Draith
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Chapter 33 - Inferno Drakes
🕑 Added 2025-03-08 14:00:10 +0000 UTCWhile Inertia's fight and subjugation of the Inferno drake pack had been impressive, it did lead to new challenges.
Namely that she wouldn't let us kill them now that they were 'her' pack.
Which I could understand. But it also meant that we somehow had to lead them to my domain. Given their lazy attitude, just getting them to move was going to be difficult. There was more than one reason I'd wanted to raise drakes by using their eggs instead of adults.
"Inertia assures you that it will not be a problem. We can go ahead, and she will escort the drakes herself," Tresla said, tapping her pipe on her sleeve at a rapid rate. "She trusts you to keep me safe in her stead." There was almost a note of relief in Tresla's voice as she added, "Thank the divine threads."
"You don't want to stay with Inertia?" I asked, looking at her in surprise.
"Have you smelled those things? I've met sailors who've been at sea for a month that smelled better," Tresla said, shaking her head back and forth rapidly enough to set her hood quivering.
I laughed, as I turned to Vaserra who was looking at Inertia with a lot more interest than she had been prior to the subjugation. When she noticed my gaze, Vaserra turned to me. "It seems there is more to the drakes than I realized. Perhaps your idea is not so foolhardy."
"Not too many people I know could go head to head with an Inferno drake like that," I replied, earning a snort from Vaserra. "But it does seem that way. That said, we still need to deal with the rest. Unless you're having second thoughts?"
"No. There may be more to them, but they are a threat to the sheep and must be eliminated. Perhaps if I knew of another spring and had more time… but no. They will grow hungry again, and they have developed a taste for sheep. These ones must be purged. Though, if you do not object, we will take some of their eggs," Vaserra said, her eyes shifting to the obsidian objects submerged in the nearby boiling water.
"Not at all," I replied, before returning my attention to the hunt.
The rest of the hunt was both simpler and more tedious. We weren't the only ones who had trouble navigating the springs. Despite their immunity to the heat, the drakes were slowed by the water and uneven terrain as much as we were. Which made it trivial for Calbern and Vaserra to pick them off.
My only role was to cast Minor Heal to deal with some minor burns from the occasional burst of superheated steam that made it to us.
There was a single exception. When we came across a group of them in a pit, I convinced Vaserra to let me test my Lightning Bolt spell. According to Nexxa's notes, it didn't function as normal lightning might. She'd used an upgraded version of Lightning bolt to set up her devastating area attack. While the pit was much smaller, I hoped to achieve something similar. In theory, the spell would effectively cast twice. The first would create a line from my finger that would reflect off stone, earth or wood surfaces. Even as that first line was tracing its path, the second spell would take effect, following along the invisible line of charged air.
Explaining how it worked, I had Calbern assist me in setting up a test, letting his superior vision guide my arm. It worked, though on the third bounce, the stone crumbled instead of reflecting the bolt, which left two drakes to be taken down.
Not that I could tell, at the time. The close proximity to throwing a lightning bolt left me deaf and blind. By the time my vision cleared Vaserra and Calbern had already dispatched both.
In addition to the tedium, the other problem was the eggs. There were far too many to carry with us. Even if we dedicated the entirety of Fang's trailer to it, there'd be too many eggs.
Still, I took fifty of the foot long eggs, and Vaserra set aside another hundred for her breeding efforts. The rest she intended to gather later and give as gifts to the sheep.
It had seemed unusual, but I knew nothing about sheep from Earth, never mind whatever variety roamed the Frigid Peaks of Ro’an.
Inertia was quite happy with her gains. Not only had she subjugated a pack of thirteen living Inferno drakes, there were over a hundred dead ones to take the hearts from. Her pack was surprisingly calm as she rooted around in the remains of the other drakes to retrieve said hearts, simply standing back and watching, and occasionally snatching a bite from one of the dead drakes.
We ended up spending two days just loading and processing everything we could from the drakes. In that time, Vaserra went and retrieved several of her clan to help with the efforts.
As we were preparing to leave, Sarpit and his entourage arrived. He had a frown on his face as he took in our efforts. It only got deeper when he saw Inertia up on the hill, wrestling with the Inferno bull drake once more. So far, it had been a daily occurrence.
Sarpit turned away from Inertia, and when he noticed my gaze, he prodded his massive wolf forward. It kept approaching until it was close enough I could smell what it'd had for lunch. "So, you did as my fool daughter requested. I suppose you want my thanks."
"Not needed. These were a threat to my land as much as yours," I said, though I could tell after learning more about them that wasn't strictly true. The drakes were too damn lazy to journey over the mountains in the next decade, never mind the next year or so.
"Good. There was a reason I let these drakes live here," he said, spitting to the side. "I'll not be thanking you for making more work for me. It's best you leave these lands."
I nodded, trying not to grit my teeth. I'd hoped to gain some good will with my neighbors by helping out. He'd known we were coming to help her, and he hadn't said anything. Though maybe he'd been so drunk he forgot.
"I shall lead them," Vaserra said, moving over to stand beside me.
"Good. Keep them away from the sheep. Don't need them stealing them on their way out," Sarpit said, before turning his head to the side and spitting again.
She narrowed her eyes, but remained silent.
Didn't much like his insinuation that we were thieves, but I kept my mouth shut as well. I'd already messed up relations enough. Soon he and his men were gone back up the mountain. I couldn't help but notice they weren't as agile as Vaserra or her companions, sticking to the central ramp instead of the side paths.
"Forgive me for not speaking in your defense," Vaserra said once her father had crested the hill. "I now know that you would not steal our sheep, yet father wouldn't have listened. He would have found some way to twist my words into a slight against you."
"It's fine. Not looking forward to having him as a neighbor though," I admitted. Probably more honest than I should've been, but it stung to be accused after doing something I thought had been helping.
"That is understandable. However, father's strength is waning. There may come a time in the near future when he is surpassed as First Hunter. Already, our hunt gives me great honor," Vaserra said, her eyes playing over the people bundling up the remaining hides and meat. "And my strength grows apace. Father may bid you to leave and treat you with dishonor, but I acknowledge my debt, and the debt of the Frost Riven. If you have need of me, I will answer."
"Thank you, Vaserra," I said, giving her a slight nod.
She nodded as Calbern approached, his back still extra rigid. His eyes flicked in the direction Sarpit had departed before returning to me. "We are ready to depart, master Perth. Inertia has loaded the last of her drakes and Fang grows restless."
"Guess it's time. You'll be joining us?" I asked, turning towards Vaserra.
"Until you are through the vales. I will not give father a chance to accuse you of misdeeds," Vaserra agreed before placing two fingers in her mouth to let out a near silent whistle.
Her wolf came bounding into sight a moment later, her tongue lolling out the side of her mouth as she approached. Right up until she noticed us watching. Then the large wolf slowed, her tongue hidden away as she affected a more dignified demeanor.
"Come Frost Lily. We must lead our guests to their new home," Vaserra said as she mounted the giant wolf with a single leap.
'Frost Lily?' I mouthed to Calbern, who simply raised a single eyebrow at me in response.
Then Vaserra started striding away, and all that was left was for us to follow.
