let's not quibble, we're here to be friends."
    I realized then that Huntor, as always, was working something. "Jesus." I thought. "Why do I go in these things blind? I'm the frigging Oracle of Delphi, and yet I went into this thing without realizing what Huntor was doing, what he was playing." As Huntor faced the first dryad, the first one who'd spoken, he smiled openly, a wolfish smile, and I realized that he intended for Sarah to act so irreverent, so rudely. Intended Briella to act dry and detached, uterly removed from us all. Kupoa and Lucy to be the feral creatures they were at heart. "My goddess of lions is correct, your dryad did speak to her directly, she had every right to speak back, all be it very crudely." A small slap that was no more than a mild rebuke to Briella. Indeed, the girl grinned, as if the rebuke was nothing to her. "We're here to inquire about an audience with Dione, or the next in charge. We do not have time to waste. So, why not we get right into it." The insult registered on their faces. "Huntor certainly knew how to play the game." Thinking it, remembering it, I placed my hand over Katoptris. "The sword stays." "It does not belong to you." Again, no recognition, no realization. "We're here for Dione, would you take us to her please, and stop wasting both our time." "You must turn in your weapons." The blonde who searched me said primly. "Dodona is a peaceful country, we Dodonians live in a peaceful world, and do not let immigrants, travelers, tradesmen, come into our territory armed. We—"Oh please." Snapped Briella. "Save the country bullshit."
She stepped toward the blonde, who skittered away on nimble feet. "So, does that mean I have to turn these in?" She unsheathed her claws to their fullest extent. "Because I can promise you, I'm not just going to rip out my claws." "I—we—that is to say—no—we—put those away girl." She said, batting at the air. "Away away away away away." Briella's grin lashed, fangs extended. "You know, in my world, lions use trees as scratching posts, I wonder what would happen to a dryad if I did it to her tree." All dryads went pale as snow and it was Huntor who said, "Now now Briella, that was erroneous and you know it." "Yes Huntor, deep apologies." Said Briella, not sounding apologetic at all. But she sheathed her claws and closed her mouth. "We shall have to, to confer with the Oracle of Dodona, to be certain that you mean us no harm." The first fo the dryads, the first one who spoke, said this, and eyed the former Snow Queen now. "Even here, we know of your, fall from grace, from power, we hear of it through the wind, through the grasses, the crunch of leaves on stone, the sway of the branches, the—"Can we just get this over with please?" Briella asked. "Huntor they're going to bore me to death." Huntor didn't answer, just started walking. The rest of us followed, and the dryads were forced to lead the way.
The dirt road carved through Dodona like a snake through grass, and with that simile, I had to notice that with the winding road, the fresh dirt underfoot, there was no open sunlight that blasted downward, well, no true light from the Northern Lights miles away. Instead, little glow bugs and other glowing creatures lit the road ahead. I guessed that even in broad daylight, no one would bee able to truly see the sun through the foliage high high above. And the heat. Since it was at least in the eighties in human terms, it would've been sweltering if true daylight blasted down here. A red dragonfly looking insect, at least the size of a descent puppy, with the wingspan of four feet, flew past, it's glowing body rippling ever so slightly." As we walked down the road, several roads intersected with our own, leading Jesus knew where. "Where do the other roads lead off too?" Asked Sarah. "That is not of your concern." "Well sheesh." Said Sarah. "I'm sorry for wondering and wanting to try to pass the time with conversation." "I get the sense we aren't welcome here." Said Zavala, speaking for the first time. As we moved on through the countryside of Dodona, I noticed several dryads and other nature spirit glimpse us, and hide away. A girl with pure gold hair, rather like Holly's, stare at Huntor as if she knew him, then a boy with the purest fo black hair, rather like Sydney's, but with violet eyes, watched us pass. The girl wore a golden heavy looking jacket that seemed erroneous in the heat. The boy wore a jacket of equal weight, but pitch black.
