Chapter 21
Xellos once again found himself standing at the border of the Karkato Mountains, the sky filled with the forms of the black and gold dragons that reside there. 'Hmm, is it just me, or is there not as many dragons here as there was last time I was here,' Xellos pondered as he calmly walked into the dragon's domain, whistling to himself all the while as if he were strolling through a family park and not in hostile (at least to him) enemy territory. It wasn't long before he came to the edge of a cliff, the same one Miss Lina and her group had met Milgazier the last time. Looking around, Xellos found himself a conveniently placed boulder and sat down upon it, and waited.
/
"I believe your little one is getting hungry dear," Zelas said, lazily gesturing towards the young Val, who was watching the wolf pups feeding on a deer carcass a group of older wolves had brought for them. Indeed, the young ancient was licking his muzzle and letting out a small keening whine. This really didn't surprise Filia, since he did run off before he was given his breakfast, no wonder the poor guy was starving.
The only problem was she didn't exactly have any food with her. Dragons do not breast feed, well, not full blooded dragons (no known half breeds yet but with the ever-growing human populace, who knows). But how to get Val to come away with her without getting him upset…
Before Filia could begin to contemplate this thought a large black wolf approached her, carrying in its mouth a rather large chunk of the deer that the others were eating, by the looks of it, it was a large section of one of the rear legs. The wolf placed the food in front of her and then wandered off to watch over the young ones while they ate.
"I took the liberty of requesting food for the hatchling, you can feed him here," Zelas stated. Filia felt like it was more of an order than anything. One that made her a tad self conscious.
"Oh, well, I, uh-um…" Filia felt extremely awkward feeding Val with Zelas sitting right there, watching…
"Oh come now dear. You don't need to be embarrassed. Feeding your young is a completely natural thing, no matter how you do it. Besides the young one seems to be getting fussier by the second". And she was right, Val had wandered over to Filia and was right now trying to lick and chew the deer leg, although it was fruitless as his teeth where still far too small to be of any use.
"I'm not embarrassed. I just usually prefer to feed him in private, and not in my favourite night dress. Filia retorted as she retrieved the meat from the frustrated hatchling.
"Oh here then, stop your whining and just feed the boy," Zelas said exasperated as she waved her hands and a large brown cloth appeared before Filia.
Filia 'hmphed' as she caught the cloth and positioned it to cover her dress with a huff. Honestly who does this woman think she is, commanding her to feed her own son, as if she would let him starve?
Doing her best to pretend that Beastmaster Zelas was not sitting there watching her, she let her human disguise fall slightly so that only her head transformed back into her dragon form. Then grabbing the meat into her lap, she took a large bite of the meat and began to chew, making sure it was nice and minced she opened her maw and leant down to her eager hatchling as he plunged his tiny head into her mouth and began to eat the minced and partially digested food, Filia pressing her tongue flat down so he didn't accidentally nip her as well. Baby dragons needed the iron and proteins found in raw meat to develop properly as they grew, but they are not able to chew it on their own until normally 4 months old, so until then it was the parents job to chew their meat for them, allowing their saliva to start the digestive process for them to make it easier on their still developing digestive systems.
The wolves stared at the peculiar site for a short while before loosing interest and returning to their own meal, which was little more than stripped bone by this point. "See, now was that so bad?" Zelas commented as she took another drag of her smoke.
Filia rolled her eyes but kept still so Val could continue eating. This continued with Filia grabbing another mouthful for Val after he finished the previous helping for about ten minutes before nearly all of the meat was gone and Val mewled happily and snuggled up besides Filia's leg in content. She swallowed what was left in her mouth and shrunk her head back to human size, smiling down at her son as she gently stroked him from head to tail.
"He's a cute one, isn't he?" Zelas said. Filia turned to the Beastmaster. "Almost makes me want to puke. But in a good way," she stated as she took another drag of her seemingly never ending cigarette.
Filia started nibbling her bottom lip. She knew she had to talk to the Beastmaster while she could. She needed the closure on the situation with Val and his future. But how to approach the topic without angering the monster lord?
'Come on girl. Your finally here alone with one of the most feared monsters in this realm, she's feeling chatty and most importantly, she doesn't appear to want to rip your head off and stick it on a pike. Now's the time!' Filia mentally tried to encourage herself, but every time she tried to open her mouth, the butterflies in her stomach would try to make a mad dash for her mouth as if to escape the impending doom and her throat would clog up.
