Chapter 254 - Not Yet (Patreon)

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The walk back to Ado’s cabin ended up more complicated than Hump expected. His body didn’t feel like his own, and it only got worse as he walked. He tried to ignore the looks from the villagers around him as they passed through the market square, which had become even busier now that so many of the people of Drakalyn spent their time in combat.

“You’ll get used to it,” Celaine said, patiently pacing at his side.

Nisha stared at him with concern and Hump sighed.

“Do I look as cool as I feel?” he asked, almost tripping over his own feet but catching himself against his staff.

“Sure.” Celaine tilted her head thoughtfully. “You kind of look like a puppet on strings actually. Or a deer taking their first steps.”

Hump gave her a disheartened look then continued to walk.

“Oh, don’t be like that!” she said. “Your body has changed too quickly. It’s only natural that it will take some time to get used to. You’re stronger, both your muscles and your bones, and you’re likely heavier too. Also…” she looked him up and down, narrowing her eyes. “I think you might be taller.”

Hump stared at her with wide eyes, standing a little straighter. “Really?”

She smiled slyly and shrugged. “Just a smidge. But who knows, maybe you’ll keep growing.”

“I will?”

She snorted.

Hump furrowed his brow. “Celaine, be serious here. Will I get taller or not?”

“You’re so easy,” she said, laughing.

He glared at her. “Celaine…”

“Only time will tell, but it’s not impossible. Is that really what’s important to you? I always got the impression you kind of liked your height.”

Hump paused at that, surprised. It had always been one of those things people made fun of, but he’d always been comfortable in his own skin.

“No, I guess not,” Hump said. “I do like my height.”

She nodded knowingly. “Exactly! Being short suits you. You’re like a badger—small, but vicious.”

Hump stared at Celaine with a deadpan expression. “Brilliant. Thanks, Celaine.”

She laughed. “Jokes aside, you did amazing today. I’m not sure you could have surprised everyone more. How did you do it? Was it your telepathic power?”

“Yeah,” Hump said. “Something strange did happen though. I think I somehow caught the attention of a true dragon.”

Celaine’s mouth fell open. “Are you sure?”

He nodded. “His name was Skyfire. Owalyn seemed to know him, though she didn’t seem all that keen on me speaking to him.”

“You spoke to Owalyn too?” she asked.

Hump frowned at her. “Isn’t that normal when you pass a trial?”

Celaine shook her head. “Not one bit. When you pass all three, sure. But the fact she’s spoken to you twice now… that’s unusual.”

“Well, that’s not the end of the strange,” Hump said. “I think the dragon knew what my spellbook was. Or more, the heartstone that fuels it. It showed me a great silver owl. The same one as my spellbook?”

“Mother’s mercy,” Celaine said.

“It wouldn’t tell me what it meant,” Hump said. “Actually, it didn’t tell me anything. It just showed me this and I’ve got no idea what to make of it.”

“But you mean to find out?”

Hump smiled and nodded. “With any luck, I’ll find the answers inside my book.”

It didn’t take them long to reach Ado’s cabin, where they waited outside for the shaman’s return. Hump went to visit Stonefang first, checking in on the dragon and giving him some food. Nisha rushed up to his snout, sniffing all over him excitedly, elation pouring through her bond. It was hard to tell how much he cared—the dragon didn’t reveal much, but Hump thought he seemed happy.

They returned to Celaine shortly afterward, where Hump took out the Book of Infinite Pages. Out here, away from the rest of the village, there were no witnesses, other than Owalyn of course.

“What are you looking for?” Celaine asked.

“I don’t know,” Hump said. “All I know is what that dragon showed me. If it knows where the heartstone of this book is from, then perhaps my book might have information on Skyfire too.”

He opened the book, finding pages upon pages of magical study. He breathed, concentrating, thinking about what he wanted. The pages shifted, revealing a page on true dragons. He skimmed the text, finding only information he already knew—that they were legendary beasts at the peak of power, and that none have been seen in ages. Standard text from standard books that he could read anywhere. Whether his spellbook lacked the answers he sought, or it simply refused to show him, Hump found nothing useful.

