Zervi, The Gentle's Story

A healer among solitary mountains tended to know where her patients lived. If she wasn't told the animals themselves would certainly do so. Today she careened through the clouds a mottled pale tan and brown scaled dragon with rough, mossy horns. The moss was never ending and she'd simply grown used to it as much spores of such things were shed in the air above forests she could hardly avoid them. Her head sported a crown of tenacious rosemary plants ever in flower whom had clung to her thorny headplate and actually smelt quite nice so she did not care to remove them yet. Though she hadn't dirt her inner fire and habits of sleeping under the rain let them grow all the same. As her large wings angled to land the flapping shot her scent of spice and smooth ever-mossy hide down the tunnel of Smaragdos' mountain. As her strong claws and legs rammed into stone it sent an explosion of spontaneously grown lichen away from her.

She'd on good authority from the local creatures that a certain crotchety old dragon had awoken from slumber some time ago. Paying a visit to see their health never hurt any to build ties. Any old dragon worth its salt would know she was here and not hiding, all she had to do was wait. Zervi turned once then curled up on the lichen, waiting idly.

Smaragdos sniffed the air. There was a visitor to the caves, who smelled of fresh life instead of idle death. He supposed he should get up, then.

Gently the dragon placed his book on a low stone table in a lounging chamber. He had decided to give it one last leaf through. Good thing, too, as there was no longer a large chunk of land present in one of the maps. Assumedly a quake had happened at some point. It broke off and slid to the sea, forming a jagged island inhabited only by plants and birds a splash from shore. Smaragdos had charcoaled it in, very carefully, with the tip of a talon.

The great dragon lumbered his way to the entrance tunnels, following his nose more than anything. A low rumble echoed from him at the sight of the other dragon. The old man cleared his throat.

"Can I help you?"

Zervi stood up and there was now a thin patch of mossy dirt underneath her where the lichen had dismantled the stone. She shook her hind end to free loose pieces scattering lichen and moss. She looked the old dragon up and down and he seemed in good health at a glance.

Her voice didn't have the rumble of more deathful dragons though still loud the maw it came from carried a white glow, "I am Zervi, daughter of Quzet. My mother is no more so I tend to the health of all the old dragons now. I undertake Quizet's pacts of neutrality. I hear you have freshly awoken. Have you any complaints?"

A large head turned sideways to look for bent scales or infected cuts sometimes gained with long bouts of resting. Ingrown scales would need to be pulled out and regrown. It was hardly surprising some of the more crotchety ones complaint of less restful sleep. With the motions of examination however she threw a fusillades of rosemary seeds. Still, hers was the attentive eye of a healer.

Smaragdos stood a little taller, feeling the younger dragon evaluate his stance of flesh. He had a couple of ingrown scales near the underwing, it was true, but nothing majorly going on with his health.

"Complaints?" Smaragdos blinked, thought for a second, and decided he had a slew of complaints, none of which concerned his health. More importantly Smaragdos had questions.

"The world has changed much, I have seen. Tell me, do humans and dragons still speak? And the forests, do they still sprawl so far and wide?" He glances back to the lounging chamber, wondering what else in that book had changed.

Zervi moved to one side while eying his underwing while her jaw rustled with ivy, "They do to me but less the other dragons I suspect. Though I put myself far enough to isolate myself from their idle concerns. Some of those born of fire and death are doing things to the forests not to my liking and causing small deserts. The humans are trying to kill them. If the humans don't get them starvation soon will."

The line of her smile raises then she laughs, "You'd be surprised the hoard one can make going doing fair business with the humans. Ha Ha! I have my own ranger tower!"

She points west over a ridge of the mountain, "I have arrested the human deforestation of the leeward mountainside by destroying a few tree poachers. They claimed a quarter of that forest before that and the forested lands have recovered somewhat. The humans finally understand at least that they can farm trees as well as food. I think the lumber company is expanding soon. I may just invest. The forest there is young yet and rather organized but it returns with more trees than it started."

"Those scales do have to come out. it will hurt so please do hold still.", she singsongs looking side with one woodgrain-yellow eye at Smaragdos.

