The Ballad Of A Semi-Benevolent Dragon

Side Story 1: The Marketplace

The Marketplace (Starwind)

Rumours had spread of a great gathering of the primordial dragons. That, in and of itself, was world-shaking news. However, what truly caught the attention of the younger, less accomplished dragons was the possibility of those same primordial dragons holding the dragon equivalent of yard sales.

Primordial dragons were far beyond lesser dragons. What they thought of as mere trash, the sorts of items they could easily make themselves with but a thought, could be viewed as priceless treasures by the younger and less mighty. And large meetings like this were perfect opportunities for primordial dragons to get rid of any items they no longer wanted. Admittedly, those items were rarely given away for free. Favours would have to be pledged or other treasures exchanged, but the mere fact that the items would be available was a tremendous opportunity for any young dragon hoping to advance.

Starwind peered at the little doppelgänger watching over the items that had come from mighty Doomwing's hoard. As a student of magic, she was particularly interested in them since there was a strong possibility that grimoires, artefacts, and other mystical items would be involved. She had only recently experienced her First Awakening, so her magical senses still had a great deal of development to do. However, she was well-versed in the general ideas regarding doppelgängers. The one in front of her was far more advanced than anything she'd ever read about. Regardless of the analytical and scrying magic she currently had active, she would never have realised that it actually was a doppelgänger if she hadn't overheard an older dragon mention it. The only real give away was how powerful the doppelgänger was. It was far stronger than her.

"Do you have any grimoires covering ordered magic?" Starwind asked. "I don't really mind what order of magic is involved."

The doppelgänger gestured, and a selection of grimoires appeared. "For a dragon of the First Awakening, these would be the most suitable... and the most affordable." His eyes narrowed. "You seem to be of the stellar dragon lineage, so this particular tome would suit you best."

The grimoire in question floated over, and Starwind eagerly examined it. It was a treatise written in the Fourth Age by a vampire with a keen interest in magic associated with the stars. Although the terminology was archaic and not entirely familiar to her, she could already tell that she could learn a lot from it. More importantly, the book was filled with annotations. Comments, most of them scathingly critical, along with corrections and other thoughts filled the margins and the spaces between each line. The handwriting was unfamiliar to her, but whoever had written it appeared to have an immense understanding of the subject.

"Do you know who did the annotations?" she asked.

The doppelgänger nodded. "Doomwing did."

"He was bored," the doppelgänger replied. "A friend of his wanted to learn stellar magic. He was awful at it, but Doomwing wanted to make sure he wasn't learning it wrong. Otherwise, he'd have to waste time teaching him how to do it properly. That was one of the books he reviewed before deciding to just write one of his own."

"Oh." Starwind's eyes widened. "How much would a copy of that book cost?"

The doppelgänger named the price.

"..." Starwind blinked. "Uh... maybe some other time. How about this book? How much does this cost?"

The doppelgänger shrugged. "That thing? It's basically junk, so it won't cost you too much. Honestly, it was just taking up space in his hoard." He quoted a price.

Starwind agreed immediately. Despite its flaws, the grimoire would help strengthen her foundations in the topic. It also contained a selection of eighth order spells, and there were even hints about how to perform spells of the ninth and tenth order. Most importantly of all, Doomwing's comments were brutally insightful and seemed to cover all sorts of common misconceptions and issues.

"I don't suppose you have any artefacts related to stellar magic, do you?" Starwind asked. Although she had only recently achieved her First Awakening, it was never too early to begin preparing for her Second Awakening. Given her lack of wealth, any resources she could find would be useful, and it was best to strike now before others of her lineage arrived and had a chance to outbid her. With two younger siblings, her parents would have their claws full helping them prepare for their First Awakenings, not to mention their own continued advancement. Third Awakenings were not easy – or cheap to prepare for.

"Already planning for your Second Awakening?" The doppelgänger grinned toothily. "That's smart. Too many dragons wait until they're almost ready to try before preparing, and rushing tends to lead to all sorts of mistakes." His grin widened. "Ever seen someone explode because they mishandled their Awakening?"

Starwind went pale, her patchwork of blue, black, and silver scales shimmering worriedly. "No. But... that can happen?"

"Oh, yes. I've seen it happen multiple times. A Second Awakening explosion isn't too bad. But a failed Fourth Awakening can be dangerous." The doppelgänger gestured again, and a broken crystal appeared. "You might be interested in that." 𝐫αꞐo͍ВΕŝ

Starwind looked at the crystal... and almost had a seizure. She staggered upright and then immediately hunched over the crystal, doing her best to make sure nobody else could see or sense it. "This... this is the heart of a star whale!"

"Yeah." The doppelgänger nodded. "Big, angry bastard too. The heart crystallised after the fight, but it broke. That jerk deliberately sabotaged it before dying." He scowled. "He should have had the decency to die gracefully instead of using his last drop of magic to damage his own heart. Oh well. Some people are just like that. It's pretty much worthless to Doomwing, and just looking at it annoys him, so he's getting rid of it."

Starwind wanted to scream. Pretty much worthless? Based on its size and apparent quality, the heart must have belonged to a star whale that was roughly a mile long. Sure, the broken crystal would never be suitable for use in a proper artefact, but there was still more residual power left in it than in the rest of Starwind's hoard combined!

A star whale of that size was normally impossible for anyone below a Third Awakening to defeat, so even a broken heart like this should have been worth a fortune. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined being so close to one, and the thought of having it...

If she could get the crystal, she'd have an item worthy of serving as a key focus in her push for a Second Awakening. With the right preparations, she could consume it just before attempting her Second Awakening to massively increase her chances of success. Forget having to craft another focus, a task that would require gathering all sorts of materials and performing multiple spells and alchemical procedures, she could just eat the crystal. But something like this... it had to be expensive, and she'd already bought the grimoire. Damn it. If she'd known about the crystal, she would have saved her resources for it...

