by Sami Dougish
What happened next took me off guard. The circle I was standing in began to pulse wildly, and then two images materialized in front of my eyes. One was an exact replica of me. The other was an image of a dragon. What the hell was this?
“What is going on? And what was that blood flowing out of me all about?”
Raskorian rumbled, but replied, “Remember I told you that you cannot personally process blood essence? I, as a dragon, can. I had to process the power for you before your body could make use of it. As for the two images in front of you, they are paths to power. Once you access either of them, you will see a display that will show you an extensive list of boosts you can purchase for your body. This is what the blood essence points are for. I will let you discover the rest for yourself.”
I actually agreed with him, I needed to see this with my own eyes to understand what he was talking about. I reached out and touched the floating image of myself. Instantly, the replica expanded, until it matched my height as well as my appearance. Right afterwards to my confusion writing suddenly appeared in outlined boxes around the replica of me. They were a dark shade of red similar to the blood I had just absorbed.
Bodily improvements
Strength
Increase total musculature strength by 15 % for a cost of 20 blood points
Increase total musculature strength by 35% for a cost of 100 blood points
Increase total musculature strength by 75% for a cost of 500 blood points
Increase total musculature strength by 100% for a cost of 1500 blood points
Titan’s Might
Increase total musculature strength by 200% for a cost of 3000 blood points
Agility
Increase overall movement speed by 15 % for a cost of 20 blood points
Increase overall movement speed by 35% for a cost of 100 blood points
Increase overall movement speed by 75% for a cost of 500 blood points
Increase overall movement speed by 100% for a cost of 1500 blood points
Wind Disciple
Increase overall movement speed by 200% for a cost of 3000 blood points
Skeletal Integrity
Increase overall skeletal integrity by 15 % for a cost of 20 blood points
Increase overall skeletal integrity by 35% for a cost of 100 blood points
Increase overall skeletal integrity by 75% for a cost of 500 blood points
Increase overall skeletal integrity by 100% for a cost of 1500 blood points
Rock Giant’s Frame
Increase overall skeletal integrity by 200% for a cost of 3000 blood points
Scale Durability
Increase overall scale durability by 15 % for a cost of 20 blood points
Increase overall scale durability by 35% for a cost of 100 blood points
Increase overall scale durability by 75% for a cost of 500 blood points
Increase overall scale durability by 100% for a cost of 1500 blood points
Dragon Hide
Increase overall scale durability by 200% for a cost of 3000 blood points
What the hell was all this?! I looked awestruck at the tables of information before me. I apparently could actually use blood points to purchase upgrades to my body. I had never once heard of magic like this. Was this what dragons had done in the past? Buy upgrades to their bodies from blood essence?
Either way I didn’t care. This was incredible. At the fifth level of these upgrades, I could increase my body’s ability by 200%! The implications of that were astounding. I could only imagine what I could do with a hammer or trident if I was 200% stronger. The cost of the upgrades was staggering though at higher levels.
It would cost three-thousand blood essence points to acquire that upgrade. I did quick math in my head and realized that I would have to kill 1000 people alone just for that one level, and that wasn’t even counting the other levels of each upgrade, or the other categories either. I smirked though, I had met a lot of people in my life that deserved killing, and I was had spent most of my life in the Thuum kingdoms, and not the other thousands upon thousands of miles of land in the world. Yes, I had a feeling over time, I could definitely accomplish that. I was sure I would enjoy it too.
I was tempted to buy an upgrade immediately. I had the points to buy any first-tier upgrade, but I first wanted to examine what the benefits could be acquired from the dragon image. I touched the image of the dragon, and the image of me shrunk back down to its two feet height, and the dragon unfurled its wings, and did a small aerial loop. It stayed the same size, however. Still, words began to appear in the same way they had done earlier.
