Chapter 19: 19. It's good to be pantless sometimes
< Spell learned : thunder-clap. >
So, I survived an ogre, land dragon, and even a bear!
Just to die from falling off a cliff?
I don't think so!
Thwip baby, thwip!
Streams of webs shot out of my hands and attached to the cliff face.
They stopped my fall - almost yanking my joints out of their sockets - and slammed me into the mountain face.
I don't care what any wall crawler has told you, web slinging hurts like hell.
I started climbing back up.
< Spell learned : wind blade. >
My spider radar felt something coming at me.
I looked back just in time to see a distortion in the air headed my way.
< Dodge, you fool! >
I jumped sideways and used my claws to cling to the mountain, just as the distortion cleaved into the spot I had just been in.
Patty, can I use any of those new spells?
<Yes, wind blade. >
I made my way quickly up the mountain, all the while dodging those air blades.
When I made it to the top I scanned the sky, looking for what had attacked me.
Flying at blistering speeds was a man-sized bird with a wingspan of at least twenty-feet, decked out in leather armor and metal talon guards on its feet.
Patty, what is that thing?
<That is a facla. An avian sentient species that inhabits this region. They are one of the representative species of The Republic of Grynia. Every so often a certain mutation occurs in the male gender that gives them hands instead of wings, those with that mutation are immediately conscripted into their army. The mutant ones are only capable of volplaning. >
Thanks.
I felt some energy leave me, but I can't worry about that now.
It didn't do that thunder-clap spell again, so it's probably too much of an energy drain.
It's flying too fast for me to even try to hit it with a force bubble, new spell it is.
"{Wind blade}{wind blade}{wind blade}...."
I sent wind blade after wind blade following the tried and true method of lug enough bullets at something and at least one's bound to hit.
And hit one did, unfortunately it didn't slice through the facla.
A sphere of wind cloaked it and it ended up just getting knocked off course.
<Spell learned : air shield. >
Before I could even properly grasp that I had a new spell, more of those wind blades came at me.
Please work.
"{Air shield}."
A bubble of air encircled me, warding off all of those air attacks.
As long as I got mana it stays active too.
God, I love this spell!
With my heat detection I sensed something coming my way from the side.
I peered over and saw another facla coming my way via gliding, instead of wings he had another set of talons with small feather-covered protrusions under his arms.
As soon as he landed he tossed three throwing knives towards my air shield, two got deflected and the third made it in and grazed me.
"Ahhh!!"
Jurea charged forward, yelling her battle cry.
The male facla pulled out a short sword and started swinging at her, he would slash her armor then evade whatever blow came his way.
Eric was drawing back her bow when another bigger winged one dive-bombed her, she dodged just as its metal encased talons punctured the rocky ground.
She dropped her bow and readied her dagger.
The bird would flap its bone breaking wings at her, jump and swipe its talons at her, and try to bite her with its beak.
I would've loved to help either Jurea or Eric out, but I had my hands full, with my own facla.
And where was Flora in all of this?
That's what I'd like to know!
"Sreee, sre screee sre. Screeeeeee.*"
(Flora)
*Stop,we just want to talk. Pellet brains.
Flora was waving a large cloak with a weird insignia on it.
Wait, I understood her!
And if I focus I can understand the faclas too.
"Sreee, scre screee srere sreeeee. Seeee er sreee.*"
(Third facla)
* Halt, that is the royal insignia on that cloak. We have to at least hear what they have to say.
All of the faclas disengaged, Jurea and Eric stopped fighting as well, but stayed in a battle ready position.
"Scrrrreeee seecr scre sreee see, serc scree seeeec scree sreeeee.*"
* Where did you get that cloak human, and who taught you our language?"
"Sreee creee cees sreee, sreee sec sreeec. Sree sreee seeeer src se sceee?*"
*Neither of those questions is particularly important, what is important is that both parties leave here unscathed. We are a Low-rank adventurer party, and you are?
