//------------------------------// // Chapter 32 - Dragon Migration // Story: The Awakening of a Tactician // by Mountainmanmad //------------------------------// Dragons are fascinating creatures, capable of extraordinary feats. They have incredible life spans, and more than a few have been around longer than I’ve been in Equestria, no doubt. Of course, what really drew me to them was the vast amount of knowledge they must hold. I was positioned at the top of a hill, watching the dragons overhead migrate to a new home. The sun shimmered against their scales, the multitude of colored reptiles creating a spectacular view. I’ve waited for this point in the timeline to happen, the time when Spike wished to leave and travel with the herd. If I remembered correctly the episode focused on him and three teenage dragons at the time. I, however, was more interested in the adults portrayed in the background. I planned on traveling to the resting ground and seeking out an elder dragon. With any luck, one would be willing to have a conversation with me. Of course, waltzing into a crater occupied by hundreds of dragons could be considered near suicidal. To prepare for this I brought with me the tomes I believed which would aid me the most. For starters Arcthunder, due to its unique ability to pierce through dragonhide. Arcwind, in case I needed to make a speedy retreat. Arcfire, should I suddenly require to manipulate fire in any way. And finally Luna, the Dark magic capable of bypassing any magical resistance. My fail-safe should Arcthunder prove inefficient. I had no intention of causing any trouble, but I also had no desire to become food. I also brought Blizzard with me as well, but I was unsure as to what effect Ice magic might have on dragons. At the very least I could use it as a means to provide cover while I ran. The journey to my destination should take me several days of walking. I only found out about the migration this morning from Trixie. Turns out that the dragon’s passed overhead yesterday and the ones I saw today were merely lagging behind. I had wanted to arrive there before Spike; his presence along with the ponies may aggravate the group resulting in less of a chance in gaining audience with an elder. I needed to hurry. I brought with me just enough food should I grow weary. I also had to leave Trixie behind as well. I would be traveling with the aid of Wind magic and Trixie doesn’t have the control needed to maintain such speeds. So with a final check of my supplies I began running across the landscape, following the faint trails left by the migrating dragons. I was lucky that the migration was still occurring near Ponyville when I left. Without the directional aid of the dragons I would have been lost from the start. In fact, if I didn't know any better, I would say they were deliberately changing course mid way to throw off pursuers. The fact that part of their migration path required them to fly through harsh weather only cemented this fact. I inhaled deeply, trying to intake as much air as I could. I was standing atop one of the highest peaks in Equestria, and in the middle of a blizzard no less. If not for the effects of Arcfire I would have succumbed to hypothermia hours ago. Still, I made it a little more than halfway now. From my position I could even see outlines of volcanoes. I desperately wanted to negate the storm in order to get a better look, but I needed the natural disaster. Only two days into the journey and I had already passed Spike and the three mares. That was at roughly dawn when I came across both their camps. Now that I was ahead I needed to make sure I increased the distance between us or else they might catch up to me. I would be able to rest once I made it into the next forest. I couldn't keep the grin off my face. How could I after all the walking I went through just to get where I was? My eyes followed the dirt trail that led up the side of the volcano. Why anyone would want to make a path to the rim of a volcano, and a dragon resting grounds, I'll never know. And, to be honest, at that moment I could care less. As I began to walk up the path I replayed in my mind what exactly I would do once I reached the top. I had given some thought as to how I should proceed from here. I’m hesitant to admit that I don’t know much about dragons. What I know is based off of first impressions and portrayals through writing and games. Now, based on the show, the teenage dragons were shown to be tough, arrogant… and stupid. The only adult dragon introduced was the situation with Fluttershy. With any luck the Elder dragons are more akin to those depicted in the Elder Scrolls series: proud, wise and… somewhat approachable. Essentially, I needed to find my own Paarthurnax. With a weary sigh I climbed up to the edge of crater. What I was doing was near suicidal and I only had one shot at this. At best, I predicted I had roughly a... 20% chance of everything going my way. And that was with me being gracious with my variables. As I climbed I eyed the skies warily. Already I could start to see the creatures in the air flying around, and with great clarity too. Once or twice I thought I felt eyes land on me, but my climb wasn't impeded. When I finally reached the crest of my climb the sight before me took my breath away. Hundreds of dragons filled the volcanic landscape; the