The trip to the Dracaena’s temple went much faster than expected. Her temple was deep in the Dragonlands to the west, so Aeris expected a lengthy trip. Instead, she and Sareen flew ahead while the others walked. The idea of leaving everyone behind worried her, but she didn’t get a say in the matter. By air, it only took three days.

Aeris was nervous when they landed to rest for the night. Domesticates weren’t safe from clan-born dragons in the Human Territories, so she expected an attack at any moment. Sareen guaranteed that no dragon would so much as look her way. It worked. The few dragons they did see immediately cast their gaze to the ground and didn’t dare approach.

It was a strange sight seeing another dragon bowed before her even if they weren’t bowing to her specifically.

Outside of that, the trip was quite boring. Sareen said little and any questions Aeris did ask received a short response. They spent everyday flying and landed when the sun set. The view from above was beautiful, but she wanted to experience it on the ground, to see the towns and landscapes up close. But by the time they landed, she was too tired to even think about exploring, and the fear of what could happen should she leave Sareen's side kept her curiosity at bay.

All the disappointment at skipping over Dragonlands was forgotten when they reached Amethyne. Most of the area was an arid plain but tucked into the center of it a green valley. A large temple was carved into the mountainside. The massive structure reminded her of a jewel in a golden band.

The moment they landed a human wearing long robes came outside and approached them. Immediately Aeris didn't like him. He carried himself in a strange way that fluctuated between proud and submissive. It was hard to get an accurate read on which was his true nature. He stopped and bowed low. “Your grace, you have returned. I’m delighted--”

“I am in no mood to waste time on ceremony,” Sareen interjected. “My disciple and I require a bath. I have returned from the Human Territories and I feel defiled by their culture.”

The human stared at Aeris for a moment then silently bowed and hurried back to the temple. Sareen and Aeris followed.

“That is the Grand Kobold,” Sareen said. “If there is anything you require, he is the one you speak to. Do not bother yourself attempting to converse with the lower kobolds. They are forbidden to speak to you.”

“Why?”

“Because I said so.”

That had been her usual response the entire trip, so Aeris knew the conversation was over.

The inside of the temple was just as magnificent as the outside. Life-sized statues of various dragon species guarded the walls, their piercing gazes harshly judging her. She recognized all but one from her time researching her origins. She approached the unknown statue. It seemed to share characteristics of the other species, but it also didn’t match the others. It had two pairs of horns instead of one and the body was covered in spots. She shivered at the tail which was held high above its head. Standing below it, felt like being under a guillotine. 

Just as Aeris started to ask about the strange statue, the one beside it caught her attention. It was an Ardelle Celestial. Even without the blue scales, she recognized the shape. But unlike the other statues, this one surrounded by flowers instead of candles.

“A somber reminder of what happens when we lose ourselves to the allure of power,” Sareen said. “Despite your ancestors' sins, I chose to have this installed into the temple as a memorial to their sacrifice.”

“I heard the dragons wiped them out.”

“Did you? I had no idea you were so well-informed about your past. Regardless, you are correct. The dragons destroyed one of their own.”

“Why would they do that?”

“That is a long tale, one I will feel much more comfortable explaining during our bath. Come.”

Aeris was ushered away from the statues. She shot one last look at the Celestial statue before it left her sight. The shadows of the candles made it look as if it were sad.

She was led downstairs into a massive steaming chamber. The first thing she noticed was the heat washing over her as she crossed the threshold. The room was large enough to fit an entire house inside. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the veil of steam and make out the massive round tub carved into the middle of the chamber. The walls were decorated with carvings, but the steam prevented her from making anything out from the doorway. Aeris stared in awe. She had seen human nobles with swimming pools smaller than this. She wondered if the tub was really just an underground pond they repurposed. Several humans dressed in swimwear stood by the edge of the bowl.

Sareen waited until one of the humans removed her cloak then climbed into the steaming water. Aeris followed and found the water wasn’t as deep as she feared, stopping halfway up her neck. The temperature of the water was higher than anything she had felt before and it was amazing. She wondered why it never occurred to her to take baths this hot. Looking over her shoulder she noticed the humans hadn’t moved from their spot.

