Chapter 11: Pride

This is the start of a small arc that I really love for the action, the character bits and because of the dragons.  This and the next chapter, while long, are relatively easy to revise, so it should be out hopefully before the end of February.  The final part of this arc is gonna be tougher, so that might take longer.  I'm sticking with this, at least until the halfway point.  That's my goal so far.  Because I have some amazing art work I had commissioned for the final villain.  And I wanna share it after he gets introduced.  My hope is that this arc, chapters 11-13, don't venture into the cliche, though I suppose that could be said of the whole story.  Anyway, I ramble too much.  Here's Chapter 11: Pride.

Chapter 11: Pride

            "Ugh..." Thedan groaned and rubbed the missing part of his left ear.

            "I take it you'd prefer water today over mead?" Mina said, dropping off a wooden cup of water in front of the sickly looking man.

            "Not...not so loud, please," Thedan grumbled, as the other red faced border guards around him let out similar groans.

            "I think I prefer you this way," Celine smirked, dropping off hot food and cold water to each of the guards.  Not one of them raised a hand to grope her as she passed by.

            "It's your own fault, you know.  Just because you get off a long patrol doesn't mean you need to drink yourself silly," Mina chided the gaunt man, who held his hand over his mouth.

            "What's the point of coming back at all if you don't have a little fun the night after?" Thedan managed a weak smile and laid his head down on the table.

            Mina rolled her eyes and hurried back into the kitchen once her platter of trays and cups was empty.  Kano was counting up silver and bronze coins, while dropping a few gamey looking bits of meat into a half empty pot of stew.  He nodded to Mina when she came in and stopped counting.  "Mina, watch the stew, will ya?  I have to go take care of some business."

            Nodding, Mina took down a foot stool and stood over the stewpot as Kano exited the kitchen.  Stirring the stew every few mintues, Mina added a hint of pepper and stole a quick sip of the broth.  Smacking her lips in delight, she set the ladle down next to the pot and peeked into the tavern.  Kano was sitting at a table in the center, apparently having a heated discussion.  Craning her head to see who was sitting opposite him, Mina caught a glimpse of violet hair and bronze skin.

            Her eyes widened and she swallowed hard when she recognized the voluptuous form of Kinana.  She was garbed in a more conservative dress and corset, however Mina saw that even while hung over, the border guards were leering at her.  Reaching in between her cleavage, Kinana took out a tiny satchel and handed it to Kano, who nodded at her before getting up.

            Scooting back over to the stew, Mina stole another sip as Kano entered the kitchen, emptied a sack of coins into his hand and began counting them out again.  "Ah, good," he murmured, "Mina," he ladled some stew into a bowl, "Take this out to Kinana.  She requested you specifically."

            "S-sure, uncle," Mina stammered, trying not to look into her uncle's rosy red cheeks.  She scooted past Celine, who was carrying several empty trays back to the kitchen and dropped the bowl in front of Kinana.

            "Hello, little Mina," The succubus smiled sweetly at her.  "Something wrong?  You seem jittery."

            "Ummm..." Mina stammered, glancing back at the kitchen before looking into Kinana's golden eyes.

            "You haven't had any...relapses...have you," Kinana stated rather than asked.

            "Wh-what were you doing with my uncle, Miss Kinana?" Mina growled.  "I thought you and Aeon, were-"

            "Oh, so you saw?" Kinana snickered.  "That was nothing.  I just owed him some money for my stay here.  Seems a shame to pay for an empty room, but such is the cost of visiting with you.  Besides, Aeon's footing the bill."

            Feeling her cheeks burning bright red, Mina glanced down at the table.  "Oh...Oh, I...ummm...h-how are your wings?" she stammered.

            "Very well, thank you," Kinana nodded to her, "They've healed completely."

            "But they were burned to a-"

            "You silly girl," Kinana laughed and ruffled Mina's hair.  "You were worried!"

            "Well, I..."

            "That's sweet of you, but Goetians can't die in this world.  We can feel pain, sure, but if we're near death, we get pulled back to Goetia to recuperate.  Something our lord devised when contracts between humans and Goetians started being made." Kinana put her hands behind her head and leaned back, "My wings were healed well before Aeon called on me for company last night."

            "Last night?" Mina repeated, "But...I thought Aeon had to visit with the Telnumbran Elder Council last night."

            "Oh, he did," Kinana leaned forward, resting her chin on her knuckles, "But those meetings are dreadfully dull and I imagine he rather wanted a bit of company," she tickled Mina under her chin and the girl stifled a giggle before batting Kinana's hand away.  "We talked about the aquillans.  Sadly, the council is full of stuffy old men, but some progress was made.  With some help from Aeon and Marina, the Drowned Maiden, they may yet be granted citizenship."

            "That's wonderful!" Mina exclaimed, drawing the eyes of a few of the tavern's patrons.  Covering her mouth with her hands, she lowered her voice and gave Kinana an embarrassed smile, "I hope they're accepted."

            "Whether or not they are," Kinana sighed, "Aeon had to pay a steep price...he always does."

            "What do you mean?"

            "Well, in exchange for the issue being opened, Aeon agreed to a dangerous mission to reestablish contact with an old member of the council who's been skipping meetings.  Later today, he'll have to visit Draconia and pay a visit to old scale face..."

            "Old scale...wait, Draconia?!  You mean the kingdom of dragons?!" Mina struggled to keep her voice at a whisper.

            "That's the one," Kinana nodded, "But, more pressingly," she leaned forward so that her nose was almost touching Mina's, "When are you gonna come clean with Aeon?"

            Mina's heart skipped a beat and she grew very pale.  "Y-you knew?" she croaked.

            "You're not a very good actor," Kinana sighed, "Besides, I could smell your curiosity.  The only thing more overpowering than your fear was your desire to know more about Aeon."

            For several minutes, Mina sat in silence.  Kinana finished the stew which had been set in front of her and before long, she could tell that Daryl and Celine were talking behind her.  Mina didn't even attempt to glance at her friends.  "I...I didn't mean...does he know?" she stuttered.

            "Who can say?" Kinana gave her a shrug and sighed, "But you should come clean with him.  Today, if possible."

            "I thought he was going to Draconia today."

            "He is.  However, not until later.  If you leave now you might still catch him."

