The "Old Man" and the "Son" were in the tower in the early morning, and Romas had just brought breakfast to his mentor.

While the "Old Man" was peeling an apple, with his lightless white eyes he asked:

"Our guests. How did they pass their first test?"

Romas:

"Nothing to report, no noises or complaints. They stayed in the stables all night and stoked the fire and patched the holes. The kids worked as a team and they were able to keep warm the rest of the night. They ate some of it and smoked the rest during the night. Smart work".

The candidate mercenaries almost all failed this test, confirmed the "Old Man."

"Help me down...I'll take the lift, my old bones are no match for age."

He went to a shelf and took a book / notebook protected by a brown leather cover smoothed by years of friction.

Then he entered a sort of plank box connected by a pulley and pulled a string connected to a bell far below.

"Master, it's dangerous! It's meant for meals... I can carry you"

"My old bones don't do the weight anymore!"

A good ten minutes later, I was with Kroa outside and the mountain air was chilly.

I missed the cozy warmth of our heated caves... We had gotten too used to the fire.

Krator was in a foul mood with the cold stones and the lack of hay or straw.

Then Kri ran after me and it was Kra's turn. We were running around the square, grabbing each other's tails.

The humans hid behind the shutters and did not dare to get in our way.

We were laughing and they could hear it too.

Soon we warmed up and started to shutter in the courtyard and went up to the tower.

We couldn't help but laugh and walk around it.

I hung upside down from 10 meters and jumped on Kroa, missing him, and we twirled around to spit each other laughing in the hay.

My sisters were chirping and came to join us.

Romas could only see that we were... children who wanted to play.

And Krator... well, he was not too talkative and did not know what to say. Everything came to him and that was that.

The events were accumulating without reason and without order.

Then, panting, I saw that Romas was with a "Sage" and I rushed towards them, at their feet.

Kroa missed his landing and bumped into me but we licked each other, a sign of affection, I almost did the same to Romas, I had to fight my instincts.

"Old": So... I didn't think I would live to see this peaceful sight again.

I then made my greeting gesture, followed by the others and we listened.

"Romas told me about an extraordinary tribe, different from the other dragons... and . I can only note. Your name is Mir, little dragon.."

I nodded without interrupting.

I saw that he had no light in his eyes... cataract... typical.... If I had a laser... I could give him back his sight, but the best thing is a lens... unthinkable at this time...

As if he had read my mind.

"You look at my eyes, Mir... but I see better now that the light is off... and I see in you a person and not a monster."

I held out my paw and he stroked my claw-extended fingers.

"Yes, I feel that you know how to use your hands to shape rather than kill.."

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

He motioned for us to follow him and we entered a sort of great hall, like a cathedral where dozens of knights were coming and going.

All of them were frozen to see a dragon peacefully following the leader of the dragon slayers.

We lay down, to be at the same height, and the "Old Man" told us a little about the history of the Fort and the situation in relation to the capital. Human affairs.

"Intelligent wyverns, that's what I see and not "monster"... it changes everything from our point of view but you want to be integrated in the empire and be recognized, what my apprentice, Romas, told me."

Me: "Lord Hunter, we beg your mercy that my tribe will not be chased or hunted. They have made efforts to leave the animal mode and integrate and work hard. I know that we are strong and powerful and that we are the Apex predators of the forest, and I know that you kill wyverns, dragons, griffins and other terrible monsters... Please!"

The master looked at his soldier and nodded with a sort of yes...

"There is so much to say, but... Mir... have you ever killed?"

I nodded my head. "No. I haven't killed anyone but... I am a wyvern child though, I feel responsible.. for the bandits.. But.. it was for... No.. it's terrible.. I don't know.. I.."

The "Old Man" tapped against my shoulder.. And he saw that I had a "human" sense of things while a reptile would tense up, verbal communication sometimes interpreting a touch as aggression.

"Mir... I think you understand ... but before we go any further. It's more complicated than you think... Nothing is simple...

You don't wake up one day and say... I'm not a monster anymore and I'll work as a mercenary and offer my services. The world doesn't work like that.

Then he handed me the leather book.

