UL1 - Book 11 - Chapter 99

“It has been two weeks since they have entered,” Vaelion informed Rakonath. “Neither of them should need that kind of time to clear a level at their power. Especially as a duo.”

Rakonath frowned, his scaled lip curling up and showing some of his teeth as he stood outside the tower with Vaelion, the alpha for his people and Arvir, the green elder dragon tasked with mentoring Chemmis and Bremeon.

“Bremeon should be able to withstand most attacks that come, even from a rare spawn,” Arvir said. “His natural defenses as a brown dragon, combined with his unusually large size, have made his progression through the tower easier than some. Combined with Chemmis and her poison and elemental attacks, they are in some ways the perfect pair.”

“Yet two weeks… and this is only the 46th floor. Do you believe that they could have continued to other floors?” Rakonath asked. “I know that some have done that in the past.”

“Not under my wing,” the green dragon stated. “I have kept strict watch over those under my care. My losses have been minimal and those who were injured were quickly able to rejoin the others after a week or two of rest.”

“She’s right,” Vaelion huffed. “I would not have summoned you for such a thing if I wasn’t certain something must have happened inside.”

Glancing around, Rakonath saw the adventurers who were gathered, waiting a turn to enter the tower as well as a few other dragons.  None approached as the three of them dwarfed all the others by at least half.

I’m almost there. I can sense your concern.

Two dragons… of that caliber… to lose them would be difficult for many reasons but the real problem I’m facing and perhaps you as well is why and how. Could this be something similar to the creature that defeated Miranna and Shale Spark’s party?

Rakonath could feel the hint of worry through their bond that Max had when he mentioned that possibility.  Neither of them wanted to see anyone die, but each knew that occasionally a boss could repeat in a tower.

I have a team I can try to bring and they could join another group of yours.  We’d be looking at a raid party, but you’d still have to account for the fact that they weren’t on a boss floor. Fowl has said he has a few adventurers that could assist as well as Sog and Cordellia.

But you’ve never officially been on a raid group before, have you? How does that even work?

Diminished experience, less loot, but the odds of survival is better when facing a stronger foe.  Everett mentioned once that four of the Factions banded together to face a boss that appeared in the thirties and was wiping out lower-level adventuring parties.  It took them a few months before they encountered it. We might be in the same position here.

A few months doesn’t seem that long right now.  Let’s see what we can find out and we’ll go from there.

Very well. I’ll be there in about thirty minutes.

“Max should arrive soon and we will pursue a raid group,” Rakonath said, turning his attention back to the elder dragons. “Until then I want to put a limit on anyone going above the 40th floor.”

“Forgive me, Father, but are you certain this is the best path?” Arvir asked. “Does this not make us look weak if we require the assistance of the other races?”

A low growl came from Vaelion immediately as the green dragon spoke. 

“She is allowed to voice her opinion,” Rakonath said. “Unless one proves they are unworthy of the position they have been given, it is not against my rules for someone to ask what she did.”

He turned his silver eyes upon the green dragon and stared at her for a moment, watching how she barely flinched under his gaze. “Weakness is not something we are concerned with in moments like this,” Rakonath continued. “Besides, is it not better to show that we are concerned with all the races because we have potentially located a boss which may threaten them all?”

“I see that thought,” Arvir said slowly. “I just… some have been concerned that we are too kind to those who are weaker than us. How many of our kind labor under the need to procure materials for the other nations and receive less than expected compensation for our efforts?”

“You are discussing things that are outside your position,” Vaelion growled. “Now is not the time nor is it your place to bring these things up.”

Even under the fierce gaze of the alpha, the elder dragon didn’t relent her line of questions.

“Tell me, Father, did you anticipate us needing the assistance of the others as much as we do? Have we not proven ourselves worthy of the land we have claimed? Yet even now we are already signed up to assist in the crossing of the great seas and helping the other races secure lands there.  I fear that our kind will be weaker because we are constantly carrying the others upon our backs.”

Rakonath studied the green dragon, seeing the intense gaze in her eyes and the way her chest was swelling.  He could sense the pride for their kind in her words and her actions.

Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly, ensuring that no smoke escaped as he considered the words he was about to speak.

“Listen to me Arvir and hear what I am saying. Know that I understand the position you are speaking from and that I know why you are saying what you do. Yet I would also remind you once again about the rules and laws I have laid out since the day of your birth.” He moved toward her. Since the day of their creation, Rakonath was once smaller than the elders, yet now he was over fifteen feet taller when in his dragon form.  This was a moment that he reminded her of that, looking down upon Arvir.