"How much?" she asked, mentally resigning herself to not having enough. Well, she was here with several of her friends. She could try to borrow resources from them although they would all be keen to obtain resources for themselves.

The doppelgänger quoted the price. "That should be enough. Honestly, just looking at it makes me mad too. I could fix it, but... it's not the same. They're always better when they're harvested intact."

Starwind blinked. That price was... everything she currently had with her, but still far, far, far less than she'd assumed it would cost. She couldn't hand over the resources fast enough. "Okay!"

With the exchange complete, the doppelgänger watched Starwind scuttle off, the items she'd purchased stored in the most secure method available to her. It was strangely heart-warming. Doomwing had keen memories of attending similar events back in the First Age. He had saved his meagre resources and carefully assessed how much of his hoard he could spend, all to secure the resources he needed to progress and improve. His parents had helped as best they could, but they had never been particularly wealthy themselves, although they'd never really struggled.

Now?

Doomwing had so much stuff that he was happy to get rid of things that aggravated him or which he deemed as not being worth the space they occupied. But to others, those same items could be life changing. That grimoire, which the young dragon had valued so highly, was an item that Doomwing would have happily destroyed himself if he hadn't been so reluctant to destroy any part of his hoard, no matter how useless. At least it had a good home, and the other dragon would likely make good use of it. For all its flaws, the tome wasn't completely awful, and Doomwing's notes would allow her to avoid the pitfalls and common mistakes that were rife in the discipline. He could still remember Marcus's complaining. It was that same complaining that had prompted Doomwing to write his own book on the subject, if only to get the vampire to stop whining.

The Marketplace (Flarewing)

Littletooth ignored the stares directed his way courtesy of the other dragons who'd come to sell or trade resources and services. With all of the primordial dragons gathering for the first time in more than an Age, it was hardly surprising that enterprising dragons had come to make the most of the rare opportunity.

For powerful dragons, the gathering provided not only opportunities to interact with other dragons of note but also a chance to get rid of things they no longer wanted. After all, what a dragon of the Fourth Awakening considered to be trash could easily pass for a priceless treasure amongst those younger and less accomplished. For weaker dragons, these meetings provided invaluable opportunities to acquire resources and services, along with the possibility of obtaining instruction from those with more experience and power. Dragons who lived more independently could also use these meetings to either form alliances amongst themselves or pledge their allegiance to greater powers.

Naturally, Doomwing was not one to ignore all the possibilities the meeting provided. Since he would have his claws full dealing with his fellow primordial dragons and their more senior followers, he had called for Littletooth The doppelgänger had swiftly selected suitable items from the hoard before storing them and then making his way to Regal Flame's territory. Although he possessed only a fraction of Doomwing's might, he was still more than capable of outfighting or escaping all but the mightiest threats. Now that he had arrived in Regal Flame's territory, only a complete fool would dare to threaten him. Not only did he closely resemble Doomwing but Regal Flame had also paid a visit to the stall he was setting up. The other dragon had looked upon him with a strange expression before going on her way, but not before making it clear that he was under her official protection. To move against him would be to move against her, and in her territory, that meant death.

The other primordial dragons had yet to arrive, so the only vendors were Littletooth and the other vendors who came from Regal Flame's territory. Most were dragons of the First or Second Awakening. Many were acting on behalf of older dragons. Once a dragon achieved their Third Awakening, they would immediately turn their attention toward Awakening further. After all, a dragon who had reached their Fourth Awakening could afford to take their time. As such, those dragons had already begun to congregate in the areas where the primordial dragons and other dragons of the Fourth Awakening would be gathering. There, they could seek further instruction and petition for the resources and services they required to Awaken further. The more pedestrian matter of selling items to younger and weaker dragons could be left to their children or juniors.

That left Littletooth in the somewhat amusing but awkward position of being, by far, the smallest dragon there but also the most wise and powerful. Oh well. If nothing else, there was a certain... fun to be had in playing the role of an enterprising merchant. It wasn't the first time he'd done it. As a monk, there were certain constraints on Brother Tiger's behaviour. If haggling or outright deception and trickery were involved when dealing with merchants and their ilk, then Doomwing had been more than happy to intercede, both to soothe his old friend's conscience and because outwitting those overconfident fools had provided extra amusement.

Besides, it was enjoyable to see the youngest of his kind going about their business and pursuing their own Awakenings. He had achieved his Fourth Awakening a long, long time ago. Yet he still had fond memories of the process. Not all of it, of course. His Second Awakening was a matter he thought about as little as possible. However, the pursuit of his First Awakening had certainly been enjoyable, at least in retrospect. Likewise, his pursuit of his Third and Fourth Awakenings had been thrilling.

WIth the makeshift market opening in earnest, the first wave of young dragons eager to try their luck arrived, and Littletooth settled back onto his haunches.

What sort of customers would he encounter today?

Flarewing had yet to achieve her First Awakening, so she was more than a little anxious about her progress. Her parents, who served great Regal Flame, had counselled her to be patient. The First Awakening was important. Laying a solid foundation was key, and rushing would only hinder her progress in the future. Yet she couldn't help being envious when she saw her friends, all of whom were similar in age to her, achieve their own First Awakenings.

She was being left behind.

To take her mind off her troubles, her parents had given her some extra resources and told her to visit the market. Safety wasn't an issue. Dragons of the Third Awakening had been assigned to oversee the market. Anyone who stepped out of line would be severely punished. Should they prove insufficient, they could readily call upon dragons of the Fourth Awakening to aid them. And if those dragons proved insufficient, then Regal Flame herself was mere moments away. Mighty Doomwing was also present, and her parents had joked that it would be better to die at Regal Flame's claws than to draw the other primordial dragon's ire.

Apparently, the last time someone had tried to attack and rob a merchant at a market where Doomwing was in attendance had resulted in the offender exploding on the spot due to a brutal application of the nova dragon's telekinesis.

