Fall of the Last Dragon Rider - 024 Enduring Pain (Patreon)

“That seems like a foolish idea, but like you said, it might actually work.”

“I know!” Ava exclaimed after Kaen heard her idea.  “I mean, think about it. You have a poison-resist skill and a disease-resist skill now.  Almost no one ever gets those because no one can endure those things and survive.”

Kaen scratched the side of his cheek a few times, feeling his nails dig deeper than usual and trying to remember the last time he had trimmed them.

“So you want Pammon and Amaranth to take us to the adventurers guild and let people use magic on me… all with the hope that I can gain a resist skill to those types… if I didn’t know better, someone might think you were trying to finally kill me.”

Ava pinched his side, ignoring that Kaen barely reacted more than a slight shift at her touch.

“But it makes sense if you really think about it.”

Kaen nodded, still not exactly sure how much he wanted to stand there while people used offensive spells on him.  Ava’s point that he might never know when a fire or lightning resist ability might be useful.  Especially if fighting dragons.

“I guess we will have to talk to Pammon and them in a moment. They are almost here.”

“I know,” Ava declared.  “You seem to forget that I can feel her when she is close enough.”

Kaen nodded.  It would take him some time to get used to that.

-----

Have you done something to upset your mate?  It seems like this idea should warn you to sleep with one eye open.

Pammon thrummed, not caring that Kaen wasn’t laughing at his joke.

Seriously though, it makes sense and you know it.  Are you willing to take me there?

We have nothing else to do at the moment.  Amaranth has told me she is already on board with this idea even if I was not.  So whenever you are ready we can go.

“Looks like we are ready here,” Kaen stated, shifting the backpack he already had on, knowing Pammon would fly him regardless of the way he felt.

“I’m already ready!” Ava shouted and Kaens swapped his vision to Pammon’s eyes, seeing Ava was already latched in on Amaranth.

Those two… what is it you wanted to talk to me about? Does it have to do with the two of them?

Slightly but no.  Climb on and we will talk on the way.

-----

At some point you need to let Ava be bound to a dragon.  If we survive this and when more eggs come, you need to allow her to become a dragon rider.

I thought we had decided it wouldn’t be good for her to have either of these two.  Why now?

Because the longer you wait the more she will start to question why you have not let it happen.  Years will pass and she will age and since we do not know how many more eggs will be born here, you cannot risk not giving her the first chance at the next one.  I can only imagine how you will feel as you watch her grow old… the pain you will experience when you have to bury her and have another century or more to live.

Tharnok shared with me how much it hurt Elies when a woman he had grown fond of died.  After that he swore off those kinds of relationships.

The guild was quickly approaching and Kaen knew he only had about another minute before they landed.

I do not have a problem with this.  So what do I need to do?

Tell her.  Let her know that when the next eggs come, the first shall be hers.  Tell her why you want her to have it.

Did Amaranth tell you to say this?

Pammon snorted, his head shaking at Kaen’s question.

She mentioned to me the need for you and Ava to be joined like this.  She knew I would tell you what I have because Amaranth knows how much I care for both of you.

Sighing, Kaen tapped the scale on Pammon’s neck as they prepared to land.

I know.  Thank you for telling me this.

Pammon thrummed slightly as the ground raced toward them.

Just know, I am looking forward to seeing Ava’s idea in action.

-----

Kaen began to regret agreeing to the plan Ava had come up with.

His body was sore and the smell of burning flesh was worse as his nose was now more acute when it came to scents.

Still he was amazed at how right his wife had been.

Two healers were standing by and Amaranth was just a few yards away, occasionally healing him when he needed it.

Ava had not been excited that Herb required her to be the one to test this out.  Her fire magic control was good and so she had sent small attacks with barely any power at him for a few.

Eventually Kaen had told her to try harder and the first fireball she sent left Kaen without any chest hair.

He saw the next fire spell enter his view of magic and wanted to dodge it, knowing that he could but instead stood there, taking another hit to his midsection.

[ Fire Resistance +1 ]

“Eleven,” Kaen stated, not allowing himself to groan or his voice to crack.

“It’s coming faster!” Ava shouted in reply. “The stronger the attack the faster your skill gains have been!”

You should see the look of excitement on her face.  It is almost as if she is enjoying taking turns with the other two mages to burn you.

Which is why I’m not using your eyes to see that… I can’t say this feels great but the truth is most of these spells do less than a sixth or so of my life per attack.  The others barely did anything.

Do not worry.  Once you hit twenty, I will get involved.

Kaen groaned, nodding to Ava even though he couldn’t see her and saw as the next spell came, striking his stomach.

