Path of Dragons-Chapter 69Book 9: : Humanity and the Lack Thereof

When Elijah returned to the cave, Oscar and the pack were gone. However, it only took a few seconds for him to realize that it was temporary. Not only was there evidence of their continued occupation of the cave, but Elijah could feel it via the combination of Soul of the Wild and his newly solidified mantle of authority.

Only then did he realize how large of a stride forward he’d taken. Even gone, Oscar and the dogs had left behind a subtle disturbance of the local ethera that Elijah interpreted as their essence. It was like a scent, but with ethera. It also gave him far more information than any odor ever could, and it didn’t take him long to recognize that it was still fresh enough to suggest that Oscar would soon return.

So, he settled down to wait. That only lasted long enough for his own aroma to fill the cave. Crinkling his nose at the smell, he decided to take the opportunity to put his soap to good use. With that goal in mind, he used Blessing of the Grove and summoned a bar from his Arcane Loop before working up a good lather.

And it felt better than ever.

He could feel the subtle currents of vitality that came from the soap, infusing his every cell and restoring his health. It also scoured the contaminants that came from spending so much time within the Elemental Maelstrom. He hadn’t even realized it until that moment, but the storm had left behind tiny accumulations of elemental attuned ethera. Fire, water, earth, and air – they warred with his natural ethera. It was a losing battle, but it also took energy to wage. Not a lot, but enough that, over time, it would have a distinct effect. The soap hastened that progress.

Apparently, his side project was even more powerful than he’d thought.

It was one thing to read a notification, but it was something else altogether to feel the most minute effects for himself.

Because he found it so fascinating, Elijah took quite a while to shower, and in that time, he discovered that his body had once again changed. His scales, which had once been confined to his arms, had spread across his torso. To him, they resembled a tiger’s stripes, and as alien as they felt, he couldn’t deny that they felt appropriate.

They were, of course, emerald – just like the others. Though the entire accumulation of scales shimmered with more ethera than ever. The glossy surface was almost reflective – like a freshly waxed car – and when he ran his fingers along them, he was unsurprised to find that they had an almost metallic texture.

In all, he was pleased with the change, though he did spend some time working to hide them. It wasn’t currently an issue, but he foresaw a time when he might need to conceal his draconic nature. Especially if the changes became even more overt. After all, it didn’t take a genius to see where it was going. Four legs, wings, and an entirely reptilian body were in his future.

And that would definitely alarm most people back on Earth.

In short, Elijah knew he needed to develop a similar look to his patron’s. Kirlissa was humanoid – or more elven, if he was honest – but with obvious nods to her draconic nature. If it was acceptable for her, then it was good enough for him as well. He just needed to develop the control necessary to enforce the appearance he chose.

Not that he needed to worry about that for now, but he couldn’t help but wonder how soon that necessity would come to pass. He wanted to be ready for it when it did.

After finishing his shower and dressing, he decided to treat himself to one of the meals in his ring. This time, it was something that resembled a quesadilla, but used an oddly flavored cheese that didn’t quite hit the mark. It was still good, but he attributed that less to the ingredients – which included hunks of venison and quite a lot of peppers – and more to the skills of the Cook who’d prepared it. In all, it was both satisfying and a little disappointing, largely because it veered so far from his expectations.

Once that was done, he followed it up with a grove fruit then a cup of coffee, which left him feeling more whole than he had since departing on his expedition of cultivation.

Elijah was just starting to test out his mantle of authority when Oscar and the pack returned. It only took one look to recognize that they’d been through the ringer, with most of the dogs sporting various half-healed wounds. None were serious, but it was obvious that they’d been fighting since Elijah had left them alone in the cave.

He quickly leaped into action, already casting his heals and blanketing the canines in dense vitality.

“Did you accomplish your goal?” Oscar asked without preamble.

Elijah nodded, still casting one heal after another. His main target was Oscar himself, who sported a dozen small wounds ranging from ragged cuts to burns and everything in between.

“How long was I gone?”

“Six weeks, I think. Perhaps as long as two months,” Oscar answered. He let out a sigh of appreciation as his wounds began to close. “Thank you. Those were beginning to become uncomfortable.”

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After that, Elijah got the explanation of what Oscar and the dogs had been up to. Apparently, Oscar was as fundamentally incapable of sitting still as Elijah, and within a day of being alone, he and the pack had gone on the hunt. So close to the Maelstrom, the pickings were a little slim, but they’d found enough prey to keep them busy.

“Any levels?” Elijah asked.

“A couple.”

It wasn’t quite the rate of progression Elijah had experienced in the Chimeric Forge, but it was probably better than anywhere else on Earth. It was just further proof of what could be accomplished in a Primal Realm.

Once Elijah had heard Oscar’s story, he related his own experiences with cultivating his soul. He ended that explanation with a demonstration, which highlighted the power of his mantle of authority. The second it encompassed the dogs, they let out a series of whines. What’s more, he could feel them pushing back against the stillness he imposed upon their vicinity. He couldn’t affect the ethera in their bodies, but there was some value in taking control of the atmospheric energy. 𝑅𝐀₦ÔʙÊȿ

He wasn’t certain what – if any – use it was concerning other people, but it was an interesting change, nonetheless. The immediate usefulness was obvious, though. So long as the dogs could adjust, it would make trekking to the next challenge that much less damaging.