"Oh for Ruby Eye's sake girl. Just swallow your anxiety, take a deep breath and just spit it out already. Despite my immortality, I haven't got all day," Zelas huffed in annoyance. She had been sensing the girls fear and apprehension for most of their time together, and while she was getting a nice meal out of it and it was amusing to see her fumble with her thoughts, she didn't like to be kept waiting. Even her own Xellos only got so much leeway.
Filia took her advices and swallowed the taste of bile in her mouth, took a few deep breaths to calm herself and sort out her thoughts to form a comprehensible sentence and found an interesting patch of grass to stare at as she spoke her piece. "I wanted to talk about Val. What's going to happen to him, and what part you plan to have in his future?" Feeling some of her courage return Filia turned her gaze to match Zelas's, "What are you planning?"
Zelas raised a delicate eyebrow. "And what makes you think I would tell you anything?" she asked as a smirk formed on her lips.
"Nothing I suppose, but I believe it would be better to ask and at least get some idea, than to remain silent and be constantly wondering," Filia replied, shrugging one shoulder.
"Hmph, I'm sure Xellos has already informed you that some secrets are better left unsaid," Zelas said casually taking another drag of her smoke.
"He might have mentioned it at some point".
"Hmmm, and yet you still choose to pry anyway. You're either extremely brave or extremely stupid, or both. The line gets blurred so easily these days," she intoned as she blew smoke rings into the air. "You know. The humans these days are quite interesting to watch. For a species so inferior to the world around them they are thriving quite nicely. What they lack in natural defences they make up for in their determination to survive, to multiply. Some of them even acquire a smidgen of intelligence to help them expand to multiply some more," Zelas grinned maliciously, the glint of a small fang peeking beneath her lips. "And when they expand, they eventually start to expand into each other. They start butting heads for territory and resources to expand even further. Such is the nature of human greed. And so, in the pursuit of more, they take from others. There's suddenly not enough space to expand. The logical course of action? Get rid of that which is taking up all the room. Weapons are invented, wars are instigated. Thousands upon thousands die till the very earth is almost drowning in blood". Zelas took a long drag from her smoke, a look of pleasure on her upturned face. "Such hatred, fear, betrayal. Brother turning against brother, daughters slitting their own father's throats, and sons selling their mother's to the highest bidder. The whole world will slowly slip into a chaos of human creation as the quest for power and greed consumes the very planet itself, much better and more completely than trying to destroy the whole thing with one big bang that previous monsters have tried". Zelas turned her cold eyes upon Filia, a smirk playing at the corner of her lips. "It wouldn't take much effort, a whisper here, a rumour there. Such small things can cause great damage if there are enough of them. Mark my words, the world will be returned to chaos, one way or the other. I simply fail to see the point in wasting so much time and energy on trying to rush what is essentially inevitable," she said as she reclined further onto her side, her hand holding up her head as if she were bored.
Filia, least to say, was feeling deeply disturbed right now, not just because of what Zelas had said, but that she could also see the truth in her reasoning.
"So, my dear dragon girl, I do believe I have no immediate plots concerning a helpless hatchling that can't even speak yet, let alone annihilate cities any time soon. And with a golden dragon for a parent there's not much that can be done to sway him without repeating another monsters mistake and trying to forcefully turn him". She turned to look at Filia side-on, "Rest easy girl. Whatever your hatchling ends up becoming will be of his own decision," she said as she blew smoke rings in the air.
Filia felt a weight she didn't know she was carrying lift from her chest. So Zelas wasn't planning on taking Val away from her to joining some evil monster army. While she was still very suspect of the monster lord and her implication of the possibility of Val joining her by choice, she decided that was something she would have to deal with at a later date. Hopefully if she raised him right, and showed him all the love and good of the world, that terrible scenario will never come to pass.
"I suppose that's all I can ever ask for. And you never know. The humans could end up surprising you in the end. Where there is greed there is also charity. Where there is betrayal there is loyalty. Love with hate, and happiness and peace as opposed to despair and war. You can't always assume that the negative qualities of human nature will prevail," Filia paused for a moment in self-thought. "The world is full of opposing forces, which somehow seem to balance each other out rather than destroy the other".
Zelas merely smiled, not a malicious smile, but rather a gentle one a mother might give to a naïve child, "We shall see child. We shall see".