            "Will...will you come with us?"

            "Should I?" Kinana murmured, "Do you need me to?"

            "No...no, I...I suppose this is my responsibility," Mina hung her head and got up from the table.

            Brushing past Celine and Daryl, Mina stuck her head into the kitchen and said, "Uncle, I'm going out for some air, alright?  I'll be back before dinner."

            "Sure, sure, just stay out of trouble," Kano called back.

            "Hey," Celine caught Mina's arm, "What was that all about?

            "I'm going to Acacia, Celi," Mina said.

            "Were you going to tell us at all?" Daryl snorted.  When Mina shot her a dirty glance, Daryl's expression softened.  "I-Is something wrong?"

            "I...I just need to talk with Aeon."

            "Then we're going with you," Celine said in a tone that brooked no arguments.

            "W-We are?" Daryl's face grew pale and her legs trembled slightly.

            "We are," Celine repeated.

            Mina glanced from Daryl's pasty, but concerned expression to the adamant look in Celine's eyes before giving them a single, curt nod.  "We should get going, then."

*

            Craning her head up to see as much as she could, Mina stood on a slightly raised platform with Yuka, Celine, and Daryl, her mouth hanging agape.  There were scaffoldings all around the interior of Yuka's tower, each holding a unique device, such as a barrel connected to a hose of animal skin, a miniature trebuchet small enough to be carried on a person's back, or what looked like a smokeless lantern.  The floor below the platform had strange tools strewn about everywhere and there was a forge in the back with all the accoutrements of a blacksmith.  And glowing with a gentle blue light at the top of the tower, was the giant crystalline flower Mina had seen on her first trip with Aeon.

            "Is the lich really at the top of this place?" Daryl almost had to yell due to the deafening sound of whirring gears and clanging metal that filled the tower.

            "Yeah.  Gettin ready for a trip, I wager.  If ya wanna see him, we better hurry," Yuka replied, flipping a switch on a console in front of her. 

            The raised platform began to rise off the ground and ascend towards the top of the tower.  Rails sprang up from holes around the edges of the platform to keep the girls from falling off, while a chain which ran through the center slowly pulled the platform up.

            "By the Goddess...this is amazing!" Mina exclaimed, looking over the edge of the platform as the ground grew smaller and smaller.  "What is this?!"

            "Uncle Merkel calls it the 'go-uppater.'  He...doesn have a way with names, ya might say," Yuka snickered.

            "So then, you devised the escalators?" Celine asked.

            Yuka shrugged.  "I named em is all.  Uncle designed em.  Wouldn so much as glance at my designs."

            The platform slowed as they reached the top.  However, even over the din of the gears and metal the four girls could hear someone shouting.

            "Why shouldn't I go with you?!  I am a human representative of the Goetians!  Another of the First Children!  Is it not fitting that I meet with the father of the Dragons?  Or, goddess forbid, that you show off your apprentice a little?!" Deminos's yells seemed to drown out the gears while across from him, standing in the center of the glowing blue glyph which decorated the floor of the platform, Aeon silently floated in the air.

            "Are you finished?" Aeon murmured, when Deminos paused to catch his breath.  The young man shot Aeon a dirty glare, but nodded and sullenly lowered his head.  "You and I both know the reason you wish to visit Draconia, Deminos.  My answer is still no.  You are not ready...not yet.  Continue with your training and someday you will be," Aeon said.

            "That'll be the day..." Deminos snorted.

            "Oi, what's goin on, Dem?" Yuka bellowed when the platform came to a stop.  "Gettin a mite restless, are ya?"

            "You should be glad," Daryl suppressed a shudder, "Dragons are akin to gods...they can be respected, certainly, but I never want to have to face one."

            "Well, that's the difference between you and me, princess," Deminos drew out the last word with a sneer.  "What about you two?"

            "Hehe, I admit, I'm curious," Celine said, rubbing her chin, "Though, not enough to risk going off half cocked."

            "My parents...well, they always wanted to visit Draconia.  I'd love to go, but..." Mina hesitated.

            "Bunch of spineless fools," Deminos grunted, plopping down on the ground.

            "Oi, ya doin this shit or wha?" Merkel spat from the console next to the glyph.  "Coordinates set fer Draconia.  Try not ta get eetin, eh, Aeon?"

            "I shall endeavor to avoid being devoured, Merkel," Aeon bowed his head to the neeg.

            "Wait!"  Mina yelled, running over to Aeon.  "I...um...I need to tell you something before you go."

            "Is this in regards to the relapse you had at the Bay of Bendak?" Aeon muttered.

            "I-It is," Mina sheepishly averted her eyes.

            "Are you well enough to wait?" Aeon said, "I am in a hurry and it is ill advised to keep the father of the dragons waiting."

            "Ummm...well...I'm fine, but...you see..." Mina stuttered.

            "Then this may wait until the morrow," Aeon cut her off, "Now please, step back."  Mina's shoulders drooped and she obediently retreated to the edge of the platform with the others. 

            "Aight!  Off ya go!" Merkel called, pulling down on one of the console's levers.

            The glyph beneath Aeon began to glow.  Above them, the crystalline flower opened up and the cerulean petals shimmered in the midday sun.  A beam of blue light shot up from the center of the glpyh, completely engulfing Aeon.  The light shot into the crystal flower, which redirected it into the distant sky, where it vanished from sight.  When the beam finally disappeared, Mina looked back to the platform to see that Aeon was gone.

            "That was...that was instantaneous!" Mina exclaimed.

            "Wonder what it feels like," Celine muttered, "Does it tingle, do you think?"

            "It's more like being torn apart bit by bit and then shoddily put back together," Deminos grumbled.

            "Yeah, not looking forward to having to experience that when I go off for formal training," Daryl sighed.

            "Show's over, kiddies," Merkel snapped, stepping onto a smaller platform next to the console that was attached to the crystal flower.  “Yuka, close tha flower an com down fer testing, understand?  This time ah think ah’ve got it!” Merkel muttered, fiddling with a control box on his own platform before dropping out of sight.

            "Dammit..." Yuka sighed, "Well...if I get stuck in a tree again, at least I know who to call," the neeg nudged Celine.

            "I'll be looking forward to seeing you hurtle through the air," Celine gave her a wry grin.

