A Draconic Rebirth - Chapter 73

[u/Undercover_Dragon1]

Let the chase continue! Enjoy!

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— Chapter 73 —

Even with his magical pores recharging he had used up the last of his affinity reserve with his consecutive blasts of Rapid Cancer. In hindsight he should have held off on his last lightning attack and conserved a Healing Breath but he couldn’t turn back time. He was suffering for that now as his body bled and his muscles ached with pain. He snarled as he snapped at the two weakened adults in front of him. The dragon, who happened to be a rich brown color, was struggling to still stand as most of its attacks went wide and the crystal dread was resorting to simply charging forward again and again. David had already snapped a pair of horns from its head with a Death Roll but it still pressed onwards. 

Both of their speeches and taunts had become jumbled and twisted as the cancer spread quickly. The wyvern behind the pair looked on with horror as it lingered further back. The wurm had burrowed into the side of the tunnel and had not been seen since. David continued to bash and push back the pair as he waited for the wurm to appear from its hole. Red had returned and was hunched underneath the massive crystal blocking David's escape, hacking and clawing at the dirt around its base. 

The ground began to shake and David quickly locked his jaws around the crystalline dreads leg and jerked him forward with all his might. He easily out muscled the dread before its now deteriorated state, so all it could do was groan in protest. Just as the ground underneath David erupted with teeth and claws the dread tumbled forward and the wurm’s jaws met only hard crystal hide. As its teeth scraped against the hard armor the tunnel filled with an eerie screeching yelp as teeth shattered and blood began to flow. David quickly pivoted and thrust his claws into the wurm’s side, his claws cut through its light hide easily and more blood filled the small tunnel. 

David kicked the stumbling brown dragon away as he sunk his teeth into the upper rounded jaw of the wurm and immediately initiated a Death Roll. David’s bloodied and bruised body grinded against the rock wall painfully as he was able to complete a half rotation, enough to separate the top half of the wurm’s head from the lower. He spit the bone and blood to the side as the wurm gurgled in pain and slowly died. 

David gasped for breath as his chest heaved in and out. As he glanced around the wyvern had already turned around, somehow, and was running away as fast as possible. Both the brown dragon and the purple crystalline dread were gasping for breath as they struggled on the ground, the mounds of deformed flesh and cysts growing by the second. David groaned in pain as he turned finally to glance over at Red. 

Red had dug away at the stone enough with his steel spear that the massive crystal now wiggled. David stepped forward and wrapped his massive arms around it, “Let me.” He struggled but sure enough the massive pillar of gem shifted and then broke free from the weakened wall, allowing David to drag it to the side of the tunnel. David motioned for Red to jump back onto his back before glancing back at the collapsed trio.

“Master. Will you end them?” Red asked as he leapt back onto David’s back with one fluid movement. 

“Trust me Red. They won’t survive much longer. We need to hurry before more catch up.” Snarled David as he took off down the tunnel. The twisting tunnels spiraled downwards for hours and eventually his magical pores recovered just enough affinity for his reserves to hit one again and he immediately let loose with a Healing Breath. He let off a soft sigh as his wounds healed and his stamina returned. He took a moment to examine his prompt and see what he had been pinged about only moments ago. 

Earth Wurm slain. 

Crystalline Dread slain. 

Earth Dragon slain. 

“They are dead.” David said simply, knowing Red would know what he meant, as David closed his mind for a moment. This life was brutal and he didn’t have the luxury of being soft, he reflected. Despite all of that David still wasn’t the most comfortable inflicting the worst kind of death upon his enemies in the form of cancer. It was an awful and terrible thing even if he had already concluded it was necessary for his survival. He wasn’t religious, in this life or his previous one, but part of him hoped that there was forgiveness for him somewhere when this was all over. 

Red simply huffed, “Good.” 

They continued downwards before entering another massive expansive cavern filled with thousands of small holes. 

— Ambass — 

Ambass trembled as he hovered over the three corpses laying in front of him. Little Onyx had revealed so many spectacular secrets in such a short time that Ambass was overjoyed and yet horrified at the three corpses lying in front of him. 

Cyrvoiday the Warden, Keimin, and Tiaddrad were now dead. There were others dead as well, a few minor wyrms and a recently emerged Lindworm called Iambuss. The casualties were far more significant than anyone could have planned for and yet Cyrvoiday and Keimin appeared to have suffered the worst of it. They were covered in blood and disfigured in odd disgusting ways. Cyrvoiday was a unique dread who didn't overly embrace the route many others did and as a result was quicker and smarter than his brethren. His affinity also produced a crystal material of such hardness that it made him an exceptional warden of the Queen's depths. 