"What's going on?"
(Jurea)
Flora raised her arm silencing us.
"I've got it handled, just be quiet."
"Yes, human be quiet."
(First facla)
Surprised, Flora turned back to the facla.
"You know the human tongue?!"
(Flora)
"Surprised human?"
"More upset than surprised, you didn't need to attack us then. A simple greeting would've done wonders."
"Why would we announce ourselves to trespassers?"
(Third facla)
"If anyone is trespassing it is you, this is human territory!"
(Jurea)
"Grynia does not acknowledge the border your queen has set, we allow your merchants and adventurers entry via the predetermined paths only!"
Jurea bristled at that queen comment, and started shouting louder at them.
Oh, I get what's going on here. This is one of those border dispute things, where both sides 'own the land' and the other side are the intruders.
I bet there was someone else before both of them, that they pushed out.
"What are all of you doing out here anyway?"
"Oh, we're hunting a beast that's been killing people."
(Eric)
"Eric!"
(Jurea + Flora)
"What? That's what we're doing."
Eric turned towards the faclas.
"What are y'all doing out here?"
"That's need to kn...."
(Third facla)
"We're hunting an animal too, to try to cure a chick of one of the village elders."
(First facla)
"Srceeeee*!"
(Facla two and three)
*Aryi!
At least, both sides have something in common.
"Look, we are both on our own respective missions. So, instead of causing an incident over nothing, why don't we just go our separate ways? And if you think we are spies, you could even tail us for as long you'd like."
The three faclas looked at each other, the third one - who's the leader I think - nodded.
"That will be unnecessary human, we also have an urgent mission."
(Second facla)
The first facla - Aryi - looked towards the third one.
"sreee, creee reee ceee ssreee.*"
(Aryi)
*Kale, we should ask them if they've seen what we are looking for.
"Se.*"
*No.
Ayri gave a soul piercing stare at Kale, then stared farther westward.
She turned back towards us.
"Have any of you humans spotted an animal called a rees? You humans call it a cupra."
"Srceeeee!*"
*Ayri!
"I think so, isn't that what you killed Flora?"
(Eric)
Flora's face gave nothing away.
"No, you're mistaken. It was just a regular mountain goat."
"May I see the horns! If you still have them?"
(Ayri)
Eric pulled the horns out of her bag.
"Yes, those are cupra horns!"
"Are they?! I had no idea. I'm so sorry, I thought it was just a regular goat."
(Flora)
How does she lie like that.
"It's fine, we know you humans have horrible eyesight. It wouldn't surprise us if you couldn't tell a bull apart from a deer."
(Kale)
Yay, for racist assumptions, I guess.
<Actually that would be a speciesism, you know, because they are a different species.>
Shut up Patty.
"Can we have these horns? We are willing to pay you for them."
(Ayri )
"You said you needed the horns, so I'd feel terrible charging you for something you need to save a baby. Just take it."
(Flora)
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, just say that you owe me one."
"We won't forget this kindness human, good luck on your hunt. Gayle, take the horns we have to hurry."
(Ayri)
Gayle took the horns, and they took of deeper into the mountains.
After we were sure they were gone we continued on, and I decided to ask Flora what all that was about.
"Hey Flora, why did you just give the horns to them? Not that I'm judging you or anything, but you're a....."
"Money whore?"
She was giving me a sarcastic look.
"I told you to stop reading my memories!"
"I didn't that time, Patty told me."
"I've got to find away to keep both of you separated."
"Whatever, and the reason I gave them the horns is that it was a no-win situation either way."
"They were willing to pay, how is that a losing situation?"
"Because their currency isn't accepted in our territory unless you exchange it at the royal currency exchange, which you can only do if you had gotten permission from royalty first. As for the other reason, faclas have a low birth-rate so every chick matters to them, so if I was withholding something from them that they believed would help their young they would fight to the death for it. Which makes no gods damn sense, because you're dwindling your already low population! So, unless you got an in with the royals, or are too strong to beat, we got fucked over the moment the slave opened her mouth!"
