Path of The Dragon Mage: (Nomad) Offered Quest (Patreon)

Note: This should have come out yesterday. To make up for it, look for another one later today!

***

A cold chill washed over Corvus. With an almost physical jolt, he realized he had never thought of his Path in those terms.

What had he given up when he’d chosen Dragon Mage?

But there hadn’t been a choice. The Royal Path had closed to him, and Dragon Mage had been the only Path with the ability to hatch a dragon egg.

Regretted many decisions in his life, but never hatching Charm.

Besides, Bartee may only be positing questions to make Corvus think and be firm in his answers. He used to have a tutor back in the palace who would do the same. Corvus had both loved and hated the man for it.

Mentally centering himself, he fixed Bartee with a stern look. “Your Path is of the Seer. What do you see?”

The man smiled and while his blue eyes were aimed in Corvus’s direction, the focus was distant as if he saw somewhere beyond.

“I see many outcomes. One not more likely than the others.”

“Here we go,” Avery the fisherman muttered.

Bartee’s voice took on a vague, sing-song cadence like a child talking back a nursery rhyme. “I see the Kingdom in flames, overrun by demons and their bonded kin. I see you and that young lady following a demon of red hair across the border and never returning within my lifetime. I see you returning alone and together wearing crowns and in chains. I see you staying and ascending to the throne — sitting in the grand throne room filled with dragon scales of power, all carved with runes. I see futures with the Wind Runner queen leading a charge with men under your rule… and futures where she leads them against the crown with your blessing. I see the sky filled with dragons, and empty of all life. Even birds. I see you both united in marriage with the kingdom at war, and at peace. I see you gone your separate ways: Rulers, friends, enemies, lovers…”

Corvus and Gwen exchanged a very uncomfortable glance.

Seeing this, Bartee’s face suddenly split into a smile. “There are so many possibilities for children. Do you want to know which is the best likely time to— “

“No!” Corvus and Gwen barked at the same time.

“No, thank you,” Corvus ground out.

Mariah gave the two a sympathetic look.

Avery sat back and laughed. “He’s always like that. My advice is never to ask him for futures — if he were any good as a seer, he wouldn’t keep losing his fortunes gambling.” He turned to the man. “How many times have you lost the deed to that house of yours?”

“I lost count,” Bartee said serenely. “The past does not interest me.”

Gwen seemed to have gotten over the worst of her shock. She now looked affronted. “You some kind of charlatan or somethin’? How good can you be if you lose at gambling?”

Bartee seemed to be waiting for this question. In answer, he pulled his hand out of his pocket and opened his fingers to show a small die.

“Six sides to this dice. Some would say that’s six futures. But what they never expect are the tiny improbable futures in between where, once the die is cast it rolls off the table and creates more branching futures… including very improbable futures where this dice randomly catches on fire. Seeing them is not the trick, young lady. Figuring out which are more likely, is.”

“So, you can’t help us,” Gwen said.

He tilted his head back and forth. “That depends on the help you need. Gambling where every outcome holds a nearly identical weight? No. Your best Path— “

“Tell me a future where my brother is okay,” Gwen said in a near snarl. Her gaze was intent on the seers. “One where he’s fine and freakin’ dandy about me taking over his position as clan heir.”

Bartee’s reply was instant and oddly serene. “Most of them. But especially the ones where he accompanies you on the quest.”

“Quest? What quest?”

“The one you and young Corvus will be offered once Perry tips his hand,” Bartee said.

“Should I take it?” she asked bluntly.

Avery snorted and even Mariah looked amused. They likely knew what would happen next.

“I believe that’s up to you. The futures are interesting, one way or another.”

Corvus shook his head and shooting Gwen an apologetic look. “I can’t go off on an… an adventure right now. The city needs me to help clear the jungle, to ensure any remaining ratkin don’t swarm up again.” Not to mention he wasn’t sure Daffodil was gone for good.

“The city may still need you,” Perry said gravely. “The Path system has hinted there are answers to long held questions down below the city. My personal quests have always been tied to the lore of Path Walkers in one way or another. I don’t see why this is different.”

“You’re talking about the blight.” Corvus looked to Mariah, the Healer. “Why wouldn’t such a quest be offered to her?”

“Make no mistake… I’m in this meeting long enough for my mana well to recharge. There have been many injured last night, and I must be circumspect in who I help.” Mariah let out a long, tired sigh.

“And trying to fix the blight is a fool's errand."

He was shocked to hear this, especially from a healer. "You’ve given up?"

Her eyes narrowed. "It's not a matter of giving up. I've never received a quest -- system or self-assigned -- to fix it. People have tried for centuries with every cure we can think of both medical and magical. The best we can do is provide palliative care. And those babies who do survive..." She trailed off, tone bitter.

