by Aaron Oster
The Big D’s were three mutated humans who’d come out a notch above the rest, but were still below the standard he had for commanders. It wasn’t that they didn’t have the power, they merely lacked the temperament to lead. Instead, Octagon had assigned them as his special taskforce, those he sent out when a special mission needed to be done. He’d never had a reason to send them out thus far and used them as torturers instead. Now, though, he needed them for their first-ever assignment.
He sensed them coming long before they arrived, and the three hulking creatures that lumbered into the throne room put even Arnold’s massive proportions to shame. None of them had his refinement though, showing that they weren’t quite as strong-willed as his second-in-command.
Arnold was a perfect specimen, the ideal blend between beast and man. These three definitely leaned more heavily to their beastly sides. Den, the tallest, had the darkest-colored fur. Where the others were a mix of white and gray, his was a mix of gray and black. He walked with a slightly hunched back, his spine protruding visibly and leaving a trail of sharp protrusions in its wake. Of the Big D’s, he was the only one to carry a weapon. A curved blade made of magesteel sat at his hip at all times.
Darren was the shortest, standing just over seven and a half feet. He was thinner and more gangly than the rest, but was the fastest by far. His skill was undeniable, and Octagon had personally witnessed him destroy a contingent of one hundred of the undead in the span of a handful of seconds.
Dusk was the third and stood somewhere between the two. He was broad in the chest and had a half-moon of black fur across his brow. His fur was shorter than the others as well and his specialty lay in the manipulation of liquid. Octagon couldn’t really test his abilities, though he could feel the power of his core.
If anyone could retrieve his lost property and bring back the ones who’d stolen her, it was them. However, it was partially their fault for allowing this to happen in the first place. They’d left her unguarded, so they had to be disciplined.
“I trust you know why you’re here,” he said, speaking with both his voice and mind.
“Yes, Master,” Den said, as all three dropped to their knees.
“You failed me, all of you,” he said, allowing his eyes to run over them.
“Master, we…” Dusk began.
“Silence!” Octagon roared, the power of his voice driving them all to the ground.
He slowly rose from his throne, exerting even more of his power, forcing them down until their faces were pressed to the ground and the ice surrounding them began to crack.
“I gave you a simple task. You were to guard the prisoner, interrogate her and find out all she knew. Instead, you left her alone, unguarded, and as a result, she was taken from me. I will not punish you now, as I need you to go after her, but rest assured, there will be consequences!
“However, I will give you the opportunity to lessen your punishment. Bring her back within the hour, and it will be light. Every hour after that, and the severity of the punishment will double. Do I make myself clear?”
The three trembling monsters nodded vigorously, agreeing to bring her back within the hour. Octagon knew that it was impossible. It would take them at least three times as long to even reach them, if not longer. So, at best, they’d be back in six hours. Still, it would get them moving and when they returned, he’d be able to dole out the punishment he had in mind.
“Then go. The clock is ticking.”
He watched as his Big D’s scrambled to their feet and made a mad dash for the doors, rushing to obey and not displease him by hesitating.
Octagon remained standing until they were gone, then slowly sank back into his throne and closed his eyes. Arnold should be contacting him any moment with an update, and he was really hoping it would be one that would lessen his dark mood.
“Master?” Arnold’s voice came through just moments later.
“What do you have to report?”
Arnold began to talk, and as he listened, Octagon felt his annoyance slowly melting away.
“Excellent. You have served me well. Now go and ready the next attack. Their forces are heavily depleted. There’s no way they’ll survive this time!”
34
Morgan rolled mid-air, avoiding the human-sized bird that dove at him from above. It was bright red, had a green crest, and a beak that was nearly two feet long. He’d come across several of these birds already and quickly learned to avoid them. They were extremely hostile if he entered into their air space and would attack without warning.
