The morning before we set out we gathered as much supplies as possible and got our bags. We would need provisions for the road. Sam, Legion, and I went to the smithy for one last good bye before we left. I walked about it. Feeling the table beneath my claws. Hear the stones clack beneath my talons. And feel the warmth and heat of the fires that were just dying.
I went to Hargos old desk and pulled a few scrolls of parchment he left behind. Some schematics for things he never got the chance or had the room to build. After placing them neatly in my bag I exited the place. I turned back and bowed deeply. "Good bye my friend."
I turned and left it behind me. My heart aching a little as we left. We got to the gates and knocked. There wasn't a sound that came from the other side. We waited a couple seconds and knocked again. "We ain't letting nobody out. Lords orders! You bunch'a stiffs can rot in there till you rest in peace for all we care!" Some sniggering followed.
Unfortunately for us my mood was already bad. More unfortunate for them considering I kicked the steel door with enough force to break the beam that was baring it closed outside. Needless to say the dwarves were slightly flattened against the outside walls.
I leaned in close to Sam. " Did I go a bit overboard with the kick?" She shook her head. Legion was laughing so hard it was comical.
"We've been waiting for someone to do that for ages! Haha!" They laughed.
We continued on our way after making sure the dwarves were still alive. looking out at the bare grounds was refreshing and terrifying at the same time. (A whole new adventure awaits I guess.)
We started on the road south not knowing what laid before us, but knowing what we had left behind was for the better. Legion danced along the road and sang a little. It was actually quite the sight. Seeing one person but hearing a beautiful song sung by many. I thought back to what the book had said. Legion is the ultimate jack of all trades. If you use spirits from masters of different sorts of things (depending on if all the skills or abilities were mastered before death). Legion essentially could not only be a jack of all trades. But a master of all trades if the correct souls are used. Really a frightening thing when you think about it.
At about noon we stopped for lunch. Considering Legion actually requires sustenance in the form of monster Crystal's once a day to maintain itself I had packed loads of them.
After learning I couldn't learn anything else from the two headed dogs, I essentially stockpiled their crystal's for future use. Thus we had enough of a supply for legion to eat.
After lunch Sam decided it was time for me to actually learn combat in my new form. We started with basic stances for hand to hand combat. It was a hard hour or so of training. I was training in the crouched stance Wam had taught me when suddenly my legs collapsed from exhaustion.
" Muscles are normally trained for quick or slow constant movements. Seldom are they trained to hold themselves in one solid place like a mountain." Legion said as it walked up. "Let me show him something that helps." Legion looked at Sam who was currently in the same stance without breaking a sweat. "Go ahead." She said.
Legion helped me up and showed me a strange movement. It was slow and deliberate. It had flow to the arms and legs. If it flowed faster it would have been like watching water move. "I learned this from a foreigner many years ago. Apparently it is called Tai chi" It continued moving slowly.
"If you practice this and continuously slow it down. You will eventually reach the point where Sam is physically." The puppet stopped moving and took a straighter stance. I started following the puppets movements which originally looked easy. After 10 minutes I was left exhausted by the physical strain to move so slowly.
I laid down on the rocky ground using my shields for a mat to rest on. " Why. Do I. Have. To learn. Martial Arts?" I panted out. I laid there thinking. Dragon men originally used their dragon forms for combat. I haven't even seen a good time for this. Perhaps I could have changed for. So we could travel faster. I continued thinking and planning as I laid there.
After the training I sat with everyone for a midday meal. "I think I should stay in dragon form outside of towns. It'll help with protection and I'll be better at dealing with problems. Makes me more noticeable. But how many people will mess with a disaster class."
Sam sat tapping her chin. After a moment she nodded. "I think you're right. though you're compact and easy to travel with right now. Your other form suits the outdoors better and has higher combat ability." Legion was looking at us in confusion. "Other form? What other form?" Without answering I took off Hargos gauntlets and my body began to grow. My face distorted into my old draconic one. I felt the pulling sensation as my bones stretched and my muscles expanded. My shields grew larger and my other pair of wings separated from my shields. My legs grew thicker and finally my extra pair of legs shifted to be back in the middle.
I felt great. My height actually seemed to have increase since last time. I was now almost 12 feet tall by 24 feet long. The bulb that had been at the end of my tail originally was gone. It was replaced by what looked like a tear drop but made of bone. (Odd. I don't remember that being there)
I spread my wings wide. My full expanse must have been around 40 to 50 feet. (Maybe all that exercise and working with Hargo helped?) I wondered.
