Dragon Sorcerer 2- Chapter 58 (Patreon)

Chapter 57- A Light Work Out

That was all that it took. The first bodyguard lunged at me, his sword swinging in an arc towards my head. I ducked with ease, feeling the whoosh of the blade just above me. In one fluid movement, I delivered a powerful uppercut to his chin, feeling the satisfying crunch of bone beneath my fist. The man's head snapped back as his feet were lifted a solid foot off the ground before he crumpled to the floor, unconscious.

It all happened so fast that the others didn’t have time to alter their plans.

The second and third bodyguards attacked in unison, one with a mace and the other with a dagger. I deftly sidestepped the mace, grabbing the attacker's arm and twisting it until I heard a sickening snap. I should say sickening to him, because it was music to my ears. The man howled in pain as I shoved him into the path of the dagger-wielding bodyguard, causing him to inadvertently stab his own comrade.

The fourth bodyguard hesitated, fear creeping into his eyes as he witnessed the fate of his fellows. He rushed at me, his fists raised, desperation fueling his movements. I caught his right fist in my left hand, squeezing it until I felt the small bones crack under my grip. The man screamed in agony; his face contorted with pain. I released his hand and followed with a swift kick to his chest, sending him flying into through the air until he struck the wall with a heavy thud. He slid down to the floor, gasping for air and clutching his broken hand.

The crushed breastplate he was wearing likely made it nearly impossible for him to breathe. He began to turn purple, right before my eyes. It was strangely fascinating. I felt no fear for the baron. His level was pathetic and his demeanor was that of a coward.

With the bodyguards dispatched, I turned my attention back to the baron. He looked panicked, realizing he was alone and outmatched. "You've made a grave mistake," he stammered, trying to maintain an air of authority.

I stepped towards him; my eyes filled with contempt. "Your mistake was thinking you could barge in here and make demands," I growled.

He called out to Lisella again. “Some maniac is murdering us. You’re an adventurer, Lisella, you must come out and save us. I promise not to pursue my claim if you do.”

She didn’t answer him.

I chuckled. “Looks like she doesn’t care if you live or die.” My big grin probably told him what my preference was.

He hastily drew a dagger from his belt, his hand trembling. "You don't know who you're dealing with," he threatened, though his voice wavered with fear.

Without a word, I lunged forward and seized the baron's wrist, applying enough pressure to force him to snap his forearm. The technique was only meant to make him  drop the weapon, but with my strength excess damage was to be expected.

I twisted his mangled arm behind his back, eliciting the most pitiful cries of pain that I’d ever heard. Then I wrinkled my nose as I detected evidence of him soiling himself.

"You're right," I said, my voice cold and unforgiving. "I don't care who you are. Your bigger mistake was not knowing who I am. Lisella is mine, and you will leave her alone. I know that killing is frowned upon here, but you did draw your blade on me, so I suppose even feeble human minds will see the justice in this.”

He began to blubber and whimper, begging for his life. I was about to snap his neck when his words caught my attention. “I can make you a rich man. You can have all the gold I have with me and I’ll get you more. As much as you want.”

I eased up the pressure on his arm just slightly. It wouldn’t do for him to die before I learned more about this gold.

“Gold? How much gold?”

“A thousand… no, five thousand. Just release me and it’s yours.”

At that moment, the doors open and Lisella stepped out. She was in along blue and white robe, but in her hand was a golden mace. She took one look around and then chuckled. “I should have guessed it was you, Nico.”

Then she gasped as she saw the man slowly being asphyxiated by his own crushed armor. She rushed over to him. I felt magic swirl off of her hand and knew that it had partially healed him, but judging by the frustrated look on her face, it was far from enough.

Then she did something which I hadn’t expected. I was doubly grateful for this situation. It had allowed me to vent a great deal of tension in just a few quick seconds, and now it was also showing me just why Lisella was a level twenty.

