Chapter 46: A New Power, Rewards, & More (R18!)
'Thinking'
"Talking"
[System]
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- Mental Space of Arthur Pendragon -
The cold snow-filled air impacted against the side of my face causing not an ounce of discomfort. I raised my head and looked up, seeing the same snow-covered castle where I had faced the Dragon of Pendragon. Though, while the air was swirling around me like a storm, the courtyard was barren only marred by hundreds of deep pitch-black scorch marks. With a giant flap of white wings, the width of a 40-story skyscraper, the snow that had surrounded me dispersed and was sent elsewhere.
"Welcome back, Arthur." The deep gravelly voice of the Dragon greeted me.
"Hello there, Dragon." I responded, shifting my eyes upward to where the Dragon was perched on the top of one of the many towers that decorated the exterior of the castle.
"Congratulations on your coronation, I am looking forward to your future and what it has in store for you." The Dragon said with a smirk.
"Sorry, but I didn't come here for a friendly chat. I don't actually know why I am here now that I think about it." I said while scratching my head.
"Luckily, I do." The Dragon informed me. "Because of the forced acceleration of your transformation, a portion of your soul was temporarily claimed by me. That is what allowed you to wield that power without losing your mind and your body."
"Thank you for that." I bowed my head in sincerity.
"It is of no issue. That vile creature deserved its death, of that I assure you." The Dragon said, bobbing its massive skull in agreement.
"What's going on out there right now? Am I safe? Are Lexa and Ghislane safe? What happened during the battle? Is it still going on?!" I rapidly questioned him as worries began to fill my mind.
"Do not worry, you are safe as are your mates. Your army was successful and has won the day, with minimal casualties I might add." The Dragon said with approval lacing his tone of voice.
"That's great." I said relieved, I don't what I would have done if Ghislane was harmed let alone Lexa. "Where am I though? All I remember before blacking out was that I was hovering in the middle of the air then I felt a sudden wave of dizziness. After that is just black." I told the Dragon.
"Ah, that is because as soon as you lost consciousness, I took it and kept it here so that I could undo the changes to your body. Currently, your body is residing in the commander's tent in the middle of your army's camp." He explained to me. "They were quite worried about you, you know."
"Huh?"
"Your mates, I mean. They were quite worried about you. They've stayed by your bedside for some time now."
"When can I go back?" I asked. With all the talk of my 'mates' as the Dragon puts it, it makes me eager to see them again. I'm sure they'll be rather unhappy with me, but the Duke had to be brought down and I was the only one that could do it. Now that I think about it, Clarke is going to kick my ass once I get back to Arkadia.
"Wanting to leave already?" The Dragon asked with a smile on his lengthy face.
"Yes. Wait, I just want to get back to them, it's not that I don't hold resentment towards you for killing me or anything." I laughed nervously.
"It's okay, I was simply messing around." He said, causing my shoulders to relax. "You can go back to them now if you wish, but your body will be rather sore. Also, I have something to teach you if you are interested?"
"What would that be?" I asked interested.
With another flap of the Dragon's massive wings, he propelled himself up off the tower and into the air before diving down and crashing into the ground in front of me. When the smoke cleared, standing mere feet apart was the massive Dragon's snout, a pair of nostrils that blew out hot steamy air, and two glowing green eyes that stared deep into my soul.
"A power that your mate, Lexa, has but not yourself. Aura." The Dragon said, its hot breath smothering me and making me take a few steps back. "And I will tell you this. Your current level of power as you saw was barely enough to take down the vampire Duke. You will not fare well if you decide to take on the Vampire Queen as you are now. That is why I am willing to teach you this power, as should you come to master it and make it your own you will gain far more than enough power to take her down. Now, do you wish to learn this power?" The Dragon asked.
"Yes, I wish to learn this power." I said with determination.
