Conner shook his head in disbelief. Seneca gasped, and Shayna was furious. She wanted to react, but she knew it wasn’t her fight, and Rileau was handling Jake fairly well on his own.
“You are correct. It is not my tail that makes me who I am. Without it, I am still a dragon,” Rileau said. He grinned widely, and Jake pretended not to notice.
“Actually, I’m just not that easily convinced, but hey, if you say you’re a dragon, then I guess we’ll just have to take your word for it. It’s not like we can prove you’re not.” Jake tightened his lips and crossed his arms across his chest.
“It appears that Jake has been misinformed in all things relating to dragons, and as such, he believes without merit.” Rileau sighed and shook his head.
“Me and millions of others,” Jake snapped.
“Since you have obviously done some studying, I trust you are thoroughly aware of the Greek astronomer Ptolemy. Mortals once put all of their faith into his theories,” said Rileau. “We thought it humorous that you believed him. His baseless teachings of Earth as motionless and the center of the universe were just proof that mortals were too young of a species to accept more.”
“Sure, but over time, he was proven wrong!” Jake shouted. He knew he sounded defensive; however, he wasn’t going to accept a condemnation of mortals without a fight.
“You are correct. We waited for about a thousand of your years and then realized you might finally be able to handle the truth. Frankly, it wasn’t funny any longer either. It was pathetic,” Rileau said.
Jake knew that was an indirect jab at him, especially since the dragon’s green eyes were locked on his.
“What happened next?” Shayna asked. She was fascinated by the story. Rileau began pacing as he continued.
“There was a young, promising lad who was mentored by a druid named Gabriel. Gabriel assisted him throughout his life with inspiration and education and comforted him after the loss of his parents,” said Rileau. “He taught him tolerance while living with his demanding and narrow-minded uncle. The young man endured countless distractions, such as religion and medical studies, but he was eventually led to the truth about Earth. As planned, and with well-executed magical intervention, he did prevail.” He turned toward Jake to wait for a reaction. He shrugged when Jake remained quiet. “Questions?” Rileau asked.
“You’re not talking about Nicolaus Copernicus, are you? I did a report about him last year.” Seneca got excited, and her head began filling up with all the facts she had learned on the subject.
“Indeed, that is precisely whom I reference. He was quite receptive to the teachings.”
“Awesome!” Seneca beamed.
“It’s good to see you have knowledge of him,” replied Rileau. His green eyes shifted toward her, and he tilted his head slightly. “Continue, Seneca.”
“I was interested in his story because he discovered so much without the telescope and physics. He figured out that the sun was the center of our universe and that Earth rotated on an axis. His theory wasn’t proven to be right until after he died. Galileo figured it out,” Seneca said. “Hardly anyone gives credit to Copernicus.
“Brilliant! He did indeed open the door for Galileo. We elementals were able to pull back since the mortals were then on the right track,” replied Rileau. He bowed his head, and Seneca basked in the acknowledgment.
Seneca felt the heat of anger intensifying from Jake. She knew his rage was rooted in jealousy, but she also knew that nothing short of a dousing of water was going to calm him.
“And what’s your point?” Jake asked. His tone was icy.
“My point is that initial beliefs are not always accurate and that an open mind to unlimited possibilities may prove that previous notions are actually false,” said Rileau. “In this case, your facts on dragons are erroneous!” His voice echoed thunderously, causing the windows to rattle.
“Argh!” Jake growled through gritted teeth. “Come on!”
“Jake, calm down already,” said Seneca. She tried to reach out toward him, but she decided to pull back. She looked at the expression on his face as he locked eyes with Rileau. She didn’t want to shift his anger toward her.
“You have much to learn, Jake. Much to experience and even more to accept,” said Rileau. “There will come a time when you will be required to accept all that is presented to you. You will have no choice.”
“That sounds ominous and like a way to dismiss the topic,” snapped Jake.
