(Path of the Dragon Mage: Exiled) 52. Charm (Patreon)

A/N: Ooph. I am wiped out after this chapter. Enjoy!

"Run faster, NightShade," Corvus urged. "Faster!"

They were still invisible under the power of Gwen's see-me-not pendant. The only indication they'd left the manor behind was the small trail of dust from NightShade's hooves. 

Corvus glanced back over his shoulder down the road. The grand cliffside estate was out of sight and there was no indication they had been followed. Yet.

Even carrying two, NightShade was fast and strong. The only animal who could hope to best him in the stables was Captain Landry's own horse... and Corvus had received notification that the captain had passed, with the accompanying experience points.

He couldn't let himself think about that.

Mountain Heavies generally attached themselves to one person. No one would be riding that beast after them. With the Captain and many of his men dead, it would take some time to rouse a search party. From there, they would have to determine that Corvus had managed to escape the manor past the closed gate.

That gave him time. Not much.

His eyes went to the sagebrush and the tall clumps of grass. Was that a natural wind bowing the stems, or his mother's zephyrs seeking him out?

No way to tell the difference until the air became his enemy.

The See-Me-Not rune interfered with light, but not sound and form. The wind might be able to feel them out.

As soon as he could, he directed NightShade into the paths between the unnaturally tall sagebrush. The thick branches should interfere with any wind search.

Gwen didn't offer an opinion. She hadn't tried to speak since the gate. Her breathing had turned into pained wheezes as if she were trying to suck in her breath through a straw, and she sat so bonelessly that Corvus had to hold her to keep her from slipping free.

NightShade clearly sensed something was wrong. He kept slowing, looking back at his rider. Every time he did, Corvus kneed him back into a fast trot. "Hurry. We have to get away..."

He didn't know what he could do for her. The Trophy Tooth necklace didn't seem to give her the same poison resistance as it had for himself. He kept it around her neck just in case. It couldn't hurt.

For the first few minutes of their desperate flight, he had the vague idea of going to the village to seek Larissa's help.

But his mother was not the only one looking for him. Surely, not all his father's men had ridden out to Solt's estate. They would be back at the village, on the alert, and possibly wondering why they hadn't heard anything of the group sent to dispatch him.

Nor could he send Gwen to the village alone. NightShade was smart enough to go through the village gates undirected, but Gwen might not be able to keep her seat in the saddle. From there, the story of a poisoned girl would make the rounds. His mother's people would find her easily.

He didn't know where the horsefolk camp was, or if they'd already moved on.

With a lack of options, he found his will following the tug at his heart. The egg. It was stashed away in a hidden place by the lake. Perhaps it would provide him shelter long enough to find a solution.

"Hang on," he told Gwen, tightening his arms around her. She was as limp as a doll, the only sounds coming from her were painful rasp.

Corvus closed his eyes and concentrated. Ever since he had reached level ten and he shared his experience with the egg, he had felt the bond strengthen. He called on it now.

Flexing his leg son NightShade's barrel, he urged the horse to the right on the next winding path. Then the right again. Next, a sharp left.

His eyes were shut but he knew the way as if he were a'dragon back and looking down at himself. 

The egg was by the shore. Open water without any barriers would enhance his mother's wind capability... but it was a chance he would have to take. NightShade was fast. If luck was with him, his mother's men would assume he fled to the village or decide to search the merchant roads. Not the lake shore.

And his mother would never leave the manor herself to find him. He was certain.

Path by winding path, he guided NightShade forward to the place where his heart ached.

The stallion was sweaty and heaving by the time they broke from the brush and made it to shore. He saw the pile of brush, still undisturbed.

Gwen seemed to come alert at NightShade's halt. She wheezed and tried to dismount but slipped off sideways, instead. 

Corvus tried to catch her, but she was dead weight and they both fell together to the sand.

NightShade danced back in surprise, and then forward to nuzzle his human in concern. Gwen was deathly pale. Her blue eyes were half-open but unfocused. Each gasping breath sounded like it hurt.

"It's okay. It's going to be okay," Corvus muttered, searching his pockets for the remaining medical runes. After pulling them free, he took off his jacket and placed it under her head for a pillow.

Desperately, he flipped through the stack of medical runes. Nothing fit, which was why he hadn't tried to use one on the ride over.

