Avess learned the village was named Steelhorn and he was halfway between the village of Lostcrest and his home in the Dragon Lands.

He stayed at the the inn for several days, his arm painful but not as bad as before. It felt like soon he’d be able to shift back into his dragon form and fly home, which he was desperate to do. The knowledge of the Magus being recalled to Tregaron and the possibility of gray-souls existing worried him. The Drakku, if they caught wind of these developments, would most certainly want to engage with the Magus and he didn’t think it would be friendly.

The Magus and the Drakku had been allies and friends for longer than anyone remembered. They fought side by side against invaders from across the sea and they built huge monuments to their shared success, not the least of which were the five Towers for the five branches of the Magus in Tregaron. The Drakku helped build the magnificent palace in the south and many other wonders through their cooperation with the Order of Eschar. It was a beneficial arrangement that Avess fought hard to continue.

Among the Magus of the northern land of Tregaron, a small but powerful sect gained popularity with the people of the lands. According to Ildor, they were fanatics who blamed the Drakku when crops failed or when the hunt was scarce. Avess sat back in his chair at the inn, closed his eyes, and recalled the talk he had with Ildor.

***

“I swear to you Lord Avess, I have no idea what’s gotten into people! The Drakku have done no such thing as steal our crops or hunt our food.”

Avess smiled. “No, we have not. Who brings up these charges?”

The two were in the Tower in Kulketh, Avess there to see the ascension of the latest Kull Naga, a Magus from the Black Tower named Ornas.

“I’ve heard rumblings from among the Crimson Tower. I squashed any opposition as soon as I discovered it, though my Keeper feels it’s something we ought to be wary of. If I had to guess, I’d say it has something to do with this new Kull Naga. More than once I’ve heard him argue that we should not be allies and how he worried the Drakku would one day destroy us all.”

“Is that so?”

Avess lifted the wine glass in front of him and sipped. It wasn’t the first time the Order tried to break ties with the Drakku. For whatever reason, they were constantly looking for ways to end their longstanding alliance.

“I’ve also heard other rumblings,” Ildor began, “but I dare utter them aloud.”

“We’re alone here. Feel free to share what bothers you my friend.”

Ildor followed Avess and lifted his wine glass, gulping down a large swig of the sweet red wine, then set it back down on the table between them. He leaned closer, carefully looking to either side of them. Avess grew anxious as he awaited what Ildor had to say.

“You know our stones, the ones we use to enhance our power?”

Avess nodded. He knew them well. All five branches of the northern Magus were tied to a certain gem. The Crimson Magus, of which Ildor was from, used garnets. Usually tied on a leather cord around their neck, they could also be in leather cords tied around their head or around their waist. The Black Magus used onyx stones while the White Magus used opals and so on. They claimed they made their powers stronger when they channel the energy through them. Avess didn’t really think so, but if that’s what gave them courage to do what needed to be done, then so be it.

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“I’ve heard rumors a small group of Magus, possibly the same ones that try and drive a wedge between our people, claim that our stones become immensely powerful when drenched within the blood of the Drakku.”

Avess nearly fell from his seat. “What?” he said a little too loud. He recovered and leaned closer to Ildor.

“How can that be? What madness is this?”

Ildor shook his head, then took another long sip of his wine.

“Troubling thoughts these are. There is no proof of such a thing, nor should there be. I have connections and once I find where this started, I intend on squashing it for good. Those thoughts are dangerous. I had hoped we’d raise Exius from the Blue Tower to Kull Naga as I believe he has the most level head of all the candidates and would certainly see reason and end this heresy, but…other parties won out.”

“Do you think Ornas subscribes to these thoughts? Does he believe your stones need our blood to be effective?”

“I don’t know. My feeling is he is willing to listen. He doesn’t have the greatest love for the Drakku, but I find it hard for him to think such a thing.”

“Then it will be my mission to make sure he sees us not as a threat, but as the strong allies we’ve been since well before the invasion.”

“I have no doubt that you will. Here’s to long health and a long friendship!” Ildor raised his glass and the two of them toasted to their continued success.

***

Avess wondered just how much those within the Order really subscribed to these terrible beliefs. If enough thought they’d gain greater power by soaking their gems in dragon blood, he’d have a serious problem on his hands.

Already he’d had issues with the southern griffons who wanted their complete independence from his rule. For the most part, they had it. He rarely interfered with their affairs, recognizing they governed themselves well enough. However, they were Drakku. No matter what else happens, they are Drakku and as such, they ultimately were his responsibility.

It felt like all of a sudden, his rule as Dragon Lord grew extremely complicated. It hadn’t been this bad since the invasion, but he worked hard to make sure the Drakku were in line and not prone to create problems within themselves and with their allies.

The danger of some within the Order calling for dragon blood to enhance their power was not lost on him. If they felt like killing a dragon to obtain its blood was necessary for their power, what could he do to convince them it was wrong?

Something he’d always thought odd about them was their refusal to acknowledge who they really were.

Halflings.

They were what was commonly called a halfling. They were offspring of human and dragon. The only reason they ever had a single spark of power within them was because of the dragon blood running through their veins. Not a single Magus ever admitted such though and he couldn’t understand why.

So if they were of the blood, if they were halflings to begin with, then why hunt their brethren for their blood? It didn’t make a lot of sense to him and he’d been around for several thousand years and had seen more than his share of strange practices and odd turns of behavior.

Avess sighed heavily. He hoped Ildor found the cause of the gray-souls soon. That was a dark blood magic no one should possess. He thought for sure it was destroyed long ago. How could anyone discover that ancient spell and the means to make it happen? It was disturbing to think someone wanted to do that to his kind. And halflings too. Didn’t they know how dangerous that could be for themselves?

“A few more days. That’s all I need,” he spoke aloud in the silence of his room. He was sure Etain worried about him. If he knew her as he thought he did, she might even be sending out a search party at this very moment.

“But what about those people? Who went looking for them?”

The abandoned village made him shudder. What would cause people to leave like that? Why leave their belongings behind and vacate their homes? If he’d discovered a cluster of Drakku had done the same, he’d not stop until he found the answers. Did their disappearance have something to do with gray-souls or the rumblings of dissent among the Magus? He couldn’t see how. None of these odd events added up. It was like watching the battlefield during the invasion and trying to guess where the enemy was going to charge from. In the end, he’d guessed right. But what if now he couldn’t do the same?