Of Wyverns and Brands

Chapter 25

I hold my last stance for a moment before turning to Soren expectantly. "So, how was it?"

Soren simply nods in response. I found out that it's harder to get praise out of Soren than it is get Nephenee to remove her helmet, neither of which I've accomplished so far. "I think it will do," Soren finally says. Hopefully it will. I just did it five times in a row without any corrections.

"So should I cast it now?" I ask, eager. It had taken forever to manage to learn this single spell. Basically, this spell would spend all my magic energy to the point of collapse, the reason for Soren's hesitance. The amount of time the spell was sustained before it ended showed how much magic energy one possessed. The size of the spell showed one's knowledge and understanding of the particular element. This was the wind version.

Soren sighs. "You might as well. Then we can finally end this." No, then I start pestering you for real spells. He probably knows that, too. "The average mage can last for about a minute."

"And what about you?" I ask, getting ready.

"More," Soren states, not really answering the question.

Rolling my eyes, I take a deep breath and begin the spell. Longer and more complex than the first few simple spells, this nameless spell used a lot of foot movement with it, which had taken adjusting with the movement of the ship. The chant for it roughly translated to 'let my power flow and channel into a gust of wind until I am exhausted'. Yeah, it's even more wordy in the ancient language itself.

Going into the final step, I finish the chant and focus on trying to let 'power' flow out of me. A large gust of wind suddenly appears, blowing everything back and away. Then it all turns black.

-o-

Slowly opening my eyes, I look around confused as I find myself on the floor. "What happened?" I mutter, rubbing my head.

"So you're finally coming around." I look over and see Soren calmly writing on a scroll. "Don't worry. You've only been out for a day." Only a day!?

"Well…how did it go?" I ask, trying to remember exactly what happened.

Soren chuckles evilly. I can see the connection to Ashnard now. "You lasted almost five…seconds."

I blink at him as I slowly take that in. "That's not good is it?"

More evil chuckling. "You've set a record, really. I've never seen less magical talent in my life. Ike probably has more than you, really. You seem to have a firm grasp of how the element of wind works, but you lack the stamina to even cast the most basic of spells. You have no future in magic."

I grimace as he continues to rub it in. "Okay, I get it. You told me so. Well, at least I know now, I guess."

"The funniest part is that the branded tend to have higher levels of magic than other humans," Soren remarks, smirking. "It is one of the reasons they tend to look down on us for."

I shrug, not understanding it, either. Then again, I'm probably a special case among the branded with my human parents and all. Though my brand does contain a power that was magical. I had tested it some during the trip, and I think I understand it a little. I can give mental commands to wyverns that have to be obeyed. Well, with Midnight anyway, as I have no other test subjects. It hasn't worked on anyone or anything else yet. I also found out the cost of using said power is actually quite a lot of energy, though nothing like that spell I just did. Guess it might come in handy if I fought against any other wyverns.

"That spell does prove one thing, though. A lot of your theories about how magic works might actually be correct," Soren says, throwing me a bone.

I slowly get up, rolling my stiff shoulders. Man, I'm hungry right now. Wait…a whole day? "Did the attack happen?" I ask, referencing the raven attack. I had informed Soren about the attack once I heard we had started around Goldoa's southern coast. Ike…hasn't really let me have a chance to tell him.

Soren shakes his head. "No random entrapments or bird pirates, yet."

I hesitant to ask my next question, but try anyway. "Did you tell Ike?"

"He didn't say anything in response," Soren states.

I sigh, knowing he's still giving me the cold shoulder. This is going to be tough to fix, and I've never been good with social problems.

"So what in the world did you do?" Soren asks, finally breaking away from his work.

"What do you mean?" I ask, already knowing what he meant.

"Everyone's noticed it by now, Drake. Ike and you haven't spoken since we've set sail. There's obviously something going on." Soren narrows his eyes as he continues, "And I have my suspicions as to what it is, as well."

I look away, trying to think of what to say to dodge the real issue. "I just…made a mistake is all."

Soren snorts at my comment. "Ike makes a mistake almost every day. I don't think he would hold a grudge against you for something so simple, especially with what's all been on his mind, recently."

I don't respond, and not really knowing how to turn the conversation away, I turn to leave.

"You knew, didn't you." Soren's accusation stops me dead in my tracks. "You knew that Greil was going to die back at Port Toha, and Ike found out." His tone is factual, rather than angry.

"I didn't," I finally say, turning back to the mage. "I didn't, but I should've."

"I don't know how your visions work, but no one can help not being able to do something," Soren retorts.

"I can or should have." I take a few deep breath, suddenly wanting to let someone else know. To let it off my chest and vent to someone. Even if it was to him. "I knew that Black Knight would be there, but I…didn't think that it would affect anything. The Black Knight was supposed to run into Ranulf and be stopped. Greil wasn't supposed to fight him."