"Blind?" Corvus asked, thinking of Larissa.

"Those are the lucky ones."

Gwen shifted her weight uneasily and Corvus didn't need to look at her to know they were both thinking of baby Neville. He felt the strong urge to fly Charm out and examine the boy again -- make sure he was doing well.

That would be foolish. He was needed here, in the city.

Both kept quiet. There was no point in bringing the baby up. Gwen had healed him only by a large risk on her part. Pointless to throw that in the healer's face.

Mariah words were hard, but he felt compassion for her. She'd seen a lot of children die.

When Gwen did speak she didn't bring up the baby or the quest, but something that had been plainly bothering her.

"What happens if you step off the Paths completely? My next class is heir to the clan, but what if I don't want it? What if I just take my horse and ride out?" By the angry, remorseful look on her face, Corvus knew she was thinking about Roan. They both were.

Avery snorted. "What's stopping you? A little journeying's good for the spirit. When I was your age, I took a small sloop out to see what I could see." He smiled. "There are lands out there-- islands where a man like me is seen as foreign, and fascinating." His smile became sly. "I ended up leveling my classes anyway, and all sorts of skills."

"Why do you believe heir to the clan means your clan?" Perry asked. "Or a clan of Horse Folk at all?"

Gwen opened her mouth, then shut it again. She looked like someone had just struck her up the head. "Then... I didn't take it from my brother?"

"CloudStrike's lameness is my fault, not yours," Corvus said. He looked to Mariah. "Her brother's horse had a hoof healed badly."

"Rune healing?" she asked.

He nodded.

Mariah tapped her fingers on the top of the desk. "I have regrown limbs before. It's a long process of weeks. The body must supply the flesh, bone, and blood and there is every chance someone could die of malnutrition if pushed too fast. A human being is laid up in bed during that time. My understanding of horses is they won't tolerate that."

Corvus shook his head in agreement. Gwen brushed a tear away.

There was a beat, and Perry cleared his throat. "If there's nothing else?"

Eyes fell on Corvus again, waiting for him to share his information -- if he was stuck, and if there was any way they could help.

He was stuck, but not on his Path. He had the sinking feeling he'd been acting as a prince -- as if he were still Path of the Royal -- when his actual future may lay somewhere else.

That was something he would have to figure out alone.

Or with me, Charm murmured from where she drowsed sleepily in the sun.

He sent her a brief comforting thought of agreement. Then he shook his head to the room at large.

Perry nodded. "Then I'll share with you my updated quest and we can see what you all think of it."

With that, Corvus got an alert.

Perry Tuolumne has offered you a quest.

Journey To The Center of Meadow City

Roots from the newly grown jungle have opened the way to hidden depths, to dungeon long hidden. Player Perry has long heard rumors of hidden draconic knowledge within the city. Could this be the key to unlock it.

Rewards: ???

Failure: None

“Dungeon?” Gwen repeated as she read the quest. “They got a prison here?”

“From what I understand, it’s an ancient phrase for a place used to train Path walkers,” Perry said.

Corvus was painfully tempted, especially the mention of draconic knowledge. But he shook his head. "I can't take this quest. The city is in chaos. The governor is dead, it's covered in a growing jungle, and I'm not convinced Daffodil won't return tonight."

"What about Roan?" Gwen demanded hotly. "Bartee said he'll heal if he goes down with us."

He'd forgotten about that. "Gwen, the city needs a leader--"

"Weren't you going to shove that off on your cousin?"

"Weren't you against that idea?" he demanded.

Perry stood up. If he was disappointed by Corvus's refusal, it didn't show on his face. "Perhaps we could all use a break to think and... work out what the next step is. There's no time limit on this quest."

Gwen turned to him. "I'm going. I already accepted, and I'll make sure my brother comes along too." She turned to the others. "Thanks for your stories, and the food."

Then she turned and strode out, all but slamming the door behind her.

The adults exchanged amused glances, likely knowing as Corvus did that he was in trouble with his friend.

“I’m afraid I can’t go either,” Mariah said. “At least, not immediately. I cannot possibly leave my patients.”

Another reason for Corvus not to go. His sub-class wasn’t witch-doctor any longer, but he had the knowledge and the runes.

“The city needs to eat,” Avery said. “And with the damn ratkin chewing through the fields and supplies, it’s got to come from the sea. I’m with Mariah.”

Bartee shook his head. “I see few positive outcomes for me, or for you,” he said to Perry who nodded as if expecting it. Then Bartee’s strange blue eyes focused on Corvus. “You should go.”

“I have other responsibilities,” Corvus replied stiffly. But he didn’t make himself decline the request. He simply minimized it for later.

He looked at Perry. "Which tower is Starella being kept?"

He had to get this over with.