area was a cacophony of growls, roars and laughter. I found myself wearing a dopey grin, a feature I discarded with great prejudice. What would these creatures think if they saw a strange biped wearing a stupid grin prance into their midst? Nothing good, that’s for sure. I needed to retain my calm throughout this whole ordeal. One wrong move and I could have the entire horde to deal with… which would most likely result in my death. There was an 80% chance of death should the whole horde turn on me. Believe me, I spent a lot of time calculating it. I steadied my breathing, taking a second to run my hand through my hair. When I felt sufficiently at ease I began my way down into the bowels of the crater. With every step I took the air grew warmer. The hairs on the back of my neck rose and I became aware of curious eyes upon my person. Even so I managed to remain straight faced and composed, hiding the growing feeling of trepidation within me. Every step took me deeper into the crater. It was quiet now, and I could hear whispers at the edge of my hearing. Again, I knew nothing about dragon mannerisms, so I took the mutterings in stride. Along the way I also altered my appearance. I kept my posture upright and noble, but I lowered my head, a minor sign of submission. If these were the creatures I thought they were then they would acknowledge the confidence of my own strength, while also noting that I was here not to fight. I was lucky, extremely lucky to not be confronted. The teenagers completely avoided me and the young adults eyed me with varying levels of malice and distrust. It wasn't until I reached the elders did I start to see signs of promise. Yes, the distrust was still there, and so was a bit of animosity, but that was completely overshadowed by their curiosity. I would assume it was most likely me that piqued their curiosity. No doubt those that had lived several millennia had seen most of everything life had to offer. In their eyes I was an enigma. I stopped walking and slowly lifted my head. I met the eyes of several aged dragons, but I never found what I sought. It was just when I was about to give up and escape while I could did I find my first glimpse of hope. It was a brown scaled dragon, clearly old if the scars and discoloration of its scales were anything to go by. The creature was resting upon the warm ground, it's posture relaxed, but I could see its muscles tense and ready to pounce. Beside it was a small pile of gems and gold, much less than what most other dragons had with them. What truly gained my attention however, was its eyes. There was absolutely no malice within them whatsoever. There was only guarded curiosity, and perhaps... a touch of amusement? Against all odds, I had somehow found my Paarthurnax. All I had to do now was impress it. I raised my head a little but more, maintaining eye contact with the creature. It was surprised by the gesture, but it did not act upon it. Assuming that I was still the one that needed to act, I resumed my walking, moving towards the stationary dragon. The creature's surprise grew further with the action, but so did its amusement. I only stopped walking when I was a little over several yards from the dragon. My next action would be risky as I had two options. I could raise my head fully and show the dragon that I held no fear. Or I could bow and show it respect as most creatures of their caliber may expect. Given the situation I went with the safer of the two and bowed. I suddenly heard growls behind me along with several snapping jaws. Clearly, I chose wrong. I could feel the bloodlust of the dragons being directed at me. It was thanks to my mental discipline did I refrain from fleeing outright. The other reason I didn't budge was because of the dragon I bowed to. There was absolutely no bloodlust coming from it. "You're certainly an interesting creature, aren't you?" The voice was deep and clearly masculine. It also clearly came from the dragon which sat before me. I remained silent for a few moments longer, waiting to see what would happen. After roughly ten seconds of silence, I realized I was supposed to speak. I kept my head down as I replied to him, "I suppose that is one way to describe me." The old dragon chuckled at my response. I saw his foreleg rise off the ground. Shortly after I felt the anger of the other dragons begin to diminish as the elder made some unknown gesture. Clearly I found a dragon with great authority, and I couldn't have been happier. I lifted myself from the bow and looked up into his eyes. "I apologize if I offended you or the others with my performance, as that was not my intention." The dragon let out a deep chuckle as he further relaxed. "The offense did not derive from the action, but rather the lack of reasoning behind it. Dragon's are prideful creatures by nature. When you came up to me and bowed you showed loyalty to me when I had not yet earned it." "I see. I must thank you then for vouching for my safety. I doubt I would have lasted long against a horde of dragon's," I reply evenly. I saw some emotion flash behind the eyes of the lizard, but I could not discern it. The dragon in question merely smiled at my answer before moving forward, "My name is Glaedr, one of the supervisors of this migration. Who and what are you?" "My name is Robin, and I am a human." "Hrm... I've never heard of