"Knit Flesh, Reduce Fever--do you have a fever?" He put the back of his hand to her forehead. Her skin was clammy and frighteningly cold. Shaking his head, he returned to the list.

"Maybe… Purge Infection?" This was a poison gas, not an infection, but it might help remove the toxin inside her?

He hesitated, knowing he only had a basic understanding of medicine. The consequences were dire if he messed this up.

So he tried to start from the basics. When he'd breathed the gas, his own throat had felt burned -- though his points of health had restored itself shortly after being in clean air.

His best guess was that the gas had burned the inside of her throat and lungs, and perhaps introduced a toxin into her body that was doing more damage.

Another death notification trickled in. 

You have killed enemy solider for 200 XP

Like Gwen, not all of the soldiers exposed to the gas had perished right away.

What about his Surpress Cough rune? That might ease her breathing.

The dire warnings in the medical pamphlet flashed in his memory. Sometimes the cure could be worse than the disease. A cough was the body's way of clearing the lungs, but if he took that away a patient could drown in their own fluids.

He'd use Purge Infection first.

Picking at the scab on this thumb to reopen the cut, he smeared his blood on the rune. His mana well had completely refilled during their ride over, and the glyphs glowed a steady green in his rune sight.

Turning her arm, he placed the rune right under the crook of her elbow and activated it.

The bright light came and faded, leaving the paper blank.

Gwen made no reaction. Her breathing had gone quite shallow -- sips of air as if she could not inhale all the way.

"Gwen? Gwen!" He snapped his fingers in front of her face and got nothing.

She was dying.

Frantic, he switched out the used rune for Surpress Cough, hoping it would do something for her lungs.

She spasmed, heaving in whistling breaths that grew fainter, hand going up to her neck as if she was choking.

NightShade bugled in terror and danced around, looking like he wanted to stomp something.

"No... no, Gwen, just breathe. Just— What do I do?" he cried out, desperate.

His eyes landed on the pile of brush and the egg.

No.

It was a terrible thought, but not one he could ignore. Gwen writhed, trying to claw in air that wouldn't come and he... he might have the solution feet away… if he dared to use it.

Desperately, he flicked back through his notifications for the details of the blood oath.

There it was:

I, Gwenna, companion of Stallion Nightshade and daughter of Tiana Horseman, swear to you that I will take your dragon egg into my care while you're away. It will be as my own. No harm will come to the egg if it is within my power to stop it, and I will give it back freely on your return.

The egg had saved Corvus twice, and Gwen had sworn herself to it. Maybe... maybe it had the power to save her as well.

Leaping to his feet, he ran to the pile of brush and pulled out the bag of holding. He reached in and drew out the egg.

Sharing his experience had done wonders. The golden threads seemed to glow within the copper shell. It was as if there was a shining light from within, so strong it cast shadows in the mid-morning sun. 

He stared down at it, his heart feeling like it was ripping in two. 

"Please," he begged. "If you can hear me... Help her." 

Then he stepped over, nudged NightShade's head aside and pushed the egg to Gwen. She seemed to be barely aware, but one hand came to grasp the egg

Ding!

Would you like to use blood oath?

Tears ran from his eyes. He hated himself, hated this decision. Not only was he likely throwing away his chance of being king... but exchanging the innocent life of a dragon for the girl who was his friend. It was a terrible, wrenching choice. 

He hated himself, but he did not hesitate. "Yes."

The brilliance of the egg dimmed, and Gwen heaved a clean, full breath. Then another. Still holding the egg, she rolled to her side, coughed and wretched with wisps of green smoke escaping from the corners of her mouth, nostrils, and eyes.

And still the egg dimmed, going from shining with health to a dull, unhealthy pallor. It was as if the color were leaching from the shell.

Corvus curled his hands into fists so he wasn't tempted to snatch the egg back. He had made his decision, and all the poison must be purged.

At last Gwen stirred and sat up. Her eyes darted about frantically as if she didn't understand where she was.

"Corvus? What... what's going on? What is this?" She twisted around, confused, hardly noticing NightShade who was trying to nuzzle her so hard he nearly knocked her down to the ground again.

He wiped his eyes with the side of a hand and tried to force a smile. "We got out--we're free, but you... you breathed in some poisoned gas."