Smaragdos was pleased to hear how the world had progressed. He was also quite impressed with this dragons fluency in commerce, and overall knowledge of current affairs. It seemed a lot of the world had flourished, especially if there were multiply markets to speak of.

He lifted a wing to allow Zervi access to the ingrown scales. She also spoke of hoards. He was sitting atop many a hoard, here in this mountain. So far Smaragdos had found a book hoard, a ship hoard, and a gilded flatware & candelabra hoard.

"I have a book," Smaragdos began, nodding in the direction of the lounge, "And i'm pondering it's accuracy. There's already been one change. You saw that rocky island of trees and birds, too narrow and jagged to land on? That was once part of that there cliff."

The mossy smell was a nice addition to the air here, he decided.

The problem of ingrown scales often compounded itself as they grew through other scale beds weakening the strength of draconic armor. It didn't do to have weaknesses in armor when dealing with the humans. That she dealt with them at all she knew exactly how double-dealing they could be as often their greed was worse than some reds. Anyone that engaged in commerce with either for longer than a few days had that lesson soon left wailing on their doorstep.

Zervi moved closer and sat on her haunches next to the wing pressing a claw to the line of impacted scales to feel how they moved inside. She stuck the claw in open maw for a moment wood-eyes focused to channel draconic magic. Enabled as a stylus of a healer she pushed the side of one claw under the impaction site and an other point-in toward the scale's hidden underside. A smooth if painful movement later her sharp claws pushed under the scale while stretching the the impaction site wide enough for the scale to pop free. It drew blood though that was hardly surprising so continued down the line popping deformed scales free of flesh. After the moments of pain her claws left flesh distinctly warm with attachment of scales a fuzzy floating of jostling plates. At the end of her passage she went back through and pulled the deformed scales out like flotsam though few of their neighbors had to go as she had more clarity on them.

Though she talks as she works a fluffy mixture of moss and lichen clearly hopes, vainly so, to glue her to the floor emerald bits soon scattered around for the green fluff to swallowed inside.

Her smoothly rumbling voice was distracted by her work, "I'm surprised it didn't hurt when you flew. Mmm this one needs to come out too. And this one. Yes, I've heard of that island. Is that where it came from? How interesting. Which face? Perhaps I should investigate it for surface metal veins. You know the humans actually mine part of that island for petrified bird leavings now? The birds have so little attention for cleanliness but human farmers are inventive for rather simple creatures."

Zervi curled her tongue the luminous pyre in her projected up and out in a small controlled gust. This time flotsam ejected upward through the fuzzy fleshy sea that was Smaragdos as fresh emerald scales shot through the fleshy surface grown in an instant. The breath of a life magic dragon a thing of luminous cotton draining inward to life its remainder scattering like a fountain of spent dandelions. It did make the plants on her head explode in rather verdant growth and she had to 'trim' herself periodically as the small gouts came again and again.

Her rough-surfaced knuckles were from scales coated in concreted moss of her own served to polish out the scales to match their neighbors. She absently used them side to side on the newly grown scales to make sure they moved properly while looking at Smaragdos, "Rrrrmmmm... Better? The humans prefer bandages for wounds. The farmers sometimes pay in cloth so I have the rangers making healing supplies for human tribes to buy volumes of for some disaster or another that always happens with the creatures. The pile is pleasingly high!"

She makes a toothy grin, "Precious metals and gems are rather more pleasing to look at however."

All the while, Smaragdos sat in mild discomfort, grumbling answers to the various inquiries sprinkled throughout Zervi's ramblings. Yes, it had hurt a bit when he flew, but nothing the old dragon couldn't handle. He grimaced in pain, a low rumble in his throat, when Zervi plucked through the ingrown scales. The scent of moss was soothing, so he did his best to focus all of his attentions on the healer.

"Humans are there?" Smaragdos sounded surprised. The humans had come miraculously close to the cave system he occupied, yet had never discovered it. Was the knowledge of this mountain lost to time? A long shudder traveled down Smaragdos's spine as Zervi worked her magic. She was good. He enjoyed listening to her comments on modern industry. A very smart dragon indeed. There had been many a fool lizard in the past who's love for the shiny was their ultimate downfall. One must invest in practicality alongside glamour. Needs as well as luxuries.