/
There was a powerful gust of wind whipping around him, yet he stayed unmoving from atop his boulder. He looked up with a smile as the imposing figure of a familiar golden dragon landing on the edge of the cliff, chunks of the rock cracking and falling off from the weight of the impact. "Hello Milgasia".
"Xellos". The greeting was short, almost non-challant.
Xellos raised an eyebrow "You don't seem surprised to see me again. And so relatively soon since my last visit".
"Ah yes. With the human Miss Lina, and her companions. Pray tell, how do they fare?"
"Hmhm. If you're asking are they still alive, then the answer is yes. The infamous Lina Inverse lives to rampage another day," he replied with humour.
Milgasias head tilted. "I must say, I'm surprised to hear as much. I expected your kind to do away with her after your needs of her were through," he said pointedly.
"Yes well. Things happen, circumstances change," he scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"Indeed. And what circumstances bring you back to our home? Because I highly doubt you've come back just to chat". Ah good old Milgasia, quick to the point.
"You are correct. Although while the situation may be different, the matter of importance remains the same," he said matter-of-factly.
"Is that so? Are you once again seeking the Claire Bible? Because I'm afraid that while I allowed the human Miss Lina a viewing, I cannot, and will not allow its precious knowledge to fall directly into your hands, and all my kin will be just the same," Milgasia did not speak threateningly, but in a tone that suggested it was simply an undeniable truth of nature.
"Oh I have no doubt about that Milgasia. And I would expect no less from your kin. But alas, I am not here for the Claire Bibles knowledge. Rather, I'm here for yours".
"Oh?" he replied as his entire form was covered in golden light. His form then shrunk down to the size of a man. As the light was diminishing Xellos chose then to stand from his seat and greet the now human Milgasia on equal footing. "And what could I possibly have to tell you that you don't already know?" he asked suspiciously.
Xellos maintained his signature smile, even as he stared at Milgasia with his true eyes, their purple hue piercing. "Tell me, what do you know about a certain type of dream killing a golden dragon from the inside out?"
Milgasias cool expression dropped into one of shock "How do you know about that!?" he demanded.
"OH, you do know something about it. Do tell, please".
"It is old magic, and dangerous. It was developed and performed on hatchlings to ensure they were never swayed and manipulated by the monster race. How in all the realms do you even know about it? And what concern is it to you?" Milgasias fists were clenched tightly at his sides, shaking ever so slightly.
"Hmm very well, I'll tell you this much. I happen to personally know a golden dragon, and I am assuming she is afflicted by this magic. I also happen to have a vested interest in keeping this dragon alive, and this, curse I suppose you could call it, is becoming an inconvenience to that interest. I want to know exactly what it is, and how to get rid of it".
"She? Vested interest? Xellos. Am I to understand that you are using one of my kind as, as a pawn in one of your little games!?" Milgasia was fuming. Fists clenched and teeth bared at the grinning monster before him.
"Now now my dear Milgasia, you conclude too quickly," Xellos said as he waved his hand up and down, motioning for the dragon to calm down. "While I cannot divulge the level of interest, I can assure you she is no mere pawn. However, I can say that it is in both our best interest that you tell me what I want to know".
"Is that a threat?" Milgasia spat in distaste at the monster
Xellos chuckled, "Of course not my good dragon, merely a statement of truth," he replied simply. Milgasia narrowed his eyes at the infuriatingly calm smile of the monster, knowing his 'threat-not-threat' to be viable and valid. The only reason for his clans continued existence right now being on a complete whim of the hell spawn before him.
He growled in resignation. "Very well Beastmaster. I will tell you what I can. But I will inform you now, my knowledge on this matter is very limited. The practice of this magic has not been done in my clan for a millennium. Our isolation from most of the world rendering it near unneeded and more hazardous than what it was worth".
"Duly noted Mr Milgasia. Now if you please. Tell me everything you can".
/
"My dear girl. You already look exhausted. Motherhood really that hard for you to handle?" Zelas remarked. Filia couldn't help but feel that her qualities as a mother were being challenged.
Filia scoffed at the monster lord "Of course not, Val is a wonderful child to have. If you must know I've merely not been sleeping very soundly for a while. It could be a simple matter as I'm missing my own home and my own bed," she stated with her nose in the air in a show of superiority.
