They stood there in silence, only the crackling of the fire could be heard. Janney was about to ask something when George broke the silence. “I told you he breathed fire!” George said to Janney excitedly.

“You are very observant.” Mr. Virago told George.

“But what do you mean you’re a dragon. It is not possible.”  Janney said quietly.

“Should I tell them?” Pix asked.

Mr. Virago gazed at the fire. “My name is Virago.”

“So, no, Mister?” George asked. “Virago is your first name and not your last?”

“Just Virago.” The old man said absently, still looking at the flames.

“I was born a very, very long time ago.” Virago began. As he started to speak, the fire began to dance back and forth, and the flames began to show images of Virago’s story.

“My race is very old. We go back to the beginning when the world was young and the fey folk tended to the garden.” Virago explained.

In the fire, the children saw the world before mankind; it was wonderous and beautiful. It looked like a scene from a movie in the Amazon with lush forests and waterfalls. Dragons of various sizes and colors soared in the sky. The animals were at peace with all kinds of mythical creatures.

“We were the guardians of the Light. We instinctively knew this, but we did not understand fully what that meant. This was before the Darkness came, before the Ichneumon.” as Virago spoke, a dark shape of a ferret-like creature, only infinitely more powerful and vicious, appeared in the flames. Both Janney and George felt their blood run cold with fear at the sight. They both knew this must be the Ichneumon. “We did not understand the meaning of hate or evil. When the Darkness came, we foolishly welcomed it as a new brother. We were naïve and paid a heavy price for being so trusting.”  The image in the flames changed, and the creature could be seen destroying everything it found, the forests and creatures alike both being shredded by the Ichneumon.

“Eventually, we managed to hold back the Darkness, but the damage was already done. The fey folk hid, and a new creature began to flourish in their absence. It was the dawn of the time of man. We stayed mostly hidden, but as mankind continued their expansion across the world, even that soon became harder to do, and we were seen from time to time.” Virago said.

“Like the stories of the knights fighting dragons?” George asked.

“Yes, George,” Virago said softly, “like your namesake St. George.”

“But Mr. Virago.” Janney said. “I still don’t understand. How can you be a dragon? You look like an old man?”

“That is because he used his magic.” Pix interrupted.

“Magic?” Janney questioned. “I didn’t know dragons have magic.”

“Why of course, they do!” Pix declared excitedly. “They are the most magical of all creatures, and Virago especially!”

“What do you mean?” said Janney.

“Virago is no ordinary dragon. He is a prime.” said Pix as if his words should be self-evident. “A prime, royalty. Not to mention, he is a Midnight to top it off.”

Virago looked self-conscious as he began to explain his lineage. “There a many kinds of dragons, Greens, Blues, Whites, and all of them have abilities that are unique to their kind. Greens are healers, Blues can swim and live underwater, for example. I am Midnight, as Pix said. We are able to conceal ourselves, to hide in both the day and the night. To pass by and to some extent extend our power to others nearby to become all but invisible to those we wish.”

“What is a prime?” Janney asked.

“A prime,” said Pix before Virago could answer, “is part of the royal class. They were chosen by the Light itself to be a guardian to the guardians. You see in the dragon pecking order, a Midnight is at the top of the chart, but a prime of any kind outranks an ordinary Midnight.”

“So, a prime Green is stronger than a normal Midnight?” questioned George.

“Exactly.” agreed Pix. “Except that Virago is a prime and a Midnight. He is the ruler of all the fey folk.”

“If you are the king, what are you doing living next to us in this old farmhouse?” asked Janney.

“Hiding.” said Pix.

“Protecting.” said Virago defiantly. “Over time, the Darkness became more cunning. With the advent of man, the Darkness no longer tried to just destroy and kill but to infiltrate and subvert. The Darkness discovered that if it could slowly work its way into the mind and heart of a person, it could turn that person to do what it wanted. This way, the Darkness was not so exposed, and the results were just as fatal.”

