043 Dragons on the Move

"When and where do you want the meeting to take place?" Talon wanted to iron out the details.

"10 hours from now; the location should be our typical Tavern." Time was of the essence so James didn't want to wait too long.

"That soon? Are you sure about that? What about framing experience points?" Totem was surprised.

"We will grab another level or two; you and the twins have already hit our goal of level 20. Depending on our luck I may be able to level up to 25.." replied James.

James waved them all to follow; he was heading deeper. His target? Zone-35. He wanted to test their steel against monsters around the level of the dungeon they were going to tackle.

Thanks to their teamwork they were able to handle all of the basic monsters. The average level 35 monster, even in groups, were not too difficult for them to handle. Between Totems Earth Walls and Vines they were able to control the monster's movement pretty well. When needed James would use his Engulfed Vines as well.

The twins and Talon could go invisible, Talon had a kiting ability, Mercury had more movement speed then realistically needed, and Totem had his Earth Wall. They all had some sort of defensive ability. James didn't have a defense focused skill so he keeps his Vines hidden on his back like his fight against the Harbingers. They would only grow when they needed to trap monsters who got too close to James. He had to use a utility ability as a pseudo-defense skill.

As they fought through the Zone James was becoming aware that the group desperately needed a Healing class. Yes, they could drink health pots but they were expensive. Even James couldn't maintain their costs in the long run. [I think it is time to give Totem the Invigorate skillbook.]

The group cleared the current back of monsters and James asked them to hold on for a minute. "Totem, take this skill book and learn it. It is about time we have someone with a healing ability."

"The skill that resembles the Ivy's roots?" asked Mercury.

"This skill heals 200 HP over 40 seconds! That is half of my health bar!" Totem was excited. He didn't think twice and instantly learned the skill.

He was below his max health so he tried out the skill.

Invigorate! Four roots grew out of the ground at his feet. They coiled around his legs and he started healing. Just before his health was fully healed he tried to walk. The roots instantly broke and withered away. The healing also stopped.

"Interesting." He recasted Invigorate but this time casted Earth Wall as well. He was still about to be healed when he was using skills. "This will come in handy. As long as I am not actively being attacked I can keep my health up!"

"Don't get too excited, the reason I gave you that skill is so that you can be a pseudo-tank. Between your Earth Wall and Trapping Vines you can keep monsters busy." James reasoned.

"What? That is mad! I'm a mage; I'll be shredded into pieces!" Totem was terrified; he could tell that James was serious.

"We are missing two important classes. Eventually we will want to find both a Tank class and a Healing Class. Until now we have managed becaused four of us have great mobility and the other two have spells that can be used defensively. On top of that the spells are extremely efficient. I am not sure if our current tactics will work against bosses above the Bronze tier." James gave his thoughts.

Mercury went over to James's side and cuddled up on his arm. She had placed his arm between her breasts to tease him. He looked up and into his eyes. "Are you really that worried?"

James was now returning direct eye contact with Mercury. "Yes, eventually our strategy will no longer work." James found her body contect enjoyable but kept it to himself.

She was now pouting, "You don't trust that I can protect you?" she said with puffy cheeks.

"I believe you can but there will be times where you will be more useful in other places. We can't always make the fight in the direction we want it to." James wanted to comfort her.

She hung her head dissatisfied, she knew James was right. It was only a matter of time. Even now it was getting harder to manage attacking and defending James. She was happy he got an ability that let him protect himself.

"Fine! But they better be top notch!" She agreed with a condition.

James laughed, "Naturally, only the best for us."

Everyone else felt awkward. They all felt like they were third through sixth wheels. Once again they saw James and Mercury enter their own little world.

Talon was conflicted; it seemed like they both were not aware of what was actually going on. Mercury obviously was interested in James; right now she seems to think that she is only teasing him for her own entertainment. James on the other hand doesn't believe that Mercury was doing anything but messing with him and forced himself to believe that it doesn't have a deeper meaning. Seeing it made him very annoyed. It was these kinds of people that made you just want to yell and tell them to get together already!

He didn't want to interfere with their relationship. If they were happy with the current status quo then who is he to interfere? They will eventually open their eyes, right? … He was wrong…

Totem demonstrated the new skill to James who made notes about the spell's formation. There were quite a few runes he wanted to study before attempting to create the spell. By his judgement the spell is most likely a tier 6 or 7 spell. He might want to talk to his teacher about it.

The group continued on for a few hours. They had not found a single elite or violent monster along their way. They had to kill so many normal monsters that James was close to leveling up. It was getting close to the meeting time that James proposed so they started to turn around.

In hopes of finding a good battle they took a different route back to the city. They found a river and started following it back to Glish. As they walked along the river they saw less and less monsters.

"There are barely any monsters around. Are they afraid of water?" Karma was wondering out loud.

"If that is true, traveling along rivers in the future would be great for reaching deeper zones." Destiny followed her brother up.