“Your eyes are different,” Oscar remarked as he tore into a hunk of charred meat. Elijah wasn’t certain where he’d gotten it, but the flesh was almost black. It didn’t take a leap of logic to assume that Escobar was the cook. “Green.”

Elijah blinked.

He hadn’t even considered that as a possibility. So, he pulled out a mirror and, indeed, saw that his eyes had changed color. More, the irises had taken on a slightly different shape. More reptilian than mammalian.

Clearly, adding a few scales wasn’t the limit of the changes he’d undergone.

Still, the biggest surprise came when he embraced his mantle of authority. His eyes blazed with white light that quickly erupted into dense and smoldering flames. The second he released it, the pale fire disappeared.

That alarmed him more than any of the other changes he’d experienced. It was only after he’d given it a few minutes thought that he realized the origin of his discomfort.

“It’s because I got my eyes from my mom,” he explained to Oscar. “It was the same for me and my sister. But now…”

In both cases, their eyes had always been warm. Inviting. Understanding. Once, he’d seen something similar when he looked in the mirror. But now? Only something other. Something alien. It sent a chill up his spine.

“It does not cheapen the bond. You are the same person you always were.”

“But I’m not,” Elijah stated. “I know that. Sometimes, I wonder what I’m becoming. Sure, I’m a dragon. That’s easy enough to grasp, at least in theory. But to change something so fundamental, and into something so…inhuman…I don’t know. It wasn’t expected.”

If anyone could understand that, it was Oscar. From what the man had explained, he’d foregone a better class evolution so that he could retain his humanity.

But Oscar was no therapist, and he normally kept his opinions to himself. So, he only said, “You will get used to it.”

“Yeah. Probably.”

After that, Elijah pushed his discomfort aside. Perhaps he could have reverted his eyes to normal, but he chose not to even try. He needed to accept that he was becoming something new, and that meant that he couldn’t just reflexively reject every transformation he experienced.

Maybe he would feel differently once he saw how everyone else in his life reacted. If they recoiled in horror, he would give it a little more thought. But for now, he forced himself to accept it, all in the hopes that it would become a part of his self-image.

After a day of recovery, Elijah led Oscar and the pack from the cave and back into the periphery of the Elemental Maelstrom. Even so far from the storm itself, the outer bands were just as furious as ever, but Elijah’s mantle of authority effectively canceled it – at least within a dozen feet of his person.

To Elijah’s surprise, Oscar and the dogs rarely took advantage. When asked about it, the other man explained that the choice was anchored in two reasons. First, the mantle made the dogs incredibly uncomfortable. They simply didn’t like it, and their instincts dictated that they eschew the shelter it provided.

“They can overcome it,” Oscar revealed. “And they will if necessary. But the damage is useful. So long as we have access to your heals, we can use this as an opportunity to cultivate our bodies.”

“That…makes sense,” Elijah allowed.

So, as they days stretched on, he felt – at least at times – like he was making the journey alone. Certainly, the dogs and Oscar returned periodically to be healed. And they camped together in various caves along the way. However, Elijah couldn’t escape the feeling that he was back in the Chimeric Forge. That he was once again alone.

It was not a pleasant feeling, so it wasn’t long before Elijah let his mantle lapse. If the dogs could take the damage, then so could he. Thankfully, they reacted as expected, crowding around him as they headed for the next trial.

Painful? Sure. But the company made it worth the sacrifice.

Along the way, they were attacked by various creatures, but by that point, dispatching the wildlife had become easy enough that it was no longer noteworthy. Rather, it was just part of the routine.

When something actually had meat on it, they took it, and though Elijah used his artificed pan to cook it, it never quite tasted right. Still, they’d been inside the Primal Realm for quite some time, and as such, his stores of food had dwindled significantly.

In all, it took two more weeks before they finally crossed into the wind-swept plains associated with the next challenge. Everywhere they looked, tornadoes sprouted. The rocks were worn smooth, and the vast majority of the wildlife was airborne. The most annoying were the winged serpents, many of whom were far more dangerous than the ones they’d fought back in the Ring of Elements.

Thankfully, Elijah, Oscar, and the pack were much stronger than they’d been back then, so they dealt with the threats without issue. By the time that they reached their destination, Elijah had gained an additional level, pushing him to one-eighty-eight. Only two to go before he was awarded a new spell or an evolution of an existing ability.

That was more than a little gratifying. If there was one thing he enjoyed, it was that feeling of verifiable progression.

And then, at last, they reached the Gauntlet of the Sky Lords.

It was a silvery tower, maybe a hundred yards across and jutting high into the swirling clouds. Elijah couldn’t even see the top of the spire.

“You ready?” shouted Elijah over the wind.

The dogs barked, and Oscar nodded. So, without further ado, he hunched his shoulders against the howling wind and headed for the tower.