The Warden

A Cure for Loneliness

I am Reyanath'organth, Grand Warden of the Organth Vault. I am entrusted by my family to maintain my station, preventing all but those with clearance from accessing the treasures within. My station is one that is appointed to a trustworthy member of the Organth family for a period of a century, a considerable commitment, but one which no dragon of the Organth name would turn down.

While it is an honor to protect our great treasures from intruders, it can also be a lonely endeavor, even for a dragon such as myself. Of course, the remote location of the vault does not help matters, but our progenitor and the creator of this vault, Nargolash'organth, saw its location as an additional security measure. In fact, only the strongest of flying creatures should be able to access the vault.

Speaking of, that brings me to the story I wished to tell. A story of the time I made a friend — with a non-dragon to be specific.

In the thirty-seventh year of my appointment as Grand Warden, I had finished my quarterly cleaning, and settled into a meditative hibernation, trusting in the magical alarms to wake me in case of incursion. And, to my shock, those very alarms sounded a short time after I began my hibernation. The blaring sound jolted me awake, and I immediately peered into the scrying pool. My shock grew as I viewed the intruder. It was not another member of the Organth family, as my first suspicion would lead me to believe. Neither was it another dragon. Indeed, the being did not even have wings.

Clambering up into the cave that held the entrance to the demi-plane containing the Organth Vault was a tiny bipedal creature. Focusing the lens I determined the creature must be less than a meter tall, with long spindly limbs. It had large ears and eyes, and its entire body was covered with short, white, fuzzy fur. It was looking around the cave in wonder.

I narrowed my gaze in confusion. How had such a small creature made its way through the mountains to this location? In fact, what even was that creature? Between my experience prior to taking my role as Grand Warden, and the time I had spent reading the many tomes here in the vault, I knew every creature of that size on this planet, and I had a great knowledge of creature on many other planets besides.

Despite my experience, I had never seen anything that looked quite like this intruder. I activated an enchantment that would allow my voice to carry to the cave. “Leave at once! You trespass on the Organth Vault. Further intrusion will be met with appropriate defensive measures.”

The creature jumped, startled by the my booming voice appearing from seemingly nowhere. Instead of scaring the creature off, however, it seemed more curious and excited. It began running around the cave, searching for the source of my voice. And, inevitably, it stepped on to the rune circle that would teleport it into the vault proper.

I huffed in annoyance, a bit of flame curling up from my nostrils. This creature had far too much courage for its tiny stature. Well, I would put that unfounded courage to the test. After all, what creature stands firm in front of a dragon?

The creature appeared in the Fore Hall. The Fore Hall contained mounds coins that had been minted in hundreds of empires across dozens of planets. Glittering among the coins were a vast number of gemstones. None of the treasure in this hall was particularly valuable, at least not compared to that which was further in the vault, though I was aware that even just the riches in the Fore Hall comprised more than most countries.

As I watched, the creature looked around for a moment, clearly surprised at the sight before it. It recovered quickly, however, as it ran into the room and danced its way across the mounds, flinging coins and gems in a wild glee. For now, I merely watched its playfulness. Of course, I could stop the creature at any time, but for now I was interested in its actions. After all, perhaps I could learn about how it managed to pierce this location. It certainly had nothing to do with boredom or loneliness.

The creature entertained itself for a bit by dancing and tossing various bits of treasure around, but, whether it grew weary of its capering, or its curiosity overcame its desire for fun, the creature dropped the coins and gems and made its way cautiously to the large archway that lead into the next room.

Of course, this is the room where it would come face to face with me. Based on wisdom passed over generations, Nargolash'organth had designed the vault such that the outer room would hold riches such that most being would be distracted by their grandeur, giving the Grand Warden time to respond. However, despite the display, nothing of true value to the Organth family was kept there, reducing the risk that a potential thief would be able to steal something of true worth.

The creature peered through the archway into the main room of the vault, and its eyes were immediately drawn to my own. It stared, unblinking for a few moments before it rushed into the room, excitement clear in its demeanor. For reasons I could not discern, it danced just as joyously upon seeing me as it had at the sight of the treasure in the room before. It was making a series of squeaking noises that I determined were speech of some sort, though I could not understand what it was attempting to communicate.

“Are you unafraid of me?” I asked, leaning down closer to the creature. It seemed to understand me, as it ran forward, closing the distance between the two of us. This move threw the difference in our sizes into stark contrast. It was no larger than my head, and I suspected it could lounge upon my tongue. Based on its demeanor, it may even want to try, given the chance.

By now the creature was chattering, and its posture looked inquisitive to me. Assuming it was asking about me, I figured it wouldn't hurt to give it some information. After all, what could this tiny thing possibly do while I was present? “I am Reyanath'organth. I currently serve as the Grand Warden of the Organth Vault, greatest repository of treasures in this sector of the galaxy.”

Seeing it perplexed expression, I continued my description. “The vault was established by my ancestor, Nargolash'organth. This was many generations ago. My family maintains and adds to the treasures, using them to leverage a greater position for ourselves in the galaxy. As Grand Warden, I protect the treasures from intruders.”

At this, the creature took a half step back. “Ahh, no,” I said, understanding it uncertainty. “I have decided to withhold punishment from you, for now. You have taken noting from the vaults, and your presence is not threatening.”

The creature seemed satisfied with the explanation, and began looking around the room, eyes wide at the treasure held here. The lowest of the treasures included many chests, overflowing with more currency and gemstones. All of the least valuable coins and gems had been stored in the Fore Hall, leaving only high value currency and quality gemstones. Aside from these chests were displayed the greatest treasures of the vault, enchanted items of great significance to the Organth family. Above each artifact was a painting or tapestry crafted by the most talented artists depicting the time of usage that brought each item to its place of significance.

Other halls in the vault contained our other, lesser treasures, including a vast store of art pieces, including many crafted by family members, enough enchanted items to equip a small army, fine materials such as silks, rare woods and precious metals, and, of course, vast quantities more of coins, gemstones, and jewelry.

The creature had fallen silent, and now paced the room, examining the various enchanted items on display there. It stopped before the most revered of the items, pointing at it curiously.

“Ahh, yes, that is the crown of Nargolash'organth.” I said, answering its unspoken question. And that is my ancestor, in the painting above. I glanced at the painting myself. It depicted a great, golden dragon. The figure had magnificent horns sweeping back on either side of his head. He was thin and lithe of frame, and tales from his time suggested this was something he had been mocked for. However, shown at his feet, were his five greatest enemies, the Council of Five. Five powerful dragons that had, at the time, had an alliance to rule over this planet.

I looked to the creature, who had looked back to me. “Let me tell you the tale of Nargolash'organth. While he may seem smaller than most dragons, what made him mighty indeed were two things. He was wise, beyond even most dragons, and he had ambition with the unstoppable drive to push him forward. To overcome his physical limitations, he crafted that crown, which has come to be known as the Crown of Nargolash. It enhanced his mind in a multitude of fashions, but most importantly, it resonated with his magic, allowing him to perform feats beyond any that have been known since.”

The creature looked inquisitive at this remark. I puzzled for a moment about what it may be asking, before I understood. “Ah, I see. No, nobody has been able to work with his crown since his death. Many have tried, of course, and all get some benefit. But none have attained the resonance he was famed for. Anyway, he used his newfound power to tear down the Council of Five and establish his own rule over the planet. Most thought he would stop there, but Nargolash'organth was unmatched in ambition. He spread his influence further, out to the stars, starting the interplanetary empire that stands to this day.” I smiled while thinking about my ancestor. “He was the greatest dragon to ever live.”

I continued to think contentedly about the inheritance passed down by my ancestor, and the role I played in maintaining it. The creature had turned again, and was studying the painting. A nagging worry began to worm its way into my mind.

