I had brought some bones out of the ground using my Earth-divine power and used dead mana to create strings to hold them together in a gauntlet shape. I took a good look around the open cavern, it was a rather small space.
A small altar was in the center of the space, where the fire was blazing. And on the walls of the caverns were sculptures of beings resembling fire nymphs in their elemental form each nymph statue also had a statue of a fire lion with it. [1][2]
After having a good look around, I determined that it was safe to proceed. As i approached the altar I was hit with another wave of heat, this time though, it was hotter and seemed as if it would light my hair on fire if it even leaned my face towards it.
So I instead leaned my head away from the flame, but just enough to be able to see where my hands were.
I eagerly started to cup my hands around the base of the flames, but quickly flinched away after feeling the scorching heat from it.
'YOU SON OF A BITCH GOD! I swear! If i turn to ashes just from the gauntlets touching this stupid flame, i swear I'll send the Og. Lev after you're cowardice ass!'
When i finished that thought, i immediately cupped my hands around the base of the green flames, and when i did so it felt like i was on fire, though i couldn't stop now considering how far i had gotten. So i endured the pain as best as i could.
"ARGH!" I screamed while trying my best to absorb the blazing green flames.
My efforts soon came to fruition, when i saw the flames start to shrink, and feel a weird sensation through the pain. Eventually, the pain started to recede a bit, and instead, i just felt hot and tingly.
Just as the last few flames were entering my body, my gloves burned off of my hands, revealing black lines on my hands and fingers, and black marks that looked like takis staining on my fingers.
"What the" I gasped, bewildered as of to what it could be from, but then I remembered something that one of the members of the hero's party had said in the novel.
"There are many ways to differentiate between a dark elf and a necromancer, and that is what happens to their bodies when they utilize their dead mana. For dark- elves, they get surrounded by a misty dark aura and their sclera becomes dark like the demons do in their true form. But as for a necromancer, their veins become the color of the dark mana in their bodies, and parts of their bodies start to become dyed black depending on how much dead mana they consumed when they obtained their necromancy abilities."
The person who said that was a dark elf themselves, who was given the mercy of the protagonist and was instead invited to join their party.
'I guess since I'm both I would show both traits, but since I'm only using my necromancer abilities it's just the one.'
"Mmm!" I let out a groan, feeling a strange energy enter my body.
Turning my head and body down toward the now small flame, I saw that the bone gauntlets had now turned to dust and that my hands were now surrounded by the green flames.
Though it stung a bit a first, I now felt nothing, no pain whatsoever. And as the rest of the flame was being absorbed into my body, I felt a sort of warmth wash over me, it felt like the embrace of a loved one.
'Huh…you know what, this isn't as bad as I thought it'd be!'
Moments later, after I had absorbed all of the green flames, there was a sudden shifting noise. Startled I looked at my surroundings to see that the once-open corridor, was closed off.
When that happened, the lion statues started to move, like they were coming to life, their manes and tail hair lit on fire. And they started to move from their places, one of them stalked closer to me and almost scratched my calf off, but i managed to dodge just in the nick of time.
"Shit!" I cursed at the sudden danger that had befallen me.
With a sudden movement, I stumbled backward onto my butt, rendering me vulnerable for the lions to come and attack me at will.
A lion swiped at me, but I quickly dodged to the right of its attack, only to be met with the flaming face of another. Where I then had to quickly get to my feet while dodging the rest of the incoming attacks.
I heard some banging where the direction of the 'Door' was and fled to there, trying to get as close to freedom as i could.
As i was dashing towards the door a lion came into view from the left, and i punched it with my right hand out of reflex. And it just so happened to be still covered in green flames.
The flame lion statue immediately burst into green flames, the green overpowering the red, and turning the statue into pebbles.
'Damn, I knew the power was overpowered but not by that much!'
With my newfound confidence, I continued to the door, where I was able to see cracks in the closed-off entryway.
When I was about five feet away from the cracked wall, i felt a hot "SCRATCH" on my back. As I started to fall down onto the ground from pain, the entrance burst open and I was greeted by the sight of Arwan.
Stretching out my hand to him, I was met with a feeling of relief, i smiled with gratefulness and said something with a raspy voice, "Ar…wan…"
***
In a dimly lit cavern, only a few miles away from the cave system that "Prometheus' Fire" was, there were two bodies currently occupying it.
One of the bodies was lying on his stomach unconscious, shirtless, and his head lying on a pillow and futon under him, the other on top of the former. There were slurping and licking noises coming from the cave, and you could see the latters head moving just a little.
The former, being unconscious of what was going on, didn't try to do anything against the latter as he continued with his actions.
"Mmm" The former had then started to stir from his unconsciousness and slowly opened his eyes to see cave walls and feeling licking on his back.
'What the…What is on my back?'
I tried to move from being on my stomach, but the thing on my back was weighing me down too much, and I could feel it slowly going lower. So unable to turn my whole body, I swerved my head around where I could see it in the corner of my eye, a black and red puff of hair.
"Arwan!? What do you think you're doing!?" Lev yelled at his companion, who was currently pressing his head further down the former's body.
"My Liege! You're awake, I'm so glad!" Arwan exclaimed, lifting his head away from me just enough so i could turn and see his face, which he had some blood smeared by his mouth.
