Chapter 1: A Dragon Divided

It was a beautiful day in Kumandra. Or the Fang region, at least. These strange humans…how they insisted on remaining separate when the dragons that they worshiped existed as a single tribe of unity was beyond him. Tarloc sighed, considering this particular quandary. It truly was a pity that humanity couldn't remain united. The azure and violet dragon stood on top of a large cliff overlooking the capital city of Fang, and he pondered the history that had taken place on the cliff on which he now lay. It was the place where the legendary Sisudatu was killed by Princess Namaari. Shortly after, he himself had come to this area once before, and he could almost smell the anger in the air.

It was a most particular scent. It radiated a horrible smell like a sulfur cloud, yet it was almost unearthly. The place was also tainted by the feeling of betrayal, yet over it all, a bond between the two parties involved ran deeper than could be so easily destroyed. Princess Raya had come with the peace offering to reunite the Dragon Gem, which explained the undertone of calmness that had been overturned by disbelief and betrayal. Everyone had known that Namaari and Raya had become close over the night before everything went downhill.

Granted, he assumed that it had been built on a ruse to have Fang steal the Gem for themselves, and that division still kept Raya and Namaari apart even now. While they were friends, and respected each other as two future leaders should, they didn't feel romantic attraction. At least, not yet. Tarloc had met with Raya and Namaari after a spot of trouble three years back, and he could sense that they still cared about each other, deeper than normal friends go. As he usually did, he did not outwardly point this out, as feelings were meant to be observed, not taken advantage of.

Hehe, or maybe he should do it, just for a spot of fun. Ah yes, but that was strange wasn't it? There were always two sides to every story, right? One take on his possible interference was that he was making unnecessary drama between the two. Who didn't love drama? Tarloc chuckled to himself as he stretched out, his long spine cracking from the motion, and he flexed his claws to undo their stiffness.

Most people would be confused by his train of thought, though he thought it quite funny. To him, his thoughts were simply unique, like his parents had told him before. He was a dragon with a very unique magical power. All living beings release pheromones or faint electrical signals from the brain when they think or feel a certain emotion, and his strong sense of smell and sight allowed him to read these emotions, in a sense. They had a term for it, empath, someone able to read emotions through telepathy, but that was just human nonsense. There was nothing like being able to read minds through telepathy, the wider terminology of empath.

However, this came with a cost. For allowing him to read the emotions of others, the magic took the certainty of which emotions were his. He had two personalities within him. For the most part, they shared the same information. What their name was, who their family was, and who their close friends were. Also, all academic stuff and how to use magic and water platforms and all that. But a few things can escape the other personality. Recently learned information can sometimes lose itself in the transition between personalities like when he first learned the time he had to attend an embassy at the tail end of Tail. He overslept because, at that point, the other personality wasn't aware of what the time meant and just went back to sleep.

"You sure like this spot, don't you, Tarloc?" a familiar voice asked from behind him. He smiled. It was one of his friends from before the Druun turned them both to stone over 5 centuries ago. Her name was Keera, and she was a quirky one, which is probably why he and her were such great friends.

Keera had the ability to change the currents of the river. Originally, this seemed like an incredible ability, allowing shipping on the river to be faster. As it turned out, however, the longer she used the ability, the more her coordination and health would deteriorate. The effect was exponential over long distances. The distance between Tail and Fang was too far for her to set them up, and the inevitable side effects were too much of a downside. She could propel boats that she accompanied along just fine, but she usually felt dizzy by the end of a long trip, so she wouldn't do it that often. Her mane was also a bit weird. Instead of flowing down her neck like the manes of most dragons did, it seemed to curve around her neck in a spiral, almost like the currents that she could control.

"Well, even five years later, this place is still inlaid in our history, and where our fate was set in motion," Tarloc replied cheerfully.

"Well, I see that I am dealing with Mr. Friendly here. Have you seen Tarloc?" Keera joked.

"He is right over here, right where the great Sisudatu was slain by the Fang Princess Namaari," Tarloc replied in a somber tone. His personality swung back to the more reserved and somber tone of his other self.

Keera sighed. "Let's not focus on the negatives. By the way, Al-khan wanted to see you down at the camp. He says that Chief Benja wanted to speak to you about something regarding his daughter, Raya."

"Really? Is she hurt?" Tarloc said, having a large amount of concern for the Heart princess that had saved the world by taking the initiative when nobody else had. For six years, she had chased after a mere legend that no one else believed anymore, which ended with her summoning Sisudatu.

"Nothing in how Benja made the request would suggest it. But if she was hurt, I doubt that it would be a physical injury if he didn't request one of the healers. Get down to Al-khan and he will fill you in," Keera finished up.