"I see," Soren says, closing his eyes for a second. "So Ike is mad because you broke your word to his father. You were hired on with the purpose of telling Greil each vision. No secrets. And because you didn't do that, he died. Am I right?"

"I…yes," I answer, feeling immediately defeated.

Nodding, Soren picks up his scroll and begins writing once more, apparently finished.

I stand there for a while before asking, "Do you know how I can make it up to him?"

"'Make it up to him'?" Soren echoes, looking disgusted. "You can't make it up to him, Drake. He lost his father. You can't just find something to fix that. No, you probably won't be able to be close to him for a while. You can tell that he still hasn't gotten past it yet, and he probably won't until he finds some closure. So it will be best if you just give him space, Drake. Nothing else you can do."

I flinch under his tirade, but take the rebuke, inwardly knowing he was right. I guess I will just have to wait and hope to patch things up someday.

"And one other thing, Drake," Soren adds, narrowing his eyes. "If you end up hurting Ike, you won't be getting just a cold shoulder."

I nod, understanding the warning. I turn to leave again, only to fall flat on my face as the whole ship jerks and suddenly stills. I look over to Soren, and we have the same thought. The two of us rush up onto the deck along with the rest of the mercenaries. The deck is suddenly becoming crowded as everyone tries to find out what happened.

But I already know. I rush back down and grab my weapons, even as Soren begins shouting orders for the others to get ready for battle. It's time to see if my training has been paying off.

By the time I get back on deck, Soren has already got the mercenaries in order, as well as evacuating the sailors below. I look around, but don't see any flying laguz yet.

"Drake," Soren says, grabbing my attention. "I want you taking point with the other flyers. Stay together and keep watch for each other. They'll have control of the sky, so don't get separated up there."

"I still don't see no birds, Soren," Boyd grumbles, resting his axe on his shoulder. "Shouldn't we be more worried that our ship has crashed?"

Soren looks to me for a moment before responding. "The bird tribes are known for their pirating of beorc ships. This is too coincidental to be just a mishap." So he's willing to trust me for the moment.

I get on Midnight and take to the air. I join the two pegasi above the ship, only to do a double-take when I see Emma up here with Marcia. "What are you doing up here?" I ask as we circle around the main mast.

"I'm gonna fight, too!" Emma answers, trying to balance her small lance while holding her pegasus' reins.

"Don't worry, Drakie. I'll keep an eye on her," Marcia says, saluting me. Wait, Drakie?

"Oh, is that your nickname?" Emma asks.

"Of course-"

I'm cut off by a shout from below. "Ravens spotted!"

Dropping the conversation, for now, we turn to see ravens…from every direction. We are literally surrounded here.

"Are we going to use the triangle attack?" Emma asks, still trying to get adjusted in her seat.

"Good gravy, I would like to see a wyvern try and do that!" Marcia replies, laughing. We're about to enter battle here, girls. Focus.

It didn't take long for the ravens to close in. They were also larger than I thought, with a wingspan as large as Midnight's. Hopefully that made them easier targets. Remembering a few of things I learned from Daren, I had Midnight gain altitude as they approached. Height advantage was supposedly the most important thing to have during air combat.

As the ravens closed in, they started to scatter, each choosing their own targets apparently. A couple fly straight for Marcia and Emma, who start to fly evasively to gain an advantage. Unhindered, I have Midnight dive down right on top of the one trying to chase Emma. The raven immediately begins to thrash under Midnight's weight, but she grabs its wing in her maw and rends it with a sickening crack. The raven lets out a loud shriek as Midnight lets it drop to the ocean below.

A screech alerts me a moment too late as a raven suddenly passes by, claws outstretched. The claws sink into my shoulders and yank me out of the saddle. I hold onto the reins in my left hand as my only lifeline, even as the raven continues to try and tug me away. Midnight reaches around and snaps at the raven's tail feathers, forcing the bird to finally let go.

The relief from it removing its claws is then replaced by the sensation of falling. I grab the reins with my other hand as well, praying they hold out as I find myself hanging below Midnight, my lance dropped. Pulling myself up slowly, I am suddenly thankful of all my training as I finally get back in the saddle. Before this trip, I couldn't do a pull-up, let alone a midair climb into a saddle.

I take in my surroundings to see that I have already broken Soren's command. Midnight had continued flying straight to allow me to get back on, and now we're a good distance away from the ship and the others, with two ravens closing in fast.