"Much better, thank you Zervi," He gave her a respectful bow, "Precious metals and gems indeed. If you will, I have something to show you." Smaragdos turned to amble down a tunnel, towards the chamber with the blue crystal.

Zervi looked down at the thickness of moss that had grown halfway up her haunches from loose shreds of her breath. Straining at the ground she went to all fours then stood up like a stump uprooting itself. Body torquing wildly she shook off the excess moss, at least for now, then got up to follow Smaragdos. She waggled her tail, hind end, and wings to scatter the remainders.

She stopped to gather a large sheet of moss that fell off her wings then looked after Smaragdos, "I am glad for my duty, fellow dragon. I'm invited in? Very well then have you collected something interesting? I might need this bit later though I do apologize for covering your front door in detritus. One's inner flame really doesn't ever turn off."

Shaking her head she answered his question while following, "No need to worry for your front door I think. The humans don't live there they arrive in ships to mine the surface then leave with their bounty. This land is too inhospitable for them to make habitations I think from too many mountains for caravans to pass. The earth below the mountain range I think is still far too thin to farm."

Smaragdos hummed in agreement along with almost everything the mossy dragon rambled on about. He made a note in the back of his mind to find time to mention exactly how much he enjoyed that grassy smell. It reminded him of a summer solstice celebration long ago. There was lots of dancing, and dragons weaved crowns from the flora.


"Zervi, was it? I don't believe I formally introduced myself. I am Smaragdos," The old dragon rumbled as they came to their destination. It was a large chamber, somewhat deep in the mountain at an unperceivable angle, for the path seemed to spiral on the way down to an impossible end. In the dark it wasn't too fantastic. Bits glimmered, almost as if they were wet, to their faint light in the entrance.

"This," Smaragdos stepped into the cave, laying his hand upon some of the shining bit, "is Rose Quartz. Let me know if you would like some. It is known for it's healing properties, is it not still? This mountain is full of wonders, it's gem diversity being one of them. This whole range is rich with mine-able resources. I hear there is a mine not far from here. Enough chatter, let me show you rose quartz."

Smaragdos closed his eyes and exhaled, and as he did so, every crystal prism growing in the room, every vein of rose quartz, illuminated soft pink. Every surface seemed to glow. Darkness was completely banished from the chamber. The stalagmites shimmered and the stars of day twinkled across the ceiling. Smaragdos's strongest affinity was with stone.

As Zervi clacked down the tunnel glowworms flared up from cracks in the ceiling. Her long neck arched upward to snuff at them. They smelt musty like most of this cave without the sun but the hidden luminescent fungi squirting out fans from minute cracks were amusing and somewhat pretty. Though the deeper she lost track of her path as the denizens of life appeared to change quite a good deal. She hadn't much experience with the undercroft and it differed from life on the surface. Her home was a large circular area fenced in by concreted boulders topped with poisonous ivy and thorns. One didn't need to remember tunnels.

She replied from behind him, "Yes, I am Zervi. It is always good to meet pleasant mannered dragons, Smaragdos."

Her vision in the dark served well enough, though imparted little color to the surroundings, but vanished into the thermal background of this massive area. There were slightly colder places in the walls likely of metal veins or another well befit of this old mountain range and its dragon denizen. The life seemed sparser here than most perhaps burnt off from time to time but she supposed it was necessary to keep the way clear. She couldn't keep a floor clean even if she wanted to already some of the glowing fungi from the walls was colonizing spots on her back in intricate patterns of small fans. Thankfully her inner fire kept life from colonizing her inner body or this dank place could be hazardous.

She reached over hand hovering over the shining bits dotting the walls taking care not to dislodge his property as he gestured to them, "Ah, yes, I saw a picture of these in mother's tomes! I still advance my knowledge of healing but not toward dragon jewels yet."

Sudden changes of brightness sent Zervi to her haunches for a moment blinking hard from the dazzling glow. As her sight adapted her woody slit pupils returned from a crack to a normal degree.

A trilling noise of excitement escaped as she looked at the gems around here, "Ah, they shine like stars among the stone! You have an affinity with such attractive things, I am envious! Mother showed me the first step for these to become dragon gems, they must cycle. The humans have lost the art I think and I choose not to teach them what I know. I do not know much more yet; Mother's books are small but voluminous. I can show you the first step if you like and leave it here. I perhaps would like one or two to practice on."

