More and more surprises by the minute keep showing up. I’m almost flabbergasted when Luni telepathically offers, “If you can keep the Green and the adults occupied, we can take down the ancient Red sweetie.”
Gnawing on my lip, contemplating Lu’s offer, it’s not like that isn’t more or less what I was going to do anyway, so I can’t be mad at her or anything. I withdraw most of my Honoris Causa, so that it’s not manifesting in ways that can become physical any longer, seemingly opening myself up to physical assault. Hopefully it looks like my Honoris Causa was on a time-limit, and that I ran out of one of my big aces in the hole. Huh. Aces in the hole, strategists-eight, Lucky and Lu—. I know Lu, I know, stop guessing and chasing. Bluh.
Anyway, we need to wrap this up, so I might as well take the help that’s offered. Wait. Lu’s not just carrying Lucky, she’s carrying a spheriform version of Lil as well. Well, Lil is likely shapeshifted down into a compact size, rather than de-evolved. Okay, yeah, fine, the three of them can take down an ancient Red no problem. I’m not sure I want to see them plummeting out of the air towards the ground, but for some reason, Lucky’s transformation is able to absorb impact.
The ancient Green begins releasing their breath weapon, building a nice large fogbank around me, obscuring me a bit. Using my additional senses to my advantage, I position myself such that when I’m rocked by the explosion I’m about to cause, that I don’t go tumbling into the Worldstorm. Sadly the other dragons back away from the cloud of gaseous vapor, or whatever this breath weapon consists of. All I’m going to manage to do is piss off the ancient Green. Still, that’s more or less what I’m trying to do.
Click, like an electric lighter I loose a single spark, and the aerosolized vapor goes up in smoke. Well, it goes up in flame rather. I can sense the wide-eyed look of near-terror as the ball of flame rushes back towards the ancient Green while they’re still loosing their breath weapon. They do manage to cut themselves off, before ending up with too much more than a soot-singed face.
While the ancient Green is recovering from the explosion, I dash through the air using my LBBTKSLs, and get in position to unleash Frostburn’s glacial cone along with an empowered ice-rune knife in a way that’ll remove four foes from the battle. I feel almost bad as the two adult Blues, and their Draconiac riders go crashing towards the ground, their wings covered in thousands of tons of ice. What does that leave us with? One ancient Green, the ancient Red, and one adult Red, ridden by a Spellknight, seemingly the most powerful one, of friggin’ course.
Hm, narf. Two resources down for two adult dragons and two Spellknights. Not exactly optimal, knowing how much we’re going to be facing today. The ancient Green is trying to get above me, to get in position such that their breath weapon being ignited would send me crashing down through the Worldstorm, but they just don’t have the ease of lift that I do with my LBBTKSL utilizing the Wyverium chestplate. Still, it’s suboptimal to need to keep climbing away from the two Reds. Thankfully, the ancient Red eyes me curiously while the adult Red is spurred to chase me by its Spellknight rider. Perfect, exactly the split that we needed.
When Luni *chucks* Lucky like putting a soccer-ball back into play from out of bounds, I’m more than a little wide-eyed at seeing a tiny speck that is my son sailing through the air. When Lucky unleashes a glacial frost blast nearly as large as the one I’d unleashed that took an empowered ice-rune knife, I should be stunned, but I remember that he does have the glacial amulet, which amplifies cold abilities, and he was one of the people who’d benefited from gaining the thrice a day powers via the orb-time.
Trying to keep their attention on me, so that they don’t get distracted by the sudden roar from below, I stop trying to keep my climb above the ancient Green, and soar downwards to the back of the adult Red. Clipping the reins, and harness, that keep the Spellknight tethered to the adult Red, they appear rather shocked at my sudden appearance, and further shocked when I seemingly throw Frostburn, my weapon, off to one side. I of course catch it in one of my *four* telekinetic grips. The benefits of having a day of downtime in order to prepare for an offensive with new outbound strategies.
Sadly, the Spellknight’s armor is warded against telekinetic gripping, as many of them seem to be. Similarly, it’s locked onto them, so I can’t just pry it off easily. They do manage to quickly craft some sort of flight spell, before they go tumbling into the Worldstorm after losing their seat upon the adult Red. Let’s see if they’re willing to follow me into poison gas, hm? Harass them with Frostburn wielded by my telekinetic grip. Not enough that they might try to snag it, and possibly break my grip, but enough that they realize I’m not just running away from them, giving them free reign to sail down towards my allies.
