Chapter 78 - Chapter 78 - Divine Focus and the Green Dragon's Lair

Currently, I only had two items that could be considered as an item I could use as a Divine Focus. One was the Phylactery of Hyggiandi. However, I quickly discarded that option. For one reason, I wasn't willing to risk destroying Hyggiandi's consciousness. The second reason was that I might be stuck with her consciousness forever inside my mind. I shuddered just imagining such a situation.The second option was actually the Aegis Libram. Obviously, it was an incredibly powerful magical item. However, every spell, at least among those that I could decipher, were spells that were defensive or supportive in nature. Such a magical item would be much more appropriate if I was trying to create a divine focus for a god who specialized in defense, protection, or something along those lines.It wasn't, in any way, related to death, although it was related to gods. Inside the spellbook there was a Ritual of Sacrifice in which even non-spellcasters could send offerings to a god's divine realm. Of course, there were a few caveats, such as needing a replica of the god's divine focus. It also took a long time to cast.While I would have loved to use the Aegis Libram, a necromancer's spellbook would be much more appropriate. Since that was the case, I could create a new spellbook that only had necromantic spells, or at least spells that dealt necrotic damage. I could even include a few conjuring spells if they summoned spirits of death or undead creatures. Unfortunately, such a spellbook wouldn't be very valuable unless I was able to include high level spells.Other than that, I wasn't sure what I could use as a focus. None of the religious symbols I had considered earlier were the best fit for a divine focus. Some of them were even impossible. While I was thinking, I started thinking about anything and everything around me that could work as a divine focus.Actually, could I use the dungeon core as a divine focus? Could I make a connection to death with it? After thinking about it for a few seconds, I realized it wasn't really an appropriate divine focus for the domain of death. While I could say that the dungeon core was a representative of the underworld, that still didn't really work. I suppose I could use it to create some form of Hades, but I knew there had to be something better I could use instead.Frowning, I tried to come up with another idea. I wanted it to be something associated with me but also something that ordinary people could possess. After a few more minutes, I started wondering if one of my dragonscale feathers would work. Not only could they represent me, but feathers could also represent those birds that were associated with death or the afterlife, such as owls, ravens, and crows. The feather could even symbolize the soul's journey as it takes flight after death.One reason I liked the idea was because I was a feathered dragon. In general, dragon scales were expensive. Since feathered dragons were extremely rare, they would be even more expensive. They were also very durable. The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea. Unfortunately, I still felt that tying the feather to the concept of death might be too much of a stretch. However, it was definitely worth considering.Despite my intention to move on to other objects, I just couldn't let go of the idea. I could even turn the feather into a writing quill which I could use to write a spellbook. I suppose I could make a symbol out of several elements. For example, I could have a dragonscale feather quill writing on top of a spellbook that had a skeletal hand on the cover. That would definitely give off a death domain vibe. The main problem with that idea was that I needed a divine focus, not several divine focuses.The dungeon core was okay, but didn't really symbolize death and had little to do with me personally. The same could also be said about the Aegis Libram. I wasn't even going to consider the Phylactery of Hyggiandi. That would be a fate worse than death.Finally, after considering it some more, I finally narrowed down my choices to the necromantic spellbook or the dragonscale feather. While thinking of these two items, I briefly considered tying the two together with a chain, which would physically combine two disparate items with a third item. Something about it just felt right though. I actually felt relieved that I had made a decision.Over the next two days, I pulled out the blank spellbook I had been given a few months ago and started copying down all the spells that were associated with death. Since I didn't have to worry about learning the spells, I was able to finish the book within that time. I closed the book after finishing the last spell and looked at it. I wanted to make sure that I wasn't being stupid by using the spellbook as part of the divine focus.Having been a kobold, and being a dragon, I could easily tell what type of gems were on the black spellbook. The gems were actually only slivers of gems actually. They were tiny shards of blue and black diamonds, sapphires, garnets, and tourmaline. The gems weren't meant to be a centerpiece but were used to give the impression the leather was actually full of shimmering dragon scales. Even though the gems were not large, just the number of shards and the quality of the work made the spellbook valuable.A kobold craftsman had been able to forge a tiny, but strong, silver chain that I could use to connect the book and my feather. I had even given the kobold one of my Entropic Quill feathers to use in creating a writing quill. Now that I was done with the spellbook, I could take it to him and get him to combine them together. However, before I could do so, Alsvartr sent me a message.I could tell she was exhausted. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. She had been following the red dragon for two days now. Since Einvaldskonungr was injured, he wasn't able to go at full speed which allowed Alsvartr to keep up with the red dragon. Luckily, the red dragon had also decided to rest before confronting the green dragon, Groenneitr.My familiar was letting me know that Einvaldskonungr had woken up and was headed toward Groenneitr's lair. Switching my senses to see what Alsvartr was seeing, I watched as she followed the red dragon like a shadow. Then she hid behind a boulder once she noticed that the red dragon had finally reached the green dragon's lair.The red dragon Einvaldskonungr's scales had been broken by the ballista bolt. The wound still looked painful. It looked like anger had sustained the red dragon from the time he left his lair until the time he reached the green dragon's lair. The green dragon's lair was located deep in the forests, or at least I assumed since the red dragon was flying high above a waterfall. Considering what I knew of green dragons, they often had their kobold minions dig caves behind them. Another fact that gave it away was the heavy fog that faintly smelled of poison.Einvaldskonungr bellowed for Groenneitr to come out, but there was no response. The red dragon apparently didn't take that well and appeared confused about what to do. His fire breath attack would have little effect if he tried shooting it through the water. As for flying through the water to enter the cave, if he did that, he might be falling into a trap.Suddenly, while the red dragon was trying to decide how he would vent his anger, multiple spells flew up at the dragon. From behind hidden alcoves, wizards from the Penningr Republic cast their attack spells. Their robed figures blended into the dense foliage of the forest. Their magic was precise, deliberate, and were designed for the single purpose of overwhelming and incapacitating the red dragon.Einvaldskonungr was hit by several of the spells and new wounds appeared on his body. The red dragon screamed in rage and started strafing the forest with fire, hoping to vent his anger upon them. While he was distracted, Groenneitr, never one to miss an opportunity, joined the fray. His green-scaled form flew out from behind the waterfall and unleashed a poisonous cloud of gas directly at the red dragon, further straining Einvaldskonungr's already compromised defenses.The wizards, with incantations upon their lips and eyes glowing with eldritch power, unleashed another barrage of spells as the green dragon attacked the distracted red dragon. Lightning crackled, searing through the air, while waves of frost assaulted Einvaldskonungr from all angles. The once-proud red dragon fell from the sky, creating a crater upon his impact.As he struggled to stand up, more spells fell upon him and the green dragon commanded the plants to trap the red dragon. Tangles of roots and vines attempted to immobilize Einvaldskonungr, but even injured, his strength easily shrugged off the plants. The red dragon leaped into the sky, ignoring the injuries inflicted by the human wizards. He mindlessly threw himself at the green dragon.The green dragon, even though it was not injured, was barely able to avoid the attack. He continuously retreated, avoiding almost all of the dragon's attacks. However, despite the distractions of the human wizards, and the fact that the red dragon was injured, Einvaldskonungr was still able to scorch the green scales black after one of his breath attacks. The green dragon was driven back, his roars of defiance fading into pained roars of retreat.However, the red dragon was slowing down, and obviously unable to continue the battle for much longer. The red dragon attempted a few more attacks but finally realized he was about to lose. Although it was an unbearable insult to his pride, Einvaldskonungr retreated, unwilling to fall to the hands of the green dragon and his human minions.I watched and was not at all surprised by what happened. The red dragon was stupid enough to attack without planning or preparing. He even attacked while already injured. Einvaldskonungr was lucky that he had managed to hurt the green dragon enough that he didn't want to risk additional injuries. By injuring the other dragon, he also was able to sooth his wounded pride.Even though the green dragon wasn't willing to give chase, the spellcasters were not willing to see their prey escape. They followed the red dragon and tried to finish him off. As soon as Groenneitr retreated back into his lair, Alsvartr followed behind the wizards who were using flying spells and magic items to follow the red dragon.In a final act of wrath, Einvaldskonungr briefly did flyby attacks of any human villages he passed to vent some of his frustration. Of course, he wasn't able to stay too long since that would give the human wizards time to catch up. That didn't mean that he escaped unscathed. Although the spellcasters were not able to finish him off, they did considerably worsen his injuries.I had to shake my head, not appreciating the fact that the dragon was killing innocent villagers. While I could have had my familiar finish them off, I didn't. The soldiers who had attacked the kobold city deserved it. However, the villagers he killed were just living their lives and had nothing to do with him.The red dragon, driven mad by pain and rage, released his fury upon the innocent villagers. Flames roared from his maw, engulfing homes and fields in a blazing inferno. The villages, once serene, now writhed under the dragon's ruthless assault. Villagers screamed and scattered, their desperate cries blending into the nightmarish cacophony of the dragon's rampage.From the start of the battle between dragons to the slaughter of the villagers was both awe-inspiring and horrific. The sheer raw power that a wounded dragon could unleash was scary. What was worse was the fact that the spellcasters didn't care. They made no attempt to help the people. Instead, they used the last of their spells to try to kill the red dragon. Fortunately, they failed, and Einvaldskonungr was able to retreat.I was worried about the red dragon. He had treated me well. Because of this, I decided that after completing the ritual, I would do something to help him. With his injuries, after reaching his lair, he wasn't likely to be going anywhere else anytime soon. In fact, I needed to complete the ritual quickly if I wanted to help the red dragon.There was a good chance that he would be attacked by Konungdómr Kingdom soldiers in the near future for his attack on one of their castles. If the Groenneitr recovered faster than the red dragon, the green dragon might even show up. That was the reason why I asked Alsvartr to watch the red dragon's lair.