Path of Stars, Ch 11: Silver Naga (Patreon)

Sam looked down at the naga’s crown as thoughts ran fiercely through his mind. It was hard to tell if the naga was honest about the blood oath, but if it was true, it might solve the problem of what to do with him.

He didn’t necessarily want the naga following him around, since the presence of others made his essence more chaotic than when he was alone, but Sleset had given him good information. He might be able to act as a guide and save him some time exploring the Borderlands. The Will of the Path had given him a basic map, but it lacked a lot of contextual details.

Sleset was a smooth talker and trying to distract him so he wouldn’t kill him, but as for whether or not the naga wanted to be a bandit, it was hard to say. Perhaps he really was trying to grasp at an opportunity to change his fate and make a better life for himself. That resonated with Sam, since his family was trying to do the same thing

Overall, what was clear at the moment was the naga’s desire to do this blood oath. He just wasn’t sure why. A frown flickered across his features, even as he felt himself being distracted by the new ideas. Thoughts of how to do a blood oath, the history the nagas had with following powerful lords, and an urge to immediately go and ransack the bandit hideout all burned through his mind.

He forced himself to focus on the threat the bandits presented and slowly his essence calmed down, its currents becoming deeper and calmer as it flowed through his body.

“I’m sure there’s something you aren’t telling me,” he said as he studied the naga. “Why do you want to do this? What do you gain from this oath?”

Sleset flinched, his body swaying on his coiled tail as he leaned back and then forward again. His head was still bowed to present his crown.

“My lord,” he began to say, only to freeze as Sam raised his hand.

“No more flattery,” Sam growled, cutting him off. “Speak honestly or there will be a third bandit to bury here. I don't have time for games.”

Sleset swayed again, like a wince, and then he began to speak. His words were quick this time, almost as if he wanted to explain everything at once.

“The Emerald Naga race was born on a world that was home to the legendary serpent kings, the Great Coiling Serpents. They were enormous and wise, almost like dragons, and they grew so large that in their maturity, their coils could cover the skies of a world. It was said that if wished to, they could surround a world and crush it to pieces.

“We were younger and weaker than them, but we were born on the same world. Through some quirk of fate, our bloodlines were tied to theirs. As a matter of survival, we served them, and this is the origin of the different naga clans, one clan to one serpent king. But our service was not completely one-sided.

“When the blood oath was made, it required a drop of blood from the heavenly serpent. This blood was of great advantage to us. It infused our people with strength, longevity, and magic. Our intelligence increased, our skills and classes advanced, and we became stronger.

“Later, all of the Great Coiling Serpents disappeared, either slain or departed, and the world was left to us, the younger nagas. However, without the power of the serpents to balance the clans, we began to fight amongst ourselves. Many died.

“It has been millions of years now and the Emerald Naga race is strong, but the chaos left behind in our blood is still there, unchanneled. We fight with other clans when we meet them. It is the dream of most nagas to serve someone like a Great Coiling Serpent, not just for the honor of it, but for the power and stability that comes from the blood oath.”

“So why haven’t you sworn to a lord before?” Sam asked. “It seems like you could do this at any time.”

“Unfortunately,” Sleset replied as he bowed his head even lower. “The requirements for who can administer the blood oath are extremely high. Even the races of the High Nine are not always suitable lords, and those at the Fifth or Sixth Evolution will not work just because they have a high level. The blood oath requires a power of nature that is beyond levels and experience. But you are an Astral Titan, and I have no doubt that your power is great enough.”

“What is this power you gain from the blood oath?” Sam asked, curious now. “Strength?”

“Our attributes will change slightly to better match our lord’s,” the naga replied quickly. His eyes were shining, but his head was even lower. “Our lifespan will increase so that we may serve for longer, if our lord’s life is also long. Sometimes we gain abilities from the oath, although usually no more than one or two. The ability to change our size, for example, or knowledge of a concept for battle.”

“I see,” Sam said slowly. “And what is the cost of this blood oath?”

“To the lord, only a drop of blood that is filled with mana,” Sleset said quickly. “The burden of the change rests on the Emerald Naga.”

“If I accept you as my follower, you will not betray me, even though the years may pass unending in the Void?” Sam asked. “Whether I am in the Chaos Wild or elsewhere?”

“I swear I will never betray you,” Sleset shook his head. “If I do, you may kill me, but my own people would hunt me down as well. There would be no safe harbor. Although the blood oath is rare, it is still the most sacred oath among my people.”

Sam considered the idea for a while, debating if there was still something the naga was hiding, but Sleset only seemed eager and straightforward now. He had raised his head up and was waiting for Sam’s reply.

“Very well. Do not regret it,” Sam agreed with a tone of finality. “What do I need to do?”

“My lord!” Sleset’s muscles and coils bunched up in excitement as he nearly sprang upward. Then he lowered his head, displaying the purple chevron on his skull again. “Merely cut your hand or finger, infuse your personal mana into your blood, and drop it upon my honor mark. If you can infuse your racial or bloodline energy into it as well, that would be best. The blood oath operates on that principle. If it merges with my scales, it means it is a success.”