Talon, Mercury, and James all had other experiences. "I don't think that is correct. I have had a weird feeling in my gut for a while now." Mercury expressed her worry.

"Yeah, Mercury and myself always seem to find very strong monsters near water." James remembered the Water Snake, Ivy, and Centurion.

Talon was in agreement, "The game shadows the real world quite perfectly. Water should draw monsters in so that they can drink. The only time that is different is when there is a predator around."

At this point in time the river they were following was 24 meters wide and had an unknown depth. This was the river that flowed right next to Glish that operated the watermills of the city. It also was used for aqueducts for irrigation systems for the farm land. It's size was perfect for a large city to capitalize on.

No one noticed that two snake-like eyes were watching them from the river. The group had stopped to talk and investigate the surrounding forest.

Suddenly a jet of water shot out of the river and rushed over the twins. They were blown away and crashed into trees several meters away.

"Karma, Destin!" James called out. He looked at the party interface. They were still alive but were in very critical condition.

"Look at the river!" Totem cried.

Everyone but the twins turned to look at the river where the attack came from. They saw two eyes looking directly at them. It made cold chills crawl down their backs.

Seeing that it was caught the monster slowly rose out of the river. A large head appeared. Two small horns grew from the head. Snake-like eyes looked down upon them. A snake-like tongue flicked in the air..

Its skin was the same color as the water until it was out of the water for a few seconds then it turned blue.

Higher and higher it lifted itself out of the water. Waves of spikes and water like feathers grew from its back and sides. For legs that looked too small for its body appeared. At the tip of its tail a fin-like tail was found.

It looked at them with disdain. It was filled with pride.

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Young Flood Dragon

Grade: Platinum Tier

Level: 80

Hp: 1,500,000/1,500,000

A newborn Flood Dragon, no older than a hundred years. It left its home under the East Mountain to hone its skills.

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After it fully emerged from the water it started levitating above the river.

"Ah Blaise, how did your Magical Eyes miss a dragon?" Totem was petrified.

"There was no mana signature. It's ability to hide in water is an innate skill they can do from birth." James read about dragons while on the top floor of the library.

"Do we have any hope?" Mercury was ready to fight to the death.

"This time? Absolutely not. I don't know how it got this close to town. It might be the one causing beast tides from time to time." James had his theories.

Destiny and Karma just recovered enough to join the group again. "Why didn't we die?"

The Flood Dragon understood them, "You are alive because I allowed it, human."

"Ah guys, it just talked." Totem stated the obvious.

"Blaise!" Mercury was hoping James was coming up with a plan.

James stepped forward, he was now a single step from entering the river. "You honor us with your presence." James knew to boost a dragon's ego.

The dragon moved closer to James. "Do you not fear me, human?"

"Fear? What is there to fear. If you wanted us dead we would already be so." James stated a harsh fact. Strength is everything in the game.

The Dragon smirked.

"Since your majesty has given us mercy you must have something in mind for us." James tried to probe the Dragon.

"I smell something that is older than my father coming from your body, that is the only reason you still breathe. It is not only you but her as well. Explain yourselves." The Dragon was demanding answers.

Mercury stepped forward and joined James in front of the Dragon.

James activated his Magical Eyes. The Dragon flinched and recoiled. It coiled its body up like a snake trying to protect itself. "Those Eyes!"

Everyone couldn't believe what they were seeing. This was a bonafide Dragon and it was acting terrified.

"You know of my Eyes?" James asked with a small amount of force in his voice. He wanted to test something.

"Yes! They are the Eyes of the Originator! Every Dragon, no matter the age, knows of them." The Dragon cried out.

[Originator? Where did I hear that term before?] James thought to himself. He then looked at his hand. That is right! His gloves share the same title.

James lifted his gloved hand into the air. The Flood Dragon saw it throw itself in front of James, it looked like it started worshiping James.

"Oh, great Predecessor of the Originator, please forgive me from my sin. I should not have attacked your friends!" it was begging for forgiveness.

"How do you know of my glove and who is the Originator to your kind?" James wanted to take advantage of the weird situation.

"Scales of the Dragon God were used in the creation of The Gloves of the Originator. A deep power is sealed within that is sacred to my kind! A transgression against their owner is a transgression against our God!" The Dragon was now shaking with fear.

"What did the Originator do that allowed him to use Scales of the Dragon God?" asked James.

"Our kind used to only have our innate magic such as cloaking and dragonfire. The Originator taught our ancestors how to create spells and use mana like the human champions of their time. The gift he left us with allowed us to climb over all other races. We became the strongest until…" The Dragon stopped there.

"Them?" whispered James. Mercury had heard the term from Apollo when she got her class but was not told anything more.

An intense fear washed over the Dragon, "Don't speak, it is forbidden!"

"I am aware and know the consequences. I will drop the subject there." James also didn't want to talk about Them in the open.

The Dragon was at a loss for words and didn't know what to do. He was sent here on a mission but now he was not able to do so. No one expected the Predecessor of the Originator was in the current era.