That was... terrifying. The dragon who'd died had reached his Third Awakening, yet he had died without even being able to defend himself. At the same time, however, it was reassuring. Who would dare to make trouble with two primordial dragons around, one of whom was known for being extremely ruthless toward troublemakers? It wasn't as if Doomwing just went around exploding people for no reason. According to her parents, everyone who entered the market swore an oath to uphold its rules. Those rules were sacred and had been passed down since the First Age. The gods themselves had ordained those rules, and those same rules were used not only for the markets run by dragons amongst their own kind but also the larger markets that involved species of all kinds. To a primordial dragon who had actually met and known the gods, breaking those rules must have come across as an insult of the very worst kind.

So Flarewing could go about her business in the market without fear. Admittedly, people might haggle, yell, and posture, but that was it. There were strict rules in place, and she had been briefed about them before entering the market, and she had only been granted entry after making an oath to uphold them. The dragon in charge of accepting oaths had done his best to reassure her, reminiscing briefly about his own experiences before his First Awakening. He had even offered her some advice: seek out the smallest merchant. He might have something useful for her.

The smallest merchant?

That was an odd comment to make, but Flarewing decided to trust the older dragon. What would he gain by lying to her? But how should she find the smallest merchant? She could ask around... or not.

Not far away was a merchant who was even smaller than her. What stood out most, though, even more than his size, were his scales. His scales were a vivid mix of blue and red. He must belong to same lineage as Doomwing! Draconic greed stirred in her heart. Her parents had told her that older, more powerful dragons often left the business of disposing of unwanted items to their children or juniors. It was known that Doomwing didn't have any children of his own, but surely the arrival of a small dragon of the same lineage could not be a coincidence!

She quickly made her way over to the dragon.

"Greetings," she said politely. "I am Flarewing. Might I take a look at some of the items you have?"

"Hmm..." The dragon glanced up from the item he was fiddling with. It appeared to be a scrying sphere of some kind, but it's exact nature was beyond her. "You're polite. That's good. Politeness costs you little but may gain you very much whereas being impolite may cost you everything."

She nodded quickly. "My parents told me that I should always be polite. You never know what the future holds, and there's no need to make unnecessary enemies."

"A wise approach." The dragon sat up. "I am Littletooth. Hmm... you've yet to undergo your First Awakening."

She winced. It was true, but the other dragon had spoken so bluntly. "That's right. But I'm hopeful it won't be long."

"Is that so?"

She blinked and then gasped as she felt scrying and analytical magic wash over her. That magic was far more advanced than even her parents' magic! What kind of dragon was she dealing with?

"You have a very, very solid foundation. Whoever has been instructing you has done an excellent job." Littletooth walked around her in a slow circle, poking and prodding her with his claws. Each touch was accompanied by another small burst of magic. "Yes. It's been a while since I've seen such a good foundation outside of the family of a primordial dragon. Who are your parents?"

"Blazehowl and Flamereach. They serve great Regal Flame."

"What Awakenings have they achieved?" Littletooth asked.

"Um..." Flarewing hesitated. The information she'd provided wasn't hard to find. However, discussing the Awakenings of her parents was a more sensitive matter.

"Fear not," Littletooth said. "I serve Doomwing. I may also possess some small knowledge about Awakenings myself." The dragon chortled. "I am no enemy to servants of Regal Flame."

Flarewing clenched her claws and then relaxed. Who would dare to lie about their connection to Doomwing with the legendary dragon so near at hand? "They have achieved their Second Awakenings and are working toward their Third Awakenings. However, they are perhaps only a third to half of the way there."

"Interesting. Were they the ones who helped you with your foundation?" Littletooth asked.

"Yes, but Lady Regal Flame also offered some advice." Flarewing smiled sunnily. "She takes an interest in all the hatchlings, especially those of her lineage. She has developed a curriculum to help us prepare for our First Awakenings."

"Is that so? A wise decision."

"I've been taking the same classes as the others, but they've already had their First Awakenings. However, I keep getting asked to do more and more work on my foundation." She drooped. "I wonder if it's because I lack talent."

Littletooth laughed. "Is that what you think?" He snickered. "It is the opposite. You have ample talent, which is why more time must be spent to hone it. After all, a tool made of poor metal needs little time in the forge. It will never amount to much. But a tool forged of fine steel needs more time in the forge to bring out its best."

"Is that true?" Flarewing perked up. "You're not just saying that, are you?"

"Like I said, I know a little bit about Awakenings." Littletooth gave her a sly grin. "You must be looking for something to help with your First Awakening, right? From what I can see, there isn't much more work for you to do. Within a year, at the very most, you will have to make the attempt, if only because there is nothing left for you to work on. You will need a catalyst then."

Flarewing nodded eagerly. "My instructors say that the best catalysts are those that can absorb a large amount of magic and then release it when called for. They also need to have specific properties depending on which lineage you belong to."

"That is indeed the case. The First Awakening is akin to lighting a fire. Your foundation – which is built on talent and hard work – serves as the fuel. What you need is an appropriate spark. That is the role the catalyst serves. A good catalyst will make your First Awakening swift and maximise its quality. A poor catalyst will leave you with impurities, blockages, and other problems to address before you can attempt a Second Awakening." Littletooth left her side to rummage through the items he'd brought before emerging with one. "This might be to your liking."

Flarewing studied the item for a moment and then leaned forward eagerly. "This is the heart of a volcano hydra!"

"You have a keen eye," Littletooth said. "I don't think many dragons of your level would recognise it."

Flarewing's tail wagged happily. "I like to study."

"Volcano hydras live in and around volcanos. They have powerful regenerative abilities and are closely associated with fire magic, as well as nature magic. When used as a catalyst, they offer two main benefits: they help reduce the stress imposed on the body, and they allow for a more controlled release of power, minimising the risk of being overwhelmed by power during the Awakening process. They aren't good catalysts for everyone, but for people with excellent control of their magic and solid foundations, there are few things better."

