NOVEL WEB Chapter 7: Chapter 7: Understanding the bond
The chamber trembled, the tremor growing in intensity, accompanied by a deep, guttural roar that seemed to vibrate in Alex's very bones. It was a sound of primal power, of ancient rage, and it was coming from somewhere deep within the palace.
"What was that?" Maria whispered, her eyes wide with alarm, her hand instinctively clutching her smartwatch. Her aura, usually so vibrant, was now a tight knot of fear, shot through with streaks of concern.
Alex didn't answer. He couldn't. His own fear, cold and sharp, was threatening to consume him. He could feel it, the dragon within, stirring, awakening. His heart hammered against his ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the silence that followed the roar.
He looked down at his hands, half-expecting to see them covered in scales. And he wasn't entirely wrong. There, on the back of his left hand, spreading from beneath the dark metal ring, was a patch of shimmering, black scales. They were small, almost imperceptible, but they were undeniably there. And they were spreading.
*Warning,* Matt's voice echoed in his mind, urgent and strained. *Physiological changes detected. Dragon bloodline activation accelerating. Loss of control imminent.*
"Alex?" Maria's voice, filled with concern, cut through the haze of his fear. "What's happening? Are you alright?"
He tried to speak, to reassure her, but his throat was tight, his voice caught in his chest. He could feel the dragon's power surging within him, a wild, untamed energy that threatened to break free. He felt a surge of emotions through the ring, worry, concern, fear. It was coming from Maria.
He staggered back, away from her, his hand instinctively going to his chest, as if to physically restrain the beast within. The runes on the walls pulsed with an erratic, almost frantic light, as if reacting to the surge of uncontrolled energy.
"Stay back," he managed to say, his voice hoarse, barely a whisper. "I... I don't know what's happening."
Maria's eyes widened in alarm as she saw the scales, now spreading across the back of his hand, creeping up his wrist. Her system, always quick to provide information, flashed a new window in her field of vision:
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Target: Crown Prince Alexander
of Veridia
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Aura: [ERROR: System Overload]
Chaotic. Dragon Energy
Detected.
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Status: Dragon Bloodline
Activation Imminent.
Loss of Control
Likely.
------------------------------------
"Alex," she said again, her voice trembling slightly. "Your eyes... they're..."
He knew what she was seeing. He could feel it. The dragon's eyes, burning within his own. Golden, blazing with an unnatural light, they saw not the world as he knew it, but a distorted, fragmented reality, overlaid with the raw, untamed power of the dragon's essence.
He had to get away, to protect her, to protect everyone. Before it was too late.
"Matt," he gasped, his voice barely audible, "help me. I need to---"
He couldn't finish the sentence. A wave of dizziness washed over him, and the chamber seemed to spin. He stumbled, his knees buckling beneath him.
Maria rushed forward, trying to catch him, but he pushed her away, a desperate, guttural cry escaping his lips. "Don't... don't touch me," he pleaded, his voice a distorted, rasping growl. "Just... run."
The last thing he saw before darkness claimed him was Maria's face, her eyes filled with terror and a heart-wrenching sorrow, her aura a swirling vortex of fear and a fierce, unwavering determination that even his dragon instincts couldn't override. He wanted to tell her he was sorry, that he hadn't meant for this to happen, but the words died in his throat, choked by the rising tide of the dragon's power. He was losing himself.
Then, everything went black.
Maria stared in horror as Alex collapsed to the floor, his body convulsing, his eyes glowing with an eerie, golden light. The dark metal ring on his finger pulsed in sync with the silver one on her own, transmitting a torrent of raw, untamed emotions: fear, pain, rage, and beneath it all, a desperate struggle for control.
"Alex!" she cried out, dropping to her knees beside him.
She knew she should run, get out of there while she still could. Every instinct, every ounce of common sense screamed at her to flee. But she couldn't. She couldn't leave him like this, not to the mercy of whatever was happening to him, and certainly not to the clutches of Lady Beatrice.
Her mind raced, desperately searching for a solution. Her system, as if sensing her urgency, flashed a series of windows in rapid succession:
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Skill Mimicry: Ready
------------------------------------
MP: 97/320
------------------------------------
Warning: Insufficient MP for
sustained Mimicry of
Target: Alex.
------------------------------------
Suggestion: Utilize
Aura Manipulation
in conjunction with
Ring Connection.
------------------------------------
Aura Manipulation. It was a skill she had barely begun to explore, one that allowed her to subtly influence the emotions of others. Could she use it on Alex? Could she somehow reach through the chaos of his transforming state and help him regain control?
And what about the rings? They were clearly amplifying the connection between them, for better or worse. Could she use that connection to her advantage?
She looked at the unconscious prince. His body was still shaking, and the patch of scales on his hand had grown larger, spreading up his arm. A low growl rumbled in his chest, a sound that sent shivers down her spine.
She had to try.