Rileau turned away and began walking the perimeter of the room. His tail crashed hard every few feet. Each time, a new scorch mark was stamped into the stone. Seneca sensed he was growing inpatient. She didn’t dare attempt to read his thoughts. She had learned she wasn’t adept at shielding to avoid detection. Her shortcoming was what had caused Brigara to discover that she was a druid. Still, she wondered about the knowledge he possessed. The mystery made him even more attractive in her assessment.
Seneca said, “Excuse me, but can you tell us more about Gabriel and—”
Jake interrupted. “Why didn’t Gabriel come set things right if we were so wrong about dragons?” asked Jake. He believed he had new ammunition to challenge Rileau’s claims.
“Jake, you must listen closely, as your obstinacy is most certainly your constraint,” Rileau said. “You shall wisely concede that you do not know of what you speak. Or is it that your beliefs are rooted solely in what you’ve been taught up until this moment? Is there no option to expand your intellect to other possibilities?” Rileau paused to allow a response.
Jake refused to reply and remained quiet in protest. Shayna was thankful Jake wasn’t able to create a sword or any other weapon; she had a feeling the ability would have been used at that precise moment. Rileau did not appear fazed by Jake’s attitude and continued with what was undoubtedly turning into their first lesson.
“Your beliefs are based on false tales that were intentionally spread to your realm. Many rumors began and took on lives of their own,” explained Rileau. “As I have attempted to explain, we have been falsely portrayed as wild beasts and pillagers that steal women and lock them away in towers. It took many eons to earn back trust of dragons in the Otherworld. What mortals were led to believe was not our concern.”
“Why would anyone start ugly rumors like that?” Shayna asked.
“Maybe because they were true,” said Jake. He smirked and looked for consensus from Conner. Instead, he received a disapproving head shake in response.
“As many conflicts begin, it involved a highly desired pollen sprite and a jilted fairy lover who wanted revenge,” said Rileau.
“Wow! Are pollen sprites really beautiful?” In Shayna’s observation, the story was just getting to the juicy part.
“Most definitely beautiful—much like you,” Rileau said, smiling.
Shayna was accustomed to compliments and was typically not moved. She knew this time it was different, and she looked away bashfully.
“Can we hear the rest of the story?” Conner asked.
“The issues arose when the pollen sprite let it be known that she preferred a dragon over the fairy. This was the spark that initiated the lies and treachery,” said Rileau. He grimaced and shook his head. “It was the beginning of the defamation of all dragons.”
“That’s so typical of guys,” Shayna said. Seneca nodded in agreement.
“Sure, blame the guy—I mean fairy. It’s never the girl’s fault,” Conner said in a sarcastic tone.
“Exactly!” said Shayna. “Most of the time, it’s the guy.”
“She probably led the fairy on or something like that,” said Jake.
“Exactly!” replied Conner mockingly.
Jake felt compelled to side with the fairy. He realized he didn’t know much about matters of the heart or anything else involved, but he had decided that dragons were not on his list of those to s
ide with.
“You’re saying the fairy started spreading lies about the dragon just because the sprite fell in love with someone else?” asked Shayna. She wanted to get back on track with the story. She rolled her eyes at Jake and then smiled broadly at Rileau.
Jake resisted saying anything. He didn’t understand his feelings, but he began to relate to what the fairy most likely had been experiencing.
“The pollen sprite was part of the noble heritage of Brill, and it had been prophesied that she would wed the fairy. This would serve to unite the beings to bring greater harmony. She embraced her destiny until she met the dragon that won her heart upon first glance,” said Rileau.
“Sounds a bit far-fetched,” Jake said.
“Sounds romantic,” Shayna countered.
“Sounds like another case of a prophecy gone wrong.” Conner snickered.
“I’d like to meet this wannabe author in charge of the prophecies and demand a rewrite!” Jake sneered. “There’s something seriously wrong with the plot.”
“Please continue, and just ignore him,” Seneca said.
