Endurance has risen to 34!
. . .
Endurance has risen to 40!
Perception has risen to 24!
Perception has risen to 25!
You have reached Level 20!
. . .
You have reached Level 23!
Aurelian awoke with a gasp, and with the revitalised feeling of multiple level-ups.
It seemed like the System had taken mercy on him, and let the energy heal and suffuse him while he’d been unconscious. He remembered nothing of the experience, but he wasn’t about to question an anaesthetised mass level-up.
He stiffened immediately upon feeling a pressure on his chest, and his eyes snapped downward in 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 a great 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, and then frowned when he properly parsed the strain in Bahamut’s mental voice. “Is something wr—?”
Aurelian’s memories crashed into his mind and he looked around once again in alarm. “Where is the Vasiri?!”
Unconscious. Bahamut replied in the same calm, but 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 prone position, with his head resting on his pack.
“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 Novice 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 Initiate Tier!
You have gained Experience!
Would you like to Infuse the Pain Tolerance Skill?
Y / N
Aurelian barely had time to select ‘N’ 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 Initiate Tier!
You have gained Experience!
Would you like to Infuse the Longsword Mastery Skill?
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 Initiate Tier!
You have gained Experience!
Would you like to Infuse the Running Skill?
Y / N
Another ‘N’, another wave of System energy.
Another deluge of alerts.
Dodge is now Level 26!
. . .
Dodge is now Level 31!
Durable is now Level—
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 two Skill Upgrade Points into Durable.
Skill Upgrade Point consumed!
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—
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
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 acquired 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!
Soul Bond 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 arched his back, while his hands curled into fists and pounded the floor. His Dragon’s Resolve and Breath Control Skills worked overtime while the evolving skill tore at him physically. Iron Skin’s alterations felt comparable to the breaking and reformation of his bones, everywhere and all at once, while his nerves were simultaneously being flayed, and his tendons filleted.
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, and flooded through his body with a tempestuous violence that seemed, almost, intentionally punishing in its severity.
Aurelian had a momentary consideration that the cosmic arbiter of life was somehow delivering a reprimand for his reckless use of points, but he dismissed the thought as ludicrous only moments after having it.
He doubted that it would be anything so mundane, nor so abstract.
The System was more than willing to chastise him with its acerbic 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 he turned to look through traitorous tears at Bahamut. The dragon’s regal features were twisted in shared pain; forming a fixed snarl that revealed his platinum fangs, and creating a tension which had his claws scraping along the marble beneath his feet.
No need for apology, nor any form of 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 some of the few creatures known to be a true threat to the might of the former. By conquering the Vasiri Essence and reconstituting the Sanguinated Trait of the Elden, as well as saturating your mana channels with a Dragon King’s Essence; you have adopted a physical durability worthy of your achievements. Your blood sings with the power of the Sanguinated, 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
Drago̷̮̯̒̉n̴͈̈̉̕'̶̰̺͙̎͒̄ș̴̽͒͠ ̴̣͗̈́̕S̴͖̦̹͌̂a̵̮̿n̴̘̻̻̊́͝g̷̠̀́̈ụ̸̻̬͆̈́͝í̸̼̘̤̓ņ̷͎̩̂͐̕a̴̩͍̳̓̓̕t̷̛͇̗͔̆͆ị̵̀̒ö̶̝̪́n̷͉͊̑͜ ̷͎̱̟́ḫ̶̡̎͜/̵̨̩̄̋͑ͅ/̵͎̒͗ ̸̻̈́b̴̮͐$̴̲̍͝%̵̜͋͊͆6̶̳̩̓̕͝ń̶͙̒͝ ̸̼̉̈́ṙ̸̘͇3̴̤̟̆5̷̮̆̂̿!̵̻͚͑̈́!̷̪̟̭̈́̓t̶̟̪͌͝ ̷̡͍̒̈ͅt̷͉̤̊͌ố̶̱̩ ̴̺͂̔L̸̙̃͘e̷͍̦͔̐̽v̸͔͙̿̇ë̴͚̕l̸̩̹̐͜ ̸̩̅͠1̷̞͆̄̉
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 Initiate Tier!
You have gained Experience!
Would you like to Infuse the Dragon’s Sanguination Skill?
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 quickly 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, one which he usually barely managed to sustain himself through; the Essence 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 Bael’tharax’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, and allowed his body to acclimate to it.
