Dragon Sorcerer 2- Chapter 66 (Patreon)

I don't know sometimes why I bother making plans and updates. Today the muses are with Dragon Sorcerer, so I'll be riding that train till it runs out of track. Tomorrow, I will have to shift back to Prism Academy though.


Chapter 66- Are You Really a Dragon?

It hit me then as his words sank in. I’d been so stupid. This wasn’t the first time. I couldn’t afford to let my emotions get the better of me. These people couldn’t be trusted. Well, I mostly trusted Cami. They could only be trusted to the extent that they were getting something out of the relationship.

I had let slip something that I shouldn’t have in my anger. There was no way that I was going to tell them about the dragon dream. I glanced at Cami again and realized that she looked like a hatchling looking to pounce on its first kill. I should probably do something about that. If I thought it would result in one of the adventurers being injured, I might not, but it was much more likely that she’d be hurt.

“Cami…”

That drew all the eyes to her.

Modessa snapped, “When did you learn transformation magic? I thought we said you were going to run any new spells you learned by me first.”

“It isn’t a spell,” I said. Then I added, “Cami, relax.”

Lisella said, “Oh, I get it. They have some kind of bond, right? She’s reacting to his anger. This is so interesting.”

They started all talking at once, but I let out a low growl. It was a pale imitation of a true growl. Humans were always imitating the sounds of other animals. It was kind of pathetic, almost like something an author would do to make the dialogue seem more interesting.

My mind raced. They had wanted to capture dragons. That was what I needed this conversation to be about. They valued two new students but were clearly even more after a dragon or dragons. I couldn’t forget Sheraleigh. They already had dragons, at least domesticated ones, but seemed to be shocked by me and what I could do.

Galbrecht stood up then. “I believe I understand better now. My question was insensitive. You’re right, and I can only plead ignorance. I’ve been thinking about dragons completely differently. If I hadn’t seen you transform and honestly even after that, I find myself asking if you are really a dragon and not some kind of mage who can transform into a dragon.”

When I started to reply, he held up his hand. “No, wait, hear me out. I don’t say that to offend, but because you are so different from what I expected a dragon to be. As for Serius’ question, it doesn’t matter now. You can keep your secrets. We don’t have any right to pry into your life, certainly not until we can find a way to move forward.

“If I hadn’t undertaken this mission specifically because my goddess directed me to, then I would leave here and go straight to the temple to confess my sins. We attacked you in your home. We were just trying to capture a wild animal like I had initially believed. We were trying to capture a race at least as self-aware as humans. It would have been no different than if we raided the home of some elves or dwarves. We essentially became slavers.”

Then he dropped to both knees and pulled his sword out of a storage pouch on his belt, only to set it down on the ground before him. “I can’t make up for what was done to you. And I don’t control the fate of the other dragon which was taken. Those things are beyond my power. But what I can pledge is that, I will work to fix this going forward. I will strive to right the wrongs that have been done. I simply don’t know how to go about that, but in this matter, you may count me as your humble servant.”

I listened to his speech. Initially, I was unmoved. What did I care for apologies? But then I realized I couldn’t be so quick about it. I was still a stranger in a land of beings different from my kind. I needed allies, or at least people who would work for me. The word servant caught my ear. Yes, I liked that word, but I clamped down on my mind. I couldn’t let myself be swayed that easily.

“Talk is cheap when claws are at your throat. Matilda didn’t listen to my words until she had no choice. I too have little choice.

“As for dragons, this is what you need to know. I am what a dragon is meant to be. Well, blues are the best of the dragons, but you get the idea. Matilda and dragons like her have been modified by the system. You know what I mean by the system?”

Serius answered that question. “There is a great deal of speculation about it. You’ll find that there are classes here at the university about it. Some, like the churches, believe it is an expression of the will of the gods. Others believe it to be something more than even the gods. But what do you mean that they have been modified by the system?”

“Exactly what I said. Can you use identifying magic on them from here?”

Serius looked thoughtful for a moment before saying, “I suppose I could, but only with Lisella’s permission. I would also need to study the prepare the proper spell for it.”

“You used identifying magic on me when I was in dragon form didn’t you?”

He nodded.

“Then do so now. I want to hear what you see when you identify Matilda.”

He looked at his comrades before saying, “You misunderstand. I don’t have a proper long range spell for that prepared. I would need to prepare one from my spell book.”

“And do you have that spell book with you now?”

He nodded.

“Then I see no problem.”

Lisella said, “Uh, Nico, not everyone is like you. Wizards, as a class, can learn a limitless number of spells, but they can only have a few of each Tier prepared at a time. He would need some time to study it.” She looked at Serius. “How long would it take?”

“About twenty minutes.”

I snorted. “I can wait. You have dragons enslaved and you’re worried about spending twenty minutes to discover something new.”

