Rise Of The Spatial Dragon

"If you looking for The Great Dragon, he won't be coming today." The old man had said this as he noticed the trio looking around nervously. They were obviously scared of encountering the dragon, and even though it had invited them for a meal, it did not mean they were out of the woods yet.

Currently, the three were in a large hall with a large table that had all kinds of delicacies on it. The aroma that it gave made even the most paranoid of them all, Barcova want to rush in and dig in. Of course, they had never had cooked food before, as at this time they still hadn't discovered the need to cook.

Many sentient beasts in the universe did not need to cook their food before consumption, and hence, cooking was only done to better the flavor and improve the quality of the nutrients. In such worlds, cooking was not discovered until much later in the evolutionary journey, and even in some cases, cooking was considered a taboo as it was seen as a betrayal to their heritage.

Dane wanted to introduce the concept of cooking food to the planet. One of the needs of travelers when looking for a stop over, was a place to find good food. While he could teach them much later to cook as he knew, it would be much better if he taught them early, making it part of their identity and culture. Of course this was just one of the things he planned to introduce to this world, fast forwarding their development. While there were inherent dangers to nature and to the species fate, Dane had well laid out plans to mitigate these dangers.

"Come friends, eat, drink, at the benevolence of your benefactor," the old man urged. He had on a strange robe on his shoulders that began from his shoulders and extended to his ankles, essentially covering his body. This was also another concept Dane wanted to introduce.

Some Beast civilizations didn't have clothes, and they only wore straps to hold equipment or armor in battle. Of course, such behavior was shunned by many and hence these civilizations were considered inferior, more savage than sentient. This was not the kind of image he wanted for his faction, but rather he wanted them to command respect. With these two subtle hints, he was slowly ushering the backwater solar system into the galaxy, they just didn't know it yet.

Needless to say, beneath the wariness, neither of them could help but just admire the sheer majesty and beauty of the great hall. Walls plastered with magnificent art that told tales of different and fantastical worlds, floor that had a thick purple carpet that made them ashamed for trudging on it with their dirty paws.

The entire hall was littered with beautiful chandeliers that lit up the halls and displayed majestic and magical ill.u.s.trations. Basically every inch of the place was coated with majesty. It was no lie to say that this was a paradise.

Even the table, the sheer affluence needed to stage such abundant food on the table was just mind boggling, especially in a society who's main concern was what their next meal would be. Dane, in the form of the wizened old man, invited them with warmth.

Once they were seated around the table, the wizened old man signaled them to commenced eating. The other two looked at Bamboo, almost as if to ask what to do, so when he reached for a very enticing piece of meat, the others didn't hold back any longer and dag in.

Bamboo's logic was simple, if whomever was behind all this, that Great Dragon or whatever, wanted them dead, he'd had plenty of opportunities to ensure that, it didn't make sense to poison them now. Dane nodded approvingly as he followed Bamboo's train of thought, although he also noted that him being famished at the beautiful smell of food hitting his powerful nostrils went a long way to convince him as well. Still, it was good to note the mind improvement spell he had cast on this soon to be planetary emperor was working.

When Dane had met Bamboo, he had to admit the lavel was smarter than he'd thought, but he was nowhere near smart enough to reach the heights he needed to be in order to accomplish all that he had to do. After all, the true markings of a leader was one who was confident at all times and a fast thinker, and that was what Bamboo was now growing into.

However, in order for it to feel more natural, he had to make it a gradual process, a sudden burst of brain power would lead to serious alterations in personality and character, and may very well lead to adverse effects to his plan. He wanted a smarter version of Bamboo, but still retaining the person that was Bamboo, hence he had to make it slow, so that not even the lavel would remember a time he wasn't this smart.

All told, he was laboring well with his grand plans, and the trio were turning out as he expected. To build true bonds, the kind that last lifetimes and the kind that made the them feel like siblings, people had to go through some kind of deep experience together. As deep and as traumatizing as the whole encounter with a dragon was, it wasn't enough, the dining together, the banding together would lead to a very united front and unbreakable bonds. He mused to himself how he had thought of everything.

As a butler, the role he was playing, he excused himself but remained within earshot to appear when needed.

"What happened to you, are you okay?" Finally getting some time alone, Maple was the first to speak. Last she'd seen Bamboo was when he was taking a beating from herself, and at the moment she didn't know how real that memory was.

"Yeah I am," Bamboo replied with a smile, "Better than okay!" At this point, he remembered how he had summoned the power of thunder from his body, he lifted his paw and once again made the lightning to appear, everyone present had their eyes almost pop out of their sockets.

