#dragonsoftumblr

Aeruudine woke at the knock on his door and lifted his head from the cushion. The monks, it seemed, were trying to get to his attention. He did not know why his sire had left him in the care of these monks, only that it had been so. The monks were of a sect that worshiped dragon kind, and while it was pleasurable, feeling the awe that they had for him, it was tiring, being their god.

He lived on earth, currently, and upon looking out the window that had been carved into his mountain, and looked out over the towering buildings, the latest had not quite reached his level. Sighing, he stretched his wings, and stood up. Gathering the flow of mana about him, he took on a more…human shape. While he was not old enough yet to take on an entirely human appearance, he could get close enough. Putting on the monk robes given him for when he desired to be among the masses, he stepped out onto the balcony, and stepped off, walking across the sky. His subtle spell Mind Mirror prevented all but the most observant and strong willed from seeing him.

He had in his item box, all he needed to survive away from the monks, and it was high time he left them. Oh, yes, they would mourn their god’s absence, but he really didn’t care. He did not love humanity, not the way his sire had, he had no personal feelings for mankind, only a calm indifference. Stepping calmly onto an empty street, he pulled back his hood, and activated the mirage band that hid his horns. As he walked, he saw the depravities of mankind, and shook his head. However, when a young woman, cleanly dressed, and decently so, approached him, he paused.

“Father,” the woman said “If I can have but a moment of your time. Walk with me, please.”

He inclined his head, and reached out an arm, and she took it. They walked past a group of rowdy looking men, who leered at the young woman, until at last, they came to building. A building that was surrounded by more of the rowdy men. The leader of which stepped forward and began to speak.

“Well, Amy, do not think that walking with a holy man will keep you from us, from me.” The man said, “You belong to me, and I will have you in my arms.”

Aeruudine had noticed the men surrounding them, and he braced his legs and tail. The moment they reached for the young woman, he lashed out, with both body and mind, hurling psychic spears with each punch, and kick. He had ordered the monks to train for hand-to-hand combat, as his father had before him, and he had enforced it, learning himself the trade. He had taught the monks the art of mental combat, of spiritual warfare, and the secrets of old magic. Earth was overflowing with mana, especially in this age of science. Taking out a paper talisman, he held between his first two fingers.

“Alex Hideo, in the name of the Arna, I forbid you to move.” The leader gasped, and was stuck in place, he strained against the invisible binds.

As the men groaned, he took a paper arm, and crushed it, slowly. The leader, Alex Hideo, cried out, and was held upright when he tried to fall. Releasing the paper arm, he crushed the other one. Then, he dropped the paper.

“Alex Hideo, I command you to fall.” The paper dropped like a stone, and so did the man. Taking out a pebble, he placed it on top of the talisman, and then took the woman’s arm again, and led her to the doors.

“My lady, I shall see you in time, I trust the law enforcement will be able to take it from here.” As he turned to leave, he heard the woman ask who he was, and he told her “I am Aeruudine. Now I must return to the abbey.”

<0..0>

Amy Rosenstein turned back to thank the monk, but he had vanished, as though he hadn’t been there to begin with. Aeruudine, now, where Have I heard that name before? She thought to herself. Her ship was due to leave in three days, and while she had hoped to convince the monk to come with her, he was as gone as the moon at noon. Looking at her watch, she swore, she was due to meet with the Ardakshii ambassador in three minutes. Hurrying, she went to her office, and finished getting ready. The Ardakshii were humanities closest ally in The Confederacy of United Worlds, and the two races were trying to close an agreement between the Youldigai and the Mondarii. The two races had been at war for nearly a century, and both were trying to enter the Confederacy. The Ardakshii were natural diplomats, and Humanity led the Alliance, having founded it alongside the Ardakshii. When the diplomat arrived, precisely on time, unusual for them, they were normally fifteen minutes early, she set aside the papers the two races had submitted.

“So, even the mighty humans have their miscreants.” The ambassador said, with what passed for a smile on their mouthless faces. “I was delayed by your venerable Law Enforcement, cleaning up the mess outside your office.”

“They seemed to be having difficulty with one of them, before noticing some sort of paper, with a pebble on it. Once they removed it, they could take away the leader.” The Ambassador continued.

“Ah, yes, those men had gotten it into their heads that I belonged to them.” She told the Ambassador. “Forgive me Diplomat Threni’Darn. I was preoccupied with my thoughts.”

She handed him his copy of the papers, and they sat down in their respective chairs, and went over the papers. They sat in companionable silence for a couple of hours, before Threni’Darn looked up.

“Yes, I believe we can manage this.” He told her.

“I believe so as well. There is just one issue that bothers me,” she said.

“And what is it?”

