Riley
The farm looked peaceful. Blue walls of the house blended with the dark greens of surrounding fields making it look like a natural phenomenon. Afternoon sun reflected from the windows. I knew Jessica was tired of our continued presence in her house, she lived alone ever since her mother died and it must have required some adjustment to now live with several hatchlings. I killed the engine of the car and stepped out. It was quiet...
The doors opened and Jess stepped to the porch. "About time you come back, your brood is driving me crazy." That didn't bode well. "Hi Jess, nice to see you too. You look good, dazzling smile." I was tired. Meeting with Ember was a disaster, Autumn burst into tears as soon as she was out of Ember's office. I have assured her, that we would get this situation solved before her baby is hatched, but I had no idea how we were going to achieve this. Fortunately she was a brave and level-headed dragonell and few uplifting sentences were enough to make her gather her strength. She stayed in a makeshift hatchery that was put together by Dr Miles in hatchling training facility in the middle of a desert, as there was no way any of the breeders would go back to the island facility. I had no suspicion when Ember suggested moving the pregnant dragonells there. Now I wanted to kick my own ass from here to China for allowing this. Once in Talon's clutches the breeders and the egg seemed lost. This whole situation with Ember as Talon's CEO was starting to remain a nightmare.
"Spare me. Mist took Nettle and Kain for a hike in Sawtooth Range. They were supposed to come back after three days, but they called me on day two and told me they've decided to stay longer. I said no, and was not able to reach them ever since." Damn! Et tu Mist? I thought the hatchling was responsible enough when I left her in charge of the other hatchlings, because I knew, that Jess had actual work to do and I had a feeling, that if she wished to entertain children, she would have gotten some of her own. But Mist was full-fledged basilisk, she should have been able to keep the other two from harm's way, maybe nothing happened apart from certain amount of disobedience. I strode towards the doors.
"How about I think about it over a cup of coffee..." I trailed off because there, over the horizon, I spotted three dots... "Bloody hell!" I exclaimed. Jess followed my line of sight leaning from the side of the porch. "Whatever you see Riley?" She said. "Good news, they'll be here soon. Bad news, I'm going to skin them alive." Three dots got closer quickly and soon three hatchlings were plainly visible in the afternoon sky above green fields.
Jess put on sunglasses but could not see them still. They circled once above our heads and eased their graceful forms to the ground in front of us. "Hi Riley." Nettle said. "We thought we could get home before you..." My temper have reached it's limit then and there. "You thought?! It doesn't look like this to me Nettle. What the hell?! You are flying! In the middle of a day in plain sight of I don't know how many people!" I exploded.
"Riley! Who are you yelling at?" Jess watched me with large eyes. I looked back to three dragons sitting in the dirt of the broad drive. "Riley nobody can see us." Mist said coolly. "Only other dragons and creatures in possession of magic stronger than ours." I didn't know what to say about that. "You do not see them? They are right there." I turned to Jess and pointed. "No, and if this is some kind of a joke, then it's not very funny." Jess watched me worried. "That's enough, lets shift." Mist said and the three shapes shrank suddenly until three human teenagers stood in the middle of the drive. Jess jumped when she saw them, there was no way she was faking it. More interestingly they were all dressed.

