Author's Note: Wow… We're already at chapter 20! Hard to believe from my point of view I started writing this story yesterday or something! Anyhow, Life of a Dragon Sequel v2.3 is a very, big update, and will take a lot more time than the other ones. If you guys (who play my map) want to know more, Life of a Dragon Sequel has a Hiveworkshop page that's a google away. You can contact me easily there. (Or PM on Fanfiction works too.)
Also, if guys so wished, I can leave a review which player (Outside of Saito and Louise) you want to see more of in the story.
Enjoy the chapter!
Life of a Zero Dragon
Chapter 20: Scattered yet Grouped
The Mercenary and the Chosen Dragon, Elizabeth and Alex, found themselves traversing across the desert terrain in search for the Dragon Knight city that should have lain eastward of both Desert City and the Bronze Dragon Nest. However, while they journeyed, they came across a small oasis with a glowing fountain, which while it was new to the version of Life of a Dragon Sequel, any Warcraft 3 player would recognize a Fountain of Life anywhere.
A steep cliff hangs overhead, with a waterfall pouring down from it into the oasis, filling it with fresh, cool water and keeping it from being contaminated by the sands around it. A few trees and plantlike grew around the rejuvenating place, signaling it's tranquility and restful atmosphere.
But as they made their way towards it for some rest and recovery, they came upon a shocking discovery.
A girl, the size of a pre-teen, lain sleeping against a strange looking blue dragon. Her blue hair such a discrepancy with the yellow and orange background of the Great Kayla Desert.
The blue dragon raised its head, looking towards their direction, it's eye-catching Alex Storm's draconic figure, causing the young drake to mumble happily in exhaustion.
The Chosen Dragon and the Sorceress made their way toward ls them with due haste, for while there were no creeps around, the nature of respawning could prove devastating at times.
The human hero checked on the young girl, raising the assumed child's head to see that she was resting from exhaustion, not from any visible injuries, that fact that she doesn't have any by some miracle is astonishing.
"Hey, wake up, you're near the oasis yet you didn't head there?" Elizabeth questioned as she shook the girl, but got little to no response. She frowned, and looking around to see a long wooden staff of some description being held in the kid's arms.
"... Mana exhaustion?" It was one of the cruel ways of how mana works, in Warcraft you could continue normally even if you were empty of mana, but the Transition affected it in some way, causing people to become exhausted if their mana hit a very low point.
Luckily, as a Hero, and also an Intelligent-based one at that, Elizabeth had little worries in using spells in bulk. But they had learned the fact when Alex was using his own spells, combined with the fact that Strength Heroes have the lowest mana amount, it was inevitable with the initial way he used it.
She had never seen him curse the act of Balancing the map until then, but corrected himself when they thought out how it was probably not the Map Maker's fault.
Elizabeth was pretty sure none of this was the Map Maker's fault, after all, he was only human.
Thankfully, Elizabeth had the spell, Drain Energy.
Not something one would be thankful for when they first glance at the title of such a spell.
While normally used against enemies to drain life and mana, it can also transfer mana from herself to another, a particular fact that helped Alex quite a bit.
Arcane energy hued in blue colors hummed within Elizabeth's palms, her hand stretched out towards the unconscious child, a line of that same energy traveling along a straight path, waving slightly as the mana traveled within it. It entered the blue-haired girl, her form being surrounded by a small outer aura the sky's hue.
Elizabeth cut off the spell before her own reserves dwindled a little too low.
The child groaned in exhaustion before opening her eyes, and beautiful set of baby blue eyes looking towards the Sorceress above her. She attempted to move her body, which responded slowly to her commands.
"Easy now, you suffered from mana exhaustion. You don't mind if you'll give companion permission to bring you to the nearby oasis?" Elizabeth asked her.
The blue-haired human glanced towards the odd blue dragon, "Let them," She said briefly.
Elizabeth helped lift the girl on her back, Alex and the blue dragon following behind as she took a few steps and began walking towards the Oasis. The Chosen Dragon making sure to put the girl's staff into his Inventory, she didn't see him do it.
"What's your name?" Elizabeth asked her.
The girl remained silent for a few seconds before answering, "Tabitha."
"That's a beautiful name," She complimented, "I'm Elizabeth, and my friend behind us is Alex."
"Teleport?" Tabitha questioned.
"Teleport?" Elizabeth blinked at the word suddenly coming up, "I'm afraid you'll have to be clearer. But we can talk much more when we reach the Oasis in a few steps."
"Hey! Does your dragon talk?" Alex blurted out, "She doesn't look like any other dragons so I'm just asking…"
Tabitha glanced back to the Chosen Dragon, her face showing a slight reaction of shock before its monotoned expression returned. She brought her head over to Elizabeth's shoulder again, asking…
"Nature Dragon?" She said to confirm Alex's species.
"Not even close," Elizabeth said, believing she meant the Green Dragons, "He's a Chosen Dragon, rather annoying one to at that."