Tarloc nodded and rushed off to the camp. It was no secret that dragon camps were usually avoided by humans out of respect for their divine protectors. Al-khan was one of the lead dragon ambassadors to the humans. Dragons could intermingle with humans all they wanted, but in the reverse, there were a select few dragons that dealt with exclusive political matters when humans requested aid. Al-khan was one of them that was assigned to the northwestern camp.

After running for a couple of minutes, Tarloc entered the camp. Magical water platforms were really useful for traveling large distances in a short amount of time. The camp was surrounded by canals that the humans designed and had improved upon. The canals were approximately fifteen meters wide, child's play for a dragon who could either bound over it or just walk on water, but impossible for humans, or even the Druun, to jump across. While it was definitely agreed on by a large majority of the population that the Druun were gone, there was no guarantee that it would be forever. Fang had shown that running water was the best way to keep the Druun off since it formed an impassable barrier, and that didn't always mean naturally formed rivers.

This particular camp was one of the first to see the canals built as it was the closest to Fang. Humans had overseen the procedure while dragons did a lot of the physical labor. It was no secret why. The mile wide camp had over four miles of borders to cover, and even that wasn't all of it as they still had to provide a source of running water, which was the river over two miles away, and then they had to make another channel that flowed back into the river.

The first project took an entire nine months to complete even with the dragons doing most of it. After it was complete, Sisudatu and her siblings had come to inspect the project, and after it had been completed, they wanted proof that it would work. When he said "they", he really meant Pengudatu, the oldest of the siblings and the one who had conceived the Dragon Gem in the first place. He had set up the camp so that the Dragon Gem's protection would not cover the camp and the lands around the borders for ten meters after the canal. Several years of studying the power of the Dragon Gem allowed Pengu to manipulate its magic, to the point that he could designate an area that would not receive the Gem's protection. All warriors had been called in case everything went downhill. While the Druun had showed up, they were completely unable to cross the roaring canal. This innovation was a breath of relief for all. The dragons, who could fly, but couldn't spend every moment in the skies, rejoiced in knowing that they could live in safety.

Shaking his head, he made his way to the ambassador's quarters to be filled in on the request. Al-khan was sitting at his desk. He was a dull shade of turquoise, and his mane was freshly groomed. Humans were very adept at making little gadgets that they could also use, and a brush was one of those things. Dragon claws were simply not adept at shaping those pieces of metal and wood.

"Ah, Tarloc. I see that Keera has been diligent, and not chasing after anybody who catches her eye," Al-khan said, putting some papers down, which bore the mark of Heart. Tarloc sighed. Keera wasn't exactly the most attentive person in the world, but that didn't give Al-khan the right to insult her. Tarloc kept his mouth shut, which was difficult to do considering his mood swinging from minor injustice to near overflowing rage and anger, barely restrained in his expression.

"I was told that Chief Benja has made a request of the dragons. About me in particular," Tarloc started, not letting his quickly fading anger seep into his voice.

"Hmmm," Al-khan pondered, and he gave no indication anything was wrong. Or if he did, he chocked it up to Tarloc's split personality. "Yes, we received a message from Chief Benja just three hours ago. If you are wondering why it took so long, an ill fated bird flew into the paper as it was being carried back by Jan. We had to take some time to transcribe it, which was made difficult from all of the talon marks. Somehow it managed to mark a different word with a swipe, but that is beside the point. He made a request because, since you have met Raya before and left on favorable terms, Benja said it would be best for you to come. Raya has met with some personal turmoil, and Benja wants you to help her understand her own emotions. Can you do that?"

"Of course! It would be my honor to help!" Tarloc replied, his face splitting into a grin that stretched from ear to ear. How great it would be to see Raya again! And seeing the lands of Heart would be so exciting. They were just majestic this time of the year. Unfortunately, they no longer had the Dragon Gem to guard, as the Dragons had decided to keep it in an undisclosed location. Pengudatu had decided that they could not be trusted to not shatter it, again, whether by accident or inner conflict. The rulers of each tribe agreed without hesitation, knowing the dragon's decision was fair.

"Okay, Tarloc. You shouldn't need to bring anything with you, so you can go now if you want. Once you get back, I want a report on what happened," Al-khan told him in return. Ugh, paperwork. But that didn't matter now! He was off to see Raya!

With a joyous whoop as he came out the door, earning some strange looks from the dragons surrounding him, he rushed towards the canal and leapt in. The runoff went back towards the river, so he could just follow it since Fang was upstream from Heart.