            "So, where to next?  Are we heading back to Gesthal?" Daryl mumbled.

            "Since we're here, maybe we could visit Miss Echidna," Mina said, reluctantly tearing her eyes away from the spot Aeon had been floating over.  "With Dakon gone, I bet she's lonely."

            "Sounds good.  You comin?" Celine nodded at Deminos.

            The scrawny looking teenager gave them a slow nod.  "I...need to speak to Yuka.  Alone.  Why don't you three go ahead.  I'll catch up."

            "Ya just need ta flip the switch on the console ta blue ta go down," Yuka yelled.

            "Okay," Daryl called back.  She stepped in front of the console with Mina and Celine following behind her.  "So, just flip the switch," she mumbled, flipping a switch that was placed near a red marker down to a blue marker.  The platform began to descend and after a minute, the three girls could no longer see Deminos or Yuka on the platform above them.

            "Hey..." Mina murmured, "Do you think Deminos and Yuka are..."

            "Hehe, hard for me to imagine," Celine snorted.  "He's so damn immature and she's..." with a sigh, she lowered her eyes, "Yuka's a better woman than me...that's for sure."

            "Of course they're not," Daryl muttered, "He's way too stuck up.  I mean, he's getting all this training and attention, but all he does is whine.  Why, if I-"

            "GRAGH!" Daryl stopped mid sentence as a cry reached their ears over the tower's din.

            "What was that?!" Daryl exclaimed.

            "It came from above us!" Celine said, cupping her hands to her ears.

            "Daryl, take us back!  Yuka and Deminos might be in trouble!" Mina said.

            "But we...what can we do?!  We should go get help or-"

            "Oh for the love of-out of my way!" Celine pulled Daryl away from the controls and flipped the switch around.  Slowly, the platform began to rise.  Daryl moved behind Celine and Mina as the platform where they had left Yuka and Deminos came into view.

            Yuka was face down on the ground.  A crimson cloak had been folded under her head as a pillow.  Deminos, garbed in an orange tunic and matching pants, stood in the center of the blue glyph with his back to them, tapping his foot impatiently.

            "Yuka!" Mina cupped her hands over her mouth to keep from crying out.

            Celine pointed towards herself and Deminos, then motioned for Mina and Daryl to go to Yuka.  Treading softly, Celine managed to get behind Deminos.  The conjurer casually glanced over his shoulder and his eyes widened when he saw Celine.  He spun around and raised his hand in her direction but Celine pounced on the scrawny teen and twisted both of his arms behind his back before forcing him to the floor.

            "You bastard..." Celine hissed at Deminos, whose eyes widened further when he saw Mina and Daryl.  "She was your friend!  Just what were you-"

            "You have to get off me and get away from here!" Deminos screamed, struggling against Celine's superior strength.  "Yuka's fine!  Just leave!  Hurry!"

            "Is she..." Daryl stammered, lifting Yuka's head up slightly.

            "She's got a pulse," Mina breathed a sigh of relief after feeling her wrist.  "I think she's just unconscious."

            Laying Yuka back down on the bundle of cloth, Daryl stormed over to Deminos and stared daggers at him.  "She cared about you, even with all your whining and sulking.  And you...you..."

            "Why'd you attack her?" Mina said, putting a hand on Daryl's shoulder.  "Yuka said you were a good guy so-" she added in a conciliatory tone.

            "PLEASE, JUST GET OFF THE DAMN PLATFORM!!!" Deminos shrieked.  No sooner had he finished speaking than the glyph underneath them began to glow.

            "Ugh, what..." Yuka groaned, holding a hand to her head and slowly stumbling to her feet.  "Dem?!" Yuka exclaimed when she saw Deminos pinned by the three girls.  "What are-" she stopped when she glanced over at the console connected to the crystal flower.  "No!  Get away from-"

            Yuka's words were drowned out by a tunnel of cerulean light that formed around Deminos and the three girls.  "What's happening?!" Celine cried.  Glancing down at Deminos, she saw him being pulled apart bit by bit and shot through the tunnel.

            "This is-" Daryl stammered, watching her hands being undone at the seams.

"Teleportation," Mina mumbled, scrunching her eyes shut as a feeling of nausea washed over her. 

The wave of nausea that had built up in her stomach vanished almost immediately and Mina opened her eyes to see that they were standing on a rocky plateau that jutted out from a mountain so tall that its peak disappeared into the clouds.  All around them were desolate, crags, devoid of almost any life.  Behind the four of them was a several hundred foot sheer drop into a valley ringed with mountains almost as tall as the one they were on, while in front of them was a rough, weather worn mountain path.  Through occasional holes in the clouds, the girls saw that the sun was high in the sky, but thanks to the copious clouds overhead, it was blocked out most of the time, bathing the mountain in a mix of light and shadow.

Holding her stomach with one hand and keeping the other clamped over her mouth, Daryl staggered to her feet and grunted, "Ugh...what...happened?"

"W-we were pulled apart!"  Celine panted, frantically feeling the back of her ears before letting out a grateful sigh.  "What in the goddess's name was that?!"

"I can explain everything," Deminos panted from underneath Celine, who still had his arms twisted behind his back, "But first, would you please GET OFF ME!!!"

Narrowing her eyes, Celine got off of Deminos, but didn't release his arms.  Instead, she jerked him up by his hands and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, squeezing his back into her chest.  "Start talking!"

"How about releasing me first?" Deminos snarled, "Or do you always grind your breasts against men you hate?"

Celine's eyes widened and she blushed, loosening her hold on Deminos.  The scrawny teen slipped out of her grip and scrambled onto a rock.  Holding out one of his hands, he created a small fireball in his palm and menaced it at the three girls.

"Stay back!  You hear?!" Deminos panted.

Daryl and Celine glared daggers at the young man, but Mina's gaze was fixed on the flames.  She swallowed hard and stepped forward.

"I said stay back!"

"Why did you attack Yuka?" Mina asked.  She tried not to appear intimidated, even though the fireball was only a few inches from her face.  "Aren't you her friend?"

Deminos looked from the cold, angry faces of Daryl and Celine to Mina's concerned expression before closing his hands around the fireball and sitting on his haunches.  "I...I wasn't trying to hurt her.  I just needed a few minutes to turn on the teleportation relay.  I was gonna apologize later and let her take her revenge on me," he said, wincing at the thought.  "Honest!"

