Ryuu
20th December 2004, 02:41 AM
SHADOWS OF THE BLACK MOON: JENNIFER'S LESSON
by
Terrell Vance
It had always been said the dead rest in peace.
But for the wizard, there had been no rest since the day he died. For several decades, he had spent every moment searching for the means to escape his hellish prison, sent here by the Gold Dragon-Hero.
"One day, Gold," he vowed, "I will get out! We all will get out! The Secrets of the Gods won't remain secret much longer!"
Once, he thought he had come close to escaping, but found he could only transfer from one cell to another. He was still trapped. But every effort taught him more.
He manufactured a scrying sphere to search the other cells without having to actually visit them. He knew he needed to find just one specific location. Instead, he discovered other prisoners, just like him.
"Well! Well! Well!" he chuckled, looking into a new chamber. "Look at who we have here!"
For thousands of years, the dragon raged in his confinement. The spherical chamber could easily be opened, but he was frustrated by his inability to leave. Whenever he leapt out to the corridor beyond, he would instantly find himself returned to the chamber.
The eternity to which he had been confined worked on his mind, but mercilessly, the chamber prevented him from going completely insane. He could recall his entire life up to the moment he died prior to arriving here, all his successes and failures. Nothing he had done or could have changed mattered. His whole life ended here. And time had no meaning here, although he knew centuries had passed since his capture.
Over the years, he found he still had access to his spell casting. It did not help him in escaping, however. It only allowed him to modify his environment. He could give himself solid illusions of flying free, attacking his enemies, and taking their moneys. But it was all an illusion and that frustrated him to no end.
Then one day, he suddenly arrived: the man who stole his treasure! The one enemy he was never able to pursue. The dragon knew his presence was not an illusion when the scent permeated his chamber. Instantly, the purple dragon used his breath weapon to attack, but oddly, the devastating blast passed harmlessly through his adversary only to wipe out the illusion of treasure piled about.
The man casually looked down to brush imaginary dirt off his clothes, muttering, “And nice to see you, too.” He glanced behind at where the illusionary terrain disintegrated. With a gesture, he recreated the illusion. But with the real scent of gold! Throughout the whole lair!
The dragon was at a loss about what to do next. The man shrugged.
“The gold’s real. And so is the dirt,” he said. “But I’m afraid you’re still an illusion.”
What? the dragon growled dangerously. The man grinned.
“We both are, my old friend,” he replied, again gesturing. The dragon leapt up from his crouch the instant he sensed the magic taking shape. But it wasn’t an attack. Beside him, in the center of the chamber, a huge crystal globe appeared, setting upon its ornate pedestal of dragon figurines.
“We’re prisoners on the Black Moon,” the man continued as if nothing unusual happened. “I know why I’m stuck here. The Black Moon never let me go. Why you’re here is anybody’s guess, unless you can explain. . . ?” He paused, waiting for the dragon to respond. When nothing was volunteered, he shrugged, dismissing the issue.
“Anyhow, I’m in a room just like this one,” he said, glancing about. “And I’ve learned how to step over to other chambers. I was looking for the Dragon-Hero’s chamber when I found you.”
The Gold Dragon-Hero! the dragon angrily growled.
“He still lives,” the man said, pointing to his crystal, “down on the planet. And there’s more. Our treasure is still there, too!” At the mention of what was stolen from him, the dragon whirled on the wizard, his eyes angrily narrowing in calculation.
What is it do you want from me? the dragon hissed.
“Only your help,” his enemy replied. “We need each other to get out of this prison. We can only escape by cooperating. If we fight, we’re stuck in here forever. Look,” he said, pointing.
Mists began to form in the center of the sphere, billowing out to fill the globe. Gradually, they cleared to reveal a scene.
She roared in triumph over her kill. It was not normally a difficult kill for a dragon. But Jennifer was young and small, and dragons have to start somewhere. Her father and larger siblings lay on a rocky perch, overlooking the clearing where the battle had taken place. The Gold Dragon-Hero watched impassively as his daughter had fought the ogre.
Now he critically regarded her. He showed his irritation by absently gouging his claws into the granite. His other children, ignoring his emanating emotions, drooled and shifted about eager to dig into her kill.
It was never easy being the runt. Jennifer often dreamed of having a sibling junior to her. Many unfortunate creatures experienced the dubious pleasure of being presented to her father for just such intent.
Jennifer may have been the runt of the clutch laid by her green mother nearly fifty years ago, but she was the only chameleon who stayed to be raised by her father. Her five rivals watching over her had variously mottled and mixed patches of green and gold scales. Their unbalanced genes struggled for dominance, resulting in the ugly patterns.
But Jennifer was Chameleon, the perfect mixing of her parent's genes, allowing her to blend nearly invisible into her surroundings. The other two chameleons from her clutch elected to be raised by their mother. Until recently, the small dragon thought those factors had made her his favorite.
But then, she discovered a far older rival. From a previous clutch, so long ago, came the news of another chameleon that held her father's heart, another runt who had been his favorite. And Jennifer was constantly being compared to her! Add to that, she was the spitting image to this hated sister. Jennifer soon began to resent her status as her father's favorite, as did the others in the clutch.
The young dragon glared at her father for his lack of enthusiastic support. She glanced over the carcass of her enemy, looking for signs of inefficiency in her battle. Finding nothing wrong, she voraciously tore into the meat before the others could come down and take it from her. The larger dragons nervously glanced at their father, anxiously waiting for his permission to force the runt from her kill.
Finally, Gold-green Zerich, the largest, had had enough. He launched himself at the clearing, followed closely by the rest. Their father could only stop one at a time, they reasoned. By the time the older gold could restore order, the carcass would be stripped clean. The smaller female hissed and made a token fight to keep her prize. But she knew it was futile. Saddened, she stood aside to watch her hard earned victory be devoured.
Then Jennifer looked angrily at her father. He had not given his permission to the others, nor had he ordered them back. He had his eyes fixed only on her. He's comparing me to her, again! she fumed.