For the next few hours, he swam in solitude, floating occasionally, just letting the currents take him where they needed to be. On one instance, he saw a green dragon flying overhead, and coincidentally, rain started forming in his wake. Pengudatu, it must be. He smirked and waved, and he could have sworn he saw Pengu wave back, but he could just be misreading things.

A few more hours later, he came up on the shores of Heart. It truly represented its namesake. All the damage that the Druun had inflicted upon the besieged land was no more. It surged with vitality and strength, and as a massive trading center, second only to Talon, it truly was Kumandra's heart. A few fishermen looked at the dragon and immediately bowed down in respect. Perks of being a dragon was that most humans were in awe of them. He gave a respectful nod in return and carried on his way. Along his path, he saw three dragons talking to a large group of kids. They seemed to be acting out a story, and every so often, the kids would break in applause. Tarloc chuckled to himself.

As he walked to the steps of the Heart palace, a few guards walked over to Tarloc, gave him a bow, and then went back to their stations. He then noticed that Chief Benja was walking over to him. He limped a little as he walked, an old injury somewhat impeding his ability to walk. He stood straight and gave the two toned dragon a respectful bow.

"Thank you, Great Water Dragon, for heeding my call. I am ever thankful that you have arrived here so soon. Though, I only asked for one dragon, not two, but that is no problem." Benja said, his tone filled with awe and respect for the dragons.

Tarloc was, admittedly, a bit confused. He said that he had asked for one dragon, not two. Was that a dig at his dual personality, or had another dragon come here by complete chance? He decided to ask, "With due respect, Chief Benja of Heart, do you mean to joke about my two personalities, or has another dragon come here already with similar intentions?".

Benja laughed good naturedly, "Oh no, that wasn't a dig at you. Another dragon has come here, and I honestly should have expected her to arrive. She always did have a sense for when Raya was in a tough spot. They are both in Raya's bedroom. You know where it is, I presume?"

"Yes, thank you, Benja. I will do my best to help." That solved that mystery. A female dragon who had an inclination to, and history with, helping Raya? Anyone would know who that was, and he was quite excited to see her. It had been a hot minute.

"Come on, Sisu! I don't know how I'm supposed to be calm about this!" Raya's voice came from her room and had quite some force to it. He looked at the door, and he could swear that he saw it move. He could sense no anger from her, only panic.

"Raya, girl, you can do this. Come on. You trekked through Kumandra for six whole years, trying to find me, and this is what gets you down? You should be excited for this! I certainly am!" Sisudatu's voice responded. She seemed to be amused, playful even, with an undertone of concern. Of course, he could sense these emotions easily. They came to him as a bee did to a sunflower, instinctually.

"You annoy me, Sisu, especially when you are right.". After he heard Raya say that, Tarloc gently knocked on the door.

"Ugh… if it is another one of those 'mediators' that my dad sent, I am going to whack them on the head," he heard Raya's disgruntled voice from behind the door. She slammed open the door, which swung inwards. Fortunately for his nose, he might add. She looked disgruntled and unclean. Her eyes had bags underneath them, and her hair was dirty and unruly. She had grown from the traveling princess that had barely survived the Druun. She was a bit taller, slightly more lean, and more muscular. Her face hadn't changed much though. "What's all this abou-!"

Raya stopped her sentence as she looked up at Tarloc, who was looking at her with a slightly amused expression, which only became more amused as she hastily bowed down to him. He snickered at her unwavering loyalty towards dragons, no matter her personal state. "I humbly beseech your forgiveness for my inadequate appearance, Great Dragon!"

"Hehe, hello Raya, and Sisudatu." Tarloc greeted in return. Sisu had noticed the newcomer. She hadn't changed a bit. Except by gaining a lot more confidence in herself.

"Heya, Tarloc!" Sisu exclaimed. "It's been a while since I've seen you!"

"Hello Sisu, it has been a while, though I feel sad that this is more than a friendly visit. Although it could be perceived that way for a second purpose. I am here because of a request from Chief Benja. He informed me that you have been having some mental issues, and from what I have just overheard, I have no reason to disbelieve him."

Raya sighed. "Alright, I guess I should tell you. Not that I could hide anything from you, anyways," she conceded and went back into her room. It was the definition of disorganized, which was to be expected. She was in a state of mental turmoil, so her room organization definitely was not on her list of priorities. Maps and papers lay on the floor, her bed was unmade, and her things were scattered on their shelves.

"So, what do you believe has caused you this mental strain?" Tarloc began. He decided a straightforward approach might be the best way to get to the bottom of the issue. Raya looked away, distinctly uncomfortable. He figured she might be awkward about saying it, so he turned to Sisu, "Do you mind acting as a proxy or medium of communication. I would imagine Raya would be more willing to tell you everything than she would me. Do you and Raya agree to this, Sisu?"

