lvl1 hero slave pt10 (repost)
(narrator)
The battle of Star City. Where the world learned of the emperor and his loyal guard Kiko the iron wall. Pinned in a corner of one of the star points of the city Kiko alone guarded emperor as he passed out from his injury. The aura of dominance and the curse drain. Two signature moves of the emperor and those that wield the curse of the emperor. A combo that drains the life and magic from a person while in turn weakening them on a base level. While not as strong as 'curse of the emperor' which inflicts hundreds and thousands of curses of all tiers this opener is equally hard to counter. As it is immune with holy magic. Which is the main counter to curses. The curse of the emperor can only be cast on one individual while the combo of dominance and drain is effective in the entire defense field of dominance. The only know weakness to the combo is the defense field does not move with the user once cast and has a long cool down time. While drain is a slow acting dot not effective on stronger individuals. Another fact is is the combo does not work on those that are freed by him. Aura manipulates an individuals current miasma. When curse drain was used on people to remove them from slavery he took all their miasma into himself. So now there is nothing to manipulate.
(empress)
I look at the group my mate brought in order to assault Crevant Pass. Our total number is now fifty thousand. Twenty two thousand of them are non combatants. Almost as many are barely called that. I in particular took notice of the new dragonnewt that clung to my mate. I can tell she is a youngling that has not been fully put in her cast at a glance. Her mind is not disciplined. I move to him as he smiled and I look at her almost clinging to him as if not to let him go. However the pressure I gave made the intent obvious. She backed away saddened. Because of our link we did not even need to say anything as we took the others hands. Before he embraced me happy. His face then turned serious. 'I could not rescue many from Star City and lost sixteen there. I fear I triggered something else. I doubt we will have time like I thought.' I saw how serious he was and I looked at the youngling behind him again. " You, where are you from? I do not see any tribe mark on you." She looked at me surprised before looking away. " I... I am a trade offer between tribes. I was suppose to be a wife to one of the chiefs we are allied to but during my journey I was intercepted by the humans." I understood now. The humans have probably learned by now that those without tribal marks are pure offerings between the tribes. Her attraction to the strongest male of the group is a sign of a coming mating season for her. She is very fortunate. I turn back to my mate. 'You have noticed she is affectionate to you correct?' I tell him and he does not move to acknowledge the comment. 'I remember telling you one of a heros sexual goals is to lay with a virgin innocent but.' I nod. 'You are the greatest male of the group. When a woman comes to that time among the dragons the father would normally find a suitable male. Being she is meant for a chief you are the most acceptable.' I can tell he became nervous. 'In truth it is about time for my mating season as well, but it has not come yet. I tell you from experience that the first lust can not be relieved alone.' I look at him as he responded sorry. 'You know the effect of dragon blood mate as I do. If we do this we will have a child with a high chance. Can you accept that?' I look around at the other dragonnewts looking at us. It is obvious to me they have already paired off as well. 'It is a lot to ask of me but I have already said it is fine for you to be with other women till it is time for our first child. The other candidates are not as fortunate. Even if they are more willing.' He sighs and relaxes. 'All right. I will do it, but only if she accepts, and only if I have no say of the child if there is one.' I nod accepting those terms. Honestly to myself I do not understand this human I decided to call mate but the opportunities I give him any mate would give a wing for. However I understand as well. I was about to throw myself on him once before as well.
After our loving talk it took a few hours to suit all the new members and organize for a proper move. Over a simple dinner I spoke more on the subject to my mate. 'My mate, about earlier.' As he looked at me after drinking something he smiled. I got his full attention. 'I will let you know. The first breeding defines an individuals likes. It is a time of discovery for a female dragonnewt. A complete warrior raised female can suddenly desire to learn greater magic if properly satisfied. I am warning you now. What she learns from you now will define her later in her life. She may never breed again if the expectations are too high. But worse if they are not met.' I felt worry from him as he looked at me and took my hand. 'And you. What changed?' I look at the fire at our side and it danced in my eyes. 'I was bred my many men. All warriors or mercenaries. If you remember when we first met I was a guard for my master then. So my standard for fighting became more desirable. Of course that partially broke as being freed showed me you were superior to those desires.' I feel a few complex emotions as he looked at the fire as well. 'Will you change after your second?' I was not sure to that do I did not answer. 'By sheer will how long can a dragonnewt restrain their urges for?' I take a moment to remember the female. By her actions I can tell she has been a few weeks already holding it in. 'She is very familiar with the lizkin and they have been enslaved about three weeks. So I would give her two months before she loses control.' I hear him sigh relieved. 'Good, then if all goes as planned after we capture the pass then. I remember you saying there was a world source there. I want to offer my miasma there before I start thinking of children, with anyone.' I was impressed he was actually considerate of that. I decided to get some rest as we had nothing more to talk about.