Further harassing them all as I alternate breathing fire and lightning down upon the Spellknight, and their adult Red mount, I grimace at the pain in my throat. Thankfully it’s numbed quite a bit by the Skin of Stone enchantment, but it’s still not pleasant. As much as I call myself more or less immune to several elements, it’s not true immunity, it’s just a high percentage damage reduction. I’m still taking damage. The ancient Green is now wary of exhaling, since they’ve noticed me using the breath weapons of every type of dragon that has shown up to the fight so far. My fire-breath is technically started by exhaling a poison-breath, and igniting it, and, well, obviously lightning-breath similar to the two adult Blues who are likely at the very least, crashed into the fortress below, with their wings frozen and shattered.
Come on, come on, just a little closer. That’s right, I’m a soft squishy target, with only a little stone elemental magic protecting me from all of your vicious, ultra-strong swipes and strikes. Alright! How about a nice little bearhug from a Void Dragon Honoris Causa, followed up by some Voidbreath, eh? After disorienting the Spellknight, I whirl and hurl them like a discus down into the Worldstorm while I return my attention to the adult Red, and ancient Green. Levitating Frostburn back into its sheathe, my Honoris Causa lashes out at the two dragons now frantically trying to retreat from its reach. Too late for the adult Red.
I shred the wings of the erstwhile Spellknight-mount. As the adult Red tries to course correct into a glide that might allow them to retreat to ground safely, I act monstrously and snap their left scapula with my Void Dragon manifestation. This ends up sending them spinning into a death spiral tumbling into the Worldstorm below, causing them to knock the Spellknight the rest of the way into the Worldstorm from where they’d nearly recovered at its upper edge.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
Hissing my challenge towards the ancient Green, I’m surprised when I find them fleeing me in seeming terror. I’m sorry foe. That just will not do. You either accept my mercy, or you die. I can’t risk you informing the rest of Terrorzin’s forces, or rampaging about the lands subjugating those weaker than you, in an effort to survive in exile. Flapping my own manifested wings, I manage to catch up rather swiftly to the fleeing ancient Green, and I draw Frostburn once more. Chucking Frostburn in the direction of my foe, but aim far, far overhead I try to visualize my intent, and what needs to occur.
I whistle for attention, mostly as a distraction, causing the ancient Green to pause long enough for Frostburn to catch up with telekinesis. I let gravity assist Frostburn in shearing through the dactyl-leather of the ancient Green’s right wing. The slight tear isn’t enough that they can’t continue flying, but it would hurt, so they aren’t willing to risk flying above the Worldstorm long enough to try to find an escape route. This leaves one route for their flight, back the way they came, towards their fortress.
The problem with that? There’s an ancient Red embroiled in a battle with a monstrously giant draconic-hound creature tumbling through the air towards that selfsame fortress. Sighing, I call out one last time, “I offer you mercy, if you offer your surrender. What say you?”
More surprises still today. The ancient Green nods emphatically. I try to hide my shock as I offer up, “It probably hurts to keep flying like that. If you’re willing to show a sign of trust, by accepting my mercy, and shapeshifting into your humanoid form, I’ll protect you, and carry you myself.”
There’s distrust in the yellowish eyes of the emerald creature before me, but there’s also a grimace of pain each time they flap their wings. It takes only a few more flaps before they resign themselves to being in my care and at my mercy, shapeshifting towards their humanoid form. When what looks like a wispy-haired young elven man begins falling before me, I catch them in my telekinetic grip, and draw them close, in order to keep them safe from the Worldstorm, or the fight raging below. They look more than a tad abashed to be held like some sort of damsel in distress, but it’s better than their wings giving out while above the Worldstorm.
Deciding to play it safe, I offer, “You are now technically my prisoner, but that confers with it a degree of safety. I don’t know how you would personally treat prisoners of war, but I treat them with dignity, respect, and the care afforded by the protection necessitated by their position at having accepted my mercy. Being such that it is, since you know my name, I’d like to know yours.”