a human before." "I'm afraid I am the only one that exists on this planet." Glaedr seemed surprised by my announcement. I suppose that's a given considering how old he must be. No doubt he would be aware of the extinction of a species. "I'm sorry to hear that," he said softly. I allayed his concerns, "You did not offend me in any way. However, I do not wish to delve too deep into my own history on the matter." "Of course," he conceded. "However, I do need to know why you have decided to intrude upon our grounds. You may wish to remain anonymous, but that only worries me further. What is the reason for your presence?" Right to the point, huh? With any luck I won't regret my choice of words. "Well, I am actually looking for information regarding gems and minerals." I barely finished my explanation before I heard growling coming from the nearby dragons. Glaedr remained silent, but it was clear he was unhappy with my reason being here. I brought my hands up in what I hoped would be seen as a placating gesture. "I am not a thief, nor do I wish to bring harm to any here. The truth is I don't know exactly what I'm looking for. I'm not even positive if what I envision is even possible. I came here in the pursuit of knowledge, knowing that dragons would most likely have more experience with identifying gems and minerals." The tension between Glaedr and myself had vanished as quickly as it came. I blinked in surprise as I realized the large dragon was shaking not with rage, but with mirth. Deep guttural chuckles escaped the elder's maw as he brought himself back under control. "I don't think I have ever met a creature as brave and suicidal as yourself. Unlike most of my dragon brethren, I too value the worth of knowledge. It is one of the reasons my horde is so much smaller then the others here." For fear of saying the wrong thing I merely nodded in acknowledgement. "Indeed," Glaedr continued, "back within my home I have a large assortment of books and scrolls I have collected over the years. To say I have a small library would be an understatement. I respect your desire for knowledge, Robin, but I'm afraid I can't share with you what I know. While knowledge of gems may not interest me as much as other dragons, such information could still be used against my kind. While you may claim to seek knowledge only for your benefit, that does not mean you won't be tempted to take the path of a thief later in life. I know nothing about you or your abilities and so I cannot take such a risk. I'm sorry." I couldn't even bring myself to be frustrated. It was clear that Glaedr was making this decision out of precaution, not necessity. If I had to guess, I would assume that most fundamental knowledge regarding gems would be safe to share. But anything beyond the norm? That was treading into dangerous and unknown territory. Still, I came all this way and to turn back empty handed would be a shame... "While I'm disappointed, I can't say I don't understand the reasoning behind your caution. However, I have traveled far and it would be a shame to leave empty handed. Is there nothing I could do to change your mind?" Glaedr frowned in thought. "If you are truly determined to find the answers you seek, then there are two options available to you. The first would be to challenge a dragon to a one on one duel. Should the drake accept, and fail, he would be honor bound to surrender his prize. In your case, the knowledge you seek. The other option is to initiate a trade. Something of equal value in return for what you want." I practically jumped at the option. "Then perhaps I could trade with you? Give you something in return for the knowledge I desire?" "And what is it that you wish to know regarding gems and minerals?" Time for the moment of truth. "I'm looking for a gem that would be able to store large quantities of magic. Large enough that work could be done to its surface, but small enough to carry on person." Glaedr narrowed his eyes at me. A sign that did not bode well for me. "Yes... I have knowledge of such gems. They are extremely rare and the history regarding such are... tarnished. Many great feats have been accomplished with the aid of such gems, just as many more have been done for vile purposes. The value of the knowledge I hold is high, and while I don't believe you would abuse such a tool, I don't know you well enough to make that decision. If you want to know everything about the gem I am referring to, you are going to have to pay a hefty sum." "How about trading knowledge for knowledge?" Glaedr blinked in surprise at my offer before throwing his head back and laughing loudly. I could feel my anger begin to bubble at the amount of attention I was gaining once more, but I quickly pushed it down. The last thing I needed was to lose my temper. Glaedr finally managed to calm down enough to actually speak to me, "I-I mean you no insult Robin, you merely took me by surprise. In my long life I have never had a potential trader offer me knowledge in return for that which he seeks. I have lived a long life Robin; I have experience and learned many things. If you can actually procure knowledge that I know nothing about I will consider your request." Now was my chance. The only question is do I take it? I don't want this kind of power to be at large in the world, and while I doubt it would spread through Glaedr, there