Chương 98: 1-97 Lapis

Once Lapis opened her eyes, she immediately wished to close them again. When that first crack had formed across her eye, just in time to witness the fight of that delightful water-attuned familiar, she had been overjoyed. Truly, waking up at all after betting everything on that desperate plan was a miracle in itself. And to see the fruits of her labour in action right after, using her natural element? Absolutely brilliant. If only things hadn't consistently gotten worse after that.

Just how had her Drake managed to navigate them into such a mess? And why had every moment since her consciousness returned been spent inside some dinky sewer? Was the ocean not good enough for him? Did he not understand that there was perfectly fine natural water out there? Or did the oceans simply dry out since she took her involuntary nap? Lapis shuddered. No, she didn't even want to imagine that, or what else had happened in the last… 900 years?

At first, she wanted to deny what her sense of time revealed, but the system told her much the same. Oh elders, has it truly been that long? No self-respecting dragon should sleep for more than a century at a time. Otherwise, they'd be called out as a slacker! Not to mention the degradation of her hoard after that long without any maintenance. Well, at least there was no one around to nag her or criticise her lair. That was the one gem in this otherwise rotten nest.

Just then, a sudden shower of gravel interrupted Lapis's wandering mind. She always had a fuzzy mind right after waking from her naps, but right now really wasn't the best time to dawdle. That idiot of a Drake had punched a hole into her prison, only to fall unconscious immediately after, dumping a messy battle into her claws. And just now, an especially bad-smelling elven girl was thrown against a nearby slab, shattering the rock and its occupant.

Meaning she just breathed in some mortal that was crushed into dust. Disgusting. Usually, she would decline such a rude, implicit request for help outright, especially when it originated from a Drake, but the opponent in question offered enough motivation. This was more for the sake of her own temper than about easing the worldly burdens of a heartstone bearer, Lapis argued. Naturally, it also had nothing to do with some desperate need for the mortal she chose to survive.

After all, that brazen elf dared to wield the accursed power of the Stillness! Did he not understand how this power was an anathema to the world? Or had mortals grasped for yet another source of power, fancying themselves dragon slayers? If they had, then for once, they had actually chosen an effective means. Until now, that was. Lapis wanted to take her time, making sure the elf came to regret every single choice of his life twice over, but alas, she was not in a suitable position to do so.

There wasn't even enough of her mana to shape a proper body, much less the amount required to show her magical dominance. All she had was that painfully broken flesh of her Drake, serving as a crude avatar for her consciousness. How he had managed to last that long in a failing shell, she could not imagine. The pain alone should have felled him twice over, and the infestation of the Stillness should have suffocated all that was left of him. The disease had even reached his heartstone!

And now she had to endure those very sensations, just to finish a fight that her Drake had started. Over some stupid dog, no less. Sure, she had done crazier things for her own pet, but those she had done knowing she had the power to back her conviction. This mortal was as stubborn as a hatchling, truly, and a complete lunatic on top. But being likeable was not going to save him from recompense. She would have some choice words for him by the time he awoke. One after another, Lapis worked those aching muscles.

Every tiny movement spread cracks across her skin, causing small pieces to peel off. The condition of this body was terrifyingly similar to that of her own just days before the Stillness had fully taken her. By all means, she shouldn't even be able to move a talon. But somehow, that defiant spark of chaos deep within kept beating the odds. If only she could access it herself, maybe she could fix her current circumstances. Unfortunately, she would have to make do with what she was given.

Almost no mobility, and a trickle of mana that snaked its way through the dry cracks within. Her, or rather the Drake's, companions weren't going to be much help either, she concluded. A half-dead magical creature, barely even attuned to its summoner, and two lesser scalekin, as mundane as they come. Not to mention that snot-nosed brat of Siegfried's blood. How that weirdo had ever found a mate, she couldn't even begin to fathom. Having to stand alongside the spawn of that barbarian, her fate was truly vexing.

With an inaudible sigh, Lapis gathered her opening strike. An agonizingly slow process, with so little mana at her disposal, but one easily completed in relative peace. Fortunately, she had long since learned to ignore any of that superfluous shouting and crying on the field of battle. It was a natural consequence to despair in a fight which required the might of a dragon.

And while she would have usually demanded full attention for her own actions, Lapis decided that, just this once, she would allow these mortals to overlook her participation. Until the concepts of her spell were fully woven, that was. From the outside, there was little chance to spot her accumulating her magic, because she remained almost completely still, as droplets of water gathered within her closed palm.

Finally, as a mass the size of a golden coin had amassed, she decisively raised the arm, pointing a palm at her enemy. That action caused a nightmarish sound, as pieces of skin and flesh cracked and broke off her vessel. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Its insides were doubtlessly ruined as well, moving only by sheer willpower and the guidance of mana.

At last, she was ready to fire at the insolent elf, and so she announced her attack with a mighty roar. Which, to lesser creatures, might have sounded like a dry gasp. Her target, which had just slapped aside the scalekin-runt and turned to admonish the deathly pale one, reacted surprisingly adequately. Despite having no warning, and almost no time to react, a barrier of light still sprang up just barely in time to stop the projectile a scale's width from its forehead.

Considering her skill could push the projectile beyond the speed of sound, that was no small task. What she enjoyed even more, though, was the sudden look of terror on the mortal's face when their eyes crossed. At least it understood the significance of her presence, diminished as she was by her current vessel. However, that did nothing to stop Lapis from immediately following the first attack with a whole torrent.

One by one, projectiles even smaller than the original droplets peeled from the marble before darting forward. Despite the interval of her shots, she even made sure to alternate the exact locations she aimed for. Head, chest, belly, and even the joints of the limbs. Each and every attack aimed for a lethal or crippling weak point. They also curved at differing angles, allowing her to show off her superior control in the face of this terribly limited mana.

The elf called on more of his accursed light, while furiously jerking out of harm's way. Much to Lapis's amusement, it even tried to roll between attacks! She had seen jesters less gangly than this! The loss of the artifact had surely reduced the stability of this makeshift domain, limiting the so-called bishop's ability to control the external mana. Her Drake did deserve some commendation for removing that particularly nasty obstacle. Perhaps she would admonish him a little more softly once they came face to face.

But only a little. Naturally, no mere mortal could escape her onslaught unharmed, and soon fresh blood dripped onto the floor. None of the lethal shots had landed as intended, but after confirming hits on both a leg and an arm, aiming that final, finishing strike had just become much easier. To Lapis's utter surprise, the elf grabbed the pale reptile and hoisted him up as a shield. How droll, was that supposed to block her attack?

Sending the final droplet from her palm, she set it straight on a lethal course, aiming for the head. A bit of scales and bone would do little to slow her magic, and even ten such obstacles would not hinder its lethality. The elf had clearly miscalculated and would now pay with his wretched life. Her spell missed. By the width of a scale, its trajectory deviated, cutting a shallow line across that lizard's cheek. Lapis reeled in shock, staring at her outstretched claw as much as her current vessel allowed for it.

How could that be, she raged internally. Her spellwork was an image of perfection, as always! There was no way a projectile guided by intent could miss on its own! Who would dare to interfere with… That foolish, naïve, and astounding Drake of hers. His mind was already stirring below the surface now that his body had begun to move. Such persistence was befitting his position, even if it made her want to bite his tail off.

Because his feeble mind had somehow, while treading through its own unconsciousness, reached out to alter her spell. All for the sake of some mundane reptile. Sure, those were more likeable than the other creatures scurrying across Aurum, but that was just too much. She had truly found the most exciting fool out there, hadn't she? Now it only remained to be seen whether his decision was worth it, or if it had doomed them all.

Because she was certainly not getting another chance like that, with her own paltry trickle of mana not enough to form another such spell. Could he not have made a bigger crack? Raising a shaky, bloody hand of its own, the bishop retaliated with a piercing beam of light, aiming to encase her in Stillness once more. Such a blatant move would ordinarily have no chance of making contact with her, but because of her vessel's current condition…

With considerable effort, she used the trickles of mana to create a small sheet of water beneath her feet, skidding to the side just in time to dodge the beam. At the end of that move, she barely kept her own balance, though, and cursed the inferior bipedal structure of her current shape. It was clear why creatures with that unsteady build had remained inferior to dragonkind since time immemorial! Unfortunately, that put her in a precarious, defensive position.

Forced to dodge that accursed light over and over again, with little room to retake the offense. Not while she had to spend all her mana on moving her vessel. Even if she could hoard away a tiny fraction as time passed, she had no expectations of piercing the elf's living shield. Not with her Drake's willful mind hanging onto the edge of her spells. A challenging position to be in, and Lapis was thrilled about that. It had been too long since she had felt genuinely threatened in a fight.

If only her time weren't limited by a failing vessel and the waking mind of her Drake, she would truly indulge in the impulses of combat. Thus, she began to look for an alternative opening to strike down that elf as soon as possible. And as she did, she noticed the shaking of the scalekin, the one whose existence had become a burden to their continued survival. He didn't smell like fear, though her nose was unreliably dull at the moment.

His tail, at least, was curled cautiously, while the teeth were bared in aggression. Or perhaps it was pain? She was no expert on the matter, but he almost looked like a whelp about to descend into a tantrum. Well, she wouldn't mind if the lizard distracted his captor, or got himself killed trying to pull some stupid stunt. Either outcome would work just fine for her. The distraction turned out to be quite eye-catching, as those deathly pale scales simmered in intense heat, turning a dark shade of pink.

However, a quick glance confirmed that this fire could not burn away the Stillness. Instead, it had merely mixed into it so thoroughly that heat became another aspect carried by it. As far as magic was concerned, usurping another affinity like that was an impressive display, especially between seemingly unrelated elements. Unfortunately, it would ultimately prove useless. If that much was enough to overcome the disease, then dragonkind would never have been threatened by it in the first place.

After all, there were no beings more magically adept than them! However, the outcome was still more than enough to reset the rhythm of their fight, allowing Lapis to once again seize the offensive. If mana allowed it, she would end things right then and there.