"Hmm, is that so?" Zelas had a look of contemplation on her refined features. "Even so, I believe it wouldn't do any harm if you retired back to your room. It is still early in the day, but your young one does appear to be ready for a nap already," she said as she gestured to the young dragon curled contentedly on his mother's lap, eyes slowly drooping down in a light doze.
Stifling a yawn Filia began to rise. "Whilst usually I'd argue that a monster wouldn't know anything about the need to sleep, this time I think I'll take you up on that advice," she gently wrapped her sleeping son in her arms as she stood. Turning to the Beastmaster she tilted her head grudgingly, "Miss Zelas," she said curtly as she stepped away from the monster a pace or three before turning around and heading the way she came in.
Zelas snapped her fingers and a large grey wolf trotted on after the dragoness, intent on guiding her back safely out of the indoor woods. Once Zelas was certain the trio were gone, she took another drag from her pipe. "So? What have you found Somari?" she said. A moment later said monster was kneeling before her mistress, head bowed in submission.
"My lord. Unfortunately, there was not much to find on either matter. Both abroad as well as in our own collections. The situation regarding the two of them is non-existent, we can speculate, but aside from the abomination that was Valgaav there is not much information to go on. We will all have to learn this as we go along".
Zelas clicked her tongue, "I must say I would usually be disappointed in you Somari, research is supposed to be your bread and butter. You better have more than that for the other issue," she said down her nose at the back of her servant's head.
"Yes mistress, I must apologise again, whilst I was able to find out a tad more, without actually interrogating a dragon elder there is only so much that is recorded. What I did find is that it appears to be of a similar kind of method employed by one of Lord Dolphins servants. The deceased Fuminshou," the monster intoned. Raising her head to meet her mistress's eyes.
"Fuminshou? Wasn't that sad creature a master of mental torment and warfare?"
"Yes mistress. He was struck down not long before the end of the War of the Monsters Fall. Lord Dolphin lost many minions during the war, I believe it was due to her focusing too much on their looks and their mental attacks and neglected to back them up with forces of a more physical method of assault," she stated.
"Hmph, don't forget your place Somari. Need I remind you that you have no right to question one of the Monster Lords, or their methods," Zelas spoke in a threatening tone. She might be giving her servant a few too many liberties if they feel they can question their superiors so openly.
If Somari could sweat, she would be needing a new change of clothes. "Of course not mistress. I meant no disrespect. I was merely reflecting upon your own accomplishments compared to Lord Dolphins…lack of them. Please forgive my transgressions my lord," Somari tried in her best effort to appease her temperamental Lord. Can't hurt to throw in the look either I suppose.
Zelas looked at her servants more convincing puppy look. She sighed in frustration "Oh for the love of Shabranigdo would you cut it out. You know I'm not going to kill you. So put that face away and tell me what else you know about Filia and how she is connected to Fuminshou," Zelas huffed, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"The thing is mistress. I can't find how Filia is connected to Fuminshou. He was thought to be dead long before her birth. And while the method of persuasion and attack is the same, it's like someone's taken his abilities and morphed them. Twisting it and tweaking it to suit their purpose. It's almost unrecognisable from the original product".
"Almost?" Zelas questioned.
"Yes my lord. I can't really explain it very well. But it just, feels like him. But not at the same time".
"Hmm. This calls for further observation. I want you and Ray to keep an eye on Filia for the time being. See what more you can find out from observing her. If anything seems to pop out, I want one of you to report it to me immediately".
"As you command my lord," Somari said before she phased out without delay.
/
"So, let me get this straight," Xellos stated. "You dragons, who detested us and everything we stood for so greatly, captured one of our own, and used his Shabranigdo given ability, to take away the free will of your own people, so that in the unlikely event that they would even think to disobey or turn against you, they'd be given a most torturous and slow death," Xellos said, head tilted in curiosity. "Rather clever really. If hypocritical of you all. But then again I expect no less from your race at this point," he said with a shrug.
"You wouldn't understand. We did what we thought was best for not only our race, but the mortal world as a whole. After the betrayal of the Ancient dragons, we knew there was always going to be the chance that such betrayal could appear even within our own kind, so we sought a means to defend ourselves from the ones who would seek to destroy us from within". Milgasia spoke with the determination of a man who believed what he was saying.