"I'm right here!" Alex retorted.
"Human-like," The blue haired Mage said.
"It's complicated," The Mercenary replied.
It only left more questions for Tabitha.
The southern outland is a very dangerous place, its monsters, also known as creeps, were very precise in their spellcraft of using their own opponent's magical energy against them. With their capabilities of devouring magic, a dragonet had to be very cautious not to draw in too many at a time, least they find themselves becoming the hunted.
Asuna Godiva was wishing right now that turn-based combat was a thing in this world.
The Chosen Nether Dragonet pushed her own energy-like wings to move her suddenly, dodging two devastating pincers that threatened to tear through her body. The creeps she faced against was a Fel Ravager, an otherworldly monstrosity that was three times Asuna's size.
And she was nearly as big as a full grown human.
"Shit!" Asuna yelled out as a ray of blue mana smashed against her, the energy coursing through her body, connecting to the female dragon's own mana, before causing the magical energy to combust within her.
A large amount of pain threw Asuna's concentration off course, vision blurred as the spell of the Fel Ravager took effect only for a brief moment.
Just as it came, the pain dissipated as her Warcraft Hero endurance returned. Asuna checked her mana reserves, finding them depleted into only a small drop remaining. With it came exhaustion, her situation was dire as her body wavered from keeping herself hovering and collapsing to the ground.
'To be feasted on…' The thought came to the human girl trapped in a Chosen Dragon's body.
The Fel Ravager gave her no quarter, its emotions didn't exist as its only purpose was to be a monster for Players to kill and exploit the experience or item drops gained from its demise. But, even if that was the case, as a living creature it would still have sought to devour the female dragon for a meal.
Asuna activated the Bulky Bulk ability for the second time, it only lasted twenty seconds with a forty-second cooldown. However, seconds were considered a lifetime in the midst of a battle. Even if this were a game, a real-time fight in Warcraft 3 was fast action and quick decision making, especially in a battle between two player heroes.
She thanked the Map Maker that attribute abilities like Bulky Bulk had no mana consumption to activate its effects. Asuna felt a soothing warmth come over her wounds as they very slowly began knitting themselves together, her muscles felt toned and less stressed and the energy that made the dragon's body condensed itself into a tougher, denser armor.
In a nutshell, her health regeneration, damage output, and armor rating all increased.
Unfortunately, it didn't work on increasing any mana-related aspects.
Asuna Godiva body thrust forward, a ball of chaotic energy colored in the dark violet hues shooting forth in a small line, striking the Fel Ravager's body. The energy burst outward in a tiny explosion, but it wasn't one of fire or smoke, but rather of magic.
This action didn't consume mana, as it was using the naturally formed essence of a Nether Dragon's being. It was that Warcraft 3's hero default range attack, as a Nether Dragon in Life of a Dragon Sequel is a ranged hero.
She fired three more of these lined missiles before the Fel Ravager caught up to her position, it's grotesque mouth opening to begin devouring her magical energy once more.
But it was interrupted by a flash of light between them, the creep being blasted back by the by-product of this event. While Asuna avoided being hit herself by the fortune of taking cover behind a large boulder.
The Chosen Dragon glanced towards the light's direction as it dimmed down to reveal a grown red-headed teenager with a rather large bust. But the female dragonet paid little heed to that, and instead felt the comfort of knowing there were humans besides herself… Well, besides her mental self that is.
Of course, if the foreign girl was eaten alive by the Fel Ravager, Asuna would be alone once more.
Outside of the nearby Nether Dragon Nest and Uncle Black that is.
Oh, and the Fel Orc encampment… But… Well, better left unsaid.
Asuna Godiva quickly flew her way over towards the girl, hovering above her body and shooting forth a few more bolts of nether energy that beat back the Fel Ravager, frustrated and angry towards its prey, into a nearby abyss.
It stumbled, frantically trying to stop itself, but the kinetic force behind the Nether Dragon's attacks forced it over the edge, leading to its demise… When it hits the bottom at all that is.
A golden light encompassed Asuna's form for a short moment, signifying the gaining of a level.
"Huh… Neat," Asuna commented before turning her attention towards the unconscious individual lying in the harsh, dry, red dirt of Southern Outland.
She sat next to the rather tanned human women, sighing in a release of tension from the recent battle as the adrenaline faded from her system.
"So… Who are you…" Asuna trailed off while looking at the face of her newest, force-to-be, companion.
Just another crazy day as a Chosen Dragon.
Moonshine Grove was perhaps the largest forested environment in Life of a Dragon Sequel, Saito Hiraga didn't know this fact due to not having played the map in such a large period of time. However, now he could agree with anyone that said such a thing given his new personal experiences in the landscape.
Saito Hiraga, non-elemental Chosen Dragon, hovered slowly behind the Elven leader of Moonshine Grove's resident elf civilization. The discussion threatened to fly mostly over his head, but he attempted to listen as closely as he could to the lady's words.