“This water is too hot for humans,” Sareen explained. “They can withstand it for a time, but it certainly isn’t safe.” She gave a pleased chur and sank deeper into the water. “I find the high temperatures to be much more efficient at cleaning the dirt from our scales.”

“And it’s so relaxing,” Aeris finished. “I hope it isn’t rude to ask, but why is it so big?”

“This temple once housed multiple dragons,” Sareen replied matter-of-factly.

“Oh. You mean, you live alone?” Thinking on it, she didn't catch the scent of many other dragons. There was another scent but it was faint.

“Yes. I find it easier to distance myself from the other dragons.”

She wanted about the faint scent of the other dragon, but the truth behind the Celestials nagged at the back of her mind. “So, can you tell me about the Celestials? What happened to them? Why did the other dragons kill them? What did they do wrong?”

Sareen straightened up, her jaw set. “What they did incorrectly was put faith in the wrong dragon, a traitor by name of Lyndria destroyed your kind.”

Aeris tilted her head. That name sounded familiar.

“Lyndria lied to the Celestials and filled their minds with nonsense about enslaving the humans. Worse, they intended to rule over them alone. Had they succeeded, humans and dragons would answer to them. The dragons could not allow them to succeed, and so they hunted down their brethren and slaughtered them.”

Aeris’ eyes widened. “All of them? That sounds really extreme.”

“It is. But it was the only way to be certain. There was no telling how many Lyndria had influenced.”

“But some of them got away. I wouldn’t be here otherwise.”

“Of course. The complete eradication of a species is no simple feat. It takes years of dedication and work. Once their number had been culled enough that your species became rare, the dragons simply stopped looking. There were too few of you to be considered a threat.”

“But then why doesn’t anyone know about them? Why haven’t they come back?”

Sareen tilted her head and blinked. “They were hunted and killed for years. What few remain have gone into hiding and will likely never show their faces again. As for why no one knows about them, it’s because we lost our Keepers.”

“What’s a Keeper?”

“I’ll explain as we complete our bath.”

Aeris followed Sareen out of the pool to where the two humans stood. Upon closer look, they were drenched in sweat and their faces flushed. She felt sorry for them. The humans scrubbed them with unscented soaps. As strange as it felt being bathed by a stranger, it was a relief that the soap didn’t make her scales or nose itch as it usually did. But the water they used was much colder than the tub. The cold didn't bother her, but the drastic difference in temperature did.

“Keepers are guardians of a clan’s knowledge,” Sareen explained. “Through the Matriarch’s Link, they pass on their memories to others. It is how clans safeguarded their histories for centuries.”

Aeris’ tail started wagging, sending suds flying. The things she could learn if she found a Keeper. “Really? I've never heard of that! It sounds amazing!”

“It truly is. Every Keeper would impart her knowledge and wisdom to her disciple.” Her expression turned grim as her thick tail slapped the floor, causing a loud crackle to fill the room. The humans backed away immediately. “Sadly, we no longer practice it due to human interference. Even the original title, Oracle, was abandoned to protect ourselves from their persecution.”

She relaxed and the humans cautiously returned to their task. A tense silence had fallen over them. Aeris wanted to ask so many questions, but Sareen seemed upset by the subject. Nothing about this had come up in any of the books she read.

Once the humans finished rinsing and toweling them off, they returned upstairs. Aeris felt lighter than air and was eager to see more of the temple, but the current revelations wouldn't leave her thoughts.

“Do you know any Keepers?”

“I do. However, I will not introduce you to her. To become a Keeper requires immense mental fortitude and given the trauma you’ve sustained, I cannot recommend it. It is also for your safety. Oracles were often tortured to reveal their knowledge.”

That drained her enthusiasm so she let the subject drop. Sareen gave her a tour of the temple. The place was far bigger than Aeris imagined. It felt more like a small town than a single building. Even Sareen admitted they wouldn’t see all of it before dinner. 

As large as the place was, it felt very lonely. Most of the rooms they visited were filled with dust-covered furniture and it didn’t help any humans they passed stepped out of their way and stared at the floor. Aeris didn’t like it much although she never voiced her thoughts. It reminded her of her past. Humans constantly fawned over her and her beautiful appearance, but in the end, she meant nothing to them. She wondered if Sareen felt the same way, admired but never wanted.

