"Dragons of… Earth?" I ask.
"You wouldn't know… there are quite a lot of you. Out there," Maison seems to point towards… the sky. "And yes, we do have knowledge of Rahambose. But not as much as Fara does. We creatures do not want to mingle in such matters."
"You mean you are afraid, aren't you? I do get the creeps when thinking of him, but he is not that scary too."
"I'd have considered getting angry, but, no point in denying that. Me and my kind are afraid of Rahambose, and shall not dare face him."
"But Rahambose is a dragon, isn't he? Or at least, won't he be? I mean he is supposed to be Max and Sam's son, and hence a dragon. So why would a dragon fear a dragon?" I ask.
"For one, I'm not clearly the dragon you take me for. And taken in consideration his plot of forming an army… for which he plants this, idea. This idea is feared by my kind. If he gets into one of our heads… it'd be wrong. Mustn't happen."
"What do you mean your kind? Are you different?" Ivor asks.
"You Primevels have two forms. One a normal Primevel, and one… mimicking how my kind looks. We on the other hand purely have one form. This very form. For you, you have to be summoned by this… Crystal-cave. Such that you traverse thine forms. We are born so, and don't possess any gem."
"How are there two kinds? Which look the same?" Fara asks. "Never saw any of those."
"Indeed. Even I do not have an answer. But take it this way… in the evolutionary lines of two beings… there just seems to be this common point. Similar powers and forms… but to an extent. Yet very different. We are called or known to be reptile-evolved, by the Primevels."
"You called us as Primevels," Sam says.
"There are… human-like beings. On different planets. Ruling over your planets as the higher species. That's what we call Primevels. All of them, collectively."
"And they have dragons too," I say, realising what he meant.
"And Primevels… the normal, un-dragon ones… they can't see you, can they?" Tar asks, looking into space, on Maison's legs.
"What do you mean? But…" I say and look at Ivor.
"Dad can literally see him," Sam says.
"Not me. I can't see this… dragon. Only hear him."
"Yes, dragons and only some other stronger beings can see my kind. Not the other Primevels, common Primevels as you."
"Mr. Villers is not a normal human. He's a dragon," Max concludes.
"What do you mean, Max? That is not true," Sam denies.
"He's right… I'm a dragon," Ivor says. "I was summoned by the crystal cave."
We just stare at him, but I avoid staring at him, after few moments of staring.
"Didn't know what it was called. But one day… I was there. In front of those rocks, in the dark cave. The big bully of my school… I ran. I ran the other way, as something tried to get closer. A rock. And it fell, I heard it. And I was outside after that."
"You were summoned as a kid?" Fara asks.
"Almost thirteen, yes. It actually is in the family. I told my Dad, and he said that he'd have warned me earlier, if not for my age. I wanted to warn you two too. Knowing one day, either of you or, worse, both of you have to go through it. I was late too. I tried but…"
"But you wished they were human like your wife," Maison says.
"Don't mention her!" Ivor hisses.
"I apologize," Maison says, bowing a little. "I… different, but understand; what it means to be a father."
Ivor sniffs. "You got a daughter?"
"A son, actually. Wanted him to keep around me but… wants to be a doctor, like the rest of our planet. The madness is real there, to heal wounds. But… not a suggestion, just my choice but… we ought to let them go. Sometimes."
Ivor nods in agreement.
"Besides," Rusty says. "It is just like a torch in the chest, having this gem."
"It was your choice, Mr. Ivor," Fara says. "To a kid… that must've been scary. It is quite uncommon. As usually everyone gets theirs… a couple years later."
"Guess I needed to hear that," Ivor nods. "Thank you… you too," Ivor says to Maison, and Maison bows his head again, ever so lightly. "But why have you come here?"
"A fellow friend of mine has kept an eye on you, and informed me of the secrecy of dragons being broken at this planet. When the two kids knew: it was fine, but then the humans got to know. Tarragon is fine. He is known to maintain the secrecy, even when he claims to hunt the dragons."
"I guess I must apologize for that? But, I also guess not," Tar says, the dragon glares at the unknown Tar, and bursts into laughter.
"You are just as good as my friend suggested. You do clearly deserve to be a purple, if you were a dragon."
"Purple? Is that good?"
"It's great, technically… Purples are mystical and only few have been seen. And are also the strongest of dragons, easily. Sadly we have very less knowledge of them."
"We had witnessed a purple once. Sadly she died. She even was double gemmed. 'Double-gemmed Siren', we called her. She got summoned twice and the second time she just died after her transformation into a purple," I say.
"It would be hard to control a power of that coloured gem. And that too when one has two."
"And you just theorized that he could be one, even after knowing that?" Fara asks.