Then the world shifted. The snow-covered Mountains, trees, and castle folded away back into the Earth. In its place rose large bodies of water that soon began to take shape and flood over the rest of the land. A platform made of finely crafted wood formed underneath me and from the corners sprouted wooden beams made of even finer quality. Stone, brick, and finely made wood came together and formed a small but beautiful pagoda. I was surrounded by water, as far as the eye could see, with no sign of life except for the Dragon that was currently hovering above the water a few dozen meters in front of me.
"You can guess what happens next, can you not?" The Dragon asked rhetorically.
"I can." I said, as I sat down and crossed my legs over the top of one another. I made sure that both of my feet were positioned on top of the calf of the other leg. I closed my eyes and began to do whatever I heard you needed to do during meditation, relax my body, breathe deeply, and focus.
"A good start. Now focus on looking inside of yourself and what you hold most dear." The Dragon said, causing images of my kingdom, Clarke, Octavia, Lexa, Ghislane, and even Raven to appear, despite me not yet having an intimate relationship with Raven. My friendship that I have with the remaining members of the 100 like Bellamy, Finn, Nathan, Monty, and Jasper. Members of the Ark that I respect and cherish like Kane, Sinclair, Clake's mother Abby, also Jet, and a few of the other new additions at Mount Weather. Even grounders such as Lincoln, Agni, and Icarus. "Good. Picture them in your mind and keep them there. Now, answer me this what do you find the most valuable in this world? What allows you to keep living the life you're living while also keeping everything you hold near and dear safe? What attribute do you cherish the most?" At this point, I was starting to think the Dragon was more of a sage than a Dragon. "Focus Arthur!"
Looking in towards myself and finding the answer to his questions wasn't as difficult as I thought it would have been. My first choice of thought was passion, the passion to see everyone safe, and the passion to build this kingdom from the ground up. After thinking about it for a while, I decided it wasn't and instead came upon the thought of strength. Strength was necessary for war, for protecting one's home, and keeping your loved ones safe, but that wasn't it. And at this point, a few hours had passed already, but I was determined to find what attribute I found the most important in my life. There was more to it than strength, more to it than passion and whatever other emotion I felt. Then it happened, it was like being struck by a bolt of lightning. A single word struck through my brain and resonated within my very soul, my very being. Power.
A rainbow of colors surged around me, rising into the air and coming close to touching the ceiling of the pagoda. Sooner or later, the aura of energy that had surrounded me slowly lowered itself back down and converted into a single color. A striking red that layered itself over my body. It resonated power and moved as if it were alive.
"That's because it is." The Dragon spoke, startling me and causing the vibrant red aura to disperse back into me. "An Aura is the physical representation of your inner energy, your will, your soul. And with it at your disposal, you will be able to do things that will surpass even the Vampire Queen."
"That's amazing, but how do I activate it? Do I have to meditate every time I want to use it? I know that Lexa uses Aura, but I have no clue how she uses it or how she got it." I asked the Dragon as I closed the Aura skill notification.
"How your mate has Aura is a story for another time. Now, to activate and manifest your Aura you simply need to draw your desire for Power to the surface of your brain and it should automatically manifest itself. Though I must warn you the more complex Aura structures that your mate has been able to create is because of her experience with it. Since you have none, you won't be able to make the same structures as her and you certainly won't be able to make it at the same level as hers." The Dragon informed me.
Putting the Dragon's advice to the test, I looked inward and called upon the Power that I felt when the Aura had enveloped me, the Power that I desired. Like the flip of a switch, a soft glow of brilliant red seeped out of my body. It wrapped itself tightly around me like a suit of armor, reinforcing my muscles, bones, and skin even further than my Dragon Scales allowed. From what I could tell the Power wasn't infinite. I'm sure with time that it would grow as my proficiency increased but for now, I was forced to redirect a portion of my Aura from my back into my hand. A long line of red Aura extended from my hand willing the item I had wished to make into creation. Slowly it widened and began to take shape, before eventually and shining red longsword made completely of Aura was in my hand.
I wonder? I thought to myself as I used [Observe].
