a collection of tales [[ chronocompass writing ]]

Silence, ever since Alfred had transferred the bond from the poor rider who had died to himself, had been as quiet at his name. Alfred rarely got more than a brooding, worried feeling from the old dragon, and Sil wasn't alone in feeling like something was wrong.

Alf had taken to distancing himself from others in town. Aspenfall hung out in his pocket nearly always, and his other dragons came and went, but Alfred stayed away. He had always felt a bit like he didn't fit in, even if he didn't go by St. James any longer. Now there was even more of a reason to stay back. He didn't know why he was able to do what he could. Was it a bad thing? If he hung around in the town, would other riders die? Alf didn't want to risk it. So, over several weeks, he talked to folks less and less, and found his own hideouts across the forest and fields surrounding Salvus. On this particular afternoon he had climbed up a tree deep in the forest.

There were big branches that he was able to clamber up, though it was a bit harder with his one mechanical leg. The wires got a couple leaves stuck in them, but he still was able to get a decent ways up. The sun was speckled with clouds, far above, though the sky was mostly blocked by the leaves on top of the trees. Still, it was quiet, it was peaceful, and it was far away from anyone else in Salvus.

Silence joined him, perhaps half an hour into his deep thinking. The large dragon perched on the base of the largest branch, next to Alfred, and offered a silent commiseration. Quietly, he mentally offered an apology. Alfred felt the feeling of regret at bringing trouble to Alfred's door.

"It's not your fault," Alf sighed. He glanced down to the ground. It really was far away. He gripped the branch he was sitting on a bit tighter. "You were in danger, your rider was hurt, and you needed help. Anyone would have done all they could." A leaf fluttered down, down, down, through the branches. "I'm glad I saved you. I'm just not sure why it happened like it did. And I'm sorry I couldn't save your rider."

Silence let out a breath, like a crackle of frost on an autumn day. It was one of understanding, but the look he gave Alf afterwards suggested concern. Alfred caught another leaf as it tried to follow after the first one. He admired it, passively. "I know I'm worrying you. I just... I've told you, I can't go back there if I might hurt someone else."

Another fallen leaf, another catch by Alf. Silence gave him a wordless huff. No one was going to get hurt anymore, not while Silence could do something about it. Alfred appreciated the sentiment - but he wasn't sure what exactly could be done. "I appreciate that, friend. We'll both have to figure out what to do, I suppose."

Aspen stuck her head out of his pocket and offered her own sympathy. "Perhaps," she said, "We could be doing something about this? Like, finding someone who knows what they're talking about when it comes to curses and spooky magic."

Alfred thought about that for a moment, and then the idea hit him so hard he nearly fell out of the tree. Silence waved a wing over to steady the rider out. Once he had regained his balance, he told his dragons his plan. "Aspen, Silence, you're both brilliant. Do either of you happen to know where that Walker fellow lives?”

611 words

- - - -

The Walker was a fairly reclusive fellow - not unlike Alfred himself was, these recent days. Still, he knew the approximate location of the other rider's treehouse. It was a peaceful hike through the woods, though mentally filled with worry and questions. He, Silence, and Aspenfall followed the curve of the river, all the way until Aspen saw a glimpse of something in the trees above. She mentally poked the other two, whose gazes rose to join hers.

In the trees, build precariously between branches, was a modest treehouse. Namely, exactly what Alf had been looking for. He glanced about. "Well, not that I'm against climbing another tree, but I thought there would be a ladder, or a rope, or something," Alfred mused to his dragons. "I don't suppose either of you see anything."

"No, sorry," Aspen said apologetically, while Silence offered only a shake of the head. The large dragon leaned down and spread out his wings, a clear 'hop on' offer to Alfred. Alf paused to make sure that Aspen wouldn't fall if they flew up to the treehouse, and then Silence glided up to the level of the wooden platform with several powerful wing beats. He landed heavily on the platform itself, then bent slightly down again to allow Alf to slide off.