Infuriated, she launched herself toward the rocky outcropping. When she arrived beside him, it irritated her further that he didn't even have the politeness to look at her. His fifteen-and-a-half meter bulk laid draped over the rock, impassively staring down at the others eating her kill. She would have torn into him right then, had one of the little pets her father kept not been there.
But she stopped her attack just as she was about to jump. Jennifer liked the little humans, as much as her father did. Her father kept humans as part of his treasure and even allowed them to help raise his young. This one was not familiar to her, but that wasn't strange. The gold dragon often had many guests drop by and leave without being introduced to the hatchlings.
This one was a little unusual, however, as it reclined upon her father, caressing him. It was female, and by human standards, quite physically attractive. Only, in addition, it was unclad, save for a large medallion worn about its neck. Few humans went about nude, and even more rarely, were they female.
But that wasn't important. Jennifer gently, but firmly, escorted the human away from her father. Once it was at a sufficient distance, the young dragon whirled upon her father, hissing into his ear for attention.
Slowly, the elder raised his head and turned it to regard her.
Is there something you wish to discuss, Jennifer? the gold asked.
You're thinking of her, again, aren't you, father? the young chameleon demanded. You're comparing my performance to how she would have done. The gold dragon casually looked down her length, taking measure of her size just slightly shorter than himself.
Yes and no, he replied, puzzling her with his answer.
It is true I'm thinking of her. It would be impossible not to do so, at this time, he said, cryptically. Jennifer sensed his amusement at using her own emphasis regarding her rival. And, yes, I am holding you two in comparison. But it is not for the performance of your kill. It's for something far more urgent that has my attention.
As for your kill, now that you've brought up the subject . . . He suddenly gave her snout a painful swat with his taloned hands. Before she could respond to his attack, he had her on her back. His claws were about her throat, his feet were planted ready to rake open her belly, and his jaws were clamping her mouth shut.
You bungled your attack! he raged at her. Zerich had made his kill with half the effort you did when he wasn't even your size! Her father leapt away from her, leaving her to right herself, chastised.
You've done better, Jennifer, he admonished after she had regained her footing. I suspect your reluctance was due to the humanoid nature of this kill. Am I right? he demanded, daring her to refute his assessment.
Yes, father, Jennifer replied, embarrassed.
It's this, which has me concerned, Jennifer, the Dragon-Hero explained. And it was why I was comparing you to my other favorite daughter. You two are, in so many ways, so much alike. At the mention of her hated rival, Jennifer's anger returned in full force. The waves of emotion emanating from her, so soon after her easy defeat, forced her father to snort his amusement.
I should think if I met her, I'd kill her on the spot! the young chameleon hissed.
"Oh, beautiful Jennifer," the forgotten human female said, coming over to her, "why should you ever want to do such a thing? May I approach you and caress you?"
Jennifer's heart softened instantly at the human's imploring. She allowed it to come over and pet her snout. Its gentle touch sought to soothe the wounds her father's teeth had made, using magic drawn from the Black Moon to heal the gashes.
So it is a wizard friend of her father’s, Jennifer surmised. Magic using creatures abounded in the world, their strength coming from how well they could command the Black Moon to deliver the power.
She settled down to accommodate herself for the human's benefit, allowing it to sit on her arms as it petted her. She considered the being and took closer note of the creature's appearance.
The human had long, straight black fur growing from its head, with age revealing gray streaking from its temples. Despite this, it had well defined, yet feminine, musculature. There was no sign of it having borne children, and no excess flab anywhere. Jennifer wondered about its past and home. That such a clearly attractive specimen, by human standards, should be unaccompanied by a mate was unusual. Further still, that it would go about without clothing, an anathema to the specie, puzzled her greatly.
Curious, Jennifer peered at the large medallion hanging above its breasts. She suspected the medal's nature, and using a spell taught by her father, confirmed the device was a relic tied to the Black Moon, source of all magic in the world. That solved the mystery regarding the creature's nudity. It was one apparently at strength without the restrictive bindings of conventional human modesty. And judging from what her detection spell revealed before the medallion ate the energies, it as a very powerful artifact. It took an extremely powerful mage to control such a thing.
You like these humans don't you, Jennifer? her father said after the creature settled.
Yes, father, she purred. I know you like them and keep them as part of your treasure. I want a human for my treasure as well. They can be so—affectionate and loyal.
That's what I want to discuss with you, Jennifer, he said. Let me set you straight on a few things.
First is that I love you, just as I love her. But that doesn't make either of you saints. You'll probably be happy to know she's made several mistakes that I've sorely disapproved. The revelation puzzled and surprised Jennifer. Intrigued, she held her irritation of the comparison in check at the discovery that she wasn't perfect.
You both have a strong spirit of curiosity, eagerness, and fascination to learning all the things I know and do. That, I approve. But I'm not a perfect parent, either. One reason I compare you two so much is to try and not make the same mistakes raising you as I made with her.
Did you know she was as much fascinated by humans as you are? She even kept humans as treasure, he said.
Jennifer looked at the creature sitting on her. Her emotions were becoming a confused jumble. She was being forced to quickly reassess her feelings about this unknown, and yet, oddly familiar, older chameleon.
The gold continued to speak about his other daughter, telling Jennifer of how she, at the same age as Jennifer was now, had bonded with a human. The human, as it turned out, was one of several friends her father knew from before the Cataclysm had destroyed the Old World. Somehow, the Black Moon had swept the creatures up before the Cataclysm had struck, only to deposit them at that critical moment. Together, they had all fought in a major battle, and had finally defeated their foe.
"You have such a fascinating tail, Chameleon Jennifer," the human female said, interrupting her father's lesson. It was apparently unaware of the telepathic conversation the dragons were having. "May I have your permission to touch it?"
Yes, you may, Jennifer replied, pleased at the politeness the human displayed. This creature was obviously well versed in draconic protocol regarding touching one's tail. Doing so without permission was to invite an instant and violent death.
Jennifer brought her member to within the creature's grasp. It sighed in awe of the feel of her deadly appendage. The tip of Jennifer's tail had six independently mobile spikes that lay, three on either side of a central bony spike. It spent its time examining Jennifer's tail in utter fascination as the dragons resumed their conversation.
