[Hlaeth] Ch 15 - Dragon-Name Verified

« Chapter 14 | Index | Chapter 16 »

            “Magos Aelryinth!” the gold dragon Wurdtrue called out to me, gesturing for me to come forward.

            I hopped down from Feature, my feet not quite hitting the stones. Feature didn’t even say anything, just flickering, swirling, and flowing down to the form of a large lizard-snake of jet and silver resting comfortably upon my shoulders, in contrast to the humanoid forms of the other dragons present.

            They noticed I was walking just above the ground, and that my strides were longer than my actual pace was. I scooted up to them smoothly, and let Mortus Dius go to clasp my fist, cover it, and bow slightly to the elder dragons there, who were all regarding me sternly, unblinking and perhaps a bit annoyed with me. “I am Aelryinth of Heaven, Magos,” I calmly introduced myself to them. “Which elders of the dragons do I have the pleasure of addressing today?” I asked calmly.

            Their draconic Auras of power were bouncing right off me, Auras that were making Captain Fyanyl uneasy and a little pale as she stood there. A mere tilt of my head in her direction, and the Auras were cut off with just a flicker of their eyes as I passed their little test without effort.

            “I am Corunus, called The Sun Wyrm among our people,” the tallest and strongest of the dragons declared with a stern voice, emerald slits glowing with an elder dragon’s strength in a body much too small for it. “I greet you and welcome you to the Royal Palace of the Aldari, Magos Aelryinth. I understand you come here under the aegis of the dragons of this island, offered to you by my grandson.”

            He didn’t sound too pleased by that, but eh. That was a him problem. “The High Wizards of the Court here did not raise a great level of confidence in me as to their altruism, Elder Corunus. Elder Wurdtrue’s words were a diplomatic resolution to a problem that might just have evolved into something regrettable otherwise. I consider it an enlightened and unexpected moment of rationality in a tense situation rather expertly avoided by his well-timed offer.”

            The true elders glanced at one another at my praise of the younger dragon, probably unexpected. “I am Styllari, called The Star-Seeking Wyrm,” the most powerful of the three females present, her hair metallic silver, introduced herself as she stepped forward. “When we were informed our aegis had been promised to a human, and one with a dragon-name, we were quite astonished as to his reasons for making such a dangerous promise, Magos Aelryinth. Your claims to be a servant of Heaven notwithstanding-”

            “Truth,” I uttered, cutting her off sharply as she questioned my identity, snipping that in the bud.

            All of the Elders rocked back at the Word, which held more absolute meaning and depths to it than any Draconic short of the true Language Primeval, which I could tell none of them knew.

            Still, they were Good souls, even if they were dragons, and they weren’t going to be harmed by a Word of Creation.

            Alluding, however tangentially, to the fact I could be lying, was going to be crushed on the face of it, however.

            Complicated emotions swirled through their Auras as they regained their composure after the Word. Elder Styllari diplomatically shut the heck up and said no more, allowing Elder Corunus to take the lead.

            “These are the Elders Clangrill, Rimbiter, Laufengel, and Urblingfoa,” he introduced the other Wyrms, who were of Bronzed, Coppery, Brazen, and Golden hue, in descending age by his accents. They all nodded at me in turn, but remained silent for the moment.

            “Your Dragon-Name is stamped on your Aura, glaus nûrg mönt, as plain to see as the cloth across your eyes,” Corunus informed me, his tone more cautious now, even warily respectful. “My grandson has explained that the reasons for your Name are self-evident if one but grasps your Staff.”

            “Mortus Dius is mnecromonic. Everything I have ever killed is evident and open to any who grasp my Staff, including myself. I do not know the standards and mores by which dragons gave me that Name, as it was unasked for, and truly it means something to them, yet is not of much importance to me.” I set Mortus Dius in front of me, let go, and my Staff stood there, dull laenwork crystal gleaming. “If you care to learn the reasons for that Name, you need merely grasp my Staff and they will be revealed to you, as they satisfied Wurdtrue.”

            The emerald, sapphire, and topaz eyes of the Wyrms all settled on my Staff. “Can more than one experience this at the same time?” Corunus asked, an odd hunger and surge of aloof pride in his eyes, certain that he would get something less daunting out of it than his grandson had.

            “Of course. It is merely recorded memories,” I responded blandly, stepping back to give them room.

            The six of them immediately stepped forward to surround Mortus Dius, who was supremely unconcerned by this. Perhaps a touch warily, cautious of a trap, they extended slender arms and fingers to touch my Staff, wills up and ready in case of subtle infiltration and suborning via magic, but there was nothing of that going on.

            There was only a record of deaths. So, so many deaths, and so much killing.

            They were made of sterner stuff than the younger mere Dragons, being Wyrms with at least a millennium of life behind them and so much stronger and more powerful on all the levels.

            That said, I had killed a two-headed Great Wyrm, basically a child of a divine bloodline, and other Wyrms and Great Wyrms had fallen to me, along with demon Lords and true Princes, especially of the Oni.

            And so, so many undead and Fiends, at all ranks of power.

