The Not Immortal

"Ah, so you are Anima venántium" I said. I proceeded to say a large number of things in the tongue that Dragon's only used amongst themselves. When speaking with humans, we used Latin, which was a more human-friendly version of Zhardahn (Dragon). I was marveling at this person, she was highly plesant in spirits, until it was brought up. Many people who were of Anima venántium were so depressed and woolowed in self pity, yet here she was, fine until the topic had been pressed. "Indeed unfortunate, it is a very painful condition. Many had hardships with it, and only few could ever master it before they parished. Even in the times of Rome, when drink was a mandetory thing, the condition prospered greatly. Although that is a condition that is very, very old and rare. I am sorry that you must suffer from it, I have known others with the same condition, and I wish you the best in it." I said to her. Of course she could have a different ailment than the one I spoke of, but the two sounded susiciously similar. similar. Yam knew much about this topic, simply because as a 'God' it was my job to know, but I truly had forgotten much in my slumber as well, as for a cure I can't not recall what it was, but I knew that at one point there had been. So if there had been one then, why is there not one now?
"I can finally understand how she felt." I said to the woman, Salone. I had forgotten that she would not understand me, becuase she would not know what i meant by she.
 "You said about a friend of yours, what is that like?" I asked her, trying to bring us from the morbid topic of her impending doom to the thought of friends and family.

Salone felt a knot growing in her throat and turned her face away. A wall of long blond hair separated them, "Penny? She's alright, she is very smart. Doesn't believe in magic however. So if you do meet her stay away from the dragon and all other magical creatures bit."
She wiped at her eyes and started back up the beach, "Well you coming? I'm starved!" 
Salone motioned for her car, "Come on, McDonalds is a good initiation into the mortal world." She opened the drivers door before the passenger door flew open on its own, waiting for Jake.
Salone put her backpack and the camera in the back seat. She wiped the last of her tears way before starting the car. The engine purred to life and she turned off the radio.

"so if I turn into my true form she won't believe that's who I am?" I asked, barely able to believe that there was a human who didn't believe in magic. Magic was everywhere, and Dragons especially were sensetive to it. Although it would be interesting to hear her reasoning for her disbelief. I wanna meet this Penny.
"what's that say?" I asked pointing to a strange brown sign with scribbling on it.
(Sign reads: No shoes, no shirt, no service) She once again surprised me by thinking of a quick solution.
"I want to meet your friend." I said finally. There were multiple reasons why, but the most prominant was learning the cause for her disbelief in magic.

Salone laughed at his insistence about Penny.
"Penny is an interesting individual who believes there is an explanation in all things through science. Please don't do the dragon thing, she may just have a heart attack and that would not be good."
She parked the car and they got out, Salone glowered at the sign, "It says, no shoes, no shirt, not service. Come on, we are hitting the drive through."
Her eyes flicked back to Jake.
Salone's cell phone went off and Penny's name flashed across the screen. Salone answered, "Hello?"
The girl listened to her friend's accent over the phone and her face paled again.
"Stolen? What do you mean?" Salone pressed her lips into a thin line. "Okay, yeah. I can take care of her.... heh... funny. No. I can find someone to stay with me... bye." 
Salone hung up her phone, turned it over in her hands. 
"Come on," She hauled Jake back to the car. She ordered her usual and then looked at Jake wondering what he would want. So she ordered him two big mac's and a large ice water. 
"Here," She said, handing him the bag. "I'm afraid that you'r going to have to wait and meet Penny, she was suddenly called to France. "

"Awe that's too bad." I said with a whine. She took us through the 'drive in' with her metal moving boxwith the fuzzy seats. The woman at the drive in window looked at me weirdly and I just glared at her. "So I guess I need to find clothing and learn the English language. I gave up my hoard a long time ago... you know Alexander the Third of Macedon? Yeah, I gave him my hoard when he found me in a cave. I wanted to sleep, he needed gold. Is gold still the current currency?" I asked, shaking my head and my jaw dropping a little when I tried to speak that last part. It was almost tongue twisting. "Do you have any other questions for me by the way?" I thought I'd make sure, while this Salone woman was rather sweet, I was beginning to feel as though I was becomming a burden to her. Many other old gods would have abused this and told her she shoudl feel as so lucky as to be allowed to even know him, let alone take care of him. But Yam didn't become a favorite of the humans by treating them like slaves then, and with their current progress they sure as hell didn't deserve it now. Especially not this one.

Salone grinned crookedly, "Clothing is pretty easy to find as well shoes."
She turned into her driveway and turned off her car. Then she reached over and stole a french fry out of the bag. 
"Come on,"She opened the door, "Latin to English should be interesting." 
She dropped her keys to the door when he mentioned Alexander of Macedon. When she bent down to get them, they were trembling slightly, another side effect. "No," She said half laughing. "Gold is not currency. I have a dog." She warned him, "She may try to lick you."
Salone heard the bolt of her door slide back and she opened the door. Sure enough a massive king Sheppard barked from the back yard. There was the swoosh of a dog door and Sasha came trotting up the hall, wiggling all over.
Salone patted her on the head before dumping her bag and camera on the side table before keeping Sasha from jumping up on Jake.
"Sorry, she's a people person," She grinned, she walked down the hall before plopping down on a stool. She motioned for him to sit, "No. I don't have anymore.... for the time being." 
She took the bag from him and pulled out her burger, unwrapped it before starting to eat it.

