Headed by a Snake

Rena stood up suddenly, clumsily stumbling to the side. The wagon rocked uncomfortably, as its inhabitants grabbed onto the railings to steady themselves.

Justus narrowed his eyes to look up at the agitated girl. Had she understood it too? That Zehr was more than he let on?

"Justus, wait... Hold on... Do you think we could be...?" Rena's anxious voice was rapidly climbing to a higher and higher pitch, "I mean we-- the Rhodok adventuring company, are we..."

Suddenly, she dropped her voice low, "Are we hunting a--"

"I'm gonna stop you right there, Miss Leopardon," Modestus raised his voice.

"--Oh. Sorry..." Rena pursed her lips and sat down obediently.

It seemed that 'Brother-Immortal' had a higher place in Rena's heart than her Decanus.

"That's bad luck to talk about, Little Miss... real bad luck," Modestus muttered. "There's a big lizard in the mountains... maybe an overgrown snake or a crawling lizard with legs-- whatever monster it is, it's a mundane one."

"If it's grown as large as the rumors say, it may have been alive for a century or two." Gianna nodded sagely, mulling the thought over, "While uncommon, it's not unheard of."

It was nice that Gianna always had something intelligent to say. From what Justus understood, she was the daughter of a Tyrion military officer-turned-merchant. She had a bit of higher education and didn't show it off often. She couldn't, anyroad, not amongst the unlearned folk that were her peers.

...including himself, of course.

"Right. Whatever's in the hills, it's not gonna breathe fire or whatever," Another of the veterans agreed with Modestus.

The engineer nodded, "Won't have wings-- and even if it did, it wouldn't be able to fly. That's not how physics work."

Rena leaned over to Justus, whispering properly, "Wouldn't it be cool, though?"

"No, that-- is dumb." He emphasized each word, to make a point, "You-- are also dumb."

The crossbow girl puffed up her cheeks in disagreement, but Justus was too preoccupied with his thoughts to care.

It was a horrifying thought.

According to the legends... dragons were massive creatures that could fight entire armies, flying overhead and breathing flames or bolts of lightning or noxious clouds of gas. Their armor was harder than steel plates, and even if a spear or arrow were to get past that, there was still a thick layer of flesh to cut through before causing any substantial harm.

Worse still, they were intelligent, conniving creatures. While some tales told of goodly dragons that aided heroes on their quests, many more cast them as villains. Dragons were enigmatic creatures of supreme power and could only be challenged by a team of Gold-Rankers... and led by one stronger... An Adamantine-Rank.

That's what the stories taught him... If dragons did exist, it was in legends... stories of a bygone age.

...Just like the Hero class.

He shot an uneasy smile at Gianna. A few suns prior, Ferrutius had called her the Shield Hero.

A new thought formed in his overworked brain... Maybe Hero wasn't a class, at all... Maybe it was a title.

Gianna returned his smile, her blue eyes thinning to gentle upturned lines. It calmed him greatly... and he fell in love all over again.

She was certainly strong enough, wonderful enough to rate such a title.

Gia took Rena's hand in hers, "Miss Rena, don't worry. There's nothing to fear from something that doesn't exist."

Rena puffed up her cheeks, "I know... but... but they did exist, at one point, right?"

They did... in children's tales... Just like faeries and gorgons and chimerae.

Gianna beamed, placing her palms on Rena's cheeks and smooshing them, "They did, indeed."

Many of the veterans averted their gaze. Even the engineer and veteran who were naysaying dragons earlier understood the mood and kept quiet.

No one would refute the Shield Maiden-- the invincible shield that could save them from certain death in battle. And especially not when she was just being polite to Rena.

Even Caelistis never got on Gianna's bad side, and he was the biggest blockhead that Justus had ever known.

"According to legends," Gia began. "--the various territories of Tyrion are named after ancient dragons."

The few veterans having side conversations stopped to listen. Gia's angelic voice and a lighthearted conversation about children's stories had an alluring air to them.

"The Kasydon territory is named after the mysterious dragon known as Kas. He was all-knowing and never doubting, and because of it, he was ever-loyal to the Old Empire.

"Nerine to the east was named for Neerin Neelia, the wisest of dragons. The ancients claimed that she guided the maths and sciences, propelling our Empire to the forefront of modern technologies of the time."

The way Gia spoke to Rena as if telling a bedtime story to her daughter-- not that it was far off, with Rena's personality.

She gauged everyone's interest and continued, addressing the entire wagon, "Even our capital city, Rixus, is named after Rixen, the most powerful of dragons. His flames were so hot, it could melt rock. Some mountains still bear those scars."

"Ooh, oooh. What is Ezyria named after?" Rena giddily hopped in her seat.

...She really was like a child.

Justus wondered if his and Gia's daughter would have the same excitement... the same look of fascination in her eyes.

Gianna rubbed the top of Rena's hand, exposing her true class as Adamantine-Rank Mom, "Ezra was the dragon of the forge-- her scales were a cold, hard metal, and she gifted them to the men and women of the Empire to make unbreakable weapons that thrummed with the power of draconic mana."

Rena tilted her head up, staring up at the sky, deep in thought. Justus had heard of the stories but never in the detail that Gianna had explained. The various veterans, too, nodded in wonder.

It was interesting, and... no one had anything better to do than listen.

...Gia could sing, too. That was an even rarer gift than her telling old stories.

Modestus turned about, stretching, "Ah, look at you lot. Is that what we do, now? Listen starry-eyed to old wives' tales?"

He spoke with mirth in his voice, trying to lighten the mood.

Gia tilted her head, "Are you saying you'd dismiss the words of your wife, Munifex Modestus?"

"I uh..." Modestus ducked his head low, refocusing his attention on the horses, "Ah, sorry. I have to pay attention to the uh... driving."

The wagon erupted in snickering and laughter.

Gianna laughed politely, "You have a healthy fear of women, Brother-Immortal. That's probably why you're still happily married."

The wagon shook with another round of laughter-- at Modestus' expense. The old, red-faced man chuckled along in agreement.

Marriage, huh? Justus looked at the side of Gianna's face as she stifled her laughter with her dainty hand.

He wanted to be married... perhaps on a sun much like the current one.