Bab 35: Unconventional deal
Xian was still glaring at the door after the dragon mother left. He knew it was useless and he was proud that he had been able to keep his anger more or less in check, except for that one outburst. However, it hadn't been as easy as it looked. This dragon female gave him goosebumps, he had felt the undisguised hatred of this shrew and he shivered just remembering the strong pressure and imposing aura she had used to scare him and show her discontent.
She truly had the fiery temper befitting a dragon, even when she had finally let him off the hook. By comparison, her husband seemed good-natured and easy-going. But of course, this outward display could not conceal the fact that he was the master of this place, even the dragon mother had to obey him and his power wasn't just for show. Xian had previously seen him fighting the Lysanian dragons all by himself. Maybe she was the straightforward one in the couple. Xian's mind was overflowing with questions. He was a bit of a dragon-obsessed boy, however, this encounter and first visit in the dragon's city didn't live up to his expectations. The dream was very close to turning into a nightmare. Reality could be harsh, sometimes. It was definitely hard for him to remain as cool-headed as usual.
The maids were coming and going, cleaning the place before their mistress's return or checking the egg from time to time. They didn't seem to pay him any mind but somehow, Xian still felt weary of them. They might be lower class dragons but were still full-fledged ones. He wouldn't stand a chance in his current exhausted state. Nonetheless, it was a strange sight as some were in their human form whereas others used their dragon form, whichever was the most convenient one for their tasks.
Ultimately, Xian knew he was the only human in the room. However, was he truly human ? What was it about "Absolute Sources", again ? He dreaded the answer to these questions the most... His skin was shining once more. It didn't take long before it reverted to its troublesome glowing state. Looking closely, the sheen seemed slightly less bright, probably due to his core being strengthened by the constant and thorough use, ever since he'd arrived in this cell. Xian hoped it wasn't some wishful thinking on his part. In any case, he still had a long way to go if he wanted to increase his magic core's power and capacity enough to stop shining altogether.
Training, casting spells in order to empty and replenish his core was also another method to achieve this end. However, it was extremely tedious and required decades of daily practice. Xian felt unexpectedly regretful and annoyed at himself for slacking off in his magic training with Soon-Yi. With the most powerful Mage in the Selnan empire as a teacher, his magic core should have been good enough to avoid the leak of magic elements. Somehow, he could understand why the usually level-headed Soon-Yi often lost her temper and beat him up while calling him a stubborn and pigheaded idiot.
For once, he could admit that Soon-Yi had been right and had done everything she could just for his sake. This thought even brought the shadow of a smile to his serious face. During his training as a spy, he had learned to maintain a straight-face but somehow, he couldn't really manage it. His multiple expressions still showed unconsciously, as clear as day. This small smile only meant that, even though they didn't get along, he still missed her now and then. But it still felt strange to think about her without being annoyed, angry or scared. She was probably worried and he felt oddly uneasy. Maybe she just didn't care as usual. He had to be sure and he wanted to see her. On the other hand, how could he not feel upset when realizing that his inept and self-centered mother, this old hag Soon-Yi, was once again on his mind. As young as he was, he was already aware that the feelings of love and hatred were less than a stone's throw away, or as they say, they might be both sides of the same coin. Sometimes, he felt that he couldn't quite grasp his own feelings and it left him at a loss.
The other prisoner had resumed his dragonling form. More like he was too weak to keep his human form and had reverted back to his true form. It was a bit unsettling to seen how frail and harmless the white dragonling looked. Not only the master and mistress, who were clearly the most powerful dragons Xian had seen up to now, even the maids and servants seemed far stronger. Moreover, its white color, which could be full of splendor, was dull and looked sickly compared to all the other dragons, from the most common to the most magnificent.
Xian squatted closer to the resting dragonling, looking intently at the scales and wings of the creature. He had already touched a dragon, he had previously been in the maw then on the back of the legendary black dragon but he hardly had the time to observe him up close. This small dragon, even though it was an adult in its human form, seemed easier to manage than the other ones. Xian couldn't help but wonder how the Lysanian soldiers, mostly knights, managed to tame and subdue their dragon mounts. Just how many laughs had he shared with his Lysanian friend Chen Yu while listening to the latter's dragon tales, even though they merely were stories for children ? Maybe he could achieve the same bound with this dragonling if they somehow grew up together.
Tian Jie opened his eyes. He was tired but thankfully all his injuries had already been healed. He just needed a bit of rest to recover completely. Of course, he was still too weak to even think of escaping and the best course was to regain a bit of strength. For some time now, he had sensed the gaze of someone and it had disturbed his sleep. He had always been a light sleeper. He was used to living outside, on his own, and fend for himself. In these conditions ,one needed to be aware of his surroundings at all times. Even when he was still in Lysania, nobody had cared for him, the cursed and weak one, and the threats and attacks were almost an everyday occurrence.
However, right now, when he opened his eyes, he could only see a human, an Absolute Source, with a shining body and a cute childlike face framed by golden locks. It felt like a dream come true, a wingless angel that brought salvation and comfort. The brilliance that showered him felt soothing, even his revengeful heart was lighter and calmer. He couldn't help but want more. He wished he could stay close to the Absolute Source for the rest of his life and wondered if he could absorb a tiny bit of the power before his eyes that kept on tempting him. The allure was almost unbearable, now that Tian Jie was fully awake.
