The Dragon of Roads

"And, for all that, my answer to your request is-".

Bonpricha looked up at her Emperor-to-be from where she kneeled. His pause gave her pause, and indeed, everyone around paused their activities, other than Nabonidus, who continued to interact with the terminal with utmost grace and speed. The cessation of activity caused many of her emotional responses to trigger, and trying to wrangle them in was about as successful as trying to hold a tea party on the back of a bucking bronco. However, she maintained enough outward composure to at least not bring shame upon her.

And shame, and the avoidance of it, wasn't really her chief concern. After all, she had literally gotten on her knees and begged her peer. However, with both of them being dragons, and old ones at that, they each knew that the other knew that this was a power play on her part because her peer would probably be embarrassed by the display. As long as she showed no such concern for her pride, by the twisted logic of old dragons, she held the initiative. However, her grip on control was a tenuous illusion at best.

"-that I simply cannot accept-"

Her heart almost fell out of her chest. She had to focus on listening before she had a breakdown.

"-until I understand more of what will become of you and your current flight."

"Why did he have to say it like that!"

Language is flexible enough, and the complete vocabulary that comprises it fluid enough, that clauses and phrases could have been better arranged to prevent emotional distress. Yet, his face betrayed no cheeky emotions of having done it on purpose. Was he really so careless, or perhaps, did he realize too late the direction his words were taking him and changed tack before he backed himself into a corner? The World Heart is listening to the words between Emperors, so one's word must be the way things go.

"I have thought this through, and I assure you that this decision has not been made on a mere whim." Bonpricha remained on her knees while looking up at the one who would decide how things turned out. She planned to remain like this the entire time, which would make the situation more awkward for everyone, but calling it out or addressing it would be paramount to any party admitting defeat. "My flight will continue in my absence.

"Here, in this place, we can modify the rosters of our flight. If I am reassigned to yours, then a boon that I had earned for my flight long, long ago will activate. In truth, it took me centuries to even understand how I could even end up in a situation where it would be of use, and I almost dismissed it as a polite but ultimately useless gift for help I had offered another party. It will activate instantly, and it will disperse that quality of an Emperor across my King and two Queens. As long as one lives, the flight will not lose their quality of having an Emperor, and thus, they will continue to exist. However, they will retain that ability of non-Emperors to resurrect themselves, and so, for the flight to be eliminated, all three would need to be slain in a relatively short amount of time."

A cocked eyebrow and a slanted grin showcased an impressed attitude from her peer. Such a failsafe would be both highly coveted and dramatically feared by Emperors in that they would love the added security for their flight, but would not want to end up in a position where they become redundant. It would be a power one would normally never want to use, and Bonpricha not only had acquired it, but also found a practical use for it. She found herself mollified in that she was impressing him in a way that would be beneficial to him accepting terms.

"I would hope that they continue their duties and would behave in a manner that is cordial or cooperative with The Crossroad Wayfinders, but I offer no guarantee."

He considered her words for a moment, his expression unreadable, before he asked another question, one that she found herself fortunate that it remained within her predictions, and thus, she had a good answer already prepared.

"You, an Empress, wish to become a Princess of mine. Surely, you will be but embers of your former power. We both know that you have come to accept that truth, but what will you be able to offer?"

Some may see his question as dismissive, haughty, or snide, but, at least between Emperor and Empress, it was him throwing her a bone. It gave her a stage to advertise her usefulness, and thus, give him a clear conscience to admit that she offered more than what troubles would come his way as a result.

"My Greater Focus is for [Illusions], which, at my level of expertise, are whatever I imagine them to be, and, as far as the world is concerned for a while, they are as real as you or I. They are flexible to any situation and quite powerful, and they can be fielded almost anywhere within a short span of time. I can also use them as powerful sparring partners to help instruct your flight and its servants in the arts of combat or even on the scope and scale of the art of war across an entire battlefield.

"This goes hand in hand with my Intermediate Focus of [Planar]. I can facilitate travel between different planes, and I can even create small planes of existence. This would allow for a secret retreat that few could access, or a customized location suitable for large-scale training operations where one need not worry about the consequences of wanton destruction. When it comes to testing your own powers in private, or allowing your Kings and Princes to go all out without concern of being observed or of causing destruction to the landscape, there is little to equal its utility.

"My Lesser Focus is for [Spirit], which means many things for different disciplines, and it can encompass all of those things. It pertains to that binding of Spirit between Soul and Body, and that which lingers sometimes after a person dies, which usually becomes a ghost. It also deals with the personality of magical objects, especially for intelligent items. It pertains to the Great Spirits of our world and offers a means to interact with them, which helps alleviate tensions with them when one aims to build an empire. It also can serve as a binder between different disciplines, such as [Enchanting] and [Illusions] to create interactive and intelligent devices."

