Dragon Sorcerer 2- Chapter 89 (Patreon)

Chapter 89- Unity

I took one smell of the cup Modessa handed to me and set it right back down. Perhaps humans subjected themselves to this sort of beverage, but I had no intention of drinking anything that smelled like that. The rogue immediately seemed disappointed.

“What’s the matter? Don’t you want to try some?”

I shook my head. “I’m trying to decide if you’re attempting to poison me or something else. It occurs to me that this might be what is causing the others here to act so oddly.”

Modessa laughed. Lisella however didn’t seem to think it was funny. She likely hadn’t been able to hear everything, the inn was so loud that I was developing a headache. But now she was closer and looked at the large cup of this whiskey which Modessa had given to me. She arched an eyebrow and said, “You thought that was a good idea?”

Modessa shrugged. “You can’t tell me that you aren’t curious what he’d be like drunk?”

“Afraid is more like it. For all you know, that would have turned out very badly.”

Modessa replied, “Fine, I’ll be responsible. I mean you’re probably right.”

I started to ignore the two of them then though, because Cami looked at me with that same pleading look. Another of the male students, this once decked out with what seemed to be finer clothing than many of the others said, “Lady Dragon Rider, my name is Tristan Dubois.” He said his name like it meant something. “It’s rather loud in here. Perhaps we could find someplace quiet and you could tell me all about how you gained your class. I’d love to get to know you better. I can have a carriage brought to take us to somewhere nicer.”

Cami looked at me and then at Modessa. The rogue only had a smirk on her face, so I wasn’t sure what that was about. I stepped forward though, so that I was halfway between this guy and Cami. Then I raised my voice a bit. “All of you step back. In fact, you should all leave now.”

There was immediate grumbling and a few of the students demanded to know who I was to order them about. That was all I could handle.

Dragon Fear

Immediately, people started to step back. Some cried out in terror. Others burst out crying and laughing at the same time. This was when I learned an important lesson. Intoxication may be a debuff, but it also seemed to provide some protection against Dragon Fear.

Those like Tristan weren’t nearly so drunk. For them, their faces went pale white, and they stepped back. Galbrecht stepped through the crowd. He looked at Modessa and smiled, then at Lisella and me. “Is that a good idea, Nico?”

“I just want some quiet. Cami and I are going to leave.”

Modessa had somehow managed to slide up next to Galbrecht and had her arms around him. It was an odd posture for her and she seemed to be giving off a far different vibe than I’d seen before from her. Galbrecht stepped up. “That’s probably for the best. I’ll clear a path for you. Oh, and Miseria told me she has a gift for you, but since tonight is about Cami, we can discuss that tomorrow. Now, I’ll clear a path.”

Galbrecht smiled at Modessa and then pulled his arm away from her before leaping up onto the bar. He shouted out, but even Dragon Fear hadn’t been successful at reining in this crowd. The humans were acting like idiots. This celebration was very strange.

Then I felt magic gather around him. He was practically glowing with it. This was clearly divine magic. Nothing else had quite the same feel for it. I wanted to see if I could duplicate whatever spell he was using, but no spell matrix took shape so I was left assuming this was a class skill he possessed or perhaps some blessing as a chosen of Miseria.

Divine Sovereignty

“Kneel.”

His words echoed through the room. And instantly, everyone was on their knees. I felt like an anvil had dropped on my back. Invisible hands were pressing down on my shoulders and my knees began to wobble. Internally, I growled. I would not bow before a goddess. They were not my makers. They were not the rulers of Ileria. I was a dragon.

Then, from deep within me, I felt another voice, or was it my own? It was deeper and held the weight of ages, but it also felt natural like my own. Before I knew it, I had shouted out, “I am Draconis.”

You have resisted the urge of Divine Sovereignty. Future resistance to this ability increased by 10%. You take another step on your path.

I looked around as Modessa and Cami fell to their knees. Lisella had a look of bliss on her face and tears were streaming from her eyes. Tristan and all the other party-goers had also fallen. Most of them now had their heads planted on the ground.

Galbrecht looked at me. When he saw me still on my feet, he seemed shocked for a moment, but then shrugged. “Take Cami with you. This effect will only last a few more seconds.”

I didn’t need to be told twice. I grabbed her up in my arms and streaked out the door. When I cleared the building, it was all that I could do not to transform and fly away with her. But that display of power once again proved that I was in the right place. There was much for me to learn here. I did, however, keep running with her till I was back to the university grounds.

The effect seemed to have worn off her long before we arrived there, but she didn’t complain. Instead, she wrapped her arms around my neck and clung tighter to me than was entirely necessary.

When I set her down, her arms lingered around my neck for a second. “Thank you. I shouldn’t have wanted to be rescued from my own party, but that isn’t what I had in mind. I’m also starting to believe that Modessa’s idea of a good time and mine are not the same.”

“She is one confusing human. I don’t know what to make of that.” Then the strangest thought entered my mind. Before I even knew why I was saying it, I blurted out, “Did you like all the attention from those males?”