***
I was still reeling from the story Kain have presented with impressive but unnecessary flourish. There were other dragons in this world, millennia old, possessing powerful magic able to cheat time... As if there weren't problems enough without it. That my hatchlings trusted that dragon and revealed so much to him scared me and I resented their openness. Jess went to her room after cold supper, that we have eaten in tense atmosphere. Mist agreed completely with the others and nobody was willing to assess potential threats associated with their discovery.
I missed Wes. Everything seemed to have gone south after he have left for England. For twelve years we have investigated threats, planned and executed our moves together. I took having him in my corner for granted. I took his hacking skills, his caution and his loyalty for granted. And the moment he left I started feeling, who he really was to me. What he contributed to my underground and my life. Now facing three enthusiastic hatchlings I missed Wes playing the bad cop, putting them into their place before we would retreat to the bomb shelter and plot what to do next. As for now it was just me.
There was no way, that Talon had no idea about that and if somebody could squeeze any intel from them it was Mist. Archivist still seemed to favor her and there could not be much happening in Talon, that he did not know about.
"Mist, Talon must know something about this. I want you to ask the Archivist about magic, ancient Wyrms living in pieces of separated time and anything else they have been keeping from us." I said. It was Nettle who has answered me. "Fuck Talon Riley! They have not told us before and now we have other ways to find out. We should seek out these dragons and learn from them!" Her eyes shone with excitement and anger at my stalling. "I was talking to Mist. Besides, there is no way I am letting you go looking for all powerful stranger dragons Naomi! We need to know more first." Hearing her full name seemed to wake Nettle a little but not enough, she pursed her lips and muttered something to Kain.
"I agree with Nettle." Mist said. "We've learned more during three days with that dragon, than throughout entire training in Talon. I doubt Talon knows of such powers in dragons, they would have stopped at nothing to attain them. Power is everything for Talon." Although there could be some logic in her statement, I felt disappointed by Mist's opposition. I did not manage to come up with an answer before she continued. "Besides there's another topic we wanted to discuss with you." Another? Well go ahead Mist, not that I have anything to think about. "We need education." I wasn't expecting that, but what the hell, apparently today was a day to be surprised. "If we're not to work for Talon, we need to fit into human society even more than before. Obtaining official education will help us to do that. We've been thinking about it for a long time. Kain wishes to be an actor. I want to be a doctor and Nettle likes physics and astronomy and to paint. We will be stronger having relationships and roles in human world." This was not a stupid idea, except for that education costed a lot of money and required prolonged proximity with other humans from outside of the organisation. Nettle snapped at her guardian during human training, how will she face human world on her own? Kain hated humans ever since the Order killed Isaac and why Mist would treat humans was beyond me. But this at least made some sense to me. "That's not mad." I said. "It's a nice change. Of course you should be able to take education and claim your place in this world independently of Talon." I started and then we have spent the rest of the evening discussing different institutions and disciplines, that my hatchlings could pursue as well as practical requirements for such a feat to have a chance of success.

***

"Ember is keeping pregnant dragonells and Autumn's egg as hostages. I had an impression, that she considered them her property now. She's changed so much since the war, I have never met the Elder Wyrm, but I imagine she's just like her now. Greedy, selfish and power sick." Later at night I was giving Mist report of my meeting with Ember, as I needed to share the burden of this problem with someone.
Things were strange between us. It was plain that we had kinship of minds and admired each other. Yet the pull that I felt towards Ember was lacking and after initial elation caused by the victory, we've gone back to being friends. Mist did not seem to mind that, she was always very withdrawn and it might be more her way. The distance.
"We can steal that egg away." Her answer surprised me. "We've stolen them away once, we can do that again. Maybe hide them in some space-time until their hatchlings can shift." She was focused, already planning. "No. We don't steal them Mist. It would mean declaring a war against Talon." I could not accept this course of action and its consequences. "Oh! But Talon kidnapping these dragonells and practically imprisoning them is not a war declaration? Why can they break the rules of the treaty but not us?" Mist was as always logical and practical. But I could not, would not accept this was necessary. Ember was having a bad... month, she would come around. I could not lose her completely. Finally Mist accepted my reply and left, for now.
Alone I thought about running this underground without Wes and Ember and I could not decide which of them I missed more. Ember was my life mate, Wes was my one truly close friend and apparently without them I was coming apart at the seams. I laughed at the thought, it was unlike me to need anybody, but apparently only as long as everybody were beside me. Damn it to hell, I even missed the soldier. He would have been on my side in this dragon magic madness. He could assess danger and was trained to avoid unnecessary risks. This was clearly a sign of extreme weariness, so I decided to sleep on it.

