"Dragons are powerful creatures, and they have a strong aversion to humans."
The Skeleton King held a spoon between two bony fingers and stirred his tea with elegant circles.
It had practically become Annan's Mentor, answering all his questions. It didn't mind the role.
The Skeleton King liked answering questions. It was just that, given who he was, few living people could cross the Land of the Dead to meet him.
"Are you expecting a guest?" Annan asked, changing the subject.
"No. Oh, you mean the tea? It's for me."
"Oh..." Annan returned to the subject. "Why the aversion?"
"Would you make friends with ants?"
Annan thought for a moment. "What about Spider?"
"There's no difference."
"I did keep a Spider once, and a cat... But they were rather special..."
"Then what if there were thousands of Spider in your room?"
"Ugh..."
The thought made Annan's scalp prickle. "But Spider aren't like people. Humans can talk and have feelings..."
"Then imagine thousands of Spider that can talk, mate with one another, and kill one another."
"You're not going to convince me like that." Annan shook his head.
"Do you know why there are so few dragons in human cities?"
Annan paused. It was true... Even in Montreal, he hadn't seen a dragon. At most, he'd spotted a few wyverns circling above the Mage Tower. Even white dragons were rare.
"Because dragons are proud," the Skeleton King said. "All dragons share a conviction. Metal dragons worship the Dragon God, while chromatic dragons worship the Dragon Mother. They believe they are the mightiest beings across countless Planes, and they seldom keep company with outsiders."
"Getting too close to other races would cost a dragon its standing among its own kind."
"Then what if I make Free City powerful..."
"The stronger your Territory