He set the book down on his lap feeling frustrated.

Sighing, he leant back in his chair. “I just don’t understand what he wanted, but I feel like it was a clue. The beginnings of an explanation to where this book comes from and its true purpose. Maybe then, I’d at least know why people want it so much.”

“I thought it opens to the page you want it to,” Celaine said.

“I’ve been trying,” Hump said. “It’s not working.”

“Have you tried asking it?”

Hump frowned. “What do you mean?”

“You said the book is made from a powerful heartstone,” Celaine said. “If it’s anything like my Bloodshadow dagger, then the heartstone should still contain some of its intent, no? Perhaps even more considering its power.”

Hump stared at her. “Of course!”

He held his book up again. It was alive. He’d felt its presence before. He’d sensed its power. When he’d called upon it, it had responded to him. Which meant it could respond again.

Drawing in a deep breath, Hump focused on the cover of the book before his eyes. The simple leather—old, worn—a leather journal that was past its best years. A disguise so that its true value could not be scene.

“Show me your heart,” Hump said, recalling his words before.

It reacted immediately, Blue light spread from within the spine of the book, rising in wisps of essence. The leather shifted, moving against his hands, twisting as more and more essence filled it, pouring into the cover. The leather grain came to life in cracking lightning embedded into the cover. The cracks became more dense at the centre, like a cracked glass pane, forming a circle around the very core. From it, blue crystal grew from the surface, until once more a heartstone was before him.

Celaine gasped as a great weight descended upon them. She stumbled away from him. The half sphere of crystal gleamed, its facets infinitely complex. The disguise of a leather cover was no more, the leather becoming a rich brown, and the silver owl emerging once more on its surface.

Sensing it again, there was no doubt that this was the same creature Skyfire had shown him. A silver owl that had stood beside a true dragon. Hump couldn’t even comprehend what such a creature might be. He’d been afraid of the attention it might bring previously. Now, he knew even a true dragon was interested in it.

The aura of the great owl washed over Hump, yet he did not feel the need to retreat like Celaine. It was a part of him. Bonded to his soul, as it had been to his master. Yet there had been no mention of it in the final letter the old man had left him. This was his discovery, and Hump would get to the bottom of it.

“Can you speak?” Hump asked.

Only silence followed.

Celaine stepped back further, taking Nisha with her.

“What are you?” Hump asked again. “Do you know of Skyfire?”

Still no answer.

Hump did the only thing he could think of. He reached inward, grasping the power at his core, and bringing it forth. His soul manifested once more, a cold racing through his body at summoning it so soon after the trial, yet he needed answers now. He expanded his mind, reaching for the spellbook just as he did Nisha. The Book of Infinite Pages was bound to him too—they were connected, and he would reach it.

Yet it felt so far away. He reached for it, pushing his soul to the limit. Throwing all the power he had toward the heartstone. Light blossomed in his mind, far ahead of him, like the end of a tunnel that he still had so far to go.

There, he made out a shape. Slowly, it became clearer, until he made out the shadow of its body. The owl was there, far ahead of him. It turned to look at him, and then the light became blindingly bright.

NOT YET.

The voice was like thunder in his mind. Hump screamed, pain all the way through him. He opened his eyes and found himself on the floor, Nisha staring into his eyes with worry on one side of his head, Celaine on the other, the sky above them.

“He’s awake,” Celaine said. “Don’t worry, Nisha.”

“How long was I out?” Hump asked.

“Less than a minute,” Celaine said. “I thought you’d gone into one of those trance things you do at first, but then you started screaming. What happened?”

“Not quite sure,” Hump said. He looked at his book, clutched tightly in his hand. It was back to normal now, the heartstone gone. “I think it worked… sort of.”

“Sort of?”

“It told me I’m not ready.”

Celaine let out a breath. “I’m glad. That power was not something you should mess with.”

“It is bound to me,” Hump said. “I have nothing to fear from it.”

“Maybe not,” Celaine said. “But we are within Owalyn’s borders. She will sense it. She may have done so already.”