"Well, you could've told us to expect that."
(Jurea)
"How?! I didn't expect to even come up here, never mind actually run into faclas! Luckily I thought to paint the royal crest on a cloak I brought. At the very least we're getting thirty gold for this shit, and I'm telling all of you right now I'm gonna keep all of it! That's the very least I deserve for going through all of this shit. All of you are lucky I knew their tonal language."
Patty, just to remind me, what is a tonal language.
<Just to remind you, really? Anyway, a tonal language relies on pitch more than its vocabulary, morphology, phonology, or syntax. >
Um...
<How high or low they speak. >
Ah, yes, of course.
<I'm embarrassed that I'm stuck with you.>
Shut up Patty.
We all just kept walking.
"Why didn't you harangue me?"
Flora gave me a side glance as she walked.
"Huh?"
Flora stopped walking.
"Why didn't you complain that I'm being selfish and tell me that I have to share the thirty gold?
You did take the gold back, right?
We're not risking our lives for nothing, right?"
If she were a dog, her hackles would definitely have been raised.
"That depends on what you think nothing is, Some people say that the greatest reward is knowing you did the right thing."
"Fuck those people, and fuck you! I'm leaving."
She turned to leave.
"He can make you stay."
(Jurea)
Flora looked at me.
"Will you?"
"No."
"Thought so."
She turned to leave.
"Look, I guess I'm sorry I didn't take the last of their life savings, but the only reason we're up here is because of you."
She turned back to face me, and pointed her finger in my face.
"I did a simple trick, odds are we would never have seen them again."
She started walking away, but I know how to bring her back.
"The hit quest rewards are yours."
"What?"
She stopped in her tracks, and turned back to face me again.
"If you stay, you can keep the hit quest rewards to yourself."
"And I get the next payment on your webs too."
"Half."
"Deal."
"Well, what are we waiting for, we've got a beast to try to find. The sooner I'm off this mountain the bette... wait, where is the slave?"
"You mean Eric, and she's right... here...?"
We looked around and couldn't spot her, she must've kept walking.
Damn! Now we got to go looking for her.
"Hey."
"Ahhh!"
(Jurea + Flora + me)
We all jumped while squealing like girls.
"Shh!"
(Eric)
Somehow Eric had managed to get behind us.
"Ahem... yes, Eric what did you find?"
I said fixing my posture, so I didn't look like I was just scared shitless.
< Great work, toootally believable. >
Shut up Patty.
"The beast we've been searching for, it's a couple hundred yards around that bend eating a fresh kill."
She said while pointing.
"Are you sure?"
She nodded her head.
"It's right up ahead."
Finally! After wasting most of the day, we can finish this.
"Lead the way."
_________________________
As we rounded the corner, I caught sight of the infamous battagg.
<It can only be counted as infamous if it is widely known, and as only this small village knows about this one it would hardly count. >
Stop ruining my inner monologue, and just shut up.
The battagg stood an impressive twelve-feet tall, had a stocky and furry body, four bird-like talons, a wolfish snout, and a pair of devil wings.
At the moment it was enjoying a meal of freshly killed merchant and their horses.
I held up my fist motioning Jurea and co. to stop.
We gathered into a tight circle.
"This guy looks like he'll be troublesome, so here's the plan..."
ROOOOOAR!!!!!!
...
....
...
We all - battagg included - looked up towards the sky.
And hovering right there on its two wings letting its two razor-sharp talons dangle in the air was a dragon!
Saliva dripped down from its fang filled mouth, as two reptilian eyes stared coldly down at us.
You know how in those corny movies the dragon always says I am death, and you laugh because of just how stupid saying something like that is?
Yeah, well, I don't think that saying is corny anymore.
