"Unfortunately, I do not hold the answer for that question." The dragon, sitting on its two back limbs, answered. "I spent… a long time pondering over this event. Why were we attacked, what actions were taken to result in this outcome… I spent what I imagine to be years over these doubts. And no answer I could imagine was enough to satisfy me."
She drifted a little from my question, but no problem there. It actually helps me. "So, what conclusion did you reach?"
"We were just a collateral event." These words were accompanied by such heavy serenity, no one would imagine the dragon was referring to the incident that erased her tribe from the world's memory.
"Collateral, you say…" Not so much according to what I know. John thought, but he himself didn't put much weight on his thoughts.
He was slowly learning not to blindly believe every event he knew was perfectly pictured from his side.
Better if I ask more. Ask questions more specific instead of trying to figure out everything before I can get more information. John decided, calmly. "So‐"
"Now, I believe it is my turn." The dragon said, interrupting the young man's question before it could be even properly formed.
When faced with the dragon's action, John just nodded, indicating he was waiting for her question.
This was an exchange of information from both parties, so he needed to prepare to give away information as well.
"My question might sound trivial, but please answer vividly…" She announced first. "The world… how does it stand in present days?"
Hearing the question, a small rise of eyebrows indicated John's surprise, even if a slight one.
I guess everyone gets curious about their place after a thousand years out. He thought briefly.
Pondering over the question, while thinking of what he should say, John slowly flew higher, a few meters in the air.
When he was face to face with the dragon, he replied to her.
"Different, obviously." He started the answer with the most obvious. "1.000 years ago, humanity had already spread to almost every corner of the world. Nowadays, this is even truer. The difference resides in the numbers. Cities are populated with millions of us, where buildings the size of castles can be seen everywhere in these cities. We can be anywhere on the planet in a matter of less than a day. We can be there in a second from our homes, even. Although through methods I think you would consider maybe even magical.
The skies and the oceans… we travel to the highest and deepest parts of them, and beyond. In recent years, the goal of certain groups of humanity has shifted from our planet to reaching the stars. In the end, the universe is open to explore."
"It sounds like a revolution has reached humanity these years I was held captive." She commented amidst his words.
"A few." John, smirking, nodded in agreement. "However, you will find that humanity is still the same in some aspects, even after a thousand years.
We have wars going on in places where food is scarce and poverty is common. People are losing their minds to their most primitive instincts, and because of that, lives are destroyed all around the world.
The sought of attention dirties the little bit of decency people have. And dragging along, the peacefulness of others. Useless debates and silly fights happen every time, and people decide to join them instead of doing something that could benefit themselves." Through slow and rhythmic words, John listed the negative lingering side of humanity.
While saying these words, he didn't express any strong emotion. No anger, sadness or hopelessness.
At most, when saying these words, he sounded… bored. Uninterested.
"Huff… so, basically, although a lot changed, certain things stayed the same as well."
"I see…" The dragon nodded, taking in the knowledge shared.
How she had handled this knowledge was not easy to deduce. Through the young man's speech, the dragon's facial expressions barely altered.
But briefly after muttering her words in an attempt to express herself, there was a subtle change in her facade. Struggle.
The dragon, momentarily, seemed to fall in debate with herself.
"What?" John blurted out. Catching a glimpse of the facial reaction.
She remained silent for a moment. "…Would you permit me to have one more question revealed before your turn?"
John nodded. "I don't mind."
"I am thankful." She bowed her head slightly, action followed immediately by her facing the young man. "In a small lapse of clarity I had, I took notice of a presence I found familiar. A Gŵr Gwyrdd…"
Green Man? Must be The Leshy. "We call it 'Leshy'. Nowadays, it is known as a forest spirit, even a deity to some."
"It has… a name?" She muttered, a tinge of awkwardness found in the process.
"Yes. Why?"
"Curiosity, only." She replied, calmly. "I brought its presence to the conversation to give better context to my question." She quickly retreated to her main focus.
John just patiently listened to her.
"You talked about Humanity. How it stands nowadays. Although I obviously asked about the world." She said, giving a clear route to where her doubts were heading. "From what I see of you in this short time, stupid is far from the adjective I would place upon you. However… my mind is begging me to believe you just slipped during your answer."
I see…
While the young man understood her words, the dragon asked the question to clear her inner doubts. "The world… how others besides Humanity stand on it at present days?"
