Drifting Embers
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[MGM]: 71 - Recorded
🕑 Added 2025-03-26 14:30:21 +0000 UTCRound two didn’t last as long as the first. It was partially because I was physically drained, but also because I had managed to keep my emotions in check. The prospect of losing control didn’t appeal to me, and sometimes I couldn’t help but wonder if accepting the Dragon Heart had been the right choice.
Yet, even as I sat breathing heavily on the ground, I could feel my mana recovering faster than my body. My over-energized reserves were already working to lessen the fatigue that overwhelmed me. That part was undeniable. I might have accepted great risks when I took on the Dragon Heart, but I had also gained great rewards. Besides, it wasn’t like gaining control over one’s emotions was an impossible task.
Amara had mentioned that older dragons were peaceful and wise creatures. That meant either the impulses would dilute over time, or they had simply learned to master them. Either way, it offered a promising path forward—one I was grateful for.
The sun had skidded across the sky like a burning disk of gold, eventually vanishing beyond the horizon. We stood in the field—me, Amara, Luna, Cassia, and Arianna—gazing up at the vast sky.
"It's beautiful," Arianna murmured, gazing at the magnificent river of stars drifting across the inky blackness. They were like strands of paint woven into a beautiful tapestry on a vast, dark canvas.
"It's radiant," I acknowledged, my voice tinged with wonder.
Arianna turned toward me, then swept her gaze over the gathered ladies before clicking her tongue. "What kind of witchcraft have you mastered to bewitch these lovely ladies?" she asked, her tone laced with a hint of jealousy.
I chuckled, shaking my head. "Now, why would you think I’ve bewitched them? They could very well be in love with me."
She scoffed, turning away. "As if I’d believe that—especially when it comes from your mouth."
"My mouth is handsome, my lady," I said with a grin. "And it’s precisely why these ladies flock around me."
"That’s certainly true," Cassia purred lazily.
I caught Arianna stealing a glance at Cassia’s curves, watching her stretch with cat-like grace. There was a flicker of fire in her eyes, and I smirked.
"I don't believe you," she snorted, quickly looking away.
"You know what I believe?" I said, leaning forward. "I believe you're the one denying the truth. Admit it—you're jealous."
Though Arianna stubbornly kept her face turned from me, I caught the flush of a deep blush spreading across her cheeks. For some reason, I found the sight arousing. Not in a sexual manner, exactly—something far more mischievous. A sadistic urge to tease her.
I leaned back, my amusement barely concealed.
"Leaving already?" I asked.
"Y—yes. My father has requested my presence," she stammered before scurrying away.
"She's cute," Cassia remarked, "like a pet. I wouldn't mind keeping her."
Her words caught the rest of us off guard, and while I nearly collapsed onto my back, Amara and Luna both shot the Foxkin a glare.
"I'm sure she's joking," I said with an amused chuckle, trying to diffuse the situation before it could escalate any further. "Aren't you, Cassia?"
She caught my wink and nodded hastily. "Yeah, joking. Totally."
Though she sounded convincing, none of us actually bought it. Because, as weird as it might sound, Cassia was entirely capable of pulling something like that off.
Of all my summons—each embodying a unique quirk of their own, like Amara's pride and Tania's innocence—Cassia's quirkiness terrified me the most. The woman quite literally had screws loose in her brain.
The memory of this morning flashed through my mind. After the Baron had acknowledged our requests, Cassia had asked to study in the library. It was the first request that made the Baron hesitate, and the Foxkin had calmly questioned me why she shouldn't just infest him with a brain-controlling larva and take over his territory.
As I’d mentioned before, I wasn’t above using underhanded means to achieve my goals. But there was something called a bottom line, and hijacking someone’s body was beyond despicable to me.
Amara had overheard her and nearly choked Cassia to death, proclaiming the Foxkin an evil spirit that needed to be purged from existence. I wasn’t exactly looking forward to jumping into the middle of their catfight again.
"I'm not in the mood to watch the stars anymore," Amara said, rising to her feet and dusting off her cloak. "Some people just exist to ruin others' days, but I guess it can't be helped—it's in their nature, after all."
I caught a bitter expression on Cassia's face before she replaced it with an impassive mask. I sighed, wondering what terrible deeds I must have committed in my past life to end up in this one. Truly, a harem sounded far better on paper than it did in reality.
"Yeah, let's go," Luna said, mirroring Amara as she stood. "You coming, boss?"
I gave a nod and got to my feet. Cassia glanced at each of us in turn before quietly following. The mood hung heavy over the group, tense and uncomfortable. I had always found situations like this utterly distasteful.
"Did you think over my request, you two?" I asked, my gaze shifting between Luna and Cassia.
"You mean your talent copy, right?" Cassia said. I nodded.