Hump frowned. “I’ve been considering speaking to her about it.”

He twitched his head as he heard footsteps in the distance.

Celaine was smiling at him. “You heard that, huh?”

Hump stared at her. “Why do you say it like that?”

“Do you think old-Hump would have heard footsteps from fifty paces away?”

Hump’s eyes widened. “It’s the dragon blood.”

She nodded, then held out an arm to help him up. “You’re not ready. The book told you itself. Ado’s going to be here any second so let’s shelve this for now.”

Hump narrowed his eyes at her. “Shelve this? Are you trying to be funny?”

She grinned widely. “As if I’d ever do that! I’m always serious.”

They sat down with Ado inside, the shaman making each of them a cup of wisa and filling up a bowl with nuts before taking a seat. Hump stared into a mirror, peering into his red eye. He didn’t like it. It looked demonic. He noticed he had a slit pupil now, just like Celaine and the dragons.

Hump reached for the bowl, starting to eat. He’d not realised how hungry he was.

“Your trial went well, lad,” Ado said. “I think you surprised everyone today.”

Hump smiled. “Always the goal.”

Ado raised his eyebrows in amusement. “And you’ve caught Yunillia’s attention.”

“In a good or a bad way?” Hump asked.

“Not sure yet. You’re to be part of her hunters.”

“How did that come about?” Celaine asked. “I thought she would be against him as an outsider.”

“I’m not so sure,” Ado said. “She respects ability, and was very interested in how Hump communicated with wolf dragons. If he’s to be one of her dragon keepers, she wishes to see you in action herself. Celaine, Rujan has permitted for you to switch over to join him if you desire. I suggest you do.”

Celaine nodded. “Understood.”

“What will we be doing?” Hump asked.

“The specifics will be down to Yunillia. She’s given you until the day after tomorrow to recover and get used to your new strength. That morning, you’re to join them on their mission. Celaine, I’ll tell Rujan you’ve accepted your place with her.”

“Thank’s Ado.”

“These nests of the lich’s power are more spread out than we suspected,” Ado said. “For now, you will be finding and destroying them. Come the summer solstice, we want the land clear of the lich’s influence before we launch our attack. Otherwise, Drakalyn would be left vulnerable. Three weeks. Three weeks and we counterattack the lich. Until then, we destroy what infiltration points we can. Then it’s full-on war.”

***

The day passed far too quickly, and Hump didn’t exactly feel ready by the end of it. He’d practiced with his newfound strength but had yet to grasp its reach. At the very least, his body was enhanced compared to before. He could go for longer, and had a reserve of power far beyond before, yet as Ado had said, it came at a cost. Celaine called it the appetite of dragons. It was twice what he’d usually eat, and still he was hungry after that.

Come the next morning, they reported to Keeper Yunillia by the southern barracks.

“Look who we have here, Yuni,” a man said, grinning. “Little Cela! You’re all grown up.”

“Keeper Yunillia,” Celaine said, stepping forward excitedly and bowing her head. “It is an honour.”

“Celaine!” she said fondly. “It has been too long. I’m glad to see you doing well. You look so much like you’re sister. I see you’ve grown into her bow.”

“I’m trying to,” Celaine said.

“I’m looking forward to seeing what you can do,” she said. “Myra was one of my best hunters. I know you’ll do well.” Her eyes fell onto Hump. “Now onto the wizard. What do you think of being blooded?”

“It’s still taking some getting used to,” Hump said. “But I’m stronger. I can tell that much already.”

“Well you’ll find out just how much today,” she said. “We’re to reclaim a temple that was claimed by the lich’s undead. It has direct access to an essence well connected to the spring. We must cleanse it. Higri, get them geared up.”

He nodded. “You got it.” He approached quickly, a box in hand. Potions, small pouches, and a pendant around a piece of string. “You get separated, you break that pendent,” he explained. “We’ll come find you.”

Hump put it all on and then joined the other hunters. Fifteen Chosen led by a gold ranked Dragon Keeper. It was a force that even Sheercliff could not have matched, and somehow, he was a part of it.

With any luck, they wouldn’t get him killed.