Draconic Vision
Able to increase the distance of effective sight by 20 feet for a cost of 50 blood points
Able to increase the distance of effective sight by 80 feet for a cost of 200 blood points
Able to increase the distance of effective sight by 200 feet for a cost of 1000 blood points
Able to increase the distance of effective sight by 500 feet for a cost of 2500 blood points
Eyes of the Dragon
Able to increase the distance of effective sight by 2000 feet for a cost of 4500 blood points
Draconic Hearing
Able to increase effectiveness of hearing by 15% for a cost of 50 blood points
Able to increase effectiveness of hearing by 30 % for a cost of 200 blood points
Able to increase effectiveness of hearing by 45% for a cost of 1000 blood points
Able to increase effectiveness of hearing by 60% for a cost of 2500 blood points
Ears of the Dragon
Able to increase effectiveness of hearing by 200% for a cost of 4500 blood points
Draconic Scent
Able to increase effectiveness of smell by 15% for a cost of 50 blood points
Able to increase effectiveness of smell by 30 % for a cost of 200 blood points
Able to increase effectiveness of smell by 45% for a cost of 1000 blood points
Able to increase effectiveness of smell by 60% for a cost of 2500 blood points
Predatory Scent
Able to increase effectiveness of sense smell by 200% for a cost of 4500 blood points
These upgrades were even more expensive than the bodily ones. Still, I wasn’t nearly drooling at the possibilities before me. If I could have clear vision from 100s of feet away, I could study dangers from a safe distance, and out of sight. This would be perfect for me, in towns and such as well, I wouldn’t need to avoid drawing attention to myself, and being able to observe things at a distance would make that exponentially easier.
The boosts to my already sharp hearing and sense of smell were intriguing as well. I already could taste scent on the air with my serpents’ tongue, and I could only imagine what I could pick up with my sense of smell with the massive boosts available.
I then saw another two smaller boxes appear under the first dragon boosts.
Nocturnal Predator
A one-time cost of 250 blood points, provides the ability to have increased vision at night
This upgrade was something I desperately wanted. The ability to see in the dark was a priceless ability. I knew some races had a natural ability to see in the dark, but my race, had no such benefit. If I could see in the dark, it would make traveling at night incredibly easier and safer. I would make buying this a priority in the future. I looked at the next upgrade, and grinned as I read what was available before me
Drake Claws
A one-time cost of 200 blood points replaces finger nails with retractable drake claws. These claws will grow back over time if broken.
This upgrade was something that I would have bought, even if just for spite. I had been vilified and enslaved because of my draconic appearance. Now that I was free, it seemed I could add another draconic feature to my body. Buying these claws gave me a feeling of defiance to those who enslaved me. That aside though, the ability to grow claws was fascinating. I would be able to fight exponentially better
bare-handed if I had a set of claws to augment my hands. Still, the cost was two-hundred points, and I wasn’t anywhere near that number yet, so I regretfully moved on.
I eagerly looked for more of the strange writing, excited to see what else I could buy, but I saw none. Despite the boosts offered here, I was surprised that the dragon tab had less than the bodily boosts did.
Raskorian, who seemed to read my mind, which it occurred to me he probably could as he was in my mind, said, “Further advancement down the path of the dragon, cannot be accessed until your body becomes better accustomed to the new power my soul offers you. Once you unlock more of the draconic powers already available to you, more options will begin to become available.”
That worked for me. I was extremely curious to know what else I could find in the future, but for now, these boosts were enough to keep me occupied for a long time. I couldn’t afford anything in this tab, so instead, I touched the image of me, and once again I was shown the list of available upgrades. I could currently afford the first tier of any of the upgrades, but I wasn’t sure what I should pick. The boosts available to my body’s natural durability were interesting, but I wanted something that would increase my combat power. I was about to attack an unknown group of bandits after all. That left me with speed and strength.
I chewed my lip as I pondered which to buy. For my size, I was actually quite agile, and a further boost to my movement speed would probably take many of my future opponents completely off guard. At the same time though, the ability to swing a hammer harder could make crushing heavily armored foes laughably easy.
Still for now, though I believed speed would have more uses then strength would overall. I could swing my hammer faster, as well as run faster. Seeing that I would need to cover some serious ground to get out of Thuum and increase in my movement would be a welcome boost.
I looked at the table of speed boosts and wasn’t quite sure how to pick the upgrade. I shrugged, and reached out with my hand, and touched the tier one boost to speed. The moment I touched it, the upgrade glowed, and then I watched, as the blood flowed out my body again, but this time instead of falling to the floor, it was sucked into the words of the upgrade. They pulsed a bright blood red, and then as quickly as it started it stopped, and blood was pulled back to my arms. The upgrade continued to glow though, and when I looked up, I saw the image of me pulse with light as well.
Hmm, I didn’t feel any different? Did it not work?
“Raskorian, I purchased one of the boosts, but I feel no different, what do I need to do?”
Raskorian looked at me, and even on the unfamiliar face of the dragon, I could read the look of irritation in his eyes.
“We are in your mind; those upgrades affect your body. Do you not think it prudent to leave your mindscape, and see what your physical body can do?” He said this all with exaggerated slowness as if talking to a child.