/
Filia was now out of the woods (so to speak) and waved to the retreating figure of her wolf guide. While this was a new experience for her, trusting a wolf to lead her out of danger, she wasn't going to be rude to the creature, even if it took no notice of her attempts at civility. She turned and continued heading down the hall towards her chambers, the baby ancient snuggled safely in her arms, snoring softly.
As she continued on her way, she felt another wave of exhaustion through her body, almost staggering from its intensity 'I must be more tired than I realized,' she thought to herself as she continued down the hall.
/
"Whilst I am tempted to discuss why you dragons see a reluctance to join a war on either side as a direct betrayal to yourselves and the world, I feel we must press on. How do I remove this enchantment from my dragon?" Xellos said almost impatiently. He was getting very tired of this dragons attempts to justify his races actions.
"Even if I had that knowledge, I still have no reason to divulged the information to you. If a golden dragon has aligned herself to the monster race, it would probably be in the best interest of the world if she were no longer around. She does have one saving grace though. She would be given multiple opportunities to rethink her decisions and change her ways. If in her heart she does not, then the enchantment will end her as swiftly as possible. She will simply fall asleep, permanently," Milgasia said gravely.
/
Filia's body started to feel very heavy. She could feel herself getting weaker and weaker with every step she forced her body to take. 'Something's wrong. Something is very very wrong'. She couldn't make her body take another step. Val becoming heavy in her shaking arms. She dropped to the floor on her knees, she had made it to the main cross roads of the halls. Val woke with a start at the sudden drop, cooing questioningly at his adoptive mother.
/
"Not even the lives of yourself and your clan is worth this one little bit of information?" Xellos said threateningly. If he had to spill a bit of blood to get the information he wanted, he would have no qualms about it, his patience growing thin.
"Hmph, know that I speak the truth Xellos when I say this. I do not possess that information. None of my clan do. As far as we know, there is no way to remove it, aside from the death of the dragon themselves. She may have one small chance of fighting it off, but it will depend entirely on her mental power as well as her very will to live. But unless she is stronger than the monster whom the spell was originally crafted from, I'm afraid her fate is sealed," Milgasia spoke with finality. No remorse, no sympathy. There was no room for sympathy when it came to dealing with the monster race. But there was also no malice in his tone, no real ill intentions, this one small fact coupled with Milgasias possible future uses is what kept Xellos's temper in check.
/
Filia could feel her breathing becoming laboured. Her hands on the ground now, bracing her body as best they could against the shakes wracking her body.
"Filia!" she heard a vaguely familiar voice call to her. Dragging her head up she noticed Somari kneeling down to her, Ray picking up a distressed Val and trying very awkwardly to comfort the baby as best as a creature who did not understand comfort could.
"Somari…..help…." She panted, the effort of speaking becoming too much.
"Stay with us you stupid gold. Don't you dare close your eyes. Ray, follow. Then inform Lord Zelas, we need to find Xellos, he needs to get here now! We'll take Filia to Xellos's room," Somari spoke in a rush as she hefted the dragoness up and onto her shoulder, supporting most of her weight. "Geez your heavier than you look. Lay off the sweets would you Goldie." Somari tried to get a rise out of her.
She didn't have the energy to even glare at the monster.
/
"I wouldn't be too quick to sell her out just yet," Xellos replied. "This particular dragoness is the embodiment of will power. And maybe with a little help, we might make it through this yet".
/
Somari lay the now unconscious gold down on the bed, not taking any notice of the flower on the nightstand, and the fact that it was emanating a black aura. She focussed on Filia's scrunched features, mumbling incomprehensible words in her sleep. Ray put the fussing baby dragon in the pen to the side of the room before phasing out. Returning within moments with Beastmaster Zelas in tow.
"Report Now!" Zelas commanded
"Whatever has been affecting her is showing its ugly head now. Her energy signature is fading in and out. My guess is its making its move now to finish her off. Why just now I can't say. I don't have enough informa-"
"What is going on here?" Zelas interrupted, pointing out the flower in the purple vase, surrounded by a very familiar signature.
"Is that, Xellos's…" before she could finish, the aura surrounding the flower shot straight to the sleeping dragoness, her features relaxing ever so slightly, but not completely.
"Well what do you know. He's been onto something for a while now I'd guess. We'll see how this pans out," Zelas said as she took a seat beside the bed where the dragon lay. Watching intently.