Sam had the feeling Sleset was still underplaying some aspect of the oath, but he was curious to see what would happen. He had to wonder if any of the other Astral Titans had a naga following them around.

He looked down at his hand, which was larger than Sleset’s entire head, and then turned his attention to the tip of his finger. He pushed a wave of essence and astral energy into the area and then with a quick slash of his talon, he made a deep slice.

Immediately, silver blood pooled across his fingertip. It shimmered with a wave of energy as the essence within it roiled. He held his hand over Sleset’s bowed head and let the blood drip down.

The shimmering silver droplet fell toward the naga’s head more slowly than it would have on Aster Fall, half floating in the air. When it touched the purple scales that made up the honor mark, it melted into them, cleanly absorbed in an instant.

A shudder went through Sleset’s body as all of his muscles bunched up at once and stood out against his skin like jagged steel. His tongue stuck out with a pained hiss. At that moment, silver smoke began to rise from the honor scale.

A hissing scream followed as Sleset’s fifty-foot long body slammed onto the floor, writhing in an agonized coil. Starting with his crown, scales all across Sleset’s body were beginning to melt away. The silver smoke was spreading down his torso and his veins were turning silver.

Sam’s senses swept across him, examining the changes in an instant as he pulled a healing scroll from his dimensional bracelet. Then he stopped, still holding the scroll in one hand. He had a good sense of Sleset’s condition. As far as he could tell, his blood was changing but his vitality was still strong.

The silver smoke spread to Sleset’s lower half as his scales continued to burn. The dark emerald and purple patterns in his scales were fading as they were burned away. Silver lines were replacing them. At the same time, the green scales on the rest of his body were becoming brighter and richer, like emerald leaves in spring. His muscles were also expanding as he became taller and broader.

The changes continued for about an hour, until Sleset let out a groan and his hands pressed against the stone. His human half was a light bronze color now, almost similar to Sam’s golden skin, and all of the scaled patterns on his body had been turned to shades of silver.

His scales were now shining emerald with light and dark silver highlights. The honor mark on his head was a bright silver and its shape had changed. Instead of a chevron, it was a half circle, like an unfinished crown.

When he pushed himself back to a standing position, he was three feet taller than before and much broader across the shoulders. The muscles on his torso were larger and more defined. Most notably, the purple scales on his cheeks had become diagonal silver slashes that almost resembled lightning bolts, giving him a fierce and commanding visage.

“My lord,” he hissed as he bowed to Sam. Despite the apparently painful process, his voice was excited and he was moving easily. “Your servant will always remember this grace. Tell me your commands and I will obey.”

“Was that supposed to happen?” Sam asked with a frown as he studied the result. The naga was clearly pleased, so it seemed things had gone well, but that had been more drastic than he’d been expecting. “Are you alright?”

“Never better, my lord,” Sleset hissed eagerly. “Pain is irrelevant. My abilities have expanded greatly. Your blood was far more potent than I had dared to hope.”

“What changed for you?” Sam asked, his curiosity rising as he studied the differences. “You’re taller now.”

“My Strength and Constitution advanced by several hundred points, and my Intelligence also rose,” Sleset hissed. He seemed very pleased with the silver markings on his scales as he looked down at himself. His hands rubbed across them as he let out a second delighted hiss. “I am more durable than before, easily a match for Warrior classes, and I have lost none of my own abilities as a Hunter and Sorcerer.” His gaze went distant for a moment as he studied the changes, and then he spoke again.

“I have also gained two...no, three abilities,” he hissed softly. “One is Bloodline Regeneration, which will heal my wounds over time and restore my stamina, especially while I am asleep. The second is called Coils of the Earth. It is a line of Earth Magic that will allow me to manipulate stone and dirt for as long as my mana lasts. The last ability is Enduring Scales, which grants a significant resistance to Fire and Ice.” When he was finished speaking, he bowed to Sam.

“My lord, what do you command? Simply tell me and I will obey.”

Sam was silent for a while as he studied the changes to the naga. He couldn’t quite explain it, but Sleset felt far more trustworthy now than he had before. It was like that drop of blood gave him a sense of the naga’s mood and general character.

The impression he got now was excitement, as well as honesty and devotion. He analyzed the naga again and was surprised by the result.

Sleset Henke. Level 302. Deep Hunter-Ensigiled Sorcerer.

Race: Emerald Naga (Oathbound Evolution: Silver Naga).

Age: 421 Years.

Clan: Unnamed.

Lord: Astral Titan Sam Hastern (Obscured to all but Astral Titans).

Character: Loyal.

Mood: Excited.

There was also a listing of abilities and affinities that the naga had, which included the new ones, and a brief description of his background and the world he was from. The name of his clan was gone, perhaps waiting for Sam to create a new one.

His race had also changed. Apparently, the blood oath had caused some form of evolution. There was just a touch of astral energy now from his scales, but it was more like an echo of what had changed him rather than any remaining energy.

What was more, Sam was now listed as his lord. That was a little strange, since he’d never planned to be anyone’s lord, but it was a better solution than killing him. Even with Sleset’s explanation, however, he was astonished that a single drop of blood could change the naga so much.