It took us a week to bypass Grand Keep. The staging point before the pass for the humans raiding parties. " Charge!" I yelled as we rushed into the passage of Crevant pass. The defensive walls laid open and were not maintained for countless years made it easy for us to overwhelm those inside quickly. As soon as the battle ended those with engineering and construction talent took started on the wall while the others proceeded inside them. It took a full day to close the gates and build up the holes took a week and a half. During that time I and my mate went threw the underground passage and ambushed the other side. It took three days of travel and the fighting lasted a week. There were far more there than imagines that were not slaves. I imagine that it was noticed about how slaves betray their masters over the months of our war path. My mate confirmed as much at Star City. Instead of fighting my mate took it upon himself to supervise the movement of our people. I keep hearing him talk to himself. 'We have 52,389 people. A unit of food can feed a person for one day. We have near one million units worth of food. Stretching it to thirty more days will be hard but doable for the fighters. It will all depend on...' I can feel his seriousness.
As we broke threw the rear wall finally all the dragonnewts and lizkin were surprised what they found. One of the stables had young pure blood dragons being treated as livestock. A few humans remained there in hiding. I closed my eyes and tried to focus on my greater kin I feel a backlash of pain as I stepped back. " You monsters." I said trembling. Treat a god like a beast and eventually even a god will become one. I closed my eyes and focused again with all my feeling. Now I know what happened I am prepared. 'Great ones, can any of you understand me?' I reach out with my mind to the dragons. Many of them acted violently but there was one that responded. 'No, don't hurt me again.' I instantly looked toward the captive. I move to the young one no more than a few months old and used soul rend on my hand. 'Great one, I am relieved there is at least one.' The young dragon felt the pain be removed from their body as I cleaned the curse on them. The physical damage however I could not treat at that moment. I reached out to the other dragonnewts for real food for the young one. I go to my knees and lower myself to look at him. His one eye was gone and the other barely opened. 'No, I don't believe you. Go away.' I look around and see the other dragons acting up. The humans were still in the back stall hiding scared. I go to them with my sword drawn. " No, please!" I did not give them a moment more to repent to their gods. My fury would not be stopped even by my mate. Who kept quiet to my torment. I then went and severed the limbs of the humans and started feeding the wild dragons the meat.
As my mate was organizing tents I had a meeting with the near half hundred other dragonnewts. The majority of them are from different clans from mine but lead well enough. And they understand I am leading this army. The successes we have had have neither been light or small. Those like me who know their clans are dead will remain with the defense forces or raiding parties for the nearby settlements of humans while those that might have their clans remain will go inform their people that we have secured the pass for the time being. But this meeting is not about that. " We have been quiet about this topic for some time but now that we are here. You of the dragonnewts and the lizkin you represent. The motto we follow is we follow whoever only if we call them our master. Now we have come back to the border of the land of our ancestors. It is time to decide." I pause to think of the other dragons that were treated like animals a moment. The young one that spoke thanked me as the others were put to eternal sleeps. He will go to any blood kin he has if they will take him or we will raise him ourselves in our new nation. By now my mate should be going to the world source. They each look at one another as Loren looks at me stepping forward. " I will not be accepted in any tribe so I will stay with the strong one that freed me." I take a moment to consider if she is referring to me or my mate. This young ones emotions is still too wild. But still what she said is true. The others know we will accept them as well. " I will give everyone one hour of rest before we move out. And a reminder all the humans from this point on are our enemies. There is no reason to show mercy even to the infants." I recall our action till now as I said that. A sign of hesitation and regret was in my voice. It is a ruthless thing for me to say. More than I am comfortable with.
(narrator)
The turning point from which dragonnewts became an independent force from dragons happened at this meeting.