Cami blushed. “I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t flattering. I’m just a farm girl…”

I cut her off. “You aren’t just that anymore. Only the future will tell all that we can become, but the battle with the baloth proved that we are more together than apart.”

She smiled now, but then glanced at the ground. After a moment, she said, “We probably shouldn’t just stand here.”

I nodded. We were still at the entrance to the university. “How about we go to the stables? You always like to visit Rollie and Patch.”

We started walking in silence for a moment, but I felt an odd unity with her. It wasn’t like I needed her. I was a dragon, after all, but it felt good to make her smile. This was completely uncharted territory for me. I had no idea what to think about it and part of me rebelled, but another saw this as a path forward.

After a few minutes, Cami asked, “Do you really think that you can enhance Patch and Rollie?”

I paused a second before answering. “I believe that I can do anything. I am me. It is just a question of if doing something is worth the effort. In this case, I believe the goo which I looted was designed to do that. The system notification said it had been purified from the corruption of the horror. But, I think it might be wise to consult with an alchemist or some other type of mage specializing in evolutions, if such a thing exists.”

She smiled. “Good, I’m glad you’re being careful with it. I don’t want the cubs to be hurt. You don’t think that we’d be doing something wrong by changing them do you? I mean, after Matilda and…” Her words trailed off.

I shook my head. “No, it isn’t the same thing. Becoming more is always a good thing. I hope you’ll take this as you present. Lisella stressed to me that I should give you a gift, which I concede is abnormal. Some of my ancestors gave boons to their most faithful of minions, but this seemed different. I just… um, I’m not very good at thinking like a human.”

She grabbed my arm mid-stride without stopping. “Oh Nico, you don’t have to be. That’s what you’ve got me for. I want… no… I need to be useful. You’re so strong and you’ve given me so much already. If I was still back on my family ranch, I’d be getting ready to get married to a man twice my age. Now, thanks to you, I get to forge my own destiny.”

We continued on in silence. I felt that sense of unity growing within me. She wanted to make her own path in just the same way that I did. Would it really be a weakness to walk that path with her? It was confusing. I felt the urge to independence, but I also knew that the bond made me stronger.

“You know, I’ll never expect anything from you, right, Nico?”

“I already said, I was going to enhance the cubs as a gift for you.”

“No, I don’t mean that. I appreciate that. And I know that I’ll gain many more perks in the future because of our bond. It isn’t that at all. I just meant I won’t expect you to be… uh… well to be something for me that you can’t be. I respect you just the way you are.”

I was completely lost, but the system came to my rescue before I had to try to figure out what she was talking about.

You have reached level 13 in your bond. Bonded partners, both dragon and rider must be there for their companion. This is a connection which extends beyond combat. You rescued her from an awkward social situation and she has come to accept that some of her heart’s desires cannot come true at this time.

This stage is the beginning of Unity.

You have gained the ability Unity 1: you may share one DKP evolution with one another. Choose an ability to share with her. Not all abilities are compatible. A shared ability will only operate at the base level, but the one gaining it may use DKP to increase it. The ability will exist for as long as Unity exists.

Unity may be increased, which will then provide access to further abilities and eventually to class abilities as well.

I looked at Cami. Her eyes were glossed over. She must be getting the same notifications that I was. I was about to assign an ability to her, but then I felt a strange tickle in the back of my mind. I don’t know if it was one of the dreams speaking to me or not but I waited for her eyes to come back into focus and then did the most unnatural thing I could think of.

“Which of my abilities would you like me to share with you?”

Her eyes got wide. Then she smiled. Then the smile disappeared, and she got serious. “Thank you, Nico. That means more than you will ever know. I really want to be able to breathe lightning. I mean, if it is one of the compatible abilities.”

Without a word, I focused on my list. I suppose she was right. I needed to see which abilities were compatible with her. To my delight the list that came up showed both what she could share with me and what I could share with her. As expected, the list that I could share with her was significantly better than what she could share with me.

Sprint

Sound Imitation/Ventriloquism

Partial Shape Change

Project Image

Fabricate

Manipulate Sand

Concentration

Dracomorphic Breath

Shocking Aura

Meanwhile, the list she could share with me was shorter.

Tough Hide

Meditation +1

Concentration +1

Rapid Cast

To me it was an easy pick. I had seen Rapid Cast come in handy, and if I wanted to develop my casting power, then that was an ability that I would need. I let her read off the list of abilities and then said, “I’d like you to share Rapid Cast with me.”

“Of course, and I’d like you to share Dracomorphic Breath with me.”

We both closed our eyes and willed the sharing. I felt the bond deepen and suddenly knew that I had the Rapid Cast ability. She grinned and said, “Now I need to try this out. We need to blow something up.”

I had been unsure about this entire birthday celebration thing, but what could be a better celebration than for a dragon and his bonded companion to blow up a few training dummies? She was starting to think like a dragon already. I approved.