Virago paused, and they sat in silence listening to the fire crackling. “Our people were living scattered about the world in hiding. Hiding first from the Ichneumon and then from men. As time went on, there was nowhere left to hide as cities of men rose up all over the world. I gathered the council of the primes so we could work together to find a solution to keep our people safe. We formed the Eye of the Light. A great ruby, which is a gateway to where our people now live. The Light helped to create a pocket of safety, a peaceful, neutral place in the war against the Darkness, much like how the world once was. Our people passed through the Eye into the land of the Light, and the ruby sealed the entrance. No one can get in or out as long as the ruby is kept safe.”

“So why are you here and not there?” asked George.

“Someone needed to remain behind to seal the passageway and protect the Eye.” Virago said.

“And someone needed to remain behind to keep an eye on him to keep him safe, too.” Pix added.

“Yes, Pix.”  Virago smiled. “Pix has been my friend ever since I remained behind.”

“But that still doesn’t explain why you don’t look like a dragon?” said George.

“What?” said Pix. “Of course it does. Didn’t I tell you he used his magic? He can’t keep the ruby a secret by remaining in his true form. I told you, he is a Midnight. Midnights can change their appearance. At least the strongest of them can.”

“I took this form to blend in. When I first came to this area, the was no one here. I hid the Eye and settled in as a farmer.” Virago explained.

“Surely someone had to notice you did not age?” Janney said.

“There were not many who lived here at that time. Then the war between the states came, and most people left, not wanting to be caught up in the battles. I kept to myself mostly and made sure I kept enough land that my nearest neighbors were far enough away that they were out of sight. But then I met your great, great-grandmother, Nina. I tried to stay away from her, but I just couldn’t. I told her the truth, and she never flinched and didn’t run away. I loved her dearly. She made me more human, you could say. This garden is hers; she planted it and cared for it. The sunflowers are direct descendants of the ones she first planted. I admit I do not have her love for gardening, but I do my best to keep her garden alive as it is all I have left of her.”  Virago looked lost in his memories for a Moment before he continued.

“I do age. When I first met Nina, my hair was deep black. But the longer I remain in this form, the more I lose of my former self. I am afraid that now I have lost most of my magic. I am not even sure I have the ability to change back to my natural form.”

“Why haven’t you done so before?” asked George. “Don’t you miss flying?  I would love to be able to fly through the mountains.”

Pix quickly answered, “If Virago ever changed back, the Darkness would know. The kind of power it would take to change would be like a homing beacon announcing to anyone who could read it where he was.”

“And,” Janney interjected, “They would know that the ruby must be nearby too, right?”

“Indeed, they would, Janney.” Virago answered.

“Did our dad know who you are?” George asked suddenly.

“No. You two are the first I have revealed myself to since Nina. I dared not to.” Virago said sadly.

“I have been telling him now was the time. That you both needed to know.” Pix said sternly.

“Why now?” said Janney.

“The garden.” said Pix. “There is rot in the garden and rot is the tool of the Darkness.”

“Wait a minute.” yelled George. “If you are a great, great-grandfather, what does that make us?  Are we part dragon?” he asked as if in shock.

“Technically yes.” Virago said. ‘But I honestly don’t know what part or how much. To the best of my knowledge, there has never been an offspring between a human and a dragon before. It shouldn’t even be possible. I can only assume it happened because I had been in this form for so long that I started to become part human myself.”

“I know why it happened.” said Pix. “The Light rewarded you for your service. Nina loved you, and you loved her, and that kind of love can only come from the Light.”

“Perhaps you are right, Pix.” bemused Virago.

“Can you teach me to fly?” said George.

“No, George, I don’t believe I can. And if you do have powers, you need to keep them to yourself or the Darkness will find you too.” Virago warned.

“Why would it come after us?  What can we do to harm it?” George wondered.

“To begin with, you are my descendants, the Darkness would hurt you, knowing that would hurt me. But even more than that, you can manipulate the Eye. The Darkness would try and use you to gain access to it and then open it.”

Pix suddenly turned and looked towards the front of the house as a car door shutting could be heard.

“Hello!” at the sound of Mom’s voice, Pix dashed away from the fire into the night.

‘How could it be that late already?’ Janney thought when she heard her mother. “We are back here, Mom!” yelled Janney. She gave George a look that said he better not say a word about tonight to Mom. George smiled as if to say he knew better. When Mom arrived in the backyard to pick up the children, she never noticed the materials to make the s’mores sat untouched.