Finally, the road opened into a wide stretch of land, and across another roiling river, though this one not so wide or vast, was a city. Well, calling it a city would be kind, as it was more like a kind of really thickly forested town. A wooden bridge spanned the river, and the dryads crossed it like ballerinas, bodies light, graceful, predatory in a feminine way. I noted it, but didn't say anything. Briella on the other hand had no misgivings. "Jesus, someone gag me with a spoon." As the dryads stopped on the other side, the first turned and said, "One at a time, be graceful, and cautious, Dodona may not allow—" but Briella strolled across the bridge as derisively as flipping up her middle finger. Sarah eyed the bridge, then the dryads, then shrugged. "Now's as good a time as any." She closed her eyes and shifted into her partial dracon form. Silver white wings extending over her back, tail uncoiling from her body, talons glistened as if freshly polished on both her hands, and through her booted small, really small, feet. She flapped and rose off the ground, with a few good strong flaps, Sarah glided across the space easily. "Guess I was accepted by Dodona." "Good job Sarah." Zavala said, grinning as the dryads spewed with irritation and commentary about crossing the bridge to be accepted. "Well done." Said Kneecora, her face open and a feral smile on her mouth. Sarah smiled back, showing equal geral glee. She flew across, and Zavala turned toward me. "Would you like me to fly you across?" I shook my head. Huntor and Sydney flanked me as I approached the bridge, as I listened to the roiling river a good six feet below the wooden planks. The water sang gleefully as I neared. Sang in a way that had fear coiling down my back.
I stepped on to the bridge, putting one foot in front fo the other, walking as confidently as I could over the silvery surface of the singing river waves. Froth sprayed my boots, black and light green. "You'll see Brookie." I was lashed back in time, lashed into a memory. "We're Christians Mommy, why would we be related to Greek people?" "Oh my darling child. We can be both Christian and Greek. You can believe anything you choose to, no matter what your history suggests." "But we're Christians, how can we be magical?" "Not magic." She shook her head. "Never magic, indigoism sweetheart, pure indigoism." "What's indism?" Laughing, she kissed my cheek. "I foresee that you'll find it out my girl. You'll bring our family home, and become the best Oracle there ever ways. You are the last of the Dodonians, and the most powerful of our history. He'll find you, and when he does, trust him Lovely, go with him, no matter what, go with him, and he will give you the future I foresee in you. The onee you will make." Theen, I was across the bridge, and the memories faded. Slightly disoriented, I reached out. Strong hands gripped my arm, and I focused, and saw Briella, her hands gripping me. "You alright?" "I, I think so." But the dryads were staring at me as if they never seen me before, which was true. "Dodona spokee to you." One of them said, her eyes wide. "She doesn't speak to just anyone. But you." There was awe, and derision in the sentence.
Briella bared her teeth and snarled, "I'll have you knw—"Leave it Bri." Briella stiffened as if I slapped her. I supposed she hadn't ever head that nickname in a long long time, if ever. When we were all across the bridge, the dryads lead us into their city. In the center of the city, was a huge forested area that made the first several miles walking in look like a walk through the park, and no, not sixty-five million years ago either. Those trees had ot be several hundred feet high. Another river separated it from the main city, a bridge spanning the distance. Wooden homes were everywhere, and nature creatures walked, ran, or generally moved around here. Six rams galloped by, and I eyed two in particular. A pure white ram with curving horns, and a pure black one. Then, in bursts of white and black, they shifted into female satires. They had skirts that matched their fur color, and bore oak armor like the dryads. White and black blouses that complemented their figure, yeet made them seem very modest. The one in white eyed me, then Huntor, then she nudged her companion. She let her black gaze sweep over us with disinterest, as if we were manure she found on the side of the dirt road. She turned away and joined her companions galloping off. "So I'm guessing we have to go in there?" Asked Huntor, pointing to the gigantic grove of trees. "Indeed." Answered one of the dryads. "But you must be—"Accepted." Sarah drawled. I eyed the grove again. All the trees grew closely together, banchest tangled, trunks no more than two maybe even a foot apart. Trunks so thick they were possibly older than Dodona itself. Then I realized that they grew so closely together to keep unwanted people, well, indigo, out. That you couldn't see in to the grove at all, and the only entrance, was across the bridge, where two trunks grew outward, like a pair of great oak doors, or a pair of guards.
