ORIGIN

The alligator had expected, perhaps, some questioning. He'd expected it from Tal'at, and was surprised when the bat merely accepted, meek. Was he afraid of him...? Perhaps it was his accidental blasting of flame, but surely Tal'at did not expect Dragon to attack him.

Would he?

But then Czernobog was talking. And-... talking. For a moment Dragon swung his great boatlike head to simply listen, and then his mind froze--blank--as he realized the bristled boar was speaking.

No, not just speaking. He is eloquent. By Aquarian, his mind is clear!

"...Son, are you--" But then he noticed Merrow, and --... For fuck's sakes.

"MERROW DO NOT EAT YOUR CAREGIVER!" The torrent of flames that belched out from his jaws to emphasize his point went into the air, not to Merrow--he would not hurt them, not his Children... Not without reason, good reason. But the flames poured forth into the air nonetheless, flaring the whole section of swamp in their light, crackling through the gases that raised from the marsh's rot.

A moment later, with a last little burp--satisfied that he had their attention, probably (it was hard to see past the afterimages of his own flame)--Dragon spoke once more. He gazed down toward Czernobog as he spoke, considering the fact that the boar could speak--and considering his words.

"I did not know you could speak so well. It is beautiful, and wondrous to hear. Your words..." The alligator inhaled, nostrils flickering orange-gold with firelight.

"I do not aim to murder us. Bog. Have you listened? Listen, then, to your own words. Do you remember Raheerah, the dragon? Do you remember how helpless we all were against him? He LIVES. Somewhere, here--something even our Father fears. And yet none care to know where he has gone... why he will strike, or when he will do so again. We do not know where these monsters come from. The others--they strike blindly at this cave, and at one another. As you say. It cannot be allowed to continue."

He paused. He was well-spoken enough, compared to his previous age, but still he could not help but notice the fruit of his own magics jamming his head into Czernobog's face, trying to see his teeth.

Aquarian help us, my children are fools. I cherish their flame, but they are fools. May they grow out of it.

"You speak of sending them into ruin. That is not what we need. We need them angry, and we NEED their leaders. We need to find the STRONG, so that they will do what needs to be done. We do not need the cave leaderless, and afraid, and pathetic, destroying what matters, and leaving enemies to our very survival behind. We need to UNITE THEM. And then we need to direct them. Even if we must do so as their enemy. If you have another way to do this... speak now. If you do not wish to risk yourselves, then speak now. But we must act--if only because no one else will."

Dragon flared his nostrils, looking down at Czernobog, thoughtfully. Then, more quietly, he added--

"Whatever you decide, little one," though the boar had long ago outgrown such an epithet--"I am proud of you, and what you have become. I will not hold your choices against you. Against any of you."

There--the invitation for an alternate plan was open. And beyond that--his open apology, his kindness. How much of it was honest emotion, and how much was coldly calculated, was open to interpretation. Perhaps, to some extent, Dragon himself did not even know.