Dragon Sorcerer 2- Chapter 65 (Patreon)

Chapter 65- Airing Things Out

When I woke, I went first for the dining hall. It was frustrating to have to eat with some many humans around me, but at least my time traveling with Cami and the adventurers had taught me to not growl anytime someone looked at my food. The few people who had tried to sit at my table while I ate quickly discovered that you always give an eating dragon some space.

They might not know that I was a dragon, but the looks I gave them and a very minor application of dragon fear served the same purpose. How, I would have loved to assume my natural form right there in the middle of the dining hall and watched as all the humans ran for safety. Such was not to be. If anything, my limited experiences here had taught me, there was much for me to learn.

I’d thought more about the manipulation of the gods and the way humans were treating dragons. I decided to hear out what Serius, and the others had to say today before I jumped to any conclusions, but it had shifted my priorities a bit. I still wanted to learn human magic. The fact that I now had a proper human class marked me as something new, at least it did based upon the memories I had from the dragon dream.

There was nothing that even hinted at any of my ancestors learning human classes or gaining class abilities. What exactly that meant was something I was still trying to figure out, but it was enough to keep me interested.

After that, I headed for our agreed upon meeting spot in Lisella’s apartment. Because of her status as royalty she had extra protections. She had mentioned something about it being illegal for any scrying magic to be used on her apartment since Urgoi Isle was technically its own kingdom within the empire. Doing so would have been an act of aggression by Urgoi against the kingdom of Forlay.

I still didn’t understand all of the politics of the various kingdoms in the empire. Heck, I couldn’t understand why humans would choose to organize themselves in such a fashion, but it was clear it mattered to them.

When I walked up the stairs, I heard voices ahead of me. I quieted myself so I could listen in. It sounded like Cami was arguing with Modessa. Anything which upset Modessa was something which interested me. In fact, I had a fun idea pop up into my head.

That alchemist human I had met seemed interesting enough as far as humans went. She might be able to teach me some interesting potions. I didn’t want to- well part of me did- truly arm Modessa, but she needed multiple lessons in the proper respect owed to a dragon. Yes, I grinned. This could work, but now I needed to listen.

“But why can’t I ask Serius to help train me?”

An exasperated sounding Modessa replied, “Because I said so. I’m your mentor and you need to trust me. We’re almost there. You don’t want the others to see us arguing do you?”

I heard the sound of their footfalls stop then.

“Fine, then we aren’t taking another step until you explain this better to me. I’m your apprentice, not your slave. And you already told me that you’d help me get other masters to help train me.”

“And I will, but for now you need to focus on one or two things. You already want to go train a craft with Daggin and you’re working on shadow magic with me. That isn’t to say anything regarding all the practice you need on your basic stealth and melee skills. And what about your new class? Once word gets out that we have a real dragon rider in our midst, the administration is going to want to discover how you got the class.”

“What? Why do they have to know anything about it?” Cami asked. There was a note of panic in her voice. I almost ran up the stairs then.

I shook my head. This wasn’t a real threat. My need promise to protect Cami only extended to real threats. Why should I react to an argument like that? I could feel how upset she was through the bond, but arghh… I didn’t like this at all. It was then that I realized I had crushed the railing in my hand. My fingers might not have claws but with my strength I had driven them into the wood without even meaning to.

“When you registered your class was locked into the profile maintained on you in the university. It will magically update, although it usually lags a day or two behind the changes and even then it won’t matter until one of the librarians takes a look at it. Normally, I’d say that might take weeks or even months since you won’t be graded for the spring semester, but I have a feeling the Archmagus is keeping a closer than normal eye on the two of you.

“And before you complain, this was explained to you. You were probably just too excited at the time. Both you and Nico gave your written consent when you signed the admission documents.”

She said my name louder than the rest of her words, which made me believe she knew I was listening. Hmm… even more reason for me to stay put I guess.

Cami said, “Nico’s gonna lose it when he hears about this. Does it reveal what he is?”

“Of course not, and we shouldn’t talk about that now. Just because they can’t spy inside Lisella’s apartment doesn’t mean that there are other groups trying to listen outside her door.”

With that, they resumed walking and so I followed after them. I waited long enough for them to both be inside. I wasn’t sure my exact reasoning, but I didn’t want Cami to know that I’d been listening to their conversation. I was already unhappy with some of the thoughts I had towards her and didn’t want to confuse the matter any further.

