Ascent of a Dragon

Through cyan eyes

What the fuck did I just witness? What the actual FUCK was that?! Okay... I was kinda worried before. A dragon with no Mana sense? They're the Mana Kings! They should live, breath, and eat Mana from day one! It was already concerning to see this idiot blindly stumble around, walking into walls and stalagmites, and sniffing moss. But to think it can't use Mana at all? Maybe for the first day, but surely you figure this kind of thing out by now!

I've seen dragons, I know what they should be like and it's not this! And then there's this morons eating habits... why would you just eat everything you come across?! Freaky diseased lizards, poisonous insects, hell I even caught it eating a rock! Looked kinda like one of those rock lizards to be fair, but still! You were born here! Use your uber dragon instincts to figure these things out!

Wouldn't even listen to me the first few times I tried to steer away from the nasty stuff! Eventually learned though, so it at least has that much going for it. I even had some nice names in mind too, like Fluffy, and Blueglass, and Snoofles. But those names are clearly too good for this idiot! Seriously! You have a nose! Use it! The amount of times I saw this moron sniff something gross, eat it anyway, then almost puke it out immediately after is absurd!

But then, oh then, we have whatever in the ever loving fuck this dumb lizard spent the past four hours doing to itself! I'm no Aura expert, mine is objectively perfect as is so I don't need to be, but I'm pretty DAMN sure you aren't supposed to mutilate your internal organs with it! You can get yourself killed pulling shit like that! And how does it now look healthier?! What? It has LESS Mana!

Haaaaah... dammit. This idiot is going to be so much maintenance, but it's my ticket to the lower floors so I need to keep it alive. Speaking of which, where are we now? Why are we hunting again? We still have food... Finally standing up from her slump, Lyla observes the changing scenery from her perch.

Lyla's fur puffs up, sensing vibrations within the ambient Mana to ascertain her surroundings. We're approaching big lizard territory. I'll have to steer this fool away again. Lyla taps her pedipalps on the dragons horns, to no response. Hmm? That's usually enough... Moving onto the snout Lyla turns and makes direct eye contact and rhythmically slaps the dragons forehead, almost slapping it in the eyes.

This is promptly ignored again as they continue onward without pause. Gaah you stupid dragon! Danger this way! Go back! Lyla escalates, wrapping thread around the dragons eyes, only to be pushed back to her perch, thread discarded like a dirty rag. Nooooo why are you being like this now! I thought we had a thing! Why must you betray me like thiiiiiis?!

The fluffy arachnid throwing a tantrum on the dragon's head fails to halt their pace as they approach the source of danger. If you're hungry then just eat the rest of that gross corpse pile! You're still injured! Just look at your wi- Lyla's thoughts are interrupted looking at the now unwrapped and distinctly uninjured wing.

Huh... Did you figure out Mana while I wasn't looking? Why can I still not sense it? No way you can already suppress it right? Wait, is that why we're heading towards dangerous beast territory now? To hunt? Fool! You're still too young! You're supposed to give yourself time to grow and become strong enough to pro-gamer no-scope instakill one-shot all your enemies! Then you can ferry me down this stupid labyrinth like a cool dragon elevator! That was the plaaaaan... Uugh...

Lyla is brought out of her internal monologue by a sudden pulse in the surrounding Mana. The dragon noticing the change, and Lyla's sudden thrashing between its horns, jolts to the side as a loud shock-wave shatters across the cave walls. In their place stands a roughly shaped boulder, at least twice the dragon's size, resting in a deep impression bored into the crumbling ground.

The pair eye the fallen boulder, and the boulder glares back. Yellow eyes bore into violet and cyan with the mad fervour of a predator marking its prey. Crooked white hooks bare themselves to the world, dripping with anticipation as a long grey tongue dances behind with a low growl. Limbs sprout forth from the rocky body, thick paws with long, jagged claws eating into the ground as it lifts the tremendous weight of its body.

Is it too late to convince my clinically insane infant dragon minion to back away from the overgrown giga rock lizard? I think it is... A tail snakes its way to Lyla, nudging her off the dragons head. Lyla scampers to the underside of the dragon's chin, refusing to be pushed away.

Huh? You think I'm just gonna sit by and watch while my precious minion goes to fight some crazy rock monster? Hell no! I'm not some heartless minion abandoning spider! I'm a heartfull minion rescuing one! And ill be damned if I let you die to some stupid pile of rocks!