was always a chance. Still... what choice did I truly have? I needed that gem for a project of mine and only one of specific specifications would satisfy the requirements. I needed to take a risk. "I think I may actually have something that would interest you greatly." I removed Arcwind from my robe and offered it to the dragon. Glaedr was clearly hesitant to accept the truth of my words, but I could tell I piqued his curiosity. "That is quite a strange book. I can feel an enormous amount of magical energy hidden within." If I respected the dragon before that statement only served to reinforce it. Most unicorns would have trouble detecting how much magic is stored within my books given how foreign it is. But for Glaedr to recognize and identity the large amount of power... it spoke volumes of his intellect and experience. "I can assure you that this is no mere book. This is but one of many I own and would be willing to trade with you. As a sign of good faith you're more than welcome to inspect this book before we come to an agreement." Glaedr looked surprised by my offer but it was quickly shoved aside to make room for his growing curiosity. He carefully took the book between his talons and rested it upon his open palm. With greater dexterity then I would expect from such a large creature, he opened the book and began to read the words transcribed on the pages. The reaction was immediate. His eyes widened in surprise as he stared dumbly at the small, green book. I happily gave him as much time as he needed to come to terms with what he discovered. If I had to guess, he truly understood now just how powerful my magic was. After several minutes of reading Glaedr closed the book and returned it to me where I placed it back within my cloak. Even with the book out of sight I could see that Glaedr's eyes were focused not on me, but on where the book had vanished from view. Jackpot. "I take it you were pleased with what you found?" While such things are below me, I admit I couldn't fully hide the smug tone that slipped into my voice. "Never in all my years have I ever heard of a language that was purely magical. It is, isn't it? I could practically feel the power coming off of the words. How is such a thing even possible?" "It's an old, ancient language, now only understood by two individuals. Myself, and my student." I reach into my robe once more and bring out the translation book, holding it out to him. "How would you like to be the third?" I almost wish I had a camera. I don't think I'll ever see a dragon openly gape like Glaedr again. The drake eventually managed to come to his senses and he shook his head. "No, I can't accept such a trade. You offer me so much in return for so little. I did not expect such a payout to come from such an unlikely source. Surely there is something else I can offer you in addition?" That actually threw me for a loop. I suppose it's a pride or honor thing. Still, he's offering me more than what I originally set out for? I wonder... "Well... I can think of two other favors you may be able to fulfill for me." "Name them and I'll agree. What you offer in return is far to valuable to give up." Perfect. Spike groaned as he pushed aside another branch. For days now he'd been traveling towards the migration point. He was so close now, so close to getting the answers he needed to understand himself. If only he could make it through this darn forest! Spike growled in annoyance and clawed at the next set of brambles that blocked his path. What was on the other side was almost enough for him to turn tail and run home. In the distance he saw numerous dragons flying around what seemed to be an active volcano. Even the horizon looked alight with the combined power of the natural formation and the fire of the dragons. Sadly, this beauty was lost on him as his mind was more concerned with the adult dragon resting at the foot of the mountain. Said dragon perked up as he sighted the much smaller spike. The adolescent swallowed nervously before making his way forward. Hey, he had come this far to talk to a dragon, and he wouldn't run at the first sight of one! Even if it was nearly ten times his size... and could eat him in one bite... and he probably was waiting for him just for tha- "Are you by any chance Spike, young one?" Spike was wrenched from his inner ramblings as the older dragon greeted him. "Y-Yeah, my name is Spike. But, how did you know that?" The dragon's eyes seemed to shimmer with mirth as he beckoned the hatchling closer. "Lets just say you have some very powerful friends who look out for you. Now, you wish to know more about dragons as a species, correct?" Spike nodded his head rapidly. "Yes! That's the whole reason why I traveled here. I want to know what it means to be a dragon! Do you think you can help me Mr..." "Just call me Glaedr, young one." I smiled down at the two dragons as I watched from the top of a pine tree. Did I have to help Spike? No, I hardly knew the kid if I'm being honest. Still, there's nothing wrong with doing something good once in a while. Lord knows I've committed plenty of sins throughout my life. I'm not a superstitious individual, but I prefer to remain in the 'grey' area as far as Karma goes. "Well Spike, I hope you find what you're looking for." I smirked as I looked down at the phoenix egg I had under my arm. "I know I did."