[Item: Simple Power Aura Longsword]
Item Rarity: C
Type: Sword
Attack Dmg: 350
"As you just noticed the blade itself is rather weak compared to your current sword. In time you will find that your Aura will prove far more beneficial than forming a simple sword." It looked as if the Dragon had more to say but when he went to speak the world shook. "Shit. I had planned to talk with you more about this, but it seems our time is being cut short."
"What's happening?" I asked confused.
"You're waking up." He spoke. "Now, listen closely. Ask your mate to help you train your Aura and follow her instructions. At some points along the way, it may seem like your Aura isn't growing at all, but trust in the journey. Meditate and focus on growing your Aura every night, but do not do it to the point of exhaustion, otherwise your training will mean nothing." The world rattled as the Dragon spoke. "That is all. Goodbye, Arthur Pendragon, be careful with the new powers you have acquired for they are not to be trifled with." Those were the last words the Dragon spoke before the world cracked open underneath me, plunging me into pure unadulterated darkness.
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- Azgeda or Ice Nation Territory | 146 Miles Away from Polis –
- Arthur Pendragon –
My eyes shot open, and my body lurched up with an audible gasp. I looked around frantically trying to get a grip on where I was while memories of my meeting with the Dragon of Pendragon flooded my mind. I remembered that the Dragon had told me that I was safe inside the commander's tent, and by the looks of it this was indeed Lexa's tent. It was slightly hard to tell at first because the only sources of light were the lantern on the table next to the bed and the light that bled into the tent from outside. Looking down at my body the first thing I noticed was that I was covered in bandages and that I was naked. The second thing and a surprise was to see Octavia asleep at my bedside.
"Octavia?" I muttered hoarsely.
Wanting to get rid of the pain in my throat, I opened my inventory, only to be assaulted by dozens of notifications.
*Ding!*
[Skill Gained:]
[Power Aura] (Active) - Lvl. 1/100 {Novice}
A metaphysical life force that lies dormant in most beings, in which the potent, internal energy that appears comes from the soul and is manifested as a powerful force on the outside of their bodies. Depending on your nature your Aura may take on different forms or colors.
*Ding!*
[Level Up!]x13
*Ding!*
[Quest Completed!]
[Quest info:]
[The Sadist Duke!]
[Incomplete] Kill Duke Ferid Bathory --- [1/1]
Rewards: +50 Stat Points, x5 Resource Loot Boxes, x3 Schematic Loot Boxes, x3 Random Loot Boxes, x1 Weapon Loot Box, and a guaranteed EX rank item.
I assigned the stat points unequally, putting 20 into intelligence, 20 into strength, and the last 10 into vitality. Afterward, I opened the 5 resource loot boxes and received literal tons worth of Steel, Glass, Timber, Carbon Fiber, and Titanium. Out of the three schematics, only one of them really caught my eye, and that was a schematic for the Halo MA37 bullpup rifle. The other two schematics consisted of a design for a sniper tower, and the other one was a schematic for a barn house. The random loot boxes weren't that much better either, the first two were resources and while we could always use more resources it was a little bit of a disappointment. The third random item was a pair of finely crafted A-rank Viking Axes. 'Bellamy would love these, I'm sure.' I thought as I put them into my inventory.
Upon opening the weapon loot box, I found myself pleasantly surprised with the reward. Ever since I had landed on the ground, I had favored swords and other melee weapons, but I knew that I would need to have a ranged weapon at some point. The Last Word from Destiny certainly fills that void that I needed to be filled, it wasn't bulky, it wouldn't slow me down and it could be easily taken out, fired and then placed back. [Observe]
[Item: The Last Word]
Item Rarity: S
Type: Hand Cannon
Attack Dmg: 1,050 + x2(AGI)
Range: 73/100
Stability: 56/100
Handling: 45/100
Reload Speed: 80/100
Rounds Per Minute: 225
Magazine: 8
Weight: 2.4 Lbs.
