Dragon Sorcerer 2- Chapter 90 (Patreon)

Chapter 90- Birth of a Dragon

We stayed up late into the night practicing using lightning breath in tandem, but all good things come to an end and eventually, we parted. I needed some sleep before beginning the next day.

True to her word, Lisella was waiting for me at the library after I ate. I made her wait a bit. It was less about petty control and more about just wanting to sleep a bit longer.

I was however surprised to see that Galbrecht was with Lisella. “I thought our sparring didn’t happen till later this morning?”

“Oh, you’ve got to do your studies first, for sure. Don’t groan. I don’t really enjoy that part any more than you do, but it’s necessary. I had a question though first..”

The two of them glance at one another and then back at me. Lisella asked first, “I have an anti-scrying charm. Liam might think that that it is really only important out in the wild, but I don’t want anyone listening in on our conversation. It isn’t quite as powerful as what the emperor sent Serius but it will keep people from eavesdropping or should at least let us know if there is a spell powerful enough to bypass the protection. It also has the added benefit of protecting against more mundane attempts to listen in.”

I nodded. Then Galbrecht took over. “I don’t mean to pry, Nico. And I understand that I likely haven’t earned any real trust from you, but I will again pledge that I mean you no harm. In fact, more than that, I am determined to help make up for what was done to you. I believe that Miseria’s gift to you will help with that in some small measure, but first I’m curious about something. What did you mean by, ‘I am Draconis?”

I stared at him. I had said that aloud, hadn’t I? Ugh… that was so stupid. The thing is, I didn’t even fully know where it came from. I had some thoughts, but it was all pure speculation at this point.

“As you said, trust is easy to destroy and hard to build. This time I can truthfully tell you that I don’t know why I said that. Beyond that would just be guessing.”

Lisella looked at Galbrecht who nodded. He then said to me, “That was truthful and I appreciate it. In case you didn’t know, one of my class abilities allows me to get a very good sense of when someone is being truthful with me. It isn’t flawless, but that is part of why I trust your sincerity even if I don’t yet understand all of your motivations. Either way, I didn’t want you to be unaware of the ability. Most people expect it of paladins, but I realized that a dragon might not know many things that are common knowledge in human society.”

I thought about his words for a moment and realized that I actually appreciated knowing. I wasn’t in the habit of lying, so it was hardly an issue for me, but still it was a tiny indicator that he might be able to treat me properly.

“Now about the gift my goddess wishes to give me. Understand that when I became her chosen, it comes with many benefits but also many downsides. I don’t always have a will of my own, so you need to keep that in mind. Even saying that, I felt like my jaw wanted to lock up. So take it for what it’s worth.”

Then his body truly began to glow for a second. It wasn’t like the night before. This was more than just my ability to see magic. This was a literal golden glow forming around his body. So much so that I looked around the library, expecting someone to come running. Lisella had fallen to the floor and was kneeling.

A voice came out of Galbrecht’s mouth. It was one which I’d heard in my head before. “Don’t worry, Nico. My protection of your identity remains intact except for other gods and that annoying Castine.”

“Miseria.” My tone was neutral. I loved gifts but not the gods, so this was a mixed experience and I doubted her motivations.

“And yes, I’ve hidden my presence here. Lisella please stand up. Showing proper respect is good, but all the bowing and scrapping can get a bit old. Nico doesn’t feel any need to bow before me, do you?”

“You are not my goddess, so why would I?”

Galbrecht’s body shook as her voice came out with peels of laughter which seemed completely out-of-place coming from him. “Oh, I forget how arrogant you can be. Dragons respect power, don’t they?”

“Of course, it is the way of the world.”

“And do you claim to be my equal in power?”

I almost answered that I was not, but then a thought hit me. One of my first times in the Dragon Dream had been a vision so powerful it stuck with me. It was impossible to hold on to the details and so I was left with only impressions. This had been long before I left the cave I was born in. It was a memory of a dragon so old and so strong that the world twisted around him. I had tried to see the dream again, but it had been denied to me.

Still, even that vague recollection was enough to prompt a different answer from me. “But you are in the heavens and I am on Ileria. This is the realm of dragons. Test us not or you will be driven back to your realm once more.”

Lisella gasped, but I ignored her.

Miseria didn’t laugh, but she also didn’t sound too angry as she replied, “The dream is such a bane on us. You all seem to remember that day even if you can’t keep any of the details. It was a more complex situation than you now realize, and you are far from that being. Even the current Draconis is not the equal of that one, but I’m not here to argue. The Pact is secure, at least as far as the gods are concerned. The eldritch horrors, though, are not content with the situation. So you will need help if you are to guard the balance, warden.”

“I’ll accept power if that is your gift. I rather enjoyed being a great wyrm.”

