Cherval looked relieved as the two descended into the tunnels of Dragon Stone. Serali extricated herself from him with a few muttered words about her adventure having left her tired and in need of sleep. She wanted some time to herself, and it seemed that Cherval was everywhere she went these days. She enjoyed his company well enough, but she didn't want him hanging over her shoulder every moment. And the truth was that she didn't really need the sky-blue dragon anymore. Oh she still had a ways to come, her accent was still terrible and she still had a hard time reading and an even worse time writing, but as for understanding and making herself understood in everyday situations, she was just fine.

When she reached her chamber she found Sleeah sitting in front of the door. The little rose dragon held out a large rectangular package.

"Grandpa said this is for you. He says you can read well enough now to understand it. He also said to tell you that this is very important, you can't really understand dragons without it."

"Tell Drevass thank you for me, Sleeah. I'll start reading it tonight."

"I will. G' bye!" And with that she scurried off down the tunnel, presumably heading toward Drevass' chambers.

Serali went into her room. It was a rounded chamber, one of the larger ones in the dragon stone, as she was bigger than most of the adult dragons there, save for a few of the oldest ones. Inside she plopped down in the cushion-lined stone basin that served as a bed and opened the book. It had pages of some silvery metal, the words inscribed deep on its surface. The first page held only a short note.

Written by the hand of Lrrisha the scribe, in this the tenth year of the fifth century of the age of Magic. A copy of the book written in the first days of the world by the hand of Claron.

Serali turned a page and started reading.

The Book of Truth, chapter one, Beginnings.

Before the start of things there was the Creator. When all things began, the Creator made the Bright Ones, and they made the worlds. Now before they began in the making of worlds, the Creator…

Serali stopped. There was a word she'd never seen before. It looked a bit like the character for "speak" but not quite. It definitely had something to do with talking or communication, but what? She'd have to ask Drevass or Cherval about it. I suppose that's all I'll read today, she thought. I've plenty of time to read more tomorrow.