"Is Dione in there?" Sydney asked. She sounded interested enough, but her face displayed udder subservience. Yes, Huntor always knew what he wanted to present us as, or, more likely, the image he wanted us to give, and give without even telling us. Briella acted as she use to actually be, a bitch, an asshole, a deadly lioness. A killer. Sarah a gentle sweet horny female, Sydney a cautious nervous girl, shy and terrified of the world. It worked so well that I was mildly annoyed I was so late to figure it out. Briella gasped as we turned down a road away from the huge grove. "Is that what I think it is?" I looked up, and skidded to a hault. There, several dozen feet away, a huge, really huge, plant grew. Ok, yes, we were surrounded by trees and what not, but this was more than just a tree, it was a living active monster. "A Sundew." Murmured Huntor. The plant was about the size of a house, a normal house, and was flourishing with deep purples and yellows. "Oh those." The blonde who'd helped search me seemed to have gotten her balance back now. "Just a part of our security."
    "Security." Briella scoffed. "Well, security, and prison cells." "Those aren't cells." Said Briella. "Those are death traps, the worst kind of death." "We know." Said the first dryad. "What are Sundews?" I asked. "Carnivorous plants." Said Briella. "One of many kinds." I looked at the huge burst fo flowers and glistening leaves. "It looks harmless." "That's part fo the trick." Said Briella. "Do you have other, prison cells?" Asked Briella. One dryad pointed a little further down the road, where what looked like green and yellow cobras reared back, waiting to strike. "Cobra Lillies." Whispered Briella in awe. "Do you want to show us thhis so we'd be afraid?" Huntor asked, derision in his voice. "You never know." He shrugged. "We're here for Dione, in case you've forgotten." "Right, this way." Time ticked by as they took us through the forest fo carnivorous plants, Sundews, Cobra Lillies, and the all famous Venus Flytrap grown to humongous heights. But finally, finally, we reached the bridge to cross over to the grove, and standing on the other side of the bridge, bathed in light from the lanterns on the trees to her sides, Dione watched us across the roiling gap between us. She was a tall thin woman, six feeet easy, with long brown hair, and deep brown eyes. A breeze brushed by us, smelling of grass and power. She tilted her head, ever so slightly.
    She eyed us across the gap. Sarah said, "I hate this part." "Don't we all." Said Kneecora. "The great Dione—"Save it." Snapped Sarah. The blonde jerked back, obviously surprised. Finally, the woman stepped on to the bridge and started to cross it. Her bare feet were soundless as she neared. More and more dryads appeared, all holding bows and arrows, spears, and other weapons. "As if we'd kidnap her and run." Snorted Zavala softly. "Huntor." Dione said as she paused, still on the bridge. "Indodragon of the North, and now Sun Dragon god. Along with Sydney, another IndoDragon, but of the West, and of the soil, and now another Sun Dragon, though a goddess." "Indeed." Said Huntor coolie. "You are an interesting god, the pair of you are, and—" she turned her gaze on to Sarah. Her lip curled ever so slightly as she eyed Sarah, eyed her heft, her build. "Another goddess yes? One of snow and ice, or glaciers and wind." "Why yes I am." Sarah apparently spotted the curled lip, and bared her fangs. "There's a death on your hands, the death of a goddess, of the original goddess—"Actually a friend of mine killed Khione, not me." Sarah said primly. Her gaze turned to Kneecora. "Ahhh, interesting." She stepped closer. "The banished Queen of one fo the greatest kingdoms of all time. Banished, yet returned, returned, to redeem oneself? To try to right the wrongs, the crimes she's committed. Interesting." "Maybe not." Said Huntor coolie. "Maybe she's here as my personal chew toy." Finally, her gaze swept over Briella. "A monster, murderer, a killer of innocence." Briella snarled. "What it." "And one with an awful temper. Unwise to bring her here, very unwise of you Huntor." "Since I don't ever do the truly wise things, I can honestly say I don't much care." Dione's gaze landed on me, and again, her lip curled, ever so slightly. "Ahhh, the last of the Domingo women." All the dryads gasped in unison. It would've been funny if I had the breath to laugh. Sarah did though, laughed quite loudly, as Briella snickered derisively. Those two sounds brought me out of whatever hellish hole Dione just opened for me to fall in to. "I am." I answered. The two dryads who searched me now bowed, deeply, and spluttered apologies tripping over each other. "Bitch," Snorted Briella. "It's way too late for sorry." "Briella." Said Huntor, though with our heat. Briella rolled her eyes.
