The Ten Million Year Hello

by Bandy

Chapter Two

Dragonkind contained multitudes. There was its kingdom, with subjects and kings and queens and customs and culture. There was a rotating cast of juveniles drifting from place to place, semi-permanent nomads unwilling to call any one flag theirs. There were warrior tribes who fought wendigos in the north and web-footed tribes in the south pole who swam with orcas.

It also had dragons so ancient and reclusive that they dropped off the radar completely.

Spike made his way to one of those dragons now, a month long flight from the wastes of the frozen north all the way down to the desert mountains of Andesia, a range of rocky peaks marking the line between the southern plains and the frigid south pole.

In a nondescript region too rocky for ground-bound races to hike and too windy for flyers to fly, in a cave so deep you could practically hear the earth breathing, Spike found himself surrounded by piles of treasure ten times as tall as him.

He placed a meager but meaningful offering of gold and tasty gems into the hoard, then called out, “Mlinzi? Anyone home?”

The earth rumbled all around him. “No,” it replied.

Spike chuckled. “It’s Spike the dragon. We met eight hundred and twelve years ago, when you left Dragonstone to complete your hermitage. I was the one you--”

“The one I kicked off the dias as I left.”

Deeper in the cave, Spike saw a light flash. Two bronze eyes blinked open at opposite sides of the cave. Though he could see only the eyes in the creeping darkness, Spike shuddered with awe as he imagined the true size of the dragon. The whole mountain must have been hollow for him to fit.

“Yes,” Spike said, stowing his wonder. “The one you kicked off the dias.”

The cave cracked and shifted as the ancient dragon let out a laugh. “I apologize for that. It was purely by accident. My size--”

“I understand. No need to apologize..”

Mlinzi looked Spike over. “You’re awfully levelheaded for a dragon.”

“I was raised by ponies.”

“Ah, that would explain it. Is that why you’re here? Getting in touch with your dragon side? Here to consult the elders?”

Spike detected a hint of sarcasm in the old dragon’s voice. “It’s not that.” He paused, considering his next words. “I saw something I’ve never seen before.”

“Ah. Even at our age, the world still finds ways to surprise us. Feels good, doesn’t it? ”

“No. Not this one, anyway.”

“Don’t keep me in suspense, then.”

Spike swallowed the lump in his throat. “It was another dragon. I found her in the frozen wastes. She was...” He frowned. “She had these horrible wounds, like she’d been ripped apart and left to die.”

“Except she couldn’t.”

The scales on the back of Spike’s neck stood up. “Have you seen it before?”

“No, but I’ve heard of it. What was she doing in this library?”

“Torching everything. It was just spilling out of her.”

“You were right to flee, then. Sounds like she’s no longer in control of her own powers.”

“How could that have happened?”

“Maybe it was an accident. Or she challenged another dragon to a duel and lost, and they mangled her as a sign of disrespect.”

Spike’s frown deepened. “Can we help her?”

Mlinzi’s eyes twinkled with mirth. “You really were raised by ponies.”

“Can we help her or not?”

“Not a chance. She’s caught in a feedback loop of dragon biology. Her body’s natural regeneration magic keeps trying to heal itself. But the heat from her exposed heart will continuously damage the rest of her body. She’s trapped.”

“And she’ll stay trapped.” The look in Mlinzi’s bronze eyes grew very serious. “Until someone puts her out of her misery.”

The realization fell like a weighted spearpoint on Spike’s chest. “You can’t be serious.”

“It’s very serious. Since you found her, it should be your duty to end her suffering.”

“I can’t do that. I won’t. There’s gotta be another way.”

“Every day you put it off is another day she spends suffering.” Mlinzi’s tone softened. “It’s no way for a dragon to live. Everything around her burns. Even other dragons. You must have felt it.”

Memories of the searing fire seeping between his scales sent shivers up Spike’s spine. “There’s gotta be a way to help her.”

“Yes. Find something sharp and shove it into her heart. If she’s smart, she’ll let you.”

“That’s not what I mean!”

“You sound just like a pony!” Mlinzi let out a bellowing laugh. Stones fell from the ceiling and bounced off Spike’s scales. “So naive. You have a million more years to go before you can fully appreciate the ways of the world. Love is for the small. Dragons can’t afford such things.”

Spike’s shoulders sagged. “I think you’ve forgotten what’s outside of this cave.”

“There is no out there. Not for me.”

A question lingered on the tip of Spike’s tongue. He hesitated, then blurted out, “When did you stop moving?”

Mlinzi smiled sadly. The whole cave trembled.

“Six hundred, and seventy eight years ago. I stopped flying another hundred before that. I was causing too many twisters.”

“Did you... like flying?”

“Like it?” Another laugh. Another tremor. “I was the most graceful dragon anyone had ever seen.”

“I’m sad I couldn’t see it.”

“You’ll see it one day. When the world ends, I’ll take flight again, and the whole of creation will bask in the shade.”

This was the curse time and biology bestowed on dragons. The same regenerative magic that kept the wounded dragon from the library alive also caused all dragons to continue growing, until even the smallest flick of their tail could trigger city-killing earthquakes. It was the fate of dragons to rest and turn to stone. The survival of the world depended on their sacrifice.

“How much longer do you have?” Spike asked. He heard his voice trembling, and he felt like a baby again, forever helpless at the feet of forces beyond his control.

“Oh, plenty of time to contemplate. Another hundred thousand years, at least.”

A shudder ran up his spine. “When I figure out this spell, I’ll come back. I’ll make it so you can fly again.”

“You’ll do no such thing.” The smile faded, and Mlinzi’s face reverted to its usual serious mask. “It’s the nature of all beings to die. Dragons just die differently.”

“It’s not death if you’re still alive. You hate it down here.” A sudden fire sparked to life inside Spike. “Don’t lie to me!”

“I welcome my change from flesh to stone. My scales will soar as mountains. My heart will feed the earth’s core with its fire.” A ghost of an old flame bloomed from Mlinzi’s mouth, bathing the room in bronze-colored light. “In this way, I change, but I remain.”

Anger and fear collided in Spike’s mind. He turned to storm out, but paused mid-stride. He went over to Mlinzi and wrapped his arms around the old dragon’s snout. Even as big as Spike was, the elder dragon still dwarfed him by comparison.

“Thank you,” Spike said. Then he spread his wings and flew towards the light.

Comments

[Yordna]

Oh, jeeze. This is really dark, in a way I hadn't considered before. Excellent idea, fabulous execution.

I just feel terrible for Smolder. What she's going through is horrifying and pitiful at the same time.

[resonance]

Love the lore and the perspective

[semillon]

A shudder ran up his spine. “When I figure out this spell, I’ll come back. I’ll make it so you can fly again.”

“You’ll do no such thing.” The smile faded, and Mlinzi’s face reverted to its usual serious mask. “It’s the nature of all beings to die. Dragons just die differently.”

“It’s not death if you’re still alive. You hate it down here.” A sudden fire sparked to life inside Spike. “Don’t lie to me!”

“I welcome my change from flesh to stone. My scales will soar as mountains. My heart will feed the earth’s core with its fire.” A ghost of an old flame bloomed from Mlinzi’s mouth, bathing the room in bronze-colored light. “In this way, I change, but I remain.”

this is gorgeous