The black and gold hand cannon appeared in my hand and felt utterly perfect there. It was lightweight even when loaded and while I currently didn't have any ammo besides the 8 bullets it came with, I could easily change that. After studying the gun for a couple of minutes I glanced down and noticed that Octavia was still asleep. Good, I would hate for her to wake up to me pointing a gun around the room at random. Now, it's time for the EX-item. I was forced to open it in my inventory and thank God for that. The item I had received was massive and was crucially important for the survival of the human race, all except for the fact that the thing would require a massive power source, one that we didn't have. [Observe]
[Item: ISD-72x Deflector Shield Generator Dome]
Item Rarity: EX
Type: Shield Generator
Weight: 3.1 Tons
A local-area deflector shield generator and sensor array produced by Kuat Drive Yards and commonly installed on Imperial Star Destroyers.
'This would be perfect to use against the nuclear fallout!' I exclaimed mentally, a large smile splitting my face. I continued to think about how to power such a device when a heard a soft groan from the side of the bed. Before she fully awoke, I looked down and uncovered my bandages, to see the full extent of my injuries. Dozens of baseball size scar wounds decorated my chest and I'm sure other parts of my body. A result of the dozens of blood spikes and weapons that pierced through me when Duke Bathory had me pinned up in the air.
"Arthur?" I heard Octavia ask confusedly.
I turned toward her and with a large smile said, "Hey, Octavia."
She looked uncertain, as if she wasn't sure if this was real or not, but as soon as I said her name her eyes regained clarity and began to leak with tears. "ARTHUR!" She yelled before throwing herself at me. "Finally, you're awake!" She cried into my ear before pulling back slightly and pushing her forehead against mine. "Do you know how worried we were?! First, I was told that you had left to go fight that vampire Duke, then you show up in the middle of the battle as some kind of Dragon! You tear off into the sky and kill the vampire only to then fall back to the earth motionless, we thought you were dead when you crashed back into the ground! Not to mention you were leaking blood like crazy!" She rattled off.
"Wait, when did you get here Octavia?" I asked.
"Really?" She deadpanned at me. "I list off all of those reasons for you to get on your knees and apologize to not only me but Lexa, Ghislane, as well as Clarke and you do this?!" She exclaimed.
"Hehe, you're right. I'm sorry." I said before capturing her lips and kissing her passionately.
"You're lucky that I'm so forgiving, how could you think it was okay to place yourself in such a situation?" She said after we seperated.
"There was no one else that could. I'm Lexa is powerful enough to have dealt with him, but because of his flight she would have been at a massive disadvanage. I didn't want to risk it." I said seriously.
"As long as you know. Now, fuck me." She said eagerly. "We haven't seen each other ever since you sent me on my mission to help protect Polis and you owe me. So, fuck me!" When she put it like that, who was I to deny what the warrior lady wanted.
...R18
My mouth crashed against Octavia's, my tongue plunging inside causing her to let out a moan. I ran my hands down her sides, gripping her thighs and pulling her up so her overly clothed pussy could rub against my ever-hardening dick. She moved against me slowly, as she explored my mouth with her own, and relished how hard my dick was getting beneath her motions.
"God, Arthur, I almost forgot how good you felt. Fuck me, Arthur. Pound into me and remind me who my king is." She purred into my ear. I nodded with a predatory grin on my face and allowed her to get off me and remove her clothes.
She tore her clothes off with a quickness, once her clothes were strewn about the tent, she lunged for me, pushing me futher back onto the bed and straddling me on all fours. I pushed back up into a sitting position and assulted her perfect C cup breasts. Octavia tilted her head back and mewled, clutching at my back while I traded one nipple for another, and slipped a hand between her legs. I groaned when I felt how wet she was, it was like a damn that was overflowing.
"Did you touch yourself while we were apart? Did you imagine me doing this to you?" She nodded, almost sheepishly. "What a dirty girl you are," I growled in her ear. My mouth parted into a smile as her eyes went wide and a visible shiver ran through her.