The last bit was the icing on the cake that accomplished precisely what it aimed to do. Her peer became intrigued, for a classical shortcoming of enchantments is that they cannot "think" in any practical way. At best, they can be an exhaustive series of input and outputs, but to make one truly responsive to any and every scenario in a dynamic way is a coveted wish of any [Enchanter] and an Ability beyond their means. Golems and other constructs are typically the compromise between them, but they are narrow in scope in that they are automatons that carry about basic tasks without the need for critical thinking, but they are also part of a different discipline than what most [Enchanters] are capable of creating.

"I see, I see," he commented as he stroked his chin in contemplation of the offer, his efforts animated more than strictly necessary in order to make his thoughts on the matter abundantly transparent. "All of that does indeed sound incredibly useful, and you yourself, while playfully cheeky, are wonderful to be around."

Such heartfelt praise stroked her draconic pride in all the right ways. Such was a classic vulnerability of dragons, and both were aware of it. Ergo, to be so straightforward was either a trap one would be more than happy to fall into or a portrayal of intent for something intimate. And for the most utmost of intimate activities two people can do together, it is generally taboo for dragons of different flights to engage in such activities with one another.

"However, if the other flights take offense to your joining my flight, I cannot be confident that I can hold them all off. If the Isolation Protocol works as intended, then the existential threat to our world ends, and thus, the general ceasefire that exists between all entities that matter. How do you propose to handle the worst possible response of the other flights until they simmer down?"

In short, what stockpile of goodies do you have to equip me with means to brawl with everyone at once?

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

"I have forged treaties and struck deals with many entities throughout the past two millennia. Many Titans owe me explicit favors, and many entities that are similarly powerful enough to contest with uppity flights are in my debt. I do have the utmost means to enforce them to keep their promises in good faith, and I have utmost confidence that, should the worst come to pass, I have more than enough allies to weather the storm of the other flights and mortal agencies to the point where my preparations would be seen as overkill. More than a few gods owe me favors as well, for I have been rather busy stockpiling said favors."

It need not be asked if each party is being honest and true. With the World Heart listening, each is held to his or her word, for that is how each wishes to be. Were she of the habit of being dishonest and dishonorable, she would be held to different but similarly restrictive standards. Thus, there is no room for duplicity.

He cast his gaze to the others, and all gave nods of agreement. A unanimous vote of confidence was more than Bonpricha had hoped for.

"I desire your offer to be fulfilled-"

That is not acceptance, but it is most likely a preamble to it, and so, Bonpricha tensed with hopeful anticipation.

"However, I do not know how to do this. What would be the best way to go about this?

Immature dragons would see such an admission as a terrible loss of face. However, older dragons don't feel shame or a need to beat around the bush, especially when extremely pivotal decisions are being discussed. Hubris is for children, but for truly mature dragons, miscommunication due to pride is completely unacceptable behavior. Admitting one's ignorance is the foundation of true strength and the seed of wisdom.

Bonpricha then began an exposition of what needed to be done. She knows the what of it, but not the exact how, but it all boiled down to using the terminal to change some settings for the world. Basically, if one navigates the menus enough, one can find the rosters of flights, and from there, assign an individual to a new flight provided the individual is both willing and present in this dungeon at the top of The Tower. As such, with only three dragons present, there are very limited combinations of how to shuffle them around.

She further outlined how she would transfer assets to her new Emperor and how mechanically she would undergo the transformation into becoming a Princess of his flight, which is where the Princess-tier egg that she entrusted to him came into play. Her essence would enter the egg, and within a minute or two, she would be reborn as his child. It is all pretty standard stuff that is only theoretical and has never been performed in living memory.

"However," she started as she came to the end of her explanation. "Before we start that final process, you and I need to engage in a gratuitous amount of sex so that I can transfer my vast library of Traits to you, as I certainly cannot retain all of them in my Princess form."

She looked him right in the eyes and made such a statement without a hint of embarrassment, trepidation, or doubt, all while being in front of a respectively large audience for such a declaration of intimate intent.

Bonpricha looked at her almost-Emperor, and he looked at her. One could have heard an ant sneeze a mile away, the room was so quiet. Many privately held thoughts that the pair of them may need outside assistance to make sure this transfer of Traits goes smoothly; you know, as a precaution. With a snap of his fingers, more for gravitas than necessity, a canopy bed appeared nearby, and a moment later, a series of room dividers constructed a small fortress of privacy around it, more for show than effect. A whole host of Abilities would ensure privacy.

