Perhaps the strangest thing about dragons is their tendency to gather things of value for their hoard.

I say strange, of course, because when we speak of such things we imagine piles of gold, of gemstones sparkling and glistening in the sun or moonlight, of chunks of precious metals or ores collected from deep veins or hidden caches of minerals from far into the soil where danger lurks. Dragons sight, as I have since learned, is much different from how most of our persons see things.

Their spectrum of vision enhanced if you were being kind, by mana; their ocular function allowing them to be especially sensitive to what I wish to humbly submit as ‘bright’ color. The imagination of the masses has led to a wide misconception that dragon hoards contain vast riches. Indeed, this can be the case! More oft than not, however, the truth is that the cave or dwelling will contain brightly colored feathers, exquisitely shining crystals(generally worthless like quartz), or in the case of Ruth, lots of string.

To most dragons, gemstones are valuable because they shine or have good color, not because of any special attached value or market price. To a dragon, they are just as valuable as the brightly colored feathers or string. They are, after all, just rocks.

Excerpt from “The Danger of Draconology - Shattering Romanticism” by Archivist Sikes

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Sikes wasn’t surprised when he saw the utter disarray of the Haberdasher’s tree. Having listened to Ruth, at length, finding everything broken, piled up, used, discarded, or burned out felt right. Sikes dug through the pile of furniture and debris and quickly started tossing things into separate piles. He pulled the tables and the broken glass out of the large crap pile and threw them nearby into a heap he mentally labeled ‘useless’.

As he expected, there were several bags that looked familiar. One of them was his bag. From the looks of it, the small bag which was merely a heavy canvas with a shoulder strap, the Haberdasher had already been through it. A quick look inside revealed that his books and personal journal were missing.

Depressing.

Sikes would have shaken his head in disgust but he was still not entirely comfortable with Rush being on top of his head. Lord Rush, Sikes quickly reminded himself.

The other bags belonged to his companions. They had also been rifled through, missing various pieces of gear like flint, knives, clothing, and blankets. Perhaps the Haberdasher had traded them away or hidden them somewhere? No matter. From the combined bags he managed to find two sleeping rolls that were in relatively good order, a flint and sparking rock, and a dark glass knife. It would have been better if one of the steel blades was present, but that was sadly not to be.

The best find was two intact waterskins. Trembling hands forced the cork out of the mouth. Without too much hope, he took a sniff of the water.

Finally a break.

The water smelled fine. Sikes, for one moment, had the delirious premonition while he’d been sniffing that the Raccoon might have done something to the water. A fearful image of the Haberdasher urinating into the waterskins in the event that anyone had dared to try and steal from him!

While Sikes would not have put that past the insanity which the Haberdasher had been capable of, it seemed that his caution, in this case, was unwarranted. The water tasted stale, but to Sikes who had been given small rations of water over the course of his capture, it tasted like ambrosia.

A light moan escaped his lips as he forced himself to drink slower.

The moan must have caught the attention of his overseer.

Give some.

A curious thought entered his mind.

It seemed that Lord Rush was curious as to why his vassal was making such a weird sound.

Reluctantly, he lifted the mouth of the water skin above his head and leaned forward slightly. He felt Lord Rush shift forward. Sikes let the water drip out slowly and was gratified when it didn’t start dripping down his face. At least Lord Rush wasn’t a sloppy drinker.

The creature lapped at it for a moment before stopping. The water fell in a grass-thin stream toward the floor. Before too much of the water could be wasted, Sikes hastily pushed the cork back into the mouth of the waterskin.

A quizzical and cautious feeling invaded his mind. Almost as if Lord Rush were reluctant to inquire...

Is good?

“I require water to live. To me, it is very good. To you, I imagine it is pointless. I wouldn’t dare suggest anything to you Lord Rush, but I would imagine it is quite like you partaking of the mana in your Soul Space.”

Soul Space.

Not a question. If anything it seemed like Rush was chewing on this information.

Good Vassal. Very good Vassal.

Sikes smiled nervously. The soul shape seemed to be able to express its will to him telepathically but similarly seemed incapable of hearing his own thoughts. This, he reflected as a quiet rage simmered inside him at being ‘spoken to’ in that demeaning way, was probably for the best.

Where is Sikes Soul Space?

Sikes froze. The casual way the question was asked gave him pause. He deliberated for a long moment, trying to think of what to say. The true answer being, of course, that he had absolutely no idea what to say.

Vassal? A slightly focused intent began to pressure Sikes. Not answering was being taken as insubordination.

“This one does not know,” Sikes said slowly. “Only, uh, great beings unlock their soul spaces. Their majestic soul shapes taking form and having a consciousness. This vassal admits his inadequacy because not only can he not activate his soul space, his soul shape is also unformed.”