Flarewing considered his words carefully. From what she'd heard, one of the most important parts of the First Awakening was guiding the flood of power that accompanied it through the body, reinforcing and in some case building new channels to carry magic through the body. Of course, dragons were inherently magical creatures. Every part of their body could carry magic. But there were still parts that were better at it and routes where magic flowed more powerfully. The First Awakening was akin to building the framework of a building. However, the pain involved, combined with the sudden explosion of power could lead to mistakes being made. While such mistakes could be corrected afterward, it look significant time and effort to do so.

The item Littletooth had offered the possibility of making the process significantly easier and more productive.

"If it's such a good item, why are you getting rid of it?"

"The items I'm selling or trading all come from Doomwing's hoard," Littletooth explained. "What use is a catalyst for a First Awakening to him? If he ever needed one, he could either obtain one himself or simply craft one using alchemy. This item is simply something he picked up after the hydra in question tried to make off with an item from his hoard. He killed it for its arrogance and kept the heart out of habit. However, he doesn't have any real reason to keep it."

"Is that so?" Flarewing looked around. She lacked the expertise to be sure of his words, but... ah! A friend of her mother's was nearby. She signalled to the other dragon, and Emberdive came over. She greeted the older dragon and asked her to examine the heart.

"Hmm..." Emberdive's brows furrowed as she used her own magic to examine the heart. "This is good... a lot better than I'd expect to find at a market." She grinned. "You got lucky, child." Her eyes gleamed, and she peered at Littletooth. "I have children of my own who are hoping to undergo their First Awakenings. Do you have any more like it?"

Littletooth shrugged. "You should bring them. I have more, but they might not be suitable. I might have something better suited to them."

"I think I will bring them over." Emberdive nodded at Flarewing. "You should get it. From what I can tell, it came from a pretty decent hydra, and the magic used to preserve it has stopped any of the power from leaking out of it. You could use it as a catalyst right now if you wanted to."

Flarewing thanked Emberdive as the dragon went off to fetch her children. "Well, in that case, what do you want for it?" she asked Littletooth.

"To be honest," Littletooth replied. "I can already tell what resources you have with you. Normally, they wouldn't be enough. There are plenty of older dragons who'd be willing to offer a better price for it." Flarewing winced. Her parents had given her some extra resources for today, but she hadn't expected to run into such a fine catalyst. After all, how often did people just get rid of things like that? Then again, it had come from Doomwing's hoard. He probably had great piles of better catalysts. "However, there is another way you can pay."

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"How?" Flarewing asked suspiciously.

"There is something unusual about your magic," Littletooth said. "I would like your permission to use more powerful scrying magic to determine what it is."

"Um... is that going to hurt me?" Flarewing asked.

"No, and I will keep what I find secret. However, I find myself curious, and I know Doomwing would also want to know."

"I... I guess. Okay."

Flarewing stood still and then gasped as several greater runes snapped into place around her. Greater runes? What was going on? She wasn't the only one to express surprise. The other dragons nearby all stopped to stare, but Littletooth ignored her, instead gazing at something only he could see, something only the runes revealed. When the runes faded he shook himself.

"I can't give you the hydra heart."

"But... but that was the deal, wasn't it?" Flarewing blurted.

Littletooth smirked. "Yes, it was. However, it would be such a waste for you to use that trifling thing." His voice echoed in her head as he switched to private communication magic. "You should bring your parents here to speak with me later. They might not be aware of what I found. To put it simply, one of your ancestors belonged to the muse dragon lineage. It doesn't really express itself in you very much, but there is a hint of it in your magic, and it might become more obvious as you Awaken. Moreover, with the right catalyst, you might even gain access to certain magics that would normally be unavailable or at least very difficult for someone of pure fire dragon lineage."

Flarewing gasped. "Really?"

Littletooth nodded and continued to speak into her mind. He gestured, and another item appeared. It was hard to look at, seeming to flicker in and out of existence. "This is a shard from a nightmare – the collective fear of burning alive born when a human city was burnt to ash in the Third Age." Flarewing blanched, and he chuckled. "Fear not. It will not harm you. Instead, if used as a catalyst, it will be compatible with your fire dragon lineage while potentially drawing out the muse dragon aspect of your power."

"How... how do you capture something like that?" Flarewing asked in wonder.

"It's easy enough for a muse dragon – or a dragon with suitable magic. Doomwing captured it after passing over a city that had been burnt to ash during a civil war. He was curious to try different magics to see which would give the best results. This is one of his attempts."

"What do you want for it?" Flarewing asked.

"Hmm... allow Doomwing and me to observe your First Awakening," Littletooth said. "We have an interest in such matters, and we are both curious as to whether or not the muse dragon aspect of your power stirs, and if so, to what extent and in what way it does. Such opportunities are relatively rare, and the chance to observe would be worth more to us than whatever resources you or your parents could muster."

"Oh." Flarewing nodded swiftly. "Of course! I agree!"

If nothing else, having Doomwing present at her First Awakening would grant great prestige to her family. Moreover, he would be morally obligated to intervene should the worst occur, ensuring that no matter what, her life would not be at risk.

"Good." Littletooth tucked the shard away. "I will hang onto this. Continue to look around the market. At the end of the day, bring your parents to see me. I will give the shard to them, along with a box that will ensure it is properly preserved."

"Thank you!"

As Flarewing went off to examine other stalls, Littletooth made a satisfied sound. Awakenings were of great interest to him, and having the opportunity observe what might be a relatively unique First Awakening was enough to put a spring in his step. In truth, the paltry wealth that could be mustered by dragons of the Second Awakening meant little to him. However, the chance to learn more about Awakenings was a treasure worthy of a primordial dragon.

The Marketplace (Lakeburn)

Littletooth dismissed the hatchlings who had come to examine his wares. They were young indeed, scarcely any larger than he was, and they had possessed all the enthusiasm and foolishness of youth, much to the embarrassment and dismay of their mother who had accompanied them. He had allowed them to rummage through a small pile of the least valuable items – nothing dangerous or powerful – before gifting them a few that were scarcely more than toys. He had little use for them, but the hatchlings were still young enough to derive some benefit. They were the draconic equivalent of the wooden blocks and mobiles popular amongst human toddlers.