"I know that," she snapped, still wide-eyed. "What's this?" She slashed a hand through the air then stopped and looked down to see the egg cradled against her chest. She paled.

Any hint of a glow was gone. It sat, as solid and dead as a stone.

"Oh no."

Corvus couldn't speak. His throat were constricting as if he had breathed in his own poison gas. He gently reached over and tugged the egg from her grip.

There was a feeble push against his hand. It was barely alive, and he knew with what remained of their connection that the life was fading.

Gwen had needed more healing than Corvus had either times the egg had revived him. It had taken more energy than the egg had to spare.

He clutched it close and bowed over it, aching. 

Thank you. I'm sorry… I'm so sorry.

Gwen touched his shoulder. "What do you need? How can I help?"

"The essences," he said. "They're in my jacket behind you."

He didn't have much hope for it, not as far gone as the egg was, but he had to try.

"Your... jacket?" She looked around for far too long for something that was sitting right next to her. Grabbing it, she handed it over with a frown. "Wait, how do you have essences?"

"Stole them from my mother's office." With his free hand, he plucked them out of the deep pockets. There were seven of the golden sun essences and four of the silver moon. 

"Here, let's see if this makes you feel better." Grabbing one of the sun essences he brought it to the shell of the egg. It sank inside just like the moon essence had before.

He felt a stir under his fingers. Corvus fed it another and then another.

"I think the shell is getting more glowy," Gwen said, though she sounded doubtful.

Corvus shook his head. "It's not working." He fed it the last of the moon essences. "Come on, come on..."

Finally, the last essence had slipped under the shell. The egg sat nearly lifeless.

Either it needed more experience points, or the dragonet inside had reached a tipping point in which there was no going back.

Desperate, Corvus searched his bag of holding for ideas. Then, when that revealed nothing, he flipped through his remaining runes.

His medical runes were scattered, and he had nothing that would pierce the shell. 

But... those weren't all his runes, were they?

He had spent all night drawing out nearly every rune in his dictionary. The only exceptions had been his two rune collections, Deadly Bouquet and Wild Garden.

And the very dangerous Spark of Life rune.

It wasn't in his dictionary because he'd never used it, though he'd made a point of memorizing it for later. He remembered the pamphlets words as easily as if he had it in front of him.

This rune allows one person to transfer a spark of their very life essence to another who is floundering or on the edge of death. Warning: Comes with a fifty-fifty chance of killing the doner.

Corvus let out a breath.

"There's one rune I can try," he said.

Gwen seemed to be distracted from her own thoughts. She blinked and looked at him. "What is it?"

"It's a..." He shook his head. He didn't have time to explain and didn't want her to try to talk him out of it. "If this doesn't work, you should consider yourself released of your oath. Get out of here and go back to your clan."

She gripped his wrist, hard. "What are you about to do?"

"Something stupid," he said smiling weakly at her. 

Her eyes flicked over his face and then abruptly she pulled him into a hug, the egg trapped between them. Then she pulled back. 

"It will work," she said fiercely. "It has to."

He nodded and turned his attention to nicking his other finger. He used both to draw the rune, to get as much possible chance of it working.

Finally, it was drawn. There was no more waiting. 

It was now or never.

Please, he thought and activated the rune.

Ding!

You have added Spark of Life to your rune dictionary.

Ding! 

Your Rune Magic Skill has increased!

New level: Intermediate 2

Ding! 

Your Rune Lore skill has increased! 

New level: Beginner 2

Ding! 

Your Rune Charge skill has increased!

New level: Intermediate 2

He felt as if the wind had been knocked out of him. Instantly, his mana, health, and stamina sank to half. The remaining seemed to flow down through his arms to where his fingers pressed to the shell. He let it go freely, wishing he could add more.

The egg soaked in all his energy.

And in that instant, he was both Corvus and the dragonet inside the egg. Long confined and waiting in the shell... waiting... waiting for her name. Happy to help when she could, but impatient to join the wide world.

Corvus breathed a fresh gasp of air. It felt like he'd held his breath forever.

"It worked."

"You think?" Gwen asked wryly.

He looked down, the healthy, bright glow had returned to the egg... and more. Now the threads of gold looked like wisps of the sun made more. They were joined by weavings of perfect silver moonlight. It was beautiful. 