Blinking in surprise, the ancient Green collects himself to offer up, “I’m, erm, Shlendtikuar. This is my domain.”
My face contorting in confusion betrays me. Our intelligence said Shlendtikuar was one of the Draconiac Spellknights. Thankfully, Shlen explains, “I’m guessing you thought one of those Draconiacs was in charge? All four were given my name when they were offered into my service. The Ice of Rage’s sense of humor I suppose. It’s true then? The Onyx Dawn is finally rebelling? Where did they get such powerful allies as yourself?”
Quietly, under my breath, I curse that rumors are already spreading about our open acts of rebellion. That makes it all the more likely that the forces on the east side of the valley past Mah’Ruke might lay siege to Mount Solace. Oh, right, pay attention Reggie, interact with the world and respond to the questions.
Nodding to Shlen, I explain, fibbing only slightly, “Yes. We’ve The Four, among several heroes of legend, and a whole lot more. Rumor has it that even a reincarnation of The Platinum has returned, as Lady Kinzul has joined in a wedded bond, for the first time in ages. Would your ally, the Red there, surrender along with you?”
Shlendtikuar shakes his head, answering, “No. No, Rahjmeztus is a visiting aspirant to my seat as this domain’s ruler. If he survives, he’ll absorb my followers, and seek to prove himself to the Ice of Rage.”
Nodding grimly, I respond, “Well, I can assure you at least that he won’t survive. I’ll be feasting on his dragonforce momentarily. What of your followers? Will they accept your surrender? Will you order them to stand down?”
Shlendtikuar pales at the request, worry crossing his face as he gulps before clarifying, “It’s unlikely more than a handful would stand down. I—.”
He glances about, seemingly trying to gauge the likelihood that he could resume his terror-stricken flight in order to flee from me. Trying to assuage him, I assure, “I expected as much. I’m surprised anyone accepted my offer of mercy at all. Don’t worry about it. If there are some of your followers that you want me to try to convince, or save from the upcoming slaughter, let me know. We’ll leave them be for the time being. We’re not actually here to destroy all of them, at least not today. We’re simply disrupting Terrorzin’s leadership core. I’m on my way to dismantle Vorzog’s Keep however.” Spying Shlen still seeming to seek an escape route, I add, “I don’t recommend fleeing from me. My mercy only extends to prisoners, not fugitives.”
Sighing, I continue, “I’m going to want to keep you safe, to prove my sincerity, as well as to help move this war along towards its conclusion which hopefully doesn’t include simply destroying all dragonkind on Rayileklia. I’d much prefer avoiding that outcome. Don’t worry about the Damnations either. If rumors are already spreading that the Onyx Dawn is rebelling, then you’ve likely heard about the Damnations’ recent setbacks. I’m the one that dropped Nonnam at ShizTinth, and I’m the one that prevented them following the refugee train from—. Well, you get it. If you don’t want to stay within my sight range, or join us in our destruction of Vorzog’s Keep, I recommend you climb into this.”
Experimenting, I’m able to set my portable hole on one of my squares of telekinetic force. It’s ridiculous to see a random black splotch in midair, but there it is. Shlendtikuar looks as if he’s trying to determine if drawing Frostburn from my sheathe, and attempting to stab me with it, might actually slay me. I flash him a slightly more-than-wicked grin, very pointedly observing what he’s observing, as if I could read his mind. Me appearing to possess telepathy—. How was Lu able to send messages to me when I have an enchantment on that blocks telepathic powers?
I check to make certain that the enchanted circlet is in place, and it is. Hm, well, it specifically blocks psychic related spells, enchantments, and attacks. Lu’s always been a bit squirrelly about how connected she is to my mind. Regardless, Shlen here decides to climb into the portable hole, carefully hanging on to its edge, terrified that he’s just being sent to drop into an endless pit. When his feet reach the bottom, he’s more than a tad perplexed. When I begin folding the edges of the hole up, he’s more than a tad terrified. I try to fold it in such a way that I’m hoping air can get in. If not, I’ll set the hole up every couple of hours or something. There’s a fairly large volume of air within, at least for only one person.
Alright, enough screwing around, let’s drop out of the sky towards our son Lucky. I’m surprised the ancient Red hasn’t crashed yet.