“Uhhh… guys? Everybody pick a drake and intercept it. Distract it.”
The humans all happily obliged, stepping forward and calling out to the little ones, waving hands, making smoochy noises, even holding out more treats and waving them around. Bjurstrom produced some kind of squeaky toy and moved to one side, squeaking it at one of the black drakes. He noted the questioning looks from the others, just shrugging. “Don’t judge me because I came prepared.”
Unfortunately for him, the squeaky toy got the attention of four of the little drakes, and he was quickly mobbed as they all tried to grab it. “Help!” he held it high above his head and laughed as the determined little monsters tried to climb him. Helen and Dawn rushed to his rescue, Amanda not far behind.
For the next fifteen minutes, the humans engaged the little drakelings, eventually separating them and distracting them with treats, scratches, wrestling, and lots of baby talk. Daniel even engaged one of the yellows in a game of tug using a short piece of rope he’d pulled from his ring.
Allistor, who had left the drake wrangling to the others, watched with a wide smile on his face. He noted that the silver had somehow gotten herself back onto William’s belly and appeared to have fallen asleep, the boy happily stroking the side of her neck.
Bjurstrom and the black drakeling were playing fetch with the squeaky toy. He would toss it into the nearby pool of water, and the little fella wobbled over to the edge, diving into the water where it immediately became much more graceful. It would disappear under the surface, emerging under the toy like a great white snatching up a seal, giving it a few good squeaks as it turned and swam back to the edge. When it returned with the toy, Bjurstrom had to wrestle it free of the tiny jaws, the drakeling growling and twitching its tail.
Amanda joined Allistor, placing her arm in his as they watched their people bond with the cute little monsters. Helen had, unsurprisingly, chosen a green forest drake to play with. She was sitting on the floor, legs crossed, with the drakeling on its back in her lap. She alternately rubbed and scratched its belly, being rewarded with a sort of purring sound and lazily waving feet. The end of its tail twitched occasionally, slapping against the floor.
Over near the door with his yellow drakeling, Daniel let out a disgusted groan, then laughed. When the others turned to him, he shook his head. “Damned thing just farted. Master Daigath was right about the yellows being sulfur drakes. That’s just nasty.” He waved a hand in front of his nose, but was grinning as he did so.
Allistor turned to Daigath, who was sitting on the floor with a green drakeling climbing up onto his shoulder. As it wrapped itself around his neck, the old elf tickled under its jaw.
“Looks like you’ve found a new friend.” Allistor smiled at the old elf.
“For now, yes. Though I won’t bond with him. I’ve had many bonded companions over the millennia, and outlived them all. Drakes are not as long-lived as dragons, or elves. Though they will likely outlive some of you humans. Being part of the System, your lives will be greatly extended, but I’m afraid I don’t know for how long.”
Allistor became concerned. “What happens if a drake bonds with one of my people, and that person dies?”
Daigath shrugged, disturbing the sleepy drakeling, who honked in complaint. He petted its head and made soothing sounds for a moment, apologizing. “One of several things. It may decide to take another bond. Or wander off into the wild and live out its life alone. Some have been known to simply perish along with their bonded, having lost their will to live. Others have gone berserk and tried to kill anything and everything in sight. Some of those were able to be calmed, others had to be put down.” He paused for a moment as if remembering a particular incident.
“Bear in mind, bonding with drakes is not a popular practice. They are volatile, and often difficult to control. They are rarely trainable, and don’t serve a purpose in most cases. Some are used as guard beasts, protecting estates that can afford to feed them. Generally though, they are more trouble than they’re worth.”
Goodrich, who was feeding bits of a chocolate bar to a white drakeling, overheard. “I’m totally bonding with this one!” He nodded at the white, offering another chunk of chocolate on his open palm, which the tiny creature daintily took by wrapping its tongue around it. “You said the whites are frost drakes, right? I’m gonna train this one, and have ice cold beers and sodas for life!”
Daigath and the others within earshot laughed, and the elf nodded his head. “You may indeed have success with training it to perform such simple tasks, like using its magic on command. Especially if you begin your training early.” He paused as the little white chirped a demand at Goodrich, who quickly broke off another bit of chocolate. “It will be a week or so before they’ll be able to use their magic. Until then, they will eat almost constantly, only pausing to sleep when their bellies are full. And I’m afraid their food consumption will only increase as they grow larger, until they are full grown. At which point they may only need to eat every month or so.”
Allistor imagined that thirty or so growing drakes could put a strain on their food supply. He’d have to either detail some people to make sure they were all fed, or put the responsibility on the people they bonded with.
Daigath noted his thoughtful look, and grinned. “Do not worry. Drakes have strong survival instincts, and are excellent hunters. Once they’ve grown into their magic, they’ll be able to hunt for themselves, killing bugs, small mammals, fish, birds, whatever presents itself. They’ll have to be taught right from the start that small humans are not food. And I recommend keeping them away from your chickens and rabbits.”
Helen, always thinking ahead, asked, “What about breeding them? Can we use this flock to create more?”
Andrea chimed in. “Hell yeah! Drake-mounted air corps!”