Their main attacks seemed to be tucking their wings, spinning their bodies, and using their oversized beaks as makeshift spears. Where Morgan had underestimated them was in their diving speed. The first one had managed to tear a jagged cut out of his uniform and leave a deep scratch on his leg.
The fact that they were just Evolved beasts, as well as their ridiculous ranks of 52, told him that they just weren’t meant to be messed with. He was faster than them when they flew straight ahead, so he had an easy enough time avoiding them. The landscape flashed by below him as he flew, showing him a multitude of beasts that he was itching to fight.
Especially so, when he saw the Advanced ones and knew the kind of energy and AP they’d have in their cores. Still, Morgan knew he was needed back in the North and continued on his course, making straight for the mountaintop. He already noticed the landscape starting on a slight incline and figured he should be arriving soon.
Katherine’s pendant hung around his neck once more, and he dearly hoped to hear from her soon. Le’vine had said she’d reached out and had spoken to her, so he doubted that Katherine would be reaching out again so soon. Still, he wore it just in case. Though the landscape was pleasant to watch, Morgan found himself worrying about the state of things back in City Eleven.
He’d already beat himself up enough over abandoning his duty, so he chose not to dwell on that. However, he knew that every life that was lost because of his absence would be his fault. He’d actually lost track of all the time he’d been gone, but when he added it all up, it was definitely more than the two weeks he was supposed to take. All he could do was hope that not too many attacks had occurred while he’d been gone.
Le’vine had spoken with Katherine about a bit over a week ago. Seeing as she was still alive, Morgan hoped that meant that the city was hopefully still standing. A lot could happen in that time, though, and Morgan knew that better than anyone. The tide of war could shift at the drop of a hat and for all he knew, he was going back to a ghost town. A town filled with the monstrous bodies of those he’d sworn to protect.
Morgan shook off those morose thoughts, choosing to put his focus squarely on the challenge ahead. He hadn’t faced a beast as powerful as the one guarding the portal in quite some time. The last real challenge had been the Infernal-Bane Lyvern, the creature that had nearly ended his life. And now, he was going up against an Advanced beast of similar, if not greater power.
The worst part was that he needed to be extremely careful in this fight. He couldn’t afford any heavy injuries, as he didn’t know the state of things on the other side. Six hours of healing time could mean the difference between the fall of the North and the repulsion of another attacking force. He just hoped that he’d be able to make it through the other side uninjured.
Time seemed to fly by quickly after that, and soon Morgan was ascending the steep slope of the mountain. The air was growing cooler as he did, and the ground beneath him was shifting in hue. Whereas before it had been a regular rocky gray, now it gleamed with gold and silver, small deposits of the precious metals just sitting there for anyone to take. Morgan’s greed was immediately drawn to the vast fortune just lying there, and he had to remind himself that a life was worth more than gold and silver. And with all the lives of those trapped in City Eleven, he couldn’t afford to be greedy.
Morgan hit a bank of clouds then, skimming high above the mountain ground. He could feel the moisture soaking into hi
s clothes but knew that soon, he’d be breaking through. It didn’t take him long, just another minute of flying through the vaporous mist before he broke into the streaming sunlight.
The top of the mountain was now clearly visible, a flat plateau about a hundred yards across, completely covered in gold. And there, in the very center of the golden field, was a massive blue wyvern.
Morgan felt his heart skip a beat, remembering well the Azure-Crystal Wyvern, the massive reptilian beast he’d faced in the Skyflare tournament. The only difference between that one and this creature was their sizes. This beast, at over forty feet long, made the other beast look puny in comparison.
Its body was large, bulky, and sinuous. It scales gleamed a brilliant blue and when the creature shifted, revealed small sparkling motes of shining silvery-gray. A pair of massive wings lay folded against its back, and its tail twitched lightly back and forth. Unlike most beasts Morgan had come across, this one was wide awake, its brilliant emerald eyes fixed on him as he approached.
A shroud of red cloaked its form, and Morgan used his Aura Sense to get a better idea of what he was facing.
