The egg was coloured the same sandy-grey as the surrounding rock. But for the distinctive curved lines and Aiken’s warning, Kyran would likely have never noticed the egg buried in the cave floor. He glanced back at the wyvern dame.
She was staring at him with predatory intent, her eyes wide and unblinking. Through the bond, he sensed her raging emotions and fierce desire to protect her offspring.
She might attack him yet, he realised, if he forced her instincts into conflict with his influence. He bowed his head in acknowledgement of her need and, using a series of basic images, conveyed his intention—and his promise not to abandon her young.
The wyvern’s eyes narrowed, then she dipped her own head.
New quest!
Quest 12: Protect the eggs.
Objective: A wyvern mother has tasked you with safeguarding her eggs and seeing them safely hatched. Failure to uphold your promise will earn you the mother’s wrath.
Rank: Rare.
Reward: Wyvern mother’s loyalty.
Sensing her acceptance, Kyran began to dig.
Five minutes later, Kyran fully uncovered the egg—and three others. Each fertile and the size of a small dog. Studying the eggs, he sat back on his haunches and scratched the back of his ear with his hind leg. To transport the eggs, he would have to resume his elven-form, he realised.
Recasting wild shift, Kyran pushed his worg-self into the mindscape and recreated his elven self from memory. Once his shape was visualised in exacting detail, he pushed himself back out of the mindscape.
Kyran has shifted to his elven-form.
Items worn before wild-shift re-equipped.
Kyran unbent from his crouch and lightly touched fingers to his armour and sheathed sword, assuring himself that they had managed the transition safely. Wild shifting into worg-form had been at one time strange and exhilarating, and it was an experience he ached to try again.
There had been something liberating in the worg’s fleet and nimble form. Already, he missed his four-footed shape. “One day, brother, we may yet dive into the earth together.”
Aiken huffed in happy agreement and sent a flurry of images assuring Kyran of how much he looked forward to that day. Kyran exhaled. But that day was not today, and it was time to return to work.
He looked up and was greeted by blackness. His brows drew down in confusion before he recalled that he no longer had a worg’s night vision. He cast truesight and, for good measure, fire shield, mind-over-matter, and show hostiles.
He looked down at the four eggs. As living objects, he could not store them in his inventory, which left only carrying them on his back. Heaving a sigh, Kyran pulled out one of the many leather bags he had looted from the kobolds. Packing the four eggs into the bag, he shouldered the pack onto his back and rejoined the wyvern and Aiken in the tunnel.
As he neared the draconian creature, she lowered her head towards Kyran. Sensing her intent, he stilled his trepidation and allowed the mother to nose her snout into the pack.
Assured that her offspring remained unharmed, the beast darted her forked tongue out and, through their bond, signalled her readiness to follow Kyran into the tunnel.
“Thank you, great lady,” said Kyran, striding back up the tunnel to return to the previous fork.
✽✽✽
Stealthed and hidden within the concealing shadows of the tunnel, Mirien waited. She had followed the tunnel inside the wyvern lair until she reached the fork. But not knowing which way Kyran had gone, she had no choice but to wait until he returned.
Up above, Adra and Gaesin must have been wondering where she had gone to. But she couldn’t worry about that, Mirien told herself. There would be no returning to the party after this. She tightened her grip on her sheathed blades and waited.
A few minutes later, she noticed movement in the right tunnel. She stilled her breathing and tensed. Coming up the tunnel was Kyran, Aiken...and a wyvern. So, she thought, he has actually done it.
Now what? she wondered, watching the three shapes. Aiken and Kyran she had expected, but with the wyvern present, the odds of her success dwindled. And Kyran, she saw, had his fire shield cast. Dammit. Could she deal damage fast enough before Aiken and the wyvern interfered?
As she dithered, the trio hurried into the left fork, none of them noticing her lurking presence. Where is he going? Then realisation hit. Of course, he must be heading to tame more of the wyverns. Perfect.
She waited a few heartbeats, then crept after them.
Chapter 21
18 Octu 2603 AB
Inevitably, the Gods challenged the demons for dominion of the cosmos. And won. But demons, like the Gods, were immortal and could not be killed, leaving the Gods no choice but to imprison them. Eld, the chief architect of the demons’ defeat, chose Myelad for their prison. —Matriarch Duhara, jade great bear.
