Chương 134: Chapter 133 [This Worlds Snow White]

He passed it over carefully. Lucas held it in both hands, the egg almost as big as his torso.

"It's warm," he said, looking up at Luka.

"I think it generates its own heat. Doesn't need me to keep it warm." Luka sat down cross-legged in front of him.

"Pretty impressive for something that hasn't hatched yet." Lucas turned it slowly, running his fingers over the scales on the shell. His tail was going in long, slow sweeps.

"What's going to come out of it?"

"I'm not sure. A dragon, obviously. A gold one if the colour of the shell means what I think it means." Luka smiled.

"I don't know what else to expect, but it sounds pretty special."

"Growlie's black," Lucas said seriously.

"I know. I've met Growlie. He's great." Luka nodded at the egg.

"I think this one might grow to be a bit bigger than Growlie. Possibly a lot bigger." Lucas stared at the egg with a reverent expression.

"When it hatches, can I meet them?"

"Of course you can." Lucas gave him a big smile, then went back to the egg, satisfied. Marcus had been quiet on the other side of the workshop, Leo's sword in his hands, his stylus hovering above the runes as he studied them.

"The runes on the handle and blade are connected; you can see how they run into each other." He pointed at the white-wrapped handles where thin blue script could be seen. He tilted the blade slightly.

"My best guess is the enchantment works with what the mythril already does naturally. The metal absorbs magic, and I think whatever's been inscribed builds on that rather than working alongside it as a separate thing." He set it down.

"Beyond that, I can't say. Whoever designed this understood the material in a way I don't." He picked up the disk next, turning it over in his hands, running a finger along the edge, and holding it toward the light.

"This is the most advanced enchanting I've ever seen. By a long way." He set it on the desk.

"The swords I could work with given enough time. But this, the enchantment loops back on itself. I can't find where it starts. Every time I think I've found the beginning, it leads somewhere else." He looked up.

"I have no idea what it does or how it was even made. I can't even say what it's made of."

"You and me both," Sam said. Luka had been listening from across the workshop. He stood up, egg in both hands, and brought it over.

"Any ideas with this? I know it's not your area, but I thought I'd ask while I'm here." He looked down at it.

"Can't exactly go round waving it about asking if anyone knows what sort of dragon to expect." Marcus looked at it properly for the first time, leaning in without touching it.

"I've never seen one this colour," he said.

"I've seen eggs brought in by traders over the years, small ones mostly, dark colours, muted ones. Nothing like this." He tilted it slightly.

"There's a story I heard from a merchant a few years back. He'd been through one of the core cities and got talking to someone who'd seen the military dragons up close. Said their eggs were considerably larger than anything you'd find out here." He handed it back to Luka.

"Whether that's true, I couldn't say. That merchant wouldn't have seen them himself. The nobles don't exactly give traders a tour of their dragon pens." A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"So bigger could just mean a stronger dragon when it hatches," Luka said.

"Probably. Though if the size of this egg is anything to go by, strong might be underselling it." Marcus shook his head.

"A gold egg. I genuinely don't know what that means. I don't think many people would."

"When you work out what each of these does, I'd very much like to know," he said.

"Professional curiosity."

"You'll be the first," Sam said. Lyra began untying her apron.

"We were about to close up. The archery is next, isn't it?"

"We're heading that way," Rika said.

"We'll wait while you lock up. Brandon here is competing." Marcus looked at Parmo with new interest.

"Any good?" Rika answered before Parmo could open his mouth.

"He's going to win it."

"No pressure," Parmo said.

"It's true, though. You're already far better than most of the people here who've been training with a bow for years. And more consistent. Not many of them could loose thirty arrows from your range without missing one." Parmo looked like he wasn't sure whether to be pleased or nervous. Marcus and Lyra exchanged a look. Leo caught it and smirked. I wonder if I'll start hearing rumours about Parmo in the next few hours. Marcus pocketed his key and grabbed his jacket from the hook by the door.

"Right then. Let's go." Lucas had already claimed the spot beside Luka before they'd made it to the street, his tail going, asking questions about the egg that Luka answered one by one.

"Worth knowing what we're actually watching," Leo said as they walked.

"We've been assuming Parmo would be fine without asking a single question about the format." Parmo looked mildly offended.

"I knew the format."

"We don't, though. We were focused on the tournament. Sorry, man," Phil said.

"There are three sections," Rika said.

"Distance shooting first, with targets at different ranges; each archer works through them in order. Then accuracy: smaller targets, same distance, set number of shots. Then the moving target section."

"Moving targets? How does that work?" asked Luka. Marcus smiled.

"I enchanted the targets to kind of bob up and down in the air, a little off the ground. Some are higher up and move more. Others are lower and move side to side."

"Impressive. The enchantment with the red marks for the tournament was pretty cool as well," said Phil.

"Thank you. I'm glad I can make it after all. I've been working on getting some stuff ready for tomorrow. I'm glad you liked them, though. Makes it a lot easier for Grimgar to judge."

"How does scoring work?" Sam asked.

"Judges hold boards up after each section. Points for each hit, bonus for the centre. Added up at the end."

"How are you feeling about it?" Phil asked Parmo.

"Distance and precision I'm confident in. The moving targets will be new, but I think I can handle it." He shrugged.

"Ask me after." Phil watched Luka talk to Lucas, the kid looking like he'd just found a new best friend.

"Luka's got it easy," he said quietly.

"Kids and dragons just take to him. He's like this world's version of Snow White." Leo watched Luka crouch slightly to hear something Lucas was saying.

"Yeah," he said.

"If Snow White was a dwarf."

"I heard that."

"Apparently he's also part elf," said Sam with a chuckle. Torren looked over.

"It's a good thing elves take pride in their hearing; otherwise, that might have come across as a bit mean, Sam."

"Oh sh—" He caught the word, noticing Lucas was listening.

"Yeah, I didn't even think. Elves have great hearing in our tales. I didn't mean it as an insult." Torren grinned.

"I wouldn't worry. They'll think it's a compliment. Just be careful. You make a joke about a dwarf and one hears you, you'll know about it."

"Message received." Leo and Phil chuckled. Watching Sam, who was supposed to be the smart one, get told off by Torren for something one of them was more likely to mess up was a rare treat.

"Wow, dude. Didn't realise you were an elf racist," mocked Phil.

"Yeah, not cool, dude," said Leo. Sam gave them the finger and rolled his eyes.

"Didn't realise my mid-thirties mates had the maturity of children."

"No idea how you missed it," said Parmo with a laugh.