Sareen explained the building's history. It was once a place where many dragons lived, but they were driven out during the Great Rebellion and the building became a base for a group of dragon hunters. Much of the building had fallen into decay over the centuries until Sareen removed the hunters and repurposed it for her followers.

"There are still many places where it is unsafe so I ask you to keep the exploration to a minimum," she explained. Aeris nodded while having no intention of keeping that promise. Thoughts of the secrets this place held, the hidden passages, the valuable treasures, and the scandalizing secrets filled her mind.

 
They toured until dinner was ready. The dining hall was more of the same, only the two of them in a large room. Occasionally, a human would enter from the side doors to refill their cups or bring another plate of food. The humans never said a word; only did their task, bowed, and left. Aeris wondered how they knew what Sareen wanted without her ever calling them.

Aeris’ curiosity got the better of her and she decided to ask. “Sareen, doesn’t it bother you having no one to talk to?”

“Child, I have plenty of people to converse with. I simply choose not to because communicating with humans is tiresome, tedious, and a waste of time.” She tore a chunk out of a rack of lamb and continued. “Humans are good for only two things: servitude and sustenance.”

“What?!” She looked down at her plate of meat. The smells and taste had so enraptured her, it never occurred to her to ask what she was eating.

Sareen laughed. “Calm yourself. Human is not what you’ll find at this table.”

“Do all the dragons over here eat humans?”

“Of course.”

Thoughts of the others fending off hungry dragons entered Aeris' mind and she suddenly lost her appetite.

“You’re jumping to some rather asinine conclusions. We do not simply devour humans in the street. They’re all willing participants. Most of them are older humans who simply wish to serve. Human meat is a delicacy here. It is quite difficult to come by. You should try it.”

“N—No, thanks.” She had tasted human blood before and never wanted to ever again. The conversation brought up the memories of the men she skilled, their screams, their flesh tearing, their bones shattering. It made her nauseous. She could never look Janine in the eye again if she ate human meat and Maggie would be ashamed if she knew.

“This revelation troubles you.”

“How can you eat humans?”

“Is it truly so different from eating goat?”

“Well...um…”

Sareen straightened up, her form regal and proud. “It only bothers you because you were taught it was wrong. Just as you were taught to be happy with domesticate life. Any dragon here would eat their heart before they became a human’s pet.”

Aeris hung her head. There was a lot she had put up with over the years and accepted because she thought she had to. Because she was well-fed and pampered, she mistook it for love. She was happy living in a proverbial cage, cut off from the world, being at her former master’s every whim. It stung having that thrown up in her face.

But now things were different. She would die before going back to that life.

“Aeris, consumption of another lifeform is something that has always existed. It is not simply a cultural tradition, it is a way of life. It is part of the natural order.”

“But I have friends and family who are humans. I could never eat them.”

“And why does that matter? The kobolds who serve me, I value them all greatly. Simply because humans are beneath us does not mean their lives possess little worth. But despite their worth, I would devour any of them without hesitation. Just do not assume I do so on a whim.”

She stood and headed for the door. “Come. There is something you must see.”

Aeris was glad to get away from the table. The smells from the sauces and spices made her sick.

Sareen led her to a long hallway lined with murals. Aeris shuddered at the lifeless eyes and humorless smiles on the drawings.  

“There was a time when it was considered a great honor to be consumed by a dragon,” Sareen said. She motioned to a picture that showed several dragons standing around a long table lined with human bodies. Several of the bodies were half-eaten, blood dripping from the dragon’s mouths. “The humans believed it meant that their spirit would be watched over in the afterlife. Humans would host  banquets after their deaths and dragons would come to consume their remains.” 

“What happened to the ones that weren’t eaten?”

Sareen led her down the hall to another mural. This one depicted no dragons, only humans crying around a large black hole. In the middle of the hole were humans reaching out, their mouths open in a soundless scream of obvious terror.

“Those who were not devoured were believed to suffer all eternity. It was a horrid fate reserved only for criminals and blasphemers. The only way they could find peace was if a dragon came and burned their bones.”

Aeris turned away from the drawings. “Why are you telling me this?”

“To show you how perspective can drastically change a single action. It is part of your training.”

“I have to eat humans as part of my training?!”

“Of course not; don’t be ridiculous,” Sareen spat. “The purpose of this is to broaden your mind and reinforce your will.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You say you will never eat humans, correct?”