I looked down and saw legion sitting on the ground. It's mask had shifted into one that represented shock. Wide eyes and an open mouth. As I looked at legion I felt the power that was within. I was shocked. Legion was actually not as simple a being as I had originally thought.
The puppet actually could be considered a disaster class! Its aura was massive! I saw the souls that sat inside in great abundance. Each one sitting in a different section of the puppet. Eerily enough I could tell who was sitting exactly where. But enough with the staring. I turned to Sam and willed a few strands of shadow to form creating a basket out of the darkness. Sam gave me a quizzical look.
" We'll need something for legion to sit in." She nodded. I put my shields in front of my chest and put our bags in the space close to my chest. We wouldn't lose the bags if they were there and less chance of them falling out since my claws on the shields lock them together. Sam got on my back with a blanket knowing it would be a cold flight.
/Host has Boreas Dog Bloodline possible to integrate. Would host like to grow fur for better warmth?/ (..... Now you do this!!!!! Yes!) I stayed where I was and waited. An itch spread across my body as fur began to come from under my scales. Beginning at my neck and spreading down my body silver and red fur began to sprout. I was so tempted to scratch but knowing Sam was on me stopped me. Sam noticed fortunately and took out a branch and started scratching my back.
( Ahhhh....) I sighed as she scratched. You have no idea how much you need something till you get it. The fur soon stopped growing. It was short but it was enough for heat to spread across my body. I opened my wings for flying and found fur now covered the back of them. (That's nice.)
I flapped and felt the glee of flying again. The air rushed past and for once since coming here. I hardly felt the cold.
As we flew we saw the land passing by below. There was hardly anything below besides the harsh wastes. After flying for an hour we came across a town. This one had smoke coming from the houses and children playing in the streets.
I landed a few miles away from the settlement (so as not to startle the people) and changed my shape after Sam and Legion got off. I changed into normal clothes with a cloak. I absorbed the bone garb that showed my necromancer class and we headed to town.
There were guards atop the wall but they didn't say a thing as we approached. There was a festival happening in the streets. Stalls were thriving with fruits and vegetables for sale. Others sold cooked food and clothing. Some sold jewelry and trinkets likes pins and brooches. I moved out of the way for the children rushing past as they played.
Noone looked at us wierd or asked questions to bar our path. They just let us through. We bought a couple things from the stalls and later that night got to watch some of the shows the dwarves put on for night activities. One was a play that displayed a noble king destroying a demon with a divine hammer. Another was a circus using monsters for special tricks.
At the end of the night we stayed at an inn called the Anvils Warmth. It was a nice inn. Its sign was a bed in a hearth. ( Nice sign) I thought.
Legion and I shared a room while Sam had her own. Later in the night Legion decided the floor was best for it. They couldn't sleep anyways but they decided to work on a small project. What it was I didn't ask.
At some point a knock sounded at the door. I got up and answered. It was Sam. " Any chance I can speak to you for a minute?" She was in a nightgown and slippers. Obviously ready for bed.
My face flushed slightly at the sight. "Of course. What do you need?" She grabbed my hand and pulled me down the hallway. We got down the hallway and Sam pulled me through a door leading outside and onto a balcony.
She let go and slowly walked over to the railing and rested her arms on it. I slowly walked up next to her. " What did you want to talk to me about?" I asked slowly. The noise of the festival below wasn't as loud as it was earlier. The events and activities were now dying down for the night.
Sam was looking down and watching what was happening with a slightly sad look on her face. "Ignis..... How long have you been by my side?" She asked quietly. I thought and quickly came to the time amount. " With exception to the forest incident I've been by your side for a 2 years now. I dare say the best 2 years of my life in some ways."
She smiled for a brief moment before becoming solemn again. She pulled out a piece of parchment and handed it to me. "Hargo left this behind. Said I should give it to you when I thought you were ready for it."
I looked at the parchment for a moment before gently taking it. "What is it?" She looked at me with a sad look. " Open it." I gently opened it. What I saw was a rune drawn in black charcoal. It smelled like iron mixed with flowers. Suddenly the tune lit up and the parchment caught fire.
A searing pain entered my mind and soul. I looked at Sam and felt the bond we had snap. My world spun as I sunk to my knees. Sam got on her knees and held my shoulders. "Make sure to breath and focus. The dizziness will pass."
I took a deep breath as the pain subsided. My mind began to slowly clear like muddy water in a river. After a few moments I looked at Sam.
"What did you just do?" She was still kneeling in front of me.
She took a deep breath. " I just set you free."