They were nothing more than trinkets, extras left behind after he had made similar toys for the hatchlings of dragons he was on good terms with. Despite their simplicity, he refused to gift any items he considered substandard. Practice was necessary to ensure perfection, and he had kept the extras because it had felt wasteful to dispose of them. Oh well. It was better they see some use, rather than rot away in his hoard. Should he ever require more, it would be trivial to craft them, and his skills had improved over the years.

He did not have to wait long for his next customer, a blue-scaled dragon of the Second Awakening. The other dragon's body was marred by scars, both old and new, and his gaze carried an edge absent from those who lived safely in the long shadows cast by the truly mighty. An independent dragon then, one who owed allegiance to no major faction but instead lived or died by his own merits. There had always been such dragons although he was the first he had seen at this market. He must be familiar with at least a few people from Regal Flame's territory, or perhaps his arrival was simply a coincidence. Such dragons often made regular trips into the territory held by major factions to trade for what they could not secure or produce themselves.

"I have heard that you are pledged to mighty Doomwing," the dragon said.

"I am," Littletooth replied. "Is there something you're looking for, or have you come for another purpose?"

"I have also heard that Doomwing may be... recruiting."

"Oh?" Doomwing had indeed given great thought to recruiting. If he was going to rule his territory in earnest, then he would need the support of other dragons to ensure it reached its full potential. Approaching dragons who had already pledged themselves to another dragon would only result in trouble. His best option was to find those of talent, loyalty, and drive who had yet to swear loyalty to anyone else. "It would depend on the dragon."

"Hmm..." The dragon settled down in front of him. "I am Lakeburn. My family once served the mighty Searshore."

"Searshore?" That was not a name that Doomwing had heard in a long time. "I know that name. He ruled an area beside a vast lake in the continent where the beast people once dwelt." Littletooth paused. "He was slain by the Exiled Star."

Lakeburn nodded grimly. "He was. I was only a hatchling then, but my parents explained it to me when I was older. He was a dragon of the Fourth Awakening. When the Exiled Star appeared, a force was required to intercept him, so the primordial dragons could gather. That force was led by Chasmfang. Searshore was on good terms with him, a friend since the Third Age. When Chasmfang's force went to confront the Exiled Star, he joined him, and he perished alongside him."

Littletooth gave a low rumble. That had been a dark day indeed. More than once, he had wondered if he could have done anything differently. But always the answer was the same. They had needed a force to buy time for them to gather, and only a primordial dragon could lead such a force. His instructions to Chasmfang had been clear. He was supposed to retreat if necessary, yet he had chosen to stay and give battle. That decision had been brave indeed, but it had also cost him his life, along with the lives of many other brave dragons.

"Was there no one else to take his place?" Littletooth asked. "No son or daughter who could rule after he fell?"

"He had a son, but the son was not the dragon his father was, not even close." Lakeburn shook his head, and shadow filled his gaze. "But that was not the real problem. In the battle against the Exiled Star, the lake where we lived was destroyed."

"Destroyed?" To his dismay, Littlefang had to think very hard about that. The entire continent had been left in ruins by the struggle against the Exiled Star, which was why the beast people of this Age lived in settlements scattered across the world, some of them little better than vagabonds. "How?"

"Great Oblivioncaller sought to burn the Exiled Star with his black fire..."

"Ah." Littletooth grimaced. "That would do it."

Oblivioncaller's black fire, when unleashed in earnest, was a terrible thing, a blazing miasma of obsidian flame that would corrupt and rot whatever it touched until there was nothing left. Doomwing had seen it turn fertile valleys into little more than bleached ash and dust within moments, and even the lush waters of the sea could be reduced to cloudy oceans of stagnant water devoid of even algae. Now that he thought about it, he could remember a battle on the shores of a huge lake.

Oblivioncaller's flame had laid waste to the entire countryside around it, and it had boiled the lake away as well. In an instant, a region that had been fertile and prosperous for millennia had been rendered uninhabitable. The Exiled Star had shrugged off the attack and had almost gutted the other dragon for his efforts. Only Fractal Reign's desperate actions had managed to yank him clear of harm's way. Yet even after the battle moved beyond the lake, Littletooth could remember that black fire burning, a relentless, ageless, deathless flame that reduced the hills to powder and left only an eerie, bone-white nightmare in its wake.

"How long die the fires burn?" Littletooth asked quietly.

"According to my parents, the black fires burned for a year. But even after they stopped burning, there was something wrong with the place. When they finally returned, the waters of the lake were foul and accursed, and the little vegetation that grew was twisted and stunted, offering only poison to the beasts that ate it instead of nourishment."

Littletooth winced. That... was not as bad as it could have been. Yet it would have been a catastrophe to the dragons who had once called that place home. "And Searshore's son?"

Lakeburn snarled. "A dragon who lacked both his father's courage and his wisdom. His father's death changed him. He grew fearful of death, and his fear drove him to abandon the oaths that bound his father and the family's pledged to him. He would demand all the resources we gathered, giving no thought to our own advancement or circumstances. Rather than abandon the wretched place our former home had become, he insisted we return there. He was afraid to fight for new territory, and it didn't matter how sick we grew. He would not leave."

"What did your family do?" Littletooth asked.

"Oaths go two ways. When he broke those oaths, we were free to break ours. My parents took me and my siblings and fled. At the time, my parents were already sickly. The... darkness left by Oblivioncaller's fire had poisoned them. Fearing that no faction would take us in, they found a place for us. It was still on the same continent, but the taint was not so bad there, and the devastation less total. We and several of the other families moved there. We had no leader amongst us, but we lived and worked together, making a living as best we could."

"I see." Littletooth sighed. Better to have no leader than a fool in charge. "What became of your parents?"