"Well, that'll be sooner rather than later, I expect," Daryl spat, "Take us back."

"I...can't," Deminos lowered his eyes.  "Why in the Goetian hells did you think I was telling you to get off the platform?!  I was trying to keep you three out of this!"

"Out of what?" Celine said with a voice of total authority, "Where are we?"

Rubbing his bandaged right arm, Deminos sighed.  "Draconia."

            "D-D-Draco-" Daryl whimpered before a giant shadow fell over them.  Deminos and the three girls looked up to see a monstrous silhouette in the clouds, bearing a long tail that was arrow shaped at the end, six massive wings, and a long neck which ended in an elongated head.

            Celine quickly clamped a hand over Daryl's mouth as she screamed, which came out as more of a whimper.  Mina glanced from her to Deminos, who were both as wide eyed as she was, but decided to remain silent.  The shadow soon passed over them and disappeared over one of the adjoining mountains.

            "That was a Dragon..." Mina whispered, after the shadow had been gone for a few minutes.

            "Y-yeah," Deminos muttered, "Though, that was one of the old ones...up close it'd look like a small mountain unto itself.  I hear the younger ones are smaller."

            "Oh goddess..." Daryl whimpered, falling to her knees and hugging herself.  "The Dragons...the Dragons are children of the goddess...we...we shouldn't be here!"

            "That's why I told you to move, idiot!" Deminos snapped, burying his head in his hands.  "I...I didn't want anyone else to get involved."

            "Back up," Celine said, taking a seat on a flat rock.  She took a few deep breaths before continuing.  "Okay...you said you couldn't get us back to Acacia.  Why?"

            "I simply don't have the skill," Deminos replied, gripping his bandaged arm tightly.  "There are an immense number of variables involved in teleportation spells, not to mention it requires a lot of Leyline and Void energy.  The only place I can get to for certain, and in one piece, is Acacia.  And only on my own.  I...I can’t even begin to calculate all the variables involved in bringing back four people over such a great distance.  Shit...I couldn't even manage one a time,” he sighed, beating his bandaged fist against the rock.  His fist cracked the rock and left an imprint.

            "What about that machine?" Mina said, taking a seat next to Deminos.  "I saw Aeon use it to bring me, him, and miss Kinana back from the Bay of Bendak."

            "The relay handles all the variables, provided it already has the location's coordinates input," Deminos nodded, "But you need to use magic as a signal in order to get it to recall you.  And I don't know how yet."

            "How long would it take for your Goetians to carry us from Draconia to Gesthal," Celine muttered, glancing over at Deminos from behind steepled fingers.

            "A week...if we're lucky," Deminos sighed.  "Charybdis is pretty fast, but can't go longer than a day or two without running out of energy.  He'd take us half way and we'd have to walk the other half."

            "Well, that's out," Mina sighed, "We're supposed to be back by supper time."

            "C-could you go back maybe?" Daryl whimpered and wiped at tears which were appearing in her eyes.  "Maybe...explain things to Yuka or Gadius...they can bring us back."

            Lowering his eyes, Deminos nodded.  "Yeah...Gadius or Vincent could work the relay," he said darkly, "But once I tell them...it's over for me."

            "What do you mean?" Mina mumbled.

            "What do you think?!" Deminos spat, a tear flickering in his eye.  "Once they find out what happened I'll be cast out, just like I was with the academy!  Aeon's had apprentices before me and Yuka says he can forgive a lot, but...putting innocent people's lives at risk for his own..." Deminos glared at his bandaged hand as if he wished to set fire to it, "Selfish needs?!  No...that'll be the kiss of death for me."

            The three girls watched Deminos in silence.  The scrawny brown haired boy's chest heaved to and fro with each breath, but the vigor that had filled his yells earlier slowly drained away.

            "Well, there's another option," Celine said darkly.

            "Eh?"

            "You could leave us.  Head back to Acacia and tell Yuka there'd been an accident and we're all dead.  She cares about you so I'm sure she'll cover for you," Celine narrowed her eyes.

            "Do you hear yourself, Celine?!" Daryl exclaimed.  Both her eyes and Mina's darted to Deminos who was staring at Celine incredulously.  "Y-you're encouraging him to leave us?!"

            "Just saying he could," Celine shrugged, turning her eyes on Deminos, "If he wanted to."

            Staring at Celine in wide eyed astonishment, Deminos gritted his teeth and began to tremble uncontrollably.  Grabbing the tan skinned girl's dress, Deminos pulled her to her feet before punching her squarely in the jaw.  Panting furiously, Deminos screamed, "Don't you dare act like I'd do that!  You don't know me!" he yelled, terror and anger freely intermingling in his face.  Dropping to his knees, a few tears trickled down Deminos's cheeks.  "I'm not like them!  I...I don't just abandon people because it's convenient!"

            Feeling her jaw, Celine wiped away a small trickle of blood.  "Good boy," She patted Deminos on the head.  The conjurer looked up at her and scowled, furiously wiping at his tear streaked face.  "Is there any other way?" Celine added, extending her hand and pulling Deminos to his feet.

            "No.  I'll...I'll just have to face the music," Deminos sighed, slumping down on a rock.  "There's no other-"

            "Ummm...I have an idea that might work," Mina said, raising her hand like a child during her lessons.  "What if we go back with Aeon?"

            Deminos, Celine, and Daryl stared at Mina for a moment before Deminos spat on the ground and said, "That'd be like an aurox asking a butcher very kindly not to kill it.  Once Aeon sees us here, he'll know I-"

            "Not if we tell him it was an accident," Celine said, grinning wickedly as she slapped Deminos on the back.  "Which it kinda was.  Yuka'll back you up on this.  That's the reason why we haven't had any company, even though a good ten minutes have passed since we got here.  She doesn't want you kicked out."

            "It won't work!" Deminos snarled, "Aeon can see through lies!  He-"

            "Maybe if we tell him the truth then?" Daryl squeaked, glancing over at Mina.  "That is why we came here, right?  So you could come clean with Aeon?"

            Mina's mouth dropped open.  "Y-you knew?"

