Dragon Sorcerer 1- Chapter 17 (Patreon)

Chapter 17- Back to Town

When I woke next it was with a throbbing headache. I started to move but every part of my body ached. I’d never felt a sore muscle before yet, my human form seemed even stiffer than my scales would have been in my natural form. This weakness was annoying and reminded me yet again of why dragons were superior. I wouldn’t have felt like this in my true form.

Then the memories came rushing back in. The fight with the horror, transforming, speaking with a goddess, or was that part just a dream? It certainly didn’t feel like any part of the dragon dream I’d experienced so far. No, as I went through my memory I realized that Galbrecht’s goddess, Miseria had spoken to me.

More than that, she had spoken to me with a certain level of familiarity. It created a puzzle in my head for which I seemed to be missing pieces. As more memories came back to me, I remembered the boon she had granted me. Well, it wasn’t so much a boon as she had given me a bit of a push so that I could clean up the mess her paladin failed to finish.

Even weakened and in human form, I grinned at my own hubris. Being transformed from my normal size to the equivalent of a wyrm was beyond a little push. I didn’t know how it was possible. The goddesses comments about it being my future body was encouraging in the sense that I truly hoped I would obtain that status. But now I was impatient for it.

If nothing else it served as a powerful reminder of who I was. Taking a human form to learn, even to hide from enemies I wasn’t yet prepared to deal with, was fine. But I couldn’t lose sight of my superiority. Those around me were but steppingstones to my greatness. It was the destiny of the lesser races to serve to build up dragons.

Something felt off about that that thought though. In my mind’s eye, I saw a flash of blue eyes and a shock of blonde hair. Cami. Could I really consider Cami as nothing more than fodder for my growth?

I know what the dragon answer should be: of course. She was a member of a lesser race and existed to serve dragons. Yet, I couldn't bring myself to feel that way about her. Cami was different. Maybe I was starting to think about her like my pet.

Hmm... That would make more sense. She was special to me. The awakening of my magic had created a connection between us. Now, I couldn't let any harm come to her. She was mine.

That simple thought cause a soothing sensation to rise up within me. Dragons were many thing: powerful, ancient, mysterious, magical, but perhaps the trait of dragons which most defined them was our greed. Yes, that would explain so many things. My sudden bout of curiosity, my connection with Cami, and even my willingness to risk myself to save Galbrecht could all be seen as my greed. I wanted knowledge, I protected my pet, and I needed Galbrecht to show me the way to this magical university.

I felt much better. Fears of altruism and affection had left a bad taste in my mouth.

Speaking of bad tastes, my mouth was absolutely dry and had the taste of old dwarven socks. Yeah, that wasn't a pleasant memory to have pop up from the dragon dream. I could have gone all my life without ever knowing what dwarf socks tasted like, but one of my ancestors had a thing for eating them with their clothes still on.

I shook my head and still felt weaken but managed to sit up. It was then that sufficient awareness returned for me to know where I was. This was the small bed in the small room which Galbrecht and Modessa had rented for me in Cloverdale while we waited for their wizard, Serius to arrive.

What confused me was that I had no recollection of how I'd gotten here. The last thing I remembered was collapsing on the forest floor after the battle with the horror. Oh and that probably meant I had some notifications to read.

I realized I was wearing some trousers and a shirt but they weren't mine, or rather weren't the ones I'd created. They were on me now, and by dragon law that meant they were mine. I just didn't know how they had gotten on me in the first place.

The fact that these clothes were on me and that the blanket on the bed had been pulled over me, as well as the bowl of cold broth next to the bed indicated someone had taken care when they placed me here.

I looked around, searching for some sign that would give me an indication of who it was that had brought me here and taken care of me. That was when my eyes fell on the chair in the corner.

Cami was curled up I looked around, searching for some sign that would give me an indication of who it was that had brought me here and taken care of me. None of the others would have bothered. I certainly knew that Modessa wouldn't have lifted a hand to help me and Galbrecht had been drained by the battle even more than I.

It was oddly comforting to wake and find her here. It reminded me of when I was very little and would sleep piled up with the other dragons of my clutch.

I closed my eyes and drifted off for a few moments, letting the warmth and the feeling of safety fill me before I eventually opened my eyes and looked at the chair again.

Cami was still there, her eyes closed, her breathing slow and steady. I smiled to myself as I realized that she had been the one to bring me here and take care of me. I had no doubt that it was her kindness and care that had allowed me to survive and regain my strength after the battle with the horror.

It felt odd to feel gratitude. It was not an emotion which was common for dragons. Generally, we deemed anything done for us by another and merely our due. Yet, that felt shortsighted when it came to Cami. I'd have to think of a way to thank her without making it seem like too big of a deal.

For now, I struggled to get out of bed. I couldn't see any injuries nor did I feel any broken bones but something about being exposed to that divine energy had taken it out of me. I must have grunted while trying to move because Cami's eyes shot open.

"Nico? Are you OK?" she asked, concern in her voice.

I smiled at her and shook my head. "I'm fine," I said. "Just need to right myself." For a moment I was tempted to say more, to admit just how weak I felt, but that just doesn't happen. Admitting weakness is the quickest way for a dragon or really any predator to die. And what were dragons other than the apex predators of this world.