***

The elevator seemed to be taking forever to reach the Archive, only Mist looked somewhat at ease here. Kain and Nettle were quiet and large eyed I could sense tension in them. Good, it would not do for me to be the only one feeling unease. Last time I was visiting here, the whole mission went FUBAR and Archivist almost strangled St George, before he miraculously let us go. It felt wrong to enter his domain again. I was surprised, when Mist said we would meet him here, I thought that he never left Ember's side these times...
Finally the elevator stopped and the doors slid open revealing the guard station nearby and the vast cavern of the Archive beyond it. Mist stepped forward and addressed the guard who only waved us by. She quickly and surely picked her way to the office, where to my surprise the Archivist was awaiting us.
"Welcome" the Wyrm sad.
"We've requested to see you, because we have stumbled upon an ancient dragon. He has told us something about magic, that we need to know more about. We thought this was a good place to start looking." Mist presented our case and Archivist's pale brows shot up. I don't think I have ever seen him surprised before. "Tell me everything and I will see if I can help." He said.

***
The Archivist watched Mist all the time, when Kain with small help from Nettle told the story about meeting with mysterious Lightningbird. Then he watched her quietly for such a long time, that I really admired Mist for not shifting nervously or looking away. At last he spoke.
"What this dragon have told you is true. Dragons are creatures from outside of this world, where we come from, the magic is raw and aplenty and we are its masters. Or were once." I resisted rolling my eyes, another tiny secret, not important enough to tell us. "Why is it kept secret?" Nettle demanded angrily and the Archivist cast an amused look in her direction. "I wouldn't say it was kept secret, everybody knows the legends of dragons possessing powerful magic and wisdom. Not even Talon can make all of this forgotten." He said. "Stop toying with words if you please." I said against the crawling of my skin in the presence of a dragon so much older than me. Archivist's gaze found Mist again as he answered. "You were not instructed in use of magic other than shifting into human form, because the Elder Wyrm deemed it unnecessary and obsolete. Mastering magic requires our true form, and Talon's idea was for dragons to live their entire lives in human forms except for mating and pregnancy." Hatchlings were gaping at him. Bastard apparently thought this to be an explanation, I almost snorted. He was so used to absolute authority, to close for questions with 'Talon decided'. I almost forgot how much I hated Talon.
Mist frowned prettily before she addressed the Wyrm as if he was nothing scary "But this doesn't make sense. Talon is all about power, why would they relinquish skills that are so powerful..."
"Talon is about power over this world." The Archivist said. "Dragon magic is from beyond this world. Time, three dimensions of space, causality is nothing to this magic. But this are the rules of this world, and anything that goes against them doesn't matter in this world. So in order to be able to interact with this world we need to obey its rules, we need to exist according to its rules. Any dragon crossing the tides of time upstream, warping space to reach through thousands of worlds will quickly find itself unable to exist here again. Why do you think this ancient, you've met, lives in his own piece of time and space? It's the only way he can be who he really is without getting ejected from this world." Excuse me, what? "That doesn't make sense!" Nettle burst out. "Some dragon is making Viper suits. Or do they come from another world too?"
The Archivist looked embarrassed. "I make Viper suits. Being a Wyrm I can access some snippets of magic in my human form, it's enough to make a Viper suit. The fabric comes from Talon's laboratory, where they have worked to develop a material, that would be practical to use in combat and practically indestructible. I can only make few at time and it's draining for me."
"Can you teach us about dragon magic, or point us to knowledge about it? Or should we go hunting for these hidden dragons, to find out who we are, and what are true powers can?" Nettle asked.
