Dragons are not classified as monsters. True Dragons do not condense cores or evolve into new sub-species of their kind, despite their ability to grow indefinitely. They are not to be confused with the dragon-kin like wyverns or hydras that can and do have cores and also the ability to evolve. They could be classified as people, but most dragons take offense as being thought of as the same as the lowly mortal sentient races. Dragons have elemental affinities but their mana affinity is limitless. A dragon naturally collects and stores mana in its whole body at a speed that depends on the available ambient mana. Some species also have the power to suck mana from a target with their mouths. There is no limit to the amount of mana a dragon can store but they grow lethargic after a certain limit. The dragon uses this mana to foster their growth and to power their innate draconic abilities. Some dragons can learn to understand written language and cast spells.
Excerpt from the Great Compendium of the Races, vol 6
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"I can't believe how tiresome that was." Dawn threw herself on a couch once they were alone in the village chief's house. Quite fancy for a village in the middle of nowhere, but not to the level of a mansion. Brand new furniture from out of town too. It almost felt like the five hundred gold coins of the reward was spent here. "My feet and my throat are killing me!"
"Have Lola give you a foot massage." Suggested Pearl. "And drink some fruit water. Deb, purify a jug for us, please."
Lola came but Aidan was reluctant to grant the girl access to Dawn's feet. "Is something the matter, your Highness?" Lola asked.
"Lumina, Lola's job is to serve us. Don't deny her that."
"I live to serve, your Highness. Please let me touch your feet." Lola kneeled next to Dawn's feet.
Pearl was off-put by this return of Lumina's meek behavior.
'But again, she would have left me for the wolves if she was her old self.' She thought.
Foot massages became a favorite for Dawn. But to remain still for half an hour while Lola brushed her hair was a pain.
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Pearl was bored. Very bored. She was watching as Aidan and Dawn painstakingly drew the ritual circle on the floor of the second-floor master bedroom. All the furniture was removed. The materials for drawing the circle were common and easily obtained in the village.
"I still can't believe the summoning ritual damages the soul." She spoke after a while.
Dawn stopped drawing and approached Pearl. "Can we take a look at yours now?"
"Yes, I guess. Does it hurt?" Pearl teased.
"As if you didn't ask Deb that. Aidan will need to touch you below the collarbone."
Aidan traced the spell diagram in the air and tapped Pearl's solar plexus.
"Soul Reveal."
Pearl's effigy came out of her solar plexus. It was a light magenta hue with black spots flickering in and out. Around it swirled two orbs of medium to large size. One red, one blue. Pearl was a Steam caster. Aidan squinted and looked closely at the image. The soul had marks of damage. The black spots seemed to suck in the light of the soul and felt like a curse. But that was not what Aidan wanted to find. After looking for a couple of minutes the orbs completed a few laps around the effigy and he could see what he wanted. A faint white orb, barely visible as an outline, a blur trailed after the red and blue ones. He knew what to do because that was the same situation he was in. He dismissed the spell.
"Now that I bared my soul to you, please tell me. What is your secret, Lumina?"
"After the ritual, success or not, we will talk."
"If it succeeds, will I regain my magic?"
"Probably. The vision was true. It was not what you would find in the dungeon but because of the dungeon. True friends, I hope." Dawn held Pearl's hand.
"Nothing would make me happier, Lumina."
They exchanged smiles and after a brief silence, Dawn spoke.
"There is a problem though. You need to be naked for the ritual." They needed to cover the body in glyphs using the fresh herbal extract.
"Me, naked, in the same room as Lord Aidan." She didn't phrase as a question.
"Yes. He has the Underworld element to cast the spell. We are going to use our full mana."
To summon the heroes, pearl defied death and lost her magic. And now to recover her magic she would defy shame. She felt irritation at being forced to expose herself to Aidan but her desire to wield magic once more was greater. Pearl leaned on Dawn's ear.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
"Does he have to touch me?"
"No. But no blindfolds."
"I'm in."
As usual, they charged the circle with as much mana as they would recover during the night.
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Morning and the crew went on a shopping spree. The village chief followed them and made the payments. It was the same system Pearl used in Elmhill. She would buy and spend, the town official would pay for it and then report the princess' expenses in the next tax collection round. With probably some embezzlement, a good reason to spend heavily. It was harder to add on an already absurd bill.
They got clothes for the entire group, and Pearl made a point of discarding Gurf's pelt hunter outfit. On her defense, it was old and smelly. Restocked their supplies including some scented soap for the princesses.
They returned to the house and charged the circle a bit more.
At the appointed time the village chief and some other people of importance showed up for an audience with both princesses.
"We summoned you here to announce a development regarding our relations with the neighbor country of Gohar." Dawn declared. "Crown Princess Pearl and I desire to open a trade route between our nations that will bring prosperity to all."