I kept my hand buried between her legs, stroking at her clit, and slipping two fingers in as I moved my mouth back up to meet hers. She started to grind against my hand, and I bit her lower lip, sending her into overdrive. I rubbed her even harder, until her pussy stopped spasming around me and she let out a shriek. I pulled my hand from between her legs, and lifted it to my mouth, never breaking eye contact as I licked my fingers clean. 'Delicious.' I thought as I spun her around and pushed her down on the bed, sliding off her panties before she could even make a noise. Without waiting, I kissed and licked my way down to her steaming hot center, and kissed the top of her mound before diving in, splitting her in half with my tongue and rubbing my nose against her clit. It was all too much for Octavia, and she came so fast she barely had time to register the fact that she was clutching my hair in her hands.
"Art, Art, ARTHUR!" she chanted quietly as wave after wave rolled through her. I emerged from between her legs triumphantly, my mouth glistening with her slick.
"I've never heard you call me that before." I said with a grin. Instead of replying she pulled me towards her and attacked my mouth with vigor, tasting herself.
As our tongues intertwined and continued their assult against one another, I rubbed my cock up and down, spreading her warmth around, until she started wiggling her hips against me, and whining into my mouth. We gasped in unison as I sheathed himself inside her slowly, and Octavia dug her nails into my back as I pressed further and further into her shlick snatch. No matter how many times they fucked her tight pussy was always the same, it was as if it was molded just for me, squeezing my dick so hard I thought I might explode. Octavia let out little gasps as I started to move back and forth slowly.
Suddenly, Octavia wrapped her long legs around my back, locking her ankles together, her hips bouncing up and down with my thrusts, increasing our pleasure. Moments like this truly reminded me of how lucky I am and how much of a Goddess Octavia is. Her curves were soft but were laced with muscle that one would only gain from hard work or combat, her breasts bounced lightly with each forward thrust. Her head was thrown back, baring her neck that shimmered, just as the rest of her body in the lantern light. As the two of us escalated our pleasure, I realized that I was almost at my limit.
Our climax came strong and simultaneous, the warmth and intensity of each others' orgasms sending our pleasure soaring higher and higher. My cum filled the velvet walls of her womanhood and her world shattered. She clawed at my back, pulling her down against me as we came. Her nipples were like little pebbles, scrapping against my chest as her fingernails bit deep into my back. And at last, I collapsed, the adrenaline of the moment no longer able to sustain me. I kept my softening member buried within her but rested against her soft body.
After relaxing and simply laying with one another for an hour we decided that it was time to get up. Both of us clothed ourselves, equipped our armor, and with a deep kiss stepped out of the tent. I needed to get to Lexa and Ghislaine and assess the situation. All the while in the back of my head I wondered how Murphy was fairing and his operation at infiltrating Jaha's little cult of traitors. I prayed that he hadn't reached the City of Light yet, because to be honest, I had my hands full, and I didn't want to have to deal with A.L.I.E right now.
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- Sangedakru or Desert Clan Territory | 140 Miles Away from Polis -
- John Murphy -
"Sir, do you recognize anything?" asked one of the foolish civilians that had decided to join Jaha and his crusade.
Jaha stopped and leaned on the long branch that he now used as a walking stick, caught his breath, and replied, "The tent was near here." He said pointing to the vast open desert before them. "I'm sure of it." The rest of the group looked unsure of Jaha as the man in question slid down the sandy hill and continued on.
"What? Y-We're the ones that decided to follow him out here. It's not like there's anywhere else we could be." I commented, pushing my way past them and down the hill after Jaha. These people joined Jaha willingly and thought that he would've been a better option than Arthur. Please, Arthur's done what Jaha could never do, keep his people protected and allowed us to live our lives. If people couldn't see that then they were lost, and maybe did indeed need this so-called City of Light. That they could get a reminder of who their true leader and subsequent King was.
Murphy jogged up behind Jaha and saw him looking off into the distance. A couple of dozens of meters away from them was an abandoned cart. "You see anyone?" he asked as his hand slowly wrapped itself around the grip of his pistol.
