Chapter 36: A Lesson Learned

“Okay, class it seems that we only have one student missing from our little roster here. I’ll say it again, one last time. Is there an Adoneen present with us here today?!” Sometimes a name has to be butchered. Even the strong ones hakhakhak 'Servan Mabtali'. Who in their right mind?

The bell hanging from the wall above the classroom door rings and the students turn in anticipation. In my fifteen years of teaching, there’s nothing I enjoy more than having a little fun with the new student. No harm no foul as they say.

I can’t recall who “they” refers to but that’s fine. I probably heard it from my Good wife.

“What do we have here?” I spoke before anyone even entered the classroom. The students were incredibly quiet but that’s no surprise. It's not every day a kid gets transferred at the end of the school year, almost unheard of.

I kept my eyes on the door etching the square glass frame into my mind.

To my surprise, not a soul walks through the door. I could've sworn he was supposed to come in during this period.

“Probably running late,” I mumble.

“Excuse me, sir would this happen to be, Language and Literature 999.” The voice of a lost child speaks, it cuts through the silence of my classroom.

Lowering my eyes, I laughed looking at the pint-sized kid. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he belonged in a preschool or kindergarten.

“I think you’re in the wrong place, little guy.” Even a teacher such as I can be led by appearances. The child looked like he belonged anywhere but here.

The necklace around his little scrawny neck caught my eye. A chain holding the most breathtaking ruby. A piece such as that should be owned by one such as me, not some- What was I thinking? He's just a child.

Where did he go? I had only moved my eyes from the door for just a second or two.

“I’m right here, Mr.Izol, right? I know I look pretty young because I am. That doesn’t matter though I’m here to learn Adonin Servan Mabtali at your service.”

The kid sure moved fast. He was seated in the back of the class near a window without anyone noticing. I thought I had seen a kid sitting in that same seat not too long ago. Must've been my imagination.

”I guess my old age is getting to me.”

“Well not to worry little guy I’m sure your parents know where you are carrying on. You look way too young to be in this classroom but I’ll ignore that fact seeing that little jewel around your neck.” Rich bastards, how the hell did I even end up working here?

“Oh, thanks it was a gift. Sorry, for my tardiness by the way. My little sister was having a hard time being around so many- how should I put this? Passing people, yeah that’s it. I had to send her back home.” This child knows how to speak for himself.

I guess appearances actually can be deceiving.

“I know one thing this school needs better qualifications. If they let any more students younger than you in here, it might as well be a daycare.” The kid didn’t have a sense of humor it seems. Shouldn’t a child his age smile?

“I must love repeating myself. This is my third time calling out everyone’s names. Say how about I just add Adonin on in and we can start class.”

“YES, MR.IZOL!"

“YES, MR.IZOL!"

“YES, MR.IZOL!"

“YES, MR.IZOL!"

“YES, MR.IZOL!"

“YES, MR.IZOL!!!"

"Alright, Doc!"

“YES, MR.IZOL!"

“YES, MR.IZOL!"

Twenty-six loud-mouthed children speak in unison, returning a reply I didn’t ask for. They lacked tone and smiled eerily all except the new kid. The Child stares out of the window. He doesn’t have a care in the world.

“So, class, who can give the new student a summary of what we’ve been learning over the past month?”

It seemed no one had been paying attention. What has my life come to? For the life of me, I couldn’t remember either.

Taken aback, another student responded with a renewed vigor yet to be seen on this rainy day.

“We have been studying the history of magical creatures throughout literature. The genre just happens to be non-fiction Mr.Izol.”

Finally, we’re getting somewhere looking at the new kid to see if he was keeping up or at least paying attention now that things were picking up.

To my dissatisfaction, he was still looking out the window at the rainy sky. Maybe the child was too young to be here like I presumed. He seemed to be more fascinated with the rain than my teachings.

Continuing with what? What was the child’s name again? How long have I been working here? I can't even remember one name.

“Mr. Izol, I think Jack was getting to our class's recent discussions on Dragon anatomy, a mythical creature said to possess power beyond comprehension. A creature that is commonly portrayed as a villain or Antagonist in literature.”