"All we can do is that. All we dragons have are theories, exclusively. And Tarragon would make a fine one of us surely. Besides, you are one with theories, Prophet."
"He gets it, Parzival must've been here."
"Where is dad however?" Max asks.
"Well, with Esterine of course. He is investigating her and learning more of her organisation."
"Their… she said there are more and she isn't even the real leader," Fara adds.
"We'll stop them if they do come," I add.
"We can stop them ourselves. But we'll consider your help, thank you," Ivor says and looks at Mally. "She… is she a dragon too? At such an young age…"
"It is… hard to put in words," Maison hesitates.
"I'll speak, if it is okay, master. You don't have to… face such an awkward situation," Mally finally speaks, and Maison nods. "I'm known to be a Shrouder. In an alien language to you… it roughly translates to being 'incomplete'. We are dragons who cannot be seen by anyone, if we wish so. Nothing too unique, according to the… others."
"Some dragons think they are oh so unique. But, Mally here was the reason you may not have been able to see the ship, a while ago. Her powers are extended onto the ship. Through technology obviously, but isn't that marvellous. And I know it is too huge, just for the two of us," Maison giggles.
"Yet you've showed up on this massive ship, which can possibly transport hundreds of people together. Why?" Ivor asks, seemingly knowing already, that something was up.
"To transport hundreds. We want to take you dragons to our own separate planet, 'The Empire'."
***
"Oh…" Spythun says, deducing something, in between the story. "And that is how the dragons ended up here? At least the ones from Earth."
"Yes," Lithin says… laughing. Was this the same person I had seen…? "Bah-"
"-a bit of an incomplete story isn't it, King…" somebody says, making me jump. "Lithin."
This somebody had a dark-maroon cloth around their middle-body. A middle-aged man, who… looked like he could be a spy of sorts.
Am I the one here? I'm doubting everyone new I see… then again, I suppose it is normal for someone who lost their entire past.
Did I just say the word 'suppose', for the same reason as Spythun?
Say? Say to who?
"Well, I'd have continued. If not for a visitor… interrupting. Tyle… General Tyle," Lithin bops his head like a bow.
This person, General Tyle, bows lower than his shoulder-level, showing his respect to the King. Almost lower than his hip-level… was that normal? That was a bit hard for some to do.
"You are the visitor here, don't you think?" Tyle casually addresses Lithin, while loosening up… by a lot. "How was your… visit? To that PLACE of course, not here."
"Very good," Lithin rises and stands tall. "Very helpful for the very future."
Tyle smacks his lips. "Interesting. I mean, we dragons sure are far better than how we were back on Earth but… to think that you arrived back so soon… can I ask of you; what the errand was?"
"Not in front of the kids," Lithin says through his teeth.
This feels weird.
"Exactly why I'm here."
They just stare at each other for a good moment, and Tyle finally moves his cloak away, revealing a sword: which he slashes towards Lithin, and Lithin simply moves away.
Tyle was missing an arm. A white strap of sorts covers his.. cut arm.
As I and Tyle look towards where Lithin moves to, swiftly… he disappears.
Tyle vibrates in rage, as his eyes flame.
"Tyle, don't!" I hear an unfamiliar voice… and find the Queen of 'The Empire', standing right in front of Tyle. Agusth and Stree come running too. "You know it is pointless."
"Mom… what is going on?" Skyto asks.
Queen looks at Skyto, and then at Spythun. "Are you two okay? Are all of you okay?" We nod, looking at each other, still confused, as some guards protect us, and Tyle commands some to go find Lithin. "Shall we take the story to somewhere else?"
All of us… including Tyle, Agusth, Stree… all of us, go to the Queen's chamber. A royal and cosy place, designed in maroon and deep-blue colours.
"So, where did he story-tell until?" Queen asks.
"Oh, that's what matters?" Tyle asks. "He… he could have ruined everything. Again."
"Wise will be here, any time soon. Even Lithin knows that. It'll be okay."
"What makes you think that Wise can just… best Lithin? The three of us together couldn't."
"And of the three of us, Wise is someone Lithin would never harm."
"Mom…" Skyto says, drawing Queen's attention. "Who is 'Wise'?"
"Your father, Skyto… everything will be fine. Don't listen to what… what you must've heard until now would just be despise and HATE on humans. Humans are nothing like that. The story is wrong. He didn't tell you the complete story."
"You mean Dad?"
"That wasn't your Dad…" Queen says, and looks at Spythun. "And neither was Max… and Sam, it wasn't their story. Because you need to understand… a lot more PEOPLE wanted to change what was going to happen… but they only messed it further. And the sum total of it, was that man, Lithin. Son of the first Sam's reincarnation… Aster."