Daigath looked around at the nearly three dozen little monsters. “Generally among each generation an alpha male and female will emerge. In this case, the silver will almost certainly be the alpha female, and the matron of the group due to her increased intelligence. Whichever male emerges as the alpha of his gender will be subservient to her. While any of the males and females may mate, only the eggs of the alphas will be allowed to mature.”
McCoy spoke up from near the back, where he was petting a crimson drake. “So, if the others breed, we can make drake egg omelettes. Imagine the kind of buffs we’d get from those!”
Eventually, the drakelings all drifted off to sleep, and Daniel called for everyone to clear the room and let them rest in peace. Eight of the drakelings woke when their chosen human tried to leave, and began to whine and honk loudly, refusing to be left behind.
“Those have bonded already. You should either remain with them here, or take them away with you.” Daigath advised.
William’s little silver was one of those who’d bonded, not to anyone’s surprise. Also Bjurstrom’s black, Goodrich’s white, Helen’s green, Daniel’s yellow, along with two blues and a red that had adopted humans. The folks who hadn’t been chosen grumbled a bit, and asked to come back to try again. Allistor left that up to Daniel, with Daigath to advise him.
Taking his squire, who was now cradling the little silver like a newborn in his arms, Allistor and Amanda made their way back to Invictus tower. The moment they got back to their quarters, Syd and Addy mobbed the little boy and his sleeping drakeling. The three of them went off to his room to “create a nest for her”, the girls already demanding a chance to go bond with drakes of their own. Amanda promised they could go first thing in the morning, and advised them to bring along plenty of snacks.
“When you get there, try singing to them.” Allistor advised. “But be prepared to be mobbed.”
*****
Hel watched with satisfaction as the human prince mercilessly killed yet another human who opposed him, then intimidated the others in a small settlement. She was developing a fondness for the man, and saw great potential in him. During his short tenure within the Collective,
he had excelled at navigating the newly imposed System, thriving beyond all expectation. He had made powerful friends and allies, and defeated powerful enemies. The rewards for which now included a pair of eternity gates.
Breathing out in a long sigh that caused the mists to briefly part in front of her before filling the void again, she waved her tentacles in a languorous manner that among her people was an expression of regret. Yes, she was growing fond of this Allistor. But that would not stop her from killing him, framing her father for the crime, and bringing Odin’s wrath down upon him.
Loki had come to her not long ago, ranting about the human. Unaware that Hel had witnessed Baldur’s threat against him, and his directive to protect the human, Loki had pressed his daughter to find a way to eliminate Allistor without the deed being traced back to her, of course. Aware that he was counting on her rebellious nature and almost pathological need to disobey her father, Hel had walked a thin line with her response.
She could not simply agree to her father’s request, or he would have been instantly suspicious. At the same time, outright refusing to eliminate the human, when her father was surely aware of her previous actions against him, would raise alarms as well. The two of them had played this game for ages. Punch, and counterpunch. Scheming and plotting against each other, and sometimes together against a common foe. The truth was, Loki would be suspicious of her no matter how she responded.
So she went on the offensive, attempting to distract him. She’d first tossed him a tiny sensor device she’d only just found in her rooms. One of the three that Loki had managed to keep hidden up to that point. Loki was long past being ashamed or incensed by the discovery, but she still enjoyed letting him know that she’d bested him again, and he disliked the enjoyment she derived from it. Hel added a few jabs that she knew he would feel. Despite his need to protect the human now, he still despised Allistor.
“Two eternity gates, father. The human is indeed impressive. Barely more than a year since his induction into the Collective, and starting with almost literally just the shirt on his back, he has accomplished great things. Given a century or so, he might even surpass your own accomplishments!”
Loki’s tentacles twitched briefly, and the mist around him rippled with barely restrained frustration. “He got lucky. The orb practically fell into his lap, and he only picked it up because he nearly tripped over it. A hairless monkey picking up a shiny new toy as he crawled about in the mud.”
“A very valuable shiny toy.” Hel exuded satisfaction at being able to push her father’s buttons. “His new planet will benefit greatly from the gate he places there. Already he’s leveraged that opportunity to create great wealth and power for himself. Space station, dungeon cores, the ability to raise the skills and levels of his entire populace. Not to mention the new alliance and defense pacts! All of this makes acting against him anonymously an order of magnitude more difficult.”
“I have faith in you, daughter.” Loki transmitted pride and encouragement through the mists to her. Hel felt no falsity in any of it. Her father was, after all, the trickster, the god of deception. “I would eliminate him myself, but Baldur is watching me more closely than ever before. He does not currently suspect you of wanting to harm the boy, though, being aware of the assistance you provided in the form of that void titan scroll.”
Hel adopted an innocent stance, her tentacles hanging loosely at her sides. “I have no idea what you mean, father.” Did he think her a fool? Admitting to violating the non-interference directives on a planet still in Stabilization would result in her instant destruction by the System.
“Of course, of course.” Loki turned toward the door. “In any case, should the young prince come to grievous harm in the immediate future, I would be willing to reward you accordingly.”
