Nagal sped over dunes and low-rising rocks as the wind whistled across his scales. Trees and vegetation in the area had been mostly cleared, but the remaining sparse scrub within fifty meters of him combusted from his radiating heat. Onlookers would see a thinly blazing trail of the remaining combustibles in the area and a glowing crimson streak as his heartscales flared like the core of a fusion reactor.
No longer necessary to hide it, his frenzied speed and building flames demonstrated the rage he felt from his abuse at the hands of the Sundai Clan. Fury boiled in his Core and he would reap the vengeance he was owed upon the Clan’s racers.
His agreement with the vampire from the Savoy Corporation would balance the Karmic scales and show the Sundai Clan all would suffer when any incurred the wrath of the Dragon.
Memories of the mistreatment and disrespect forced on him came unbidden to his mind as the kilometers sped away under the Naga’s thrashing tail. Nagal had been frozen in the clan’s cell for more than two days, unable to circulate his Essence, move, or even speak. Forced to listen to the peacekeeper prattle on about the twining paths of arrogance and Adharma.
The shopkeeper who had paralyzed him had even come and sniggered at his helplessness. “You’re more likely a gecko than a Dragon.” She had mocked him in his helplessness.
Eventually, the paralysis faded but Nagal’s Cultivation had been stunted. The Meridians the shopkeeper had frozen had been deformed. The combination of propagation backlash and days of subsequent stagnation had resulted in damage that only time could repair.
His Essence had moved in starts and stops when he attempted to circulate it. The turbulence caused soul-splitting pain as it surged and then was blocked by the damaged pathways. None of his skills could be used. Nagal lost all hope as he watched its sluggish flow with his aural sight.
Furthermore, while Nagal had both his Earth and Fire Attunements—in his present condition, he had less strength than a singly Attuned warrior.
The Peacekeeper had advised him that his Cultivation would return to its former state if he left it fallow, but that the healing would take several standard galactic cycles—up to ten of them.
“This is really a short time for Cultivators, Nagal. Use the time to reflect on your past actions and what direction you really want to go in.” The Peacekeeper’s patronizing words rang in Nagal’s ears like crashing cymbals.
His mind had cried out to the powers of Reality. How could he have
been betrayed like this? How could the Blessed One have abandoned his true chosen?
Adding further insult, Nagal was then escorted out of town by the peacekeeper and advised not to return. Not able to meet their cruelty with strength, Nagal slithered into the darkness to feed off vile beasts and carrion he could defeat in his weakened state. He had resigned himself to a decade of base living before he could reclaim his glory. And seek his revenge.
It was with a belly full of vermin that the Black Eyes had found him.
Beaming her false smile of camaraderie, Nagal had been certain of the female’s devious nature. However, sitting alone in the dark, eating only the wretched fur-covered pests he could capture, he had accepted her presence with fear and trembling.
Just as with the Sundai elders, Nagal had been unable to sense the depth and strength of her Core. but the smell of death reeked from her, like it did all her ilk. Regardless of whether they had been spiritually risen or were the soulless reanimated drones that were so numerous in dark places, they all smelled the same.
“I am Xsias.” She spoke with an unblinking gaze through a frozen, fanged grin while holding out a natural treasure in an open, pale hand. “This is the Citrin of Diamasis, a seed from a World Tree fermented in the stomach flame of an ethereal salamander as it lived its life swimming through the molten cores of terrestrial planets.” Nodding to it in reverence, she continued. “Know that it has taken eons to ripen to its current strength.”
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
The heat and spiritual potency the seed gave off from the small flames that raced in ripples over its surface bore the truth of her statements.
“With this, I promise an immediate return of your strength, vengeance against the Sundai, and ultimately—powerful allies that will guarantee you the respect due a Dragon walking the Path of One.”
Xsias had moved closer to him as she spoke, but his concentration was focused on the citrin and its never-ending flow of flickering flames coursing along its edges. The Black Eyes’ words continued, and Nagal was reminded of honey as it smoothly oozed off a comb.
“Not only that, but simply eating this gift from the Savoy Corporation will restore your flame Meridians to better than they have ever been. Even before the hurt inflicted on you by the Beast Affin of the Sundai, may they rot in the uncharted abyss of the obsidian void.’
Regardless of his fear of her, Nagal could only agree with her senti- ment for the Sundai and found himself nodding with her. That along with hearing his greatest wishes from her lips, and craving his wholeness, Nagal found himself reaching for the seed in haste without even thinking—
But it disappeared faster than he could track.