“The dragon returned her feelings of love without compromise. The pollen sprite knew she was obligated to inform the fairy of her true heart. When she confessed that her love was meant for another, the fairy went into a jealous rage and vowed revenge,” Rileau said.
“Did they fight or have a duel or something?” Shayna asked. She was jubilant and loved the drama of the tale. She hung on each word and was completely absorbed in the details of the story.
“The fairy had a plan that would go beyond this particular dragon,” said Rileau. “He wanted to punish all dragons that had ever lived and all those that would follow. He cast a spell that caused all elementals to fear and loathe all dragons.”
“That sounds like a really powerful spell,” said Seneca. She was intrigued that anyone could be so angry over a broken heart.
“Indeed, quite powerful. His spell was weaved with dark magic that caused all to question the intentions of dragons and to categorize them as evil creatures that could not be trusted,” he said.
“Appears pretty accurate to me,” Jake said. From the looks he received from the others, he knew he had probably pushed things too far. He cringed and shrugged in response.
“That is not cool, Jake,” Seneca said. She stared at him until he looked away.
“Sorry, Rileau. Please excuse Jake. Maybe the murkgoblins ate part of his brain or something,” said Shayna.
“No, Shayna, wrong again. That would be zombies that eat brains,” Jake chided.
“Calm down, Jake. That’s enough!” said Conner. He was becoming frustrated with the snide comments.
Shayna was ready to pounce on Jake as well. She was glad to see that Conner wasn’t teaming up with him. It disturbed her that he was being intentionally rude.
“I know that you trust Keene Ardara. Is this correct, Jake?” asked Rileau. Before he could respond, Seneca chimed in.
“We all do. We trust him enormously,” she said.
“Well, I’m confident that within his possession are the very scrolls that chronicle the event of which I speak,” said Rileau. “The battle of the fairy and dragon, as well as the breaking of the prophesied matrimony, was well documented. Such battles do not end well.”
“Was there an actual battle over the girl—I mean pollen sprite?” asked Shayna.
“Ah, indeed,” replied Rileau. “Love is a powerful force. It is like no other, and it can drive even the most civilized and harmonious of beings to do the unthinkable.” He paused for a moment and looked at each of their faces before continuing. “Never take its power lightly—never. Love fills one with pure, divine light, but when tampered with by the elements of rage, envy, or other dark matters, it can turn deadly. Remember this always.”
“And the fairy let his jealousy turn his love into a dark spell?” Seneca asked as she paid close attention to the details of the story.
“It was believed to be an essential part of why he wanted to punish the dragon.”
“But why all dragons and not just the one who stole the girlfriend?” Conner asked.
“Why indeed. It would take much speculation and a lot more time to delve into that, so let’s save that for another time,” replied Rileau. “I will tell you this much. The spell was not as powerful as the fairy had intended. There were flaws.”
“Okay, so there was a spell, and it was broken, blah, blah. You didn’t mention the fairy casting a spell that changed what people thought a dragon looked like,” said Jake. He didn’t attempt to hide a hint of condescension.
“That is accurate, and yet, rumors do take on lives of their own,” Rileau said. He offered no other explanation.
Jake was not satisfied, and he questioned why Rileau did not continue with the story. “Mostly the physical characteristics vary, but dragons are always portrayed as animals, like serpents and reptilian-type creatures,” said Jake. “Why would a beautiful pollen sprite want to be associated with that?”
“Aren’t we all animals?” Rileau replied. He made no attempt to hide his sarcasm.
“Some more than others,” Jake snapped as he waited for Rileau to engage in more one-liner banter, but instead, he only received a smirk in response. “Are you also able to fly and breathe underwater?” Jake asked. He raised his brow to display his skepticism.
“My current form would not allow such feats—” Rileau stopped midsentence and then decided not to continue. “I actually try to avoid water. It acts as a base surge. Much like the reaction of volcanic lava.”