            "Tccch, c'mon, Mina...you're not very hard to read," Celine snorted.  "We'll say the relay went off because of us and you protected us while we were looking for him."

            Glancing around at the three girls, Deminos's mouth dropped open.  "You...you three are crazy!"

            "It's a condition Mina has," Daryl sighed and got to her feet, "Quite contagious, apparently."

            "Hey, you're the one who suggested I come clean to Aeon," Mina said, a slight smirk playing at her lips.

            "C'mon.  If we wanna catch up with Aeon, we better get moving," Celine said, leading the way up the mountain.

            "Wait!" Deminos called, running over to them.  "I...I know a better way...i-if it's alright," he averted his eyes and blushed.  "Just hold on a second."

            Holding out his hands, Deminos curled and uncurled his fingers.  Several spheres of swirling black and silver lights appeared in Deminos’s palm before meshing into one large sphere.  He tossed the sphere onto the path in front of them.  A large silver pentagram with a crescent moon symbol in the center, held within a circle of light, formed in front of Deminos and two dozen Goetians slowly climbed out.

            "I remember them!" Mina exclaimed, looking over at creatures covered in snow white fur who walked like men but had cloven feet, long faces, and curved horns coming out of the backs of their heads.

            "They're my allies.  A clan of Goetians known as the moon satyrs," Deminos said as the satyrs knelt in front of Deminos and bleated.  “Ummm...hey, guys.  We’ve, ah…got a bit of a situation here.  I know Draconia makes you a little uncomfortable, but would you mind at least taking us as far as the entrance to the Dragons' territory?” Deminos nervously laughed, scratching the back of his head.

The Goetians let out a dejected bleat before climbing back into the pentagram and pulling out a large palanquin with a domed ceiling and fur lined curtains.  Twenty of the satyrs lifted the litter off the ground while the other four helped Deminos and the girls into it.

When Mina stepped in, she noticed a brazier full of warm coals in the center of the palanquin, surrounded by dozens of plush cushions to recline on.

“Swanky,” Celine muttered, taking a seat next to Mina on some plush cushions.  “This is…uh…a nice place," she offered Deminos a conciliatory smile.

"Thanks.  And...umm...sorry about hitting you before," Deminos lowered his eyes.

"Don't be," Daryl sighed, "That's how the vagabond makes friends.  Just watch out for when she returns the favor."

Glancing over at Celine, who was flashing him a big, toothy smile, Deminos chose to sit next to Mina on the side opposite the tan skinned girl.

“I admit that I’m impressed,” Daryl murmured, taking a seat next to the brown haired teen.  "But I have to wonder why you pursued this fool's errand in the first place.  What's here that you could want?"

"Are you kidding?!" Deminos cocked an eye at Daryl.  "This place is a treasure trove!  Dragon scales, Dragon teeth, Dragon egg shells, even Dragon dung is incredibly valuable!  For armor, for alchemy, for collectors...they're literally pieces of a bygone age!"

            "Fair enough," Celine nodded, "But why are YOU here?  Money doesn't seem to be an issue for Aeon."

            "I...er...need Dragon scales for a conjuration ritual," Deminos said, scratching underneath the bandages of his right arm.

            "Ahhhhh," Daryl nodded her head, "Now it all makes sense."

            "Actually, no...no it doesn't," Mina sighed.  "What are you two talking about?"

Wrinkling her nose, Daryl cleared her throat and said, "Conjuration magic is something all priests must learn...and I assume it's quite popular in Telnumbra too, right?" she glanced over at Deminos who gave her a curt nod.  "Well, priests can conjur Metronians by contacting one of them and working out a contract.  Then, all a priest has to do is put pressure on the boundaries between our world and Metron, while the Metronian uses their power to do the same.  This creates an imbalance in the boundary between worlds and a small tear in space forms which acts as a doorway for the Metronians to pass through.  The tear then fuses with them, allowing the Metronians to reopen it on their own when they need to return.  Once they return to their world the imbalance disappears and the tear closes itself."

"Okay..." Celine scratched her head, looking completely nonplussed, "How does it work outside of a textbook though?"

"Well...uh..." Daryl's confidence evaporated and her voice trailed off into nothing.

"Reading's a mite different than doing, huh?" Deminos snickered.

"I suppose so," Daryl sighed.  " My books talked about creating a physical manifestation of the tear, but it’s hard for me to picture.”

            “I hear you.  Back when I was at the Goetia academy, just reading about it made my head spin,” Deminos added, holding out his left hand and spreading his fingers wide apart.  “In essence, those spheres you saw me holding earlier are what the tears are supposed to look like.  You create a tear by using Void energy to pinch the boundaries between worlds and offering some of your Leyline energy to facilitate the passing."

“That still doesn’t explain why you need the scales,” Mina said, wrapping her arms around her legs and listening intently.

"Well, you see, conjuration isn't as simple as just calling out a Goetian's name and summoning it," Deminos explained, "It takes a lot of preparation.  For example, did you know that all conjurers learn special runes unique to Goetia or Metron which take into account the creature you're looking for, location, power, energy requirements, etc.?  And that these are needed to form those mystic circles you see conjurers use?  If you look close around the edge of the circle and the emblems within them, you'll see hundreds if not thousands of tiny runes for just this purpose."

"Ugh, sounds like more trouble than it's worth," Celine grunted.

"It can be, at first," Deminos said, "But once you know the rune placement and power requirements, it's pretty easy to replicate a tear on feel alone," the conjurer rubbed his arm and added, "But that's just for calling a Goetian.  Making them answer is a whole nother story.  All Goetians and Metronians have official titles that they must be addressed by in order to get their attention, which requires knowing an incantation.  They also have numerous other requirements in order to seal a contract with them."

"A contract?" Mina tilted her head to the side.

“Yes.  You see, once a Goetian or Metronian has been summoned, you have to work out a contract with them,” Deminos glanced down at his bandaged arm and flexed his fingers, “And there are all kinds of contracts.  The moon satyrs, for example, are bound Goetians.  When I summoned them, they gave me a test.  By passing it, I proved my worth and they swore allegiance to me.  After the initial contract, bound Goetians don’t need an incantation to summon because they’re linked to the conjurer,” Deminos smiled to himself.  “It makes my life easier since I have friends I can call on whenever I need them.”