“No, that isn’t the gift. That stretched the Pact to its limits, and is beyond me to make permanent. Besides, Ileria is big. You can’t be everywhere. You must be a general not just a soldier. So my gift, if you wish to accept it, is that I will reconnect the dragons who lie within the eggs in the stable to the dream through you. It will cost you nothing and because of the process they will have a tendency to be subservient to you, but that shouldn’t bother you too much.”

I thought about it. There was a trap here. I didn’t know what it was, but I knew there was something. “And what else will do to the hatchlings?”

“Nothing. I can’t reconnect them to the Dragon Dream. I’m not a dragon. Only you or another dragon can do that, and only because they are not yet born. Once they are born, it will be too late and they will remain as their mother. Yet, you don’t have the necessary power to do it. I have that power, so my gift is to combine my power with your ability.”

“And what will this do to me?”

“So untrusting, but I guess that’s why we agreed for your kind to be the wardens. Believe me, I have no wish to harm the mortal realm. Quite the contrary. I am acting to protect it from beings which are darker than nightmares. You think the horrors you have seen are something to fear, but they are nothing compared to the twelve elders amongst their kind. Those eldritch beings have existed for eons and bring nothing but destruction wherever they go.”

I pondered her words. I was missing something. Every instinct in me cried out that the gods couldn’t be trusted. They might help mortals, but they are not altruistic beings. The problem was that I didn’t even know the right questions to ask.

“Then you have to swear three things. Or I will fly away from those eggs. What are the lives of three nameless dragons to me?”

“Always so callous. It is one of your most consistent traits and one which you struggle against so much. None walk your path without caring somewhat. But tell me what three promises must I make you?”

“First, you must promise that this will not alter me in any way or cause any connections between you and me. Second, you must promise that the hatchlings will not be altered but instead will simply be as wild dragons. Finally, you must promise that the hatchlings will be free to bond or not bond as they choose and that you will not present anyone to them for bonding without my permission.”

An almost savage snarl escaped from Galbrecht’s mouth. It echoed through the library, yet no one came to investigate. After a full minute of silence, Miseria said, “Someone’s been peaking at the dream. He was your ancestor wasn’t he? The first to bond?”

“Yes.”

“He was our greatest ally, our greatest accomplishment, but also the most annoying in many ways. He was the hardest to predict.”

“Does that mean you won’t make the oaths?”

“No, I will with one modification. The hatchlings will be altered from normal, wild dragons. But they will be altered by you. I can’t change that and if you think back, you’ll recall that I already warned you about that. This has never been done before, so the extent of the change is as of yet unclear.”

“Very well, then I agree and accept your gift as soon as you give the oath.”

I felt a surge of magic and then we were at the exotic stables. Cami was there too as were Modessa and Serius. They all seemed shocked. Modessa pulled a dagger until she saw Galbrecht and Serius triggered some magical defenses. I watched as layers of magical protections sprang into existence around him. That would be a tough nut to crack even without knowing the full extent of what each spell did.

Miseria laughed. “Oh, did I make you use your defensive mantle? I bet that will be a pain to replace.”

The wizard glared at her but lowered his hand, which had been raised to cast another spell without a word.

Modessa looked at Galbrecht, “Brechie?”

“No, broken child. It’s his body, but I’m driving now.”

Lisella said, “Modessa, it’s Miseria. She is using Galbrecht as an avatar. Don’t worry she won’t hurt him.”

“Hardly, he is my chosen. I’ve cared for him longer than you’ve been alive. But I do admit that I’m a bit curious to see how well his soul holds up once it realizes the full extent of your damage. That is a mortal concern though, and my time on this plane is about at an end. I have brought you all here to witness an event which will hopefully be a significant step in the salvation of your world. You can thank me later. And no, that isn’t a suggestion.”

Then the golden glow left Galbrecht. Matilda hadn’t moved at all and I realized that Miseria must have paralyzed her. The guards had also fallen asleep. I was in awe of her power. This was the type of power that I wanted. It was a mastery of magic that I craved. She could do so many things at once.

Then that golden glow hit me. I felt like my body was on fire from inside. Then I felt tendrils of that power pass through me and into each of the eggs. I could feel the hatchlings. They were being stirred. Each was about ready to hatch. Their shells began to crack. I felt my memories flood into them.

It was like being a hose with too much water pressure flowing through it. The entirety of my connection to the Dragon Dream flowed through me. The hatchlings were being born into my lineage rather than that of their actual parents. Their connection would be the same as mine, except that they would also have access to my memories up to this point. It wasn’t perfect as well I knew, but they might have dreams of my life up to this point.

Then the eggs cracked. A green female, a green male, and a black female. That solved the question of what type of dragon had sired these eggs. It had to be one of the domesticated black dragons. I felt a backlash then and Miseria’s presence left my mind. It all happened so quickly that I almost couldn’t believe it.

As she faded, I heard her voice say, “You’re welcome.”