The Last Hunter
patreon
Illithid behind the Curtain: Growing Pains
🕑 Added 2024-04-09 07:08:43 +0000 UTC"Morning Mrs. W."
"Morning ma'am."
"Morning Aunty Em!"
One after another, the various children woke up and came to the breakfast table, set outside on the lawn due to the unusually large number of people we had. Pyrrha Nikos with her new, red dragon wyrmling and wasn't that a shock to see, Ruby who seemed to be crafting some new bullets with a dust press field and shells while she waited, Ren and Nora as the latter clapped to see her friend produce flames, frost, acid from his aura.... Wait.
I broke out of my pre-caffeine haze and suddenly turned with wide eyes and alarm at Pyrrha and Ren as I speak.
"Where did you get that dragon wyrmling?"
"Icarus." Pyrrha said softly, cuddling it to her and I groaned internally. Oh, gods help me, she named it. They'll be no getting it away from her now, especially with how enamored she seems to have become. Icarus itself seems a very dignified little creature, patiently putting up with Pyrrha even as the former champion hummed quietly in answer to what I realized was purring coming from the beast. Icarus seems especially fond of her gold, clawing briefly at the shiny in a clumsy manner which has her giggle and remove her circlet, letting him play with it as he lets out a happy screech.
Ren himself, approaching seems apologetic as he speaks directly to me. "We were turned around in the woods, our compass was lost and we ended up running into Syxorath." I could almost feel my heart stop and Pyrrha looked up and quickly spoke. "He was very nice actually! It helped we defended his nest from the Grimm and helped him hatch one of his eggs too."
====
Pyrrha couldn't breath for a moment. Not in the face of that monster and despite it, she couldn't help but admire the beast from out of folklore. It wasn't an imperial dragon, but nevertheless there was a savage beauty there that captivated her even as she moved protectively to shield the child, something that drew the eye of the dragon before it spoke again, the entire cavern rumbling.
"It has been a long, long time since one of the children hatched."
"What do you mean, sir?" Pyrrha found herself asking and the dragon seemed to be taken aback before he chuckled darkly.
"And then there's you. In the face of my aura, you can speak... And retain your mind. As can you." Pyrrha glanced to the side, at Ren who was suddenly monochrome as he spoke simply.
"I doubt it would do us any good to panic. Especially as I'm sure you're one of Headmistress Weatherwax's guests."
"An unusual offer, and an intriguing one. Especially as I've never heard of an Esmerelda Weatherwax." The dragon replied, thoughtfully before he chuckled at the confusion on their faces.
"There is power in the stones and the earth. Enough to get a measure of her skill. One does not become this powerful, not without sending ripples that the very prudent cannot catch." He fixes them with his eye and then moves, far more gracefully than his bulk suggests as the kobold shaman stays in his position of kowtowing.
"... No matter. What I wish to discuss now, is you." Pyrrha blinked, unsure where this was going as she asked. "Did I offend you in some way, helping your son hatch, sir?"
"Offend?" Claws the size of Ruby's scythe blade click the stone floor, the dragon amused now. "If you did, we would not be having this conversation. No... What you have accomplished is nothing short of a miracle. For centuries, those eggs have been dormant, and I had despaired of anything happening to awaken them. How did you do so?"
Pyrrha paused, confused before she finally spoke. "I'm not sure myself sir."
"She sensed it happening before it came out though, and we warmed the egg as best we could to help out." Ren replied and for some reason, this made the dragon laugh uproariously. The cavern shook and Pyrrha moved to shield the dragon on her lap, something which also seemed to make the blue dragon even more amused.
"Warmed the egg you say! As if you were dragons yourself... Well, my little dragons." The blue dragon lowered his head, fixed them with his gaze as static electricity made their hair raise.
".... I will have you both take responsibility for this."
====
Syxorath must like them I mused to myself, hearing the story. The old wyrm was notorious for being protective of his kind, normally intruders would be subjected to blasting first and ask questions never. Yet here they were, with Drakewarden Ranger Pyrrha and apparently, Way of the Ascendent Dragon Monk Ren. For the old wyrm to take a hand in training both of them, I'd be much surprised if things remained the same in canon.