"Raya, is that okay with you? You know I wouldn't do anything bad for you," Sisu said. A gentle grin came over her face as Raya looked up.

"Yes, Sisu, you can. I just can't say it for some reason…" Raya agreed, nodding to Sisu.

Sisu nodded, and the gentle smile turned into an excited expression of glee. Tarloc was surprised by the sudden change, sometimes Sisu had even bigger mood swings than he did, but he was even more surprised by what she had to say next, "My girl, Raya, was told that Benja intends for her to be Chieftess soon. Within the next month, she is going to be declared the new leader of Heart!".

Tarloc's giddy and friendly side took over, that statement and Sisu's frankly infectious smile acting as a catalyst, and responded, "Why, Raya! I never would have imagined that this is what is causing all the issues lately. You should be dancing around the palace in happiness! Instead, you are sulking in your room? Why?"

Raya gave him a glare and he immediately reared his head. In hindsight, his outburst might make it seem like he was invalidating Raya's personal feelings and declaring his own views in a rather insensitive way. "I apologize. I just got caught up in the moment. Let us continue the conversation on neutral terms. Is that okay with you?".

Raya didn't say or do anything. Sisu then got up and wrapped her noodle-like body around Raya, letting the feel of her dear friend relax her nerves. She then gave a slow nod of her head. Tarloc sat a respectful distance away and kept his tone neutral and courteous, "I understand that undergoing such change is a stressful event, but surely you understand that it had to happen someday. Benja has also been preparing for such an outcome. Is your turmoil because you think that the training was inadequate, or that you feel like it is still too soon or sudden?"

As the proxy, Sisu responded to the question, "She thinks that she will never have the mind pf a politician, and her reasons why generally point to the six years she spent as a warrior, fighting off every tribe in her attempts to find and revive me. Those six years are years that she wasn't preparing. She is more skillful than some of the guards stationed to guard her. She doesn't think she can, or wants to, give up her warrior life forever." Raya gave a nod of confirmation to this.

Tarloc sighed, letting the info dump rattle in his brain, as he picked them apart and determined which parts he should focus on. In the end, he figured an argument that merged the two points he wanted to make, that her warrior skills were still useful, and that life as a politician could be positive rather than the personal hell that she thought it was. "I agree Raya, those six years were a life unsuited to that of the regular Chief or Chieftess, but it also gives you an advantage. Think of it this way, warriors and politicians are not so different. They fight numerous battles, but one uses words, the other, weapons. You know the phrase, "Words cut deeper than a knife?" In the end, they are just two different forms of combat."

"I'm not sure what you are getting at," Raya said. She looked confused now. Tarloc's horns glowed a faint cyan, indicating the deeper usage and focus of his magic. Raya was a warrior of confidence, but in reality, that confidence came from her ultimate goal of saving the world. When the Druun was no longer an issue, Raya had felt purposeless. She merely went with the motions that Benja had been teaching her, but she had been looking for another source of motivation and purpose over the course of those five years. Now that she was to be Cheiftess, she was left uncertain and afraid of this new source of conviction that had always seemed so far away from her. After a few more seconds of using his magic, Tarloc spoke again.

"What I am saying is that you have the capability to do what Benja has done for years. Politicians do use arguments, yes, but a lot of their power is built on the respect that they have gained from both their people and the other tribes. You of all people have that advantage. Which other Chief or Chieftess can say that they spent six years, starting when they were in their early teens, fighting and searching for something that would save all of Kumandra while they were attacked by all sides? Your physical state has not degraded either. That is also a good sign. You will be well balanced, a scale tipped perfectly in the middle. The people of Heart have nothing but good things to say about you. When you do have to argue, do not think that you are fighting alone. Think of it as you coming with the backing of an army that would metaphorically protect you."

"But what if I still don't know what to do?" Raya asked, as she put her face in her palms.

Tarloc put on a small smile, "Then ask for help. No man can know everything. Even us dragons are not all knowing, though we often do know more than humans would. We could never anticipate the breaking of the Gem, nor how the Druun work as a unit rather than rabid beasts. And you still have Benja. He would be more than happy to mentor you as you make your place in the political arena. Even Benja asks for help. And besides, even if Benja is clueless, you could always ask the dragons for help on occasion. We have no real reason to say no."

Raya hugged Sisu close as she smiled. Tarloc's words finally seemed to have broken through her depression and insecurities. Sisu hugged her back, letting Raya decompress from the stress.

"Thanks, Tarloc. I think Raya really needed that speech," Sisu said gratefully.