            So, they flinched, they gasped subtly, and they controlled their shaking as their elders and peers as dragons died, as things that rivaled or exceeded them in power died, and as countless numbers of Evil things that needed to perish died.

            Down and dead, Burning en vivus.

            glaus nûrg mönt. The White Death King.

            I could see they were resisting the urge to throw back their heads and roar, helped by the fact they were in quasi-elven form. Still, their heads tilted back, their eyes rolled back, and pure magical power boiled and rumbled in the air with the force of their defiance and wills. It drove their descendants and the attending elves back as the stones swirled and rose up, gleaming marble caught in their might as they faced a lot of existential Evil and watched me Kill It All.

            Their hands let go of Mortus Dius as one, as if thrown off of it as a group, and they stepped back together, finding their breaths as Mortus Dius flitted back to my hand. I leaned on him and considered them as all their gazes turned down to me, Auras up and rumbling and their eyes ablaze with the power of Wyrms.

            But not aimed at me, or anyone near them.

            “Truly the glaus nûrg mönt!” Elder Corunus declared grimly, staring at me solemnly. “The aegis of the Aldari dragons is upheld! Magos Aelryinth, thank you for coming to the aid of this island, and forgive the High Mages for their excess of caution. We will vouch for your behavior and theirs, and you may leave this place in peace at any time. We know you have no designs upon this place or its peoples, and clearly are playing at a higher purpose than are we!”

            That definitely impressed the elves, especially the courtiers who had mysteriously appeared at one point to investigate the arrival and gathering of so many dragons. I distinctly saw at least two of them immediately report via magic to their masters of the pronouncement.

            I half-bowed again to the Wyrms. “My presence here is largely unrequired, a courtesy to the elves. I regret having to disturb you from your own meditations. I have little doubt that getting involved in such machinations is below the concerns of your people.”

            “Respectful aid given generously, hospitality and goodwill returned in kind are never below our concern, Magos Aelryinth,” Elder Styllari stated with absolute conviction, her eyes flashing as she turned to look at the courtiers nearby. Quite astute, those elves scattered and were gone like flower petals on the wind within a few breaths. “Isolation and fear have gathered to the Aldari with the absence of their gods these few centuries, but they will not make a move against you under our aegis.”

            None of the High Mages had dared to take up Mortus Dius, either, probably fearing mind control and secure in their own ability to evaluate me, and whatever plans and provisions they had in place to deal with me in their preconceived notions of behavior.

            Eh, Neutrals. Every day thinking they were above or beyond judgment, yet free to judge others. Small minds in petty roles, despite them thinking they were above all others and had transcended such minor concerns as other mortals.

            Those minor concerns had another name: LIFE!

            “So, Elders, whereto from here?” I asked, reaching up to give Feature a nice scratching under his jaw. In larger form I would have needed to use an adamantine rake or something for him to feel it. His long tail whipped happily in pleasure.

            “Word is being sent to the King, who is making ready to receive you.” He paused in consideration. “Humans are short-lived and known to be very rushed in their dealings as a result, so the normal week of hospitality will be waived.”

            A week for them to observe guests, ascertain their nature, habits, and assess and study them. If the guests weren’t astute enough to do the same back, well, that was their problem, right?

            I’d already made it plain I was attempting to get home. Keeping me here longer than the minimum time was basically an insult and an excuse for me to leave. I had no reason to remain here.

            At my silence, he just smiled slightly. “Tomorrow at the latest, you will be summoned to the court. It is a great honor for anyone below one of the great Lords or Wyrms to see the King so rapidly.”

            I just sighed the sound of long-suffering. “Ah, very different from my Court back home, then. We tend to get matters taken care of within minutes normally, hours if complex, and seconds if at all possible.”

            That startled all of them. “You are a ruler?” Elder Corunus asked with deep interest, all their eyes intent upon me.

            “To be precise, I am a Monarch. That is the actual title, not a description. The model of government and organization I am head of is called an Allegiance.” I gestured idly around. “This is a kingdom, which is as much about the land as its people. An Allegiance is all about the people. The land is merely where we dwell.

            “I am no King, nor do I desire to be. That is a level of obligation that would conflict with what I consider my greater duties.”

            They all considered that new idea for a moment, even as Corunus turned, indicating for me to walk out a certain pathway, and I fell in beside him. The other Wyrms and Dragons arranged themselves automatically around and behind us, depending on seniority, with the elves following at the edges as crushed marble turned to ornate and colorful flagstones edged with graceful elven script, telling stories and tales I absently memorized as we walked.

            An aegis of dragons about me, indeed. I could see courtiers drifting into key places ahead of us just as gracefully glide off in other directions when they saw this group.

            “I see. And how large is this Allegiance of yours?” the Wyrm inquired.

            “Approximately fifteen million souls at this point.”

            They all paused at that number, and I could tell I’d impressed them. “Fifteen… million?” Elder Corunus repeated carefully. “And you are not an emperor of your people, or something similar?” the Wyrm asked respectfully.

« Chapter 14 | Index | Chapter 16 »