“How did you do it?”

I ask Eldra. I examine the tendrils connected to the hovering dragon scale.

“Well I just used a magic construct to relay power through. The scale absorbs ambient magical energy, and that flows through the construct. The construct communicates to the computer and asks how much electricity it wants. It converts the magical into electricity, and the rest flows into the construct to sustain it.”

She scratches the back of her head.

“Most magical items that recharge themselves work like that.”

I nod. I had no idea the first thing about magical items but apparently my computer counted as one. Which meant I had to be extra careful with my phone. Mending could fix a break, but not restore the effects of magic lost that way.

“Since I fixed it can I keep it?”

I give her question some thought it’s not like I could bring it back to town. I wasn’t sure if the construct and scale would last either. Didn’t even have internet.

“Let’s lay down some ground rules first. Number 1 the computer and any of its parts cannot be anywhere near water, ocean water especially.”

She frowns.

“Water can cause it to break. Second IF I ever find a way back home I reserve the right to take my computer back at that time. Third I may need to occasionally use it, or want to use it. Like to watch a movie. Fourth this is more of a request. You seem good with artifacts, I would like to develop some more of a similar nature and could use your help. Fifth do you have a way I can contact you?”

She nods with a big smile.

“I can do it I can do those things. Gonna need to make a hydrophobia enchant though.”

She thinks for a moment.

“Also what the fuck is a Nereid doing up here?”

I ask. She slams a fist into her open palm.

“Oh I felt the pulse of energy when you used the staff. I panicked, sometimes dragons do shit like this. So I flew over here to get it sorted but found out Laxy already took care of it.”

She frowns at that. Things were clicking into place.

“So you are have a greed cornerstone, or is it more like protection?”

She narrows her eyes.

“Calm down Eldra. He is young.”

Waylax says.

“Fledgling it is considered a grave offence to ask or question a dragons cornerstone. Like asking their deepest weakness.”

She shakes her head, and spits.

“Now, now Eldra you are only a handful of centuries older than him. You were young, and naive once too.”

Eldra storms off around Waylax, I feel electricity in the air. Then a slim, and winding serpent grows in the cave. Pearlescent scales that shine with the rainbow cover its body. The new dragon twists like a serpent ready to strike, and with a crack of thunder and a gale force wind, it flies out of the cave.

Waylax lets out a sigh.

“Still so hot headed.”

I rock back and forth on the soles of my shoes.

“So Waylax, I should let you know that everyone thinks your dead.”

His head turn around to me.

“What?”

I scratch the back of my head, and avert my eyes.

“So at the time I didn’t know you were a dragon, and I walked out of the cave. So everyone just kinda assumed the only person who would walk out of a dragon's cave is someone who would kill a dragon.”

I pace over towards my suitcase and begin to pack away my few clothes, and about the ramen that was strewn about.

“However they made me a lord of all the land, so I will declare your cave dangerous, like some sort of gas or something is leaking out and it’s highly toxic, and corrosive. Also…. I promised a friend that owns a tavern called the Dragon's lair I would get her a souvenir, something worthy of the name, so I was hoping you had a scale, or tooth, or claw extra.”

Waylax gives me a look. That look you give your 6 year old cousin when they ask to play games on your phone.

“What shall you give me in return? I know that Eldra can keep up her end of the bargain, much as she is loathe to relinquish one of her possessions.”

I smile at this.

“A wager, I bet I can make one of the greatest soups you have ever had with a stone.”

Waylax narrows his eyes, a mixture of curiosity and insult on his reptilian face.

“You mock me.”

I cross my heart, and hold my hand up.

“Scouts honor.”

He snorts,

“I know not these scouts so their honor means little to me. But if you believe yourself so mighty…”

He cranes his neck, and selects a small smooth pebble. Barely the size of my fingernail.

“Your stone.”

I take the stone from his grasp, holding reverently. I pull out a small bowl, and place the stone within it.

“Fighter take the wok, fill it up ¾ the way, then return.”

I shuffle around the cavern, and select a number of ancient torches. They sit dried and decaying, in the corners where large dragon claws cannot reach. I pile the scrap wood around the metal stand we used to cook the eggs. It only takes me 5 tries before the fire starts.

Fighter comes staggering in with the wok, and places it atop the small metal stand. When the water begins to boil I gingerly lift the rock, and place it into the water.

I use a large wooden spoon to stir the water. Everyone watches me nervously, I have them enthralled by my cooking.

After a few minutes of the soup boiling, I lift the spoon up with a small amount of hot water. I blow to cool it, and place it to my lips.

“Ahhhh just right. This soup is going to be wonderful. Alas it is missing something.”

I scratch my chin as if deep in thought.

“Salt! And pepper! With those two ingredients it would be leaps, and bounds better.”

I exclaim. Wizard lifts to small pouches from her pack, and hands them to me. Waylax doesn't protest focused on the stone, and the “magical" soup it will make. I grab a pinch of salt and pepper each, and with a flourish sprinkle them into the boiling water.