Dione eyed me more intently, those eyes seeing everything at once. "We shall go to my estate, and talk." The way she said those words, had ice trickling down my spine. But Huntor shrugged and took his mate's hand. Lucy and Kupoa grinned like demons and it was her, Lucy, who asked, "Mind if we take a turn about your city yeah?" Before Dione could answer, Lucy was up a tree and leaping from branch to branch. "I'll, see she stays out of trouble." Said Kupoa. He too slithered up a tree and was gone. "It seems you don't have much control over your people." Said Dione with another small lip curl. "Oh, when it's warranted, or suits me best." Answered Huntor. "My indigo lead rather jubilant and exciting lives, not desolate or sepulchral ones." Again, I saw the golden haired beauty and black haired male. It was damn near impossible to miss those bright sky blue eyes or those purlpe ones. But no one else noticed them. "Well come children." Briella opened her mouth, a retort on her lips, but Kneecora stepped in and said smoothly, "Thank you Dione." Again, Dione eyed the fallen queen, but just lead us around the prison field, and toward another grove, slightly smaller than Dodona, yet just as filled with foliage designed to hide everything within, and keep everyone unwanted, out.
"Trying to keep the riffraff out?" Asked Briella. Dione gave her a cruel smile. "Sadly, they still find a way in, and yet are caught in traps regardless." As we crossed a bridge she waved her hand downward. Writhing green and brown tendrils undulated repugnantly below us. Then, as we continued, a large insect, like a fly, the size of an orangee, landed on one of the tendrils. The tendril lashed out and wrapped around the fly, and dragged it into the writhing undulating tendrils. "If Riff, or Raff decided to join forces and cross this bridge without a welcome, then the bridge would collapse, and they'd die a very slow death." "How unappetizing." Said Sarah. "That'll put someone off their dinner, really fast." She added. Zavala nodded her agreement. As we entered the grove, I couldn't help but notice just how the trees seemed to close in overhead, how the leaves danced with a kindd of predatory grace, as the grass swade, as if commanded to, as if a line fo soldier. "Talk about sepulchral." Said Sarah. Dione didn't reply as she walked up a hill, and turned through a collection of trees. I watched as a branch neared Sarah's blonde head. She nimbly slid around it and bared her teeth at another. "Speak to them." I jumped slightly as the voice spoke in my mind. "Control them child."
    I turned toward Huntor, wondering if he heard the voice in my head, wondering if it was a long lost Domingo, or, if it was Dione, playing somee game. I payed more attention to the grasses, which moved of their own accord, the trees, which swayed languidly, dangerously, the leaves, which crackled and hissed, as if all were speaking their own language, as if all were deliberately trying to scare us, scare me. "Stop this." I said harshly. "What?" Sarah asked. "Not you," I corrected. "Her." Dione turned, walking backwards. "I've no idea what you mean girl, the forests of Dodona speak and share tales of the future and past, or the present, of other—"Save it." I said harshly. "You command them do you not. This is your grove after all. You command them, and are telling them to toy with us, to try to scare us, to show your strength, or cowardice." "Cowardice—"Anyone who has to hide behind trees and grass is a coward." I said shortly. Silence, then, "She has a point." Huntor said coolie. "Anyone who can't fight their own battles isn't much of a leader, or fighter." Dione's face hardened into bark, then she relaxed, and crooned, "Well played Brooklyn Domingo. It seems your mother taught you well." The reference to my mother did the job, it punched me straight in the gut and sent me stumbling, if metaphorically, backward. Sydney crooned back, her voice as torridly feral and sweet as lava, "You've made your point, you have gifts over the forests, the jungle itself, now, if we can discuss the more prudent matters." Dione stared at her, and nodded. "Alright, enough games then."
