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"There's a tale in that, I'm sure, but it will have to wait for later. You need to rest and I need to fly home. Safe travels, Kerobian, in case we do not get to meet again ere you leave."

The dragon lord nods in return and leaves, leaving him to sit alone by the fire. Everyone has left, or so he thought, when suddenly a voice cuts through his reverie.

"13,000,000 years, huh. Don't you ever get tired, Mage?" Tamara walks around into his line of sight. "I could solve that for you, you know. Permanently."

Tamara laughs bitterly. "No and neither would I take a true life from anyone and you, dear mage, are most definitely alive. There is a place, time, and purpose for everything. But should you grow tired, I am waiting. You have eluded my blade for far too long."

Tamara smiles wisely at him. "I pray you don't. YOu are an interesting creature, Kerobian... and I sense your abilities will be needed. You also have the ability to land on your feet running... figuratively of course... but such flexibility of both mind and talent will be necessary I'm sure in the upcoming conflicts.

"Did I not say you are safe from my blade as long as true life flows through your veins?" laughs Tamara softly. "Rest assured, Kerobian, as I am the goddess of Life, so too will I honor it when I see it." She walks away with a toss of her head. "All I wanted to say is that if you ever get tired of this life or should ever it cease to inspire you, you know where to find me..."

Igniska wakes him for supper and tells him that he's got to come see something that has her literally bubbling with excitement. Oddly enough she is wearing a large platinum harness and when she sees him staring at it she preens proudly.

"It's from yer daddy. He says it's purpose is two fold. One to keep the others from biting me head off if they seen me flying around in the valley and two to show people I'm a member of the Home Guard." She frowns a bit and sighs. "They won't let me fight... say I'm too little."

Igniska sighs. "Unless he's there waiting to get in when they drop that shield, he won't be here. Paladine was speaking with him about that very thing a short time ago. Anyway... come with me, you have to see this... It is so awesome."

She leads him outside and up the side of the mountain, to a vantage point looking out over the grazing fields of the valley's vast herds. For as far as he can see there are dragons, small and large, of every color imaginable. Most are metallic, with surprisingly number of then hybrids, and several large gem dragons standing off to one side. Apparently it is only their size that keeps them there as they are interacting with everyone around them. And more than half of the smaller dragons are wearing vests like Igniska's.

Igniska sighs happily. "I've never seen this many dragons in one place ever. All the older dragons are clearing out ther lairs, locking away stuff or whatever so there is enough homes for us. We're moving the babes into large groupings of mixed ages... the teens get their own places and I get to stay in me own place, which is next to Luceil's. Neither cave is all that large so we both get to keep them, if he gets his rear in motion and comes back. Paladine says he might not, that he'd be safer where he was."

Then she sighs a little and her shoulders sag. "But I do hope he comes back. A lot of this crew won't even talk t me. Though the gem 'gets' are a fairly decent lot... as well as those who know me. Times like this when I wish I could change me color."