However, Tian Jie refrained from taking any of the enticing magic elements. Even though the Dragon mother gave him free use of the Absolute Source for the rest of the day, even though he was confident that,even as weak as he currently was, he was stronger than any human, he wouldn't force the absorption. He had seen how the dragons forcibly drained the magic elements from the magic cores of the mages in Lysania for their own convenience. He was unwilling to behave in the same horrendous way. Somehow, the contempt and the poor treatment reminded him of the way he was treated by his kin. He felt sympathy and a kind of "kinship in adversity", if this feeling could be possible between the two species, dragon and humans. All the more reason to handle the rare Absolute Source with care, like the most precious treasure.
Xian was done with his inspection. The dragonling didn't seem wounded anymore. Even the fragile wings seemed perfectly fine. The healing spell had been very efficient, far more than for human targets. The only problem was that the creature lacked magic, and the recovery of magic elements seemed so slow, Xian could barely notice it. It was such a contrast with the speed of his own gathering of magic elements that it seemed laughable. But Xian had no reason to laugh at the dragonling; it could even be dangerous, as they were locked in the same cell. Discreetly looking around to check if somebody else could hear him, Xian whispered to the white dragonling that it could absorb his excess of magic elements if it could help him go back to the Selnan empire.
Xian's lips were smiling but his eyes were dead serious and he put as much conviction as he could while whispering. It was a negotiation of sort and as such, he had to offer a very valuable thing while appearing confident. If his counterpart could guess how desperate he was, he would be on the losing end of the bargain. But Tian Jie was a dragon prince, even though he was despised, loathed and rejected. Due to circumstances, he was used to fend for himself, even in the wild, but was not used to strike a bargain. Except for begging someone more powerful or persuading someone weaker using charm or threat, he didn't know much about social interactions. Making a deal was an alien thing to him but he was not stupid. He had managed to survive until now and even grow a little, he couldn't miss this chance to grow even stronger with the willing help of an Absolute Source. It felt like an opportunity coming from Heaven. Moreover, for once, it didn't hurt his pride too much. It seemed too good to be true but Tian Jie didn't care. All he could think of was the wonderful sensation of the pure magic elements of this Absolute source. It was truly Absolute bliss to him.
Xian winced but the absorption from the white dragonling was very gentle. He almost couldn't feel anything, except that it was obvious that his skin had returned to a normal hue and was not shining anymore. Of course, the other dragons in the room noticed the absorption. Even without looking, Xian could feel the greedy stares and hear a couple of envious mutters from the servants. However, their mistress had given her consent, so they went back to work while complaining.
Xian waited for the maids to turn their back to him and suddenly stood up. He kicked the external wall with all his might. He knew that spells had been cast on the wall and the bars of his cell but only the bars had a strengthening spell. No dragon in its right mind would dare to attack this room and the walls were sturdy enough to resist any onslaught from the weak prisoners. However, Xian only looked weak.
With only two kicks, the hole in the wall was large enough for him and for the dragonling. Everybody, the dragonling included, was shocked but Tian Jie recovered faster. He knew Xian had been up to something since they had made a deal. However, wasn't this a bit too brutal for such a slender, cute and girlish boy ? His mind was still trying to process this huge gap between Xian's deceiving looks and his actual strength, however, Tian Jie's body was already in motion. He took Xian's arms, careful not to hurt them with his claws, and took flight, while still absorbing the magic elements.
The speed, the wind, the feeling of Freedom, the purest and overflowing magic elements: this flight was exhilarating. However, the guards were already chasing them. It was all Tian Jie could do to dodge the dragon's breaths, fire but also wind and water, as well as earth or ice, or to avoid the spells. Fire balls, ice spears… the deadliest spells were filling the sky, showing the full power of the dragons. Tian Jie heart was racing, whether from the effort, the fear or the adrenaline. He could even feel the magic flow sustaining his speed and agility. On the other hand, Xian was no dead weight. The defensive magic shield he had practiced while fighting the Lysanian dragons was put to good use and he even tried to mimic some of the numerous high-level attacking spells he saw, some of them he had studied a long time ago with Soon-Yi.
In the end, the flight was successful, their pursuers could not rival Tian Jie's stamina, as he had his personal portable Absolute Source supplying limitless magic elements. However, even his speed could not rival a teleport device from Ancient Aliker. Arthur Caucel was still unconscious, somewhere in the dragon's city, but the device Soon-Yi had lent him was now in the claws of the legendary dragon who seemed to know very well how to use it. Tian Jie and Xian had no time to even heave a sigh after shaking the guards off, a huge shadow loomed over them and stopped them in their tracks. The white dragonling, the Absolute source's thief, was now facing a very displeased legendary black dragon. Not only their colors, the difference in size and power was obvious.
Tian Jie couldn't help but shake in fear, the aura of his opponent was overwhelming. From this distance, the powerful black dragon had no difficulties to absorb the magic elements from Xian's core as well and the double intake was truly painful. Suddenly, Tian Jie felt a strong blow on both his claws. The helpless Absolute Source was struggling in his own way to stop the agonizing draining of his magic core. Startled, the white dragonling couldn't help but let go of Xian's arms. The boy's fall was so unexpected that both dragons had no time to react before Xian was out of their reach and lost out of their sights, under the abundant foliage of the forest below.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone