“Fascinating!” Madame Filchbach screamed in delight as Shaynen finished the story. “And you are sure what you all saw was the long extinct Draconia Pluma?”

  “Huh?” Shaynen asked, helplessly.

  “A feathered dragon.” Madame Filchbach said patiently.

  “Oh, yeah. Uh. Jiit and Kilek seem to think so.” Shaynen said. Looking to them.

  “It is speculation for now but the evidence is compelling.” Jiit said. “You wouldn’t have any information on that as well, would you?”

  “Not much, I’m afraid. The sub-species of feathered dragon split into three distinct categories. Two of which have been thought long extinct. The Quetzacoatl are rumored to still be around in the mountainous eastern continents. But the wyvern and royal equivalents have long thought to be extinct. I find it fascinating they may yet live on. I wonder if perhaps the move to the astral plane gives them the chance to live on by belief.”

  “So it’s probable that to survive the beast would have to create a cult.” Kilek said.

  “Well now, it’s not always a cult. The difference can be paper thin. But if the community isn’t isolating, manipulative and controlling then it’s a religion. If you need to be afraid, it’s a cult.” Madame Filchbach said. “At least in a nutshell, I could go on about the differences for years but I suppose you have your work cut out for you.”

  “Maybe.” Kilek said. Shaynen felt uncomfortable. Like there were bugs crawling under his skin.

  “Is it possible the dragon could be at fault for the Antlers?” Jiit asked. Madame Filchbach paused in her furious scribbling to lean back thoughtfully.

  “I suppose that’s a possibility. Anything and everything is, you know.” She said. “But now, I have questions about the Temple of Dreams. I heard one of you were from it… Shaynen, that was your name, wasn’t it? I see that holy symbol. It must be you. I need to know more, it’s close enough that some of our orphans find their way there but I have scoured the files and even petitioned for visits for study and absolutely nothing! You’re the only one I’ve ever met having come from the place.” Shaynen let out an awkward laugh.

  “That can’t be true, people leave all the time. At least one of them had to make it back here.” He said. Then he shrugged. “I wish I could tell you something interesting but it really wasn’t. We weren’t allowed to leave the walls, mostly due to the wild woods and wilder animals that live out there. And the fact that we were children. But after that, everything was normal. We got our educations, reading, writing, arithmetic. A couple of art classes here and there depending on what we had an interest in. Physical education with self-defense and other martial techniques if desired.”

  “Are there real spirit guides?” Madame Filchbach asked, shaking in her seat.

  “Sure, everyone who successfully completes their ritual obtains one.” Shaynen said, “As students, we didn’t really get to talk to the graduates. They graduated and headed off to their missions or wherever they were called to.”

  “So they leave constantly? We’re the main city nearest the temple, those who left would have to come through our city for supplies but we’ve never even heard mention or seen the pendent. You know the black antlers are obsessed with jewelry? It’s so odd that they wouldn’t even stay a night in the inns or taverns. I know quite a few of the barm-”

  “Wait, wait what did you just say?” Jiit interrupted. Madame Filchbach paused.

  “They don’t stay in the taverns?” She offered.

  “No, that thing about the black antlers and jewelry.” He said. “What do you mean they like jewelry?”

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  “Did I neglect to mention that?” The professor said, tapping at her chin slightly. “Ah well, yes. The cult seems to have a real obsession with jewelry. But the strange thing I’ve noticed is that they don’t seem particularly choosey about the value of the jewelry. From the rare to the common, just trinkets.”

  “That is odd, do any of the items have a common metal or gem?” Thunder asked.

  “Oh sure, plenty of them are similar but just as many of them aren’t. If they were trying to collect a certain metal or stone then they’d be collecting several different ones at the same time. Which given how long it’s all be going on, you’d think they’d have enough by now.” Madame Filchbach shook her head and looked back to her notes. “I do have one more question, about that temple.”

  “Uh, sure?” Shaynen said with a shrug.

  “I pulled some records since I heard about you and I discovered that the temple once had wide open doors and children that were brought in were rehomed fast as possible. Were you? No, you couldn’t be, you aren’t old enough. You’re parents maybe… Were you born into it or a foundling?”

  “I was taken in after a fire,” Shaynen said uncertainly.

  “Which we don’t think is true,” Mayhem quickly interjected. “We think he might have been brainwashed.”

  “It could have just been severe trauma. That is also a possibility.” Kilek reminded. “It wouldn’t make any sense for a temple to brainwash-” Kilek stopped as he not only heard the words he was saying but also the looks from the rest of the party were very clear. “I maintain my original point.”

  “What happened that made the temple close up?” Shaynen asked.

  Well, that’s the thing, no one knows.” Madame Filchbach said, she flipped through her notes. “We have no indication of something happening but about a decade ago the doors just shut. The last records we have of people leaving the temple were a couple, they passed through and I wish there was more information, but the only reason we have these records is because the man was odd.”

  “What do you mean odd?” Mayhem asked with a little laugh. “Had to have been something really unexpected since Ratscratch lives here and he’s the very definition of odd,” The professor let out a laugh.

  “You know Sir Ratscratch? He is quite a card!” Madame Filchebach laughed. “But the man was odd, as it says here his eyes were odd. They made everyone uncomfortable.”

  “Like this?” Mayhem said and grabbed Shaynen’s hair and pulled it back.

  “Hey!” Shaynen shouted. He tried to pull his hair away from Mayhem but she kept a firm grip. Madame Filchbach looked at his eyes then back to the paper.

  “Well that is odd but there’s no indicator that it was heterochromia.” She said, “Just odd.”

  “Huh, thought I was on to something there.” Mayhem said disappointedly. She stepped back and Shaynen quickly started putting his hair back in the right spot.

  “So, out of curiosity,” Thunder said. “What is the possibility that he was brainwashed?”

  “There’s no real way to know,” Madame Filchbach said, putting her notebook away. “If there is any amnesia, then reconnecting with familiar people, places, or things will help reclaim those memories. If you really want to know then I’d recommend seeing a doctor. That will help glean more answers than I have.”

  “Right, thank you.” Jiit said. “We have more places to visit today. But your information is invaluable. We appreciate it.”

  “Any time, and if there is any more that you learn then you simply must come back and tell me. This is a fascinating case that I must know more about.” Madame Filchbach said.

  After bidding the professor goodbye, the party left the university and headed for the Alchemist’s Quarters. The part of the city was well guarded and roped off. Buildings were crumbled and burned in funny ways that were only achievable through alchemy. Guards patrolled the roped off sections once an hour. The party stayed hidden by a townhouse while they watched the guards move back and forth.

  “Do you think they’ll let us pass?” Shaynen asked.

  “Not likely,” Thunder said. “We’ll have to sneak past. I’ll draw their attention and you lot slip in and I’ll meet up with you behind the buildings. That alchemist’s shop right there.”

  “Got it,” Jiit said and Thunder separated from them. She appeared a moment later wandering over toward the guard. Looking at all the buildings with her jaw open in what looked to be surprise. She began talking to the guard and he turned to point. Thunder’s tail began to twitch erratically.

  “Y’know, I think we should have established what the signal was before now.” Mayhem said. “Think that’s it?”

  “Maybe?” Kilek said.

  “Let’s hope for the best,” Jiit said and he lead the sneaking party passed the roped off path and into the destroyed Crafter’s Alley.