The history of a messenger has never gone well. “Off with their head” was proclaimed far too often when the message was bad. Not so sure it's changed over time, despite the current generation believing they're much more advanced than before. Even the best of civilizations are laid waste over time, the cycles and rhythms continue to naturally occur. Power shifts, realms cease to exist and land changes hands over time. Even the oceans reclaim what they wish, when it is time. The proverbial rock and hard place would come if and when you had to deliver bad news. Speak the truth and the outcome wasn't promising. Do not speak truth and certain death when you are proven wrong.
Those who controlled the dragons no doubt would not be happy to know they would become extinct. How do you replace the power of dragons? What will be your means of control? Sticky business, saying what you see in the future. It's not well received by whose who pay you for the information. The rest are inclined to be more than skeptical, to put it politely. In the end, you realize your demise grows closer but the longer you can keep breathing, the better. Eloquence with words and ambiguity were the keys. Make it sound pleasant but without enough fact to be certain, that was the only way out of a sure death. No one would want to know their living army would fall some day soon. Like the Captain of a ship, you'll go down too, but at least not beforehand.
The moment had arrived to deliver the vision, the sound of a Thorn bird singing...
~loud buzzers alert pilots incoming
Damn, back to work, hate having daydreams interrupted. Time to head out. Can't have anyone warping into my assigned sector. Need to save the dreaming for sleep, things just got real.
Submitted by Deborah Roaché-Hudak# 289133