The whole of the mountains would begin to shake and shudder. Caves would rattle and some would fall apart and open, and others would collapse in upon themselves. But the sound of the stones and mountains shuddering was nothing compared to the deep, resonating, gravelly yawn of Highlord Dorant Magthulia, as he woke and shifted and raised himself from his sleeping position.

The Highlord had landed shortly after concluding that his quarry either had not come out yet, or had not yet come to the area. In any case, he had decided to nap while he waited, and a nap for a being as massive as he, was a long and heavy sleep.

He sniffed the air once, the inrush of air a typhoon that sucked up a nearby cloud. And he opened his deep cold blue eyes and looked down at the mountains about his feet.

"I know you are there, little ones. Come out where I might see you, else I fear you may be crushed beneath me by mistake." His voice was like thunder rolling across the land, loud and impossible to ignore.

A smile cracked Smaragdos's ancient and scaly face at the mention of dragon gems. It really had been a long, long while since the craft was properly practiced. The evidence was everywhere; he couldn't feel the pulse of any aside the giant one at the heart of the mountain, and a smaller one that was stranded on that fallen-shelf-island-for-birds. He was glad to meet a young dragon with passions and interests so soon upon waking. Being the only one in the mountain was starting to get to his head, and for the worse.

"Seems things with humans have...changed more than one would expect. Humans always did change plenty, and fast, so I suppose it isn't as much of a surprise. A pity, perhaps," Smaragdos mumbled, before letting himself relax into the atmosphere of Zervi's mirth.

"It would be an honor," Smaragdos looked deep into Zervi's eye. Creating dragon gems he had not done in long enough to forget most of the process, except the fiery bit, but as he recalled that didn't come until later in the process.

A low rumble ran through the mountain, which happened sometimes as the stone settled, but the rumble was firm and wasn't the mountain speaking. There was a different message carried in the rumble. A visitor, perhaps. Maybe an intruder. Either way there was someone else out in the Exalted Mountains. Someone, or something, large. Luckily, Smaragdos's cave system was built back in the days of beasts triple his size lazing across the skies. His great fortress had withstood every earthquake for as long as he'd been hatched, and no human had ever managed to infiltrate uninvited.

When the rumble reached it's peak, Smaragdos put a talon around a protruding formation of Rose Quartz and joined in the rumble with his own hum. Channeling the different vibrations the great dragon twisted his talon gently around the quartz. There was a grating, almost stretching sound, and the piece was suddenly in his hand. There was no trace it had ever been attached to the cave, both on the stone and on the wall. He presented the specimen to Zervi.

Zervi shrank at the shaking of the cave and looked up worriedly at the dark. Trapping herself in the dark far away from the sun was not something she'd planned to do today. At this depth she was sure she could hear a voice booming from somewhere but the noise drowned in the echoes of the cave system. Whatever dragon was outside she could almost feel the radiant life from it by its sheer size. Any interest she had in the light, at least for the moment, waned entirely. Life dragons were things others sought to possess by alpha males for very old reasons and she had no interest in starting that burial pit quite yet. Making allies became a more immediate concern.

Zervi's eyes looking into Smaragdos' were a split among burnished grains of copper woody colors that surrounded them. In them was a burning affinity for the social aspects and affinity for lesser creatures that many dragons lacked. Her eyes had a warmth not of the burning need for power but of a need for the accumulation and understanding of knowledge. The Life dragons certianly were known for their empathy even if they were often still shrewd dragons.

There were hardly dozens of the life dragons in any given age, however, as they frequently succumbed to disease comparatively early for what one could consider a long-lived species. The one thing upon which other dragons agreed was that life dragons did not ever slumber. Most agreed it perhaps burnt them out. However that almost all were lost by either psychotic aggressors or disease, never by combat, was a testament to their agreeable habits.

The luminescent fungus fans spread out above her eyes as if reacting to the need to hide from the massive presence. The mouth found its words and toothy smile again, "T-The humans change quickly, yes! They are more useful than one might think. Their small hands are very versatile! I did not understand some of mother's books about her interest in them."