"I will tell you all I know. You must understand, that this knowledge was something the Elder Wyrm loathed and I am younger than her. What I know are snippets, that I have learned from older dragons, before they got estranged from Talon. You will not find anything about it here, everything Talon found got truly destroyed." He leaned back in his chair as if settling down for a longer lecture. "Dragons are ancient race. Legends say, that we have entered this world from outside hundreds of thousands years ago. Some of us were fascinated by it and decided to stay and dwell here. They took on a form that was at the same time impressive and compatible with the life already here. But our magic is volatile and it changes not only things around us but the user too. So dragons often found themselves unable to stick to this world, they wandered away in time or whatever, never to return again. Some bound their magic to living creatures of the Earth. Humans and most animals had small amounts of magic on their disposal. Some dragons entered some kind of a symbiosis with such creatures and were able to use magic without losing sight of this world, they usually amplified the magic of their... earthly companion and modified their magic to be alike, so it would belong in this world. But ten thousand years ago humans started slowly turning away from magic, their own or otherwise. Dragons were forced to hide. It was harder and harder to find an individual who could anchor them in this world and many warped themselves out into own small worlds to wait for better times. Others found humans, that were suitable for them and were betrayed by them. I heard from a dragon, who died shortly after, that this was what happened to Elder Wyrm. She decided that instead of co-existing with humans, dragon's only way of survival was to become them and replace them. She changed dragons, breeding used to be something only between Sallith'tahn, the magic chose which dragons will produce the best magic together. Talon forced breeding based on, which dragons were best to shift and stay shifted and survive living in a human form. it took hundreds of years before we saw consequences of this. Growing infertility was one of them." I knew about it, I knew about it but did not piece it together. "Aging was another. Staying in human form for years means being cut off from our magic, that makes us immune to passing of time. So we aged and when we noticed and understood it, it was too late. Talon was formed one way and not the other, the Order of St George was hunting us, some rebelled and either got killed or went rogue and disappeared. Reign found a compromise, he stays in his immortal form while working for Talon. Elder Wyrm sought different solutions... human solutions." He sighed deeply. "And that's why Talon's dragons don't use magic. There were some ominous warnings about the price of magic, that I never heard fully enough to comprehend. If you want, you may go out and seek answers on your own. You will find nothing about it here."
I squirmed inwardly, the old bastard had no idea what he was doing! Now there was no way to stop my hatchlings from seeking this ancient magic and who knows what dangers they will face? What is this price you have to pay? At the same time I could not completely suppress my own fascination with the topic.
"Thank you. This is somewhere to start." Mist said and the Archivist smiled. "There is one more thing. We have a wish to educate ourselves in human disciplines at human colleges, but all the training we've so far received was conducted by Talon. How do we go about with this?" She asked him, and he relaxed visibly. "That's not a problem. Talon has at least one member of the governing board in every Ivy League College and these members can influence most of the other institutions to admit any of you. Besides your school records are being carefully updated by your trainers and we cooperate with schools that can make those official for us when needed." He said. "It cannot be Ivy League then!" Nettle hissed. But something else caught my attention. I have never heard about that, but it didn't mean it was untrue. I wanted to know why. "Why does Talon keep people at educational institutions?" I said. Archivist's eyes focused on me, and I swear that he smiled knowingly at the discomfort it caused to me. I refused to show it even though I wanted to curl into a ball. "Talon wants the best people in its ranks, where do you think we find them and groom them ex-agent Cobalt?" He said. "His name is Riley." Mist said calmly sending the Archivist hard look, that made me admire her wits more than ever. "Are there any colleges, that aren't under Talon's influence?" She asked next. "Talon have long ago given up on England, it being the Order's territory and also didn't bother with most of Europe, as the Order of St George has strong presence there, but I would advise you against it." He said. "They have bad habits of digging into their students documents and looking for... anything unusual."
"We are no longer at war against the Order." It was Nettle. "Yes, and they are weak now. Do as you please. Is there more?"

Outside the Library I inhaled the air heavy with exhaustion fumes and other pollution with unusual delight. Proximity of a Wyrm was wearing me out. Mist stayed behind for "a word" and we decided to grab something to eat while we waited for her. The Archivist has promised to organise a lift for her.