She reached out, and with her bare hands began to rip his breastplate off him by sheer strength. The metal wasn’t enchanted, I’d already observed that but bracer on her wrist glowed as she worked. Judging from her reaction, it wasn’t super easy, but she kept at it till she had more or less opened the entire front.

With the pressure gone the man’s face seemed to ease a bit, but he still couldn’t breathe. Lisella wasn’t done, though. She pressed her hand against his chest and cast yet another healing spell. I was too fixated on watching what she was doing to bother trying to learn the pattern for the spell.

A second later, the man was unconscious but breathing steadily. She walked around to the others and started checking on each of them. She healed broken bones and bruised alike, but then told them to carry their unconscious companion away. They did so without more than a brief glance at the baron. His broken arm though seemed to be taking all of his attention and he was cradling it and crying.

Finally, she came over to him. “Detrius? Will you honor your word?”

Her voice must have brought him out of the funk. “Heal me. It hurts so bad.”

“Not until you make a system oath that you relinquish any claim you believe you have and will not ever again try to get me to marry you.”

He started to protest, but as soon as I took a step to him, he cried again and said, “Yes, yes, anything. Just you have to protect me from him.”

Lisella stifled back a laugh but then said, “Make your oath.”

I watched as he did and could see faint threads of magical power, but it definitely wasn’t any kind of spell. Whatever the system did was far more subtle than that. She, however, must have been satisfied because she accepted his oath and then healed him. She got him up and sent him on his way, ignoring my protests about wanting my gold.

Moments later, the baron was stumbling down the stairs. Then she turned towards me again. "Well, that was quite the spectacle, Nico. I could have handled it myself; you know." Her tone was a mix of amusement and annoyance.

I scowled at her, my irritation bubbling to the surface. "I didn't do it for you," I snapped. "I just didn't like the interruption."

There was a pause before Lisella replied, a hint of a smile in her voice. "Regardless, thank you. This helped me in more ways than you likely understand. I’m also impressed with the level of control you displayed.”

I didn't respond, instead choosing to lean against the wall, waiting for the adrenaline to subside. As I stood there, the sounds of the retreating footsteps of the baron and his bodyguards echoed through the stairwell. I couldn’t deny my great sense of satisfaction with the way they were running away in terror.

Lisella finally broke the silence, inviting me into her suite. "Let's discuss this inside. We have much to talk about."

When I passed her, I heard her mumble, “I wonder what sort of rumors this will start.”

As we entered her spacious living room, I couldn't help but be struck by the stark contrast between Lisella's suite and the student quarters. Her suite was nothing short of luxurious, even compared to the rich inn we had stayed at. Of all the places that I’ve been so far in the human world, this was the closest to what I’d want to claim as my lair. It was still too small for that, but there was no doubt that Lisella’s status as a princess and grand priestess had its advantages.

The room was bathed in the warm glow of numerous enchanted candles, floating gracefully in the air, casting flickering shadows on the walls. The scent of lavender and sandalwood filled the air, emanating from an ornate incense burner perched on a marble pedestal. The fragrance was calming, but I sensed a type of magic within in it. It wasn’t powerful, but it seemed to be some type of minor charm effect intended to make anyone in the room more peaceful, more agreeable.

I glared at her in suspicion. “Are you trying to influence me?”

She stepped back, confusion written all over her face. Then she glanced at the candles. “Oh that. First off, I didn’t even know you were coming here tonight, so how could I have prepared? But no, it isn’t for you. I keep it going all the time because it makes negotiations go more smoothly. Most people don’t even notice the magical effect, but I forget how sensitive you are.”

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to accept her explanation, but ignored her and walked further into the suite, looking around me as I went.

The floor was covered in plush, intricately woven rugs that seemed to caress my feet as I walked, their vibrant hues and mesmerizing patterns hinting at the work of master artisans. The walls were adorned with exquisite tapestries, depicting scenes of ancient battles, mythical creatures, and the goddess Miseria herself. Each was a work of art, woven with the finest threads and imbued with a subtle enchantment that made the images appear almost lifelike.