Romas saw that I knew how to pick up a book, open it properly without tearing it or chewing the appetizing leather cover and I held it right side up.

With my gem lighting up and then going out, I saw lists of names...not a story or a textbook.

"Good Lord, this is a list of human names...?"

Romas had to admit that I could read.

"Indeed,... It's a list of names... It's endless and it has as many children as parents as I do old people...

What do they have in common?

t is that they are victims of the monsters that we hunt down and eliminate...

"I saw Barabas on it...."

Then I gave the precious book back to Romas who put it on his lap.

Old man: "Indeed...Barabas. and his brother and...the other 18 victims.

Romas testified to the violence and speed with which these bandits died.

They were condemned to death anyway but... I insist on one point.

They had families and some of them had children..."

I understood and looked down.

Then he stood up and invited me to look through the skylight and we could see children playing with a kitten and then throwing stones at it and making it scream and meow.

"You hunt and then you play. But what guarantee do we have that the cat's fate is in store for us?

Bigger ones came along and punished the little kids by pulling their ears and one of the girls picked up the kitten to nurse it back to health and comfort.

These bandits were feeding a family. They were cruel, outlaw bandits.

Then he waited for my response.

"We acted quickly.

Chief: "No... you didn't kill bandits... you slaughtered them..exterminated them... I'm not going to defend them... that's not my role but that of a man of law. They had the right to a trial and...depending on the circumstances have just sentences. "

"We... "

Chief: "You regret? If you could turn back the clock?"

"We should have captured them without crushing them!"

At this word, Kroa wanted to whistle and laugh but I turned:

"There's nothing to laugh about! Their children will grow up hating our people... and they will want to avenge their father... criminal or not! He was their daddy!."

The wyverns lowered their heads except for Krator..who was convinced he had done the right thing.

"Mir..your answer is worth a thousand apologies...you finally realize the value of life. You are giants with immense power and strength. And to that you must bring a sense of responsibility. Humans, even the worst ones, are not game or animals... they are thinking beings.

To be recognized as a member of the races, or man-wyverns, sentient wyverns, whatever, you must learn the value of things first. Then the basic rules, like the ten commandments. I forgot his name.

Me:" Moses??"

MEEEEEEERDE! I forked without thinking...

"Yes... Moses ha.. haha....Mir.. Mir.... who are you? Where are you from?"

Then he signaled Romas to show the wyverns around the fortress while I was left alone with the chief.

"Do you know Maradona?"

"He died of cardiac arrest and his doctors are being sued for negligence and recklessness"

"Usa? Europe?"

"Europe... Paris... I was a researcher... "

"Why a wyvern??? Have you met the goddess?"

"I don't know what you are talking about... I was born a wyvern and my mother nursed me..."

"So you are not invoked....you know the heroes?"

"? Except for knowledge in science. My old life is fuzzy and uninteresting... Here I am happy and loved. That's all that matters."

"I am a former hero and I failed in part and never made it back to Earth. But let's keep that a secret. Romas must never know... Well, I do, when it's the end for good... I am old but... centuries old..."

"What should I do then... do you understand? "

"Yes, Mir. Don't worry... I will help you but. you will have to teach them the laws of the empire and if you have knowledge, they don't. Fighting, they will have no problems to work but what is hardest is as you have seen.. to differentiate a human from a prey and to respect life..

Otherwise, what do you want to do?

Have an estate, produce wine and local products and ... Let's say that..." I blushed.

The "Old Man" laughed a little. I see that the white wyvern follows you everywhere...

Then you'll come with them to the magic and theology classes. I'll exempt you from math... I think.

You will also attend heraldry and basic knight training.

Order, Honor, and Compassion. I want to see those qualities! Then we can go further.

"Like what?"

"Mir. I have someone I care about more than anything else and she is priceless. She will need someone to protect her. We have very little time and the time of trials is fast approaching."

Your tribe will have to protect our nation from powerful monsters and will also have to disperse. Do you know why? "

I lowered my head. "Food..."

"You are very smart, Mir, and if we find a solution, we will help you immediately."

But you realize... If you betray us or turn back and a human pays the price... we are dragon hunters...

I bowed my head... "Yes...."