ബഐബഐബഐ H.K. ബഐബഐബഐ
I watched through the corner of my eye as the injured dragon whelp slowly relaxed and fell asleep. Just in time too as I finished translating the scroll that I had been working on while we had talked. While the scroll had some useful information that I may need to use it was not really what I hoped it would be. I sighed as I put the scroll in a drawer before I slowly walked over to check the whelp's bandages. With all the moving he had done it was possible that he reopened his wounds. Thankfully I found that he did not so I turned my attention to my brother who has sleeping close by.
I sighed as I watched Spike drool in his sleep. I had dreamed of watching my sibling sleeping soundly in his own pile of gems... raising him... watching him grow into dragon that would make our parents proud... but it was not to be... not that I regret giving Spike into Thesējs tho Tzirüstele Atülāja's care. As far as I have been able to tell she has done a wonderful job raising him, especially with such limited information. I just regret that I didn't pay more attention when Oathbreaker technically first broke the oath... it was just that she did have some very good points I did have a very dangerous life even for a dragon. A life of a dragon warrior is not the best for raising hatchlings...
On that I had to get him out of here. Hourglass City was just not safe and would not be for some time. To begin with, I had yet to figure out how to shut down the malfunctioning defense grid. In of itself it wouldn't be a problem if I didn't also have to deal with the massive infestation of shadow demons. Conversely the shadow demons themselves also wouldn't be a problem if the defenses grid had not be active for the last ten thousand years making the lay lines the swirling around the mountain extremely unstable and strained. Any use of active magic right now could not only cause a cascade effect that would instantly vaporize life within sight of the mountain it could irreparably disrupt magic globally. It was a huge risk as it was when I had to use a very powerful spell to save the young dragons. Luckily I'm very good at heartsongs allowing me to use its magic to mitigate my use of active magic...
"Do you know of this mountain?" The Voice asked as as a miniature version the upside down mountain Terra Hourglass appeared, a multitude of blue lights swirled up and around the mountain.
"That's Terra Hourglass, it, along with its twin, Aqua Hourglass, are the leyonic poles of the planet. On top is Hourglass City birthplace of Discord and the once capital of the Draconequui before they were wiped out in one fell swoop by a spell developed and use by the alicorn sisters' parents..."
I nearly jumped when several angry roars of a dragon interrupted me, echoing out among the trees. What has gotten into the dragon now? Nothing I had said had really much baring on dragons... unless he had a particular disdain for them, which would make little sense given my birth race... but then again nothing about this 'meeting' has made much sense...
"Correct..." The Voice sighed one the roar ended. "Though the Hourglasses are far more then just leyonic 'poles' they also in are, in simplistic terms, my anchors to your plane..."
I growled in anger. I already could see where this was leading to. Active magic of a high enough caliber can effect ley lines causing anything from surging, fading, to 'jumping' where the ley lines snap around like a rubber band. Given the high concentration of ley lines that were also in constant movement would only magnify any damaging effect along multiple ley lines. So when those two imbeciles decided to cleanse the planet the draconequui... They are lucky my biological parents got to them because if I had they would have not been given the luxury of a quick death...
I shook my head as I pulled myself from my memories I had work to get back to after all. I slowly turned, walked back toward the side door, and back into the main section of the library. I have so much to do and so little time after all. I walked many rows until I finally found myself at the bookshelf that I had marked with chalk. As I had done with several other bookcases I systemically and carefully scanned each book or scroll I came across, mentally making rudimentary translations, looking for one that had something that could help me.
"Calm down son." I blushed in embarrassment when I felt The Voice's accented his words with several licks down my back. I know The Voice is father to all dragons and that he has appeared to me as my father because he contains my father making him my father doubly... but this is just weird... and I am way too old for this... was way too old the first time... Though I won't admit to anyone that I missed the feeling of being comforted like a hatchling...
"So... they are, in essence, losing themselves to the beasts within..." I whispered sadly at what The Voice revealed. I had noted the slide in the dragons but I had figured it had to do with the aftereffects war but I had never thought it was directly tied specifically to the final moments of the war... At least now the dragon's roar made more sense...
"Ow." I cringed as my ear was flicked hard by the tip of The Voice's tail. I know he knows how sensitive a ponies ears could be there was no need to treat me like a foal that had made a crude, impolite remark.
"That is not correct and you know it." The Voice chastised me. "The beast within a dragon does not war with the sapient consciousness... Though I suppose the analogy has its merits in this case..."
DAMN YOU DISCORD!!! I mentally roared in fury and frustration. Once again I found that an entire shelf was filled with a random assortment of scrolls, letters, and books ranging from how to make cheese, to a spell on changing color perception, and finally to a love letter. How that one got in here I didn't want to know. Not that it mattered, none were of any assistance.
So irritated was I at this problem that I found myself nearly spewing out fire. A few sparks had even managed to leak out of my maw before I clamp my mouth shut.
I breathed heavily for a few minutes trying to calm down. Ever since Spike revived me with the shield glowgem my emotions have been extremely volatile and I found myself especially getting really angry far more easily. That in of itself wouldn't be a problem if I wasn't also now capable of spewing fire.
I will be glad when Smaug arrives in little over a week, if the winds are favorable... I desperately need his expertise in finding what I need. Sure I could get lucky to find the right book or scroll on my own but if my very low estimate was correct I had well over a million scrolls and books to search through. Normally that wouldn't be an issue as any decent library would have some easily figurable pattern, but thanks to Discord not a single scroll or book are in any proper place.
I understand it wasn't Discord being a jerk by messing with the Grand Library he was just trying to starve off boredom/insanity after finding himself alone after his entire race was wiped out by those... insects!
I gulped and shut my mouth hard when I saw again a white glow coming from it. For the second time in a short while I was about to burn the place down with my fury. I really need to mediate but I just don't have time. There is just too much work to do and on top of that I have to now keep an eye on four young dragons... Speaking of the young dragons, one of them, Twixt'd, if the injured whelp's outburst was correct and not him spouting deliriously, was eyeing me from the shadows. He was quite good at it even using his black scales to his advantage to hide. He was even paying attention to make sure his much easier to spot grayish-blue belly scales were hidden.
I had noticed him watching me a while back but ignored him as at first I had figured he was curious or was unsure how to approach me after our less then ideal introduction. However, by the way he was watching me with suspicion told me otherwise. I suppose that to be expected from a dragon like him. I would rather just ignore him and continue my work but he could prove to me more problematic then Garble ever was unless I did something to allay his suspicions. I knew there was nothing I really could do drive off Spike until the injured whelp is healed enough to fly.
"Twixt'd is it?" I nonchalantly called out. "Tell me, what is an orphaned street urchin from Traxti City doing this far from home?"