Liam laughed. “He’s got you there. I think I’m gonna go get some food. I smell something tasty in the kitchen. Nico, Cami, would you like to join me for a snack?”

Cami looked to me and nodded. I simply smiled before saying, “Sounds good, just don’t expect me to share.”

We walked into the kitchen. I liked the layout of this lair, well apartment, but I was already thinking about how I’d like to design a lair in the future for myself. The idea of different chambers in the lair for different purposes made a great deal of sense. Too many of my ancestors had simply eaten on top of their mounds of gold. I could understand the appeal, but this made sense. It was one of the few things that humans seemed to have done right.

Liam looked at us while Cami was eating a fruit tart. There were no servants here since this meeting had to be kept private and only guards outside in the hallway. There was a stone platform, countertop, I believe it was called. It had trays of various foods, so there must have been servants here earlier.

“I’d say that you have to excuse them, but that’s a human expression. You don’t have to do anything. Your choices will certainly have an impact on your future. Humans can be shortsighted and yes, I know that I’m half human.”

“So, what are you suggesting?” I picked up an entire tray of slices of smoked meats. They had been rolled up tightly around strips of cheese. Then I moved to the corner of the kitchen and started to eat the entire tray. I might not be able to take it all in one might, tray included, but I still intended to keep it for myself.

If Liam was disturbed by my apparent disregard for him, he didn’t let on. He was always less responsive than some of the others. Modessa and Lisella especially were easy to work up.

“You need to understand why we were sent to your home in the first place. Each of us has different motivations, but one over-arching reason.”

“What about you then, elf? What was your reason?”

He smiled. He probably thought he was guiding the conversation, but this was part of what I needed to know anyway, so the silly half-human was playing right into my claws. If all of them would become this talkative, I’d be able to learn all their secrets.

“Like most things, there isn’t just one reason. I doubt you have only one reason for being here. As for me, I owe Serius a debt, so when he asked I came. I’m older than any of them, even if I don’t look it. That’s one of the benefits of elven blood. That brings me to the other reason. My father’s people have not always gotten along with dragons. Long ago, there were wars which nearly wiped out both of our races on the continent of Morvain. I don’t know if your people have any type of recorded history and admittedly, I only know a little from my father, but I do know that much.

He came to Taliea as part of a raiding party, as do most elves who end up here now. He told me that the dragons they encountered here were not like the dragons back home. So, I am a bit confused by you. You sound more like the dragons which my father described from his homeland. You are crafty after a fashion, possess magic, and uh… well he said dragons were rather prideful, and if we are being honest, you are that.”

I squinted at him with a mouthful of food. He could call it pride, but to me it was just an acknowledgement of reality. “So what does that mean? Were you hoping to find a dragon like the one from your sire’s tales, or were you expecting to prove that dragons are only dumb beasts?”

“Neither. I was curious more than anything. Serius has some secret mission and even the rest of us aren’t fully privy to this. What I can tell you is that in the last ten years, Emperor Castine has implemented a number of changes. He has started recruiting mages from all classes of people rather than just the nobles and upper tier merchants.

“The army has also been increased and special attention has been given to breeding more dragons. At the same time, there have been reports of strange monsters coming out of the mountains in the north. And you saw those that we fought on our way here. Let me assure you that those were monster variants who were stronger than their base types.”

Cami asked. “You think that there will be more attacks by monsters? It’s like when my father found that a new pack of wolves had moved into the area. He bought more dogs and had his workers pulling double shifts on patrol. You think the emperor is trying to guard against some threat?”

Liam nodded.

“But then, why not just let everyone know?”

I answered for Liam. “Knowledge is power.”

He shrugged. “That and spreading rumors about some mysterious threat is not going to stabilize the empire, it will cause panics. Imagine if the people saw the horrors which have attacked you not once, but twice. Or imagine if more towns were attacked by groups of empowered monster variants.”

Cami said, “Oh, he’s right. That would scare people. I had sorta started to think that sort of thing was commonplace out in the wider world, but if it isn’t, then why have we seen three attacks in just a matter of a few weeks?”

Liam smiled. “That’s a very good question, young lady. You’ll make an excellent mage.”

“Dragon rider,” she corrected.

“Ah yes. You’ll make an excellent dragon rider. It does seem that these monsters are drawn to Nico. You’d have no reason to know this, but Serius let me know last night that there have been increased monster sightings all over Urgoi, which is generally a very safe land because of the presence of the university and so many adventurers.”

My mind was racing. I should have seen this before. These were my enemies. The dragon dream was showing me that as much as it was showing me about the history of the bond. I needed to know more, but had the feeling that memories of Draconis were not going to come to me every night. Unlike all the others, those dreams seemed to take something out of me. Then it dawned on me.

“They’re afraid of the dragons, of true dragons that is.”