Another student to help jog my memory. It made sense what she was saying so I went along. I couldn't recall our previous engagements no matter how hard I tried.

“That’s right!” I replied trying to get around saying the students' names.

“My name is Alice King Mr.Izol you always forget. That boy over there is Jack Beanton.”

I laughed and the whole classroom did the same. I guess I’m known for my momentary lapse in memory.

The kid Adonin raised his hand finally deciding that class was more important than the stormy weather.

“Mr. Izol, if memory serves correctly, you are an author who has written many books of non-fiction on the history of Mythical creatures such as Dragons and alike. It was stated in “A Dragon’s Journey” that you consider yourself to be a Dragon of Old when it comes to the sheer amount of information you alone hold on the subject.”

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This sounds interesting. “A Dragon's Journey,” I say aloud for the class to hear. Keeping our interaction going.

The child Adonin continued talking in his uppity voice. “Yes, I’m new here so correct me if I’m wrong. A Dragon's Journey is told from the perspective of The Cold Soul, a recluse who keeps away from the mundane and arbitrary lives of humans. Mr.Izol being the author of this book I believe you can take it from here. The books right in front of you.”

I wouldn’t let the new kid stand me up in front of my class. It was time to teach. I grabbed the book off of the desk in front of me hoping for the process of teaching to take over.

It never did. I was again starting to question why I chose this career.

“Mr.Izol you don't have to read the book to us. Why not just tell us what you remember off the top of your head and then look in the book for reference.”

“That’s a great Idea!” I yelled out loud the urge to shout. It was an urge that came over me now and then. Lowering my tone, I said “thank you” to the girl directly in front of me, Wendy. A wondrous name it reminds me of the cold winds of the Mountains peak.

The Mountain my current Wife used to climb. A current, she was. Yes, I remember now. Old age is starting to get the best of me.

“I’m an author who would’ve thought.” Hearing my words Wendy laughed saying “We don't have all day.” I hate to say it but the child was right about that. What I would give to have my day all to myself, to have a little more time with my ray of light.

A book that had the image of a stark white mountain with a lonesome tree in the middle of an avalanche. Yes, this is a mountain that I know for sure.

Alright everybody let's start. Like an avalanche of falling snow from the greatest heights of the Fallohum Mountains. "Such a majestic and cold domain." Memories came flooding back. I was obliged to speak of the story that had been lost to me for what felt like ages.

Losing focus of the classroom filled with eyes hungering for knowledge.

“It was on this Mountain that I found her. The light that was my astonishing mate in all her glory.”

The words were no longer mine to control every detail, every facet of the Cold Souls life poured out of me. It was almost like he was me and I was him.

“The dragon who lived on longer than almost any of his kind by shifting his soul into his offspring. A cold soul in every sense of the word. Sparing none of them, he handpicked the egg that would contain the biggest and brightest soul his seed would undoubtedly create every five or so millenniums. Choosing to use the carcass of the unsuspecting mate as nourishment. His Malevolence knew no bounds until he met. The lady of boundless power. A mistake was their encounter.”

I continued talking as if I was unburdening myself like a sword caught in between the back of my scales was sliding out with every few words.

The cold soul was a weakling himself once upon a time. The scrawniest albino with nothing but his sheer force of will keeping him alive.

“A will that would one day create the iciest breath to freeze silly little humans like all of you. A mouth that produced mists strong enough to freeze the soul. First, it started with my father. An insignificant name like the rest it was he that I first usurped taking, "devouring" his mind. The accident became a habit, a habit that became nature. An Apex predator I thought of myself. After birth when I killed my brethren, even in life when I conquered the matriarch, she bears more of my spawn fated to die a most pleasing death.”

She was the one with whom I derived the power of devouring the soul.

“No, she did not have the power to do so herself. With her eyes no redder than that ruby around your neck boy sitting there in the corner and scales no greener than that of the average measly and pitiful nature dragon. She seduced many to their death with her breath of temptation. All except me and well I was once upon a time my father now, so no correction is needed.”

I chuckled “The weak lizard”. The memory played through my mind to call it a conquest is arbitrary.