"Almost the same as I said. Because besides humanity, few are the species that live among them. And all of these live hidden from the world." John explained, briefly and direct. Wanting to make it as easy as possible for the dragon to understand.
The words seemed to have a silent impact upon the dragon. Because, though invisible, there was a change in her demeanor that could be felt; sensed.
And this given impression was further affirmed by herself when a weak held breath escaped her nostrils.
"Then my assumptions are true…"
"It seems so." John muttered in agreement.
Followed by his words, there was a silence that had befallen between both beings, one permitted by the young man.
It wasn't difficult to notice this news had some impact over the dragon. And John thought the best action would allow her some quiet time, holding his questions for a moment.
However, the dragon, always attempting to be so serene and firm, decided to let this permitted silence to only last shortly.
Because her response to the silence was contrary to what the boy expected.
"You do not need to care over my reactions." Was her response to the boy's actions. "Resume your questions. Ask what you wish." She stated, with a drop of insistence and authority, amidst an attempt to retake her former regal composure.
At her reaction, John quietly observed. Taking a few mental notes at it.
I thought where her arrogance from the first time I met her had gone. He thought, casually. I wonder if she is behaving like this right now because of the beatdown or if she always held such composure and was just acting out before. A little bit of mockery followed the end of John's thoughts.
Though he had no one but himself to admit right at this moment, he was enjoying this conversation.
"I will follow your example to ask my question." John stated.
"I am listening."
"The world, during your days… how was it?" John asked, not suppressing the curiosity in his tone.
Her question of how the world was during present days led his mind to think of something he already had before, and decided to express his curiosity now.
How was it? A world where not three or four supernatural species existed. But hundreds, maybe thousands, of unique species shared a single world.
Were there conflicts? Most assuredly, but who against who?
From the stories and legends, what was true and what was false? Who was real and who wasn't?
John always had these questions.
And unfortunately, in the present days, he hadn't access to anyone with this knowledge.
The Original Family, taking into account their old age and vast experience travelling the world, they didn't have this knowledge. How could they? They weren't left out of the tragedy of having their memories wiped away.
So, until now, he didn't know anyone he could meet and simply ask these questions. There was no base for him to ask such things. Nor someone who could answer.
And now that the opportunity had presented itself before him, John would make sure to exploit it.
He observed attentively the dragon's expression, a pondering one. Like of someone who was gathering their thoughts.
She opened her mouth, intending to mutter the answer the boy expected.
Unfortunately, the answer he received was not exactly the one he wished.
"The time of this meeting of ours is nearing to close." She said, her words so abrupt and different of what the young man expected that he immediately could only react by blinking a few times.
John, stunned for a moment, barely could gather his thoughts to complain when he noticed something, ceasing his previous intended actions.
He noticed it. The beautiful and flourishing valley… was fading.
The rivers stopped flowing, the wind ceased to howl and the light was losing its glow.
Looking around, just to assure him of what he was seeing, proved John of what was happening.
This memory was crumbling apart.
"So that's what you meant." He muttered in realization, turning to face the dragon again.
And now, as the world crumbled down, as well did her facial expression.
In the turn of a moment, the dragon, who held herself in a regal and calm composure, holding in the shock of learning of how much her environment changed, showed clear signs of exhaustion.
At the same time she seemed weary, her eyes were heavy, drowsy even.
She was in the state where the body just needed an opportunity, and it would fall asleep, regardless of the person's wish to stay awake.
"I am sorry…" Her words sounded heavy, as if the words themselves were too tired to be pronounced. "I may not have completely recovered of your actions."
"No wonder. I almost took a chunk of your mind away by doing that." John commented, comprehensive of her state.
"Almost?" The dragon replied, sarcastically.
John raised his eyebrows. Despite the jab, he found it amusing the first attempt of the dragon to take a different stance with him.
"In my defense, that was the first time I attempted a mental surgery. I just followed my instincts there." He said, trying to not pay much attention to the darkness that was appearing around.
"You did better than many…" She said, taking a deep breath at the end of her words. What seemed to have worked as she regained enough focus to stay awake. "Huff… I need… to rest…"
"Then I guess our conversation will be postponed."
"No, it can't." She replied, slowly laying down on what now was a world of nothing, a representation of how tired her mind was.
The only thing holding her mind awake was their consciousness. As soon as they both left, nothing would hold back her mind to command her to sleep and rest.
