Youre not drinking? Fern asked, whispering to Volearden. The two dragons were sitting on their haunches in the burnt clearing, each holding a barrel in both of their front legs. While Volearden was busy thinking, the yellow dragon had helped himself to so booze.
The armored dragon glanced down at the barrels in his paws. Volearden turned his head towards Vur and Tafel, who were staring up at him with expectant expressions on their faces. Alright, he said. Rember, you said it yourself, one barrel per question.
Why are you saying that so nacingly? Fern asked and furrowed his brow. Cant you at least take off your helt? We cant even see what kind of expression youre making.
Thats why I gave you the color chart, Volearden said. He paused before taking a piece of paper out of his root bracelet, letting it drop to the ground towards Vur. My armor changes color depending on the flow of my mana which, in turn, is influenced by my mood. You can tell how Im feeling if you compare the pattern you see on my helt to the ones on the chart.
Vur blinked at the piece of paper falling from above. It was the size of half a dragon. The star-like rune on his body flashed with a green light as Zilphy pushed the paper aside with a gust of wind, causing it to flutter towards the forest. It landed in an easy-to-see spot propped up against three trees. Vur looked at the piece of paper before looking at Voleardens helt. Then, Vur turned back towards the piece of paper. Even though there were hundreds of different color patterns, it didnt take long for Vur to decipher how Volearden was feeling. You want to hit , but youre holding back because Im family?
Oh, hes good, Fern said and looked at Volearden. It looks like he really is your family mber. How else would he understand your nonsense so quickly?
Its not nonsense, Volearden said. He didnt even have to turn his torso to point the cannon on his shoulder to face Fern. It swiveled on the armored dragons pauldron by itself. Its a perfectly logical system; anyone with any sense in reading mana can understand it. Youre just a fool who cant appreciate genius for what it is.
Yep, yep, thats , Fern said. Im just a fool who was hired by a genius to give him advice.
A fool who forgot hes shut up, sit still, and let do all the talking, Volearden said.
I am letting you do the talking, Fern said and brought a barrel of phoenix liquor up to his mouth. I havent spoken a single word to Vur; youre the only one interacting with him right now.
Oh? Volearden asked, the colors of his helt changing to red and black. And what about that part about shutting up?
Fern dumped the barrel of liquor into his mouth before pretending to zip his lips shut. Then, he threw away the imaginary key and shuffled away from Volearden. Although Fern was fast, to be sure of his safety, he needed a little more distance between himself and the cannon pointed at his face.
Volearden nodded at Ferns reaction before chugging down the two barrels of phoenix liquor he held in his armored paws. He placed the barrels off to the side before looking at Vur. Answers, he said, making sure it sounded as much like a statent as possible.
Vur nodded. I didnt rob a phoenix nest, he said. He gestured towards the barrel fortress. A phoenix gave these to ; she insisted I have them. His forehead lit up as his dragon imprint appeared. He pointed at it. This is my imprint.
Volearden leaned in closer to Vur. Isnt this Shardas imprint?
Shardas my grandma, Vur said and nodded again. Seras my mom. Vernons my dad. He paused before gesturing behind himself. Thatll be three barrels.
Volearden froze. What? he asked.
Four barrels, Vur said. He pointed at the top of the barrel fortress. Knowledge is precious. You have to earn it.
The color of Voleardens helt changed into a mixture of purple and black. I have to earn it by drinking?
Yes, Vur said. Five barrels now.
With Zilphys help, five barrels floated off the stack and towards the armored dragon. Volearden grabbed the barrels before they hit the ground, hugging them to his body with his front-left leg. He hesitated for a mont before prying the lids off the barrels and drank them one by one. After drinking them all, he leaned back and pointed his mouth towards the sky. A burp escaped from his gaping maw, and it was accompanied by a pillar of flas that licked at the clouds. Strong stuff, Volearden said as he lowered his head to look at Vur. His eyes shifted towards Tafel, a golden spot of light appearing on his helt where his eye would be. A phoenix insisted on you having these? he asked as he grabbed another barrel off the stack.
Very insistent, Tafel said, recalling how enthusiastically Malvie had retrieved barrel after barrel of liquor from her root bracelet. Apparently, phoenixes were hoarders, and they didnt feel comfortable unless everything they possessed were with them at all tis. Tafel shook her head. Perhaps it was wrong to assu all phoenixes were hoarders simply because of their queens behavior; maybe, Malvie was just a weirdo. Tafel turned her head towards the tree where the three drunken won were staying. It looked like all the other empty residential trees within the forest: no lights or sound coming out of it.
Volearden turned his head towards the seemingly uninhabited tree. He frowned, causing his helt to darken in hue. Is soone there? the armored dragon asked.
Vur pointed at the stack of barrels. If you want to know, drink all the barrels.
What? All of them?
Fern can help, Vur said. His forehead scrunched up. No. He has to help.
Fern blinked and pointed at himself while looking around. Well, shucks, he said. Im not one to turn down free liquor.
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