Grabbing my backup lance, I stubbornly face off against them, having Midnight charge at the one coming straight at us. Midnight roars as she clashes with the avian, feathers flying. Unable to reach around to aid in the struggle, I focus on the other raven as it dives at us. I bring my lance around and prepare for its charge by clutching Midnight's sides with my legs. Just as it comes close, I jab my lance forward, increasing its reach and making the bird misjudge its range. My ears ring as it flies right onto the end of my lance with a loud screech, its weight almost jerking the weapon out of my grip.

I lean back when the raven begins to jab at me with its beak, not quite dead. It wasn't giving up, yet. Bracing the lance under my arm, I reach back and grab my dagger, unable to draw my sword with my left hand. I stab the knife at the bird as it tries to peck me again. I manage to slash it near the eye, making it reel back and off of my lance. It makes a ruckus of noise as it flies off, slowly losing both blood and altitude.

Already finished mangling her opponent, Midnight lets out a roar of bloodlust as we begin to make our way back to the ship. The battle was about over, with large blades of wind tearing up the last of the ravens. Birds, feathers, and blood polluted the waters around the stuck ship. Sharks would be gathering here soon. If there even were sharks in Tellius.

The last raven cries out as Soren's spell shreds its wings to ribbons. I shiver at the sight, recalling how Daren had faced a similar spell. Maybe it was best that I didn't learn magic. I don't think I could cast wind magic in battle without remembering that each time.

I ease off of Midnight as we land back on deck, Mist immediately coming up with a staff. "Why did you fly off by yourself?" Mist chides in a huff as she healed my shoulders.

"I was a little preoccupied trying to not fall to my death," I reply, sighing as the pain leaves. "Thanks for the healing."

Mist just shakes her head as she begins to check Midnight over to see if any of the gore on her was her own. "Actually, you and Boyd were the only ones injured." Oh. Well…at least I held my own?

"Stupid giant birds," Boyd mutters as I tune in to his rant. He's sitting on a crate with his back exposed as Rhys heals some nasty wounds on his back. "Who ever heard of flying pirates anyway?"

While the others began to discuss how to get the ship dislodged, I take the time to clean Midnight up. Feathers are surprisingly difficult to get rid of when they get stuck in scales. And the fact that salt-water doesn't clean scales too well.

"Ike! Behind you!"

I turn at Mist's shout to see a giant of a man approaching Ike, who had already jumped to the land proper. And it looks like Ike is about to use his usual way of diplomacy. Though I can't hear them from here, I'm able to follow along with what I remember.

Then the man transforms into a large red dragon. A huge figure, the dragon stands almost twice as tall as Ike, and definitely appears more powerful. Though maybe not as large as Ashnard's dragon, it was no less impressive. Especially because I get to see it transform at close range. Unlike the others who begin to make exclamations about it, I drink in the sight in awe, my dragon lover roots beginning to show. Now that would be an awesome ability.

After a minute of Ike chancing becoming a dragon barbeque, Kurthnaga shows up and orders the others to lift the ship to safety. I hold onto to Midnight as the ship tilts uneasily below us. My sea legs slowly return as the ship in placed in the water once more a bit of distance away…with Ike still on the shore.

"I think the boss will need a lift," Mia points out.

I hesitate, conflicted on getting close to the dragons. I would love to see and meet one face-to-face, but sending a branded beorc into their midst might not be wise. That, and Ike and I still aren't on the best of terms.

"Ah, biscuits. I'll get him," Marcia replies, flying back over to pick him up as he finishes talking to Kurthnaga.

As they begin to fly back, a wicked thought crosses my mind, and I rub the back of my right hand as I contemplate whether I should. Curiosity finally takes over, and I focus on my brand. Mentally calling forth the power, I direct it toward one of the untransformed, nameless laguz and give it a simple order to leap into the air. The toll immediately makes me stagger as it drains me, but I look back up quickly to see that the man jump up into the air, much to the confusion of the rest. He definitely doesn't look happy, even at this distance, but it was so worth confirming the idea.

I have the power to control dragons.

-o-

AN: Revelations about Drake's power that many of you may have already forgotten about! So Drake can't use anima magic, but apparently has some sort of charm magic. What does this mean? Dun, dun, dun~.

Question One: Do you enjoy reading self-inserts, medieval, fantasy filled, and/or angst writings? Probably, if you're still reading this. Anyway, there is a published series that you all should at least check out. Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash. A Japanese light-novel, the series is being translated into English, with several already done. Grimgar is essentially a DnD SI, where several people show up in a fantasy world with only the memory of their names, though everything around them seems wrong or out of place. Seriously, get it from the library or something if you're hesitant. Quite enjoyable, with a focus on world-building and the emotions one would face if they seriously became part of a SI. There's also an adequate anime adaption of the first two books if that suits your taste better.

Question Two: I think Drake is forgetting something right now. What could it be?

Update: Few corrections, etc.