I stir the soup once again with the spoon, and after another minute or so taste the salty, peppery water.

“Yes, yes. Absolutely delicious, what would only enhance this soup would be some of the onions, and garlic we bought in the market.”

Cleric opens her bag, and pulls out the rest of the onions, and a few cloves of garlic.

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“Thank you Cleric.”

I pull out my plastic cutting board, and dice up the onion, and mince the garlic. I add these to the wok. I stir the water again. After a few minutes I sample the “soup” again. I frown.

“What’s wrong.”

Waylax asks.

“Nothing but the soup has yet to reach it’s full potential. It would be an insult to serve it otherwise. If we added some peppers we could get closer though.”

Rogue grabs a couple of peppers from my bag. I clean them up removing the membrane and seeds. Then cut them into long thin strips. I dump them into the pot.

The smell of garlic and onions begins to waft up. I can see Waylax nodding in agreement. I stir the soup again tasting the soup after a few minutes.

“Hmmm it’s still not quite right.”

I glance around.

“Do we have any mushrooms while the rock is good, some more earthy flavour would be perfect.”

Waylax turns his head, but keeps one eye trained on the soup. He pulls a load of small button mushrooms from somewhere. I clap my hands together.

“Wonderful. We can place them in right away.”

With some plops, the mushrooms fall into the wok. I stir them up, taking my time to let the veggies cook. I sample the soup once again.

“If only we had something a little sweet, something nice and juicey to add.”

Cleric pulls a few tomatoes out.

“Excellent those will be wonderful.”

I cut the tomatoes into bite sized pieces, and put it into the wok. I stir, and let the tomatoes release their juices. When the skin starts to shrivel a bit I taste the soup again. I make a show of getting some mushroom.

“Hmmm. It needs a… crunch. If we had something with a nice snap to it when you bite.”

Fighter pulls carrots from the aether? I have no idea where he was keeping them. I peel the carrots then cut them into small pieces and throw them in. I stir it and after a minute I taste.

“Wonderful, but still. This soup is missing something,”

I scan the room, and let out a sigh.

“We have no meat to add. Without it the soup will never reach it’s true potential. What a shame, what a shame.”

I dejectedly return to stirring the soup with a sigh. Peeking at Waylax out of the corner of my eye.

“I could resolve that, in a moment.”

He lifts up a wooden chest, and rifles through it. Pulling out a bright blue bag, covered with snowflake stitching. He opens the top, and a wave of mist rolls out. With a tug he pulls the cold body of a fawn from the bag. It has been cleaned, with no fur, and the internal organs removed. He taps his claw to the ceiling of the cave, and a hook on a chain falls with a jingle. I walk over and examine the corpse.

“Excellent, Excellent, rarely do I get to use my cleaver.”

My cleaver was a small thing, not the giant ones they used in movies. I had a larger one, but that wasn’t on me.

I remove the tenderloins first, then take the hind legs off the deer. The ball socket is a little tricky, but with a practiced hand I pop it. I set those aside. Then remove the first shoulder. I use a longer knife this time, and circle it around the muscle. It comes off cleanly. With two quick slices I remove the flanks. I run my knife along the spine, and work to get the backstrap off which I have the hardest time doing usually. I take the rib meat off, then the meat I’m actually going to use. Which is the neck meat or stew meat. With the carcass mostly clean I spend a minute trimming it, and pile that meat with the bit of neck meat. With a few cuts I clean up, and cut the trimmings. Then add the meat into the pot.

“The soup won’t need anything more than the trimmings.”

Everyone stares at me.

“What? I have skills other than keeping you idiots alive, I have to keep myself alive to do that.”

I stir the pot anew, as the meat cooks within it. The colour shifts from pinkish red to brown, and a wonderful smell begins to waft. While I would like to have added some stock, or even bullion, I’m satisfied.

I sample the broth,

“Delicious, it is just missing the garnish.”

Waylax takes in a deep breath of rising steam.

“Garnish?”

I nod. Waving the spoon about.

“A few herbs to add to the stones flavor. Some parsley, chives, thyme any, or all would do.”

Wizard pulls another bag from her pack and opens it. She picks a few pieces of dried parsley and thyme from inside, and hands then to me.

“Thank you very much Wizard.”

I sprinkle the herbs over the soup, and remove some of the less on fire kindling to reduce the heat. I give it one last stir.

With a pair of tongs I carefully lift the stone from the pot, and place it in a bowl. I set that aside, and begin ladeling the soup into a bowl for everybody. Waylax can just use the wok.

“Go ahead it’s finished.”

Waylax lifts the soup to his mouth. With a slurp he drinks the broth. His eyes widen,

“From a stone.”

He whispers. The others take sips as well enjoying the warm broth. Waylax takes another slurp.

“Why remove the stone at the end?”

He asks, using his clawed fingers to lift the stone into the air.

“Well you can’t eat rocks. So now that the soup is finished and the stone had released all it’s flavour, we can remove it.”

