The Blue Mage Raised by Dragons

by Virlyce

  “Coming right up.”

  Sophie turned towards Aran. “What’s the plan for today, boss?”

  “We’ve accomplished 14 SSS-ranked missions since we ranked up four years ago. One more and we can finally go to Fuselage,” Aran replied, his expression grim. “I already picked one.”

  “Without us? Ouch, boss, that hurts,” the man with the blue bandana said as he clutched his own chest and smiled.

  “Shut up, Zeke,” the man with the black vest said. “Let him finish.” He nodded at Aran.

  “We’re going to the Fountain of Youth,” Aran said and raised his hand to stop his group from speaking. “It’s the first triple-S that’s appeared in the past three months.”

  “What’s the rush?” Sophie asked with a frown. “We could’ve waited for a different one.”

  Zeke licked his lips and narrowed his eyes at Sophie. “Scared?” he asked with a smile on his face. “We stole a dragon’s egg for heaven’s sake. You’re scared of the fountain?”

  “As if,” Sophie said and snorted. “I’m just wondering why we’d go to the riskiest place for our last mission before Fuselage.”

  Aran furrowed his brow before exhaling. “You know I’m almost 50,” he said.

  The group fell silent.

  “Then we’re all in agreement?”

  ***

  Lindyss yawned as she leaned back in her skeletal rocking chair. She was in her mini-boss room with Vur floating in the air in front of her. His arms and legs were crossed while his eyes were closed. A constant flow of wind was keeping his body afloat, pushing up from below. Lindyss wiped away the tears that formed from her yawn before nodding. “It’s been two weeks and your control has gotten to a barely acceptable level,” she said to the naked boy.

  Vur smiled, showing his teeth. “This is fun,” he said as he loosened his body and stretched. The instant he did, his body rocketed upwards and crashed through the ceiling, leaving a human-shaped hole. A few seconds later, he fell to the floor with a thud. A moan escaped from his lips as he sat up and clutched his head. “That wasn’t so fun.”

  Lindyss facepalmed while Vur rocked back and forth on the floor. “You need to concentrate harder. Too much and aero will launch you, too little and you won’t get off the ground,” she said.

  “I know,” Vur said as he looked up and pouted. “It’s just hard.”

  “Tough,” Lindyss said and snorted. “Do it again.”

  Vur was about to protest, but Lindyss glared at him, stifling his words. He nodded and closed his eyes, letting streams of wind push his body into the air. A few more human-shaped holes were created that morning, but Vur was able to float without crashing by noon. When he managed to maintain his position for an hour, Lindyss stopped him.

  “Are you ready to learn more spells?” she asked with a smile. Her voice was cloying when she spoke, and her eyes glinted. “I’m not too sure which of my spells a blue mage can learn, so I’ll hit you with everything. Try not to die.” She hummed as black orbs manifested in the air around her.

  Vur trembled as he took a step backwards. “A-aren’t you enjoying this too much?” he asked as his back came into contact with the room’s wall.

  “It’s just your imagination, Chibi Grimmy,” Lindyss said and laughed. The orbs flew through the air and whimpers rang throughout the cave.

  When the moon began to rise, Lindyss exited the dungeon and stretched her arms towards the sky, arching her back. There was a smile plastered on her face, and she ran her fingers through her hair, brushing the light-brown locks behind her pointed ears. At the cave entrance, a flock of bats and a basilisk appeared. On top of the eight-legged beast, Vur was sleeping, using Snuffles’ body as a pillow. Despite the nonstop screaming that occurred throughout the day, his body was completely uninjured. She smiled at the sleeping boy and placed her hand on his forehead. He mumbled something and turned over onto his side.

  The basilisk turned its head to look at its owner, and Lindyss flicked its nose. “What?” she asked. The basilisk shook its head before facing forward. Lindyss hopped onto its scaly back, and it began to run through the forest. The cloud of bats dispersed through amongst the trees while a few decided to stick around, crawling into Lindyss’ hair and clothes.

  Lindyss wasn’t sure when she fell asleep, but she woke up to Vur shaking her. “Where are we going?” he asked, looking around at the moving scenery. They were still atop the basilisk which hadn’t stopped running through the night.

  “On an adventure,” Lindyss said as she rubbed the crud out of her eyes. She sat up and yawned. The moon was still shining overhead. She had probably gotten less than an hour of sleep. A sigh escaped from her lips as she smoothed out the tangles in her hair. “Since you’re my student, I’m going to have you learn everything I can.”

  She patted the basilisk’s back, and its pace slowed. “Make him fight the goblin chieftain, but don’t let him die,” she said. The basilisk bobbed its head as Lindyss hopped to the ground and created a shelter by manipulating the earth.

  “Auntie?” Vur asked.

  “I hate the sun,” Lindyss said. “Come back after you learn all the goblin chieftain’s skills. Try not to kill him if you can help it.”

  “But—”

  Lindyss snapped her fingers, and the basilisk darted away. She let out a yawn as she lit a fire at the entrance of her makeshift shelter before curling up and falling asleep. The last thing she heard before she fell asleep was a distant goblin alarm call.

  A few days later, Vur, Lindyss, and Snuffles were riding on the basilisk’s back. They had traveled through twenty different monster habitats with Lindyss forcing Vur to learn their skills. There was only one mishap where he was swallowed by a miro, a giant tree-like monster with tentacles and fangs. Snuffles had to save him because the basilisk’s gaze didn’t do anything to the creature, and Lindyss didn’t want to get her hands dirty. Miros stank.

  “Are we there yet?” Vur asked. He squeezed Snuffles as he lifted his head to look up at Lindyss who was sitting behind him. She was braiding his hair while humming.

  “Almost.”

  “You said that yesterday,” Vur said and pouted.

  “And I’ll say it again tomorrow when you ask,” Lindyss replied with a smile.

  One of the bats hiding in Lindyss’ hair spoke up and asked, “Is it fine to leave the fountain for so long, Master?”

  “What if adventurers invade?” another bat chimed in.

  “Shouldn’t you have left some of us behind?”

  “Hush, Master is all-knowing and wise.”

  “Master’s the best.”

  “But she didn’t help me when I was drowning.”

  “Second best?”

  “It’s fine,” Lindyss said and rolled her eyes. “This brat drank it all. You guys couldn’t stop adventurers if they came anyway. Who cares if a few drops are taken?”

  “Master cares for us.”

  “As I thought, she’s the best.”

  “But….”

  “Quiet, it’s your fault for not knowing how to swim.”

  ***

  The Red Blade Adventurers walked through the glowing, green cave entrance. Aran and Sophie were following a man dressed in a blue robe, while Zeke and the black-vested man stood behind Claire who was wearing a white robe.

  “This is strange,” Claire said and raised her staff to her chest. “It’s too quiet.”

  “Are there any traps, Zul?” Aran asked. The blue-robed man shook his head.

  “It’s all clear. I detect traces of magic, but it’s faint,” he said as he trudged along, a web of runes floating in the air in front of his chest.

  “I don’t like it,” Sophie said, clutching her short sword. She was dressed in a red robe with leather armor underneath. “Should we turn back?”

  “We already came all this way and now you want to turn back? Where’s that fearless ogre spirit?” Zeke asked with a smile, adjusting the bandana on his head.

  The man with t
he black vest shook his head. “Stay vigilant,” he said. “Too many adventurers have died here.”

  Zeke snorted. “Isn’t that why you’re here, Ross? To rez us when we die?” Zeke asked.

  “Dying’s painful; let’s not do that please,” Sophie said.

  Zul raised his hand as his web of runes flickered with a bright light. The group halted and clutched their weapons. “The concentration of magic is a lot higher here. It’s most likely the mini-boss or boss room,” Zul said. He furrowed his brow as he double-checked his runes.

  “Already? But we haven’t even done anything yet,” Claire said.

  “Group buffs,” Aran said. “And don’t forget antipetrify. Rumors have it that a basilisk is the mini-boss.” A white light encircled the group and faded as Claire raised her staff to cast shield: physical, shield: magical, and antipetrify. Aran pushed open the door with his foot while wielding his red greatsword. The group inched in with their weapons raised and checked their surroundings.

  “It’s empty?” Zeke asked, but didn’t lower his daggers.