Taking a deep breath, Maria activated her Aura Reading skill. The world shifted, colors deepening, and Alex's aura flared into view. It was a terrifying sight, a maelstrom of chaotic energy, the deep blues and greens of his human self swallowed by a raging inferno of gold and red, the colors of the dragon.
But within that storm, she could see something else. A faint, flickering spark of blue, a tiny island of calm amidst the chaos. It was Alex, his human consciousness, fighting to hold on.
"Matt," she whispered, hoping the AI could somehow hear her through Alex's mental turmoil. "Can you help me? I need to reach him."
A new window appeared in her system interface, a direct message from Matt, relayed through Alex's neural implant to the ring, then to her system:
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Message from: Matt (via Alex)
------------------------------------
Affirmative. Attempting to
establish a stable connection
through the rings. Standby.
------------------------------------
Maria focused on the rings, on the faint pulse of energy that flowed between them. She tried to visualize that connection, to strengthen it, to use it as a bridge to reach Alex's mind.
Slowly, tentatively, she began to project a sense of calmness through the rings, using her Aura Manipulation skill to amplify the emotion. It was like trying to send a fragile paper boat across a raging sea, but she persisted, pouring all her willpower into the effort.
She focused on the spark of blue within Alex's aura, the last vestige of his human self. She pictured his face, his eyes, the way he'd looked at her when he'd said her name. She tried to transmit those images, those feelings, through the rings, hoping to reach him, to anchor him.
For a long moment, nothing happened. Alex continued to convulse, the growls growing louder, more guttural. The scales were spreading, creeping up his neck now, towards his face. She was about to give up.
Then, she felt it. A flicker of recognition, a brief moment of lucidity within the storm. The golden glow in his eyes dimmed, just for a second, replaced by a flash of his usual deep blue.
It was working.
"Alex," she whispered, her voice trembling but firm. "Fight it. You can control it. I know you can."
She continued to project calmness, reassurance, and determination through the rings, using her Aura Manipulation skill to its fullest extent. She could feel the drain on her MP, the strain on her system, but she didn't stop. She couldn't.
Slowly, gradually, the convulsions began to subside. The growls softened, becoming more human, less monstrous. The golden glow in his eyes receded, replaced by the familiar blue, though now clouded with pain and confusion.
Finally, with a shuddering gasp, Alex collapsed, his body going limp. The scales on his skin retracted, disappearing as if they had never been there. He was still, too still.
"Alex?" Maria whispered, her voice filled with a sudden, overwhelming fear. Had she pushed him too hard? Had she, in her desperate attempt to help, actually made things worse?
Then, she felt it. A faint, almost imperceptible pulse through the rings. A heartbeat. He was alive.
Relief washed over her, so intense it brought tears to her eyes. She leaned over him, her hand hovering over his chest, feeling the faint rise and fall of his breath.
He was alive. He was back. But for how long?
And what would happen when he woke up? Would he remember? Would he be able to control the dragon within? Or would the next transformation be even worse?
She didn't have the answers. All she knew was that she couldn't give up. She had to keep fighting, for him, for Veridia, for herself.
She looked down at the unconscious prince, at the faint lines of pain etched on his face, and felt a surge of determination. They were in this together, for better or for worse. And she would do whatever it took to make sure they both survived.
She was just a gamer girl, armed with a glitchy system and a modified smartwatch. But she was not alone. She had Alex, she had Matt, and she had a growing understanding of the power that flowed through these ancient rings.
And somehow, she knew, that would have to be enough. It needed to be enough. She looked towards the book. They still had work to do.
Maria gently touched Alex's forehead, her fingers tracing the lines of pain etched on his face. His skin was cool to the touch, a stark contrast to the burning intensity of his aura only moments before. It was still in disarray, fluctuating wildly. The system was still giving her error messages when she tried to read it.
She looked down at the dark metal ring on his finger, then at the silver one on her own. They pulsed faintly, a silent testament to the connection they shared, a connection that had just been tested to its limits.
"We need to get you out of here," she murmured, more to herself than to him. "Before Beatrice returns, or someone else finds us."
She tried to lift him, but he was too heavy. Even with her enhanced strength from the stat allocation, she could barely shift his weight.
"Matt," she whispered, "any suggestions?"
A new window appeared in her system interface, displaying a message from the AI:
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Message from: Matt (via Alex)
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Assessment: Subject: Alex
unconscious but
stable. Recommend
relocation to a secure
location. Suggest
utilizing the inventory
system for transport.
------------------------------------
"The inventory system?" Maria muttered, looking around the chamber. Could they really use the rings to store a person? It seemed far-fetched, even for this crazy world.
She focused on the silver ring, visualizing Alex's unconscious form, and tried to activate the inventory system.
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Inventory System
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Error: Living beings cannot be
stored in the inventory.
------------------------------------
Of course. It wasn't that easy. She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Okay, plan B," she murmured. She needed to find another way to move him.