Before either can continue their silent argument, the cave is once again filled with the explosive sound of crashing rocks. The pair startle as they search for the now missing boulder lizard, somehow having disappeared during their short moment of distraction, only leaving behind several large craters where it once stood.

Shit! Whe-Above! Lyla swiftly wraps a thread around the dragons horn, leaping to the side and pulling its head along with. Taking the hint the dragon leaps away, spider in tow, as another explosion attacks their ears. Rocks and debris shoot past as the pair resume their stare-down.

Okay, stay calm. Step 1 in a fight is always to observe your opponent. Know your enem-wait WHAT?! Why are we charging straight in? Lyla clings tightly to the dragon's horns as they dash towards the beast. I get you're hungry or whatever, but can we at least PLAN first?! Claws clash with rock as the dragon swipes at the hard scales on the lizard's front leg, coaxing a trickle of crimson from the wound.

Instead of swiping back or defending, the boulder lizard simply flexes its enormous legs, shooting them into the floor and slamming its tail off the ground with enough force to launch itself to the ceiling, leaving nothing but a crater and a resounding CRACK of shattered terrain. With a spin, the boulder lizard gently lands on the cave ceiling. Not cling, land.

What? This thing can use gravity magic? That's cheating! My dragon minion is only five days old! Aren't we supposed to start with the easy level 1 baby monsters instead of this level 99 magic casting walking avalanche?! Oh that's right, WE ARE! But nooo we just had to come hunting probably one of the biggest predators in this place! Stupid minion!

The boulder lizard swiftly manoeuvres above the pair, once again aiming to crush them. Great! Now retre-NO WHY?! Finding herself once again charging straight towards the lizard Lyla discovers the newfound desire to shed a tear from her non-existent tear ducts due to the reckless maniac that is her dearest dragon minion.

As they near their approach the lizard launches itself to the ground, accelerating much faster than a creature its size really ought to be able to. Moments before the collision, the dragon pivots, twisting its body and slashing forth a bladed tail with the momentum of its whole body.

The lizard lets out a piercing screech as it crashes into the ground. Stone shrapnel presses into black scales as the pair are flung back by air pressure. A deep gash bares itself on the boulder lizard's shoulder, a small waterfall of blood pouring out and splashing on the floor below.

Huh? Is my minion... A GENIUS? Fuahaha! I always knew I made the right choice! Never any doubt in my mind! None! The dragon scoffs, slamming its tail on the ground in frustration, a small fragment falling off the chipped blade. What? Not satisfied? You've practically signed this things death warrant! It'll bleed out before lo-oh...

Blood around the wound ceases its natural flow, rushing back into the gaping hole it came from. Gaaah! Come on, that's just cheating! Grrr at this rate I'm going to need to bring out my special attack! The lizard strains against its weight, pushing to a stand before launching itself to the ceiling. Oh? Fuehehehe, I have a plan.

The pattern repeats, dragon charging at lizard while lizard scrambles towards dragon. As they intersect though, Lyla jumps directly below the boulder lizard, giving the dragon a wave and somehow winking despite the lack of any eyelids.

Clang! CRASH! Bone meets scales, and scales meet earth. A new gash finds itself on the lizards neck as the dragon pauses to register what just transpired. Spotting the faint white glow pulsing below the boulder lizard, the dragon's face twists, fangs bared and eyes emitting a harsh glow.

Violet Aura spews forth, basking the room in a soft light. The lizard slightly flinches at the glowing beast now barrelling towards it, deep black pupils threatening to consume it whole. Claws scrape into flesh as sharp teeth sink into the boulder lizard's neck. In an attempt to lift itself and fling away the clinging dragon the lizard presses it's legs hard into the ground, but is instead pulled back down by an unknown elastic force.

As it tries once again to lift itself from the crater, barely managing a few inches, a small bundle of fluffy light squeezes out from beneath. Fuahahahahaa! Behold my special attack you fool! No mere rock with legs can hope to break my invincible webs! Lament peon, as you now slowly bleed out fro- Lyla's internal monologue is cut short as she stares stunned at the flailing mess of blood and scales before her. The obsidian dragon is flung every which way by the rampaging boulder lizard, quartz teeth desperately hooking into rocky scales for dear life. Despite being bound to the floor and having its neck crushed by enraged fangs, the lizard still manages to thrash and flail with zeal, shattering the rocky floor and filling the cave with it's desperate roar.

