20

"What did you want to talk about?" I asked the alpha.

"You may be strong, but I think you need more training," the alpha didn't hesitate to state his opinion.

"You're right," I looked down at him, "I'm a novice when it comes to spellcasting, and combat. Especially in this form."

"We can help you learn," the alpha nodded to me, "It would be easier if you were smaller."

"Is that all you need?" I shrunk down so my head was level with the alpha's while laying down, "It's mana expensive, but I can keep it up for over a day."

My body tensed as I stood up. Now I was a bit taller than the alpha. I didn't need to intimidate him he was helping us willingly. I enjoyed the stunned look on his face. He didn't expect me to be able to do this as well as take a human form.

I flared my much smaller wings, and stood on my legs. It was an awkward way of standing for me, but it did give me back some of the height I'd lost. I dropped back down to all fours. My wings twitched slightly as I folded them back up against my back. I didn't know what he had planned but I could work with whatever as long as it made me stronger.

I'd need more strength to deal with creatures like the elves, and wyverns. I was so much weaker than them both one on one. If I got into a fight with monsters like them at my current strength I would lose. Especially without help. My body tensed at the thought.

"I do agree with you on the needing training," I glanced around to the other wolves surrounding us, "But we should wait for the others to settle before trying anything."

That, and I have a few skills to evolve. I grew back to my true size, and moved back to the outer edge of town. Settling in to focus on some skill evolutions. I decided to go with the safe option, and chose Advanced Murderous Intent for my Murderous intent evolution. Then I noticed my Mana Absorption was also maxed out, and had an available evolution.

It only had one available evolution.

Mana Breath- An advanced version of Mana Absorption tailored to your dragon anatomy. This skill gives you the ability to passively absorb 10 mana with every breath, and actively absorb 100 mana with every breath.

With every breath? That's nice. Did the dragons of old not have a mana absorption technique?

No. I do not have any record of dragons using any technique to actively absorb mana. Their passive gathering as an adult is 50-75 mana per minute.

Shit. That's no joke. How much is my passive gathering now?

Your passive gathering is 37 per minute.

Damn, and I'm just a teenager age wise as a dragon. Made me wonder how high my passive absorption would be when I made it to my adult age. I liked the fact that just breathing would fill my mana reserve over time. If I focused on it I'd be able to take in a lot of mana at once. I closed my eyes, and focused on my light element.

If I could advance it to a true affinity then I could try reviving that dragon egg. My body relaxed as I focused on the mana around me. Trying to find, and filter out the light element so I could suck it in. Then I could try to study it. If I upped my understanding of the light element I might be able to develop an affinity.

My ability to learn things was enhanced by the system. I kept focusing on the light element. I spent the whole day focusing on it. Not moving from where I'd sat this morning. I got bored with studying light element.

I opened my eyes to look at the kids that had gotten daring enough to come close. I turned my head slightly to take a better look at them. Most of them were younger kids. Fearless little children. I laid my head down slowly so my neck was resting on the ground.

I looked at them before closing my eyes again. I was practically inviting them to cause me trouble. Ethan was sparring with the someone a good ways away from where I was laying. Jax, and Savannah seemed to be working on their spellcasting. The first kid to touch me was nearly an hour after I invited trouble.

As they continued to get bolder, and bolder I couldn't help that I found it a bit funny. A rumbling purr made it's way up, and down my long throat. The kids were both amused, and concerned by the sudden rumbling. They backed away from me quickly as they tried to figure out if what was happening right now was dangerous or not. Not many would know this about me, but I actually liked kids.

Three to ten years old were the ones I got along with the best. Before this harsh world started really skewing their view of the world the wrong direction. I didn't care for the spoiled ones, but not many kids were spoiled nowadays. I twitched my tail to get some excited screams. I chuckled at their fear, and opened my eyes to see their amusement.

I glanced up at the darkening sky, and yawned heavily. I didn't like the idea of sleeping out in the open even if it was somewhere relatively safe. I raised my head slowly to look skyward. That cave in the mountain wasn't so bad. I could go back up there to sleep.

I let my bonded know that that was the plan, and would continue to be the plan for a little while. I took the egg back up the cliff path to the top, and put it back in it's place close to the door. When I did start reviving eggs that one would be first. It was a smaller egg so I was pretty sure a smaller hatchling would come out of it. I rolled the stone encrusted egg around in my hand.