“Hold on a moment,” I said, finally realizing what the worry was. “You aren't supposed to even be here.” The creature looked back to me, puzzlement in its eyes. “This is a private vault. I am tasked with making sure nobody enters. I am feeling merciful today, so if you leave now and take nothing with you, you may go.”

The creature took a dejected posture as it picked its way back to the archway to the Fore Hall. As it reached the archway, it looked back to me, eyes pleading. “Go,” I insisted. “You have caught me in an unusually good mood. I am showing you mercy. Normally I would have roasted an intruder such as yourself by now.”

The creature heaved a sigh and walked slowly back out. I watched it leave through the scrying pool, curious how exactly it had managed to even reach this location. As I watched, it clambered easily over the shear rocky cliff that lead to the cave, and disappeared from the view of the scrying pool. I could have extended the reach with a spell, but decided against doing so. I wasn't going to be seeing that creature again anyway, so it didn't matter.

As I settled back into my meditation, I realized a great loneliness had sunk into my being. I contemplated that feeling for some time. I also realized that I had felt more joy while the creature had been present than I had in some time, and this feeling too perplexed me. Dragons were solitary creatures. We didn't need the presence of other.

With a snort — sending some smoke a flame curling from my nostrils — I sank deeper into my meditative state.

I woke not more than a week later to the alarm blaring once again. Snorting in exasperation, I checked the scrying pool. To my surprise, annoyance, and — if I must admit it — delight, I saw the small creature had returned. By the time I had checked the scrying pool, it had already passed the Fore Hall and was in the central hall where I reside. It jumped and spun joyously upon seeing me and I felt a smile crack my face upon seeing it.

The next moment I was shaking my head. This was not okay, and I needed to make that clear. This creature could not just come and go as it pleased. I turned to tell it just that, only to find it gazing up at another of the Organth artifacts. This time, it was looking upon the Spear of Azdagan'organth. It looked around at me, curiosity swimming in its eyes. It pointed at the spear, as well as the tapestry hung behind it.

“This is the Spear of Azdagan'organth,” I explained before I could stop myself. “He was a great warrior and leader in the Organth family.” I gestured to the tapestry, which depicted a figure in the form of a human. There were some key differences, however. The man's hair was a shimmering gold color, with matching eyes. Additionally, spotting his forearms and covering his hands were small golden scales. Further, his hands ended in draconic claws, rather than the softer human nails. If his feet had been visible, they would have shown a similar sight.

“Azdagan'organth favored fighting in a human form,” I continued. “He felt it connected him more solidly with the humans he fought alongside. He is best known for liberating a series of planets that had been subjugated by a nasty demon lord, whose name has been lost to history. The demon's essence remains in the spear, however, which Azdagan'organth used to imprison him.”

The creature took a leap back from the spear at this remark, but I just chuckled. “No need to worry. The demon has no chance of escaping. The spear has been dispersing its essence for centuries now, and even if it escaped, it would be a mindless shell of its former self.”

I looked around the vault, finding new appreciation for my family's heirlooms through this creature. But, as I considered, my mind was brought back to reality. “Ah, you caught me telling stories again!” I exclaimed. “Look, really, you can't be here. If another of my family stopped by while you were around, they would kill you and I would be in trouble myself.”

The creature looked dejected at this. It heaved a great sigh and turned to leave again. As it neared the archway out to the Fore Hall once more, it paused, and brightened. It turned and rushed towards me once again, chittering quickly. “Wait, wait,” I said, trying to make sense of its words. “You want to be a member of the Organth family? That isn't even possible. You aren't a dragon, for one thing.”

The drooped and turned to leave once more. I watched, pensive as it left. This was probably for the best. I should be focused on my job, not small intruders. Despite this, after the creature had gone, I pulled the various volumes of the Organth registry from the library. I combed through them carefully, and finally found what I had been seeking. Azdagan'organth had adopted one of his closest generals into the Organth family. It had been a divisive move at the time, but no members of the family had the clout to stand against him. That meant adding non-dragon members to the family had precedent.