The left fork continued deeper than the right one, and along the way, the trio passed a number of other open passages. If not for the wyvern mother, Kyran would have been lost. With Aiken’s help, he managed to communicate his desire to find the other wyverns. The befriended creature led them without hesitation, guiding Aiken and Kyran unerringly through the lair’s multiple twists and turns.
A short while later, the wyvern mother slowed then stopped altogether. Kyran looked beyond her and saw that the tunnel had opened up into a large cave. They were still about fifty metres from the entrance, and from this range, Kyran could not tell if the cave was occupied or not. Nor did show hostiles reveal anything.
“Aiken, swim beneath and see if you can sense any wyverns within.” The bear acquiesced and dove into the rock.
“TWO,” replied Aiken a short while later, nearly causing Kyran to leap in fright.
He shook his head. Aiken speaking was going to take some getting used to. “Sleeping?” he asked.
Falling back to his use of images again, Aiken conveyed his uncertainty.
“Alright,” Kyran murmured. Aiken’s vocabulary was still quite limited, it seemed. Carefully setting down the pack with the wyvern eggs, Kyran advanced towards the cavern with the tamed creature in tow. Although his gesture had drawn the wyvern mother’s attention, she did not baulk at leaving her eggs behind.
A few steps away from the entrance, Kyran motioned the wyvern to wait while he slid up against the nearest cavern wall and peered around the edge into the room. In the cave’s far end were two sleeping beasts, smaller than the wyvern mother herself. “Here goes nothing,” he said.
Reaching out to the nearest slumbering beast, he cast beast befriend. The beast’s mindscape appeared similar to the wyvern mother’s.
Advancing confidently to the protective bubble encasing its mind, he attempted to slip through.
You have failed to befriend a level 60 mountain wyvern. A mountain wyvern has been alerted to your presence.
The beast, another female, whether more aggressive or vigilant than the wyvern mother had been, detected his intrusion. Rousing swiftly, she snaked her body upwards and swivelled her head alertly. Her tongue darted out and tasted the air in search of her attacker.
It did not take her long to spot him. Rushing forward in a sinuous blur, she unhinged her jaws and spewed a jet of acidic spray.
A wyvern’s acid spittle has hit Kyran for 0 damage (90 blocked by fire shield). Remaining shield: 344 / 434 HP.
Kyran leapt backwards into the tunnel and motioned the wyvern mother forward. “Attack.”
Without hesitation, the beast slipped past him and blocked the entrance with her bulk. The smaller wyvern crashed into the older one and was rebuffed.
The second sleeping beast stirred. Her lidded eyes flashed open and caught sight of the battling wyverns. Flaring her wings, she danced forward on taloned feet and dived into the fray.
Aiken pushed up to the surface, eager to join the fight. “Wait, brother,” Kyran urged. “The wyvern mother is in no danger yet. And that acid will burn you.”
A wyvern has hit a wyvern mother for 40 (60 resisted). Remaining:
570 / 610 HP.
A wyvern mother has hit a wyvern for 42 (55 resisted). Remaining: 558 / 600 HP.
A second wyvern has hit a wyvern mother for 35 (62 resisted). Remaining: 535 / 610 HP.
Kyran slipped further back up the tunnel. With the wyvern mother holding the cave entrance, neither of the untamed creatures could get at him.
Momentarily safe, he recast beast befriending. Seeking tendrils of his psi reached into the mind of the second female wyvern again—all three were female, he realised—and this time breached her defences. He suffused the beast’s mind with his will and, with sublime suggestions and careful nudges, persuaded her to his cause.
You have successfully befriended a level 60 mountain wyvern. Duration: 2 days.
Kyran darted a glance at the wyvern mother. She was faring well against her remaining attacker and showed few signs of injury. The creatures’ sinuous necks were wrapped together, jaws clamped around the other.
The newly tamed wyvern, obedient to his will, withdrew from the skirmish and awaited further instructions. One more to go, thought Kyran. Slipping into the mindscape again, he began beast befriending the last wyvern.