There is only one word that comes to mind when a beast the size of a small airplane is hovering above you, talons ready to pierce your chest, and that word is death.
At least there's a silver lining, I won't have to take another shit for a whole week.
It's a good thing I don't wear pants.
The battagg was obviously smarter than it looked, because instead of defending its meal it turned ready to flee.
A few things happened in the next few seconds, first the dragon released a fire breath, I pulled everyone into my gem,
And finally when the flame hit the ground it looked like an upside down mushroom expanding rapidly, flinging me backwards and forcefully activating my adaptation ability.
My scales hardened and crystallized.
I flew back, only stopping when I hit a stone cliff wall.
Status.
------------------
Name : Jamal Hendricks / no name monster
Level : 52 points available : 0
Pets : 1
Species : Akkedis/ human soul
Strength : 1,000
Increases the ease to lift and damage objects and opponents
Intelligence : 300
Makes resisting mind control, solving complex problems, reading people, learning magic and skills easier
Durability : 700
Resistance of disease, sleep deprivation, injury of body and soul, temperature, starvation
Energy : 0
Increases pool of energy and energy rate
Health : 20
Increases pool of health and healing rate
Stamina : 507
Increases pool of stamina and stamina rate
Extra energy : 143
Luck : 134
Odds play out in your favor
Speed : 500
Increases reaction time, sensory perception, rate of travel, time perception
Agility : 700
Allows for complex movement's
Crafting: 1000
Allows one to craft objects well
Special ability : adaptation
: forced conscription
: perfect mimic
: empath darts
: peerless regeneration
: excess energy
: acid blood
: webs
: spatial awareness
: dash
: polymorph
: thermal absorption
Adaptation : ability to adapt to any situation to survive. Dependent on energy levels.
Forced conscription: Anyone you defeat you can force into your party. Can order them unlimited times, but each order takes energy. All previous benefits from 'Party Leader' apply.
Slots : 4/6
Perfect mimicry: Can perfectly replicate any sound.
Lesser ability perfect recall is a side effect of this ability. Due to this lesser ability you will remember everything.
Empath Darts : Projectiles made from mana.
You can imbue emotions into the dart via mucus. The higher your level the longer you can make the emotions last.
Lesser ability Gastron mucus allows you to produce mucus through your skin. The mucus gives you minimal protection and allows you to scale vertical surfaces.
Peerless Regeneration: you will continuously heal.
Lesser ability Ample Strength doubles strength.
Excess energy : all food eaten will be stored as energy. Can use energy as extra stamina at will.
Acid blood : can turn your blood acidic at will.
Webs : can convert mana into webs. Adhesive and regular are the only options right now.
Every yard of web produced will consume one energy.
Spatial awareness : changes in temperature, air currents, vibrations, and smell will be recorded and used to locate prey. Always on.
Dash : Increases speed by a factor of ten. Quadruple the amount of stamina will be used every second it is active.
Polymorph : can change into the form of those that you have consumed.
Thermal Absorption : You can continuously absorb the thermal energy of your enemies.
------------------
Even though I used all of my energy, I still almost died!
My peerless regeneration kicked in and I started to heal.
I looked up and noticed the dragon hovering there just staring at me.
One swipe of its talon, or another fire breath, and I was dead.
Roooooar!!!
With that final roar it flew off.
So, that was a dragon huh? How the fuck am I ever going to be able to deal with something like that!
<Actually that was just a highborn wyvern, a true dragon is way more powerful and it would have that oversized lizard for a quick snack. >
Not helping Patty!
<Hey, let me out, so I can start
healing you. >
(Flora)
I let her out.
"{Healing palms}"
Immediately the pain started to feel much better.
"Oh, and just so you know, we both agreed to that deal before that wyvern killed the battagg. So, I'm keeping the hit quests, and half of the web payment."
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Dracolupus
Dracolupus That queen remark was a jab.
The entire empire is ruled over by an empress.
Other nations try to deny the actual scope of their empire.