Endurance has risen to 39!
Endurance has risen to 40!
Perception has risen to 24!
Perception has risen to 25!
You have reached Level 21!
. . .
You have reached Level 24!
Aurelian awoke with a gasp.
He stiffened immediately upon feeling a pressure on his chest, and his eyes snapped downward in momentary alarm… only for the worry to abate almost instantly when he saw it was his supply pack. Aurelian’s gaze moved immediately, after a bare second of Soul Sense, to where he could feel Bahamut sitting with patient alertness on the marble nearby. The dragon’s golden eyes met his, and Aurelian smiled.
“Sorry for keeping you waiting.”
It was not an overmuch inconvenience, though I have been hoping you would awaken. The dragon’s sending seemed somewhat strained for some reason.
“I have the weirdest craving for honey…” He blinked when he properly parsed the strain in Bahamut’s mental voice. “Is something wr—?” His memories crashed into his mind and he looked around once again in alarm. “Where is the Vasiri?!”
Unconscious. Bahamut replied in the same calm, if strained manner. I have been watching the creature, but that is not the issue.
“The undead?”
Deanimated. Your actions against the Necromancer ended them all.
Aurelian looked around in wonder at the dragon’s words, and did in fact notice that the waves of marshalling undead were little more than piles and piles of bones. His eyebrows rose at the sight. “Wow. That is a lot of skeletons.”
That is not all. Bahamut said in a tighter mental voice. I have been holding off several skill levels since you passed out, Aurelian, by way of our bond.
Aurelian snapped his head back to Bahamut in surprise. “How are you—?”
I am reaching the end of my strength, Aurelian. The dragon interrupted hurriedly. Despite the levels we have gained, I am not strong enough to hold the System at bay indefinitely. I need you to either accept the influx or alleviate the burden.
Aurelian nodded immediately, shelved his questions, and hastily reached into the supply pack to root around until he found the three Essence Draughts. When he pulled them out, he arrayed them before him and then quickly settled himself into a comfortable sitting position — or as comfortable as he could be in platemail.
“Okay.” He said with only mild tachycardia. “Let them go, Bahamut.”
The dragon obliged, and Aurelian felt his core explode with energy while prompts blazed across his vision.
Dragon’s Resolve is now Level 6!
. . .
Dragon’s Resolve is now Level 15!
Congratulations, Dragon’s Resolve has reached Novitiate Tier!
You have gained Experience!
Tactician is now Level 13!
. . .
Tactician is now Level 17!
Pain Tolerance is now Level 24!
. . .
Pain Tolerance is now Level 28!
Congratulations, Pain Tolerance has reached Aspirant Tier!
You have gained Experience!
Would you like to Temper your Body with Pain Tolerance?
Y / N
Aurelian barely had time to select ‘NO’ before more alerts washed over him, and he was forced to lock his jaw against the building pressure.
Longsword Mastery is now Level 24!
. . .
Longsword Mastery is now Level 27!
Congratulations, Longsword Mastery has reached Aspirant Tier!
You have gained Experience!
Would you like to Temper your Body with Longsword Mastery?
Y / N
Another flick of his mind toward the negative, and Aurelian shuddered when the System energy from the skills gaining power washed through him. He could feel himself already reaching the cusp of a new level, despite knowing — thanks to Bahamut and his own instinctive awareness — that he’d likely already achieved plenty from the fight with the Vasiri and the slaying of the undead.
The alerts continued.
Running is now Level 23!
. . .
Running is now Level 28!
Congratulations, Running has reached Aspirant Tier!
You have gained Experience!
Would you like to Temper your Body with Running?
Y / N
Another ‘NO’, another wave of System energy.
Another deluge of alerts.
Dodge is now Level 26!
. . .
Dodge is now Level 31!
Durable is now Level—
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Aurelian’s eyes snapped open and he grit his teeth at the immensity of the pressure required to stop the skill alert in its tracks. He could feel it pushing, pressing, grinding against his willpower and against the blazing beacon of Dragon’s Resolve that coiled around his mind. Without more than simple will and instinct, he immediately slammed a Skill Upgrade Point into Durable.
Skill Upgrade Point consumed!
Skill Upgrade request identified!
