The First Dragon of Marble

Chapter 22

[Lucy’s POV]

I see Ladon fall sideways after the monster had died. “Ladon!” I rush to him and see everything on his left side covered in blood. My panic starts to rise as I see him like this. “No, no, no, no, please no.” I put my ear to his chest to listen for a heartbeat and hear a weak one. “Okay, okay, what do I do?” I look around to see the area covered in scars from the battle and one of the monsters still alive trying to crawl away with a leg bent the wrong way. I look down at Ladon and say to him, “I’ll be right back love. I need to take of the last one and then I’ll get us out of here.” I pull his spear out of the monster I helped killed and feel the full weight. “How can he even fight with this thing?” I carry it to the monster crawling away. As I get closer it seems to notice and seems to beg for its pathetic life. I lift the spear and thrust it into its neck letting the weight of the spear help drive it into the brain. “How dare you try to beg for your life.” I say to no one with absolutely no emotion in my voice.

I then gather Ladon shield and store both his shield and spear in my storage. Then I pick him up under the shoulders and drag him a few yards from the battlefield. I’m soon breathing hard from dragging as I think to myself, “He is a lot heavier than he looks. I need something to move him faster.” I stop and lay him on his side so that he won’t choke on his own blood. Once he was in good position I went around and gathered a couple sturdy limbs and made a drag litter from my cloak that Ladon gave me the first time we met. Rolling him onto the litter then use leverage to pick him and the litter up and start moving faster. Ignoring my own pain, I continue moving away from the area to put as much distance as possible between us and the possibility of more monsters.

As I move, I contemplate what we went through. “I killed all the ones that came after me with ambushes, but the last one was smarter than the others. Now I’m covered in wounds while Ladon is barely alive. How did that even happen? I didn’t have much time to look at his wounds, but I could tell that it was some kind of spell.” “Haa…haa…haa.” I breathe hard and I feel like my lungs are being pricked by needles as we move in the cold night signaling winter is around the corner. I decide not to stop until we reach the crater/lake that Ladon showed me last night. I could feel my body struggling to keep up with the demands that my mind is telling it. “Come on Lucy, he has done so much for you. The least you can do is get him to safety, to the lake.” When we were there last time, I felt like it was a safe zone that permitted no monsters to enter the vicinity. I am not sure about my hypothesis, but I just have this feeling that it has something to do with Ladon’s parents lingering mana.

Finally, we reach the lake around dawn and my body collapses from exhaustion. “Lucy…” I hear Ladon speak, and energy welled up inside me enough to crawl over to him. “Ladon! Don’t worry we are safe. I’ll take care of you I promise.” “Lucy…you are…haa…haa…hurt.” Tears well up in my eyes as I hear his words. “Stupid dragon I am fine! Worry about yourself first! *Sob*” I say to him starting to cry. His hand shakily rises to my cheek to brush away my tears. “Haa…haa…I’ll be…fine…You need to clean your wounds and drink the potions I gave you…Here.” Bandages, medicine, and sterilization agents pop out of nowhere as he continues with labor in his breath. “Use…haa…these before…using the potions…I’ll be fine…maybe…in a…couple…days…” As he finishes his sentence, he passes out again. I stare in fear and shout, “Ladon. Ladon!” I crawl up to chest and hear a weaker heartbeat.

            “No, no, no, what do I do, Ladon?” I breathe hard and start to panic. Then I hear someone who’s voice seems to come from every direction including from below and above. “Calm yourself child of Fauna.” I look around franticly for the feminine but strong voice and see no one. “Tiamat?” I whisper my question but receive no answer. “Mysterious voice aside it is right. I need to calm down and think.” I take several deep breaths to gather myself and think. “Okay, first his wounds come first.” I struggle to take his clothes off to see the extent of the damage and gasp at the view when I manage to do so. His body is still in his half dragon form and the attack had basically scraped all of his scales from his shoulder down to his foot off along with his skin underneath. “Oh, my gods. What spell could do this to him?” I gawk at the wounds and then shake my head and get to work. I follow the process that Ladon performed on my back when we first met. I poured the sterilization agent to disinfect the areas, as Ladon put it, and then applied a generous of ointment on it. Then I wrapped him up in bandages like a mummy displaying my lack of knowledge. I get some potions for him to consume as I prop him up with my knees for the potions to go down easier. Soon instead of haggard and labored breathing Ladon’s breathing finally becomes rhythmic and looks as if he is sleeping. I smirk and kiss him on the forehead. I then do the same to myself and then sit beside him to watch for monsters.

            [Ladon’s POV]

            “Where am I?” I say to myself as I look around to see that I am floating in a space void of light.  “So, you are the child of Tiamat and Odin I see.” I look around and see nothing yet hear a voice that shakes my very soul. “Who are you?” I demand as I become more alert. “Haha. Worry not young dragon we will meet soon. I have heard a lot from Tiamat since she will not stop talking about you. I have not seen her this happy since Odin and her became mates. Goodbye for now dragon son of Tiamat and Odin.” Once the voice bid farewell, I snapped my eyes open and see the night sky above me along with searing pain. “Ugh! Fuck me.” “Ladon?!” I look around and then see Lucy above me. “Lucy. What happened where are we? Wait! Those monsters and your wounds! Are you okay?! I will slaughter every single one of them!” “Shh. It is okay my dragon. They are all dead and we are at the crater turned lake.” Lucy says with a soft voice as she brushes my hair with her hands.

            “I see…” I release the tension building up and relax a little. I look around and see that we are in the open. “How long have I been out?” Lucy thinks for a moment and says, “I would say around two days. You were really hurt so I have been applying medicine to you.” “Two days?!” I say in exclamation becoming alarmed. I try to sit up put I feel an intense pain and drop back down. “Argh!” “Stop Ladon! You’ll injured yourself if you suddenly move.” I was confused and in pain. I look down at my body and see that I am wrapped up like a mummy in bandages. Looking up at Lucy with a raised eyebrow who looks away and says, “I’m not very good at first aid but I did it like how you did me.” “Not quite but it is better than nothing I suppose.” I think to myself as I retort her comment. “How bad is it?” I ask since I am usually healed a day or shorter after being injured. Lucy looks back into my eyes and describes my wounds when she first looked at them. “Now though it seems your body is healing rather quickly compared to a normal person. Even faster than a mink or mythicals would. Your scales are growing back slowly though.” “I see…” I sigh as I think about the fight. “I seem to have become overconfident from my last few fights being won overwhelmingly. Lesson learned I suppose, though, I put Lucy in danger.”

            I carefully sit up this time bearing with the pain. Lucy helps me and then sits in front of me where I see her multiple bandages. “You applied aid to yourself as well right bunny?” Lucy grins at me comment and says, “Yes ole mighty dragon. I have taken care of myself as well.” I roll my eyes ignoring her teasing as I become serious. “Lucy…I’m sorry.” She frowns and asks, “For what?” “For being too overconfident and leading us to get injured and almost dying. If not for you arriving when you did…I would be dead most likely. Thank you, my love.” Lucy shakes her head and says, “It was not just you who was overconfident Ladon…There is no need to thank me either. Remember, ‘my enemies are yours and yours are mine’, I will always have your back just like you will always have mine.” I smile and nod. “So be it…It seems that we will have to stay here for a little longer so we can recover before we continue. I’ll make us a shelter that way you can get some much-needed sleep.” “Aren’t you still in pain? Will using magic injure you more?” Lucy started to stop me but I say, “We need the shelter and safety Lucy. It won’t take much out of me. I hope.” I say the last part in a whisper knowing this was going to be rather taxing on me.

            “Help me to my feet please.” I ask her and she grabs my arm pulling me up with strain. “Haa…haa…thank you bunny. Now step back a bit.” I say with labored breath struggling to stay standing. I take a breath and then visualize the stone shelter and then stomp the ground hard grunting in pain. “AHHHAHH! FUCK!” The shelter forms and I fall to the ground as Lucy rushes to me. “You, stupid stubborn dragon! I told you did I not and you just wouldn’t listen to me!” I close my eyes enduring the pain. “Yes…haa…yes…I’ll listen to from now on.” “Hmph. Should have from the start.” Lucy crosses her arms and pouts. “I’m sorry okay, but it needed to be done. I’ll bring out the furs so that we can sleep.” “You better be sorry.” I bring out our supplies and furs since it may be a while before we are okay to move. After eating and changing our bandages and reapply the ointment. We lay down on the furs and Lucy snuggles up to my uninjured right side. I close my eyes and before drifting off to sleep I decide to check my personal scroll to see how the fight went with my leveling. I ignore the weak monster notifications since they are pretty much insignificant to my leveling now and just focus on the recent monsters.