Jaha didn't respond and instead approached the cart without a care for caution. Suddenly, a figure leaped up and out of the cart, a large dagger in her hands as she spoke, "Bak op o ai na frag yu." (Stay back or I'll Kill you)
While the rest of the group including Jaha didn't understand her words, Murphy did. Most of the people living within Arkadia had been assigned to different schools that had grounder teachers, so they could learn the language. For most of the population, this was merely an option, not a requirement, however in the military and its different branches it was a demand. And while a lot of people did take the classes and now knew how to speak their language these people it seemed hadn't. Though, when Murphy thought about it, it did make a certain amount of sense since these people, supposedly, hate grounders.
So, while several of the people holding rifles brought them to bear, he simply took his pistol out of his pants and kept it by his side, just in case.
"We mean you no harm. Do you speak English?" Jaha asked as he took a step forward.
"What do you want?" The woman said with a shake in her voice.
"Nothing. It looks like you could use a hand." Jaha said indicating toward the cart that was missing two of its four wheels. "What are you doing out here alone?" For a few moments, nothing happened as the woman and Jaha stared each other down. Then the woman shifted her grip on the knife and slid it into the sheath on her waist before reaching up and unclipping a piece of cloth that acted like a mask.
That's when Murphy noticed something was off. As she explained to Jaha and the rest of the group the reason for her being there, he could see her eyes constantly shift up to a large sand dune a couple dozen yards away, almost as if she was waiting for someone or something. The next thing he noticed was her hand, it was wrapped in what he had to guess was several dozen layers of bandages and from what he could tell, a scarf. The fact that she had supposedly gone without food and water for a day or two also alerted him that something was off as she looked perfectly fine.
Murphy was snapped out of his thoughts when Jaha glanced back at the group and yelled, "Give her some water." Murphy looked around and saw that no one had moved an inch. 'Might as well get even further in Mr. Chancellor's good graces.' He thought to himself as he pulled his pack of him and grabbed the flask of water inside.
"Woah, woah, woah!" Said a redheaded man next to Murphy. The man placed a firm hand on Murphy's shoulder and said, "No, no, no. We barely have enough for ourselves here."
"Get your hand off me, jackass." Murphy said firmly, causing the man to drop his hand. 'While I may not buy this whole sob story thing, I still have a job to do. And getting closer to Jaha will make my job all the easier.' He thought as he pulled the flask out of the pack, walked over, and handed it to the woman.
She drank down the water with gusto, even licking off some water that had spilled onto the side of the canteen. "We're on our way to the City of Light as well." At the mention of the fabled city, she looked up and focused her attention on Jaha. "What's your name?"
"Emori. Everyone in the dead zone is looking for the City of Light, well all but Sangedakru. Almost no one finds it. Now, I can get you there, if you pull my cart." She said turning and pointing toward the busted-up mess of a cart.
"Done." Jaha said with finality. He turned back and motioned toward the redheaded man who had wanted to deny the woman the water. "Caspian, you're on the first shift." The group started to move and as we began to walk, Emori turned to Murphy and handed him back the water.
"Thank you for the water." She said with an obviously fake smile. After years of stealing and giving people the same smile, he easily recognized it.
"No problem." He said reciprocating the fake smile with a nod just for good measure. From what he could tell she bought it. And just like that they were back on the move toward the acclaimed City of Light with a group of armed civilians, a crazy ex-chancellor, a past thief, as well as a current one. 'This is gonna be fun.' Murphy said with an utter lack of enthusiasm.
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[P.S: Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. As I said in a comment in a previous chapter the update schedule will be a little different form the rather erratic and random upload schedule in the past. This is simply for both mine and your sake. I can now write it up, edit it over the course of a week and publish it. Another reason was to allow for people to catch up. A lot of people simply abandoned this story when I did and now that I'm back have forgotten some of the things that happened. Don't worry it happened to me too and I wrote this thing. So, this allows for people who have just stumbled upon this or are rereading and need time to catch back up. Thanks to everyone who read this chapter and a special thanks to the people who comment on every chapter and give feedback, your support is enthusiastically appreciated. Have a good day everyone and see you with the next chapter!]