After our enemy's defeat, her father continued, the old gods who had been made by him, including myself, regained control of the Black Moon's power. Chaos still ruled the planet. But the threat of that evil bastard was finally over, and efforts to forge new civilizations could safely take hold. Well—as safely as could be expected, the Dragon-Hero quickly amended his statement.
Anyhow, it was peaceful for several decades within the territories about our lairs. Then, quite a while before you were hatched, your older sister showed up on my doorstep with a problem. . . .
Father, Jennifer breathlessly begged, he's dying! Please! You can save him! Use your control of the Black Moon and make him into a dragon!
JENNIFER! the gold dragon screamed in shock at her. Have you taken leave of your senses? My God, you know that would involve putting him through Black Lightning!
You must! Jennifer insisted. We’re bonded. When he dies, I die!
I can’t! As much as I love you and don’t want you hurt, I mustn’t! her father said, grasping her shoulders. At his age—remember! Baja grew as he had because he was already old when the Cataclysm had hit. The pain of constant molting drove the poor bastard insane. Magic's kept your pet alive centuries past his natural life span. I won't put him through that. And don't for a moment think that being twice my size will save your tail from getting chewed off if I should catch you trying to pull such a stunt!
Defying her father, Jennifer did seek a means to preserve her friend's life. The man had access to powerful magical artifacts that had preserved his life this long. But there were limits to such means, and he had reached the end of his time. She delved into a magic tome owned by her human pet and discovered the means to do the job herself.
The display of Black Lightning descending to the east of his lair alerted the gold dragon that Jennifer had indeed defied his orders. Immediately, he rushed his forces to arrive at her lair. But he was too late. Her lair was in a shambles. A human colony that had been encouraged to grow in the vicinity was obliterated, and there was no sign of the dragons.
Gold set up his command post at her lair, waiting word of their location. For several weeks, there was no news. Another human friend, who was the only other remaining individual from the Precataclysm era, was sent to Centaur City to warn them of the danger. He had living weapons, artifacts made by the Black Moon from people caught by the Black Lightning. Their magic provided the means by which he too had survived the centuries. Even so, time had been eroding his body of the agility he would need in the coming battle. He stayed with the Leading Hooves of the Centaur Council as they waited for word of the renegade dragons.
Then, one day, there was a tremendous earthquake. When the man arrived at the scene, he saw the monster that his former friend was transformed into. Jennifer's pet human was now a huge dragon hundreds of meters long, and still growing. Hunger drove the behemoth. The creature enlarged and molted with each victim consumed, with the new, larger scales pushing out as he watched. The pain of the molt sent the huge dragon into utter savagery.
As he called the gold dragon on the radio, the man used the weapons, and managed to injure the beast only slightly.
The weapons had the means to protect him from massive damage. But even they had their limits. Soon, the man was desperately trying to evade the enraged dragon. He had nearly succeeded in escaping, however, when he had the misfortune of running into Jennifer, who was also now insane due to her psychic link with her life-mate. Her Chameleon nature made her nearly invisible, and he had no warning before she had torn into him. Then, without their carrier, the weapons were powerless to help fight the dragons and were lost, falling into the network of ancient sewers beneath the city.
When the Dragon-Hero arrived, the devastation was nearly complete. Centaur City had been built on the remains of a large metropolis destroyed by the Cataclysm. Once before, the city was nearly wiped out when Baja, another Gold befriended by Jennifer's father, went insane. The centaurs never completely repaired the damage. That battle was where the Dragon-Hero had earned his name and the centaurs erected a statue to commemorate the battle.
And now, another disaster was soon going to finish the job. This time, there were two insane dragons trashing the region. One was so nearly invisible the hapless centaurs stood no chance against her. The other was so huge, and still growing with every centaur consumed, that they could only irritate him with their weapons. Already, the wounds it had taken from the magical weapons were nearly healed.
The gold dragon had no choice. Jennifer's insanity was induced by her soul mate's agony. Her berserk state of mind might only be temporary, but it would clearly last while her bonded mate lived. That one had to be killed before the gold could try to help his daughter.
Fortunately, the gold dragon had in his possession many relics from before the Cataclysm. There were weapons and aircraft maintained and manned by humans he and Jennifer had trained over the years in their use. He directed the helicopters to attack with their rockets. Enraged, both dragons ceased their attack on the city to answer this new threat.
Jennifer, desperate to protect her life-mate, rushed in to combat the aircraft. The huge dragon attacked the much smaller gold.
He was far smaller, and thus more maneuverable that his gigantic adversary. But in time, there was no evading a chance swipe from that monstrous wing. The Dragon-Hero was swatted out of the sky and his landing smashed the bones in one wing. Hissing from the grinding bone shards and other injuries taken in his fall, the gold desperately tried to evade as pieces of buildings far larger than he were hurtled past him. It was only a matter of time, however, before one of the hurtled pieces of rubble caught him. He lay there, in full sight of the oncoming behemoth, feeling the damage he had suffered already was enough to be fatal.
Having run out of standing buildings with which to pummel his opponent, the monster reached down and ripped up the only intact object in the city. Ironically, the very monument commemorated his terrible battle with Baja. The monster raised it above his head, ready to smash it down on the gold. In a last desperate move to save himself, the gold dragon jumped up with the last vestiges of his failing strength and sank his tusks into the giant's groin.
The overwhelming agony made the huge dragon scream and violently writhe. He dropped the monument to fall harmlessly aside and his convulsions flung the small gold away, ripping the flesh wide open, and caused the giant to totally forget the Dragon-Hero, his painful molting, the centaurs, everything, save his wound. As his thrashing and agonized spasms carried the monster away from the gold, it allowed the small dragon time to recover some strength.
When he could, he mustered enough control of the Black Moon to partly heal himself. Then, not wanting to delay his mission to finish his own repairs, for the monster's rapid growth rate was quickly healing the wound, the gold sought out a weapon's cache. There, he found some missiles made from Precataclysm designs.
Returning to the fight, his former friend was still thrashing about, mindlessly smashing buildings to rubble in his painful throes. Grimly thinking of what this would cost him, the Dragon-Hero set the LAWS rocket sights to his eye and fired. His first rocket destroyed the giant's taloned hand protecting his injury.