She activated her "Detect Hidden" skill again, the golden glow enveloping her eyes. The chamber shimmered, revealing faint outlines of hidden mechanisms, previously invisible runes, and... a passage. It wasn't a door, but a section of the wall that seemed slightly out of sync with the rest of the stone.
"There," she said, pointing towards the wall. "Another way out."
She carefully maneuvered Alex towards the hidden passage, using her enhanced strength to drag him, inch by agonizing inch. It was slow, exhausting work, and her MP was rapidly depleting.
As she reached the wall, she ran her hand over the surface, guided by the faint outlines revealed by her skill. She found a small, almost invisible indentation, just like the one that had opened the wardrobe.
She pressed it, and with a low rumble,
a section of the wall slid open, revealing a narrow, dark passage beyond. It wasn't ideal, but it was their only option.
Taking a deep breath, Maria dragged Alex into the passage, the stone door sliding shut behind them with a resounding thud. They were plunged into darkness, the only light coming from the faint glow of her smartwatch.
She didn't know where this passage led, but she knew one thing: they couldn't stay there. They had to keep moving. They had to find a safe place to rest, to plan, to prepare for whatever came next.
As she stumbled through the darkness, she felt a faint pulse through the rings, a flicker of consciousness from Alex. It was weak, fragmented, but it was there.
*Maria,* he thought, his voice a faint echo in her mind. *Where... where are we going?*
*Somewhere safe,* she projected back, her own thoughts tinged with exhaustion and a growing sense of unease. *Just hold on.*
She could feel his confusion, his pain, but also his trust. He was relying on her, even in his unconscious state. And she wouldn't let him down.
She continued down the passage, guided by the faint energy trail left by Lady Beatrice and the occasional prompts from her system. The air grew colder, damper, and the silence was broken only by the sound of their own breathing and the drip, drip, drip of water.
After what seemed like an eternity, she saw it: a faint light ahead. Hope surged through her, a much-needed boost to her flagging energy.
She reached the end of the passage, emerging into a large, cavernous space. It was dimly lit by shafts of moonlight filtering in through cracks in the ceiling, revealing a subterranean lake that stretched out before them, its surface as still and black as glass. In the center of the lake, a small island rose from the water, and on that island stood a single, ancient-looking tree, its branches laden with glowing, crystalline fruit.
It was beautiful, in a strange, otherworldly way. But it was also unsettling. The air here felt different, charged with a raw, untamed magic that made her skin tingle.
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Environment: Subterranean
Grotto
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Aura: Neutral (Blue)
with pockets of
High Energy (Yellow)
------------------------------------
Features:
- Underground Lake
- Island with
Luminescent Flora
- Faint Traces of
Eldrin Magic
------------------------------------
Her system identified the location, but provided little additional information. It was as if this place was outside of its programmed parameters. A place unknown, even to the game.
As she stood there, taking in the surreal beauty of the grotto, she felt a faint stirring beside her. Alex was regaining consciousness.
His eyes fluttered open, blinking in the dim light. He looked around, confusion evident on his face.
"Where... where are we?" he murmured, his voice hoarse.
"Safe," Maria said, offering him a reassuring smile. "For now, at least."
She helped him to sit up, leaning him against a large, moss-covered rock. He winced, his hand going to his chest, where the dark energy had struck him.
"What happened?" he asked, his gaze fixed on her face. "The last thing I remember is..."
"You lost control," Maria said softly, her voice filled with a mixture of relief and apprehension. "The dragon... it almost took over."
Alex's eyes widened, a flicker of fear in their depths. He looked down at his hands, as if expecting to see scales, claws. But they were normal, human.
"You saved me," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "You... you pulled me back."
Maria nodded, remembering the surge of power she'd felt, the desperate attempt to reach him through the chaos. "It was the rings," she explained. "And my system. I think I managed to, I don't know, stabilize your aura or something." She paused, then added, "And Matt helped. He guided me."
"Matt," Alex repeated, a faint smile touching his lips. "Of course." He looked around the grotto, his gaze lingering on the glowing fruit. "Where are we?" he asked again.
"I don't know," Maria admitted. "Some kind of underground lake. My system calls it a 'Subterranean Grotto.' It says there are faint traces of Eldrin magic here."
Alex's eyes lit up with interest. "Eldrin," he murmured. "Perhaps this place is connected to the chamber, to the library." He paused, then added, "We need to be careful. If this place is untouched, there might be traps, guardians..."
As if on cue, a low growl echoed through the cavern, followed by a splash. Maria and Alex both froze, their gaze fixed on the dark water.
Something was moving beneath the surface. Something big.
"Or," Maria said, her voice trembling slightly, "maybe the guardians are already here."
She raised her hand, her silver ring pulsing faintly. The faint golden glow illuminated her face, revealing a mixture of fear and determination. They were not out of danger yet, far from it.