"Oh well, Alexander was a king of sorts, he was renown as the one who overthrew a tyrant named Darius the Third. Although, he had a bit of help..." I said to her, indicating thta I may or may not have had a hand in bringing him to power. "He is the one whom Alexandria was named after, if it is still around. I tend to forget things in hibernations." I expaline da little more. Then she warned me of a dog. This was unexpected, Salone opened the door and the dog came charging. The creature had the name of Sasha.
"Dorima Tsuenara Sasha." I said in the Dragon tongue. The dog was a very happy creature in deed, it responded by licking me and not attempting to rip my head off. This was a good sign, apparently Dragon's are still loved by the creatures of the world, humans aside of course. I said 'enough licking child' to the dog in Zhardahn and hopfully the animal would listen. It wasn't an angry commanding voice, more of a you're tickling me voice.
"I haven't spoken to a wolf...or...dog, since I commanded the wolves to tend to young Romulus and Remus. Such a beautiful coat of fur."I marveled at the pretty puppy. I suddenly felt a shiver run up my spine, it would most likely be my imagination, but the bottom line was something was wrong. "so what's this called?" I asked her, trying to not let her see that I had detected something. She was smart though so I can't really say.

Salone nodded, dipping her hamburger into some of the fry sauce. 
"This is a hamburger," She gave him the name in English, "This is a french fry, fry sauce, and dog." The woman pointed to each item in turn. She also gave him, or to her best knowledge, the translation of each item. 
She took another bite of food, chewed and then swallowed. "Romulus and Remus? As in the Romans?" 
Her blonde eyebrows shot up into her hair, Salone's eyebrows were the most expressive part of her face. Her trembling fingers vanished into her lap as soon as the tremors started up again. Sasha trotted through the kitchen and stretched out in the joining family room. A guitar sat in the corner on a stand as well as a piano.

"Yes, they were the part of the first Romans. I am surprised that you knoe of the poor Romulus and Remus, but not the wealthy Great Alexander." I said with a brow arched in amusement. I took a bite of the hamburger and tried a french fry. Honestly wasn't impressed. I mean don't get me wrong, the food was GOOD, but I could taste many different chemicals and things added to the food. I would not appear ungrateful, so I devoured it whole.
She's shaking. Very, very badly. I remember this as part of a Anima venántium's ailment, and it was not a plesant sign at all. I just smiled and looked around, admiring her lair. well, it wasn't a lair at all, but it was certainly a domicile of some sort. It was farr too enclosed for me, then again, i was over twenty times bigger than it in my true form. Although it did have a quaint little hearth feeling to it. It felt like home, not mine, but A home. I began to break out in a sweat, I swallowed doen hard as my motuh went almost instantly dry. This was progressing very very poorly for me.
"This was very plesant, thank you." I said, my eyes shifting all around the room, looking for him.

"From my perspective the weaker people who manage to leave even somewhat of a mark are better than the richer people who already had their marks made for them. The people who remain in the shadows and ensure the victory are the best for without them, it would never be possible." Salone bit her lip and looked down at her hands, they had stopped trembling for the time being.  She noticed his eyes roving around the small house. Sweat beaded at his brow and Salone reached out and touched his wrist gently.
'Hey, you alright?" 
If she didn't know any better she would say it was fear that had momentarily played across his face. She felt like something may have happened in the past that he was now remembering? She didn't know. Salone withdrew her fingers and placed them back in her lap.

"Yes, I will be fine. But I'm afraid I must be at the place where the dead lay this even, or else I will be in a unique prediciment." I told her remorsefully. I did not wish to be rude, but the night was approaching and I needed to be at the graveyard. As for why, I couldn't tell her. But I needed to get there, and there was no debating it.
"I thank you for your hospitality, but I must take my leave. Can you point me to the nearest graveyard?" I asked her.

Salone arched an eyebrow, "You mean the grave yard? Yeah, there is one a few blocks away."
Salone was sorely tempted to pester Jake why on earth he needed to be in a grave yard "Just, hold on a second." 
She vanished down the hallway again and returned with a black t-shirt. It was a plain cotton black t-shirt, it should fit the guy sitting before her now. 
"Here, that way you shouldn't be too distracting." She teased him lightly, holding it out to him. The shirt smelled of laundry soap. Sasha wagged her tail faintly when Salone glanced over at her. "Come on, I'll walk you."
She picked up the house keys and started for the door.