[Defeated Ogre X3.5 Ogre soul essence absorbed. X3.5]

{Level up} {Level up} {Level up} {Level up} {Level up}

            I blink in surprise at how many levels that I gained. “Were they really that powerful? And I was injured by Void magic? What the hell kind of element is that? Odin never told me anything about it and what is the .5 for? Is it because both Lucy and I defeated him together? Dammit so many questions and unknown and not enough answers! If they were elites, then we may only have a short amount of time before their Chief decides to make his move…We cannot help it though we need to recover before we continue on to destroy the settlement.” I sigh and then open my eyes and say out loud, “So they were ogres huh.” Lucy looks up at me from laying on my shoulder. “Yes, you didn’t know?” I shake my head, “I have read about them, but I have never seen any illustrations on them and now I understand why. They were fast and strong and most who encounter them are dead before they even know what happens. They are about as intelligent as the races of the Gods and have good instincts when it comes to battle. Though it seems if you anger them and then let them think they have won they drop their guard.” I look down at her with a grin to which she returns.

            Then I think about the leader talking in common, so I ask, “Lucy did you hear the leader ogre talk in common?” Lucy face turns to a look of concern as she nods, “Yes though it was broken, and I was busy planning how to kill the ones sneaking up behind your stone wall.” “I see…have you ever heard of a monster talking in common?” She shakes her head, and I just stare at the ceiling before speaking again. “I tried to see if there was middle ground that could be found instead of killing each other.” Lucy looks me in confusion and asks, “Why? What did it say?” I sigh and say, “Though I may give off a vibe of being merciless, but I would never try to commit genocide on intelligent beings rather they be monster or people. If they are able to communicate then maybe there can be a compromise that both sides can agree on to stop bloodshed.” “I know Ladon. I didn’t mean to presume but I have never heard of anyone even considering that way of thinking. Monsters are mutations caused by mana deforming aspects of nature and life.” I nod and say, “I know, but just because they were not created by the gods does not mean that the ones who are intelligent cannot coexist.” “I suppose, but I doubt these monsters that we are facing will compromise.” Lucy retorts as I pull her up to where, I can put my face between her neck and shoulder.

            “I know bunny. I am mostly thinking out loud to give myself boundaries for future encounters.” Lucy hugs my head closer to her and says, “I see. Well then, I suppose that will be both our boundaries.” I smile at her supportiveness and close my eyes, but then open them and ask, “Have you checked your scroll yet? I just checked mine and I rose five levels from killing the ogres.” I feel her move her head, but she remembers that I cannot see her, so she says, “Not yet. I am still trying to break the habit of not looking at it since it used to bring a sense of loneliness. Do you want to see it too?” I move back and say, “Only if you want to share.” She smiles and kisses my forehead and says, “What mine is yours and what is yours is mine, my mighty dragon.” I chuckle and say, “Okay then I’ll show you mine as well.” We close our eyes and see the prompt to share our scrolls. We confirm and I see Lucy’s scroll in my mind’s eye.

            I open my eyes and look at Lucy stunned by her progress. I see a similar face on hers as she opens her eyes. “” Impressive as always.”” We say at the same time chuckling. “It seems my mighty dragon has become even mightier.” I smirk and retort, “And it seems my little bunny has become a force to be reckon with.” I kiss her and snuggle back into her neck. “I have a question though that has been bothering but I have not had the time to ask. Do you know what ‘possible mate’ is all about on the scroll.” I ask her since I have had this question in the back of my head. “Um…I forget that you are still not used to certain things or know common knowledge.” I huff into her neck and pout, “I’m sorry for being ignorant.” “Hehe…it’s okay, you have me, so you’ll get by. As far as the scroll saying possible mate simply means we are in a romantic relationship. If down the line, we swear upon the gods to be together then it will change.” I look up and ask, “So it’s simply saying that we are boyfriend and girlfriend?” Lucy tilts her head and says, “I thought we were more than friends, Ladon.” “We are its just back in my time that is how we called our romantic partners if we were not married to one another.” “Ohhhh, I see. That is a little confusing.” Lucy nods in understanding and hugs my head back into her chest this time.

            Silence befalls us and we both fall asleep with Lucy hugging me this time. Around two weeks passed before we are both healed enough to continue the job of taking out the goblin settlement. I used my healing spell to make sure no scars form on Lucy. I used it on me to accelerate the regrowth of my scales. I repack everything into my earring and say to Lucy, “Once we get back, we need to see about getting you a bigger storage ring. That way we can split the supplies in case something like this happens again.” “Does your earring not let anyone else pull from it?” I shake my head and say, “No it is made from a scale from my mother so only she and I can pull items from it.” “I see.” I decide to leave the stone shelter as is since it will remain for a few days so that we have a place to retreat to and have shelter.