Ogling the process of removing the shiny valuable from the cave Zervi took the crystal from Smaragdos in one claw. Slow movements touch it gingerly as if the crystal were incredibly fragile. It certainly didn't do to ruin precious things given. Zervi lay down flat against the stone her right claw cupped the precious rose quartz the other held the roll of moss matting she'd brought.

Zervi shared a tidbit of knowledge, "The books say the gems must be shaped of a slumbering dragon or forged through the fires of their wrath. The first is us I knew because mother said so but I did not know why. Mother did not get that far to teach but I rediscovered the nature of her wisdom. Do you know anything of their creation?"

The small roll of moss unrolled with the deft movement of one claw as Zervi quickly inscribed a pattern upon the life with her words. The spoken runes leaking by way of a fount in small luminous threads. Drifting like clouds of intent-bearing seeds patterns appeared like tendrils made of fluff sprouting from the surface. Promptly rolled up the thick matt glowed at one end as Zervi puffed at it with her breath. Some magic inside began to take shape as the interior bulged.

Though he was old, Dorant had in him a most acute set of senses. Smell was stronger than sight, hearing was better than both. But his most acute sense was the peculiar sense for magic that most every dragon had in some fashion.

Thus, when the ancient art of gem shaping began to take place, Dorant Magthulia was near instantly aware of it.

How curious you little younglings are. His voice may have been drowned by miles of stone and rock, but his thoughts would be like the ringing of crystals echoing in the very bones of the young dragons. So very young, and yet you participate in the art of shaping, what has become a lost tradition amongst even my own kithid. Not even my oldest son still takes the time to carve and shape gems.

Dorants eyes turned then with the pinpoint precision born of predatory instinct at the place where the two dragons dwelt, deep beneath the caves. His massive body rose and, with a care not to break and crush the smaller dragons beneath him, he crawled over to a place not directly above, but close to an entrance to that system.

I ask you your names, if you would be so kind as to share them. I wish to know how to address such curious little ones. His thought-speak was accompanied by a deep thrumming of his chest that, due to the size of the old dragon, was like to an endless quake.

Before Smaragdos could answer with what little knowledge he had on the dragon gems, another voice was heard. It was in his bones and all around his head. He hadn't been spoken to in thought-speak in such a long time. The old dragon had forgotten about it. The cave around them hummed gently with the thought speak.

"I do not remember much of their creation, beyond the fiery bits. I may have a book on it, but I have a feeling whoever is outside may know more than any book down in these caves," Smaragdos looked to the ceiling as he spoke to Zervi. There was a twinkle in his big, yellow eye, which he then closed, focusing. Could he remember how to thought-speak? It had been so, so long.

Greetings Smaragdos thought as hard as he could, his own self reverberating with the task, It has been a very long time since there have been visitors to this place. Perhaps you will share what you know of these gems, upon our ascent. He sent the thought out to both the strange elder dragon above, as well as Zervi at his side. He then looked to her.

"Shall we?"

Zervi nodded, still worried about dealing with any such dragon of that size. She found them often less obliging than their words and dealt with them sparingly. There was another option for dealing with such things which the life dragon puffed at the mossy cylinder taking on two wide bumps as it grew. A small fount of white tendrils leaked out the end as surplus energy began to leak out.

Mossy scroll took out of her mouth she inspected the pattern inside growing as it was to make sure it was healthy enough. She took one last breath while lying on the floor then stuck the swollen mossy roll back in her mouth. Dragon's breath forced up her throat and lit up the roll as if afire. Rather than burnt, though the founts of white that erupted perhaps made it look so, the mossy tube erupted in a shower of luminous threads before turning to ash. A small object shot out the far end and landed on the floor.

Zervi's head and other hand fell limply to the stone with a hard thump. Amid the evaporating cloud of threads luminescent fungi exploded in volume as a humanoid form stretched her legs. Her own life force hid beneath a growing layer of organisms anchored to the earth her tan scales turning to sandstone. It was hard to tell that her body slumbered there at all while it was bonded to the mossy simulacra.

The human standing there was clad in clothes that looked much like a compact mat of dried moss her skin supple and smooth as its pale roots. A symbol on the woman's forehead the remainder of the bond to her body. She was attractive, At least to human standards, though the humans would perhaps consider her look of of one of the wilds. That smell of well-aged live moss remained with her strongly.