There were truly unique things in the Void.

The years it had taken him to reach the Path, however, had done a lot to temper his mind to the vagaries of fate. He wanted to spend his time crafting and exploring, and this interruption wasn’t enough to distract him for long. He was already thinking of the items still scattered across his worktables.

“Make yourself at home here and tell me what you need to survive,” he said at last. “I’ll be working at my forge for a while, and then we’re heading to the Borderlands. I’ll want you to guide me.”

“Yes, my lord,” Sleset hissed immediately as he looked around the hall. “Do you wish me to assist you in making plans to deal with the bandits? There are more nagas who may wish to serve you, and I will command them for you.”

“Soon, but not yet,” Sam said as he began to walk toward the forge. “We’ll deal with them when I come back from the Borderlands.”

He didn’t explain his reasoning to Sleset, but he wanted to get enough levels to boost his Charisma back over 25% of his essence attributes first. Even with just Sleset around, he could already feel his mind wandering. Being around more people would only make that harder. He was planning to hold off dealing with the bandits until he finished his hunt, however long it took.

“Yes, my lord,” the naga hissed at once. Sleset bowed and then turned to look around the hall, examining it more carefully now that it was his new home. “Should I build another room to attach to this hall?”

“Create whatever you want outside and I’ll incorporate it into the defensive enchantments when you’re done,” Sam said over his shoulder. He was standing at the edge of the forge as he looked into the silver flame. “That new Earth ability you have should be enough to let you modify the stone here. I’ll be working for a little while, so try not to distract me unless I call for you.”

He waved his hand as he sent a silver rune flying through the air toward Sleset. It whistled as it struck the scales on Sleset’s arm and clung there, glinting in the light.

“This is a key to the wards. It will only work for you at the moment.”

“Understood, my lord.” With that, Sleset bowed again and then swiftly coiled across the floor and out through the pillars and the defensive shield. It looked like he was eager to get started on his room.

Once he was gone, Sam continued to stare into the forge flame. The silver light was meditative, helping him to focus his mind. There were still a lot of refined materials on the tables that he planned to use before he left, although mostly on smaller things than his cloak.

Before he got started, he glanced at his status page, checking to see what had happened when he’d slain the two bandits. He’d also gained a bit of experience from the beasts that had attacked his hall while he was healing. He skipped over the notifications this time, since they were nothing useful.

Sam Hastern

Level 205

Astral Artificer (Level 5): 941,670 / 3,500,000 to next.

General Level 205: 1,120,140 / 3,500,000.

You gain 15 Strength, 15 Constitution, 15 Wisdom, 30 Intelligence, 30 Aura, and have 36 free attribute points to assign.

He’d gained three levels from those battles. It was a lot slower than it had been on Aster Fall.

Without a second thought, he added all of the free points to Charisma, and then he looked at the remaining details, which listed the essence he’d gained from the void beasts and the smaller amount he’d absorbed from the stars. Altogether, that was just over 60,000.

Essence Constellation (Single Star): 681,214 / 2,000,000

You gain 86 Strength, 101 Constitution, 25 Agility, 151 Intelligence, and 151 Aura.

The difference in attributes between experience and essence was staggering and it made him shake his head. Titans were truly the children of Chaos. The Void poured its strength into them with every battle.

There had only been a dozen odd beasts in that group, with the Cloudwolf as the strongest. If he killed a Firesail Void Lizard, how much would that be worth?

It was obvious that trying to balance his Charisma purely through experience was going to be difficult. He’d have to look for the beasts that only had fragments of essence, the ones that lived in the Borderlands.

Or kill bandits.

His gaze turned toward the blue sun as his senses stretched out, searching in the distance for the bandit hideout on the other side of the system. Unfortunately, there was no source of essence there to find and he had to give up.

Whatever essence stone mine they had found, it was completely obscured by the essence pouring out from the sun.

The idea made him pause, however, as an idea occurred to him. He glanced outside the pillars as he looked to where Sleset had begun to test out his new Coils of the Earth ability. The naga was slowly shifting a hill of stone nearby.

These were the Chaos Wilds.

Where there was one pack of bandits, there was bound to be another, and not all of them would be thirty strong. A light chuckle floated in the air as he considered a new plan for the Borderlands, as well as how to bring a bit of stability to the Wild.

Before he got too carried away, however, he glanced at his updated attributes, looking only at the base numbers.

STR: 1,719

CON: 1,864

AGI: 562

WIS: 475

INT: 2,880

AUR: 2,880

CHA: 525

His attributes were growing quickly, primarily from essence. Although it felt like each of the beasts only gave him a small amount, it added up. He let out a quiet and thoughtful hum as he turned to the side and floated a stack of materials toward his forge.

The Borderlands would be there. There were some things he wanted to make right now.

As he began to move, he could feel the stars resonating in the Void on the edge of his mind, their voices a complex layer of notes. When he placed the first item into the flames, the song became louder, until it felt like he wasn’t working alone.

Other Titans were standing beside him with their hammers falling in the flames, and the rhythm of his movements began to blend with theirs.