"They passed during the Sixth Age. I have three siblings. For all the misfortune they suffered, my parents were blessed in that regard. One by one, they have all joined factions. But I... I remained independent."

"Why?" Littletooth asked. "And why would you change your mind now?"

"I saw what happened to them." Lakeburn scowled. "They joined powerful, established factions. That was the safest thing to do. Yet doing so also meant their opportunities to advance were stymied. After all, if a leader had to choose between two dragons of similar power and talent, would they choose the one who had only recently joined or the one whose family has served them for millennia?"

"Ah." Littletooth could hardly blame leaders who did that. Loyalty ought to be rewarded, and newcomers were difficult to fully trust. They would have to prove themselves before they could be accepted, and even after they did so, there would still be distance between them and the families who had served together for Ages. "Were they mistreated?"

"No," Lakeburn said. "They were not, but they were not treated especially well either. Moreover, the more members a faction has, the less attention any individual member can receive from the leader. That is only natural, but it did not help their cause. If that is how things must be, then I would rather remain independent. At least then, I can live as I wish, and whatever successes or failures I enjoy or suffer are my own, not left to others to decide."

"Why change your mind now?" Littletooth asked.

"Because I have a mate, and we have a hatchling." Lakeburn scowled. "The place where we live, it is not an easy life, but we have managed well enough." He gestured at himself. "But you can see the price I have paid. The environment there is harsh and cruel. It may help forge a warrior, but it is not right for a hatchling." He smiled ruefully. "I have often wondered how much of my own progress has been stymied by that place. I have achieved my Second Awakening, but I can already tell that such may be my limit. The environment there is tough, too tough, and the resources too few. Yes, I am battle-tested, but I have also been stunted. I would not have my hatchling endure the same."

"Then why seek out Doomwing?" Littletooth asked. "Regal Flame's domain is prosperous. There is plenty of space here and ample resources. Should your character prove acceptable, she would take you and yours."

"Because Doomwing is different," Lakeburn said. "He has never raised a faction of his own. No dragons serve him. No families owe him their allegiance. If I was to join him, I would have a chance to earn a position according to my own efforts." He laughed quietly. "I am not the most talented dragon or the smartest. As I said, the Second Awakening may be my limit. But my word is my bond. If I pledge my loyalty, then I will die defending that oath. And I will work hard. I do not have a lot to give, but whatever I can give, I will give. Moreover, Doomwing is wise. Though he is not a dragon of the water dragon lineage, he knows more than enough to ensure that a dragon of that lineage will prosper under his reign." His voice softened. "I have heard that at the edges of his territory there is a place with many lakes where the waters flow clean and clear. I remember my home before its fall. I should like to see something like that again."

Doomwing did indeed have a place in his territory where there were many lakes of varying sizes. He had yet to devote much effort to that area since it was difficult to reach on foot, making it unsuitable for his human subjects. Since the dwarves only had a single sky-ship, it would not be good for them either. The lakes in that area were split between his domain and that of an ancient dryad, one born in the Third Age. Much of her territory was near the sea, and the rest was in a land filled with many lakes and rivers. To his knowledge, she had never overstepped her borders, so he had never given much thought to the area. Instead, he had decided to wait until the rest of his territory was more developed before turning his attention there. Yet if he could find the right people, there was no reason he could not begin developing it now.

"You speak well," Littletooth said. "But I can make no promises. I do not speak for Doomwing. However, I can say this. He will hear you out. Can you remain in this area?"

Lakeburn nodded eagerly. "Yes. My mate and my hatchling will be safe for at least a month."

"Good. Once the meeting is concluded amongst the primordial dragons, I will introduce you to him. Should he find you worthy, he may take you into his service. Naturally, he will test you, and should he detect any lies, deception, or treachery, it will go ill for you."

Lakeburn stood proudly. "Every word I have spoken is the truth. Speak to any who know me. Even use mind magic. I will not be found wanting."

"We shall see." Littletooth hummed thoughtfully. "Are there any others you know, independent dragons, who might also be interested in joining Doomwing? Again, I make no promises, but if you introduce them to me, I can at least say who will and will not be given a chance." He smiled toothily. "And should you help in recruiting those of suitable talent, you will not go unrewarded."

"What do you mean?"

"You worry that you are stuck at your Second Awakening. I make no guarantees, but from what I sense, it may still be possible for you to progress. It will not be easy, and certain resources will be required, along with a suitable environment. However, Doomwing will be able to provide all of those – and you shall receive them, should your work justify such rewards."

Lakeburn's eyes blazed with determination. "I may know a few. They are rough around the edges, but they are good, reliable dragons, all of them. They should be here soon as well. For an independent dragon, meetings of this size are unmissable opportunities."

As Lakeburn left to seek out those he had spoken of, Littletooth considered his actions carefully. Doomwing was indeed considering recruiting. There was no reason that he could not help by starting early. After all, he had made no guarantees. He would introduce Lakeburn and the dragons he thought suitable to Doomwing, and Doomwing would decide. Should they prove unacceptable, it should not take Doomwing long at all to dismiss them. But should they prove worthy, they would have gained valuable followers for a pittance. After all, Doomwing did not lack for resources, and his territory was rich and filled with opportunities for lesser dragons.

In his experience, independent dragons were lacking in certain ways. Left largely to their own devices, they were often less well-versed in magic, and their Awakenings were generally of a lower standard than those who belonged to major factions. However, magic could be taught, and the weak foundations of Awakenings could be repaired and enhanced, especially at lower levels. What could not be so easily taught or repaired were loyalty and determination, and both were key. Doomwing would not tolerate the disloyal or lazy in his service. Better a less talented and weaker dragon who was willing to die for his cause than a more talented and stronger dragon who would flee when faced with adversity.

Littletooth was broken from his musings by the arrival of another customer. It was a young dragon of the light dragon lineage.