"Thanks, Sil," Alf said, with a look to the ground below them. It wasn't quite as far down as the tree he had climbed up previously had been, but Walker had still built an impressive home up in the foliage. He turned to the door of the home. All that he needed to do was knock. But it still took some time to work up the courage to actually do it. Alfred felt the same fear that maybe something bad would happen to Walker or their dragons if they saw each other.

Silence felt the same feelings that Alf did through their mental connection, and he sent encouragement back. Alf took a deep breath, smiled at his two dragons, and knocked three times on the door. Then he stepped back, and waited.

Ten or so seconds later, the door swung open, inward, and the Walker poked his head out into the doorway, their dragon Refractor on their head. Ref spoke chipperly - "Ah, if it isn't Alfred and crew! People have been wondering where you all have gone. Would you like to come in, have some tea? Walker and the rest of us are glad to have you."

Alf hesitated, even though this was exactly what he had come here for. "I, uh, I'm here to ask for help with an issue I've had recently. But talking about it over tea would be really nice." Silence silently agreed. A bit of warmth for the soul could quite help them all. Aspen hopped out of Alf's pocket and trotted on inside, underneath the Walker's feet.

"Come in, then!" Refractor said with a tip of her hat, and the Walker opened the door wider and waved one hand to invite the group inside. Alf awkwardly entered, mechanical leg clanking on the ground, and looked around. Silence's curious gaze peered about as well. 

Walker's home was nothing like Alfred had expected. The walls were made out of wood, sure, and much of the furniture was carved out of logs, as well, but scattered all throughout the place were all sorts of mechanical devices, trinkets, bolts and scraps. It really felt like a workshop and a home mixed together. The Walker saw them looking and Refractor spoke for him. "Walker's a robot, you know. Takes a lot of upkeep to keep them and all of us thunder dragons running. And even when there's nothing urgent to be done, they're always tinkering."

"That sounds nice," Aspen smiled. She had climbed up onto the top of the main table in the room to get a better view of everything and everyone.

The Walker nodded as they turned towards the small stove in the room (wasn't that a fire hazard?) and took off a pot of tea that must have been brewing previously. They set several cups on the table and poured the warm liquid into each of them.

"You were expecting us?" Alf asked, as he took a seat in one of the wooden chairs. Silence thumped down onto the floor and stared into the steam rising from the tea.

"Oh, no," Refractor said. She hopped down from the Walker's shoulders and grabbed on to one of the warm cups of tea. "You just happened to come at a good time."

Alf hummed in thought. They all sat there like that, for several quiet, nice minutes, until finally Ref spoke again. "So why did you stop by, anyway? You said there's something you need help with? Why us?"

No more putting it off. Alfred explained the situation as best as he could. "Silence here wasn't my dragon at first. I'm sure you're aware of how unheard of that is. There was a rider out in the woods who was dying, and I couldn't save her. But I made a bond with her dragon. And... I just don't know why it happened. Riders can't bond with dragons who didn't hatch for them."

He took a sip of his tea. It tasted pretty good. "I'm just worrying that somehow it was my fault. That there was something I was doing that got them hurt."

Walker listened quietly, as they were wont to do, and when Alf finished talking, they nodded in determination. Ref said, "We have something we can do to help. Meet us tonight, where that rider died. Walker thinks he can ask her ghost if it was your fault or not. And then you'll have your answer.”

955 words

- - - -

Refractor and Walker met Alfred, Aspenfall, and Silence late that night, in the middle of the woods that surrounded Salvus. Alfred led the way, and brought them all to (as near as he could) the spot where Silence's previous rider had died. The clearing was the same as it had always been. It hadn't grown flowers or gained a gloomy atmosphere - it was simply a place where bad things had happened. Silence, next to Alf, closed his eyes for a moment in memorial.

The Walker stepped forward, and tilted his head in thought. Ref, from on top of Walker's antlered head, spoke for him as usual. "You're right, this is the place. You'll have to give my rider a moment to set things up."

