Chapter 39: 39. Soar to Become a Dragon

Damien wore a weary smile as he looked at the tiny fairy. Although she presented the cold and aloof facade of an empress, knowing her true nature made the whole thing seem ridiculous. Of course, Damien understands that people in high stations are only ‘human’ too as the saying goes… they will obviously act very differently depending on the person they are talking to.

Master Grey was practically jumping around, “He did it! He really did it hahahah!” Despite being three hundred years old, Amaltheia had the temperament of a child and was annoyed at being ignored, she directed her oppressing aura towards Master Grey yet he showed no change in his actions.

Damien raised a brow at the sight, Amaltheia’s strength is well known to both the players of the game and Damien personally as he witnessed her Spirit magic in person. Yet Master Grey was a complete mystery. Both his school of magic and his level of mastery are unknown to Damien and it makes him a dangerous variable. Luckily the old man seemed friendly enough… assuming that was his real face.

Damien's first disciple, Thar, decided to answer on behalf of Master Grey. “Apprentice Thar pays respects to Archmage Amaltheia Magigrace.”

The annoyed fairy just waved him over, “Enough with those annoying formalities, just tell me why the old man is acting like that.”

“Well…” Thar looked towards Damien, asking for permission with his eyes, as Thar doesn’t grasp his new master's relationships. Amaltheia could be his mortal enemy for all he knows.

Damien appreciated his new disciple's sharp mind and gave him a nod.

Thar then proceeded, “...Master Nightshade imparted upon me visions of an advanced runic engraving process that involved an eight-letter rune, it allowed me to break through a threshold in my understanding that has held me back for the past few years.”

Unlike Master Grey, the fairy maintained a stoic expression throughout the explanation which cracked towards the end, “That sure is interesting…” she muttered at the end.

Amaltheia then turned to Damien with a smile and with a wave of her hand produced a silver-colored robe that would fit his tall frame, “Congratulations, as a mage with a school of magic in the B grade, and upon accepting your first disciple. You are now officially qualified as a Master Mage.”

Damien gave the fairy an appreciative nod but added, “I actually already have a disciple, although I understand she is also not part of the Mage Tower so it wouldn't have qualified me.”

Amaltheia wasn’t three hundred years old for nothing, easily reading between the lines she looked at Fay for a moment, taking in her body proportions. After a second she flicked her wrist and a set of blue robes appeared. She also produced two silver-colored rings with golden runes inlaid on their surface.

“Happy now?” She asked with a smirk that Thar didn’t notice. Damien gave a light smile and nodded, taking the robes and rings.

“However, although you are a Master Mage you will be limited to the lower floors, that is until you fulfill the end of your deal.”

Noticing that his master was busy talking, Thar shifted across the room and found a purple scaled kobold cowering in the corner. Lowering his usual booming voice, Thar lightly said, “Varn wasn’t your dream to evolve into a real dragon?”

The little kobold that was shaking like a leaf swivelled up one of his ears subconsciously, showing that he was listening to Thar’s words.

“I understand that crossing the Kazimir mountains gave you a bad… terrible even, impression of vampires, but Master Nightshades seems composed and competent enough. From the knowledge I obtained, he has a unique view on things… Maybe he can help you understand wild magic?”

Varn opened one of his yellow snake-like eyes and looked at Thar’s kind face. He wanted nothing more than to advance his wild magic and evolve into a real dragon, but that was only possible if he reached S grade.

Out of all the races, kobolds have the highest chance to evolve into an S rank existence. Although the highest chance still means almost zero, but even if it's only an almost infinitely small number of kobolds that evolve, it's still worth trying for.

Beyond the Kazimir mountains was a large expanse of land occupied by small cities of varying races. Only the strong survive over there as war’s between the different races break out almost daily over disputed resources.

Kobolds are one of the weaker races, but with the backing of an ancient dragon, none dared to attack them directly. But a secret only known to Varn, a member of the royal family, is that the ancient dragon passed on a few years ago. Dragons have long but not infinite lives, during this ancient dragon’s innumerable years, not a single kobold had ascended to dragon hood to take over its position.

With fears that their neighbours may discover this secret, they sent Varn away to the ‘human’ realm beyond the Kazimir mountains. Almost the entire elite force that escorted him here was murdered by the vampires in a single night. Although they are small in number, they are ridiculously strong and don’t fear death or injuries. They just mindlessly slaughter at the commands from the noble vampires.

Varn watched all his close attendants being hunted down by bloodthirsty humanoids as he ran through the dark woods, the only reason he survived that cursed night is because of the sun peeking over the horizon before they reached him, forcing their retreat.