"I will give you the same terms I gave Nanu. She can fill you in on the details while I guts deep inside you."

To her credit, Bonpricha did not blush, or perhaps, a carefully detailed illusion hid such a response on her face. While still in her kneeling position, her Emperor lowered himself into her arms, so that she may carry him like a princess to their nuptial bed. Well, not that it is an actual and ordained marriage, but on a practical level it is one.

The men in the room soon found that Nabonidus needed help over by the terminal, and the ladies in the room all devoted themselves to offering any and every assistance necessary, as per the burdens of their duty to the flight, to ensure that everything proceeded smoothly. It wasn't like there were strong personal desires to witness how an Emperor and Empress would engage in such an act with peerless technique and boundless stamina or anything. And if the burden should fall upon them to participate, they would shoulder it with grim acceptance.

And by that, I mean that Chooka could scarcely contain herself and found herself torn between diving in and fervently taking notes. Bonpricha is a dragon at heart, and as such, has been a promiscuous woman. With over 2,400 years of experience, and the supreme physical and magical aptitude of a dragon, there was a thing or two for laymen and a [Courtesan] alike to learn from such a coupling.

"They've been at it for three days," Bellwright commented, mostly to Gambino and Alterez. "He has to be little more than a husk by now. And that canopy bed has to be bigger on the inside than the outside if all of them are in there with him."

Grim nods and grunts followed as they each sipped at whatever drinks they had while Nabonidus continued to work his fingers over the runeboard in front of him with stoic indifference and concentration. Torborg was mildly curious about the whole thing, but he was also happily married and faithful.

Gambino understood that Bossman was not yet to a point where he desired the intimate company of men and women alike, and so, through his link to Bambina, he lived vicariously though her own experiences. It would seem that Bonpricha had managed to impress upon him the merits of bedding kobolds, for he could feel his better half's ecstasy at finally finding that sweet torpor after being thoroughly used as a favorite toy.

"Maybe it is for the best, for, if we were there, we would surely die as our bodies became drained of fluids due to the intensity of the excursions."

"Coward!" Alterez shouted. "I have been alive for over 900 years. If that is how I shall finally meet my end, then I would go to meet my gods with a smile on my face and my arms wide open!"

There was no rebuttal, for they sat around in frustrated silence.

But then, as if the heavens had heard their prayers, salvation walked towards them in all her naked glory. Well, three of them, each one an illusion of Bonpricha. Behind them, three more beds appeared, each one with privacy offered.

"You, worm!" one shouted as it pointed towards Alterez, "attend your mistress!"

"As you wish, mistress!"

Alterez scrambled upright from his lounged position and ran towards her, but an admonishment from her soon found him crawling on all fours.

"Oh, Gambino, I can't seem to memorize my lines for when I formally accept an invitation to the flight," another one started shyly. "Perhaps you could help me with that and… other things?" she finished coyly.

"A man's gotta live by a code," he said to Bellwright as he slammed his empty whisky glass down on the counter (that wasn't there a moment ago), donning his wide-brimmed hat (which he also had not had earlier), and rose from his seat to saunter over to her. "I'll set you straight, Little Miss," he calmly declared as he reached her. Together, they made their way to one of the beds.

Bellwright glanced over at Nabonidus, and the ogre continued his work without even acknowledging events around him. Torborg turned away as if fascinated by the cosmic background in that direction.

"Please pick me, please pick me, please pick me!"

"Oh, Professor Muddlespoon," the last one started as she adjusted her rectangular glasses on her face. "I cannot seem to understand this anatomy diagram that is on the test next week," she continued as she adjusted the books in her arms, which only served to jiggle the bounty of her chest. "The bones of the legs and feet are so hard to keep straight from one to another. Perhaps you could help me to memorize them."

"Yes, I believe I understand your dilemma," Bellwright responded as he puffed up his chest and hopped off his chair. "I do believe some hands-on instruction would help solidify your understanding. Through oral tradition, I have learned of mnemonic devices that can ensure you always remember it correctly."

Likewise, Bellwright, found himself whisked away to paradise. However, a fourth Bonpricha, this one clothed and carrying a large platter of the finest food, made her way over to Nabonidus. Wordlessly, she fed him one morsel at a time while he continued his work, and though it all, a smile appeared on his previously impassive face.

Finally, a fifth Bonpricha with a keg of the finest hooch took a seat next to Torborg, and together, they drank it down as they talked about anything and everything.