I huffed in annoyance sending smoke curling. None of this mattered. I wasn't likely to see that creature again. Besides, The main reason nobody had argued against the general joining the family was due to the great treasures he had added to the vault. I sighed again, allowing myself to fall back into meditation.

Once again, the alarm woke me, this time a mere three days later. Feeling anticipation, rather than annoyance at the interruption, I quickly began the scrying. To my disappointment, I merely saw another member of the Organth family, one from another branch that I recognized, but did not know by name.

The dragon made its way quickly to the central chamber. “Grand Warden,” she said, nodding deeply to me.

“How can I help you... uh?” I said, fumbling my question when I tried to summon her name from my mind.

“Sanarath'organth,” she supplied with a grin. “I've come to check a few things in the library.” She passed me a tablet with the information she was seeking. On top of the tablet was a gemstone. I scanned it carefully, determining that it was an Organth gem, and that the identification enchantment matched her magical signature.

“Very well, I think I can help you find all you need.”

“Ah,” she stopped me as I turned to head into the library. “There is also this,” She tossed a large unworked sapphire my direction. Dangling from the sapphire, and of similar size, was the creature. “I found this brave little guy headed your way. You know anything about him?”

“Well,” I started, not sure how to explain. “I suppose I do. He has visited a couple of times. Seems to be very curious about the Organth treasures.”

Sanarath'organth looked skeptical. “Right, so this is an intruder you haven't slain.”

“I am not required to slay all intruders,” I protested. “I just have to ensure nothing is stolen, and that intruders do not remain.”

“Well, this one was making its way back. You need to find a better way to deal with it.”

“I was thinking of adding it to the family,” I blurted out. “I mean, look, it was even bringing treasure to add to the vault.”

“You can't be serious,” Sanarath'organth turned to the creature. “You were really bringing that sapphire for our horde?” The creature looked up to her, no fear in its eyes, and nodded solemnly. She chuckled, “Look, this thing is no use. Its heavily flawed.”

I held out my claw to the creature, who placed the sapphire into it. Examining the sapphire, I found Sanarath'organth's examination to be largely correct. “That may be true,” I mused. “But if you look closely, there are sections that could be cleaned, with some work. They could be used in a piece of jewelry together.”

Sanarath'organth snorted. “Fine, whatever. I certainly don't care. Do whatever you want. As Grand Warden, you certainly have the authority.” She slunk off into the library.

I, on the other hand, turned to the creature. “Well, sounds like I was wrong,” I said. “It seems that you are able to join the family. And, you have brought a nice gift to celebrate your joining. Perhaps we can make something of it together.” I smiled at that thought.

“Anyway, we should make this formal.” I took the most recent volume of the registry. “Uh, what is your name anyway?” I asked, pausing on the first blank page.

The creature made a short chirping noise. “Chii?” I asked, hoping my pronunciation was close enough. It nodded appreciatively. “Very well.” I began writing details into the registry. When I finished, I turned back to Chii. “Chii'organth, welcome to the Organth family.” Chii began to dance again, running in circles, and spinning joyously.

As the two of us were celebrating, Sanarath'organth passed back through. She tsked audibly, but otherwise made no comment as she left.

I ignored her, and focused instead on my new friend and his joy. After a few minutes, Chii jumped up next to me, and then again, to perch on my head, where he lay, doing his best to wrap me in a hug.

“Well, I suppose that is okay. Just don't tell anybody else in the family. I wouldn't want to lose my image a tough dragon,” I said. I turned to the artifacts circling the central vault. “Well, Chii, now that you are a member of the family, it is time you learn about your forebearers.” I began to regal Chii with tales about the other famous dragons, whose likenesses graced the vault. As I did, I found that I now looked forward to the next years more than I had previously. As a dragon, I like solitude. But, I suppose a good friend is nice to have around as well.