"What are you doing so close to Glish?" James asked a dreaded question.

The Dragon's eyes were filled with guilt. "Does this city have something to do with you?" It asked James.

"Yes, I live in the city." James replied.

** City of Glish **

The whole city was in lock down. Presents and even noblemen were commanded to return to their houses and not come out. Martial Law was in effect. Alfred was the first to notice the presence of the Flood Dragon after it surfaced.

The walls of the city were lined with guards and soldiers. Players were also present, they were awe seeing the Flood Dragon. The top guilds were about to mobilize to battle it when they were stopped by the Tower Owners. Alfred and all of the other powerful leaders were floating above the city peering at the scene in front of them.

The top guilds noticed what was happening at the river. The Flood Dragon was bowing its head to a player. Fortunately the group was too far away for anyone to get good footage. It was impossible to zoom in far enough.

"I know that young mage." Alfred announced.

"He is wearing a fire mage's robe, but for you to know someone directly you must have talked with him." asked Silica, the Head of the Water Tower.

"Yes, a strange boy. He came in contact with ancient magic and shared some insight with me. He holds my Emblem." Alfred replied while watching the scene play out.

"Your Emblem? You hold great thoughts about a greenhorn." said the Head of the Earth Tower, Taylor.

"Considering he has a Dragon bowing to him I think it was a safe investment, even though we couldn't handle a Dragon without casualties." Douglas, the Head of the Wind Tower stated an ungly truth.

They all nodded and gave their full attention to the scene at the river's edge.

** Back at the River **

The Dragon disclosed his mission to James. "I was commanded by the Elders to raise beast tides and attack the City. They sensed a great evil from the city, it appeared an era ago. The city was unknowingly built above it."

"A great evil?" James was lost.

"Yes, it was present for centuries but then went inactive. The Elders don't want to take chances so they sent me to destroy the city and find the source of the evil." The Dragon continued explaining his purpose.

"What is your name?" James wanted to be able to directly address the Dragon.

"I don't have a name in the human tongue, I only have a draconic name." replied the Dragon.

"If a human was to know your draconic name you would then be contracted with that person, right?" probed James.

"You know much about dragonkin." the Dragon praised.

James was curious, "What would you do if I commanded you as the Predecessor of the Originator?"

"I would then have to tell you my name." The Dragon was fearful. In the past when a Dragon's name was found out the human treated the Dragon like a slave.

"Don't fear, I won't take advantage of the dragonkin's relationship with me and the Originator. For now I will just call you Olm." James picked a name for the Dragon himself.

Mercury was laughing on the side lines.

[- Mercury: You know that means aquatic salamander, right?" -]

[- Blaise: I do, he kind of looks like a salamander when he is like this, doesn't he? -]

Mercury had to hold back her laughter, she didn't want to anger Olm. James shares history with dragonkin, not herself. Olm might attack her.

Olm was delighted that James didn't push for his name. "You honor me by giving me a name in human speech. What may I call you?"

"My name is Blaise." James shared his name with Olm.

Olm bowed out of respect to James. It lost its fear. Since James gave him a name he was now friends with James.

Seeing that Olm was no longer afraid, James found it a good time to ask him to leave the city alone.

"Olm, do you think you could let me handle the city's matters? When and if I find something I will find a way to let you know." James wanted to deal with the problem at hand.

"Very well, Blaise. I will pass my mission on to you." Olm gave him a quest.

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New Quest Offered

Name: Find the Ancient Evil

Difficulty: [Indecipherable Symbols]

Completion Requirements: Find and destroy the evil alongside Dragonkin

Milestones: Locate the evil, find the City of Dragons, report to the Elder Dragons, ally with the Dragonkin, fight against the evil alongside the Dragonkin

Failure Conditions: Evil takes over Glish, the city of Glish will be forever destroyed

Rewards: Egg of a Dragon, gold, xp, world fame

Time Limit: Unlimited

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Olm reached for a scale on his chest and handed it to James, "With this you will be able to contact me, it has limited uses so only use it when necessary. I will return to the City of Dragons."

Olm flew back into the river and disappeared.

Shortly after the Heads of the Towers and Masters of Combat all appeared around James.

"Blaise, it is paramount to explain to us what happened here today." Alfred urged James to inform them of the situation.

"The short story is that Olm, the Flood Dragon, was given a mission to destroy the city. After he would search for a hidden evil and destroy that as well…" James gave them a quick run down.

The powerful people didn't believe it since the information came from a Dragon.

James continued, "... If you don't want to believe it, so be it. All I know is that there is an ancient evil hidden in Glish, that is an absolute fact."

As if the evil was cued in, a deep sinister feeling crept over the city. The average fold didn't notice it but every player and powerful NPC felt it.

**** ( Announcement ) ****

An ancient evil is brewing in the Glish area, a World Class Event has started. Evil creatures will now appear!

Beware the evil, beware the temptation, beware Their power.

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** In the Withered Oasis **

A mysterious cloaked figure could be found hysterically laughing.