“Entry into the Brotherhood of the Arn. For the spiritual leaders of the Youldigai. As far as I know, the Brotherhood has only ever accepted humans. I will have to speak with their leader, whomever he is.” Amy told the Ambassador “The issue,” she continued, holding up a hand “Is that not even most of the Monks have the opportunity to meet with their leader.”

At that moment, there was a knock on her door. Opening it respectively, was her secretary, a kind young man, by the name of Avatrar. He was a Guldonii, one of the numerous races that had been accepted into the Conclave of Humanity, after warring with them. He bowed with respect for both, and then after a moment’s hesitation…

“Ambassadors, there is a representative of the brotherhood of the Arn here, he says that their leader most desires word with the both of you. That it is most urgent.” Avatrar told them.

“By all means,” Threni’Darn said, “Send him in.”

The silver and blue robed monk came in and gave them the bow of equals. Then gestured softly.

“My lord, my lady, Aeruudine, our most esteemed leader has me to bring you to him, he says that you understand why. That it involves a dilemma both you and he are facing.” The monk told them.

“Then, let us go.” Threni’Darn said, standing.

“That is not necessary,” the monk said “I am to bring you to him with much haste. Please, wait but a moment.”

The monk kneeled, and then began to murmur words. After a couple of phrases, the room blurred, and they found themselves in a pure white void, and then in an audience chamber in a mountain. The monk stood, then bowed to a pair of eyes in the shadows and left.

“Lady Rosenstein, Lord Madagast.” There was the sound of something massive uncoiling from something. “I bid you welcome to my hall.”

An orb of light, like a miniature sun appeared above their heads, and sitting upright before them, was a dragon of old. The force of being before them nearly drove them to their knees, the monks in the room, fell to their faces, and began to intone prayers.

“I have heard the pleas of those in the stars, and the crying out of the voices of the Youlgidai, but I have no place for them here.” The dragon told them. “We have not the place for all who would join us.”

Ambassador Threni’Darn kept his calm, and bowed respectfully, asking, “And what would you require of us, oh venerable being?”

There was the deep laughter, sounding like the clashing of metals, and the booming of thunder, and then “A new temple, one in the Stars, where all of mine may gather. I have heard the prayers of the desperate, the calling out for the end of a war, and say, NO MORE.”

After a pause the dragon continued “We have the money and the manpower but not the materia needed. You will provide this to us, and I shall welcome the Youlgidai, and all those who would take shelter under my wings.”

The murmurings of the monks echoed. What sounded like “It is written, it is decreed.”

One of the monks, and elder, came forward, and spoke “My Lords, my lady, we honor the truth that all are equal in the eyes of the Arn, but our monastery barely holds our own number, as well as our Lord, we must have a new place. There are amongst our number, former Battleship, and station engineers, who have already designed according to our lords will, but, even with our wealth, we cannot obtain the materia without the Confederacy’s backing, according to the strictures placed upon all faiths.”

Amy stood firm, and asked “What do you desire, A planet, a moon? We cannot give those to you. Lest all the other religions demand the same.”

Aeruudine focused, and the map of a star system appeared. One full of dwarf planets, and asteroids orbiting around several gas giants, and its binary star system.

“Eta Prime.” Aeruudine said simply “I would propose that you turn this place into a gathering of all the faiths present, a grand collaboration. The faiths have grown too large for their temples and places of dwelling. I and the others have agreed upon this much. Each faith shall send forth their workers, and their leaders, to build here, and leave the temples for worship as they should be.”

 For a moment, Amy and Threni’Darn could see surrounding them, the gods of all the faiths, and their prophets and vanguards with them. Then holograms of the leaders of each faith stood before them, watching with care. Only the Hedrinaites were missing, as they had no central leader, instead, they say its conclave kneeling in a double rowed half circle, one of who stood up.

“While we have no need for a central place of worship, we who follow the gods of the hunt, we support this notion, and will even rotate amongst our great shamans, who will stand in Eta Prime’s grand temple.” The Speaker said.

Amy and Threni’Darn looked at each other, then bowed to the leaders, and Threni’Darn asked “Can you connect us to the Parliament?”

Aeruudine looked pleased, and nodded, activating the projector at the back, revealing the parliament of the Confederacy. Amy turned to them and bowed.

“Members of the Parliament, have you heard this coming together of the faiths?” she asked,

The chorus of assent answered her, and the leader of the Parliament, Speaker Drezdin, said “if this Community is truly agreed to such a thing, then we have voted to grant the Faiths of the People Eta Prime, on condition that it is treated as any other beholden. With tax, and a council building, and that they send a representative, who shall rotate amongst the faiths, to the Parliament.”

Amy watched as the dragon, Aeruudine, looked between leaders of the faiths, nodding, to each of them, who nodded in return, before looking back at the speaker fo the parliament,