Lucas searched for a den where he could hibernate.
Right after he consumed the wyvern's flesh, his body started to feel snug and sluggish.
The temptation to forget about everything and sleep was high especially considering his scenarios. But only a fool would rest in the middle of nowhere. He had yet to learn much about this world. On top of that, find a safe shelter while avoiding other predators.
〚Would you like some help?〛
Considering his situation, he did need help, but he did want to be dependent; furthermore, dragons were prideful creatures. His novel pride forbade him from committing such a spineless act.
But as the sunlight dimmed, he realized things were not going to be very easy. The forest was crowded with dangerous creatures. On his search for a den, Lucas encountered an Obsidian Serpent. The serpent was at least 0ver 30 meters long; its head alone was bigger than Lucas's entire frame.
Luckily his small frame gave him the advantage of mobility in these woods. The bigger creatures avoided entering these woods, but still, he was not all safe. Even inside the forest, he had encountered a 3-tailed wolf. The wolf was about three times larger than a normal wolf and had volcanic fur. Right, after looking at the wolf's red eyes, Lucas had realized he could not win. Luckily, the wolf could not climb trees.
Lucas didn't savor the fact that he had survived based on sole luck. That was indecorous for an assassin. That was unfitting for a dragon.
Sniff!
Even in between all his troubles, one pleasant thing he found was being able to distinguish a variety of scents. It helped him avoid predators. But his body was reaching its limit, drowsiness had engulfed him, and his vision was getting hazy.
'Fine, I require guidance,' He finally admitted.
〚Request Acknowledged〛
〚Scanning Area〛〚Current Location: Wyvern's Domian〛
〚Four Possible Lairs Found〛
〚Serpent's Nest: 280 meters NE〘Difficulty of Conquest: Impossible〙〛
〚Volcanic Mounts: 378 meters SE〘Difficulty of Conquest: Impossible〙〛
〚Relegate Wyvern's Roost: 112 meters SW〘Difficulty of Conquest: Medial〙〛
〚Ravencloack Guild: 5000 meters NW〘Difficulty of Conquest: Easy〙〛
Out of the four, Lucas knew about Serpent's Nest and Volcanic Mounts. While exploring those lands, he encountered creatures like the serpent and the wolf and determined those places to be life-threatening. Thinking about how the angel knew about four different places just like that, without any effort, was disturbing.
It seemed, to obtain a resting place, he'd to fight and win, no matter the route. At his condition, it was better if he took no risks. So, the ideal choice would have been Ravencloack Guild, but there was a high chance he would faint even before traveling 1000 kilometers, let alone 5000 meters.
Now, the only choice was Relegate Wyvern's Roost.
'Around south-west. Strange' He remembered, he'd already explored around that area, and the only thing, there was a waterfall. His eyes lit up.
'How foolish' He quickly slithered towards Relegate Wyverns Roost.
As he wandered in the woods, his ear picked up the sound of water burbling as it descended through the waterfall. The waterfall was thundering down into the pool like a gigantic water spout.
'A rock-shelter'
He realized there had to be a hollow land inside the waterfall. The wyverns must have found it and used it as their shelter.
The water erased their scents, so he could not determine their numbers. Another thing he wondered about was why the wyverns had the title of Relegate.
He'd only wondered, yet…
〚Answer: Wyvern eggs require an environment of torrid heat. Female wyverns produce the eggs, while a male wyvern, through its firey breath, passes new traits onto the egg. If in case a male is unable to pass its traits or a female fails to maintain the proper environment for birth, then hatchlings born are often crippled and are considered of low rank. Thus, getting the title of 'Relegate'〛
'Free knowledge, how convenient,' said Lucas. The sentence was not meant as a compliment.
But still, hopping over the rocks, he entered the waterfall. The fresh and cool water slightly refreshed him.
His eyes shone as he detected scents similar to the creature he'd had killed before. After bumping into powerful creatures like the serpent and the wolf, he'd learned powerful creatures gave off a pleasant aroma while weak ones reeked of foulness.
Depending on the level of foulness, he reckoned, the creature would be of the same level as the one he killed before.
Grr!
Lucas's eyes narrowed as he noticed a pair of 3 eyes glaring from afar. He could detect five scents, so two were hiding. Surprising, the cave was extremely spacious. The distance between the three wyverns and Lucas was at least 80 meters. And looking up, there was a distance of at least 200 meters before the stone spikes on the zenith. The cave itself was filled with spiky yellow ochre rocks.
'Shit..'
Winds spiraled inside the cave as all three of the wyverns took flight. Lucas tried flapping his black bat-like wings, but he could yet not fly.