The gold dragon hadn't thought it was possible for a creature to scream any louder, but the huge dragon roared with renewed intensity at the latest wound he suffered. Grasping his wrist with the other hand, the convulsing giant exposed the gaping wound beneath his tail.
Quickly taking aim, he fired again. But the giant's thrashing twisted the monster about, and the missile gouged open another hole in previously undamaged armored scales at the base of his tail. The concussion to the dragon's pelvic ganglia stunned it, however. His violent throes ceased when he crashed to the ground. He lay still, panting while the Dragon-Hero quickly readied another rocket.
Then the giant raised his head to glare at his small opponent. The gold looked into his eyes. Although the concussion to the giant dragon's nerves made telepathic communication impossible, the gold sensed some return to sanity in his friend.
Forgive me, the Dragon-Hero pleaded.
His former friend surprised him by nodding, then deliberately rolled over on his side, exposing the genital wound and the easiest route for the rocket to destroy the dragon's brain within the pelvic girdle. The huge monster continued to stare at him. He nodded again, and then laid his head down, out of direct sight, but not before the gold had seen the tears.
He fired.
Jennifer screamed at the death of her bonded soul mate. Her induced insanity and violent rampage ended as she plummeted out of the sky.
. . . Jennifer had to learn to accept death as a natural way of things, her father explained. As much as she loved her pet, she had grievously hurt him by forcing him to undergo such an experience. I know what her human had felt. Twice over, I had experienced the Black Lightning. Once at my creation, then again at the Cataclysm.
Her obsession to keep him at all cost was her downfall. I know you want humans for your treasure, including the one sitting here on you. But learn from Jennifer's mistake. We dragons live until we die. None of us has yet to die of old age. When you bond yourself, body and soul, to such an ephemeral being, you're only asking for disaster.
The other young dragons had been sitting nearby, listening to the recounting. At its end, they silently took their leave and returned to the lair. Jennifer, saddened by the loss her namesake had suffered, no longer regarded her older sibling as a threat. She thanked the human female for its attentions, and indicated she also wished to leave and return to the lair.
"It's been so very nice to meet you, Jennifer," the woman said. "I'm sure any human you select to be your friend will feel very honored. You really are your father's daughter."
Would you like to be part of my treasure? Jennifer eagerly asked. It laughed and kissed the dragon on her snout.
"I appreciate your asking, Jennifer," the woman replied. "But I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you by saying no. Not that I wouldn't like to be. But we can still be good and close friends."
I'd like that very much, Jennifer replied. Good-bye. I hope to see you later. Then she was airborne, flying back to her father's island lair.
The woman watched the chameleon's image blend to match the sky and vanish. Then she turned to look at the Gold Dragon-Hero. She gave a tuft of hair growing from beneath his ear a playful tug. "So, father, I assume you've stopped teaching that dragons are furless," she said.
I've stopped teaching that the moment I saw my first purple, Jennifer! he snapped at her hand. And you should not be teasing your sister like you did here today! What am I going to do with you? After the mess you made with your first mate, Purple Yarmouth, and then with your human pet, I'm surprised you're not dead at times.
"You've taught me too well, father," she said, sadly caressing his snout, "despite all my mistakes." Then standing away from him and removing the medallion from around her neck, she dispelled the innate magic she had been using to conceal her form, returning to her true appearance, an impressively large chameleon dragon over thirty-four meters long. Deftly adjusting the medallion's chain with nimble and practiced claws, she replaced it about her much larger neck.
Your abilities have developed quite well, the gold praised her. Despite knowing who you were, none of my senses or detection spells could penetrate your illusion.
At times, it's hard to imagine you'll never develop those skills. Or grow any larger, father, she said, nuzzling him.
I have grown, Jennifer, he laughed, about sixteen centimeters since the Cataclysm. We’ve learned the growth-rates are not only determined by our color but are also tied directly to our natural life spans. A normal dragon's life span seems to be roughly a few thousand years. But with my special connection to the Black Moon, mine must be measured in the hundreds of thousands of years, perhaps millions.
This has reminded me of a horrid concern that I've had, the Gold muttered. Given my true age and that gold dragons have the fastest growth rate, I sometimes worry that I've actually been in an accelerated growth rate all this time. . . In which case, the questions become: How long is my natural life and how big am I going to get?
Then maybe you'll develop shape change when you've reached the equivalent biological age to do so, father, Jennifer said hopefully. Then she sadly laughed. Of course, I may be so lucky to die of old age before that happens. She gently tugged at the medallion with a taloned finger. It and the pain of her severed bonding were constant reminders of her human soul mate.
Your friend was ancient when you made him into a dragon, so he had to become that monster, her father gently told her. It had been their growing pains that had driven him and Gold Baja insane. I've regretted the necessity of having to kill Baja so long ago, and then to have to do it all over again with you two . . . Her father couldn't finish. He reached out with his wings to embrace his daughter.
I do sorely miss him, father, she said, weeping. Sometimes, I can still feel. . . .
So long as you keep his memory alive in your heart, he lives, her father told her. That's the most important lesson, Jennifer.
My treasure! the dragon hissed, his eyes flaring crimson. He looked at the mage standing there. The magic sword and helm lost during the fight! Tatsuko and Ryuko! They are the keys to leaving here!
“I agree,” the man grimly replied. “They, the medallion, and my spell book. We must prepare for the opportunity to getting them.”
The man turned from his scrying ball to walk about his prison, stroking his chin in thought. The spherical chamber frustrated his escape. Like the dragon, he could open it, but not leave. But in the time he spent here, he learned how to observe the world. Unfortunately, he could not communicate out to ask for help. However, he could talk with other prisoners, including the nearly crazed dragon held for over a thousand years, ironically, his ancient enemy from their past. Once, the dragon was forced to ally with him when they shared a mutual treasure. Now they were force to be allies again in the effort to find the way back to the real world.
"Soon," he said grimly to himself. "I only need to find the thread's path out of here and send word. Then all hell's holdings will break loose." He looked enviously back on the scene showing the gold dragon and his daughter. His mood darkened considerably. "It's only a matter of time until I find the right spell. . . ."