Walker had always seemed like a thunder rider through and through. Seeing the quiet, cheerful fellow walking around, setting up to summon a ghost, and listening to things that Alfred couldn't hear, was quite the wake up call to him. Of course the Walker was a dark rider as well - it was why he had sought out the robot in the first place. Aspenfall agreed with her rider's observations. She was looking out from Alf's front pocket, and was quite impressed. Different types of dragon magic sure were fascinating. And also scary.

Silence watched with an indiscernible gaze. Alfred knew that Sil had supported the idea of talking to his previous rider, but he still wondered now if Silence wasn't completely comfortable with this. *You can head back home if you'd like,* he sent mentally to his dragon. Sil responded with a determined sigh. He wasn't going to leave when his riders needed him. Both of them.

At last, the Walker turned back to Alfred and crew, a solemn look in his empty eyes. "We're ready whenever you are," Refractor translated. Alfred mentally questioned his dragons - Silence more than Aspen. When both of them nodded, Alfred did as well.

Walker, upon seeing that the others there were prepared, closed his eyes, and slowly there appeared a shape before them all. Silence recognized her first, with a sudden intake of breath, and Alf quickly remembered the appearance of the person he had only met briefly before. It was Sil's old rider, looking alive and well, if not for her transparent, ghostly aura.

She looked right to her dragon, and smiled, and for the first time in a long time, Silence spoke. "...It's so good to see you again."

"You as well," she said, and almost stepped forward to hug her dragon - but perhaps the knowledge that she wasn't corporeal held her back. "You found someone to call me back here for a time, Sil, why is that? Is everything okay?"

"...I'm fine, beyond missing you presence," Silence said in a whisper. "My new rider is worried as to why he was able to save me. He thinks it might be some sort of curse. We wanted to get your reassurance that it's not the case."

She turned to stare deeply into Alfred's eyes. He shuffled around nervously. What did she want with him? After several long, quiet seconds, the ghost of the past rider smiled sadly. Walker, behind them all, viewed the conversation with eyes squinted in concentration. It must be taking him some effort to keep her here. "Are you treating my dragon well? It was nice of you to help me when you did. Far more reassuring indeed to know that my dragon could go on several more adventures before traveling beyond."

Alf struggled to find his voice. "I'm, uh, I'm doing the best I can. Silence is one of the family as much as any other of my dragons. We're just trying to figure out how it happened, if you follow. I had no idea I could do that."

"Well, it's certainly not your fault," she said, confidence present in her tone despite her not quite presence. "Sil and I got caught up in a bad situation and I had heard that Salvus was a place that could help. We just didn't get there in time." She sighed. "I was probably going to die either way. It's not because of a curse. Sometimes life goes badly, and it can't be changed."

"I'm sorry," Alfred said, not sure what else to do. Aspen blinked warily at the ghost. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you, too."

"You saved my dragon, didn't you? That's all I need. Just live life well for me, and I'll be happy," she offered.

Alf nodded solemnly. "I can do that."

She turned back to talk with Sil again. The two walked a short ways off and began to converse in hushed whispers. Alfred hung back to give them some privacy. Refractor clambered down the Walker's arm and fluttered over to Alf. As the Walker concentrated on keeping the connection, Ref grinned.

"You feeling better about things?"

"A bit, yeah," Alfred agreed. "I'm still scared. I don't know why this is happening. But I'm not going to hide in the woods any longer, I think."

"Can we still visit these guys for tea sometime?" Aspenfall asked from her spot in the pocket. Alf laughed at that, his first honest laugh in a week.

"Of course we can. Whenever they're willing, of course." Alfred glanced at Ref, a silent asking of permission. 

"Afternoon tea, talking about life, meeting a few ghosts? It's been delightful to get to know you, Alfred, and assist you in discovering this about yourself," Ref said chipperly. "Any time you like, come by the treehouse."

The stars above shone through the trees, and as the quiet sounds of conversation echoed through the clearing, Alfred pondered if he would ever really know what was happening with him.

957 words