✽✽✽
Mirien inched forward. Kyran was alone in the tunnel. With his fire shield flickering around him, he stared into the cavern, fully absorbed by whatever spell he was casting. He seemed oblivious to the danger at his back.
She drew her blades and took another step forward. He was less than thirty metres away. With no one nearby to rescue him or distract her, it would only take her a few moments to destroy his fire shield. She glanced past Kyran.
Two wyverns were battling at the cave entrance while a third watched disinterestedly. He had tamed a second wyvern already, she realised. He would have been a worthy ally, she thought sadly.
She took another step forward. She was not sure why she was delaying. Her target was in reach. All she had to do was shadow step behind him and shatter his fire shield with a flurry of blows. She scanned the tunnel’s depths again.
Aiken was nowhere to be seen. It was the bear’s absence that made her hesitate, she told herself. Only that and nothing else.
She was not convinced. Remember your mission, Mirien. Remember duty. Gritting her teeth, she sprinted forward. She still hadn’t raised her blades though. Stop hesitating, Mirien. You must do this.
Aiken surfaced before her, less than a metre away. She skidded to a halt and flipped backwards, blades held at guard. But the bear made no move to attack. Holding himself still, Aiken stared into her eyes. Shying away from the earth guardian’s too-perceptive gaze, she looked to Kyran twenty metres beyond. He was still ignorant of her presence.
If she shadow stepped forward—which you should have done already, Mirien!—she could still fulfil her duty. She sneaked a glance at Aiken, puzzled that he hadn’t attacked yet. The bear sent a torrent of images towards her.
No! she thought, furiously, trying to slam the doors of her mind against him. She didn’t want to hear what the bear had to say. But she was too late.
With her gaze trapped in the great bear’s sad eyes, she was powerless to resist his sending, and Aiken’s storm of emotions crashed into her.
Rage, she expected; fury at her intent; contempt at her betrayal. All of this she anticipated and even welcomed. Yet the bear’s sending carried none of that. Instead, Aiken’s projection was full of sorrow and a deep upswelling of empathy.
Words dropped into her mind. “Honour, Mirien Tolyrandil. Remember honour.”
Mirien stilled, astonished. Aiken was talking to her. And of all things he chooses to speak to of honour. Bitterness ate at her. Honour was an idea she had long buried. Duty was all important. Duty and the mission.
Mirien thought of all the things she had done in the Brotherhood’s name. Of those she had killed, of the friends she had abandoned. “I have no honour,” she murmured sadly.
“No,” refuted Aiken.
She stared into the great bear’s eyes. Aiken had known her intent all along, she realised. And unconscionably, he had risked his bond companion’s life—to give her this choice. Why? What had she done to deserve such faith?
She looked from the bear to Kyran, who was still casting and oblivious to the pair’s exchange at his back. Her shoulders sagged and the tension drained out from her. Aiken sees me more truly than I do, it seems. The bear had looked past her doubts and the conflict raging within her, and trusted to her innate nature.
He is right. I cannot do this.
This was one step too far down the path of the honourless for her to walk. She lowered her blades. She would never forgive herself if she betrayed those who had so trusted her. Eyes brimming, she bowed her head gravely towards the great bear. “Thank you, Aiken.”
Honour stood equal to duty, she understood then. She could not allow duty to so bend her that she knew herself no more. Sheathing her blades, she opened her mouth to call out to Kyran.
That was when a wordless roar of rage crashed into her from behind.
✽✽✽
Even in the mindscape, and in the midst of his spellcasting, Kyran heard the roar at his back. This was his third attempt at befriending the last wyvern, and this time he was certain he would succeed. But at the formless bellow he knew he had to drop the spell weaves and attend to the threat at his back.
He was preparing to do just that when Aiken burst a sending at him, reassuring him that they were handling it. They? wondered Kyran, but he didn’t dwell on the thought, trusting Aiken. He completed the weaves of his spell, and the last wyvern fell under his influence.
You have successfully befriended a level 60 mountain wyvern. Duration: 2 days.
You have gained a level!
Aiken has gained a level!
Leaving the two wyverns to disentangle themselves, Kyran spun around. His mouth dropped open at the sight that greeted him. Filling the entirety of the tunnel with its bulk, a large and heavily scarred wyvern battled Aiken and Mirien—and when did she get here? Shelving that thought for later, he sent tendrils of will to probe the beast.
