720 - Poisonous Dialogue
“You want him to slay a dragon?! Are you completely out of your mind?!”
“Be quiet, Thermal Draft.” Lex didn’t take his eyes off of Sissel even as he rebuked the pegasus. The giant’s demand was an insight into what she and her collection of grotesqueries were hoping to accomplish, which meant that if he could get her to expound on what she wanted from him, he might stumble across some useful bit of information he could use against her and her twisted siblings – as well as the one they called Mother – later on. “I’ve dealt with dragons before.”
“I know, and it almost got you killed!” protested the pegasus, squeezing Littleknight to her chest as she turned to face him, her wings flapping in agitation. “Lex, even I know that dragons get bigger and stronger the older they get. If this ‘Hvitdod’ really is an ancient dragon-”
“He’s not just ancient,” interrupted Akna, stepping forward to stand closer to Lex, a quick command in Olelowai making the ice elementals she’d summoned move into formation behind them. “Hvitdod is dead.”
That was enough to make Lex’s brows furrow in confusion as he glanced at the adlet shaman. “What?”
“He’s dead, and has been for generations.” Giving Sissel a look of defiance, as though daring the giant to contradict her, Akna folded her arms beneath her chest. “According to our elders, Hvitdod was nothing less than the living manifestation of nature’s wrath. He was colder than deepest winter, faster than the quickest wind, hardier than the tallest mountains, and more wrathful than the fiercest of storms. He devoured all who approached him, whether in challenge or friendship; even Nuti-Amaguk was afraid to face him-”
A sharp snarl from Solvei cut the shaman off then, but Lex silenced her with a thought, leaving the winter wolf sulking as she glared at Akna. For his part, Lex simply nodded at the shaman. “Continue.”
Huffing at the interruption, but knowing that the unicorn hadn’t been making a request, Akna resumed speaking. “Eventually, Aselu – the one who had convinced our people to live in freedom rather than die in the war between Nuti-Amaguk and Ikumak-Amaguk – announced that he would strike the beast down, for the spirits whom he’d long admired were offended at how the beast would ravage the land and despoil everything in its destructive fury.”
She gestured to the ice elementals flanking her then. “Seeing that he was intent on making good on his vow, the spirits gave Aselu many gifts in order to carry out his task – they made his legs as firm and unyielding as the roots of the oldest trees, his arms as strong and devastating as an earthquake, his sight as clear and distant as the cloudless sky, his thoughts as swift and decisive as lightning, and his heart as calm and steadfast as deep water – and swore that if he could lay Hvitdod low, they would forever remain allies of his descendants.”
Akna’s gaze turned distant then, her voice softening as she continued reciting the story that her grandmother had told her for as long as she could remember. “And so Aselu went to face his enemy, and the battle was so terrible that none could look upon it and survive, for Hvitdod’s fury at being resisted by a creature smaller than one of his teeth was terrible indeed. But the might of Aselu’s determination was greater, and though each strike of Hvitdod’s claws rent the ground asunder, and every snap of his jaws caused an avalanche, and every lashing of his tail changed the course of rivers, Aselu endured. Even with the powers that the spirits had given him, every blow he landed upon Hvitdod’s scales was little more than a raindrop against the beast’s thick hide.”
“So how did he kill it?” asked Thermal Draft, caught up in the story despite herself.
The pegasus’ question brought a momentary smile to Akna’s face, remembering how she’d been similarly enraptured by the tale when she was younger. “Hvitdod might have been hardier than the tallest mountain, but over time, even a mountain can be worn down by the rain. The sun rose and set many times over the course of Aselu’s battle, but eventually he was able to breach the monster’s scales, and struck at its foul heart. When he at last pierced the organ, Hvitdod gave a dying scream so great that it was heard by Aselu’s people, who knew that their leader had won, and rushed to his side, with Tapeesa – Aselu’s mate, whom he’d impregnated before going to face the creature – being the first among them.”
A sigh escaped Akna’s muzzle then, further recalling how she’d reacted to the next part of the story. “But when she reached her beloved’s side, Tapeesa’s heart broke, for she saw that her dearest Aselu lay dying. Because although the gifts of the spirits had made him able to turn aside the force of Hvitdod’s claws and fangs, the creature’s poison had found its way into his veins. And Tapeesa wept as she took her mate into her arms, but he bid her not to cry, but instead to clean his body of Hvitdod’s venom and consume it, so that the spirits might guide him to be reborn through the child he’d placed in her womb, and so they’d be together again. But he also warned her that none should eat what was left of Hvitdod, lest even in death the creature’s toxin take the life of another adlet.”