A sense of being pitied and then a mollifying thought.

It is okay, vassal. Continue.

The true injustice of the world was almost making him weep. Ruth, and now Rush, were demonstrating their incredible lack of common sense -- yet somehow both were graced with something that Sikes with all his intellect and academic gleanings couldn’t manage.

Rush will awaken your soul shape.

The thought immediately dispelled all the woe in his heart. Truthfully, Sikes knew a great deal about soul space and soul shapes. Who didn’t? Who didn’t dream of transcending the limitations of power, or mortality, and in many cases -- of morality! Gratitude welled up in his heart.

When I think of how.

Then it was gone. He smiled bitterly and resumed his duty.

From the front room he found a cabinet near the hearth that was untouched. It was likely that Ruth hadn’t known that the small wooden knobs on the front indicated that it was something he could open. Inside was an assortment of salted and dried nuts and fish. Sikes took the small tablecloth that was strewn casually on the floor and rolled as much of the dried food as he could fit into his bag. He hefted the strap and looked around mournfully.

Part of him, the cowardly part, told him to push the creature off his head and make a break for the door and the wilderness outside. The smarter and equally cowardly part of him said to deceive Rush somehow. It wouldn’t be hard to convince the creature to leave him alone so he could escape.

The smartest, most self-serving, biggest part of his cowardice told him that the stories Ruth told of the garden were likely on point. There would be any number of creatures out there that would probably eat him within minutes.

It was better to be a coward, a vassal, and alive than free, brave, and dead.

“Goodbye,” Sikes sighed at the doorway. He turned and started heading down the stairs.

Goodbye? Means?

“One wishes goodbye to someone or something on two different occasions, generally. When one is going to be temporarily or briefly parted with that thing or person, or when one is going to be permanently parted with that thing or person.” Sikes began smoothly. If nothing else he could try and teach the stupid creature to be a bit better of a conversationalist.

Which is now?

“Goodbye, probably forever, to the Garden of Wilkeena. All that lies outside that door. I shall probably never return.” Sikes explained. Goodbye to my freedom, temporarily, he added mentally.

Goodbye first food place. Temporary.

Sikes began to smile but it immediately soured slightly when Rush added a little something extra, just for him.

Good vassal. Very good vassal.

“My name is Sikes, milord.”

Okay dumb dumb.

“Vassal is wonderful, Lord Rush.”

Good vassal, very good vassal. Vassal will stay. Goodbye. Temporary.

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Before Sikes could say anything Rush was gone.

Rush was very pleased with Sikes but he had business to attend.

Rush entered the soul space and drank deeply from the area. The talk of the soul space with Sikes had reminded him that he needed to go back and check his territory. He had left quite abruptly and he wanted to make sure everything was tip-top while he enjoyed his journey elsewhere.

The mana flowed into him from the sphere. Did it seem brighter in here than before? Rush liked it.

Now all that was left was to look out and see if--

Yep. The crow was still there.

Lord Rush narrowed his eyes dangerously at the crow. It was sitting in the same spot it had been sitting in. Rage filled his body. This time he didn’t give in to it immediately.

Back so soon? You look well. Like I only beat you a little. Come for more broken scales?

What is word for future pain based on past pain? A complex series of thoughts flashed out to the crow from Rush.

Future pain? Ah, I believe you are searching for grudge. You are telling me you will not forgive that grudge? Little brat, I am not surprised. I wait for your ‘vengeance’. Vengeance is another good word.

Rush stared hatefully at the crow. It was standing in what he deemed his territory but he was now capable of acknowledging that the transgression would have to be righted at a later time.

It was a very big step for Rush.

It helped that he really liked the word and concept behind grudge. Rush began to secretly calculate how many grudges this future vassal would have to accept from him when he was bigger. It delighted him.

Is that all? Want to fight?

Rush narrowed his eyes and, for the first time, Arathan shifted uncomfortably on her invisible perch with an odd feeling swelling within her breast. There was something incredibly intense about his gaze and the silence. Usually the creature blasted his thoughts at her with as much subtlety as Tamara in a room full of lechers. Rush was probably exercising the full extent of his walnut-sized intellect. She was strangely flattered.

Once more, my name is Arathan.

Arathan. Goodbye. TEMPORARY.

Then he was gone.

A quick glance through a window that appeared in front of Arathan revealed he was already curled up on top of the Durvgar’s head.

IDT Status

Planar Tiefling: Ruth (Level 11) (Young Adult/Lord Rush) (Lightning Specialized)

1 of 5 spell slots

Mana: 17/20

★Lightning Ward: 25%

★Lightning Chain: 25%