Creature: Mountain wyvern (bull). Type: Beast. Rarity: Epic.
Level: 69. Health: 690 / 690.
Attack: 75-120 (piercing, acid).
Defences: 68 (physical), 70 (psi), 73 (spell).
Beast bonding probability:
You have a 15% probability of forming a beast bond with this creature (an effective skill level of 63 against a mountain wyvern’s psi defence of 70).
The blood drained from his face. Level sixty-nine. Subduing the beast would be no easy task. He raced through his options. But before he could decide on the tactics to employ, the wyvern bull decided matters for himself. Unfurling his wings, the wyvern slammed Mirien into the tunnel wall. Her magic shield flickered and died.
A wyvern bull has stunned Mirien (duration: 3 seconds).
The bull lumbered to her motionless form and drew back his head. Dread clutched at Kyran. The wyvern was preparing to unleash his acid spittle, he realised.
He flung together the weaves of calm beast as fast he could. But he knew already it was too late. He had delayed too long. The bull’s head snaked down and spewed forth a torrent of vile yellow.
Then Aiken was there.
Charging into the path of the bull’s lethal discharge, the bear used his own bulk to shield the unconscious whiesper from the beast’s fury.
A wyvern bull’s acid spittle has critically hit Aiken for 180 damage (acid). Remaining: 320 / 500 HP.
Aiken’s jade armour is afflicted with corrosive touch (damage: 900 HP over 30 seconds).
Aiken has sustained a minor wound (acid burns, damage: 1 HP per second).
Aiken’s mental anguish hit Kyran with the force of a hammer. He staggered back and lost the threads of his spell.
Kyran’s psicasting has been interrupted.
Aiken’s writhing agony was his own. Even though Kyran knew he himself was uninjured, his blood—like Aiken’s—felt afire, his skin—like the bear�
�s—boiled. It’s not real, he snarled, refusing to let the phantom pain overcome him. And Aiken needs me now.
Through his haze of pain, Kyran saw the wyvern rear back onto his back legs. He stumbled forward and, gritting his teeth, forced together the weaves of restore health. He had to reach Aiken before the wyvern spat more acid. The bear would not survive a second attack.
The wyvern’s draconian head swayed forward, his eyes fixed on his downed prey. I’m going to be too late, Kyran despaired.
But Aiken surprised him again.
Despite the acid ripping through his body, Aiken surged to his feet and leapt towards the larger beast.
Involuntarily, the wyvern flinched. And for one crucial second, hesitated.
It was all the time the bear needed. Closing the gap between them, Aiken bowled over the larger creature and bit down on his neck.
Aiken has knocked down a wyvern bull (duration: 1 seconds).
Aiken’s jade bite has paralysed a wyvern bull (duration: 13 seconds).
“Good job, brother,” Kyran cried, breathless with relief. Ignoring the crystallised wyvern, he rushed to his companion’s side and slapped his hands to Aiken’s haunches. Green tendrils of essence discharged into the bear, healing him. A second later, Aiken activated his own healing.
Kyran’s restore health has healed Aiken for 50 health. Remaining: 210 / 500 HP.
Aiken’s healing wave has healed Aiken for 25 health. Remaining: 235 / 500 HP.
Aiken’s afflictions, acid burn (duration: infinite) and corrosive touch (remaining duration: 24 seconds), have dealt 32 damage. Remaining: 203 / 500 HP.
“Is he alright?” asked Mirien. Unnoticed by Kyran, the whiesper had regained her feet. Her expression stricken, Mirien’s gaze roved over Aiken’s smoking and rent skin.
“He is badly burned,” Kyran panted, “and is going to need much more healing, but for now he’s alright.”
He tugged on the bear. “Come on, Aiken, we have to go.” Aiken growled ominously. Through the bond, Kyran felt his companion’s roiling emotions. The bear’s mind was white-hot with anger and pain. Aiken didn’t want to let go. Aiken wanted to kill, to rip out the throat of the creature that had so injured him. Rage had overcome all reason.
Sovereign Rising (The Gods' Game, Volume III): A LitRPG novel Page 28