Tarloc smiled. "I think I may stay in Heart for a while. I wouldn't want to miss the coronation of Chieftess Raya of Heart," he said the last part in an almost joking and sarcastic manner.

Raya pulled away from Sisu and looked at Tarloc with a similarly grateful expression. Hearing her future title said so sarcastically seemed to be the key to freeing her from her indecision. The title that once loomed over her now seemed perfectly in reach.

Deciding to leave, Tarloc bowed to Raya and Sisu and exited the room. Chief Benja was in a room with his advisors. Soon to be Raya's advisors, he realized. While it was not uncommon for a leader to pick their own advisors after a change in leadership, it was generally encouraged for a new leader to use the old advisors for about two months. First, so they could both judge their values and to know who to replace. And second, to know what to look for in new advisors.

"Hello, Chief Benja. I am happy to inform you that Raya has recovered, and I imagine that she will be relaying the same message to you shortly."

The old chief's face gave a warm smile, filled with love for his daughter. "Advisor Gera, you are dismissed." He turned to Tarloc. "While I did not request anything else, I would like to discuss another matter with you. If you would, walk with me please."

"Of course. I had decided that I would stay a few weeks in order to see Raya's ceremony. I haven't yet had the pleasure of seeing one," Tarloc replied, smiling.

Benja smiled in return and started walking with Tarloc following behind. They exited the palace, and Tarloc found himself moving over a pretty familiar route. The trek through the mountains that Raya and Namaari had traveled that night over nine years ago. They walked through the broken doorway, the traps that had once prevented any visitors now lay long triggered or broken from the flow of time. Chief Benja walked into a familiar chamber. Tarloc recognized it as the place where Heart had once stored the Dragon Gem, protecting it from the other tribes. Of course, being a dragon, he had no idea why they had to safeguard it if it distributed life and protection equally across Kumandra, sealing the Druun no matter where it went.

"This place… it brings back memories. Raya would try to 'steal' the Gem, and I would guard it. She was very creative at times. Once she used a dummy fashioned out of straw and twine to activate traps. Of course, she had forgotten that it could only be used once."

Tarloc chuckled. "I could see that. Raya has a good head on her shoulders, and an even better heart in her chest."

"Which is why I wanted to ask this of you. Sometimes I doubt that I have adequately trained her enough, but my confidence seems to come from somewhere. You can read emotions, better than I can read my own, at least. I ask this of you, Great Tarloc, that you tell me what I am truly feeling. My emotions, my thoughts, everything you can. I need to know whether I am doing the right thing."

Tarloc nodded, lowering his head to Benja, "Hold my horn. Or both, doesn't matter. It will help."

Benja grasped both of his horns as they glowed a faint purple. He let his senses stretch over the Chief in front of him. He sensed the normal ones that he expected from someone through his struggles. Insecurity, fear, concern, protectiveness, all these things he expected. He dug deeper, leaving nothing unobserved. He sensed the loss that came from him losing his little girl, but also pride in knowing she was growing up so strong. He felt Benja's resentment towards himself for having to put this responsibility upon her, but respect for the ancient traditions. Benja's core, of his certainty that Raya was ready, finally revealed itself. Like the pearl of a clam, it seemed to emit a radiance. He slowly pulled away from Benja, a soft smile on his face.

"Chief Benja, your emotions rebel because you have doubt in your own capability, not Raya's. But through it all, you have something that many people believe is something unnecessary: faith. Your faith is stronger than you give it credit for. It was faith that made you want to give Raya the position of Chieftess. It was faith that gave you the strength to hold Heart together after the Druun were banished the second time. It was faith that made you sheathe your weapon when the other tribes tried to steal the gem. And it was your faith, and love, in Raya that guided you when you sacrificed yourself to save her. The same faith guides you now. You know that through everything, Raya will persevere, to grow stronger, and build herself up no matter what tries to break her down."

Chief Benja shed a couple tears of joy upon hearing this speech. He kneeled in front of Tarloc. "Thank you, Divine Dragon, for helping this foolish old man see sense. I am grateful."

Tarloc nodded in return. Then, of course, his stomach growled. "You just had to ruin the moment, stomach. You got any food? I am hungry."

Benja replied in a joking manner, "I have some jerky that I brought in case I got hungry."

"Not that hungry," Tarloc replied, laughing.

Hello guys! I know that this might seem like I'll be posting my works often, but that's not the case. I wanted to try my hand at a "slice of life" arc, and flesh out Tarloc's character.

First few chapters will probably be centered in Heart, and politics, but who knows. I may decide to kick the plot into overdrive, depending on what I feel like.

Peace out!