THE END
by
Terrell Vance
It had always been said the dead rest in peace.
But for the wizard, there had been no rest since the day he died. For several decades, he had spent every moment searching for the means to escape his hellish prison, sent here by the Gold Dragon-Hero.
"One day, Gold," he vowed, "I will get out! We all will get out! The Secrets of the Gods won't remain secret much longer!"
Once, he thought he had come close to escaping, but found he could only transfer from one cell to another. He was still trapped. But every effort taught him more.
He manufactured a scrying sphere to search the other cells without having to actually visit them. He knew he needed to find just one specific location. Instead, he discovered other prisoners, just like him.
"Well! Well! Well!" he chuckled, looking into a new chamber. "Look at who we have here!"
For thousands of years, the dragon raged in his confinement. The spherical chamber could easily be opened, but he was frustrated by his inability to leave. Whenever he leapt out to the corridor beyond, he would instantly find himself returned to the chamber.
The eternity to which he had been confined worked on his mind, but mercilessly, the chamber prevented him from going completely insane. He could recall his entire life up to the moment he died prior to arriving here, all his successes and failures. Nothing he had done or could have changed mattered. His whole life ended here. And time had no meaning here, although he knew centuries had passed since his capture.
Over the years, he found he still had access to his spell casting. It did not help him in escaping, however. It only allowed him to modify his environment. He could give himself solid illusions of flying free, attacking his enemies, and taking their moneys. But it was all an illusion and that frustrated him to no end.
Then one day, he suddenly arrived: the man who stole his treasure! The one enemy he was never able to pursue. The dragon knew his presence was not an illusion when the scent permeated his chamber. Instantly, the purple dragon used his breath weapon to attack, but oddly, the devastating blast passed harmlessly through his adversary only to wipe out the illusion of treasure piled about.
The man casually looked down to brush imaginary dirt off his clothes, muttering, “And nice to see you, too.” He glanced behind at where the illusionary terrain disintegrated. With a gesture, he recreated the illusion. But with the real scent of gold! Throughout the whole lair!
The dragon was at a loss about what to do next. The man shrugged.
“The gold’s real. And so is the dirt,” he said. “But I’m afraid you’re still an illusion.”
What? the dragon growled dangerously. The man grinned.
“We both are, my old friend,” he replied, again gesturing. The dragon leapt up from his crouch the instant he sensed the magic taking shape. But it wasn’t an attack. Beside him, in the center of the chamber, a huge crystal globe appeared, setting upon its ornate pedestal of dragon figurines.
“We’re prisoners on the Black Moon,” the man continued as if nothing unusual happened. “I know why I’m stuck here. The Black Moon never let me go. Why you’re here is anybody’s guess, unless you can explain. . . ?” He paused, waiting for the dragon to respond. When nothing was volunteered, he shrugged, dismissing the issue.
“Anyhow, I’m in a room just like this one,” he said, glancing about. “And I’ve learned how to step over to other chambers. I was looking for the Dragon-Hero’s chamber when I found you.”
The Gold Dragon-Hero! the dragon angrily growled.
“He still lives,” the man said, pointing to his crystal, “down on the planet. And there’s more. Our treasure is still there, too!” At the mention of what was stolen from him, the dragon whirled on the wizard, his eyes angrily narrowing in calculation.
What is it do you want from me? the dragon hissed.
“Only your help,” his enemy replied. “We need each other to get out of this prison. We can only escape by cooperating. If we fight, we’re stuck in here forever. Look,” he said, pointing.
Mists began to form in the center of the sphere, billowing out to fill the globe. Gradually, they cleared to reveal a scene.
She roared in triumph over her kill. It was not normally a difficult kill for a dragon. But Jennifer was young and small, and dragons have to start somewhere. Her father and larger siblings lay on a rocky perch, overlooking the clearing where the battle had taken place. The Gold Dragon-Hero watched impassively as his daughter had fought the ogre.
Now he critically regarded her. He showed his irritation by absently gouging his claws into the granite. His other children, ignoring his emanating emotions, drooled and shifted about eager to dig into her kill.
It was never easy being the runt. Jennifer often dreamed of having a sibling junior to her. Many unfortunate creatures experienced the dubious pleasure of being presented to her father for just such intent.
Jennifer may have been the runt of the clutch laid by her green mother nearly fifty years ago, but she was the only chameleon who stayed to be raised by her father. Her five rivals watching over her had variously mottled and mixed patches of green and gold scales. Their unbalanced genes struggled for dominance, resulting in the ugly patterns.
But Jennifer was Chameleon, the perfect mixing of her parent's genes, allowing her to blend nearly invisible into her surroundings. The other two chameleons from her clutch elected to be raised by their mother. Until recently, the small dragon thought those factors had made her his favorite.
But then, she discovered a far older rival. From a previous clutch, so long ago, came the news of another chameleon that held her father's heart, another runt who had been his favorite. And Jennifer was constantly being compared to her! Add to that, she was the spitting image to this hated sister. Jennifer soon began to resent her status as her father's favorite, as did the others in the clutch.
The young dragon glared at her father for his lack of enthusiastic support. She glanced over the carcass of her enemy, looking for signs of inefficiency in her battle. Finding nothing wrong, she voraciously tore into the meat before the others could come down and take it from her. The larger dragons nervously glanced at their father, anxiously waiting for his permission to force the runt from her kill.
Finally, Gold-green Zerich, the largest, had had enough. He launched himself at the clearing, followed closely by the rest. Their father could only stop one at a time, they reasoned. By the time the older gold could restore order, the carcass would be stripped clean. The smaller female hissed and made a token fight to keep her prize. But she knew it was futile. Saddened, she stood aside to watch her hard earned victory be devoured.
Then Jennifer looked angrily at her father. He had not given his permission to the others, nor had he ordered them back. He had his eyes fixed only on her. He's comparing me to her, again! she fumed.
Infuriated, she launched herself toward the rocky outcropping. When she arrived beside him, it irritated her further that he didn't even have the politeness to look at her. His fifteen-and-a-half meter bulk laid draped over the rock, impassively staring down at the others eating her kill. She would have torn into him right then, had one of the little pets her father kept not been there.