            Throughout the couple of weeks Lucy continued to forge her mana veins and finally succeeded in completing them. “Do you feel any different now that you have mana veins?” Lucy looks at me as she puts out the campfire. “Yes actually, my body feels lighter and more attuned to my thoughts.” I smile and say, “Good, you should try casting Dragon Eyes soon, but not until we get back. The pain may be too much, and I do not want you out of commission.” She nods and we are now ready to head out. “I want to see if the ogres are still there and see if we can recover their weapons. They might be intelligent enough to talk but I’m not sure if they made those weapons or not.” “Okay, I’ll lead the way then.” Lucy says as she begins walking towards the direction where we fought the ogres.

            Possibly due to her level up we are moving faster than before and arrive at the location around noon. We hide and observe the surroundings as we come across the ogres that Lucy killed first. “I don’t see any traps or signs of the bodies being moved. Should we go closer?” Lucy asks to which I nod while coming out of our hiding spots and look at the ogres’ bodies. “I see you ambushed them. Well done bunny.” “Hehe…thank you.” Lucy giggles and we proceed to gather their weapons and proof of kill. We leave the bodies behind and then make our way to the one’s I killed and a similar scene lays before us only the bodies are not so efficiently killed. We gather the proofs of kill and weapons while I leave the leader for last.

            I kneel down and observe him closely. Due to two weeks having gone by the bodies have started to decompose but there is no sign of scavengers feeding. I finally notice that the leader has a horn growing out of his head. “Do ogres usually have horns? I didn’t see the others have any.” “The others must have been younger ogres because they are described having horns like this one.” Lucy says as she kneels beside me to look as well. “I see…well I’m taking it. This fucker caused us a lot of trouble.” I rip the horn from its skull and put it away for now. I stand up and offer my hand to Lucy helping her up. “Let’s get back to finding where these assholes came from.” “Mm”

            We move on through the forest looking for any trails that the ogres may have used and finally came upon one. “This is too big to be an animal’s trail.” Lucy says as she kneels down to look at the size of the trail. “Yeah, this may be a trail used by the settlement. It must be close. Be on your guard.” We follow the trail watching out for ambushes and traps but come upon none. “Strange. If they were intelligent enough, they would have had scouts and/or traps to keep such trails safe. Are they just overconfident or trying to lure in prey?” I think to myself as we walk and then I start to see smoke billowing in multiple pillars into the sky. “Lucy careful I think we just arrived.” I say as I point at through the trees towards the pillars of smoke. She squints and then says, “Ah smoke.” I nod and we crouch to move closer to the pillars and come upon an edge of a cliff. We look down and see exactly what we have been looking for.

            Down below the cliff that we are looking down from we see a massive looking military camp. Multiple fur tents dot the ground below surrounded by a log wall made of felled trees to make the camp bigger. There are numerous massive bonfires that are the source of the pillars of smoke. I cast Dragon Eyes to sharpen my gaze and notice hundreds upon hundreds of goblins and hobgoblins either fighting each other or tearing at some kind of meat. At the middle of the camp is a tent bigger than the rest. I signal to Lucy to look as I whisper, “The leader ogre said something about a chief. I’m guessing that is where it is.” “I’m not very well read on goblin species behavior but that would be my guess as well.” Lucy whispers back she looks at the tent I pointed out. I look back at the camp and look for other details while taking out parchment and a granite stick. “What are you doing?” Lucy whispers to me. “I’m drawing a sketch of the camp to reference for our plan of attack.” “I didn’t know you can draw.” I look at her and grin, “I can a little but nothing special. It was more of hobby that I picked up when I was bored on deployments.”

            As I sketch out the camp I notice no smithies, food storages, tailoring, or any other signs of material production. “It seems I was right about them not making weapons like what the hobgoblins and ogres had.” “What do you mean?” Lucy asks me. “They have no smithies that I can see nor armors. There is no place to store any hunts. Though there is one tent that is rather strange.” “Why is that?” “I keep seeing monsters go in and out constantly. I’m not sure what it is, maybe a meeting tent or something.” When Lucy hears this her face darkens with a disgusted emotion and says, “Show me.” I point towards the tent I was talking about, and she has to squint hard to see what I am talking about before she says, “I think I know what that tent is for, though I have only read about it, and it only happens when the goblin species comes together like this.” I raise an eyebrow which she shakes her head at saying, “Goblins have both males and females, but they like to take other races to well you know.” My brows furrow in disgust and say, “I see…Then when we attack, we should avoid the tent until the monsters are taken care of.” Lucy looks at me with pleading eyes as I shake my head. “Lucy, we will not endanger ourselves to save possible prisoners. They will be on their own until we have secured the camp. I’m sorry.” Lucy tries to say something but, in the end, nods seeing the logic. “Good lets retreat for now and find somewhere else to observe for about a week and plan the attack.” We crawl away from the edge of the cliff to find a better vantage point to observe and plan our attack.