Apparently the satyrs carrying them heard him, since a few of them stuck their heads into the palanquin and bleated at Deminos, their long faces forming what Mina assumed were smirks.

“When we get back, I promise I’ll treat you all to a feast.  It’s the least I can do,” Deminos chuckled.  The satyrs nodded and shared what sounded to Mina like a laugh before retracting their heads and leaving the four of them alone again.

"Fascinating..." Daryl murmured, "It sounds remarkably similar to teleportation magic."

"It can be, sure," Deminos shrugged, "I mean, they both involve warping space to put two far off places right next to each other.  But conjuration is less risky.  You just open the way for someone else as opposed to risking your own body getting lost along the way in a bad teleport.  That's why teleportation magic isn't as widely practiced.  Save for a few permanent teleport gates put together by some remarkably talented wizards, it's just too dangerous for anyone besides the very bold or the very skilled."

The three girls exchanged a sickly look but shook their heads and tried not to think about how they had arrived on Draconia.  “So...you basically twirl your hand, create the tear, and call Goetians through?” Celine murmured, trying to fill the silence.

“That’s a pretty big oversimplification, but basically correct,” Deminos replied.  “Course, there are different levels of conjuration.  My satyrs are reliable and about as tough as any human soldier, but pretty low level compared to the Goetian nobles.  Those Goetians have power that can level whole cities.  However, they require more energy to summon and often exact a heavy toll for being disturbed."

"Oh, so that's what the scales are for!" Mina nodded.

The palanquin began to rock and shake, unseating Deminos and the three girls.  "Ugh...what was that?" Daryl groaned, rubbing her side.

“Hey, guys!  What’s the problem?”  Deminos howled, sticking his head through the curtains surrounding them.  A few bleats came from outside before Deminos pulled his head back in.  "The path's getting rougher.  That means we've almost entered the Dragons' territory."

"Well, we're not exactly being subtle," Celine sighed, returning to her seat.  "Hopefully they'll just ignore us."

"Yeah..." Deminos nodded.

"Umm...Deminos?" Mina mumbled.

"Yeah, what is it?"

"Ummm...do you mind if I ask what kind of Goetian you're trying to win over?" Mina stammered.  "You want a noble on your side, right?"

For a few seconds, Deminos gave Mina a far off stare and lowered his eyes.  Exhaling softly, he shook his head and murmured, "Contracts with Goetians and Metronians can be pretty fluid.  You can offer some Goetians love or affection or friendship and that's enough.  Sometimes you can even allow them to come and go as they please.  However, the Goetian nobles are proud.  They won't be bought off by mere scales.  They want body, soul, allegiance...things of a more permanent variety.  And if you can't offer that to them, they'll take it by force in exchange for their services."

Save for the soft heaving of the satyrs outside, silence overtook the palanquin.  The girls stared at Deminos, wide eyed until Celine exclaimed, “People offer their bodies and souls?!  Y-You’d have to be a complete moron to want to make such a deal!”

"Celi's right!" Mina said, grasping Deminos's bandaged hand, much to the teen's surprise, "I saw a Goetian eat someone in the Bay of Bendak when he couldn't offer a tribute!  Tell me you're not going to-"

"Of course not!" Deminos snorted, pulling free of Mina.  "I'm not that stupid..."

 "Then why?" Daryl mumbled, slowly edging away from Deminos.

"Well, you see-" Deminos started to say, but the sound of frantic bleating from outside cut him off.  The palanquin began to rock violently before falling to the ground, knocking Deminos and the girls out of their seats.

“What’s going on out there?!” Celine exclaimed, thrusting the curtains aside.

“Celine, wait!" Deminos yelled as the tan skinned girl jumped out of the overturned palanquin.  Clawing after her, Deminos disappeared through the fur curtains.

"Hey, wait for us!" Mina called, helping Daryl to her feet. "Come on, we better see what's out there." Swallowing hard, Daryl nodded and together they climbed out of the palanquin.

In front of them, all the satyrs were on the ground, staring up at a huge shadow that had fallen over them.  Celine and Deminos were standing in the middle of the shadow, but just barely.  Their mouths both hung agape and they were trembling.

"D-Don't look-" Celine started to say, but before she could, Mina and Daryl turned their gaze skyward.

Their eyes widened at the sight of a creature almost as big as the entirety of Gesthal, covered in shimmering purple scales.  The beast had a long neck and a head as big as Kano's inn.  A set of the sharpest teeth Mina had ever seen poked out of the creature's elongated snout and it gazed at her and Daryl with four glowing golden eyes.  A pair of horns curved out of the back of its head, longer than any lance or spear.

"Humans..." it breathed a single word of exhausted resignation as its head jerked around to examine each of them.  "Of course.  Only humans would be so foolish.  And a conjurer among them."

Raising its neck, Mina and the others got a glimpse of the body.  It was supported by four sinewy legs, each bigger than the trunk of a full grown tree.  Four leathery wings were folded against its back, while a long tail with spikes running down it which ended in an arrow shaped protrusion absentmindedly flicked back and forth, occasionally carving gashes in the rocky ground.  What sun that filtered through the clouds reflected off the beast's scales, giving off an ethereal light.

"Woah..." Mina managed, stumbling down from the palanquin and sitting on the ground, staring up at the creature.

"D-D-Dragon!" Daryl wailed.

Celine approached it slowly and reached out her hand to touch the Dragon's leg, but it pulled away.  "You...you're different from anything I've ever seen before."

The Dragon revealed a toothy grin and chuckled.  "No doubt.  And you," he sniffed at Celine, "Do not smell like an average human.  Curious..." he sniffed Deminos as well as Daryl and Mina.  "My nose seems to deceive me.  Of you lot I can only smell two...no...three humans.  Most interesting."

The three girls turned to Deminos who clasped his bandaged arm and swallowed hard.  "G-greetings, great one!" the teenage conjurer stammered.  "W-we...umm...we mean you no harm."

The dragon tilted its head back and let out a raucous laugh.  "Hahaha, yes, little man, I can see that," it chortled.  "You don't seem like poachers or foolhardy templar.  I cannot imagine why children are here, but...hmmm..." the dragon lifted a claw and began to preen itself.  "I imagine now would be a good time to explain yourselves.  Why were you sneaking onto the most sacred peak in Draconia?"