This major weakness to sunlight is the main reason the vampires have never invaded a location away from the mountains. The threat of being caught out in the open when the night ends is too dangerous. Only the noble vampires can resist this weakness but they are too few in number.

Although both Kassinki and Oshal hate the vampires, they are also the main reason the city-states of monsters beyond the mountains have never attempted a large-scale invasion. Although with a large enough force they could wipe the vampires out, especially after the defeat of the S rank Kazimir Nightshade. They would lose too many forces in the process and weaken their chance of victory when fighting Kassinki and Oshal.

Varn went through his complicated memories, the faces of his family giving him a tearful goodbye as he left on this journey, although they didn’t expect him to become their beacon of hope, he still wished to take on that role.

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Yet even after thirty years of being stuck here, he has never received any word on his family’s condition, nor has he advanced in his school of magic.

Wild magic is the ability to wield the forces of chaos that underline the order of creation. His mana is untamed and raw, surging through his body with boundless energy. Almost every mage that advanced in wild magic was a lunatic and therefore bad at teaching. They would incoherently mutter about higher powers controlling them as if everything is predetermined.

Varn hated that idea, he was a firm believer in pursuing his own life, beyond the control of these supposed higher beings. This stubbornness and refusal to change his mindset has caused Varn to be stuck at the C grade for almost thirty years.

“To understand Wild magic, a person must understand the underlying systems governing the world, and then break them in incomprehensible ways. Controlling such untamed and raw mana can only lead to the destruction of one's mind and soul.” - Archmage Lenethis Year 1347

Varn had read this same quote a hundred times, and could only wonder what those wild mages had seen once they looked behind the veil of the world. What was beyond? Taking a look at Damien he had to admit he looked level headed compared to those creatures he encountered in the woods that night.

Damien’s eyes seemed calm with a profound level of intelligence as if he knew more than he should. It never showed a hint of surprise, as if everything was predestined. Varn clenched his paw as he hated that idea. Maybe Damien had also gazed upon the beyond, like he would have to.

Looking at Thar’s gentle expression that seemed completely out of place on an orc’s intimidating face, Varn gathered his courage, his family, assuming they were still alive, needed him to return. Not as a kobold, or even an A grade mage. No. They needed an S-rank existence in order to stand against those other cities.

With slow and heavy steps, Varn walked over to stand in front of Damien. The fairy gave the two space and watched with interest.

The small purple-skinned kobold, barely reaching Damien's waist, gazed up with a determined look. Varn’s yellow snake-like eyes started into Damiens calm, yet dangerous gaze.

Upon seeing this, Varn had his fears answered, Damien was indeed one of those monsters, yet he was an intelligent one. Since Varn wished to evolve into the strongest monster known across the land, why not take the second strongest as his own master? A Noble Vampire.

Varn focused hard on manipulating his snake tongue, to produce the most comprehensible statement, “Apprenthice Mage Varn greeths Masther Nigthsshade, I have C grade in Wild magic.” Varn asked in a calm voice. It contained neither hatred nor respect.

Damiens expression turned dangerous, “Wild magic? Interesting. Master Grey, I told you to bring me normal people, why is a wild mage being shown to me?”

Master Grey had finally stopped jumping around the room and turned to Damien with a look that contained deep insight, “I know, I tried to test the limits of your teaching abilities. How about this, if you can help Varn advance then I will consider the deal done.”

Akna who had remained surprisingly silent this entire time had a stunned expression on her face, “Hey! What about me? He hasn’t advanced me as I demand him to!”

Damien ignored the brain damaged elf and looked towards Varn, “Are you sure you wish to know, many find out the secrets of this world and never make it back the same.”

Varn nodded slowly, “It hash to be done, I hath been puthting it otff for far to long.”

Damien took a second to stare into his eyes, despite his fierce gaze, Varn never faltered, showing his resolve.

“Very well.”

Damien placed his gloved hand upon Varn’s head and closed his eyes. Activating telepathy that had upgraded to C grade from the constant usage, he began to flow information into Varn’s brain.

Images of Damien meeting Varn through many different characters in different situations played out. Future events that haven’t occurred, war’s yet to happen, people yet to die. Through the chaos of images, showing the hundreds if not thousands of different playthroughs of the storyline, Varn began to notice a trend within the chaos.

Despite the world seeming so vast and endless, with its millions of residents living out their lives. The same few events happened no matter what. There was order within the chaos.

Despite Damien never cutting the connection, slowly Varn’s mind began to seal up as if it was refusing the information. It was too alien, too bizarre to comprehend. Although it all made some sense, it made none at the same time.

Things became explained, but more questions, that Varn would never even have thought to ask, appeared in his mind.

Damien felt that Varn’s brain was struggling and cut the connection, his small body fell forward on the ground with a dazed expression.