"She's okay," he breathed, clutching the egg close and relieved beyond words. "She's going to be okay."

Gwen smiled, but there was something off in her expression. Her lower lip wobbled.

He stopped. "What's wrong?"

"I..." she shook her head and shot an almost panicked look at NightShade. The horse had been unusually quiet. He simply stood back and watched his rider as if waiting.

"Gwen?" Corvus asked.

"I think I've gone mad," she said in a rush. "The second I woke up I saw things--scrolls in the air. It wants me to choose, but I have no idea what it's talking about. You don't look like you see it--"

Corvus's jaw dropped.

Gwen went on. "And every time I reach out to NightShade it says I have to choose a compatible path--Oh go away!" She snapped, swiping at a spot in the air. 

She was trying to dismiss a message notification Corvus could not see.

"Gwen... Hey, it's okay!" He grabbed his shoulders, and she turned her wild-eyed gaze on him. "I see them, too. Not yours. My own. It's your Path system."

"My... Path?"

He wondered if she had heard rumors of this because a glint of understanding came into her eyes. 

"You're not crazy. At least, not crazier then I am, or Larissa," he added. "That's how she became a Long-Eyes, and I'm a hedge witch."

"But... but how? Why?"

He looked down at the egg sitting between them. It seemed to catch the light from the sun, just for a moment.

"I accessed my Paths the first time I left the palace. The egg must have opened them for you. Let me guess, you have several options and some of them say you can't have a bonded horse?"

She nodded, shooting a glance at NightShade as if to apologize. The stallion didn't react at all. His head was down as he pulled at scraggy grass. If he noticed his connection was cut or dimmed, it hadn't alarmed him. Likely, the Path system enforced some soporific effect while she made her choice. 

"Go through the Paths, take your time and get it right." He paused. "Choose what will make you happy."

He bent to pick the egg. 

"Wait." She gripped his wrist. "Why did that sound like a goodbye?"

He shook his head. "Not a goodbye, just good luck." He breathed out. "When I used that rune… For a second, it felt like I was connected to my dragon egg. I think it's time for her to hatch, and I know how to do it."

Gwen dropped his hand, and he went over to wash the remains of blood from the rune off the shell. He took his time, letting Gwen read through her own Paths and giving wells time to recharge. He needed every bit of power he could get.

Finally, when he was ready as he could ever be, he took the newly dried egg and stood in the full sun. She had consumed quite a bit of sun essences. He wasn't exactly sure what they did for her yet, but they could help.

A blue moon was visible in the clear blue sky. He could not have asked for a better confluence.

Then, with her carefully nestled in a nest of sand, he drew a new rune. One of his own making.

He knew her name. It had been in front of his eyes the entire time. All he had to do was open his heart to the possibilities.

Using two bloodied hands, Corvus drew out a perfect circle. Then, instead of glyphs, he wrote out her name in blood. It was an ownership stamp all her own.

Charm.

His power was charming objects with runes.  Thanks to his royal blood, Charisma was also a large part of his attribute strength. Deception came from his mother's side of his family — a general skill he'd easily leveled. 

Magic, charisma, and deception. These were his strengths. It was time he embraced it.

This was who he was. A dragon would reflect that part of his soul like a mirror.

"Charm." He placed his fingers on the edge of the rune and poured every bit of mana into it. Every scrap within him. Then, when his Second Wind notification came up he poured what mana he could convert into his stamina well, and finally his health. 

Corvus fell to his knees, egg clutched in his arms, but he didn't stop. His health dipped to five percent.

The shell cracked.

A tip of a nose edged by an egg tooth poked out, nostrils sucking in a breath of air. As her lungs inflated for the first time, more of the shell began to split.

Corvus dug shaking fingers in to pull the indescribably hard shell away.

Finally, the last bit of shell crumbled into his hands leaving beside a small cat-sized beautiful creature.

She was an off-white pearlescent color. Coppery gold and silver undertones threaded through her scales. It was as if looking at the moon and sun, both.

She blinked back two pairs of eyelids. Her newborn eyes were as gold and fierce as the sun.

Her gaze met his own and in his mind he felt pure triumph and sweet welcome. But there was no surprise, no moment of revelation. It was like seeing a friend he had been parted from for far too long.

He beamed down at her. "Hello, Charm."

Hello, Corvus.