“Never.”

“And what would you do if a human came to you, begging to be devoured? What if, deep in their heart, they believed this would honor them and bring them peace? Would you tell them they’re wrong? Spit in the face of their beliefs and traditions?”

“Well...I, I…”

“You see? Doubt has entered your mind. You’ve faltered because you do not believe firmly enough in your convictions.”

“But you said--”

Sareen cut her off with a glare. “This has nothing to do with what I said. You said you would never eat a human. No exceptions. So if a human approached you with such a request, your first and final answer should be no.” Her expression softened, but the firmness remained in her voice. “A Matriarch’s power comes from her will. If you allow yourself to doubt, if you let yourself be so easily swayed, your power will be weak.”

Without a word she headed down the hall again, Aeris had to trot to keep up. “When you used your call before, it was because you wanted something, and nothing would stand in your way. There were no exceptions or alternate paths.”

“B-But what with I do something wrong?”

She stopped and turned to Aeris with a pitying look. “Child, this isn’t about right or wrong. As I showed you with the mural, those are fluctuating concepts that are unreliable at best. You must find conviction within yourself regardless of the consequences. To return to our previous example, you fear upsetting the human who wanted to be eaten, correct?” She continued when Aeris nodded. “That is a consequence of your will. You have decided to abstain from consuming humans, which means those who believe differently will always be disappointed. You must accept this.”

Aeris thought back to when she used her Call before. It all made sense now, but she still didn’t like it. Not caring about the feelings of others sounded heartless. 

“We will continue practicing your Call when the others arrive, but until then I want you to return here every day and meditate. Determine who you are and make your decision.”

Aeris had never meditated before, but if it meant getting control of her Call, she was willing to try it. Every morning until dinner, she sat in front of the mural and contemplated her next move. Her first goal was to track down Maggie, but it never occurred to her what they would do afterward. She wanted to be safe, but where would they go? What would they do? Now that she was a Matriarch it seemed like many possibilities had opened up.

But every day, her mind ran in circles. Every idea was knocked down by a potential consequence. It was frustrating. 

After “meditation”, Sareen would question her about her progress. The dragoness always asked the same questions about Aeris’ thoughts and convictions. Aeris’ answer was always the same, she didn’t know. Sareen would then give a disappointed sigh and spend the rest of dinner lecturing her on the importance of making up her mind then send her to bed.

A week had passed by the time the others arrived. Aeris couldn’t be happier to see Janine again. Windor and Maxis seemed nervous, but Janine stared at the place in awe.

“Whoa, this is a big place,” Janine said. “It looks way smaller on the outside.”

"Yeah, it's real easy to get lost in here," Terran added.

“You should see the bathtub in the basement,” Aeris said. “It’s huge! It can fit several dragons in it.”

“Oh, we gotta see that first. I’m sweaty and my legs hurt.” She shot a dirty look at Silias. “Damn dragon made us jog all the way here.”

Silias didn’t acknowledge the look or the comment as he left the room without a word.

Janine snorted. “Whatever. Just take me to the baths so I can get cleaned up.”

Before Aeris could lead the young woman away, Sareen stepped between them. “Aeris, follow me.”

“But—”

“You must continue your training. Lexon will take care of your attendants.”

“I ain’t her attendant,” Janine whispered through clenched teeth.

The Grand Kobold led everyone away, leaving Aeris and Sareen alone.

“Come.”

The dragoness led her to another part of the temple Aeris had never seen before. The shape of the room reminded her a lot of the bathroom but the floor was flat and the walls were made of metal. Instead of a large tub, this room was filled with flags. Some were tied at the end of poles, others hanging from the ceiling or walls. Low stones were placed around the room resembling a maze. Silias stood in the middle of the maze.

“It’s time for you to move on to more advanced commands,” Sareen said. “You are to command him to collect the flags around the room.”

“I don’t get it. What’s so hard about that?” 

Sareen motioned to the drake. Aeris noticed he had been blindfolded. “He has to rely solely on your directions. You must guide him. And do be quick about it or neither of you will get supper.”

“What?!” Dinner was the one thing she looked forward to. Even with Sareen’s lectures, the savory meals were more than worth it.