As much as his tone grated my nerves, he was right. Still, I was excited to see what my body could do now, and I promptly willed myself to flow back to my body. Several seconds later I was once again in control of my body.
As I regained my bodily control, I immediately felt different. The best way to put it was my body felt naturally more agile. Excitedly, I crawled back down the tree, and just the act of climbing down the tree felt a great deal more fluid, and balanced. I stepped on the ground and stood up straight. My body definitely felt more capable. My balance seemed to have improved, and I had a feeling that the increase in my overall speed also increased my balance, and reflexes along with my movement speed.
Wanting to test my newfound speed, I picked up the hammer and took a quick swing with the weapon. The speed at which the hammer moved caught me off guard. I had never been able to move this fast before. Excitedly, I ran through some quick forms of mine and marveled at the way the hammer seemed to dance through the air with graceful speed.
“Damn, I guess a 15% increase in my speed is more than I actually thought!”
This was incredible. Just that 15% boost had me moving with a significant more amount of agility. I grinned savagely, this would make my next task, all the easier. Out of curiosity though, I walked over to the edge of the clearing, and then spun around, and sprinted towards the other end of the clearing. The speed at which I managed to do this was impressive as well. I bounced from foot to foot, and it felt as if I had worn weights on my ankles my whole life, and only now had they been removed.
Nearly giddy with excitement, I spent the next thirty or so minutes either running back and forth, climbing trees, or leaping over objects. More than once I had tripped or stumbled in the dark, but I hadn’t cared at all. Though I had recently been beaten and battered by a river, I now felt better than I had in my entire life.
This feeling alone made me eager to unlock more of the dragon’s power. If just a 15% boost made me feel this good, I could only dream about what a 200% increase in my speed would be. This thought helped me focus my mind back on the band of bandits so conveniently several miles from my current position. They would be the perfect opportunity to gain even more blood essence.
“Do you now understand honor you should feel hosting my soul?” Raskorian asked from my head with a smug sounding tone.
“Honor, no. The benefit though, yes. You are the definition of a headache Raskorian, but at least now you are a headache with benefits.”
Raskorian didn’t answer immediately, until finally, he growled, “If you think you are in any way clever, you are not. Cleverness requires a degree of intelligence which you clearly lack. This is painfully obvious to me. You see I know reside in your mind, and I have been able to examine your thoughts. Suffice to say I am in no way impressed. I have seen more cerebral activity in solid rock than in your mind!”
I had no idea what cerebral activity was, but I assumed he was insulting my intelligence again. It irritated me, but I pushed the irritation aside, with my excitement over my new bodily capabilities. Still, I did need to get a move on, the longer I waited out here, the more likely I was to be attacked by a predator of the woods. Granted, nothing had attacked the torch-bearing bandits, even when they had built a fire, and boisterously celebrated, but there was no need to be careless. Still, before I went off and tried to find the village, I needed to see what useful items the bandits had on them.
Chapter 3
I made my way back to the fire, where most of the bodies were lying dead, and began to loot the corpses. I currently wore only the raggedly rough spun slave pants. They were torn and covered in a mix of blood, sweat, and grime. While I was taller, broader, and more heavily muscled than any of these men, I hoped that I could find something that at least came close to fitting my frame. It was strange to think that someone who, until only about a day ago, had been a slave, had a healthier body than a freeman. I had my owner’s greed to thank for that. One benefit of being put into the arenas was my diet had improved substantially. My owner had wanted me strong and fit for the arena, so he had ordered that I be given more food, to help keep me healthy. My wins in the arena had made the already rich man, even more gold, and he didn’t want to see his source of income lost due to a lack of proper food. This in turn had helped my already strong body, become even more heavily muscled and conditioned.
I gritted my teeth in anger as I thought of my owner. He had been the lord of one of the noble families in the capital city of Thuum. The family, which was named House Orthonus, was one of the oldest, and richest houses in Thuum. He had recently come to power apparently as his father had been killed in a suspicious accident. Many suspected that his son had been the one who had arranged it, but as far as I knew, no one had been able to confirm it. The man’s name was Anestor, and just the thought of his smug face made me want to kill something.
Still, I forced the thoughts of him to the back of my mind. I was free now, and I had work to do. The first four men had no clothes to speak of that came close to fitting me. When I came to Merric though, I was more hopeful. He was a big man himself.
Still smaller than me, but I hoped he had clothing that didn’t quite fit him. His shirt was covered in blood though, and I wouldn’t be using that. I guess ripping his throat out wasn’t the best option if I had wanted to preserve his clothing. Still, his pants seemed to be in decent condition.