Dione waved her hand, and a tree grew from the ground, and immediately started to bend and crack down it's center, opening into a kind of throne. Dione sat comfortably, and waved her hand, dismissing all but three of the dryads. One of them was the first dryad who'd welcomed us to Dodona. The rest leapt into trees and vanished. "So, what has brought indigo gods to my country, indigo gods, a fallen queen, a leader of a dracon army, the child of that fallen queen, and the last living line of Domingo women. What has brought you here?" "War." Said Sydney. No beating around the bush here. No playing politics with Dione. Straight to the point. "War?" Asked Dione. "I do not believe we are at war with each other. Unless my Lieutenant has given such orders without my consent." The first dryad, her apparent Lieutenant, shook her head. "I would not betray your trust." "Now then," Said Dione. "What deception is this?" "War." Said Huntor. "Not with you, with the Dark Queen, with Arachne." The whole of Dodona seemed to shutter. Leaves waved in a nonexistent breeze, the grass hissed, the branches cracked and groaned. All three dryads started, as if they were subconsciously aware of the name, but didn't know why. "The Dark Queen, is a myth." Said Dione softly. "Yeah," Murmured Sarah. "So is Khione, oh, wait, never mind." Her eyes glowed with sapphire light, and the temperature dropped several degrees. "I am Khione, I slayed her." A lie, I new that was a lie. "You cannot kill an eternal being." Said the Lieutenant. "Have, and did." Said Sarah.
"I slain my father, Dargonue, who raised the Dark Queen." Sydney's voice was as torridly hot as Sarah's was cold, and yet neither raised their voices. "Impossible." Dione snapped. 'My spies claimed that Dargonue was still serving his sentencing in the Molten Kingdom." "Obviously your spies are wrong." Snarled Briella. Dione's eyes glowed poisonous green. "Watch your tongue half-breed." Briella snarled, her claws unsheathing liek knives. The Lieutenant stepped closer, gripping her spear. "Go ahead." Purred Briella. "You'll realize why, just, why, I'm the goddess of lions. Why I'm Huntor's Huntress." Her eyes started to glow gold. The dryad seemed to reconsider, and stepped back. Huntor said to Dione, "Now that we've confirmed you have spies, everywhere, you cannot say you have no clue that there is a war going on." For several humming seconds, Dione did nothing but stare at Huntor, stare and stare and stare, and, stare. Then she chuckled darkly. "So you've played the game well. Found me out." She rose from her throne and paced away, then back. "So, what now, will you give me an ultimatum? One choice for another?" Huntor did not speak. "I am no mere mortal female boy. I'm a goddess fo Dodona, the embodiment of this jungle, the first Domingo to have lived, turned into a goddess by the king of the Higher Beings. Blessed by him and his grandmother Gaia and his mother Rhea, I am Dodona in the flesh." "And your point is?" Asked Huntor coolie.
    "I do not need to speak to you." Snapped Dione. "I can slay all of you with half a thought. You can be gone just like that. Lost to time. I rule these lands, my power is unmatched, and better yet, I have the gift of time, something no Domingo woman has ever had in centuries." Huntor yawned hugely. "Again I say, and your point is?" Dione gnashed her teeth. Then, she waved her hand aggressively. "Huntor." I yelled in warning. A treee snapped, cracking as it whipped toward him. But Huntor merely slid his foot against the ground, and the ground undulated, liquifying like water. The tree sank into the soil with a loud splash. For several humming seconds, Dione just stared at Huntor. "You forget." He purred. "I'm a Sun Dragon now, not a mere god, of dragons, or an IndoDragon." Dione seeemed to be trying to breathe, to cool some ancient part of herself, then, she said, "Clearly you are unforeseeable." "Thank the gods because if I was this have probably never have worked." He stomped hsi foot and the ground quaked. Dione was sent to her back, as was the three dryads. "Now that we've given displays of our power." He said conversationally. "Maybe we can talk more about how you have spies everywhere, and know about this war and yet chose to lie about it. Or, at the very least, evade it."