Zervi's voice was a soft singsong pitch for a human but still quite identifiable as herself smiling up at him speaking aloud as she hadn't yet learned mind-speak, "Thought speak is not something I have learned. Mother passed too early. I think I find you and your books more trustworthy."

Zervi could clearly see quite well and an inner fire that said here there be dragon still loudly thumps from inside her chest. Her draconic eye undisturbed by the dark of the caverns while channeled through the simulacra. Circular very human eyes peered up toward Smaragdos as two small glowing ponds of blue.

The pale-skinned human simulacra coughed sending a gout of ash into the air a dainty hand covering her mouth, "*Kaff* Not my best hurried work but she is healthy. Regardless, books do not change their words because my agenda does not suit them. I will tell what I know so far, mother hid her own books well and I still have not acquired them all. The humans keep poor records."

Curious... one of you has shifted... A surrogate body? It smells of old magic. Curious and more curious, the two of you are.

Dorants humming once more brought quakes to the mountains, causing minor tumbes of rocks and snow throughout the range of peaks and rocky cliffs.

To Smaragdos himself Dorant replied

But of course, I would be happy to share what I know with you. It has been too long since I last met kithid who wanted to hear anything I had to say. His chuckles were audible, both from the shuddering of his massive body and in the deep musical chords of his mind.

As for introductions, I shall begin. I am Highlord Dorant Magthulia, of the Escion Kithid in council with the Tarragon Collective.

He paused then a moment and thought, before asking As for visiting... I confess that, in my age, it becomes difficult to determine exactly how long one has slept. A quick nap for me can sometimes span over a few billion years without notice so, ah... I do not suppose you could give me a sort of reference for how long I've slept.

An undercurrent of worry colored the highlords thoughts. He was concerned that he actually might have overslept since taking his nap.

Smaragdos was very impressed with the mossy apparition, the simulacra that Zervi transformed an aspect of herself into. The process itself was something to behold, made even more magical by the scents. The old dragon tried not to make it obvious that he was sniffing the earthy smells. He nodded along as she spoke of books, and human hands, and other dragons, the nature of them all, and the fickle whims of thelatter. The company of this young dragon was welcome after such a long time in solitude; he was glad it was she to respond upon his awakening. They had common interests and the scents were nice.

"The library here is relatively solid, this mountain has never been trespassed upon in all my years. Thought speak...learnable, yes. It is similar to the hum," Smaragdos offered before curling a talon around a rather long stalagmite of rose quartz. A soft thrum later it was detached from the cave and ready to go. There was a magic in the thrummy hum, Smaragdos went on to explain, it accessed a certain channel that dragons could speak through.

After a moment of contemplation, Smaragdos extended his neck and lay his head next to the simulacra. It would be easier on Zervi and quicker all together if she were ride along on his back. The two ascended the mountain, coming out into the daylight from the highest entrance.

Good day, Smaragdos hummed, before switching to his outer voice, "Welcome to my mountain. It would be an honor to discuss dragon gem crafting with you. I am Smaragdos," He indicated towards the simulacra, "This is Zervi, daughter of Quzet. It is great to meet you. As for how long you have slept, er," Smaragdos glanced back at Zervi, for he too had just woken up recently.

Zervi climbed up to straddle Smaragdos' neck then as he talked slid backward with a wide-eyed yelp until her soft legs wrapped shoulders as arms flail for a hold, "Aaagh! Ooo! Ah, grab on! Well, now I understand why humans use saddles to ride the small food animals."

Eyes winced and holding her midsection with one arm the other held to Smaragdos' neck while they went up, "Also, underthings. I never remember to add human underthings. That's going to be sore on the mossy simulacra. I am glad it's resilient."

She was more attentive after a moment to collect herself and craned an ear to listen to the hum. It was both distant and close rumbling through her ossified body as it was. A noise hard to locate but familiar to the ear. She nodded as he explained further always eager to learn new things of dragonkind.

Zervi looked up with her blue pools at the gigantic dragon with a raised brow, "I don't recall any records from my mother of one your size nor the one before her. You've slumbered at least since before this continent came under control by humankind."