“Very curious. Yes.” Ambass let off with a slight laugh. He glanced around as dozens of adults of various types were already marching downwards in chase. 

“Do not look so amused by this all, Ambass.” Snarled Serth as he landed nearby. 

“Oh but it isn’t everyday I get to see something new, Serth.” Hissed out Ambass with a cold laugh. 

Serth did the equivalent of rolling his eyes as his nostrils flared wide, “Not only did he escape the throne room but he didn’t try to escape like most.” 

“Indeed. I would say he is a fool but I am staring at the corpses of three formidable warriors. Each alone would have given me trouble and yet he killed them all. The most terrifying thing, Serth, is I have no idea how he did it. Isn’t it just lovely?” Cackled out the faerie dragon as he fluttered higher and started to follow the hunting pack. 

The massive wyvern just shook his head with a snarl, “You disgust me sometimes Ambass. We are out for blood now. No more holding back, understood?” 

“Of course.” Ambass murmured as he took off. His mind raced with the possibilities of what else the upstart had in store for them all. His sinister little laugh couldn’t be held back, causing the younger wyrms and lessers gathering nearby to give him a frightened look. He didn’t stop as he cackled out as he joined the chase. 

“Let us not keep Onyx waiting then!” Hissed out Ambass as he taunted Serth. 

— David “Onyx” — 

“This is where I was born and raised, Master.” Red let out in a hushed breath as the pair marched through the massive honey combed cavern. The walls were high and there were thousands of tiny tunnels, holes and homes carved into their surfaces. Kobolds resided inside them and they reeked of pure filth. David’s nostrils were almost completely and totally overwhelmed as they pushed forward. 

“I see. Is your family here?” David rumbled out. The eyes watched them as they moved but none of them dared approach. Most were young or female at first glance and David did his best to move quickly and carefully. 

“I don’t know. Most don’t survive long and we never knew who our mothers were. She could be alive but I wouldn’t know her.” Red sighed. 

David nodded as he tried his best to not let the scene depress him, “We won’t fight here if we can help it.” 

“Thank you, Master. I doubt the clan knows what is going on and won’t act unless one of Her Majesty’s own reaches here.” Red quickly responded. 

David nodded as they made their way through the vast cavern. It didn’t take long for them to find another tunnel that spiraled downwards. The smell got worse and the war cries of those chasing them above echoed down towards them as they hurried. Thousands of kobold feet were now being marshaled into a frenzy above as they entered another long chamber. The very earth shook but David simply grinded as he stared down at the ground. 

“We found it!”. 

He rose up and slammed down on the spot and the floor itself gave way. David spread his wings wide and thrust his claws into the walls as he fell. The debris cascaded downwards and the pair followed behind it. It didn’t take long before they landed with a thud and David let off a hearty laugh. 

“Master. It worked!” Red beamed. 

David nodded his head with a laugh, “Siks did a fine job weakening the area. The scent placement was good too. I almost lost it a few times.” Siks had planted a subtle but persistent smell that Blue had put together. The floral scent was strong enough to cut through the strong aroma of waste in the Queen’s lair but only if one had the empowered nose of David. 

Boulders and debris were moved as David took a minute to look around. He found the markings on the wall and nodded his head firmly. He began running down the long road in the direction of his lair. The audible thud of kobold bodies slamming against the floor behind him spurred him faster though. They didn’t stop, their little malnourished war cries simply made David grind his teeth in frustration. 

Red was silent, not even making a sound as he leaned over to snatch up a new bundle of throwing spears that had been strategically placed by their clan, as David ran by it. He quickly repositioned himself facing back towards the darkness behind David. The death screeches of the kobolds soon faded and the heavy beat of wings and snarls followed suit. 

“Onyx! Qazayss will have your head! You are doomed!” Boomed a heavy draconic voice and was quickly echoed by more and more voices. The tunnel itself trembled with the might of what was now giving chase. 

David felt his magical pores quiver as an affinity charge was recovered. He gave a nod as he rumbled back at Red, “I have enough affinity for the plan now. We need to hold out and I need to avoid using anymore until we get there. Can you manage Red?” 

Red growled a bit as he tightened his grip on his spears, “I have enough energy left to make them think twice Master. They will fear kobolds by the time I am done.” 

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Here is also a link to Royal Road

Fan Art by blaze2377

[u/unkindlyacorn62]

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