training. There is precedent, though that was long ago...”
Earth glared at Fire. A small rock, the size of a watermelon, fell from the ceiling and hit Fire in the head with a metallic bong. The rock flew back up and stuck into the ceiling again.
Fire roared at Earth and fire erupted around Earth's head, completely encasing it. Earth roared back, and the cavern rumbled. Several boulders rose and flew at Fire. She raised her front legs and the boulders exploded in fire. Earth stomped with one foot and a wave of rolling earth raced at Fire as she shot gouts of fire from her claws.
Water shook his head and scratched the floor in front of him with one claw. A few drops of water fell from the ceiling. Between one rock exploding and the next, the drops became a thunderous downpour. As the other two dragons fought, the cavern quickly filled with water. Fire and Earth finally noticed their attacks were not going anywhere and stopped. They looked at each other, then at Water. He returned their glares with a bland look. They looked at each other, nodded, then looked at Water. Water swirled one claw, and the flood quickly drained away.
Earth scraped one claw along its charred jaw and resumed his glare at Fire. “You were speaking of precedent? You refer to slave laws? That is so far beyond what you know are the prohibitions on human-dragon interactions, I can’t even…” He shook his head, a slow movement with a good deal of grinding and scraping sounds coming from his neck scales. “To the point, Fire. Could she be the One?”
Fire was running her claws over herself, grooming scales, and sending steam rising from her in clouds. “Surely not. Just another human magic user who likely will bury her talents under denial if she doesn't kill herself before then. These are crucible times, groundbreaking times. It would be better for her if she had some training...” Her eyes slid from Earth's face to the stone-studded ceiling, and then quickly back. “Not that it would have to be me, or that I would ever counter the prohibitions, of course.”
Earth rumbled, “You argue old precedent and new times?”
Water smoothly slid in. “I agree, it must be the boy. The prophecies merely say, the One will receive three Gifts, not be Gifted three times. I know my Gift has already been taken from the girl. Is it not likely her brother could receive the others?”
Earth nodded slowly. “Perhaps. And human kings have always been male.”
“Who is the One of Prophecy is irrelevant,” Fire declared. “We can't just let them destroy themselves and the world in the process. We have a duty, a responsibility to all life. To see how they have fouled the environment, that which we share with them, while we hide is just horrible. How are we going to control what happens?”
Earth looked at her defiant face and raked one claw across his blackened chin, scraping a good portion of the ash off. “Yes, control.” He looked at Water, whose face had frozen into stillness. “For now, all we can do is to inform the Conclave. It is not yet time, who is the One is not our concern, and I can certainly understand their interest in dealing with their own kind. This does not change anything. We have survived the past millennium by only interacting with the humans through the Conclave, and I haven't heard anything to make me think otherwise. Humans have only gotten worse; I think we can all agree on that. But all the more reason to stay out of it as long as we can! Water?”
Water nodded his head, a small quick movement, with humble eyes.
“Fire, do you have any evidence on how further interaction might benefit ALL dragons?”
Fire replied coolly. “Me? No, not me.”
Earth nodded once. “Then it is settled. I will notify the Conclave. As Head, I speak.” He looked at the other two in turn. “You may spread the word, but take no action. Advise your Families to continue to watch, hidden, bound by the Forms, safe in the Ways, watching the Flows.
Earth glared at Fire. A small rock, the size of a watermelon, fell from the ceiling and hit Fire in the head with a metallic bong. The rock flew back up and stuck into the ceiling again.
Fire roared at Earth and fire erupted around Earth's head, completely encasing it. Earth roared back, and the cavern rumbled. Several boulders rose and flew at Fire. She raised her front legs and the boulders exploded in fire. Earth stomped with one foot and a wave of rolling earth raced at Fire as she shot gouts of fire from her claws.
Water shook his head and scratched the floor in front of him with one claw. A few drops of water fell from the ceiling. Between one rock exploding and the next, the drops became a thunderous downpour. As the other two dragons fought, the cavern quickly filled with water. Fire and Earth finally noticed their attacks were not going anywhere and stopped. They looked at each other, then at Water. He returned their glares with a bland look. They looked at each other, nodded, then looked at Water. Water swirled one claw, and the flood quickly drained away.
Earth scraped one claw along its charred jaw and resumed his glare at Fire. “You were speaking of precedent? You refer to slave laws? That is so far beyond what you know are the prohibitions on human-dragon interactions, I can’t even…” He shook his head, a slow movement with a good deal of grinding and scraping sounds coming from his neck scales. “To the point, Fire. Could she be the One?”
Fire was running her claws over herself, grooming scales, and sending steam rising from her in clouds. “Surely not. Just another human magic user who likely will bury her talents under denial if she doesn't kill herself before then. These are crucible times, groundbreaking times. It would be better for her if she had some training...” Her eyes slid from Earth's face to the stone-studded ceiling, and then quickly back. “Not that it would have to be me, or that I would ever counter the prohibitions, of course.”
Earth rumbled, “You argue old precedent and new times?”
Water smoothly slid in. “I agree, it must be the boy. The prophecies merely say, the One will receive three Gifts, not be Gifted three times. I know my Gift has already been taken from the girl. Is it not likely her brother could receive the others?”
Earth nodded slowly. “Perhaps. And human kings have always been male.”
“Who is the One of Prophecy is irrelevant,” Fire declared. “We can't just let them destroy themselves and the world in the process. We have a duty, a responsibility to all life. To see how they have fouled the environment, that which we share with them, while we hide is just horrible. How are we going to control what happens?”
Earth looked at her defiant face and raked one claw across his blackened chin, scraping a good portion of the ash off. “Yes, control.” He looked at Water, whose face had frozen into stillness. “For now, all we can do is to inform the Conclave. It is not yet time, who is the One is not our concern, and I can certainly understand their interest in dealing with their own kind. This does not change anything. We have survived the past millennium by only interacting with the humans through the Conclave, and I haven't heard anything to make me think otherwise. Humans have only gotten worse; I think we can all agree on that. But all the more reason to stay out of it as long as we can! Water?”
Water nodded his head, a small quick movement, with humble eyes.
“Fire, do you have any evidence on how further interaction might benefit ALL dragons?”
Fire replied coolly. “Me? No, not me.”
Earth nodded once. “Then it is settled. I will notify the Conclave. As Head, I speak.” He looked at the other two in turn. “You may spread the word, but take no action. Advise your Families to continue to watch, hidden, bound by the Forms, safe in the Ways, watching the Flows.
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