You do look quite amazing in those shorts Herb found for you.  I understand why you didn’t want to wear your dragon armor.

Kaen grunted.  Motioning with his hand for another spell.

It’s because… pain came through the bond as a fireball from Ava struck him in the stomach again, sending flames over his body.

[ Fire Resistance +1 ]

Sighing, Kaen held up his hand for them to stop and turned to Amaranth.  “Can I get a heal please.”

The green dragon moved forward with her snout, it began to fill with power and Kaen stood there in awe every time he saw it.  The magic flowed from inside the dragon's chest, up her neck and to the tip of her snout.

He saw it flow from her and into him the moment she put it against his chest, breathing better as the burns and sores disappeared.

Your natural healing is amazing to watch when combined with my spell.  I do not remember any dragons recovering so naturally as you do.  Ava was wise to pick a mate with a high constitution like yourself.

Kaen began to cough and Pammon started to thrum.

“Thank you,” he finally got out after catching his breath.

Your wife has ruined that poor dragon.  The things she tells me now… I’m not certain which is worse, her or Glynnis.

Kaen motioned for another spell, tightening his core and waiting for it to come.

As I was saying, the fire resistance the greaves and chest piece give would most likely hinder the potential gains I have had so far.

Well you do look foolish standing in those leather shorts and that bag over your head.

Kaen grumbled.  He had only looked once at the spectacle that he was.  Herb had found a pair of fireproof shorts, used by some crafter that could withstand most fire spells.  It fit him well. The bag over his head came from the same blacksmith, again resistant to fire.  It smelled like coal and burnt metal and now the scent of burnt flesh.

The things we do to get stronger… Elies would be proud.

Kaen felt a sense of pride come through their bond.

You honor him even now by your willingness to endure anything.

-----

Kaen let Ava lead him to their bed and when he felt it bump against his legs, plopped down on it.

Amaranth was almost asleep as well and Kaen had seen just how tired Ava and the green dragon both were.

The light that shimmered inside them and was trapped by their skin was almost gone.  Each had used everything they had to help him in this endevour.

Once he had hit level twenty and no more gains came, Pammon had taken over.

The pain still lingered in his mind as Amaranth healed while he put his hand into the small fire his friend had created on the ground.

His flesh had started to melt away, his muscles feeling like they wanted to vanish only for the healing that Amaranth had poured into him to regrow it as it vanished.

No pain in his life had compared to what he had felt in that moment.

Every ounce of willpower kept him from pulling his hand out.

Pammon had poured his own lifeforce into Kaen, giving strength in that moment.

Kaen winced as he felt the pillow against his face, remembering what he heard Ava say once they were done.

“I’ve never heard a man scream as loud or as long as you did.”

He couldn’t recall screaming.  His lifestone was burning with every ounce of power that he could hold onto through the pain that wanted him to black out.

The skill gains had flown by so fast at first.

Time had lost all meaning but he saw when it said his Fire Resistance had evolved at thirty.  It felt like it had happened quickly but the world felt different in that moment.

The pain diminished slightly, his flesh not dissolving like a piece of paper thrown into a fire. It took longer for his skin to vanish and instead bubbled and warped in weird ways before being reshaped to how it was supposed to be around his arm and hand.

Everything had been a race against time.  How much he could endure, how long that Amaranth could heal him, the amount of life force Pammon could share.

Slowly the burning lessened and as he hit thirty-nine it began to almost feel cool against his skin.  The fire burned but not like a flame.

It was more like a cold burning sensation.  Metal so cold it would burn.

He asked Pammon to do it once more. Make fire that was slightly hotter.

Without protesting his dragon had done it.  A stream of what Kaen could only imagine lava felt like emerged, drenching his arm from the elbow down.

He had shuddered, screaming once more but then it came.

[ Fire Resistance has evolved to Dragon Breath Immunity - Fire ]

The pain stopped.

The burning stopped.

No longer did his flesh melt away.

No longer did Amaranth have to heal.

The flames did not bother him at all.

Pammon had been in shock just as much as he was.  Neither was sure it was even possible.

Herb had called him insane.  The truth was Kaen knew he was.

Yet there were no other options.

This fight would require everything and Kaen couldn’t risk being weak.

Carefully he had wiped the dragon fire off his arm.

He could finally use Pammon’s eyes again to make sure that no flames were left on him.

Once it was all gone his lifestone gave out.

Pammon had cut the strength he had shared.

It took Ava and Herb and some help from Amaranth to get him onto Pammon.

The flight over here felt like a dream.

Lying on the bed felt better than anything he could remember in so long.

Then sleep came.

And he relived the pain of the past moments.