Elves say that when they did they used magic so strong that they can’t take physical form anymore. I don’t understand it, so don’t ask.” Arkin sipped his tea and continued.
“Up to this point only the two dragons could use magic, and after they disappeared, magic was available to all. The Elves split into the three races: the Elves, the Iumenta, and Humans. I don’t know how this happened, but the Elves claim it did. The Elves were loyal to one of the brothers and the Iumenta to the other, and it was at this point that Dragons began to appear in the land. You see, if a magic user gets strong enough he will ascend and become a dragon.”
Legon always knew that Dragons were strong in magic, but now he began to appreciate just how strong. He couldn’t imagine the power it would take to turn a person into what he’d seen in his dreams. He knew now that what he’d seen in his dream was one of the brothers. He didn’t know how he knew this but he did, and the knowledge was frightening. Arkin was going on. Legon focused, trying to catch everything. He could think later.
“To put it simply, the Elves and Iumenta are blood enemies. The Iumenta went to the wastelands to make their home. They rebelled against anything that connected them to the Elves. There came a time, however, when they realized that humanity could be of use to them. Not only could humans be used for labor, but they could be a tool for destroying the Elves.”
Sasha interrupted. “How can humans destroy the Elves? Humans are weak compared to Iumenta and Elves.”
“Humans can do the dirty work,” Legon answered. “They can fight and die, and that will save an Iumenta’s life.” The thought was disgusting to him, that one race would use another to kill its enemy. At the same time, the logical side of his mind said, “It’s an effective plan if you view the fighting force as animals.”
“And humans breed faster than Elves and Iumenta so their stock will never run dry,” Arkin added. “Humanity is the perfect resource. It is easy to control with magic and dragons; it will work hard, breed hard, and kill your enemy. There is some extra pleasure in turning humans against Elves, as the Elves have always been advocates for our race.”
Something Arkin said didn’t seem to stick.
“Arkin, how are we easy to control with Dragons and magic?” After Legon spoke he could see that Arkin was impressed by his perception.
“That is a good question for another time, but suffice it to say that Dragons influence the people in whatever area they are in, so the minds of those around can be turned to what the dragon desires. This is how the Iumenta took control. It was a slow process, taking over a hundred years. They won us by planning and stealth. They didn’t make a military move against the Elves and free lands until they had the noose around our necks. Is there more you want to know?”
“Yes, what does Legon’s tattoo mean?” asked Sasha politely. She was impressed how Arkin managed to give them a huge amount of information and not answer their question.
“Ah yes, the tattoo. I almost forgot. It’s a crest, as I’m sure your parents told you. Every Elf child is given one at birth. It is put on by magic and does not cause the pain that our tattoos do when they are applied. Furthermore, it can be altered. That tattoo is unique to you and only you. The dot in the center represents your marital status. When an Elf gets married that dot is hollowed out and an exact replica of their partners tattoo is placed within. The only other thing that I have heard is that when an Elf comes of age the tattoo will change color, and that color will stay the same for the rest of their life. Now have I answered your questions?” he asked tentatively.
“Yes, thank you Arkin. We’d better go now,” said Legon. When he spoke Sasha noticed him scratch above his left ear. This was a sign they made for each other to say “It’s time to leave”.
They had many such signs. They came up with them when they were little as a way of getting around their parents when they did something wrong. It came in handy later in life. Sasha could remember several situations that Legon told her to