When one of the guards opened the door for me, I found Modessa waiting inside for me. She gave me a look which I was a bit confused by.

Finally she groaned, “You’re helpless. You really suck at non-verbal communication.”

“Was I supposed to deduce something from the way you were moving the caterpillar over your eye?”

“Cater… oh, ff… I get it you. Dragons don’t have eyebrows do they? Maybe there is hope for you. Maybe you do have a sense of humor.”

I just stared back at her with a completely flat expression. The way that ticked her off made me happy inside and helped me think of other little reminders that it might be possible to create for her.

Before either of us could say anything further, Serius called out, “It’s good of you all to get here.”

I shrugged. “Waiting on a dragon is the natural role of humans.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger before saying, “Whatever, you created quite a mess and we need to talk about what I’ve done to fix it.”

Then he sat back down in the living area of Lisella’s apartment. The rest of the adventurers were already there with varying expressions on their faces. Lisella made eye contact with me and gave me what I think was supposed to be an inviting smile. Yeah, no matter what Modessa said, I was getting better at understanding human expressions, but now it was time for them to get to understand dragons a bit better.

Modessa and Cami both sat down on one side of the room, and Cami waved for me to join her on a couch, but I shook my head. I walked around so that the positioning of the furniture and thus the seated humans was essentially a semi-circle where they could all clearly see me.

“No, there are other things we need to discuss before any talk about your plans. You all are lucky that I didn’t just set Matilda free and then go on a rampage.”

Serius said, “That would have ended in your death.”

“Maybe… probably. But you don’t understand dragons. My people ruled this world when your kind were still monkey flinging poop from trees at larger carnivores. I admit to having much to learn. I am here for that reason. There is something that you humans can impart to me. I will have that knowledge. I will have that power.

“But dragons are not gentle. We are not tame or domesticated. What you have in the exotic stable is an abomination. And it isn’t just Matilda. I saw three other dragons flying in from the east this morning. They all had humans riding in saddles on their backs like horses.”

I let that word hang in the air for a moment.

“Like freaking horses.”

My voice rose. “They might not be what they should be. Something has been done to them, but they are not horses.”

Galbrecht said, “Nico, I can see that this is upsetting to you. To be honest, I’m just starting to figure out how far off our understanding of dragons is. But that causes me to have two questions. First are you and Matilda even the same species? Perhaps she is a less evolved species, just like you compared humans and monkeys. And second, does the saddle really make that much of a difference?”

Oddly, I found that Galbrecht was the human that I liked the best. He still had invaded my home. I still wasn’t sure how I was going to end up responding to that. But of all of them, he was the most straight with me. Well, maybe Liam too, but the half-elf was so silent it was hard to know.

“Yes, it makes a difference. How would like to have a saddle put on your back and then being made to carry a small animal about?”

He started to say, “I’m not sure that carrying a human, and an animal is…”

“It’s the same damn thing to me. To my ancestors you all are little more than pests, servants, rapidly breeding little animals, take your pick. That is how most of my ancestors saw you.”

I was breathing heavily like I had after fleeing from my home. My heart was pounding in my chest. Anger swelled up within me, yet another voice kept saying, “They’re ignorant. They’re weak. They’re like children. You must be better than them.”

At first, I thought it was the bond trying to rein in my anger, but it didn’t seem like that. The bond had a distinct feeling that I was starting to recognize. Then I thought it was one of the gods trying to push their agenda on me. That would make sense. I didn’t know how, but I was certain that the gods had tried to do this with some of my ancestors in the past.

The silence lingered in the room. Modessa’s face was flat. Her usual smirk was gone. Galbrecht’s complexion was red like he was overheated or embarrassed. Serius was his usual thoughtful self, and Lisella looked like she was going to cry. What caught me the most off guard was how Cami had stood up. Her upper lip was drawn back, partially revealing her little upper teeth but not in any human type of smile.

Then I saw her hands. They were transformed. She had blue dragon scales on where her pink skin had been. The scales trailed up under the sleeves of her shirt while her fingers ended in sharply pointed claws. That moment of observation gave me the opportunity to realize the voice I’d been hearing was coming from within me.

How it happened, I wasn’t sure. What I was certain of though was that I had just accessed the dragon dream while I was awake. That realization alone spun my world. What did it mean?

Apparently, the silence drug on for too long because Serius asked, “Out of curiosity, how do you know what your ancestors thought about humans?”