All The Skills

Arthur expected pomp and ceremony upon leaving for Wolf Moon, but the Buck Moon leaders were strangely absent. It might have had something to do with Brixaby’s ability – and continued verbal willingness to steal cards.

“I don’t see why I shouldn’t take from people who annoy me,” the dragon loudly grumbled as Arthur strode to the seventh level. Carley had been given her own directions for transport to the new hive. “It was only a Common dragon, and I have seven slots left.”

“Brix, I’ve told you not to speak about your abilities in public,” Arthur sighed. “And of course that Common would be missed. All the dragons are important to the hive.”

Sitting up on Arthur’s shoulder, Brixaby fanned two of his four wings. It seemed to be a pose he used for affectation. “Yes, but some dragons are more important than others.”

Arthur rolled his eyes.

Deep inside, he was a little worried. The Common dragon in question had been a pretty sky blue they’d happened to pass by in the tunnels. It had been minding its own business… but Arthur had to grab Brixaby to keep his little dragon from swooping at it.

Seeing them, the sky blue squawked, turned tail, and ran in the other direction. Arthur hoped the wet trail it had left behind had been some kind of water power.

Brixaby’s first instinct was that of a predator. And right now, he saw other dragons as his prey.

The seventh level of the hive was carved out into eerie stone latticework, making the entire floor an open-air balcony.

And since Buck Moon was a larger hive at the base, the open-air floor went on and on. Practically further than Arthur could see.

Dragons, riders, and others relaxed here and there between the supporting pillars, taking advantage of the pleasant temperatures. Since there were no walls, only supporting structures, larger dragons than usual could fit in and be among their rider friends.

Brixaby let out a happy rumble and launched from Arthur’s shoulder.

Arthur felt a stab of worry he was about to go for a large Red he saw in the distance. Instead, Brixaby buzzed in quick circles around some of the lattice-like pillars and through some of the smaller holes. He looked like a dark hummingbird. His four wings even gave him the ability to hover and move backwards at a moment’s notice.

Arthur smiled. His dragon was playing. Showing off, and happily treating the place like a giant obstacle course.

Brixaby’s agility was incredible. If he were to ever grow large enough for Arthur to ride him—

“Arthur!”

He turned at the familiar voice and his grin widened as he caught sight of Horatio standing near an extended balcony. Behind him was the yellow bulk of his dragon, Sams.

Brixaby saw the two of them as well. Twisting in place, he made a bee-line straight for them.

“Brix, no!” Arthur yelled.

The little dragon was far, far out of reach and heading straight toward Horatio as if he was his next meal.

That’s when Sams lowered his head and lifted his lips to show very sharp teeth, each as long as Arthur’s forearm. “This rider is mine.”

And Brixaby… stopped in place. He hovered for a moment as if considering if the fight was worth it.

“Pah. I have my own rider. Why would I want yours?” he sniffed.

“Good choice,” Sams said, then added reluctantly, “Sir.”

Arthur caught up, and Brixaby immediately zipped back to his shoulder where he started preening the scales by the base of his wings, as if that was the most interesting thing in the world.

Crisis averted, for now.

“Good to see you,” Arthur said to Horatio. “I didn’t know if we’d be able to talk again before I left.”

Sensing the danger, Horatio had taken a couple steps back. His eyes were still wide but he regained his composure quickly. “Sams and I are your transport back to Wolf Moon.”

“Really? I’m glad, but… shouldn’t you two still be in training?”

“No other Rare pair wanted to do it,” Horatio said in his darkly blunt way. He added, “I can’t imagine why.”

“Cowardice,” chimed in Brixaby.

Sams snorted.

“Congratulations, by the way,” Horatio said. “It’s crazy to think that the guy I used to share a room with in the orphanage is going to be a hive leader.”

Arthur shrugged. “I’m not used to the idea either, honestly.”

“Hmm.” Horatio glanced again at Brixaby who was still ignoring them as if he hadn’t been intimidated by Sams earlier. “Think he’ll grow any?”

Brixaby’s head shot up from where he’d been nibbling at one of his wings. “How dare you! I am the optimal size!”

“All young dragons grow,” Sams said mildly. He stepped forward to look closer at Brixaby then snorted a gust of hot air that, for some reason, felt like sunshine. “When he matures, he will require a retinue.”

Arthur blinked. “A what?”

“You must have seen a small flock of Rare dragons always hanging around Whitaker and Valentina’s dragons,” Horatio answered.

He had noticed that around Whitaker, but hadn’t seen enough of Valentina’s to say. He nodded. “Why? Are you offering?”