Gravity warps as the beast tries everything to escape its bind. Rocks fall up to the ceiling, crush down into the ground, and assault the cave walls. The ground below threatens to crumble away from the assault as it sways and flails every which way. However, each motion only serves to worsen the damage as the dragon clamps down harder, using every available opportunity to slash and claw at the beast in its death throes.

Eventually, the boulder lizard slows down, exhaustion and blood loss catching up to the beast. Flails turn to jolts, turn to twitches as the life drains out of it. Once the final whimper leaves the beast, the dragon releases its clamp, calming its Aura with a solemn expression and taking in the surroundings.

A familiar white glow catches the dragon's attention, locking eyes with eight cyan orbs staring back. Fuahahaa indeed! I am fine my minion, no need to fret for my invinc-Uuegh! The dragon pounces, nuzzling the fuzzy ball of white against its snout as its tail wraps around the pair. H-huh, guess you were worried... Sorry?

Embrace turns to assault as the tip of the dragons tail bears down on the spiders head. Gah! Sorry! I'm sorry! It'll never happen again! Uaaaah! Lyla flails her limbs in surrender to the repeated tail slaps. Satisfied, the dragon turns around with a huff, leaving a dazed ball of spider to reflect on her mistakes.

Uugh... Shouldn't things be the other way round? I thought I was the leader here!

Earth Drake Q--en

Appearance:

I have --c-u----ed -ncount---- possibly the large-t recorded Earth Drake. Larger even th-n any Ea--h Dragon I've he--- heard of, this crea-u-- c--atur- is a veritable mountain. An enti-e eco-ystem a-p--rs appears to have found its way on the Dr-ke's back, cov-red in a thick layer of mo-- --ss -nd a few small plants from the for--ted floors above. - I have not seen it move mo-e than its ---d -ea-, so I can only assume the large of-shoots on the s-de- are its limb--

Be---ior:

Unlike other Dra--s, this one does not appear to partake in hunting. Instead it acts something like a hive or nest from whi-h to t-e young strong enough to make it down to this floor. The larger ----es Drake- in the colony seem to be the ones who hunt the most, provi--ng both for themselves and the -ueen. - -ould love to stay and find out how such a- -------- large? I'- not s-re wha- --is was c-eature can ascend to the higher floors. It clearly mo--s, as evi--nced by the disturbed ground by the edges of its body, where plants refuse to grow. And the lack of any footprints intr----s ----i---- me further. Al-s, I haven't the luxury of indu-ging my own curiosity. Maybe I can spend my -et---ment in -his labyrinth? Ha! A- if I'd ac--ally retire!

----- notes:

I am curious to know what the creature tastes like. Unfortun--ely I am very much not in the business of wrecking ecosys-ems for my own curiosity. S--m- Sh-me too. Such a lar-- specimen must be brim-ing with Ma-a, and taste truly div-n-.

Adendum-

W--n I reached a f-w flo-rs lower I f-lt -- enormous tremor origin-ting from above. Gi--n the lack of -arge creatures in these i-- --y layers I beli--e it to have been caused by the Eart- D-a-- Queen. It is the ul---at- ul---at- shame that I'm unable to go back and chec-- I want to -no- so badly what ca-sed such a q--ke!

F-rt-r -dde-d-m-

-ome of -y ----- a-p--- to be d--rad--g as - ----end. My --rlier ---es -e-m -- -e fine, so -----er is c--si-g th-s only seem- to a--e-t th- --na in -- in-, preven-ing it from se---in- prop----- --ven ho- -he cr----r-s -- th--e dee--- ----rs r-l- --ss on Ma-a- --d more -- --- -----g--, I beli--e th-- t- be cau--d -- --- con-um----e ------t--s o- ------- E-e---- - ---l --rr-ct wh-t I c-n, --t gi--n th- gro---- degr--a--o- t- -y --k - ---bt it wil- -e-p m--h.-I--l have to -se my -et--n token -- --rp t-es- t- --e su-face s- - c-- preve-- f-rt-er ---age. I w-ll -e r-pe--i-- --is mes-a-- on mu---ple ---e-- -n hop-- of --me st---ng -n ta-t.

-Excerpt from sec---- -8 ch--te- 1 of the Lost Hero's Journal