"Arwan what were you doing, and why were you doing it?" I tried to question him as calmly as I could, not wanting to anger him because of the position we were in.
"I'm sorry if i startled you, but i was just trying to heal you…" He reasoned, coming closer to my face and fully on top of me.
"You- urgh!" i winced from the pain on my lower and upper back, not middle though, which was weird, "What do you mean, heal me? And what does that have to do with the blood all over you're mouth?"
"Oh! Well, most people don't know this but, because dragons have such strong life force we can heal other people," He tried to explain but i cut him off.
"And what the hell does that have to do with you being on top of me?"
"You see…the only way we can really heal people is by…putting our bodily fluid on them…"
"..." I stared at him, flabbergasted, "You fucking with me right?"
"Well if you think that way of healing you is faster i could just cum in you and you'd heal right up-"
"NOPE, ABSOLUTELY NOT!" I rejected him immediately, "don't you have other ways of healing?"
"Nope, the only way to someone is through the transfer of any kind of body fluid, minus tears though, those have other properties!" Arwan explained, not wavering the slightest.
"Couldn't you just bandage me up?" I said, making up excuses for him to get off of me.
"With the amount that you bleeding, no way."
"But i feel fine right now, so I'm sure I could last."
"My Liege, the only reason you're able to converse right now is that I've already healed one of you're scratches and stopped the bleeding," He admitted, "And I've cast pain nullification magic, otherwise you would be in excruciating pain right now."
"Well if you can do that then surely-" I had started to say.
"No," Arwan immediately shut me down.
"Wha-"
"No," he said once again but with a pissed-off smile.
"But-"
"I said no, can't you just give in and let me continue healing you now," He said in a deep growl, leaning closer to my face.
"F-Fine, but only because you keep on throwing a fit," I made up an excuse for myself.
"Good, then i'll try my best to be as quick as possible," He sang, slamming my shoulders back onto the futon, and holding me down with his hands on my arms.
Arwan immediately went back to licking my wounds, where he started to then slurp up the running blood, by how many slurping noises he made, i could only guess how much blood was pouring out.
'This would practically be a feast for Victor,' I thought, recalling a recent conversation we had.
~~~~~~~~~
"By the way, Victor, what are you exactly?" I had asked him one day.
"Hm, pardon me but what do you mean exactly?" He asked.
"Well, its just that, you have long ears, fangs, and slightly sharp nails like demons but you aren't one, so it made me wonder," i explained to him.
"Oh, well I'm actually a vampire," Victor blurted.
"I see…then if you ever need any blood then don't be afraid to come and ask, are you okay with a little dead mana in it?" I jokingly said.
"Hahaha, that's just fine," Victor replied.
~~~~~~~~~
"Mmm, hey Arwan, be sure to bottle some of my blood up," I directed.
"Hm, forgive me for asking My Liege, but why?" Arwan wondered.
"I want to give some to Victor, that's all- Mh!" I groaned.
"Why would you give your blood to that prissy bloodsucker?" Arwan said in a deep growl.
"That 'prissy bloodsucker' is my subordinate, who gets stronger as he consumes more blood, so why would i not?" I lectured him.
"Your right, my apologies My Liege," Arwan said apologetically, before returning to try and heal my wounds.
A couple of minutes had passed, and Arwan had finished bottling some of my blood up. I was starting to fall asleep, but i knew i couldn't risk it under the current circumstances.
"Mmmm," I moaned a bit from the sudden caress on my spine, "Arwan, what was that for?"
"Sorry, it's just that the scratches left a few scars, that's all," He admitted.
"Alright…how big are they exactly? The scratches I mean," I questioned.
"Well there are four of them, I've completely healed two and am currently working on the third, they all stretch to about your sides," Arwan explained.
"Huh, I'm honestly surprised i haven't fainted again then, especially considering all the blood loss," I joked.
"...If you feel any light-headedness or nauseousness please inform me," Arwan said in a serious tone.
"Don't worry, I will," I paused for a moment, "By the way, do you have any food? My stomach has been grumbling at me for a while now."
"Hahaha, I'll get you some right away!" Arwan said with a laugh.
***
Meanwhile, on the opposite end of the capital of the Peril Kingdom, two bodies were currently in a dimly lit room. They were having a discussion, quite a serious one at that.
One was currently sitting at a table, while the other was standing next to them, handing them files, perhaps they were of a certain group.
"So you're telling me that this is who stopped the attack on Asclepius City and who helped with the Ender Empire charge?" The person sitting down scoffed, "This is a joke right?"
"Apologies Captain, but no this is not a joke, we have also gotten recent news that the one to whip out Commander Melchom and his platoon was a dragon," The one standing said.
"Well isn't that wonderful? First, it was a mere necromancer and vampire in the way of our plans, but now a dragon as well!" The Captain stopped and let out a sigh, "His Lordship won't be pleased with this news."
"What would you like me to do?" the subordinate asked.
"Go back to you're station, I'll deal with the Lord's wrath, whatever you do, do not get caught, do you understand?" The captain said sternly.
"Understood."
***
[1]: The elemental form of nymphs are still their humanoid forms but with effects of their respective elements surrounding them.
[2]: A fire lion is quite literally just a lion except for the term "blazing mane" which is quite literal in this case, oh and their tails have a little flame on them too, kinda like Charmander.