The distance between them was closing in. Lucas brainstormed. If he left the cave now, would he be able to lure them into the woods? If they were just mindless beasts, it might work., but in case they weren't…
That was when he noticed, one of the wyverns was unique compared to the other three. It emitted a a different kind of aroma.
Even in the dark, he could distinguish its violetish skin, along with scaled bat-like wings. Its tail was pointy like scorpions. Getting hit by it would not just end up giving light bruises.
Lucas had to decide whether to take them on head-on or lure them outside. He gritted his teeth in annoyance.
Abruptly, in the dark cave, a bluish light shone. The light emitted from the long neck of the violet wyvern. Lucas's eyes widened as he saw blue flames emanate around the wyvern's mouth.
The wyvern stopped midair and growled. Its breath left a trail of fire.
The blue flame reminded Lucas of the night stars. He saw the same colors in the fire as one would in the stars.
Stars are beautiful, so was the flame. But now, that very flurry of flames was pointed towards him.
He ducked the flames and crept ahead. But, the barrage of fire didn't stop. The flames circled, blocking the exit. The slippery texture around the entry caused by the waterfall suddenly evaporated and dried as they gained excess latent heat. The fire kept burning around.
Lucas bared his teeth as he realized he was trapped. But he foresaw, this outcome would happen. That's why he did not fall back towards the waterfall to avoid the flames. Even if he did lure them towards the woods, the fire-breather could just incinerate the entire forest.
The fire-breather spread its fire, the trajectory aimed towards Lucas. The course of the flames lured Lucas towards the center of the cave.
'Shit'
Grr!
Another wyvern landed near the flame around the exit. Lucas noticed the wyvern that kept guard around the exit did not get too close to the fire. He knew it; only the fire-breather's skin could resist fire. The fire-breather was the main problem.
The fire-breather observed from above. One more circled above Lucas.
The blue fire strangely attracted Lucas's eyes. The flames had an allure he could yet not understand. He came in close contact with the fire when he dodged the flames, yet what he felt was not intense heat or pain but pleasant warmth.
Argh!
Lucas felt a stinging pain in his tail. His eyes were so allured by the flames that he overlooked one of the hidden wyverns.
The wyvern flapped its wings, its feet nails still sunk onto Lucas's tail. Lucas tried attaching his claws onto the ground, but it was too late.
Swoosh!
The wyvern gained height, Lucas got pulled along with it. Lucas gritted his teeth as he clenched his tail and spun up, whirling his claws against the wyvern's stomach. His claws failed to gain height and reach the wyvern's stomach. The pain in his tail prevented him from gathering enough energy to properly spun up.
Grr!
Blood poured out of Lucas's back; another wyvern had charged from the right and bit him. Its teeth sunk onto his breastplate and his back. His chest didn't receive serious injuries, as the wyvern lacked the strength to break his breastplates.
Grr!
Another from the left charged and bit his stomach. His stomach was not as hard as his chest, so the wyvern's teeth sunk deep, but even it lacked the strength to rip out his gut completely.
'Little shits!'
Lucas was enraged. He reacted instantly as he got bit.
His arms were yet free. He twirled his left arm and penetrated one eye of the wyvern, biting his chest.
Kirr!
His one claw entered deep through the eyes. Blood and red flesh squinted out. The wyvern cried in pain, letting loose of its teeth. Lucas didn't waste any time. He raised his head, opening his fierce teeth. With all his might, he crunched the head of the wyvern biting his stomach. Dragon's teeth were no wyvern's teeth. With just one bite, he crushed its skull and gnawed its insides.
Then, he gritted his teeth and poured all his might into his tailed and spun above. This time, he orbited above and sunk his claws into both sides of its waist and chunked out a piece of its abdomen with his teeth. Its gut poured midair. The wyvern squirmed in pain.
Lucas lost his grip. He could not fly. Thus, he fell pretty hard on his back, from a great height.
As Lucas screamed in pain on the ground, the fire-breather acted on this opportunity. It flapped its wings and rained down heavy fire, engulfing Lucas and the lands around Lucas.
It slowly descended, still raining down intense, concentrated blue flames. Finally, it halted its breath, and lands its feet among the fire, and let out a long roar of victory.
Then, it proceed gazed upon the flames looking for its roasted meal. But from within the fire, an open maw emerged, gripping the fire-breather's neck and birling it down to the ground.
Lucas stood on its chest, sinking one of his claws onto its chest. He let go of his grip on the fire-breather's neck. Lucas raised his head and glared down onto the fire-breather.
Fire cannot kill a dragon.