Solvei snorted loudly, making her derision clear. “Let me guess: and that’s why you eat your own kind to this day, right?” Shaking her head, she gave Akna a sneer. “Only adlets could make cannibalism part of a love story.”
“And as touching as that fairy tale was,” broke in Sissel, her neutral expression unchanged, “it doesn’t change the fact that Hvitdod is alive.”
Her expression growing colder, Akna glared at the giant. “Our history has been passed down among my people for generations. You really think we could have gotten something so central to our origin wrong?”
Still taking cover behind where Blat was nursing his wounds, Grisela let out a cackle. “Savage thinks she’s smart now, does she?”
“Regardless of what happened in the past,” broke in Paska, not giving Akna time to react to the winter hag’s taunting, “Hvitdod is alive now. I know because I’ve seen him myself, when I was scouting his territory. Maybe someone resurrected him. Maybe he was hibernating and needed an extremely long time to recover. Whatever it is, he – or another dragon who fits his description – is there now.”
“It’s not another dragon,” spat Vidrig, giving Paska a dirty look as though she found the prospect insulting. “Mother said it was the original, which means it is!” Her misshapen eyes turned toward Lex then. “And you’re going to kill him for us!”
Lex didn’t bother responding to the petulant command, instead turning his attention back toward Sissel. “You said that ‘mother’ of yours is the one who told you to kill that dragon,” he noted. “For what purpose?”
One of Sissel’s eyebrows rose a fraction of an inch. “Does that mean you’re willing to take on the task?”
“Certainly,” replied Lex without missing a beat, causing Thermal Draft and Akna both to gape at him. “But only if you return Woodheart to me immediately.”
Even as those words passed his lips, however, Lex was already initiating a telepathic conversation with Solvei that was very different. Get ready. I doubt Sissel will give Woodheart back, but if she does, I want you to immediately kill as many of her siblings as you can, including her if you get the chance.
He registered surprise coming from the winter wolf even before she replied telepathically. I...of course, Master.
Solvei’s hesitation – so different from her usual enthusiasm whenever he gave her an order – was enough to prompt a follow-up from Lex. What’s wrong?
In his mind, her emotional state flickered between trepidation and curiosity. I’m sorry, Master, I don’t mean to question you, but...you just told Sissel you’ll slay that dragon in exchange for that pony’s life. I didn’t expect that your real plan was to double-cross her.
The implication of duplicity on his part sent a rush of derision through Lex. If an agreement is only reached because one party leveraged threats of violence in order to procure acceptance of their terms, then it’s necessarily invalid. I am in no way bound to honor a deal which is null and void from the moment it’s struck.
Solvei’s confusion returned then, but only for a moment before it was replaced by acceptance. I understand, Master. If they return Woodheart, I won’t hesitate!
Lex didn’t bother replying, not because the impromptu lesson was over, but because Sissel had hesitated for only a second before shaking her head. “I’m afraid I’m going to need more than just your word. You’ll get your mare back after Hvitdod is dead, and not before.”
Although he’d expected that response, Lex still narrowed his eyes at the snow giant. “That’s not acceptable.”
Sissel’s hand around Woodheart’s neck clenched ever so slightly. “And this pony’s death is?”
Lex’s expression didn’t change, but his eyes lit up as he slowly drew himself up to his full height, standing on his hind legs as he met Sissel’s gaze evenly. “You don’t seem to realize the position that you’re in. This isn’t a hostage negotiation; it’s a stand-off.”
If Sissel was intimidated by Lex’s display, she didn’t show it, her expression remaining as cool as the snow that her skin looked like. “Oh?”
Spreading his forelegs out to encompass everyone around him, Lex kept his eyes locked onto Sissel’s. “If you kill Woodheart, then these negotiations will have broken down completely. Once that happens, there’s nothing to stop me from killing your siblings. Or you, for that matter, since I have reason to believe you’re not very far away.”
“Gods damn you!” hissed Shadow, wriggling furiously in her black crystal prison. “If you’re going to go that route, let us go already!”
“Lex...” murmured Thermal Draft, gulping as she glanced at the others. “Are you sure about this?”
Akna barked a command in Olelowai, the ice elementals around her settling into crouches as they all prepared to spring. Solvei was similarly tense, ready to finish what she’d started with Grisela and Blat. A short distance away, Vidrig lifted her axe into a ready position.
Everyone waited as Lex and Sissel stared each other down.
The snow giant was the one to look away first. “Paska.”
The bald human blinked once, looking at Sissel for a long moment before dropping his hammer and putting his hands in the air. “Alright,” he sighed. “If this is how it’s going to be.”
Keeping his arms raised, he began walking toward where Lex, Thermal Draft, and Akna were standing. The pegasus and the adlet immediately tensed – the former calling one of her elementals over as the latter started to put a spell together – while Lex fell back onto all fours, giving the human a mistrustful look. “What are you doing?”