  “It looks like it? Look. The stairs going down already appeared,” Claire said and pointed with her staff.

  “Uh, guys…? Look up,” Sophie said while staring at the ceiling.

  “Are those human-shaped … holes?” Zul asked with wide eyes. The group stared at the ceiling without moving.

  Ross adjusted his vest. “Should we keep going?” he asked, breaking the silence.

  Aran nodded. “It seems like something happened; if we’re lucky, we’ll be able to get to the fountain without a hassle,” he said. The group proceeded down the stairs and traveled with their weapons still raised.

  “I think we reached the boss room,” Zul said after the adventurers traveled through winding tunnels and encountered several dead ends. They had arrived at a room with a giant crater at the center. A few inches of liquid could be seen at the bottom.

  “This is the Fountain of Youth?” Aran asked as he led the group down the crater. “Why is it so empty? Was it relocated?”

  Claire raised her staff and pointed it at the puddle. “Scan,” she said. A moment passed as she held her staff with her eyes closed. “It’s definitely the fountain. That water is the water of life: restores age, boosts health recovery, and increases magic resistance when drunk.”

  “I think that’d be of most use to me,” Zeke said with a grin as he reached into his bag and pulled out a cup, “because I’m always drunk.”

  Claire smacked his head. “Not that kind of drunk. Drank,” she said. “There’s enough for seven cups. Barely enough for all of us and the quest. I heard from someone who heard from a fairy that the fountain refills at a rate of one cup a day, so a week must’ve passed since it was last drained.”

  Aran nodded. “Let’s clear it and leave,” he said. “I don’t want to stay here any longer than we have to.”

  “Guys, there’s still a door over there in the corner,” Zeke said and pointed at a conspicuously evil-looking door. Several non-human skulls decorated its exterior, and a black mist seemed to be leaking out of the bottom and sides.

  “Ignore it,” Aran said. “We got what we came for.”

  Zeke frowned, but he turned around and followed the group as they left.

  ***

  Vur gulped as he craned his neck at the giant insect in front of him. Its red mandibles clacked together as four giant legs sprang out of the sandy ground. The ant-like creature dashed at him, lunging forward with the scythe-like protrusions on its face. “I don’t like this,” Vur yelled as he dodged a mandible that was as thick as a tree. “Make it stop!”

  Lindyss smiled as she sat on the edge of a thirty-foot deep circular pit with Snuffles sitting in her lap. The moon was bright and shone on the antlion which was chasing a black speck, Vur, in the pit. Countless ant corpses littered the floor, but their bodies were gradually disappearing into the ground. Lindyss cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled down, “Watch out, there’s another one behind you.”

  A pair of mandibles sprung out of the sand and moved towards the speck. Snuffles snuffled and looked up at Lindyss. “Don’t worry, he’ll be fine,” she said as she rubbed the boar’s head. A few seconds later, the ant pounced on the speck, and the speck disappeared.

  “Oh. Or not,” she said as a wrinkled formed on her forehead. “I guess I spoke too soon.” She placed Snuffles down and cracked her neck before jumping into the pit.

  A few minutes later, a naked boy covered from head to toe with slime was crying on top of the cliff. Lindyss wiped her hands on a towel as she stared down at Vur and asked, “Do you see why you need a weapon now?”

  Vur shot her a dirty look and wiped the snot off his face with the back of his hand. Earlier that night, Lindyss had told Vur about weapons and Vur claimed he didn’t need one saying, “I can blow up anything with magic.” He was promptly covered with honey and thrown into the first antlion pit she found.

  “That wasn’t fair,” Vur said as he shook his head like a dog trying to get water out of its coat. Slime flew everywhere, but all of the drops approaching Lindyss stopped an inch away from her before dropping to the ground. “There were too many of them. I ran out of mana.”

  Lindyss laughed. “Fair doesn’t matter if you’re dead,” she replied.

  Vur frowned but didn’t say anything.

  “Go take a bath. You smell like stomach juices,” Lindyss said and pinched her nose.

  Half an hour later, Vur smelled better and was lying down, chewing on an antlion’s leg. “Where do I get a weapon?” Vur asked after he swallowed a mouthful of meat and carapace.