He meant this as a joke, but Horatio nodded and then said melodramatically, “Being part of a Legendary retinue has great benefits, but why did you have to choose Wolf Hive?”

“I like Wolf Hive.” But Arthur’s thoughts drifted towards Cressida. Her little pink dragon was a Rare. Would they want to be part of his retinue?

“Why is your face red?” Brixaby asked. “Are you ill?”

“I’m not used to… thinking like this. Being in charge of people,” Arthur said quickly to cover the moment. Reasserting himself and faking calm by focusing on his Acting skill, he looked at Horatio. “Are you sure?” After all Brixaby hadn’t given the best first impression.

“Oh, not at all.” Horatio said darkly. “From what I heard I’d be in danger of waking up one day with an empty heart deck, but like I said, the benefits are good. Sams and I don’t want to be any old pair of Rares, you know?”

The words sounded right, but there was a look in Horatio’s eyes Arthur didn’t like. Concern. Maybe a hint of fear.

Of Brixaby? No… if that were the case, he wouldn’t be volunteering.

And why would Horatio, who talked of nothing but getting out of Wolf Moon hive, want to go back?

Arthur wanted to ask. But he also had a young dragon on his shoulder who had a carrying voice and no sense of what a secret was yet.

“All right,” he said slowly and watched some of the stiffness leave Horatio’s frame. “But we might be in training for a while.”

“Yes, he does need to grow up,” Sams rumbled.

Brixaby puffed his chest. “Anyone who wishes to join my retinue must first prove themselves. I will only allow those with the most deadly cards to serve me.”

“He can fry you to a crisp with light you can’t even see,” Horatio said.

Brixaby perked up. “I don’t suppose you’d be willing to provide a demonstration. Say, on those hatchlings practicing over there—”

“No,” Arthur said firmly.

To his surprise, Brixaby listened. Sort of. “Then, I shall need to examine your cards. Closely. It will only take a minute—”

He was interrupted by a loud dragon’s bellow which came from high, high up.

Twisting his sinuous yellow neck, Sams barked back a short bellow of his own. Then he turned to the others. “It is time.”

“Who was that?” Brixaby demanded, then craned his head up to the sky as Arthur walked to Sams. He jerked in surprise as he saw – sitting on her own Thunderhead cloud – Valentina’s dragon, Elissa.

The tiny dragon crouched down, lips lifted, not in aggression but in something close to a grimace. He said nothing more and Arthur got the impression he was intimidated.

Sams crouched and Horatio swung up to the saddle already placed at the base of his neck. He reached a hand down to Arthur who easily climbed to his own seat.

“Hang on tight,” he told Brixaby.

“Yes, yes. I am the one with wings. You hang on tight to this yellow dragon. I don’t know how competent he is in the sky yet.”

Was that Brixaby’s version of concern?

Arthur didn’t have time to think about it before Sams took to the air.

He wasn’t the only one. Other dragons had lifted to Elissa’s call – a whole flock of purples, each with cargo or passengers wearing servants' smocks. Valentina and Whitaker didn’t travel lightly. Carley, Arthur knew, would be among them.

Elissa was too old and arthritic to flap her wings. Instead, she sat on her thundercloud as if it were a throne and allowed it to move her upward.

In the sky high above, two shimmer greens ripped open a dark hole in the sky. This was their portal home.

Arthur put a hand on Brixaby’s back to steady the dragon as Elissa floated in first. Whitaker’s Crag, as the next highest rank dragon, followed.

As they entered the rip, the Charlatan Siphon activated.

New Counterfeit Spell obtained: Spatial Portal

Remaining Time: 11 hours 59 Seconds

11 hours? Those were Uncommon rank dragons?

Arthur was surprised, but Brixaby crowed in delight. He had to hold onto him to keep him from flying off and trying the spell for himself.

“Later. Look, Brix. That’s our new home.”

Of course, there wasn’t much to see. Wolf Moon hive, apparently, was in the middle of a raging rainstorm. The moment Sams exited the rift, they were pelted by fat drops of rain.

Elissa roared again. The clouds overhead melted away and instant sunlight beamed over the hive, though the rain continued to pelt over the city a few hundred yards out in every direction.

Elissa turned her giant head to look at Sams. She was so large that Valentina looked to be the size of a doll on her back. And instead of a saddle, it seemed someone had placed a throw-rug meant for a large room as a comfy place to sit.

“Valentina wishes to speak to the new riders,” Elissa said. “You may drop your passengers on my back and return to your hive, Rare Sams.”

Sams dipped his head in acknowledgement.

Valentina’s own voice reached Arthur’s ears, carried by the wind thanks to her card’s power. “It’s time you and I had a heart-to-heart.”

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