"Do you have any books on healing magic?" the young dragon asked. "A friend of mine was here earlier, and she said you have all sorts of books about magic."

"Healing magic?" Littletooth had plenty of those. "I do, but for a dragon who has only recently achieved their First Awakening, these would be the most suitable..."

The Marketplace (Elinye)

"Are you sure we aren't going to get eaten?" Elinye was used to her brother coming up with idiotic ideas – it was basically part of his identity at this point – but the thought of walking into a marketplace in which all the customers and vendors were dragons wasn't just idiotic. It was suicidal. "Because it sounds a lot like we'll just get eaten."

"Do I look like an idiot?" Derond asked.

Seeing that obnoxiously charismatic but utterly goofy smile on his face, she could only reply one way. "Yes."

"Hey!" Derond draped one arm around her shoulders and gestured vaguely at something only he could see. "You're forgetting something really important. If we do this right, then they can't eat us."

"They're dragons. They can eat pretty much whoever they want." That wasn't entirely true, of course. A dragon's ability to eat people was directly proportional to its power. For instance, only the very mightiest of dragons would ever consider going after one of the great dryads who ruled over the desert, but then again... several of those dragons were supposed to be gathering any day now.

"Ah, but you're forgetting something very important." Her brother grinned roguishly. "I was talking to some of the older elves, and they're also planning to visit the market the dragons have set up at the edge of the desert."

"Is that so?" Desert elves were long-lived, and although it wasn't a perfect correlation, age and wisdom were usually closely related. If some of the older elves were planning to go, then maybe her brother wasn't entirely crazy after all.

"Yep. You see, way, way, way back in the First Age, the gods made rules – rules that everybody agreed to. Now, it's been a long time since then, and all the gods are dead, but when it comes to oaths, dragons mean business. The primordial dragons were alive back then, so they know those rules... and they still enforce them."

Now this... this was actually starting to sound promising.

"Go on..."

"Basically, dragons, dryads, krakens, and all the other great species tend to accumulate a lot of stuff as they get older, so there needs to be a way for them to get rid of that stuff. The gods set up a system where those species could establish a market... a place where people could sell and trade for goods and services. The most important part, at least for us, is that the gods made it very clear that there were strict rules of conduct not only at the market but also to and from the market as well. Basically, if we swear to uphold those rules, then we'll be granted safe conduct at the market and safe passage to and from it as well."

"..." Elinye's eyes narrowed. "That sounds like a load of crap."

"Would I lie to you?" Her brother gave her his most beatific smile.

"Yes."

"Agh." He clutched at his heart. "You wound me, dear sister. Fine. If you don't believe me, ask our noble lady. She'll tell you the same."

Elinye did exactly that, using a communication spell to ask the dryad they both served if her brother was full of crap. To her amazement he was not, in fact, full of crap. The dryad even gave her a quick but thorough explanation of how the oaths worked. Essentially, if the dragons opened the market to others – which they had – then they could attend safely, provided they adhered to the old oaths. Failure to keep those oaths would result in horrible, fiery death.

"Fine, you weren't full of crap," she said.

"See? And think of how big an opportunity this could be!" Her brother danced a little jig around her in victory. She snorted. It was a dwarf victory jig. He must have picked it up from those traders who'd come by a decade ago. Unlike their forest-dwelling kin, desert elves had no particularly enmity with dwarves, and many of her people enjoyed their strong liquors. Meanwhile, the dwarves were always happy to trade artefacts and fine metalwork for the raw materials the desert elves could obtain from beneath the desert sands. "What a dragon considers trash might be a treasure to us, and there are all sorts of things that we have that might be useful to a younger, weaker dragon." His grin turned crafty. "Who knows, you might even find a suitable focus for your staff."

Elinye stifled the urge to glare. That was a sore point. As a mage, a staff wasn't mandatory. She could do plenty of magic without one. However, having a magical focus attached to a proper staff would make certain magic easier to use, as well as providing her with a number of trump cards if she ever got into a life-and-death fight. For most desert elves, the material for the staff was easy – a branch gifted by the dryad they served. The focus was often obtained in the same way – a fruit or seed that would grow and entwine with the staff. Elinye had tried that, but the resulting staff and focus had never felt quite right to her. The elders and her dryad had speculated it might be due to her unusual magical affinity.

Despite being an elf, Elinye's magic was most closely attuned to fire and lightning. It was certainly useful. Blasting her enemies was remarkably easy. However, it left her in a somewhat awkward situation since neither element was something dryads were typically associated with. Moreover, the materials that might make for a suitable focus for someone with those elemental affinities were hard, if not impossible, to come by in the desert.

But dragons? If there was one thing they understood, it was fire. At the very least, she ought to be able to find a suitable focus for that aspect of her magic.

"Fine," Elinye said at last. "But if we get eaten, I hope you get reincarnated as a hamster."

Littletooth bit back a chuckle as he watched the young desert elf sneak toward his stall. And sneak was the correct word. Despite the oaths that everyone at the market had sworn, she seemed to think that the slightest misstep would result in her getting eaten by one of the market's other attendees. Hah. An ornery dragon might posture here, but nobody was going to get eaten, not unless they were willing to draw the ire of the market's protectors. Moreover, these desert elves had come at the behest of their dryad. To attack them openly would be to break the pacts that stood between the dryads of the desert and Regal Flame. The other primordial dragon would not tolerate such open defiance, and the offender would likely find themselves in a great deal of trouble.

The desert elf stopped in front of his stall and breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't have to use mind magic to know what she must be thinking. Based solely on appearance, he was, by far, the least scary dragon here.

"Hmm..." Littletooth grinned. "It has been some time since I've spoken to a desert elf."

"Oh... uh. Thanks?" The girl made a face. She was young for a desert elf, not much more than three or four decades old, unless he missed his guess. However, the magic flowing through her was pure and powerful – and it was not the kind he was accustomed to seeing in elves. How curious. He sat up a bit straighter, his interest piqued. "A young dragon told me I should come here. She said you had a lot of interesting things."