"I-I'm distracting you?" I asked her. It was like he was joking but being serious at the same time. The shirt was a little tight and confining, but It really didn't bother me. It was something all new for me, but it almost felt natural. When she said 'I'll walk you' to the dog I took advantage of the oppertunity and took off on my own path. It was unfortunate that when I took off that I had forgotten my necklace with my pendant in the room I had last been with the dog. That necklace is of little consequence, but I am concearned that Salone may freak out if she sees it glowing. The pendant was the only thing I have left from my hoard. It was a unique little thing that allowed whatever was wearing it to find me. I reached the graveyard and felt the amulet call me. I threw the palm of my hand into my face. The dog has my pendant...

Salone was about to respond when she realized Jake had left, "Not much for goodbyes is he?"
She asked her dog. Sasha wagged her tail, trotting around the Island in the center of the kitchen she had been sitting at earlier. Salone spotted the faintly glowing pendant while picking up her dinner. She shrugged, assuming correctly that it was Jake’s. The pendant itself however was in a bad place, sitting next to three or so unfinished fries. The blonde threw her trash away and turned back around to see Sasha, her large paw’s on the island surface, devouring the French fries and the pendant whole.
“SASHA! NO!” Salone dashed forward and wrenched her dog’s mouth open. Sure enough it was empty, only holding teeth, a pink tongue, and “Ung, dog breath.”
Salone relinquished her hold on the Large German Sheppard looking dog and Sasha trotted off, looking self satisfied. Well, she thought wryly, If Jake is going to want his pendant back he is going to have to wait a day or so.

"This council has come to order." The emerald dragon in a whisper.
"This convergance of the Arch Dragon Souls is to decide the fate of Yam." the topaz dragon added.
"Let it be as we have said." The Alabaster dragon added. There was silence. The spirits of my fellow Arch Dragons surrounded me, all of them eager to speak with me.
The Dragons all spoke in whispering tongues, and the Alabaster Dragon of magic never spoke beyond his introduction to the ceremony. The meeting was harsh. I was belittled for my weaknesses, I was called all manners of useless and foolish for my trust in the mortals. Then I was ripped apart for my transgressions that I had been accused of. Finally the meeting turned more into a trial, and I couldfeel the odds against me. Suddenly I heard the bark of a dog. To a human that would mean nothing, but to me each dog's voice is as individual as a dragon or humans. It was Sasha, and Salone trailing back behind her. The dragon's all glared at me and I felt my hair stand on end.
"Seve A'ld-ruhn. Uro Petha finzhera. Dolo Archenon" The emerald Dragon roared and a a vaccume of wind began to pull Salone towards them. The Dragon then translated what he said into english. "You who have interrupted our Dereth, our congregation, what business do you have amongst the Arch?" He asked her.
"This one has seen too much, let us feast from her soul." The topaz dragon said with a hiss.
"That is not the Arch of Life I once lived beside." I snapped at him. He glared at me, the yellow eyes bearing into my soul.
"So says the traitor King." The Arch of life said to me in english. I glared at him, the word King was like venom to me, although I never did figure out what he said. The topazx looked to Salone and began questioning her in english. "So what has this one told you little girl? Do you rteally know him at all? What is he, why is he here, why as a human? All these questions that need answers, but none more important than WHO is he. Did he Tell you he was a dragon of the Arch, that he was one of the governers of the forces of balance? Do you even know which governer he was, and what has become of him?" The Topaz Dragfon hissed in the tongue I couldn't understand.

For the record, she did not intend to let Sasha escape. After she swallowed the medallion, Salone assumed it would just go through but nnnoooo. Sasha moaned and whimpered, howled and growled. The blonde girl sighed and pulled her leash off its hook by the door, next to the coats and jackets. Almost instantly Sasha escaped dashing down a side street. Salone ran after her, snagging her weapons belt as she went. Full moon tonight, you never know what creatures are lurking in the shadows. Hurriedly she buckled her weapons belt.
Soon she heard Sasha bark excitedly and she rounded the corner to see Sasha wagging her tail, trying to lick a very frustrated Jake’s face, and dragons. Salone felt her heart pick up speed with excitement. Then the wind picked up and she found herself in front of the three dragons, she jumped backwards several feet, brushing Jake as she went.
“Sorry,” She whispered to him, offering a hurried explanation about Sasha swallowing the medallion and then her going bezerkers. Then the Topaz dragon began to question her and hurling insults as he did. Salone stiffened, she was known for having a hot temper and she had never argued with a dragon before. Slowly she stood, dusting the dust off of her hands, jeans, and inspecting the scrapes on the palms of her hands.
“You speak of kings and as far as I am concerned you are not one,” Salone stated, her face falling into a stony mask and her eyes flashed amber. “As for your questions, it was me who realized he wasn’t a human. He was lucky it was me who found him on the beach. For if it would have been someone different, he would have been killed. “
Salone realized her fingers were trembling and so she laid a hand on Jake’s shoulder, applying light pressure to keep her fingers still. “If you are considering taking my life, do so. You would be doing me a favor. I would rather die than suffer in pain for the last nine years of my life.”
Salone slammed her jaw shut, she had spoken all of that in Latin so Jake could understand. It had been easy to guess the bit about the dragons killing her seeing the reaction that had momentarily flit across Jake's face.