She was the first individual that wasn't Louise or the mysterious voice to titled him as a Chosen Dragon, he wanted to be answered, but he had to be careful in his wording and the amount of hospitality given to him.
He knew that Louise had a large amount of fear, at least now he did, for the elven race. The longer he was away from her, the more she would grow anxious, and fear is a powerful motivator for dangerous actions. Every literature work on Earth, virtual or not, agreed on this fact.
'I sure am thinking awfully hard about this,' Saito thought to himself.
"We're here," The elven leader, priestess of Xaria, said. She turned to the Chosen Dragon and continued, "Forgive me, I am Arya Starsong, High Priestess of Xaria and leader of the community here."
"I'm Saito, but you may call me Erisdar as my partner does." The player responded to the NPC.
He glanced around, they were just a little wayward from the Moon Well, a mystical pool of energy that can restore allied Health and Mana at its own discretion. Saito took notice is a large tree-like construct, an ent, ancient, or also known as the flight point master that had itself planted firmly near a white runic circle of power that glowed dimly in a gray color.
'Do Flight Points work anymore?' He questioned curiously, not that he reached the requirements to use it yet.
"For the Chosen Dragons to hatch would mean the world will be facing peril soon," Arya began, "It perhaps has to do with the shifting realm, I've communed with Xaria only briefly, it has gone difficult to do so with this change that has occurred."
Saito looked towards the night elf, "Oh? What has Xaria said to you?" He said, taking note that the goddess of the elves might actually exist now.
Well, shit, if a goddess now exists, that means the lore of Life of a Dragon Sequel might actually have occurred now. Well, at least he doesn't have to worry about facing off a kill-all-the-dragons win condition like in the original map.
"It was… Difficult," she started, "to piece together the words, but the world has changed. Moonshine Grove's entire region had been transported into a place known as Germania. I've sent a few scouts outward, and they returned with information about humans different than those of Kayla."
Kayla, it was the name of both the world and the continent that Life of a Dragon Sequel takes place in.
"I'm aware, I was hatched within the nearby nation of Tristan. My partner joined me and we've dealt with some situations, including Orangebark Forest which has also been misplaced," Saito explained.
Arya nodded, "So, it seems numerous regions of Kayla have been moved about in this new realm."
"Halkeginia," Saito gave the name, "That's what the locals call this continent, or the world, I've yet to gain knowledge by which they mean."
"Is your human companion one of these Halkeginia humans? I do not know of any Kayla residents with such unique features."
'She must mean the pink hair, yeah, but it looks quite fitting on Louise compared to your purple shades, Arya,' He thought to himself.
"Yes," Saito answered. "Also, not to be offensive or anything, but these Halkeginia humans might have their own set of elves in which they have large amounts of hostility towards."
"That would explain quite some reactions on our end," Arya Starsong replied. "Thank you for this information, do you require assistance in anything as repayment, Chosen Dragon?"
"Mmh…" Saito remained thoughtful for a few moments, "Yeah, a few favors."
"Name them, Erisdar."
"Can you have your elves make a safe pathway from creeps out of Moonshine Grove?"
"Easily done."
"Do you have any items you're willing to part with? It seems Louise, my partner, can use the items the same as we can. And I'll appreciate having any sort of advantage myself over monsters or other bad things."
Arya paused, before answering, "We do not have anything of value that can support you, however, we can leave any items or tomes left behind by the creeps on your way out after we clear the path."
"Thank you, I hope luck is on my side, haha," He laughed to brighten the mood. "I best get back to Louise, she's probably concerned."
"A concerned companion is a trustworthy one, you have quite a good friend, Chosen Dragon."
"Yeah, I do… But she really needs to get more confidence!"
With that, the plan is set into motion, and Saito Hiraga returns to his master, who had slept soundly in the bed… Pardoning the fact she had barricaded the door, having Saito needing to use Blink to enter it.
But it's progress.
Current Status: (Forgot to update Dragon Levels Last time)
Chosen Dragon Player 1: Saito Hiraga - Alive - Dragonet (Agility) Level 10
Chosen Dragon Player 2: Alex Storm - Alive - Bronze Dragonet (Strength) Level 8
Chosen Dragon Player 3: Asuna Godiva - Alive - Nether Dragonet (Strength) Level 10
Chosen Dragon Player 4: Artos Archway - Alive - Green Dragonet (Agility) Level 7
Chosen Dragon Player 5: Cora Rune - Alive - Blue Dragonet (Intelligence) Level 8
Dragon Slayer Player 6: Celdrahil - Alive - Slayer Level 7
Dragon Catcher Player 7: Rosina - Alive - Catcher Level 10
The Human Kingdom Player 8: Aylmer and Abigail - Alive - King Level 3, Princess Level [Error]
The Fel Empire Player 9: Grom - Alive - King of Fel Empire Level 4
Mercenary Player 10: Elizabeth Loyal - Alive - Sorceress Level 7
Observer Map Maker: Map Maker - Alive - The World Editor