But she stopped her attack just as she was about to jump. Jennifer liked the little humans, as much as her father did. Her father kept humans as part of his treasure and even allowed them to help raise his young. This one was not familiar to her, but that wasn't strange. The gold dragon often had many guests drop by and leave without being introduced to the hatchlings.
This one was a little unusual, however, as it reclined upon her father, caressing him. It was female, and by human standards, quite physically attractive. Only, in addition, it was unclad, save for a large medallion worn about its neck. Few humans went about nude, and even more rarely, were they female.
But that wasn't important. Jennifer gently, but firmly, escorted the human away from her father. Once it was at a sufficient distance, the young dragon whirled upon her father, hissing into his ear for attention.
Slowly, the elder raised his head and turned it to regard her.
Is there something you wish to discuss, Jennifer? the gold asked.
You're thinking of her, again, aren't you, father? the young chameleon demanded. You're comparing my performance to how she would have done. The gold dragon casually looked down her length, taking measure of her size just slightly shorter than himself.
Yes and no, he replied, puzzling her with his answer.
It is true I'm thinking of her. It would be impossible not to do so, at this time, he said, cryptically. Jennifer sensed his amusement at using her own emphasis regarding her rival. And, yes, I am holding you two in comparison. But it is not for the performance of your kill. It's for something far more urgent that has my attention.
As for your kill, now that you've brought up the subject . . . He suddenly gave her snout a painful swat with his taloned hands. Before she could respond to his attack, he had her on her back. His claws were about her throat, his feet were planted ready to rake open her belly, and his jaws were clamping her mouth shut.
You bungled your attack! he raged at her. Zerich had made his kill with half the effort you did when he wasn't even your size! Her father leapt away from her, leaving her to right herself, chastised.
You've done better, Jennifer, he admonished after she had regained her footing. I suspect your reluctance was due to the humanoid nature of this kill. Am I right? he demanded, daring her to refute his assessment.
Yes, father, Jennifer replied, embarrassed.
It's this, which has me concerned, Jennifer, the Dragon-Hero explained. And it was why I was comparing you to my other favorite daughter. You two are, in so many ways, so much alike. At the mention of her hated rival, Jennifer's anger returned in full force. The waves of emotion emanating from her, so soon after her easy defeat, forced her father to snort his amusement.
I should think if I met her, I'd kill her on the spot! the young chameleon hissed.
"Oh, beautiful Jennifer," the forgotten human female said, coming over to her, "why should you ever want to do such a thing? May I approach you and caress you?"
Jennifer's heart softened instantly at the human's imploring. She allowed it to come over and pet her snout. Its gentle touch sought to soothe the wounds her father's teeth had made, using magic drawn from the Black Moon to heal the gashes.
So it is a wizard friend of her father’s, Jennifer surmised. Magic using creatures abounded in the world, their strength coming from how well they could command the Black Moon to deliver the power.
She settled down to accommodate herself for the human's benefit, allowing it to sit on her arms as it petted her. She considered the being and took closer note of the creature's appearance.
The human had long, straight black fur growing from its head, with age revealing gray streaking from its temples. Despite this, it had well defined, yet feminine, musculature. There was no sign of it having borne children, and no excess flab anywhere. Jennifer wondered about its past and home. That such a clearly attractive specimen, by human standards, should be unaccompanied by a mate was unusual. Further still, that it would go about without clothing, an anathema to the specie, puzzled her greatly.
Curious, Jennifer peered at the large medallion hanging above its breasts. She suspected the medal's nature, and using a spell taught by her father, confirmed the device was a relic tied to the Black Moon, source of all magic in the world. That solved the mystery regarding the creature's nudity. It was one apparently at strength without the restrictive bindings of conventional human modesty. And judging from what her detection spell revealed before the medallion ate the energies, it as a very powerful artifact. It took an extremely powerful mage to control such a thing.
You like these humans don't you, Jennifer? her father said after the creature settled.
Yes, father, she purred. I know you like them and keep them as part of your treasure. I want a human for my treasure as well. They can be so—affectionate and loyal.
That's what I want to discuss with you, Jennifer, he said. Let me set you straight on a few things.
First is that I love you, just as I love her. But that doesn't make either of you saints. You'll probably be happy to know she's made several mistakes that I've sorely disapproved. The revelation puzzled and surprised Jennifer. Intrigued, she held her irritation of the comparison in check at the discovery that she wasn't perfect.
You both have a strong spirit of curiosity, eagerness, and fascination to learning all the things I know and do. That, I approve. But I'm not a perfect parent, either. One reason I compare you two so much is to try and not make the same mistakes raising you as I made with her.
Did you know she was as much fascinated by humans as you are? She even kept humans as treasure, he said.
Jennifer looked at the creature sitting on her. Her emotions were becoming a confused jumble. She was being forced to quickly reassess her feelings about this unknown, and yet, oddly familiar, older chameleon.
The gold continued to speak about his other daughter, telling Jennifer of how she, at the same age as Jennifer was now, had bonded with a human. The human, as it turned out, was one of several friends her father knew from before the Cataclysm had destroyed the Old World. Somehow, the Black Moon had swept the creatures up before the Cataclysm had struck, only to deposit them at that critical moment. Together, they had all fought in a major battle, and had finally defeated their foe.
"You have such a fascinating tail, Chameleon Jennifer," the human female said, interrupting her father's lesson. It was apparently unaware of the telepathic conversation the dragons were having. "May I have your permission to touch it?"
Yes, you may, Jennifer replied, pleased at the politeness the human displayed. This creature was obviously well versed in draconic protocol regarding touching one's tail. Doing so without permission was to invite an instant and violent death.
Jennifer brought her member to within the creature's grasp. It sighed in awe of the feel of her deadly appendage. The tip of Jennifer's tail had six independently mobile spikes that lay, three on either side of a central bony spike. It spent its time examining Jennifer's tail in utter fascination as the dragons resumed their conversation.