He nods.

“You surprised me with how delicious this stone soup is. I will grant you a scale, on the condition I may keep the stone.”

I smile.

“It’s yours if I can have one of the bags of holding you own, doesn’t have to have anything in it or be special. Just something to keep supplies in.”

He taps a claw against his chin making a loud clacking noise.

“Very well, but I might ask a small favor. You share any new, or interesting recipes you make with me.”

I nod.

“That sounds fair.”

He lifts the large chest up and lets go it leaving it hovering in the air. He pulls a small roll of black, I recognize as a portable hole. He places it on the wall unrolling it to it’s full length. Inside is china cabinet. A ladle carved with sigils, a floating spoon, a dull looking wooden for, a knife that seems to cut the very fabric of reality as it rests. He places the soup stone next to a chipped teacup cup, and a plate made of the night sky.

He peels the portable hole off of the wall, and rolls it back up. He tucks it back into the chest. He shuffles the bags around in the chest, and pulls out a well worn hard leather pack. It has two pockets on either side and hooks for rope. I take the handy haversack off of his claws.

“The pack doesn’t fit my frame so I have little use for it other than to store supplies. I can fill it’s space with three more bags now.”

I think he was just rationalizing giving it away.

“Thank you for your generous offer. This is much more than you could have given, I will be sure to pass along any interesting foods and recipes.”

I reply. He lets out a snort.

“Before I forget,”

He reaches down and pulls a smaller scale from the tip of his scale. This one is only the size of my hand and not a dinner plate. It’s incredibly dense as well. I tuck it into the Handy Haversack.

“Thank you again. If you don’t mind I was hoping to walk down that cave, and find how I came here.”

He waves a claw, and yawns. He rests his head on one of his arms, and looks at me through half closed eyes.

“As long as you don’t disturb my pickling process, or make a ruckus feel free.”

He says. The party has finished eating their meal.

Cleric just looks fucking angry. She glares daggers at me, like any second I’m gonna light on fire. Wizard is studying the cave, scribbling furiously onto the loose sheets of paper I had her pack. She picks a few scattered pieces of fungus and moss, placing them into small glass vials. Rogue has an equally inquisitive eye, but looks at everything like a merchant. I could see it days from now in the market square ‘Dust from a dragons cave sure to cure all ails’, or ‘Dragon stones for soups and stews.’ Fighter is the strangest of all he keeps doing breathing exercises, like he is about to go into a job interview, or give a presentation for a crowd of people.

I let them rest a few minutes as I repack my gear, which is just me upending my current pack into the Handy Haversack. I attach the rope to the bottom set of hooks and the wok to the upper set of hooks normally intended for a bedroll. I slide my bedroll into the Handy Haversack. I transfer the stuff in my luggage into the Handy Haversack as well. I keep the apron on however it’s handy to have the knives in arms reach. I keep my bag of flour and my coin pouch on my hip, and make a mental note that I should get some more ball bearings and caltrops for personal use.

“Come on, I have something to check and you lot are coming with me.”

I tell the party. I had been debating whether or not to try and find the place I had come in, but wasn’t really sure how I would find it again. Guess this is a sidequest? Subquest? Minor arc? This is more like the second part of a chain quest. I shoulder my pack and stare into the darkness beyond.

“Same position as always, watch the ceilings and walls. The environment is 3 dimensional now meaning threats can come from one or more directions at once with little notice.”

We head down the cave, and towards, hopefully, some answers.

------------

Eldra’s soaked body walks back in.

“I still don’t understand why you are protecting him, you even used the old ways to awaken him.”

Eldra says malice clear in her voice.

“You didn’t even tell him the true nature of the staff. Growing stronger the more types of food you have eaten? What the fuck does that even mean.”

Eldra waits for a response, but Waylax stares down the tunnel after them.

“Well Waylaxilantarian the Cannibal? You gave him a staff carved from the last bone of the Tree Drakes, besides you of course, infused with a piece of your very soul.”

Waylax shakes his head.

“You wouldn’t understand. He was unfettered, unchained, unrestricted, but weak. I had to claim him.”

He stares at Eldra an intensity in his gaze.

“I had forgotten the feeling, from my youth, from before my mind slipped. I remember now, I remember what it is to feel fear. You grew up in relative safety, and comfort. I peered into his unshielded mind, and felt fear at what I saw.”

He taps a claw against the floor.

“He has stared into the abyss, and the abyss blinked. If I let him roam he would destroy the world.”

Eldra squints at him.

“So what kill him. He is a simple mortal, a human no less, powerful but untrained.”

Waylax shakes his head.

“You do not know the greater trouble that would bring. The Seer gave me one thing, and that was this task, this redemption. Killing him would simply delay the inevitable, and the fates hate to be interrupted, even more so by those who know what they will weave.”

Eldra places her hands on her hips.

“So what? He has some part in a prophecy?”

Waylax clicks his tongue.

“Still so young. No he is not part of a prophecy, he is the prophecy.”