As the door closed behind her departing father, Hel shook her head. How surprised would he be when she not only fulfilled his request, but did so in a way that ensured he would be blamed? As she moved toward her encrypted communications console, her thoughts turned to imagining just how Baldur would execute his promised vengeance.
*****
Agni walked into his nephew’s office moving as fast as his old bones could carry him. Which, since the apocalypse, was much faster than previously. He’d reached level eighteen, and found that putting three of his attribute points into Constitution and one into Agility had made him feel thirty years younger, at least.
“Rajesh. I have news of the prince!”
His nephew looked up from his desk, where he’d been reviewing his most recent market reports, wondering why his increased sales and accumulated wealth had not allowed him a new title. “What is it, uncle? And will you ever learn to call me Earl?”
“No.” The old man grinned at his nephew. “And our short wave radio operators have been picking up some chatter about Allistor. It seems he is using spaceships to send out teams of his citizens. They are claiming new lands, and seeking out settlements like ours and trying to recruit them to join him.”
Rajesh grew alarmed, and his voice went up in pitch. “Armed takeovers? How dare he?”
“No, Rajesh. Calm yourself.” The old man shook his head, taking a deep breath and sitting in one of the soft chairs across from his nephew. “I apologize. I should not have rushed in here and alarmed you. He is not taking them by force.” He paused, then restated. “Not the settlements occupied by humans, anyway. He has forcibly taken a few places that were infested with monsters. But one cannot hold that against him, yes?”
Rajesh took a moment to process the information. “No, one cannot complain about killing monsters. But if he is not using force, how is he taking the other settlements?”
“He offers friendship, and protection. His people bring food, weapons, and stories of thriving communities within his lands. They offer the chance to train one’s class skills, to get stronger. Some have joined, others have established alliances.”
“No threats?”
“None that we have heard about so far. And he certainly could threaten. His people are all reported to be much higher level than ours, some of them over level forty, all of them above thirty. The reports regarding their armor, weapons, spells… with the power they possess we could not prevent them from just taking your holdings if they wished it.”
Rajesh’s eyes widened. He was among the highest-leveled of his own people at thirty two. Most of his fighters were between level twenty and thirty, and the average of his general population was around level ten. Despite his uncle’s assurances, he felt his gut clench in fear.
“Rajesh, calm yourself.” Agni saw and recognized the look on his nephew’s face. “We must reach out to this prince, and propose an alliance. That is assuming you do not wish to simply join him as part of his kingdom. It may be that serving as a noble under him would be more profitable than becoming a prince on your own…”
Rajesh was already shaking his head. “I will be the next Prince of Earth!” he slammed his hand down on the desk.
“Fine, fine…” Agni patted the air between them, a calming gesture. “But let us at least make contact and request a meeting. Better to approach him now from a strong position as a fellow noble, than to wait and be ‘saved’ by his wandering recruiting teams.”
Rajesh leaned back in his chair, thinking hard. When he didn’t respond for several minutes, Agni tried again.
“Allistor is rapidly expanding his territory. Right now, he is motivated to be friendly and accommodating to those settlements he encounters. But should you wait too long, he might achieve whatever his goal may be, and lose that motivation. Lose his inclination to be friendly.” Rajesh was young, and prideful. Agni had hoped he wouldn’t have to reveal the stick, that the carrot would be enough to sway his nephew. But he was convinced that an alliance with Allistor was what was best for their people, and would do what was necessary to make that happen.
Rajesh closed his hands into fists, and the visible muscle movement along his jawline told Agni that he was cl
enching his teeth. But after a moment he relaxed and took a few deep breaths. “Very well, uncle. Please reach out to this prince. Send him greetings from Earl Rajesh and request that he join us for tea, or a meal, at his convenience.” His voice was flat, emotionless. This worried Agni.
“I will see it done, nephew.” was all he said as he rose and left the office. His heart thumped in his chest, and he was filled with a feeling of dread. The only other time he’d seen Rajesh behave in such a way, the boy had led a raiding party against some slavers who had killed his betrothed in a raid of their own. Though it cost Rajesh nearly half of his force, not one of the slavers had been left alive. Agni would need to find a way to calm his nephew, to alter his state of mind, before the more powerful prince arrived.
Chapter 6
Allistor felt like a zookeeper. Standing in the middle of the Wilderness Stronghold, he took in his surroundings Next to him was Helen, then Amanda, with her bear companion Fiona. William, Sydney and Addy were gathered around Fuzzy, who lay on his back nearby, his feet batting gently at four baby drakes who were happily ‘attacking’ him. There was a red drakeling that had bonded to Sydney, Helen’s green, and Addy’s was a blue. William’s silver, the alpha female of the recent brood, was sitting atop Fuzzy’s chest, watching him intently and snapping at his tongue every time it escaped his mouth. Allistor was slightly concerned that if she actually managed to clamp her jaws on it, either she or Fuzzy might be hurt.
They’d come to Wilderness in part to see Master Daigath, and to let the drakelings hunt small critters in the forest. But with the unruly little drakes, Allistor was beginning to second guess that decision. He was imagining having to chase them all through the woods, drakes and kids alike, when Amanda took his hand.
Shadow Sun Unification: Shadow Sun Book Five Page 8