Actually, that reminded me, and I looked at everyone as I asked. "So how about the rest of you, any surprises you want to throw at me now so I can panic and get over with it? My schedules free."
"I'm working with Mr. Brightboom!" Ruby said happily, as Invisible Servants brought out drinks and munchies, while the main food was being cooked. Taiyang smiled at his daughter's excitement, his fingers already playing with my hair as he started to braid it during Ruby's story. I pointedly ignored the little implosion of smugness radiating from the blonde brat looking our way in favor of doing the same, as I asked aloud.
"Really? I didn't think his golem work would be something you'd be entirely interested in."
"Well yeah, I'm more of a weapons girl myself." Ruby admitted before she added. "But the golems he makes are unique because they run off a combination of science and magic, to the point it's hard to tell where one ends and the other begins! It's been inspiring me for a lot of ideas and I'm starting to run out of notebooks for it!"
That was a fair point, though I wondered what subclass she'd end up as before the end. If I had the calendar correctly, the Vytal Festival was weeks away at the least and she'd need the experience before it was over. I kept my thoughts away with a smile I didn't need to fake, looking at my vibrating ball of energy as I speak.
"Well, if you have any questions about that aspect of magic, you can't do worse than Brightboom. My own brand is essentially more traditional lines so I can't help much there."
"How about the rest of you?" Taiyang asks cheerfully and Yang chuckles and flexes her arm. "Hadn't really found one that clicked with me yet. Mostly, I'm just having fun exploring like my teammate here!" I'm a little worried about that myself when Yang says that. I was expecting her to be a Paladin or Barbarian by now, and I can't exactly just up and tell her that it was life or death.
... Well I could, but that'd just invite a slew of more awkward questions. Nora beamed as she slapped what I took to be a white, bundle of cloth at first as Weiss yelped, awake again and furious as she cried out.
"Well, I've been enjoying my time with the little, bearded guys! They said they'd show me something really cool later today, in exchange for when I let them look over my weapon so I'm excited!" I felt my vision blue screen for a moment, imagining the Mountain Grinder clan with grenade launcher capability and shudder.
"That's... Good." I then take another look at Weiss, worried as Einzbern sniffs and licks her hand. Blake peers behind her own novel, staring as she glances at Nora.
"Um... Is she getting enough sleep?" Weiss, after that little poke just fell back against the cloth and was even snoring cutely and Jaune groaned on the opposite side of the table.
"I wish I was... My own teachers been trying to get me to 'listen to the song of steel' and I've been hitting a brick wall over it!" Yang suddenly had a look of comprehension as she asked.
"Is that why I walked in on you talking to your sword like Ruby does?"
"Crescent Rose has a lot to say!" Ruby protested and Jaune blushed.
Around at that point, a crow flies over and turns back into Qrow. With magic being real, the man figured it didn't matter so much now and then to my surprise, Weiss suddenly sat up, the Schnee emblem appearing and from it, a glowing, white vine suddenly spouted thorns, attempting to whack him!
Qrow dodged it, looking offended and amused at once. "Oh, you do take after her." Weiss looked horrified, trying her best not to yawn. "S-sorry Mr. Branwen. I heard the shift and panicked. My own teacher is a menace."
"..... You're learning from Mi-"
"-I am learning from Mim, yes." Weiss said tiredly and I was shocked again.
I turned to Blake and remarked. "... Don't suppose you found a crazy teacher yourself?" Blake shrugged and spoke. "Mmm... Not really. And it kind of happened by accident." I nodded, pouring myself a cup of orange juice as Blake continues.
"There was a bar fight, we got caught up in it and he insulted my technique. One thing led to another and then next thing I know, I'm visiting for lessons."
"What's their name?" I ask, sipping my drink and enjoying the sweet bliss of pulped fruit. Blake turned her page and then turned my world upside down.
"He calls himself Artemis."
PFFFT!
"NOT THE HAIR!" Yang cried out in fear.