Processing . . .
Durable (UC) is now Upgrading!
Congratulations, Durable (UC) has been Upgraded to Iron Skin (R)!
Many are the warriors for whom—
Once again Aurelian cut off the skill before it could finish, and this time he felt blood drip from his nose at the same time as his health flashed angrily at him. He knew he was pushing too hard, but he had to avoid wasting Bael’tharax’s gift. He knew that it technically didn’t matter, but he’d be damned if he wasn’t going to make the most of the dragon king’s blessing! With a vicious exertion of his will, Aurelian shoved his second to last Skill Evolution Point into the newly minted Iron Skin.
Pain burned within his mind, but he held on.
Skill Evolution Point consumed!
Skill Evolution request identified!
Processing . . .
WARNING: Tier transition in progress! Skill stability at critical levels!
Zodiac Detected: Dragon!
Soulbond Detected: Dragon King!
Title Detected: Dragon Rider!
Trait Detected: Sanguinated!
Zodiac, Soulbond, Title, and Trait have found Synergy!
Recalibrating Skill Evolution . . .
Recalibration complete!
Iron Skin (R) is now Evolving!
Aurelian ground his teeth and bent over while his hands found purchase on his knees, his Dragon’s Resolve and Breath Control skills working overtime while the evolving skill tore at him physically. Iron Skin’s alterations were akin to the breaking and reformation of his bones all at once, simultaneous to his nerves being flayed and his tendons stripped. It was an agony that he would have already gone mad or passed out from if not for Pain Tolerance’s ramping power, and the assistance of his other two active skills.
System energy coruscated through him in an ocean of blazing power, washing through his body in tempestuous violence that seemed almost a little punishing in its severity. Aurelian had a moment of wondering if the cosmic arbiter of life was somehow delivering a reprimand for his reckless use of points, but somehow he doubted that it would be anything so mundane. Or so petty.
The System was far more willing to do that in its messages.
Aurelian cried out while the effervescent renovation of the fabric of his form continued, and only when a sudden platinum light blazed in his core and through his Soulforce did any of the pain relent. His eyes opened and turned to look through traitorous tears at Bahamut, and he saw the dragon’s regal features twisted in shared pain; a snarl that revealed his platinum fangs and a tension which had his claws scraping along the marble beneath his feet.
No need for apology or reprimand came, and instead only solid support emanated through from their bond.
I am with you. The dragon sent simply.
Aurelian managed to smile through the agony and, as if in response to their joint efforts, a dolorous gong sounded across his mind.
He grabbed for the alert desperately.
Skill Evolution complete!
Congratulations, Aurelian Lucis Imperius!
Your Iron Skin (R) skill has evolved to Dragon’s Sanguination (E)!
Dragons and Vasiri are two of the most potently durable predators in the Realms, and the latter are one of the few creatures known to be a true threat to the might of the former. By combining both Dragon and Vasiri essences, you have created a physical durability somewhere between both. Your blood sings with the power of the Sanguine, and your flesh shall forever bear the favour of Dragons.
Pray your mad pursuit of power does not get you killed, Reclaimer!
Dragon’s Sanguination has been reset to Lev̶͇̇̎ȩ̶͉̂̆l̴͙̦̚̕͜ ̴́͛ͅ1̷̨̬͊̐͜
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ERROR
ANOMALOUS SKILL EXPERIENCE BACKLOG DETECTED
PROCESSING . . .
ARBITRATION REQUIRED
ARBITRATION COMMENCING . . .
ARBITRATION COMPLETE
SINGULAR EXCEPTION MADE
SKILL WILL PROCEED TO PREVIOUSLY PROJECTED LEVEL
FUTURE ARBITRATION WILL NOT BE SO KIND, RECLAIMER
SYSTEM OVERRIDE IN PROGRESS
STANDBY
. . .
Dragon’s Sanguination has retained its Level!
Dragon’s Sanguination is now Level 23!
. . .
Dragon’s Sanguination is now Level 27!
Congratulations, Dragon’s Sanguination has reached Aspirant Tier!
Would you like to Temper your Body with Dragon’s Sanguination?