"It depends on what you consider interesting." Littletooth's eyes narrowed. "Are you a mage?"

"Yes," the girl replied.

"I don't see a staff," Littletooth said. "And I don't detect a magical focus either."

The girl visibly sagged. "I was hoping you might be able to help me with that. I need a focus suitable for fire and lightning magic."

"That shouldn't be too hard." Littletooth rummaged briefly through the pile of items behind him and then floated a gemstone over to her. "This is draconic fulgurite – basically, sand that has been fused into glass by the lightning of a storm dragon."

"Oh!" The elf gasped, eagerly reaching forward to touch the gemstone. "That could work!"

"Give it a try," Littletooth asked, discretely activating several high-level analytical and scrying spells. He'd never met an elf with this particular combination of magical affinities, so he was curious to see her magic in action.

The elf nodded and quickly began to cycle her magic through the gemstone. As he'd expected, the gemstone did a decent enough job of focusing her power. At the same time, however, there was still resistance. Elves and dragons were not the same. Elves were closely tied to dryads who were, in many respects, the opposite of dragons. As such, despite the match in magical affinities, the origins of the fulgurite were not ideal for the elf.

"It's a lot better than anything I've found before..."

"I could make you something better," Littletooth said. "But I'll need a few things... including your blood."

"..." The elf girl froze.

"No, I am not going to eat you. It's for alchemy," Littletooth clarified.

"Um... if it's better than this crystal, how much is it going to cost?" the elf asked.

"Hmm..." Littletooth considered his options. "There are many plants that grow in the desert that cannot easily be found elsewhere. I know a dryad who would appreciate seeds or samples of those plants."

"A dryad?" The elf girl thought carefully. "If it's for another dryad, it should be fine. My lady is always happy to help others of her kind."

"If it helps, this particular dryad serves Doomwing," Littletooth added. "Establishing a friendship with her would be prudent."

"Really?" The elf nodded eagerly. "Well, in that case, I could definitely provide seeds and samples."

Elinye wasn't sure what to make of the little dragon. Apart from being strangely adorable – his wings were rather large for his size, and there was a certain strangeness to his proportions that made her want to hug him – he was far more powerful than any dragon his size should be. For the most part, a dragon's size was correlated with their power. A dragon of Littletooth's size should have been a mere hatchling, yet unless her senses were deceiving her, he was more powerful than any of the dragons running a stall, some of whom had achieved their Second Awakening.

"If you want a truly great magical focus," Littletooth said. "You need something that not only aligns with your magical affinities but which is also closely tied to you. That is why so many great mages made their focuses out of objects that carried immense personal significance to them."

"Do you have a focus?" Elinye asked him.

Littletooth scoffed. "Me? I have no need for such petty things." He snorted. "A focus? Me? Never." He shook his head. "Anyway, that is why I have asked you to gather sand and blood."

The blood was hers, drawn only moments ago. The sand, however, came from the pouch she wore at her side. It was customary for all desert elves to carry a pouch full of sand. The sand came from the desert where they lived, and it was supposed to bring them good luck. In more practical terms, the sand was saturated with the power of the dryad they served, so if they ever got lost, their dryad could use the pouch to find them.

"Blood has links to your body and soul. There are few better mediums available for the transmission of magic. There are also few things more closely linked to you than your own blood. As for the sand, you have carried it by your side for your entire life, and it is filled with the power of the dryad you serve. It too is closely bound to you."

"What are you going to do with them?" Elinye asked.

"Alchemy," Littletooth replied. "Are you familiar with elven magical script?"

Elinye made a gesture with her hands. "A bit. I am still learning. I've been focusing more on ordered magic."

"A reasonable choice. You can think of elven magical script as an attempt to mimic the power of true runes using means that elves find easier to accomplish. They are, in almost every sense, inferior to actual runes. However, elves do find them easier to perform, and they allow for more complicated magical feats to be broken down into a series of simpler steps. Pay attention to what I do. Even if you do not understand it today, you may have use for it in the future."

The little dragon gestured, and intricate markings appeared on the ground. Another gesture put the sand at the centre of the markings before a third gesture added the blood. Before her eyes, the blood and sand began to mix until a sphere of blood and sand floated in the air over the markings.

"For an elf," the dragon said. "The best way to make the focus is to use elven methods. Nothing I have done so far is beyond the ability of an elf, at least in theory. Whether or not an elf could actually do it, well, that's not my problem."

Littletooth tapped the ground, and there was a surge of magic greater than anything Elinye had witnessed outside of her dryad's power. The markings lit up, and searing flames and bolts of lightning sprang from the ground and struck the sphere of blood and sand. She had to turn away to shield her eyes from the brightness, and the acrid scents of smoke and ozone filled the air. This wasn't just alchemy. This was high alchemy, the sort that the elders of her clan would happily have killed for a chance to witness. Thankfully, she already had access to memory magic and could share what she'd seen. Otherwise, those elders might have had aneurisms out of sheer envy.

When she could finally look back, the markings on the ground had burnt themselves away. And in place of the sphere of blood and sand was a spherical, blood-red gemstone. Yet as she looked upon it, she could have sworn she saw flickers of flame and lightning within it. Almost without thinking, she reached out to touch it. Her fingers closed around the gemstone, and she knew, then and there, that it was the focus she'd been waiting for, the one she'd dreamed of.

"I would suggest setting it into a staff made of a branch gifted by your dryad," Littletooth said. "The gemstone also incorporates her power, so there should be no problems." He made a vague gesture, and the dust at their feet rose up to form the image of a wooden staff with roots growing around the gemstone. "Something like that should work, but I'll leave that to your dryad or growth-smiths. Such magic is better left to them than me."

Elinye clutched the focus tightly and bowed. "Thank you!"

"Just make sure you get me those seeds and samples." Littletooth grinned. "And if there any elves who might be thinking of trying their luck outside the desert, let me know."