Cami nodded in understanding. "I'm glad you're OK. We found you naked in the woods. I had to beg Modessa to let me come with her when they looked. Even then, I think she only let me come because she planned to sneak away. It all changed though when she saw a bright flash of light in the forest. She stopped caring what I did and started running.

"I couldn't keep up with her but I could follow her. When I got there, three of her friends were already there. Apparently, their wizard friend can jump from one place to another using magic."

I nodded, listening to her story. Normally, I would have said enduring it, but once again, that connection between us caused me to feel Cami's excitement, almost like it was my own.

"You were all there when I woke up," I said.

Cami nodded. "Yeah, we all were. Serius, the wizard, he cast a spell on you to make sure you were alright. We all thought you were dead at first. Galbrecht was unconscious and couldn't tell us what happened either. Although he was mumbling something about seeing the lightning."

I pursed my lips as I thought for a moment.

Cami must have anticipated my concern. "Don't worry, no one has a clue. He didn't remember any more than that and was unconscious until two days ago."

That got my attention. "Two days! How long have I been unconscious?"

"Only three days. Serius err... I'm supposed to call him Magus Serius said that you were completely exhausted magically and that whatever you had done had taken a toll on you."

I thought about her words but didn't really want to discuss what had happened. Perhaps there would come a time when I could share things like that with Cami, even if only to impress my pet. That time was not yet.

Fortunately, she provided me with an out. I could feel the excitement bubbling up inside of her when she talked about Magus Serius. "You have news don't you?"

She shifted so that she was sitting up in her chair, leaning forward with her hands on her knees and one of her feet tapping rapidly against the floor.

"Well are you going to tell me."

"It's exactly like Sir Galbrecht said. Serius used a magic item. It was a small crystal sphere which he said would measure my potential to use magic as well as other things."

The young girl was having trouble staying in her seat, she was so excited.

"And you passed?"

"Yes! Magus Serius said I was a natural. That I had a gift for it."

I smiled at her enthusiasm. I could feel the energy coming off of her and recognized its connection with me. As she spoke I pondered what her future would hold. She was only a child, well almost an adult by the standards of these people here. We had that in common. Strangely though I found the idea of being separated from her unpleasant.

"So what do you plan to do now?"

"Well, I think I'd like to try and join the magical university. I've been talking to all the adventurers. Even Liam told me a bit about it. He's their ranger. Most of the time he's outside and he doesn't talk much but he told me a bit about his time there.

"It seems so much more exciting than living in a little town like Cloverdale and definitely better than marrying any of the men my da would pick out for me. Modessa and Lisella and Sir Galbrecht have all said they'd help me, too, not that I suppose they would have to do too much, since the law says that all those with magical potential must attend the university."

She paused in her speaking and looked up at the ceiling. A bit of tension passed through her and I had the oddest compulsion to go and put my arm around her. Finally she added, "I'm really excited and a little scared at the same time."

I shifted my feet over the side of the bed and was fully sitting up now. "I have no doubt that someday you'll become a powerful mage. Afterall, you have a spark of my magic within you."

Suddenly she frowned. "Wait? Aren't you coming with me. I thought you wanted to go to the university too. Magus Serius is just waiting for you to wake up so he can test you too, although Priestess Lisella told him and I quote that if he tried to get at you before she cleared you that he'd find himself having to make late night trips to the privy after her goddess cursed him for his impatience."

I could only assume that Magus Serius was the older man who led the attack on my home. It was he that was responsible for killing my sister and making me a prisoner in plain sight. Even then, I found it difficult to wish a fate such as multiple visits to that disgusting privy on him.

Oh, if I were in my dragon form, I'd gladly bite his head off, but something things were just too cruel. How humans managed to do it every day was beyond me, let alone in the middle of the night while half asleep.

I shifted slightly in the bed, the rustling of the sheets reminding me how long I had been here. That feeling of claustrophobia came back to me once more.

"We'll see," I said finally after a deep breath. "I do believe I will attend the university for a while, but we both know that I'm not like their normal students. I won't do well with the idea of being stuck there for years."

She looked thoughtful as she nodded her head slowly. "No, I don't think you'll be able to stay there permanently either," she said quietly. "But at least it'll give you some time to come up with plans and figure out your next moves."

We were silent for a few minutes until she suddenly stood up and announced that it was time for her to leave and go help her father pick out supplies for her trip to the university. She gave me a smile and a nod before quickly leaving my room, muttering something about needing to hurry so as not to make him wait too long.

I watched her leave, my heart pounding in my chest as a strange mixture of emotions washed over me; curiosity, fear, sadness.... But most of all confusion. I was going somewhere no other dragon had ever gone. It was an opportunity that I couldn't pass up no matter how much my instincts told me to gain my revenge and then return to the desert so that I might begin building my hoard.

No, this was important. I couldn't say exactly how but it was and not just for me. What made it confusing though was my fear of being separated from Cami. I'd only known the young human for a couple of days and yet... well best not to think on it too much. Dragons are about doing.