Y / N
Aurelian held the prompt in his mind and reached out quickly to the Body Essence Draught in front of him on the ground, uncapping it instantly and — with a victorious grin for Bahamut — tipping the flask back immediately.
The moment it hit his throat, his body burned.
Not painfully, but instead with a magical force that very nearly threw his conceptual understanding of strength out of the window. Where before every introduction of a foreign substance had resulted in some form of agonising consequence that he barely managed to sustain himself through, this was a sharp and welcome change of pace. Where Dragon’s Sanguination had all but obliterated his body, the Essence Draught seemed to be a balm against his pain.
He could almost feel the ancient leviathan’s presence within him, imitating the safe and protective power of the dragon king and alleviating his worries and fears through the solidity of its might. Aurelian’s muscles relaxed while he processed the influx of passive energy swirling within him, acclimating to it and allowing himself time to truly feel it. It was important to understand the moment. To comprehend what it was he was about to do.
If he’d been asked why, he’d have been unable to answer.
It just felt right to be mentally marking and enjoying the moment.
Aurelian felt the Essence Draught almost transpose itself from his stomach to the esoteric ‘otherspace’ within which his core resided. It wasn’t a physical organ in the same way as his others, but he could feel it within him all the same. It was difficult to even properly articulate or arrange in his thoughts the way in which his core interfaced with his body. The simplest explanation was that it was displaced into the spiritual reflection of himself, and surrounded by and yet also adjacent to his Soulforce.
The whole thing sounded idiotic, but he had no better way of perceiving it.
With the Essence Draught settled, Aurelian took another steadying breath and then extended his awareness to the prompt awaiting his attention like a metaphysical flashing dot in his mental awareness. With a flick of will he opened it, and after reading the confirmation once more, he mentally clicked ‘YES’ and reflexively clenched his fists.
Tempering request confirmed.
Searching for valid Essences . . .
Essences found.
Populating . . .
[Essence of the Leviathan] (L)
No other Essences found.
Would you like to use this Essence?
Y / N
Aurelian selected ‘YES’ without hesitation and worked to keep control of his breathing with careful and regulated breaths. His Dragon’s Resolve and Breath Control skills were working well to balance the tremors of anxiety and uncertain that occasionally slithered through to his consciousness, and he could almost feel when the imagined dragon head that represented his Dragon’s Resolve snapped apart and destroyed the threads of uncertainty attempting to pierce his focused psyche.
He waited.
[Essence of the Leviathan] has been selected for Tempering.
Infusion parameters have been confirmed.
[Essence of the Leviathan] will grant the [Monarch’s Bloodstorm] Infusion.
Body Skill [Dragon’s Sanguination] will now be Infused with [Monarch’s Bloodstorm].
Beginning Body Temper (Aspirant) 1 of 3 . . .
Aurelian raised his eyebrow in surprise. He barely felt anything! There was little more than a strange tingling in his skin, and that was less bothersome than the most basic form of pins and needles. He looked down at himself cautiously, and reviewed any notable changes. It only took him perhaps half a second to realise he couldn’t see through platemail and let a scowl form along his features. Of course it wasn’t that easy, he was idiotic for thinking otherwise. He’d have to doff his armour after everything and—
A spasm tore through his body and Aurelian let out a sound somewhere between a hiccup, burp, and cough all at once. He barely had a moment to think about what had happened before another spasm ripped through him, and he felt his muscles seize up all at once. He teetered for a moment seated upright, his jaw locked into a rictus of pain from a full-body cramp across every inch of himself… and then he slammed into the floor and began to seize.
Lightning and power roared through his veins in a frenetic blaze of power that felt as if it were about to detonate him from within. His nerve endings, tendons, ligaments, tissue, and everything in-between and around all of them vibrated with surges of cascading mana that restructured the very fabric of his form in a way that somehow added an element of greater density, durability, and speed to him all at once.
It lasted for close to a minute, the entirety of which was spent with Aurelian grinding his teeth and spasming on the ground while his anatomy was altered by the System and the force of Bael’tharax’s essence. When at last it was done, he lay sprawled out and panting, eyes staring up at the glass ceiling and into the shafts of golden sunlight blazing down upon him.
With nothing else happening, Aurelian finally took a moment to just breathe.