“If there are no consequences for your failure, you lack the drive to push yourself,” Sareen said calmly. “I promised not to resort to the extreme tactic I used before, but I also won’t pamper you. Now begin. You have one hour.”

The trial turned out to be much harder than expected. Not only did she have to give more complex commands than simply saying “go here” or “grab this” but she also had to give multiple commands in rapid succession and cancel commands she had given. Her directions caused Silias to trip and stub his toes on the stones, walk into walls, and fly into the ceiling. 

In the end, they managed to collect 6 of the 70 flags in the room.

Aeris didn’t even care that she wasn’t getting supper; she felt she didn’t deserve it. Silias never complained or blamed her, but she noticed he had a slight limp from stubbing his toes so many times. To further their punishment, they had to sit at the dinner table while everyone else ate. Janine and Windor refused to touch their food. Maxis and Sareen had no objections. Terran ate as well but he looked very uncomfortable about it. After Aeris’ stomach growled loudly, he lost his appetite. Aeris caught Janine trying to sneak bread into her pocket and quietly urged the young woman to put it back.

“It’s okay,” she whispered. “I agreed to this. I have to take my punishment.”

Janine didn’t look happy about it, but she returned the bread to the plate.

After dinner, Aeris caught up to Silias before he could leave. “I’m sorry for today. You got hurt because of me, and you didn’t get to eat.”

The drake said nothing.

Aeris sighed and focused her Call. Talk to me. Say something.

“You did nothing wrong,” Silias said. “This is what the Dracaena decided and so I must oblige her.”

“I’m not the Dracaena. Aren’t you mad at me for messing up?”

“Do you want me to be mad at you?”

“Well, no, but I know you’re in pain even if you won’t say it.”

To her surprise, the drake chuckled. “A few stubbed toes are nothing compared to what’s been inflicted on me over the years. I’ve endured far worse for the Dracaena’s sake.”

“But—”

“If you really want to make it up to me, master your Call and complete the trial.”

****

The next day, Aeris started with her morning meditations. She didn’t take Janine as she didn’t want to have to explain to the young woman that humans are considered food to the dragons here. This time, she focused on nothing else but clearing her mind to complete her trial. Her only goal was to master her Call. What came after would come later.

Despite her efforts, the trial didn’t go as planned. She managed to gather 10 flags this time, but it was nowhere near enough. One thing was she was more careful this time. Silias didn’t bump into nearly as many objects as he did before.

Again she went without supper. Janine and Windor continued their show of solidarity. Aeris didn’t pay much attention to the others eating this time. She focused on emptying her mind again instead of focusing on her failure and her empty stomach. She had tried eating a large lunch but apparently using her Call made her hungry.

After dinner, she decided to spend some time exploring the temple with Janine to keep her mind off her recent failure. It wasn't hard as the young woman complained about how the kobolds all seemed afraid her and kept referring to her as “madam attendant”.

“I ain’t no madam,” Janine grumbled as yet another kobold bowed at their passing. “Do I look like a madam?”

Aeris shook her head, trying not to smile. It felt nice to have something to smile about. 

That became the routine. Meditation in the morning, training in the afternoon, then exploration at night until they fell asleep. It worked well enough. 

Soon, Aeris began to lose track of the days. All she knew was she was making progress. In her last attempt, she managed to command Silias to grab 22 flags and he didn’t stumble once. 

During her walks with Janine, she noticed the young woman seemed distracted. She often had to call Janine several times to get her attention or noticed her friend had stopped moving entirely to examine a wall or bookcase.

One night as she once again watched the others eat dinner, Janine leaned and whispered, “We gotta talk after dinner. Meet me at the dragon bathroom.”

Aeris didn’t know what to expect but she quickly headed to the proposed meeting place after dinner.

The room was much cooler than before and the absence of steam made it much easier to see. Aeris supposed since a bath wasn’t scheduled for today, there was no reason to heat the water.

It didn’t take long before Janine arrived. She entered the room slowly and let out a relieved sigh. “Thank goodness it ain’t boilin’ like it was last time. I swear I nearly melted when you brought me here.”

“What did you want to talk about? And why did we have to come down here?”

“Oh, I want you to meet somebody. He said nobody comes in here unless the Dracaena wants a bath so we won’t be overheard. It’s okay, you can trust him. We’ve been talkin’ for a while now and he needs our help.”