“You forget that without those weaker races I would not be here and thus neither would you. A few of them might prove to you that even as strong as you think you are, they could together defeat you. Yes it would cost them some of their adventurers, but they are not weak. Every fifty or seventy years we have this same talk and each time I remind you that we are living unlike most dragons. Often our kind fights within themselves, seeking to grow stronger off the weaker ones. Every part of this world is different. No matter what comes, and no matter what happens, I will stand beside Max and his people. This means you will do the same or you will need to find yourself a new flight to belong to.”

A gasp came from Arvir, and for the first time she flinched as if struck. “You would cast me out? Over them?”

Rakonath rarely growled at his kind but felt this was a moment that he had to.

His teeth were around her neck, talons digging in between scales of her chest as he put Arvir to the ground before most could blink. Cries came from those around who saw the two dragons in the position they were in as the dust settled.

Rakonath’s voice was deep as he spoke, his teeth having broken a few scales already. “Do not ever ask that question again or you will find yourself marked for death. I would have allowed Vaelion to speak to you, and try to persuade you of my desires, but you have left me with no choice but to act.” He growled, biting harder, ignoring the cry that came from her throat, driving a talon through the skin and drawing blood.

“Vaelion will speak with you later and you shall find a way to prove to me that you understand the decree that I made and will never go against it. If I hear a whisper on the wind that you have spoken out against the other races again, I will reward the dragons who bring you down from the sky with my spark. Do you understand?”

Arvir’s head moved slightly, unable to do much as his jaw held her tight. A squeaky, “Yes” was able to escape her throat.

Releasing the green dragon from his bite, Rakonath stood to his full height again and stared down at the elder dragon who had upset him. “Go home. If anyone asks why you are injured, speak the truth but make sure that when you do what you say is the truth. Vaelion will call for you and when he does, do not delay.”

Without waiting a moment longer, the elder dragon rolled to her feet and launched herself into the air, flapping her wings frantically to put space between herself and the god that had almost taken her life.

Sighing, Rakonath turned to see Vaelion smiling. “Did I amuse you?”

The alpha dragon snorted and nodded his head, a few times. “You did. She has been… outspoken and problematic for a while, but you had said in time she would come around. I did not believe she would unless forced to. Perhaps this is what you meant when you told me that it would be taken care of all those years ago.”

Groaning, Rakonath shook his head and then licked the blood off his teeth with his tongue. “No… yet she is stubborn.”

“Most greens are. That is why Chemmis was paired with a brown. An attempt to help settle their nature.”

“And you blues are often the calmest of our kind,” Rakonath said, a hint of sarcasm in his tone.

“Until the storm comes and then we are a force to be reckoned with,” Vaelion replied, still smiling. “But for the moment, I shall handle this situation personally until I decide which elder should take over.”

The blue dragon kept his mouth open for a moment and Rakonath waited, knowing there was more to come.

“Tell me… how do you want me to handle the others like her? I have been gentler than I would prefer. Perhaps your actions will soothe their tongues and the flames in their bellies, but I am not certain. You know our kind and the way we feel about ourselves and others.”

“You are the alpha,” Rakonath replied. “I will trust your decision. If you feel that there must be another dragon or two or three who must see that my decision is final, and that message must be sent through blood, then do so.”

Vaelion bent his neck slightly, eyes never coming off of Rakonath as he did. “I will take care of then. Now then, if you would give me a moment, I shall return to our kind and summon those who I feel would be valuable to assist here.”

With a wave of his claw, Rakonath dismissed the blue dragon who left almost as quickly as Arvir had.

You seem… moody.

You have no idea how difficult it is to manage a race like mine.

Rakonath sensed that Max was laughing, and couldn’t help but thrum at how those words sounded.

Forgive me… that was unfair.

You are fine. I was going to say while I didn’t not have any real problem with you, I did have to try and raise a daughter who seemed to get all of her mothers’ stubbornness and her fathers’ sense of adventure. We both know how that turned out.

Yes… she and four others defeated the tower and are attempting to do what we are.

Perhaps one day you and Shale Spark can sit down and discuss the nature of leadership over dragons. I’d be awfully interested to hear her opinion on how you led.

Rakonath’s thrum grew louder, reverberating around the area he stood, causing both dragons and the other gathered races to move back as the force assaulted them.