"You made a breakthrough, Impossible?" Barcova couldn't believe what he was seeing, this must be some kind of trick, but when Maple spoke, he was almost fainting with shock.

"That's nothing," she said, having recovered from her initial shock, "watch this!"

Saying that, she instantly disappeared from where she was seated and reappeared right next to Bamboo. Both of them were almost fleeing their seats, as such a feat was deemed incredible.

"Guess you're not the only one who's special."

"Oh look, poor dumb lavel has gained super powers, now she thinks she's at m..." Before he could finish his sentence, claws were barely inches from his neck.

Instantly reacting, Barcova tried to transform, but alas, it would be too late, he had seen the attack too late, and he couldn't turn with just a thought.

Suddenly, to the shock of the attacker, she couldn't move a muscle, and the wizened old lavel was floating in the air, still holding on to his mysterious staff.

"VIOLENCE IS NOT PERMITTED IN THE GREAT HALL UNDER ANY CONDITION!!!" These words were spoken by the old man, but the voice of the dragon came out. The old man seemed to be in a trance, as he levitated to the corner, he came out of the trance.

Maple had almost peed herself with fear, that power was too frightening. More than that, the aura that the old man had given off was so intense that she couldn't even move. It was as though she was flattened by a heavy rock that didn't bulge no matter what he did.

The aura soon vanished as the old man seemed to be himself again. With a serious look, he signaled them to come forward.

"The Great Dragon is angered by your uncouth nature, but given you weren't warned beforehand, he has decided to let it go. Such is his mercy." The old man spoke with worship in his eyes, and then sent a penetrating gaze at each of them saying, "however, be ware that this is the second time you have desecrated his abode, first by trespassing his cave and now by almost sullying his great hall. Let there not be a third time."

Finishing his scold, he sat up in his raised seat and began a long monologue.

"Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Kendar, butler and groundskeeper of the Palace of the Great Dragon. Located in a world that cannot be found unless by allowed access by the dragon himself, here you are safe and protected." To Bamboo, this sounded more like we are imprisoned.

"After your transgression of trespassing into the master's domain in your world, he decided to test your abilities and see if you are worth anything more than trash, and hence he sent you to his sacred training grounds. Such favor, I don't know how you got it, but, I guess some beasts are meant to be lucky. I am pleased to say that you passed the trials with flying colors!" The old man had seemed to mutter to himself mid-conversation, or in this case, monologue.

"Since you have proven yourself, you have received this rare offer to join the Order of the Dragon. Many beasts have toiled long and hard years just to get an invite, and those are the only ones that know about it, what an honor it is and a privilege to be invited by the Dragon himself. Count yourself lucky."

Kendar was using an aristocratic and extremely dignified tone that made Bamboo and the others feel small and insignificant.

"You have recently acquired new abilities, all by the mercies of his excellency, would you like to learn how you use them, come learn the ancient ways of the dragon. Do you seek treasures and riches and wealth beyond your wildest dreams, come and learn how to get it all from the order. We are them that have learned at the feet of the dragon, and have gone on to do great and wonderful things to the world."

Kendar, or Dane, was shamelessly putting up a sales pitch. It made sense for a butler to want to invite a group of talented individuals. Using his skills at mind reading, he was able to understand what stood out the most in their list of needs, and what offers would pick their interest.

They all wanted to learn to how to use their powers, and hearing there might be a chance to learn ways to use and possibly improve their powers, they were ecstatic, especially Barcova who wasn't feeling too special now that the others also had powers. Maple really had struck a nerve, that was why he had retorted so viciously. However, what really s.u.c.k.e.d in Barcova was the promise of wealth.

Maple was intrigued. All her life, all she had ever wanted was to mean something. To do something that had an impact in the world. She wasn't so spectacular as a great beauty nor was she considered talented of special in any way. Yes she was good looking, but even she knew she was just another face in the crowd, another lavel.

She loved Bamboo because in him she saw something, a spark of greatness. Even from a young age she had known that this was a lavel to follow, and so far, he hadn't let her down. However, that was him, and if all she did was just follow, without taking initiative and progress, all she would be is forgotten, hence he d.e.s.i.r.e.

She wanted to mean something, to stand out in her generation and be recognized. As a middle child, she had to fight for attention even from her parents, and especially the father who had several lavel mates and never taking one as a life partner. She never wanted this to be the reality for her children, but such was the state of their culture.

On his part, As Bamboo listened to Kendar, he couldn't help having a cold feeling in his heart that there was more than meets the eye, even wondering if refusal would mean death. As Dane watched his thought process, he couldn't help marveling that Bamboo was wary of the fine print, and it was as though he was asking, what's the catch?