It sounded worrying, but Aeris chose to trust Janine’s judgment.

The door opened and a human wearing long purple robes came into the room. He didn’t wear a hood, showing off his youthful face. The human carried himself sort of hunched over as if trying to hide and his movements were stiff.

He quickly bowed upon entering. “Madam attendant, your grace.”

“Please, just call me Aeris.”

“He knows,” Janine whispered. “But the other kobolds get real upset if you call a dragon by their name.”

“Look, we can’t talk here,” the kobold whispered. “Follow me.” 

He led them around the tub to the door on the far side of the room. It led down a narrow staircase to what Aeris assumed was underneath the baths. The room resembled a kitchen except the “oven” was beneath the tub. 

“Okay, we’ll have some warning if someone does come down here,” the kobold said. There was a definite shift in his appearance. No longer hunched over, he stood up straight and looked Aeris in the eye without fear. “Thanks for meeting me. We don’t have a lot of time so I’ll keep this short. My name is Milan and I need your help exposing the truth about this place.”

Aeris tilted her head. “What truth and why do you think we can help you?”

“I told him we help people. Go ahead. Tell her what you told me.”

“All right. Aeris, Sareen is a murderer. She’s running a cult here. She brainwashes humans into following her and anyone who doesn’t obey goes missing.”

Aeris swallowed as she remembered how humans are eaten in the Dragonlands.

“I want to expose her for the lying, murdering bitch she is, but around here, no one takes the word of a human over a dragon. The Dracaena doesn’t invite other dragons here except Silias, but he’s loyal to a fault. He’d never say anything against her.”

“See? I told you something wasn’t right about her,” Janine said.

“Wait, I’ve been here for a while now, and I haven’t noticed anything wrong.”

“Well, you wouldn’t because she keeps you busy,” Milan said. “But when humans come here to become kobolds, something in them changes. They act like puppets and they follow her orders without question.”

“Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do?”

The human sighed and shook his head. “Not to the point that no one thinks for themselves. No one complains around here, there’s never any fights, and no one ever tries to leave.”

“And that ain’t the creepiest part,” Janine added. “Sometimes, people will just stop what they're doin’ and stand there with a blank look on their face. Then without warning, they’ll leave the room to do Sareen’s biddn’.”

“I still don’t get it.”

“Aeris ain’t been around others long,” Janine explained to Milan's confused expression. “Aeris, you know people never fully agree on stuff. Even you and me argue sometimes, but these people never do. No one ever questions anything.”

Milan nodded. “And they don’t start out that way. At first, everyone seems different and has an opinion, but after initiation, they...change. It’s like all the emotion is sucked out of them.”

“You don’t seem different.”

Milan looked up at the ceiling. Aeris listened but didn’t hear any sounds. After a moment, he turned his gaze back to her and replied, “I haven’t been initiated yet. Officially, I’m just an initiate, not a true kobold. I came here to bring back a friend of mine who wanted to be one, but when I got here, they claim he was never here.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of papers. “These are the letters he sent me telling me all about his time here and how he was thinking about backing out. I know they’re lying!”

Aeris’ tail curled around her legs. This whole thing sounded ominous like the thrillers she loved to read. Except she didn't feel the usual excitement that the stories provided. “I’m sorry about your friend, but what am I supposed to do about it?”

“Well, you’re a dragon. Sareen trusts you and no kobold will stop you from going wherever you want. You can find evidence of what goes on in this place.”

“We gotta help him, Aeris,” Janine said. “I know this ain’t our fight, but I can’t leave knowing what she’s doin’ to these people. Brainwashin’ people ain’t right. Humans are not her toys.”

Aeris wasn’t sure what to say. She didn’t want to believe it, but she remembered what the dragoon said about Sareen not caring about human life and her harsh punishments. But Sareen is also the only reason she’s aware of being a Matriarch and learning how to control it. She couldn’t repay that kindness by going behind her back.

“Look, we’ve wasted too much time here,” Milan said. “If you want the truth, go to the far end of the west wing. There’s a large door there with a dragon engraving on it. Initiates aren’t allowed in, but they can’t disobey a dragon. Go there, and you’ll find all the proof you need that Sareen needs to be stopped.”