“That sounds more like what I’ve read on dragons,” said Seneca.
“Again, how we’ve been painted in your books is not how we actually appear. However, there may be some truth weaved in. Our actions seem to be the most blatant of the falsehoods,” said Rileau. He looked down his prominent nose at Jake in anticipation of a rebuttal.
Jake tightened his lips. Sweat rolled down his back.
“I see that you still have comments that are weighing on your tongue. What is it that you need to know?” asked Rileau. “Speak up, Jake!”
Rileau’s tail came crashing down hard. Shayna and Seneca moved close together. Conner was ready to intervene in what appeared to be the escalation of an inevitable fight. A thin cascade of dark smoke seeped out from beneath Rileau’s tail. Jake fanned it away and stepped closer to Rileau. Conner put out his arm to stop any further advance.
“Calm down, dude!”
“You are clearly more man than a so-called dragon. All you have is a tail, and I’m not even sure it resembles a dragon tail at all. You being a dragon just doesn’t seem plausible,” said Jake. He pushed Conner’s arm away but made no attempt to engage in a physical altercation. Conner remained on alert.
“Jake, what difference does it make? Why are you harping on this?” Seneca asked.
She began pleading with him telepathically to stop and let the matter go, but she couldn’t detect if he heard her. If he did, he made no attempt to acknowledge her.
Jake wished he could back down or shift the topic of discussion, especially since he stood alone in distrusting Rileau. He knew Seneca had a great point. It didn’t matter if Rileau was a dragon or not. He was not a dragon expert, but he still believed he had cause to challenge the legitimacy of Rileau’s claim. He also felt as if something were driving him to be skeptical, something beyond the norm. He wasn’t typically confrontational, but his anger ran deep. He wanted to question his behavior, but he seemed blocked from doing so. He suddenly realized that Rileau was still talking, and he was missing his words.
“Jake, you seem to think that an all-knowing and all-powerful creator would be incapable of designing life-forms such as me, a dragon. Have you forgotten that you are in the Otherworld?” asked Rileau. “Until recently, you considered this realm unfathomable. Is this not correct?” He was
visibility irritated. His brow furrowed, and his large hands formed tight fists.
“Hmm,” Jake said softly. His head throbbed, and his eyes burned.
“Are you listening?” Rileau asked.
Jake realized he was staring blankly at the wall. He wanted to stay focused, but his muscles ached. He realized he hadn’t eaten in quite a while, and fatigue was probably setting in. He wondered if the feeling had anything to do with his mood or if the murkgoblins had hurt him more than he realized.
“I was just taking in what you were saying,” said Jake. “It’s just that it doesn’t exactly make sense that you are a dragon. Explain how you can breathe fire and not set yourself on fire.”
He knew he was grasping at anything to throw out as a question. The relevancy of his queries was beginning to wane. He didn’t know why he felt the need to stand up to Rileau, but something drove him to desire a chance to knock him down a notch or two. He opened and closed his fist repeatedly. His head was throbbing, and he squinted from the pain.
“You presume to know more about dragons than I,” said Rileau. “Such hubris is rather disturbing.”
“Hu-what? Are you calling me arrogant?” said Jake. “You don’t like to be questioned or something?” His nostrils flared, and the veins in his neck protruded. His eyes began to sting, and he squinted to fight back the burning sensation. He had never felt such rage.
“He’s right, Jake. I’m sure he’s more of an expert,” said Shayna. She smiled widely and tilted her head in admiration. “Just calm down. He knows what he’s talking about.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” said Jake. He huffed and shoved his hands deep into his pants pockets. “He hasn’t exactly explained anything. It’s like smoke and mirrors.”
“I will address this once—and only once—in an attempt to satisfy your curiosity, but afterward, I will not entertain this foolishness,” Rileau said.
He crossed the room and retrieved one of the many silver jars that lined the shelf. He opened the lid and held out the jar for them to survey the contents. It held a fine deep red powdery substance.