After our enemy's defeat, her father continued, the old gods who had been made by him, including myself, regained control of the Black Moon's power. Chaos still ruled the planet. But the threat of that evil bastard was finally over, and efforts to forge new civilizations could safely take hold. Well—as safely as could be expected, the Dragon-Hero quickly amended his statement.
Anyhow, it was peaceful for several decades within the territories about our lairs. Then, quite a while before you were hatched, your older sister showed up on my doorstep with a problem. . . .
Father, Jennifer breathlessly begged, he's dying! Please! You can save him! Use your control of the Black Moon and make him into a dragon!
JENNIFER! the gold dragon screamed in shock at her. Have you taken leave of your senses? My God, you know that would involve putting him through Black Lightning!
You must! Jennifer insisted. We’re bonded. When he dies, I die!
I can’t! As much as I love you and don’t want you hurt, I mustn’t! her father said, grasping her shoulders. At his age—remember! Baja grew as he had because he was already old when the Cataclysm had hit. The pain of constant molting drove the poor bastard insane. Magic's kept your pet alive centuries past his natural life span. I won't put him through that. And don't for a moment think that being twice my size will save your tail from getting chewed off if I should catch you trying to pull such a stunt!
Defying her father, Jennifer did seek a means to preserve her friend's life. The man had access to powerful magical artifacts that had preserved his life this long. But there were limits to such means, and he had reached the end of his time. She delved into a magic tome owned by her human pet and discovered the means to do the job herself.
The display of Black Lightning descending to the east of his lair alerted the gold dragon that Jennifer had indeed defied his orders. Immediately, he rushed his forces to arrive at her lair. But he was too late. Her lair was in a shambles. A human colony that had been encouraged to grow in the vicinity was obliterated, and there was no sign of the dragons.
Gold set up his command post at her lair, waiting word of their location. For several weeks, there was no news. Another human friend, who was the only other remaining individual from the Precataclysm era, was sent to Centaur City to warn them of the danger. He had living weapons, artifacts made by the Black Moon from people caught by the Black Lightning. Their magic provided the means by which he too had survived the centuries. Even so, time had been eroding his body of the agility he would need in the coming battle. He stayed with the Leading Hooves of the Centaur Council as they waited for word of the renegade dragons.
Then, one day, there was a tremendous earthquake. When the man arrived at the scene, he saw the monster that his former friend was transformed into. Jennifer's pet human was now a huge dragon hundreds of meters long, and still growing. Hunger drove the behemoth. The creature enlarged and molted with each victim consumed, with the new, larger scales pushing out as he watched. The pain of the molt sent the huge dragon into utter savagery.
As he called the gold dragon on the radio, the man used the weapons, and managed to injure the beast only slightly.
The weapons had the means to protect him from massive damage. But even they had their limits. Soon, the man was desperately trying to evade the enraged dragon. He had nearly succeeded in escaping, however, when he had the misfortune of running into Jennifer, who was also now insane due to her psychic link with her life-mate. Her Chameleon nature made her nearly invisible, and he had no warning before she had torn into him. Then, without their carrier, the weapons were powerless to help fight the dragons and were lost, falling into the network of ancient sewers beneath the city.
When the Dragon-Hero arrived, the devastation was nearly complete. Centaur City had been built on the remains of a large metropolis destroyed by the Cataclysm. Once before, the city was nearly wiped out when Baja, another Gold befriended by Jennifer's father, went insane. The centaurs never completely repaired the damage. That battle was where the Dragon-Hero had earned his name and the centaurs erected a statue to commemorate the battle.
And now, another disaster was soon going to finish the job. This time, there were two insane dragons trashing the region. One was so nearly invisible the hapless centaurs stood no chance against her. The other was so huge, and still growing with every centaur consumed, that they could only irritate him with their weapons. Already, the wounds it had taken from the magical weapons were nearly healed.
The gold dragon had no choice. Jennifer's insanity was induced by her soul mate's agony. Her berserk state of mind might only be temporary, but it would clearly last while her bonded mate lived. That one had to be killed before the gold could try to help his daughter.
Fortunately, the gold dragon had in his possession many relics from before the Cataclysm. There were weapons and aircraft maintained and manned by humans he and Jennifer had trained over the years in their use. He directed the helicopters to attack with their rockets. Enraged, both dragons ceased their attack on the city to answer this new threat.
Jennifer, desperate to protect her life-mate, rushed in to combat the aircraft. The huge dragon attacked the much smaller gold.
He was far smaller, and thus more maneuverable that his gigantic adversary. But in time, there was no evading a chance swipe from that monstrous wing. The Dragon-Hero was swatted out of the sky and his landing smashed the bones in one wing. Hissing from the grinding bone shards and other injuries taken in his fall, the gold desperately tried to evade as pieces of buildings far larger than he were hurtled past him. It was only a matter of time, however, before one of the hurtled pieces of rubble caught him. He lay there, in full sight of the oncoming behemoth, feeling the damage he had suffered already was enough to be fatal.
Having run out of standing buildings with which to pummel his opponent, the monster reached down and ripped up the only intact object in the city. Ironically, the very monument commemorated his terrible battle with Baja. The monster raised it above his head, ready to smash it down on the gold. In a last desperate move to save himself, the gold dragon jumped up with the last vestiges of his failing strength and sank his tusks into the giant's groin.
The overwhelming agony made the huge dragon scream and violently writhe. He dropped the monument to fall harmlessly aside and his convulsions flung the small gold away, ripping the flesh wide open, and caused the giant to totally forget the Dragon-Hero, his painful molting, the centaurs, everything, save his wound. As his thrashing and agonized spasms carried the monster away from the gold, it allowed the small dragon time to recover some strength.
When he could, he mustered enough control of the Black Moon to partly heal himself. Then, not wanting to delay his mission to finish his own repairs, for the monster's rapid growth rate was quickly healing the wound, the gold sought out a weapon's cache. There, he found some missiles made from Precataclysm designs.
Returning to the fight, his former friend was still thrashing about, mindlessly smashing buildings to rubble in his painful throes. Grimly thinking of what this would cost him, the Dragon-Hero set the LAWS rocket sights to his eye and fired. His first rocket destroyed the giant's taloned hand protecting his injury.