"It is as Lumina spoke. Our great nation is well known for our excellent metalworks and gemstones. If we can trade with Yutis and beyond, it will be a boon to both our nations."
To Pearl, it meant a lot. This trade route could mean her salvation from most of the backlash Shinji's death and Kazuya going rogue would cause.
The trade route would shorten the trip between both nations by almost a month as the rocky hills and gorges the tunnel goes under cannot be crossed. Even so, there are some nasty monsters prowling that would attack caravans. Since the tunnel was already there, it could be expanded to a size where two horse-drawn carts could go through side by side. The village elders were already counting the coins in their head. Since the tunnel would exit in their village, it would see an increase in traffic and it could even grow to the size of a town. It also meant that this backwater place was going to suddenly become an important checkpoint, with increased security, taxes... They were almost drooling. Aidan was unaware of this but it also meant a lot for Lumina's situation.
The entire village was aware of the development before nightfall. If they could they would throw a feast to celebrate. But it was the end of winter and the food situation was rather precarious.
But they had other concerns. The hunters returned with the materials and were paid by the village chief. Dawn healed their wounds but she suspected that some of those were not naturally acquired.
The hunters would never cut themselves just to be touched by the princess, right?
Right?
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The party was left alone in the house and Sora, Aidan, Dawn, and Pearl went to the ritual room. They prepared the herbs and Pearl undressed to apply the extract to her skin. Aidan sat with his back to them while Sora helped Dawn do the drawings.
They placed Pearl lying down in the middle of the ritual circle and Aidan moved both his bodies to opposite sides to begin the ritual. They sat on their places comfortably. They would spend hours in that position.
It was early morning when they finished. The extracts painted over Pearl's skin suddenly dried crumbled away signaling the end. Sora trespassed the now powerless circle and placed a blanket over Pearl. She was asleep.
"Bring Pearl here." Said Aidan. "My legs are asleep. I can't move."
He was sitting in the same position the entire night. The trance-like mental state they entered blocked some of their sensations, but now that they returned to a vigil state their whole body groaned. Aidan and Dawn were completely spent, both physically and mentally. Nevertheless, he needed to check the result of the ritual.
"Soul Reveal."
The same magenta girl floated in front of Pearl. Compared to before, the black spots were fewer and they flickered for less time. The mana affinity orb was easier to see but still transparent. She would need two or three more sessions.
"I'm taking Pearl to her room and leaving her under Deb's care. I'll come back to you soon after."
"Tell Deb the ritual was a success but we will need three more sessions to heal her."
Sora left and Aidan dropped on his side, taking his weight off his legs. The stinging sensation of blood rushing through left him there, cramping in pain. He did the same to Dawn. Rolling on the floor ruined the ritual circle, but they were scheduled to depart that very day.
"Healing Light"
Aidan and Dawn cast the same spell at the same time on themselves.
'We did what you wanted, Lumina. We are healing Pearl. Are you happy?' Aidan focused those thoughts inward. To see if they could reach his soul's tenant.
There was no answer, no reaction.
The two worm-like humans met in the middle of the room. Bracing against each other, Aidan was able to put both bodies standing up.
Sora found them sitting side-by-side on a divan next to a corner.
"They are washing Pearl now. She didn't wake up."
"Good. Sora, tell the village chief we are going to delay our departure by a day. I don't think we are in any condition to get on the road now."
"How are you?"
"Exhausted, almost entirely drained of mana and with leg cramps. Dawn is better off, she is lighter and has wider hips. But this is just how my body, my bodies are. There are dire implications to what we did tonight... Why this face, Sora?"
What he meant was that princesses could summon heroes and keep their magic, a big factor in deciding to perform the summoning ritual. It could shake the power balance of the world.
"I hope it doesn't involve heirs." She joked, teasing his somber tone. "You did spend the night locked in a room with three females."
"Maybe I should've taken advantage of that." He mused.
"Too late now. You are in no condition to take advantage of anyone."
He gently took Sora's hand and cupped it with his other hand.
"I want you to know that I never took you for granted. I know you fought hard to be chosen to be sent to me and all that sacred duty debt your tribe has. But I also know that you are here with me today because you chose to. I am really thankful for your company. Always. The only thing that kept me from snapping at the academy was you by my side. The only thing keeping me alive after the assassination attempt was you. You are my pillar, Sora. I..."
A knock on the door interrupted Aidan and ruined the mood.
"Princess Lumina's bath is ready. Please come, your Highness." Lola's voice came from the other side.
"We finish this later when you can fight. It is no good to stay here hugging the princess, I'll carry her to the bath. You lay there and rest."
Sora picked up Dawn on a princess carry and left. Aidan slumped and dropped on the divan, letting sleep take over his male body.
"Feeling cozy in my arms, your Highness?" The squirrel-kin teased Dawn.
"Feels like home," Dawn muttered before dozing off.