“Sweetening the deal,” answered Paska, coming to a halt.
The answer assuaged Lex’s suspicions not at all. “What does that-”
He didn’t have a chance to finish before Paska’s form suddenly blurred, his body becoming hazy and indistinct in a way that looked all too familiar to Thermal Draft.
But before she could even think about uttering a warning, Paska’s transformation had finished, and what stood in his place wasn’t remotely human.
Instead, there was a creature that could have been called Solvei’s total opposite.
Paska’s new appearance was canine in form, and as large as the winter wolf was in her natural size, but that was where the similarities ended. Instead of soft white fur with ice-blue streaks, Paska’s was a flat black in coloration, and smeared with oily substance that kept his pelt matted to his frame, giving him a lanky look. His claws were caked with the same stuff, causing a crust of dried black flakes to mar the snow around his feet. His jaws were no better, hanging open to show a row of teeth that practically dripped with ichor.
But it was his eyes that were most notable.
Or rather, his single eye.
Set directly in the middle of his face, there was no nearby scar or cavity to denote a lost twin. Instead, the rheumy eyeball sat alone, its entire surface a bilious green that looked more like the waxy chartreuse of a corpse than the emerald blaze of Lex’s eyes. And as Lex watched, the sickly orb focused on himself, before glancing over at Akna...and then settling on Thermal Draft.
An instant later, a viridian beam of light streaked from Paska’s eye, aimed directly at the pegasus.
“NO!” roared Lex, raising a wall of black crystals in front of her at the same time that Akna shrieked a command, causing the closest ice elemental to interpose itself between them and Paska.
But rather than being blocked by the obstacles in its path, the mossy ray twisted in mid-air, curving beneath the elemental’s bulk and arcing around the black crystals Lex had raised, striking the pegasus – who was midway through building a spell even as she tossed Littleknight away, not wanting the almiraj to take a hit meant for her – directly in the back, right between her wings.
For the briefest instant Drafty went rigid. Then she doubled over, coughing up a mouthful of blood, spitting the crimson liquid onto the snow before she gasped and drew in a ragged breath.
Lex was at her side immediately, looking her over just long enough to ascertain that she didn’t seem to be in any further distress – now breathing easier as she shakily stood back up – before he rounded on the thing that Paska had become. “What did you do?!” he demanded, black crystals starting to form all around him. “WHAT DID YOU DO?!”
“Like I said,” answered the black-coated hound in Paska’s voice. “Sweetening the deal. I’d give your girlfriend there about ten days or so – two weeks at the outside – before the affliction I’ve put on her becomes fatal. You kill Hvitdod, and I’ll remove it, but you might want to get a jump on things since the damage that it inflicts on her organs in the meantime is permanent.”
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Damn. now that's quite the pickle they are in.
Can Drafty use her ritual magic to self cleans her self?
Paska used Destiny Bond?
11252759 I suppose we'll find out, though I suspect that'll come after Lex's reaction to this latest development. Somehow I can't see him not having something to say about it.
11252779 Oh, I wouldn't call it anything as felicitous as that.
Welp, looks like Lex really needs to perform the Rite to get as many advantages as possible to to try and kill an ancient dragon of all beings and with a time limit to boot. One with a very severe consequence for any delay, even more so given the unfortunate status of Thermal Draft's soul.
11253285 Things do seem to be going in a particular direction now, don't they? The good news is that there should be a potential power-up for Lex nearby, quite possibly a huge one. The bad news is that the bad guys are pressing him very hard to do their dirty work, and it's looking like he might not have a choice in the matter, especially given that if Thermal Draft dies, that's it.
Of course, Spinner's prophecy is still kind of an issue, too...
Lex's plan unfortunately backfires. That's what happens when you try to push negotiations too hard.
11253731 Lex is brilliant and uncompromising, but he's up against a group who're utterly ruthless; they don't seem to care about what happens to each other very much, and know that Lex does care about pony lives (and seem to realize that Thermal Draft's matters even more to him than the others). So it's not surprising that it ended up like this...though I doubt Lex will just let this go.
11253448
The one thing I realized later that if Lex succeeds at killing the ancient dragon, wouldn't he be also capable of exacting terrible vengeance upon them the moment Woodheart is returned and Thermal Draft is released of her affliction? I mean, with some planning, he and Fail Forward had the upper hand in the previous engagement so with a significant power up added to the mix...
Grisela and the others undoubtedly know this and are probably planning to kill Lex should he succeed or...force him to join them as their 'new brother' or enslave him via mind control(Ha!) or leveraging Thermal Draft's wellbeing against him.