Name: Cobalt-Mithril Drake Matriarch
Rank - 51
Ability Type - Super
Morgan had no idea what a drake was, but judging by the creature’s general shape, he had to assume it was a much scarier cousin of the wyvern. He had heard of mithril before. It was supposed to be some sort of extremely rare metal, designed to repel mage skills. He wasn’t sure how his skills would do against its hide, but he had a feeling that it would be a tough nut to crack.
This beast was the exact same rank as him. Not only that, but it was an Advanced beast. A fight against a creature like this would leave him in pretty rough shape, and he had to somehow defeat it with only minimal injury.
Don’t know how that could be possible, but I’ll have to try, Morgan thought grimly as he landed before the towering beast.
Now that he was closer, he could appreciate the true majesty of the creature. Beneath those gleaming scales lay massive knots of corded muscle that rippled and flexed as the beast rose. The drake was truly a sight to behold. Beautiful and majestic, the light of its scales reflected the gold of the ground and made its hide shine like a thousand gems.
In all honesty, Morgan didn’t even want to kill such a beautiful creature. Something this amazing surely deserved to live. It would be a travesty to see it die. The drake then opened her mouth, revealing row upon row of serrated teeth, and deep in its throat, lay a raging inferno. It was only then that Morgan realized he’d been staring, and with a startled yelp, he took off into the air.
It was not a moment too soon as a billowing stream of liquid fire exploded from the beast’s mouth, painting the mountaintop in a torrent of rainbow-colored flames. Once again, despite the terror of what he was facing, Morgan couldn’t help but admire the beauty of the beast’s display. Now the question of whether or not he should kill the drake became a question of if he even could.
It wasn’t that he thought he couldn’t win the fight if he really went all-out. He would sustain some injuries, serious ones most likely, but in the end, he was confident he would persevere. He’d faced the Lyvern down as an Intermediate supermage and won the second time around. This beast could be beaten.
In all honesty, the more he looked, the less he wanted to fight it. This creature was one of the most beautiful things he’d ever seen, and it – no, she – deserved more than this. For the first time ever, Morgan dropped his guard in front of a beast and instead of diving down and slamming into her, he landed before her once more.
The ground was scorching hot, though Morgan barely noticed the heat. The drake seemed confused by his actions, tilting her head to one side and fixing him with one of her massive, emerald eyes.
“I don’t want to fight you,” Morgan said, holding his arms out wide.
He had no idea if she could understand what he was saying or if she would take his stance as aggressive, but he had to try. He was sure now that this beast should not be killed. Even if the beast zone would recreate her in a few hours, he simply didn’t have what it would take to do it, which he found to be extremely odd. Never before had this happened, yet here he was.
The drake let out a snort, smoke billowing from the tip of her snout. Her muzzle bunched up and her eyes narrowed, then she let out another snort.
Morgan wasn’t quite sure how, but he thought he understood the meaning behind that gesture.
“No, I promise it’s not a trick or deception. I really don’t want to have to fight.”
The drake snorted again, shaking her head from side to side and allowing another puff of smoke to exit through her slitted nostrils.
“I don’t want your gold, either. All I want is to use the portal.”
A low growl sounded from the drake’s chest, starting deep in her chest and shaking the very ground. Though Morgan wanted to take a step back, to distance himself from the massive beast, he stood his ground. He didn’t know how he was communicating with the drake, but seeing she was an Advanced beast and had some level of intelligence, she had to understand humans to a certain extent. He also had to remember that he was part beast, so perhaps that gave him the ability to understand them as well.
He’d never actually tried talking to one before, always allowing his fists to lead and diplomacy to follow. Now, though, he thought he could see himself through her eyes. An intruder, only one of many coming here to steal her gold and kill her for her hide and core. Sure, she would be reborn, but the pain and memories stuck with her, if not in her mind, then ingrained into her instincts.