The gold dragon hadn't thought it was possible for a creature to scream any louder, but the huge dragon roared with renewed intensity at the latest wound he suffered. Grasping his wrist with the other hand, the convulsing giant exposed the gaping wound beneath his tail.
Quickly taking aim, he fired again. But the giant's thrashing twisted the monster about, and the missile gouged open another hole in previously undamaged armored scales at the base of his tail. The concussion to the dragon's pelvic ganglia stunned it, however. His violent throes ceased when he crashed to the ground. He lay still, panting while the Dragon-Hero quickly readied another rocket.
Then the giant raised his head to glare at his small opponent. The gold looked into his eyes. Although the concussion to the giant dragon's nerves made telepathic communication impossible, the gold sensed some return to sanity in his friend.
Forgive me, the Dragon-Hero pleaded.
His former friend surprised him by nodding, then deliberately rolled over on his side, exposing the genital wound and the easiest route for the rocket to destroy the dragon's brain within the pelvic girdle. The huge monster continued to stare at him. He nodded again, and then laid his head down, out of direct sight, but not before the gold had seen the tears.
He fired.
Jennifer screamed at the death of her bonded soul mate. Her induced insanity and violent rampage ended as she plummeted out of the sky.
. . . Jennifer had to learn to accept death as a natural way of things, her father explained. As much as she loved her pet, she had grievously hurt him by forcing him to undergo such an experience. I know what her human had felt. Twice over, I had experienced the Black Lightning. Once at my creation, then again at the Cataclysm.
Her obsession to keep him at all cost was her downfall. I know you want humans for your treasure, including the one sitting here on you. But learn from Jennifer's mistake. We dragons live until we die. None of us has yet to die of old age. When you bond yourself, body and soul, to such an ephemeral being, you're only asking for disaster.
The other young dragons had been sitting nearby, listening to the recounting. At its end, they silently took their leave and returned to the lair. Jennifer, saddened by the loss her namesake had suffered, no longer regarded her older sibling as a threat. She thanked the human female for its attentions, and indicated she also wished to leave and return to the lair.
"It's been so very nice to meet you, Jennifer," the woman said. "I'm sure any human you select to be your friend will feel very honored. You really are your father's daughter."
Would you like to be part of my treasure? Jennifer eagerly asked. It laughed and kissed the dragon on her snout.
"I appreciate your asking, Jennifer," the woman replied. "But I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you by saying no. Not that I wouldn't like to be. But we can still be good and close friends."
I'd like that very much, Jennifer replied. Good-bye. I hope to see you later. Then she was airborne, flying back to her father's island lair.
The woman watched the chameleon's image blend to match the sky and vanish. Then she turned to look at the Gold Dragon-Hero. She gave a tuft of hair growing from beneath his ear a playful tug. "So, father, I assume you've stopped teaching that dragons are furless," she said.
I've stopped teaching that the moment I saw my first purple, Jennifer! he snapped at her hand. And you should not be teasing your sister like you did here today! What am I going to do with you? After the mess you made with your first mate, Purple Yarmouth, and then with your human pet, I'm surprised you're not dead at times.
"You've taught me too well, father," she said, sadly caressing his snout, "despite all my mistakes." Then standing away from him and removing the medallion from around her neck, she dispelled the innate magic she had been using to conceal her form, returning to her true appearance, an impressively large chameleon dragon over thirty-four meters long. Deftly adjusting the medallion's chain with nimble and practiced claws, she replaced it about her much larger neck.
Your abilities have developed quite well, the gold praised her. Despite knowing who you were, none of my senses or detection spells could penetrate your illusion.
At times, it's hard to imagine you'll never develop those skills. Or grow any larger, father, she said, nuzzling him.
I have grown, Jennifer, he laughed, about sixteen centimeters since the Cataclysm. We’ve learned the growth-rates are not only determined by our color but are also tied directly to our natural life spans. A normal dragon's life span seems to be roughly a few thousand years. But with my special connection to the Black Moon, mine must be measured in the hundreds of thousands of years, perhaps millions.
This has reminded me of a horrid concern that I've had, the Gold muttered. Given my true age and that gold dragons have the fastest growth rate, I sometimes worry that I've actually been in an accelerated growth rate all this time. . . In which case, the questions become: How long is my natural life and how big am I going to get?
Then maybe you'll develop shape change when you've reached the equivalent biological age to do so, father, Jennifer said hopefully. Then she sadly laughed. Of course, I may be so lucky to die of old age before that happens. She gently tugged at the medallion with a taloned finger. It and the pain of her severed bonding were constant reminders of her human soul mate.
Your friend was ancient when you made him into a dragon, so he had to become that monster, her father gently told her. It had been their growing pains that had driven him and Gold Baja insane. I've regretted the necessity of having to kill Baja so long ago, and then to have to do it all over again with you two . . . Her father couldn't finish. He reached out with his wings to embrace his daughter.
I do sorely miss him, father, she said, weeping. Sometimes, I can still feel. . . .
So long as you keep his memory alive in your heart, he lives, her father told her. That's the most important lesson, Jennifer.
My treasure! the dragon hissed, his eyes flaring crimson. He looked at the mage standing there. The magic sword and helm lost during the fight! Tatsuko and Ryuko! They are the keys to leaving here!
“I agree,” the man grimly replied. “They, the medallion, and my spell book. We must prepare for the opportunity to getting them.”
The man turned from his scrying ball to walk about his prison, stroking his chin in thought. The spherical chamber frustrated his escape. Like the dragon, he could open it, but not leave. But in the time he spent here, he learned how to observe the world. Unfortunately, he could not communicate out to ask for help. However, he could talk with other prisoners, including the nearly crazed dragon held for over a thousand years, ironically, his ancient enemy from their past. Once, the dragon was forced to ally with him when they shared a mutual treasure. Now they were force to be allies again in the effort to find the way back to the real world.
"Soon," he said grimly to himself. "I only need to find the thread's path out of here and send word. Then all hell's holdings will break loose." He looked enviously back on the scene showing the gold dragon and his daughter. His mood darkened considerably. "It's only a matter of time until I find the right spell. . . ."
THE END