Which was impressive since they appeared to be damn near unbreakable. I'd tried to kill one of them before. I hadn't been able to so much as scratch the big beast the last time. I dropped out of the sky with a steep dive when I spotted something edible. I slammed into it with enough force to smash its entire mid section.
The snake like beast squirmed in his death throws for a few seconds as I began eating him. The warmth of his flesh warmed my insides. Reminding me of the way I used to feel when eating a fresh cooked meal in my youth. The fact that I was usually the one doing the cooking in a cramped hot room dampened the memory. I pushed the memory aside, and focused on the meal in front of me.
I flicked my tail happily as I tore apart my meal. There was very little left of my meal when I was done. I rolled the core around in my hand. Debating on eating it or taking it back to the guild to sell. With all the cores we'd managed to collect from the spiders we weren't hurting for money.
Calen had sold a lot of them to purchase repairs, and fresh sets of armor. He'd also stocked up on rations as well as some fresh goods. He was hunkering down for something. Perhaps he was worried about what might happen when the military found out about the alliance he was brokering with the lizardmen. My tail twitched while I debated on going back or just sit here for a little while.
My tail twitched again as I thought about delaying my return. I sat up slowly, and tried to use the time element to predict how the leaves on the nearby tree would fall. Regala expected me to manipulate time within my inner world. If I could manage the foresight ability outside of my inner world then it should make it a lot easier to manipulate time within my inner world. I snorted casually.
Unfortunately it was easier said then done. I stared at the tree for a few hours with such intensity that the lizardmen that came within my spatial awareness moved on a few seconds later. Seemingly unwilling to interrupt my concentration. I didn't blame them. The slowly accelerating way I lashed my tail back, and forth was an indication of how much this exercise was irritating me.
I gave up after another half an hour since I really wasn't feeling my time affinity like I did my other affinities. I could feel the natural ones as clearing as feeling my arm or leg. Clearly defined, and easy to use. The light affinity was like feeling my heart. Still clear, and easily definable within my mind.
Harder to control, but still. Space was similar to light in the way it was defined within my mind, but easier to control. I hadn't tried to manipulate darkness yet so I didn't know about that one. Time was like my liver. I could clearly tell it was there doing its job, but I couldn't point out that specific organ if you were to ask me where it was.
Nor could I control how it worked or how efficiently it did. And Regala expected me to figure it out before she taught me anything else. I shook off my irritation, and returned to the settlement. It was time to run my plan past my bonded. I had no reason to stay here constantly anymore.
I had the mana required to get to earth, and back given enough time to regenerate. Savannah could use the phone to relay the idea to Goliath. Either way I planned to insist. I didn't like the feeling of this worlds mana, and I had the power to come back here if needed so why stay. It would be easier to practice elemental manipulation, and improve my affinities on earth.
It was the only planet I knew of that would allow me to just absorb mana from my surroundings to continue practicing even after I ran out. Plus it was just more comfortable there. Hatching another dragon was the only part I could see my bonded having a problem with. I didn't know if now was the time, but waiting wasn't all that great of an option either. Even if it was slow going I would reach the threshold of evolution eventually.
Sooner was better then later. I had a feeling a lot would change once I officially became the dragon king, but there was a certain amount of dread that flowed through me at the thought of evolving. This evolution didn't feel like the others. This one felt more dangerous. More final.
I waited for two of the three to come back from their respective tasks. I didn't have to seek out Ethan. He was the one waiting for me. I ran my plan past them. Ethan of course agreed to anything I wanted to do like a professional enabler.
He gave me a dirty look when that thought crossed my mind since I wasn't trying to hide it. Jax looked thoughtful. Savannah was the first to say anything.
"You know the werewolves island can't support your appetite, and Aurora's," Savannah pointed out.
"I never said I'd be hunting on their island," I snorted, "I was planning on using rift city for that."
"That doesn't sound much better to me," Savannah frowned at my snarky tone, "Just opening a portal to earth for minute or two uses up nearly all your mana."
"Most not all," I corrected, "I didn't say I'd live in rift city. Just that I would hunt there." I smirked, "Opening a portal to another spot on earth is way cheaper then across the universe to another planet. Plus I doubt there are many creatures there that can give me much trouble. It is a training area for soldier after all."
"I should probably go back to train with my grandfather if we're going back to earth," Jax spoke up.