“We-we’re…ummm...” Deminos stammered for a moment.

Stumbling to her feet, Mina called out, “We’re looking for a lich named Aeon!” Taking Celine's hand, she desperately tried to stop her body from shaking.  “He came through here not too long ago.  Have you seen him?”

“Aeon?  Hmm…interesting..." the dragon mused aloud.  “What relation are you to the Frozen Shade?”

“I’m his head conjurer!” Deminos called, standing tall and trying to appear imposing in front of the dragon.  “These are my assistants.”

“Have you any proof of this?” the dragon narrowed all four eyes at Deminos.

"L-Look," Daryl frantically pointed to the Goetians on the ground, who dared not move while the dragon had its eyes fixed on them, "H-He's clearly a conjurer and we know about Aeon's visit.  Isn't that proof enough?!"

"Hmmm..." The dragon scratched the underside of its mouth.

"Look, I know we don’t look like much, but we’re still new to this gig,” Celine said, looking the Dragon straight in the eyes without wavering.  “We don’t want to offend or trespass, but we have to find Aeon.  Something has happened on Acacia that needs his attention.  Can you please cut us a break and let us pass?”

The Dragon laid itself down on the ground so that its eyes were almost level with the Mina and the others.  Surveying them for a moment, it exhaled with enough force to almost knock everyone to the ground.  "If you obey our laws, you may pass," it said at last.  Holding up a single talon, the Dragon said, "You must not take or meddle with anything beyond this point."  Raising a second talon, the Dragon continued, "You may not bring nor may you summon any Goetians."  The Dragon stood up and held out a third talon.  "Finally, you must not raise a hand to any Dragons.  Do not speak with them.  Do not touch them.  Do not fight them.  If you disobey these laws, we will fall upon you in an instant and crush you."  Spreading its wings, the Dragon began to flap them with enough force that Mina and the others wisely chose to cling to the ground for fear of being swept away.  "Good luck," it murmured before leaping into the air and disappearing into the sky.

"Well...I think that went well," Celine let out a sigh of relief once the wind had died down.

"If by well you mean the whole mountain knows we're here...then yes, vagabond," Daryl sneered, glaring daggers at Celine.  "It went well."

"So long as we keep to ourselves, things'll be okay," Mina said, getting to her feet and brushing off her dress.  "This will probably be less dangerous than the Bay or the forest.  We just don't bother them and they won't bother us."

"So much for my plans..." Deminos sighed.  Turning to his satyrs, he added, "Sorry guys, but this is where we part ways.  Not like you wanted to go traipsing into Dragon territory, right?" he let out a weak laugh and a few of the satyrs bleated in response.  "Say hey to Lune for me, alright?"  The Goetians crossed their arms in a salute and slowly sank into the ground, a silver pentagram held within a circle of light appearing at their feet.  The palanquin sank moments later, leaving Deminos and the three girls seemingly alone on the mountain.

"C'mon.  We should get going," Celine said, climbing to her feet and leading the way in front of them with Mina and Daryl following close behind.  "If we just keep heading up we're bound to run into Aeon, right?"

"I think so," Deminos said, taking up the rear.  "He said he was going to visit the father of the dragons and he lives at the peak of this mountain.  That's why the relay dropped us off here."

"Then let's go!" Mina called, clambering after Celine, who managed to navigate the rocky pathway with relative ease.

As they traveled the path gradually became worse and the four of them had to slow their pace to accommodate for the almost nonexistent trail.  However, while the trail was in poor disrepair, all around them, Mina and the others saw large caves with ornate gateways, cobbled floors, and an occasional door.  As they passed the caves, they could see eyes peering out at them and tongues occasionally flicking in and out of the caves.  Once in a while there would be a roar or a scream from above them and one cave even spouted fire, but while the eyes followed them everywhere, none of the Dragons appeared before them.

While Daryl cringed behind Celine each time a new set of eyes glared at them, Celine murmured, “Kind of eerie, isn’t it?  Think they’ll keep their word and let us pass?”

“Dragons aren’t naturally aggressive,” Deminos wiped sweat from his brow and held his side.  “But they are powerful and don’t really trust any of the races, though they’re especially wary of humans and therians.  If we got this far without one raising the alarm though, we should be fine.”

Looking down from the mountain, Mina saw the land stretched out before them in a beautiful vista.  She didn’t recognize any of the landmarks or the solitary village at the edge of the horizon, but she was unable to stifle a small gasp.  “Wow…it’s breathtaking.”

“It’s alright,” Deminos panted.  “I’ve seen better from Acacia.”

“A mountain full of dragons and all you can think about is the scenery?!” Daryl groused.

“To be fair, it is pretty damn impressive,” Celine smirked.  “I mean, look up.  From here it looks like the peak pierces the sun.”

“Hehe…I wonder what Dakon would say if he knew I was here.  He’d probably scold me, like the others,” Deminos let out a dry chuckle before tripping and letting out a small yelp.

“Deminos?” Mina looked back at the brunette conjurer, doubled over on the rocky ground, holding his foot.  “Hey!  Are you alright?”

“Ugh, just tripped on some…thing?” Deminos glanced down at what was next to his foot.

"Well get up and let's go," Celine called from ahead of them.  "We need to move if we're going to catch Aeon."

Leaning over what looked like a sharp rock, Deminos brushed his hands over it and stood up.  "Right.  Let's go," he said, a smirk playing at his lips.

Underneath them, the mountain rumbled slightly, sending a shower of pebbles down the rocky slopes.  "What was that?" Daryl stammered, glancing around at the caves surrounding them.

"Just a tremor," Mina mumbled, "Though it felt a little different from the ones I've been through with my parents."

"Different how...?" Daryl glared at her.

"I dunno," Mina shrugged, "More...deliberate, I guess?"

"Chat later, walk now," Celine barked, setting a quicker pace that Mina, Daryl, and Deminos struggled to keep up with.

Soon, several much larger caves came into view.  They were decorated similarly to the ones they had seen further down the mountain, but the openings were far wider.  The Dragons who inhabited these caves would occasionally stick their scaly head out to watch the four travelers climb past but made no move to intervene.  Though the Dragons who watched them were easily two to four times as big as an aurox, they were much smaller than the Dragon who had spoken with them further down the mountain.