As if coming out of a trance, Nagal shook his head and saw Xsias standing before him. Her hands were planted firmly on hips and her mouth in a thin line. Her black eyes regarded him with dominance and anger of contempt. “My dear Nagal, this is a priceless treasure. At this stage in your Cultivation, you should know that I cannot just give you this without assurances.” A wicked smile spread over lips that matched the dead feeling of her unwavering gaze.
Having learned not to demand things from those who were presently more powerful, Nagal spoke plainly. “What is required of me?”
She placed the sharp tip of her index finger’s black nail against her lips and raised her eyes to his. “Not much. First, I must brand your Core with my Blood Essence. Then I’ll tell you the rest.” Her smile widened.
“You would turn me into an undead slave!” Nagal shouted as he unconsciously backed away from what would be his last chance.
Xsias’s nostrils flared. “Of course not, foolish child! There may come a time when I feel you have earned that privilege and I might offer it to you. But you are far from that time now. I am not a patient being, Nagal!” Xsias hissed.
Xsias dropped the concealment of her Core and everything in the immediate surroundings began to drip with Essence the black color of death. Nagal staggered under the strength radiating from the exposure. He dropped to his knees as Xsias kicked his legs out from under him with a speed and strength the Naga had never before seen. With one hand, Black Eyes pulled the scales under his chin toward a bleeding wound on her other wrist. The Citrin of Diamasis floated from behind her to fill his dazed gaze again.
“Choose!” She briskly nodded to the fruit. “Salvation, power, and vengeance, or mindless slavery for eternity?” She raised her wrist slowly dripping thick black sludge.
Nagal shifted his eyes to the citrin and nodded.
A satisfied smugness overcame her countenance as she bit into her wrist, exposing all four of her fangs and tongue as she smeared her black blood over them.
“Good! Now drink!” A maniacal glee overcame Xsias as she forced his muzzle to consume the unending torrent of death flooding from her.
Nagal could barely keep himself from retching as he swallowed the thick black obscenity that poured from her veins. His natural instincts were all opposed to this antithesis of life being forced upon him. The dark energy started twisting his Core and Meridians. Nagal’s screaming only started a micro-gyra later, when the process had become irreversible.
When Nagal regained consciousness, Xsias had kept her promise and gave him the citrin. Swallowing the rock-hard seed, it had made him more powerful than before he had come to this world. His senses indicated his Meridian and Core capacity had increased by a full third beyond what they had been. He felt the same increase in his strength and vitality as well. Furthermore, his flame attack was now five times faster, requiring less than half a second to generate, and it could continue in a state of readiness for immediate release for up to sixty micro-gyras—ten times what it had been before.
Now, as he stood atop a thirty-meter rise, one kilometer from the finish line, Nagal was in sight of the Sundai elders' spectator area.
Black Eyes assured him the Sundai didn’t dare interfere with the qualification race. These words had been proven true, as well. Nagal’s narrowed eyes could see sharp looks on their stony faces. All of them glared at him and feared what he would do, but none dared to come up to him.
Good!
The elders were fools in their continued belief in Dharma and Adharma. Black Eyes had the right of it. There was no right and no wrong, no good or bad—only power, and now Nagal had it. They would have to sit and watch as he slaughtered their children before their eyes. He would leave them to their misery and simply step into the Blessed One’s race when he was finished.
Xsias had also promised he would be granted a Portal returning him to his starting world after he succeeded. From there, he would seek her out at the Savoy Corporation’s satellite headquarters on the ice world of Naz’ram in the galactic core. Then, together, they would rise to glory.
*****
Meni returned at the qualifier’s two-thirds point to confirm Nagal stood in plain sight and waited for them in front of the finish line. The Gandun and Savoy’s positioning remained the same. Tono waved the entire group to huddle up and listen in as they ran over the rocky ground toward Nagal’s position.
“Everyone! The threat is real. The Naga is waiting to crush us using the Gandun and Savoy as his hard spot. Do we challenge him or withdraw?”
Josh nodded. ~Are you still up for this?~
~Yes, brother. It is the right path. Besides, I don’t like... bullies. Is that the right word?
~Yes it is, Sen.~ He smiled. ~Yes it is.~
Josh spoke into the group’s silence. “Tono. We have a plan.”