A grand fireplace dominated one wall, its flames dancing merrily within the hearth. The warmth radiating from it enveloped the room, warding off the evening chill. Elegant, high-backed chairs and plush sofas were arranged around the fireplace, their luxurious fabrics and ornate wood carvings inviting relaxation and conversation.

To one side of the room, a magnificent oak table stood, laden with an assortment of exotic fruits, fine cheeses, and a crystal decanter filled with what I could only assume was expensive wine. The table was surrounded by matching chairs, each adorned with velvet cushions and golden embroidery.

A beautifully carved wooden bookcase filled an entire wall, housing a vast collection of tomes and scrolls that spoke to Lisella's scholarly pursuits. It was clear that her living space was as much a reflection of her mind as it was her wealth and status.

Several doors led off from the main room, presumably to more private chambers. I couldn't help but wonder what other luxuries lay hidden within the suite, but I knew better than to pry. Lisella was still my mentor, after all, and even my curiosity had its limits.

Despite my initial distrust of Lisella, I had to admire her taste for the finer things of life. Such opulence didn’t mean the same thing to a dragon as it did to humans or maybe it did. I probably should stop assuming I understood human thinking. I only knew that I felt a longing for such things for myself. Overall, the suite was a far cry from the simple, spartan accommodations that most students had to contend with.

She waved to one of the couches and then sat across from me. I stared at her for a moment as I decided if I wanted to give her the satisfaction or continue standing and keep her on edge. In the end, I thought about Cami and decided that I did need things from Lisella, so a small gesture like sitting down wouldn’t hurt.

“First off, before we talk about what just happened there, I need to say I’m sorry. I’m terribly sorry, actually. I should have told you more about the dragons here, but was looking for the right way to tell you. They aren’t anything like you and I don’t know why, but maybe together we can figure that out.”

A notification popped up in my mind’s eye.

Quest Update Received: How the proud have fallen?

Objective: Discover why the dragons are dying out, and what that has to do with the deserts of Taleia.

Reward: A proper lair and a mound of gold suitable for starting a hoard.

Update: Lisella Forlay, your mentor, has offered to assist you in solving this quest. Do you wish to share the quest with her?

Note: you may only ever share the quest with a maximum of four other people, as that constitutes a system sanctioned party.

I pushed the notification away. Maybe I’d share it with her someday, if I determined her help was worth enough, but for now I’d already given enough of myself to these people.

“I understand if you don’t believe me and get that words won’t fix this. We can talk about it in more detail later, but I keep talking. I assume you were coming here for a reason.”

I nodded. “First though, tell me what was happening out there.”

She sighed. "Baron Lister is a minor noble from Forlay, but his family owns a great deal of undeveloped land in the kingdom. He doesn’t have the resources to build it up or properly develop. My uncle is looking for an easy way to bring the land into the family and so he tried to offer me up. I've managed to avoid it thus far, but they've been relentless. Even if I am his favorite niece, I can only ignore orders from my king for so long. Hopefully, after tonight, they'll think twice before pursuing it again."

I frowned, not quite understanding the human dynamics at play. "Why would you agree to mate with someone you don't want? In my kind, the females choose their mates, seeking the strongest to ensure powerful offspring."

Lisella giggled at that. “If only things were so simple here.” She began rubbing her temples as if the conversation were causing her a headache. "Things are more complicated among humans. Marriages can be about love, but more often, they're about politics, alliances, and power. As a princess, I'm not exempt from these expectations. I've always fought to maintain my independence though and have managed to avoid marrying someone I don't want."

I couldn't help but scoff. "Seems foolish to me. You're powerful for a human. You should be able to make your own decisions."

A small smile crossed Lisella's face, and she shook her head. "It's not that simple, Nico. Amongst humans, power comes in many shapes. But I appreciate the sentiment."

I snorted then. “Bah, power comes out of the mouth of a dragon.”