  Wiping sweat from their brows, Mina and Daryl took a seat on some relatively level ground.  “Celi, I think we need a quick break," Mina panted.

“Yeah, okay,” Celine reclined on her a rock of her own and let out a long sigh.  “This is a hard climb.  I’m surprised Deminos has managed to keep up.”

Looking behind them, Mina saw that Deminos was nowhere to be found.  “Hey, where is Deminos, anyway?  Did we leave him behind?”

“R-right…here!” Deminos wheezed, stumbling through the rocky soil behind them before finally collapsing on the ground.

“You okay?” Mina grabbed his arm and helped Deminos up.  “We were afraid we lost you back there.”

"Hehe, sorry," Deminos snickered, a satisfied smile illuminating his face.  "But don't feel bad.  I'm used to it.  I was always the runt of my family.  Truth be told, when I was scouted by the academy, I think they were glad to be rid of me."

"That's terrible!" Mina exclaimed, horrified.  "How could they?!"

"Like I said, I'm used to being left behind," Deminos shrugged, "I'm just glad this wasn't one of those times."

"Let's get one thing straight," Celine muttered, springing to her feet.  "Mina doesn't leave people behind.  None of us do.  So don't assume otherwise.  Got it?"

Smirking, Deminos stood on his tip toes and patted Celine's curly blond head.  "Good girl," he suppressed a chuckle.

Celine glared daggers at him while blushing slightly.  Folding her arms across her chest, she took a seat next to Daryl and scowled at her, daring her to say anything.

"We're taking a rest.  Join us," Mina said, taking a seat next to Celine and patting the edge of the rock next to her.

Something caught Deminos's eye and he looked over at a cave that was separate from the others, with no ornate gates or designs on the inside.  "You lot wait here," he said, furrowing his brow.  "There's...something I need to check on."

Mina and the other girls watched Deminos approach the cave.  He squatted down in front of it for a moment before getting back to his feet.  "Don't look," Celine whispered, twisting Mina and Daryl's faces aside.  "He's turned back towards us."

"Ewwww is he-?" Daryl squealed and wrinkled her nose.

"No, he's not relieving himself," Celine murmured.  "Something's up."

Out of the corner of her eye, Mina saw Deminos slip into the large, ordinary looking cave.  "What if he gets into trouble?" she mumbled, feeling her heartbeat quicken, "We should follow him!"

"You're right about that," Celine said, getting to her feet.  "I just hope that if there's any trouble to be found, he's not the cause of it."

Slowly, the three girls crept towards the cave.  With Celine in the lead, they slid through the darkness, which was warm and smelt of sulfur.  They froze when they heard Deminos exclaim, "With this, I can finally be free!"

Turning the bend, they saw the exit to the cave they were in.  Outside, Deminos was holding something in his hand with another cave to his back.

Narrowing her eyes, Celine darted outside.  "Celi, wait!" Mina hissed.  Before she or Daryl could stop her, Celine had come up on Deminos from behind and wrapped an arm around his neck.

"Ack!  Celine, what are you-" Deminos managed to choke out.

"You little moron!" Celine growled as Mina and Daryl raced over to them.  Releasing Deminos, Celine lifted his orange tunic, revealing his scrawny chest and allowing three large scales, as well as a rainbow colored shell to fall to the ground.  The scales were black, green, and red, but glittered with the same ethereal light as those they had seen on the purple Dragon.  They looked more valuable than the finest cut gems and the shell, while broken, appeared to change colors from moment to moment.

"What is all this?" Mina whispered, lifting up the scales.

"You saw them lying on the ground and just had to pinch them, didn't you?" Celine snarled, shoving Deminos to the ground.

"Dragons molt their scales as they grow larger!  They won't miss a few!  Besides, they were abandoned!" Deminos exclaimed, snatching up the scales and shell fragment from Mina.  "I even found a piece of a Dragon egg!"

"Bravo.  That's quite a find," a somber, but booming voice echoed behind Deminos.  The conjurer turned and saw four green eyes stare out of the cave behind him. 

Falling to his knees, Deminos tried to crawl away, however, a large black claw with talons as long as short swords reached out of the cave, ready to clamp down on Deminos.  Celine and Mina grabbed his arms and pulled the conjurer aside.  The talons ripped the back of his orange tunic, but left Deminos relatively unscathed.  Another claw shot out of the cave, latching onto the rocky mountain wall.  Mina and the others watched, wide eyed, as little by little, a black Dragon as large as Devan's barn and twice as long pulled itself out of the cave.

“It would seem Cerus was wrong about you,” the Dragon rumbled.  After scratching its curved horns with its front claw, the creature looked down at Deminos.  “A word of advice, in case you survive this incident, thief,” the Dragon smirked, clawing off a single black scale, which fell to the ground in front of Deminos.  “If the bait is obvious, don’t take it.”

“Deminos!” Celine yelled as the dragon opened his mouth,

“This is not the time!” Deminos snapped, holding one hand in front of the other and steeling his gaze.  A jet of water shot out of palm just as a column of fire erupted out of the Dragon's mouth.  At first, the flames engulfed the water, licking up Demino’s right arm, but the sorcerer scrunched his eyes shut and more water burst out of his hands, dousing the fire and kicking up a screen of steam.  “Berate me for being a moron later!”

“Please, stop!” Mina called, stepping out of the steam.  “We didn’t mean to offend you!  Deminos will give back the scales, so please-”

“The words of humans are empty,” the Dragon snorted.  “Yours is a corrupt breed.  We have shepherded you since time immemorial, yet do you know what they call Dragon Slayers?" the creature raised its claw, which was engulfed in a whirlwind that glowed white.  "They call them heroes."  With a deft swipe of his claw, the Dragon created a miniature hurricane, blowing aside the steam which concealed them.

Cupping his hands together, Deminos formed a sphere of cascading beige and brown light in his palms.  "Everyone!  Hold on!" he yelled before plunging the sphere into the ground.  A circle of brown light holding a pentagram with a set of jaws in the center formed beneath the four of them and a huge leathery mouth rose out of the pentagram.  Before the Dragon could attack again, the mouth opened its massive jaws and swallowed Mina and the others whole.