“It is rare for dragons to have a nature where only the most powerful develop one and no more, not even some elders get the chance. All dragons are born with an element; others have a few. I only needed one to subdue and my nature of the soul to take what would belong to me. That is how I spent my years. The cold soul is what I went by, the Old Soul is what only she called me.”

A mistake on my part. A dragon such as I should know by now that a strong will to live can only get you so far.

“A soul, every being is born with one it doesn't shape the body but determines its growth. The system would do well to acknowledge the tenth aspect but some things can’t be measured.” I thought that I had chosen the perfect vessel.

“Millenniums and what the dwarves would describe as a Mutation Occurs. It was my fault, for forcing those idiots into transition! There were only so many natural-born Females to suit my standard. This continent was within my grasp so I used what was at my disposal. The bastards wouldn’t even produce a clutch. Down on my luck the strongest soul no longer resulted in the strongest body.”

Trapped by my design I had almost given up hope.

“Then She found me. No, I found her, her soul was like the sun Vibrant, radical. it drew me to her. An elven one at first glance but one such as myself knows even the eyes of dragons can be deceiving." The Matriarch was an example of optical illusions. "I tried siphoning from the sun and I got burned but only death would stop me. She showed mercy, at first, I thought that was a sign of weakness.”

Yes, it is undoubtedly.

“Her presence could heal and strengthen soul, but it wasn't so simple." You can't call that healing.

"Humans can use healing magics. I had fought so-called Gods that did just that using their magics to mend wounds. I’ve discovered many elements among the Dragons, even more belonging to the lesser races. I am not the strongest, not even the most unique. She on the other hand had power to spare and life to spare. It was unending.”

Rubbing my hands together in front of the classroom I became restless.

“I desired her power at first, the feeble body of an elf was no object to me, but her spirit said otherwise. I couldn’t take it for myself nor conquer her like the rest. Especially with what had become of my long line my vessel had betrayed me and I had killed my remaining Kin. I was the last of my Line.” The brink of madness waiting to die in that small and malnourished body.

“She gave me her life’s essence, it was filling like no other. And I'd thought she had taken pity on me until she called me that wretched name.”

“The Old Soul.” It made me sick hearing those words.

“I couldn’t attack her, she could tell when I was in her vicinity. Nor could I conquer her. She held a power dwarfing mine.” The feeble body had weakened my mind for sure.

“An act of kindness or mercy, either way, she let me in. Never had I met someone who wanted to be conquered. She let me get closer and closer. What would I do when I got close enough? That I had not thought of. Everything was in my favor until I started killing the many that sought after her life.”

I’d crush them for taking what was mine. How could they even dare approach the one I had offered my true name?

“She did not ask nor need my help. I had interfered with her work and almost felt her wrath. That is when she laid waste to my name and laughed at the puny body I was trapped in. I had never suffered such a blow since birth.”

Could I ever surpass her in strength and power? An elf made me feel "Lesser". Whatever she was. I was a lizard compared to her. She never gave me anything to remember her by except my life. An Old life that was nothing compared to hers.

“I flew off in defeat, unable to meet her challenge. In the snow, I lay for hundreds of years. For hundreds of years maybe another thousand. She'd given me all I needed to prosper, she made my spirit flourish pushing me to desire, so much more.”

I was left impotent my cold fire wouldn’t burn. I buried myself, choosing to hide from this world. Not like anyone would come looking, my enemies never lived long enough to come back, especially from the dead.

“In silence I sat, sleeping, not eating. Siphoning the life of any passerby. I wished to never had met her. This was all her fault for healing all one hundred and fifty-nine bones in my body. Who asked her?”

The blonde twins were laughing it up in the back. How dare they!

“Mr.Izol the Dragon sounds like a loser. He’s just a predator. Nothing apex about him. He's a simp.” The blonde-haired Hansel spoke, interrupting me for the last time, the bastard.

“Yeah, it sounds like he needs his lizard balls cut off. Serves him right, being knocked down. Are there any other Dragons to talk about other than this one? The piece of shit was sad because he couldn’t rape and kill another Dragon. Are we hearing you right?” The child didn't know her place.

“You shut your mouth you little Bitch! Your parents should’ve terminated you in the womb!”