"I think Ghost Walk would suit you best," Luna replied. "It's a support talent, but it has both offensive and defensive applications. Your high mana reserves would work well with it."
"That's what I thought too. Just wanted your input."
We were walking through the hallways, passing the occasional servant shuffling through the corridors. The guest quarters were a fair distance from the main Keep, where the Baron and his daughter resided.
"What about you, Cassia?" I asked just as we rounded a corner.
The Foxkin shrugged. "If you're after an offensive talent, then Dark Rift is my best offering," she said, then paused to take a breath. "But I wouldn’t recommend it. You might be combat-oriented, but it’s never a good idea to have your talents so lopsided."
"Your suggestion?"
"Void Mirage or Shadowflare," she answered.
I raised a brow, curious. "That's quite the variety. Why those two?"
"Void Mirage is good for disorienting enemies, leaving them confused and vulnerable," Cassia said. "On the other hand, Shadowflare works best as a non-offensive option to disable and capture your enemies."
"Either way, you're left with more options than just hitting harder and surviving blows—a win-win scenario, in my opinion."
I contemplated her words, finding them sensible enough. It was undeniable, after all, that I typically focused on talents that gave me an edge in combat. But as Cassia had mentioned, attacking and defending weren't the only options I had.
We arrived at the rooms and shuffled inside. Tania and Pyra were already there, seemingly discussing something amusing if their laughter was anything to go by.
"What's so funny?" I asked, moving closer.
"Nothing," Pyra replied, shrugging. "Just a fun little accident I had."
"That's terrible," Amara remarked, finding a sofa to lounge on.
"Don't worry, I didn't hurt myself or anything," Pyra said, offering an easy smile.
Amara deadpanned. "I know."
Pyra stilled, her smile frozen. "Wait," she said. "Were you making fun of me?"
"I've seen snails faster than you," Amara replied. "You're slower than an undead bear on a single leg."
"Oh yeah? Guess who among us is actually undead?" The Ifrit stood in a challenging pose, head held high.
"You know that's a myth, right?" Amara said. "Vampires are just as alive as anybody."
"That may be so," Pyra said, nodding. "But it's rare for a vampire to have an immortality talent—and that sounds pretty undead to me."
I sighed and turned to Tania. She stared back in thoughtful silence, then shrugged and giggled. I offered a smile of my own and settled beside her, holding her hand.
"Will you hear about my day?" Tania whispered, as if afraid of others overhearing her words.
I gave a serious nod. "Whenever you want me to listen, you'll find me with ears wide open."
Tania giggled, playfully prodding my shoulder. Suddenly, a quiet fell over the room, and when we looked around, everyone was staring at us.
"See? I told you she's the real player," Pyra said. "We've been noobs all along, while the one acting meek was planning to gobble all the meat on her own."
I saw Tania blush furiously at the sudden attention and Pyra's words, and I fought the urge to pinch her cheeks.
After we had settled into a more comfortable ease, I finally asked Pyra for her opinion regarding my choice of talent. She seemed thoughtful at first, then began explaining the benefits and drawbacks of each option.
The Potion of Immortality was the first to be rejected, followed closely by Alchemical Growth and Alchemical Restoration. Essence Infusion, while excellent, wasn't something I could make use of. It turned out that it required the use of Aetherflame to condense the properties of other elements and transfer them.
And even if it wasn’t so unnecessarily complicated, the fact that I couldn’t use Aetherflame made it a moot point.
That left me with two options—Molecular Reconstitution and Ashen Cloud. Unfortunately, the latter had significant limitations, making my choice apparent.
That night, I finally copied their talents and felt visibly satisfied to see the new additions appear on my Soul Record.
Name: Markus White
Race: Drakekin [Awakened]
Age: 20
Origin: Celestial Archive [Supreme???]
Level: 62 | XP: 21.08%
Rank: C
Attributes
Strength: 741
Agility: 856
Vitality: 928
Intelligence: 1307
Perception: 619
Spirit: 2685
Free Stat Points: 0
Talents
[Summon - B]
[Talent Copy - N/A]
[Blood Monarch - SSS]
[Runic Empowerment - B]
[Spirit Call - C]
[Spirit Ascension - C]
[Mana Sight - B]
[Void Step - A]
[Draconian Rage - S]
[Dark Wings - S]
[Ghost Walk - A]
[Ashen Cloud - B]
[Shadowflare - B]
Summons (2/2)
[Amara - SSS]
Favorability: 73% (Romantic Interest)
Power Sync: -61.64%
[Titania - A]
Favorability: 64% (Romantic Interest)
Power Sync: -61.64%
[Pyra - A]
Favorability: 44% (Trusted Companion)
Power Sync: -61.64%
[Luna - A]
Favorability: 12% (Friendly)
Power Sync: -61.64%
[Cassia - S]
Favorability: 11% (Friendly)
Power Sync: -61.64%