As she continued growling, she lifted her head, her sinuous neck pulling it further away from him. By the tone of that growl, he could tell she was preparing for another attack.
Think! Morgan said to himself. What can you say to avoid this fight?
Then, it came to him, and in a flash, he knew what to do.
“Wait!” he said, making sure to keep his arms out to the sides. “Yes, I want to use your portal, but I don’t expect to be able to use it for free. That’s why I brought you a gift!”
The drake hesitated at that, freezing in place and keeping her eyes locked on him. She let out a light huff then.
“It’s in my pack,” Morgan said, motioning to the bag slung over his shoulder. “If you’ll just let me…”
Morgan froze as the drake let out a loud roar, letting a small gout of flames escape through her teeth.
“I don’t have any weapons in there,” Morgan assured her. “And I promise not to attack, just please let me take it out.”
The drake leaned forward then, placing her massive head just inches away and inhaling deeply through her nose. Morgan could feel her hot breath, the heat radiating off her scales, and was extremely aware of the mouthful of teeth. She let out another snorting breath that ruffled his hair before fixing him with her gaze once more.
“Why should you trust me?” he asked, still not daring to move.
The drake blinked, her pupil dilating down to a slit. It was extremely unnerving, having the beast’s head so close and keeping his guard lowered like this. Her head was bigger than his entire body, her single eye bigger than his torso, and so, so beautiful.
“Because a creature as beautiful as you doesn’t deserve to be killed,” Morgan replied honestly. “Your scales are more precious than the gold upon which you sit, and your eyes are the most beautiful I have ever seen. How can I dare to harm such beauty and perfection?”
Though he did lay it on a bit thick, most of what he said was true. For some reason, he just got the feeling that this beast would be prone to flattery as well. It was clear by the way she held herself that she took great pride in her appearance and that no one had ever complimented her on it.
The drake blinked, her eyelid clicking audibly as she stared. Then, a low growl sounded in her throat once more, but this time, Morgan could tell that she was pleased, and immensely so. This time, when he reached fo
r his pack, she didn’t move, keeping her eye fixed on him. From within the pack, Morgan withdrew the remainder of the platinum coins Katherine had given him.
He’d had to pay Le’vine nearly half, and he was honestly surprised when she’d given him his belongings back, money included. And now, as he upended the coin pouch, showering the ground in a cascade of shining platinum, he could see that he’d gotten the drake’s attention. She leaned forward, eyes shining with a mixture of greed and pleasure as she began nosing the small coins one by one.
He’d been afraid that she would think it was silver, something worth inherently less than the gold mountain she lived upon. However, it seemed that drakes could tell the difference between the two, as she let out a pleased sound, showing her teeth in a very frightening way. Morgan interpreted it as non-aggressive, but still had to fight to remain where he was.
After a few long moments, the drake turned her eyes back on him and let out another huff.
“You mean it?” Morgan asked, feeling a smile creeping onto his face.
A moment later, a portal sprang open behind him. He couldn’t see a thing beyond it but knew that once he entered, all he’d have to do was concentrate on his destination and it would take him there.
“Thank you,” Morgan said, preparing to turn and leave.
However, the drake moved one of her large paws to block him. For a moment, Morgan feared that this would all come crashing down around him and he’d be forced to fight after all, but when he turned to face the beast once again, he didn’t read any aggression in her body language.
She let out a low growl, a mixture between a huff and a whine. For a moment, Morgan wasn’t entirely sure he’d heard her right.
“You want me to…come back?” he asked.
She let out another huff, followed by a whine, and Morgan finally understood.
“You’re lonely,” he said, feeling an odd sadness fill him at that realization.
Slowly, Morgan reached out a hand and placed it against the drake’s muzzle. She flinched ever so slightly, but slowly relaxed as Morgan began moving his hand back and forth. Her scales were rough beneath his palm, but surprisingly warm. She let out another low growl, which Morgan interpreted as pleasure, and he nodded slowly.