  “Oh? The mighty dragon needs one now?” Lindyss asked with a smile that showed her fangs. “What changed your mind?”

  Vur pouted. “You were right.”

  Lindyss patted his head. “Of course I was right. I’m always right,” she said and took out a dagger. “You can have this.”

  Vur took the red dagger and ran his fingers over the runes etched on the side.

  “Most blue mages use swords, but you’re a bit minute,” Lindyss said. “Its name is Lust. Take good care of it.”

  Vur caressed the dagger’s edge before turning his gaze on Lindyss. He furrowed his brow and asked, “Where should I keep it?”

  Lindyss snorted. “In your pants.”

  ***

  Prika yawned as she lifted her head off the boulder she was resting on. Her neck curved towards the silver dragon curled up below her. Her wings spread out and flapped twice before resting by her sides. She picked a piece of bone out of her teeth using her claws before asking, “How many towns do you think they’ll burn this time?”

  Leila sighed. “At least eighty. You know how Grimmy gets when he’s mad.”

  Prika nodded. The dragons had spent over a week searching for Vur or a sign of his aura, but none of them were able to find anything. Prika and Leila were guarding the hoard while Sera, Grimmy, and Vernon were taking out their anger on nearby human and demon villages. Sera had uprooted the remains of the sacred tree and set them on fire when she heard Vur went missing, but she didn’t hurt any of the elves because of her promise to her father. Their village was left in ruins however, and they were forced to relocate several mountain ranges away.

  “I hope he’s alright,” Prika said and rested her head on her paws, looking in the direction of the wilderness’ border. She thought she saw a faint golden speck flying in the air. She shrugged and closed her eyes. It was probably Vernon.

  The golden speck was indeed Vernon, and he was flying over a group of human soldiers. He roared and crashed to the ground like a golden meteor, scattering the fortunate soldiers and crushing the unfortunate ones. His knees bent on impact, and his tail thrashed into the midst of the small army, breaking through their defenses like a hot knife through screaming butter.

  “Sera,” he said as he swiped his tail again and knocked over a company of a dozen soldiers, “we should leave now.” His mate was surrounded by burning building
s and charred corpses. Clouds of ash hung in the air, and the ground was blackened. Soldiers encircled the town, trembling as they watched the two dragons.

  Sera snorted and flew into the air, spewing a frigid breath filled with icicles out of her mouth at the soldiers one last time. They screamed while Vernon spread his wings and leapt after Sera.

  “They’re starting to respond now. It’ll be dangerous if we continue,” Vernon said. “Grimmoldesser’s already heading back.”

  Sera didn’t respond, but she continued to fly south. Her eyes were narrowed and blood dripped from her body. A few of her scales were missing. Below the two dragons, the plain’s previous green and brown appearance had transformed into a sea of ash and scorched earth.

  ***

  Tafel and Dustin held their breaths, sitting behind a table with a crystal orb placed on it. Images of blackened earth and dying soldiers were playing on the orb’s surface. Tafel’s face paled as a company of human soldiers turn into a fine mist of blood as thousands of icicles rained down on them.

  “Dustin,” Tafel asked, her lips trembling. “Why don’t they kill all the dragons?”

  “That’s impossible,” Dustin said, his face expressionless. He sighed and touched the orb’s surface. The images disappeared.

  “But why? Couldn’t we kill them if every adventurer went?”

  “Dragons aren’t stupid,” Dustin replied. “They’d just fly over and burn our capitals to the ground before we reached them. There’s not that many groups strong enough to fight against a dragon. Besides, everything in the wilderness is hostile towards us. It wouldn’t be easy to get to the dragon’s roost with a large group.”

  “What if we teleport?”

  “Too much mana,” Dustin said and shook his head. “Believe me, the adventurers’ guild has thought about it many times.”

  “But—”

  “No buts; besides, the dragons keep the scary things in check,” Dustin said.

  “Aren’t the dragons the scary things?” Tafel asked while tilting her head.

  “No. Dragons usually don’t bother us. It’s only in the past few years that they’ve been acting up.” Dustin shook his head. “Something must’ve made them angry.”