When he was done, he allowed himself time to truly feel it. It was important to understand the moment, and 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 savouring the moment.
Aurelian felt the moment in which the Essence Draught pseudo-transposed itself from his stomach, and settled into the esoteric ‘other space’ within which his Core resided.
It wasn’t a physical organ in the same way as his others as of yet, which he knew from Tarixi’s explanations; 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.
It was like a metaphysical flashing dot in his mental awareness.
With a flick of Intent he opened it, and after reading the confirmation once more, he mentally clicked ‘Y’ and reflexively clenched his fists.
Infusion 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 ‘Y’ immediately and worked to keep control of his breathing, and calm his racing heart. His Dragon’s Resolve and Breath Control Skills were working well to balance the tremors of anxiety, and uncertainty, which occasionally slithered through to his consciousness. He could actually visualise, with astounding clarity, the moments in which the imagined dragon that represented his Dragon’s Resolve bit into and destroyed the threads of uncertainty attempting to pierce his focused psyche.
With nothing else to do, Aurelian waited for what was to come.
[Essence of the Leviathan] has been selected for Infusion.
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 Initiate Tier Body Infusion . . .
Aurelian raised his eyebrow in surprise.
He’d barely felt anything! There was little more happening other 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 a scowl formed across 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 with the intensity and speed of a lightning strike, 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—every single one—seize up all at once.
He stiffened for a long moment, his jaw locked into a rictus of pain, fists clenched, and back arched from a full-body cramp across every inch of himself…
…and then he began to seize violently.
Lightning and fire roared through his veins in a frenetic blaze of power, and he felt as if it were about to detonate him from within.
His nerve endings, tendons, ligaments, tissue, and everything in-between and around them all vibrated with surges of cascading mana. Each pulse of aetheric force restructured the atomic composition of his physical self in a way that somehow added an element of greater density, durability, and speed to him all at once.
Aurelian’s vision went double, blacked out, was flooded by white spots, and then normalised once again.
The pain, seizures, and muscle cramps lasted for the longest minute of Aurelian’s life until that point, the entirety of which was spent with him grinding his teeth. He could almost picture himself spasming on the ground, flopping around like some weird fish impersonator, while his anatomy was altered by the System and the force of Bael’tharax’s essence both.
His mind, perhaps searching for some form of distraction, hearkened back to another memory: a conversation with Tarixi, which in that moment of agony suddenly seemed almost prophetic.
> “The more powerful the infusion is for an Essence Draught, the more dangerous it is to both acquire, and to use. I cannot think of an adequate example or comparison for you, other than to say that it comes down to the Cultivator’s physical and mental fortitude, and the quality of the provided Essence. If the Cultivator is too weak to withstand the force of the provided Essence during Infusion, then there is a significant risk of death during the process.”
Aurelian would have laughed, had he not been so overwrought by agony and mind-shatteringly immense energy both. The feeling from what was happening to him was what he imagined being struck by lightning must feel like: a surge of heat, and power, and incandescent force beyond the scope or ability for anyone to properly describe. He felt like a flimsy piece of copper wire, laid across two high-powered power lines, and forced to act as a bridge between them for the thousands of volts that surged through their lengths.
It was as if the Infusion were seeking to break him, sunder him, and obliterate him from all time and memory.
It was not predestined strength, nor heroic fortitude, nor some magical form of death-defying will that kept Aurelian sane and held together. It wasn’t even Dragon’s Resolve, all but screaming within his mind. No, what kept his stable were two facts of his reality that he could not afford to let go of.
One, Bahamut needed him, and there was nothing in the Realms that would keep him from finally becoming a bonafide goddamn Dragon Rider.
Two, he needed to find a way to see his family, especially his sister, once again.
Letting the System, or even his own Infusion kill him was not conducive to either one.
So Aurelian lay there, and suffered, and waited until the last effervescent blaze of power subsided, and he felt his body settle into its newly Infused state.
When at last it was done, he lay sprawled out and panting with his head upon his pack, and his eyes staring up at the glass ceiling into the shafts of golden sunlight shining down upon him.
With nothing else happening in that exact moment, he did something he’d rarely had time to since his journey had begun in earnest. There were no more immediate threats, no more undead infestations—to the best of his knowledge—and no imminent threat from the still-unconscious Vasiri.
So, with all the satisfaction of a man abusing a luxury, he did something selfish.
Aurelian finally took a moment to just breathe.