Rumble…
A deep rumble echoed through the void, and from the narrowing eyes the dragon showed, it was obvious to the young man whose effort it was for that to happen.
"Go… Answers there…" The dragon muttered, before her form faded as well.
Followed by her words, the young man observed as a source of light surged from the corners of her mind. Like the sun peeking from behind the horizon.
Looking at it, John permitted the restriction he put on his empathic senses to loosen up a bit. And he felt it.
So many emotions… John muttered internally, facing the mental horizon. Okay, let's take a look at some memories. As he said these words in his mind, John had already started to walk to where his eyes were fixed.
And as he walked away, the area where slowly walked away seemed to become darker. Like someone closed the curtains, in hopes of having a good rest.
[———]
"Do you think for how long he will stay there?" Hope, sitting on the grass, lifted her chin slightly to look at what was the spectacle the entire Salvatore School had gathered to watch.
Freya, sitting by her niece's side, spinned a small blade of grass between her fingers. "I don't know. More than an hour has passed, I think he should have been back by now." She commented, taking a look at the young man as well. "But if something had happened, your aunt would have noticed, so no need to fret."
"Fret? Really?" Hope turned to her aunt.
"It seemed to fit well with the emotional state you are constantly about to enter for the last hour." Freya replied, a small smirk on her lips.
Hope, seeing this, rolled her eyes. Distancing her sight from her aunt, trying to return her focus to her grass crown. Something she has been trying to do to keep her mentally occupied. And it worked, for some time.
"He is pulling the 'rope'." Rebekah suddenly announced.
In a quick set of actions, her grasp over his shoulder tightened, and in a metaphysical way, she pulled him, helping his consciousness to return to his body.
"Wow." Suddenly, the young man who stood still for more than an hour, blurted out a single word to express his experience. "That was something."
"Good to have you back, boy." Rebekah, still holding his shoulder, said before giving it a pat.
"Thanks." He said, turning around after hearing the rushed sounds of someone getting up.
Seeing Hope, John opened his arms and smiled. "Missed me?"
"Idiot." She said, giving him a quick hug. Silently, she let out a sigh of relief, one John and Rebekah ignored to have listened.
In a much more slow pace, Freya got up from the grass, getting up right after Hope let go of John. "It seems you had some fun in there to take so long."
"You have no idea…" John said, a knowing smile blooming in his lips. When it formed, however, it unnaturally stayed there longer than it should. Something no one noticed.
And his affirmation of learning things just distracted them slightly, further helping in no one noticing.
"I won't lie, I am quite curious as well what you learned in glimpsing the mind of a dragon." Rebekah commented, probably the most willing to express her curiosity. "So, care to share?"
"Sure, but not here." John replied, taking a look at the much smaller crowd from earlier. "I doubt Dr. Saltzman would wish for anything that I learned to be spilled out here." With that said, John started to walk away from the resting beast, the group following him from behind.
As he approached the building, John was greeted by the few people that stayed nearby. That is Jeremy and Dorian. Contrary to Alaric, both had more liberty at their respective jobs. This fact was much more real now, with Alaric having to constantly respond to parents.
When John approached them, John couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
"I saw it. What did you bet?"
"I bet something would happen and you would be stuck in the dragon's mind." Jeremy said in an amused tone of voice. A rare good-humored response from him.
"I bet you come out safely." Dorian said, taking two fifty-dollar bills from his pocket. "It seems being optimistic rewards some times."
"I hope you continue like that in a few minutes." John said, his words getting the attention from both of them. "Can you get Dr. Saltzman to meet me in my room in a few minutes? We need to talk about… everything."
"Sure, I can get him." Dorian said. "But it might take a while. He is meeting one of the parents."
"They are coming personally now, huh?"
"Just one of them, for now at least. According to what Jeremy said who was in town, more will probably come later."
"Yeah, it seems so." John nodded, taking a deep breath. Thinking of how things were walking, he couldn't help but let out a sigh.
Things are just getting complicated. "We will be waiting for you there."
"Okay."
———————————————————
Just a warm-up small chapter for what I am planning to be the end of this first initial arc. I think it's gonna be cool. Also, tell me what do you think of the dragon talking more normally or if you prefer the very formal way. Well, here it is. Finally a new chapter. Hope you all like it. See you soon - Author.