The Fiery Crown Cycle: A Dragon's Rebirth

Chapter 118

Aiden stopped in front of the gryphon carcasses. Both beasts were headless, their severed necks raw and dripping. The fresh scent of blood and meat hung heavy in the air.

The bodies of high-tier magical beasts were rich in mana, which preserved the flesh long after death, right until the mana finally dissipated.

His gaze fell on the one that had already been gutted. With a sweep of his long, serpentine tail, he cleared the spilled entrails aside.

Rearing up slightly, he dug his claws deep into the carcass and pulled. The heavy body scraped across the stone, leaving a dark smear of blood in its wake. He dragged it to Azure and released it.

"Eat."

Azure's head lifted. Her gaze fixed on the carcass, a flicker of hunger appearing in her eyes. She lunged, her jaws clamping down, and tore a massive, bloody chunk from the gryphon's flank, beginning to chew.

As she ate, Aiden studied her. The wounds on her wings had scabbed over, but the holes were still there. He could see her claws and tail were still limp and useless. It'll be a while before she's fully recovered.

His tail snaked out, coiled around the half-eaten red magic crystal, and set it down in front of her.

Azure stopped chewing, her head lifting. Her eyes widened slightly at the offering.

"Eat this when you're done," Aiden said. "It'll speed your recovery."

Azure stared at him. That strange feeling returned, her heart quickening its beat. She had a fleeting, absurd urge to nuzzle him.

She crushed it instantly. I am not Bianca. Such displays are pointless.

She gave a curt nod. "Mm. Understood."

The impulse to act like that fool was becoming distracting. She couldn't look at him. Azure buried her head in the carcass and continued to tear at the meat.

Aiden watched her eat. Her head wasn't as round or "cute" as Bianca's, but there was a certain refined beauty to her. Especially those deep, calm eyes.

His foreclaw lifted before he'd even thought about it. By the time he realized what he was doing, his claw was already resting on her head.

Azure paused, then... continued eating.

Well, in for a penny. He gave her a single, smooth pat.

He pulled his claw back. Her scales felt just as smooth, but where Bianca's were always cool to the touch, Azure's were warm. He retracted his claw, lifted his head, and looked to the sky outside the cave.

Right. Time for a flight.

He began to walk toward the entrance.

Azure stopped eating. Her head came up, and her eyes followed Aiden's departing red form. She watched until he spread his wings and launched from the cave, then she lowered her head back to her meal.

That strange feeling again. She hadn't wanted him to leave her sight.

This, she supposed, was what low-tier sapient life forms would call "loneliness."

Such useless emotions were for low-tier species. I had no need for them.

Azure banished the thought, and her agitated heart slowly calmed, returning to its normal rhythm. She bent her head and continued to eat.

After another half hour, she was full. She turned to the magic crystal.

Augh. She clamped her jaws down and began to crunch through it.

She was about two-thirds of the way through when a massive wave of exhaustion hit her. She fought the urge, forcing herself to finish the last piece. The moment it was down, her head sank to the stone and her eyes closed.

A soft, even breath signaled she was asleep.

***

The warm wind rushed over Aiden's head.

He looked down, soaring over a lush, vibrant green forest. It was beautiful. Nothing like that damn desert.

His gaze landed on a wide river cutting through the trees.

A bath. Good idea.

He banked, tucked his wings, and dove.

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KA-SPLOOSH!

His red body slammed into the water, sending a plume of spray dozens of feet high.

Underwater, his nictitating membranes slid shut, protecting his eyes. He saw long, green weeds waving in the current, and large fish weaving between them.

Fish.

The thought instantly brought back the memory of those other fish, the ones with the massive, flowing tails. A surge of annoyance hit him. These fish were a dull, normal sea-green, their tails simple and plain. Nothing like the brilliant, soft fins of those koi.

They were just as big, though.

Roasted fish it is!

His tail propelled him forward, shooting toward a seven-foot-long fish that was lazily nibbling on weeds.

The fish didn't seem to notice him, continuing its meal.

Aiden closed the distance. When he was less than three feet away, the black fish gave a single, casual-looking flick of its tail and vanished, reappearing forty feet away in an instant.

Aiden's eyes narrowed. He stopped, hovering in the water.

...Are you kidding me? That's cheating!

Fine! If you won't play fair, I won't play at all!

He opened his jaws, and a torrent of red Fire Breath gouted into the water.

The river around him flash-boiled. The searing heat tore through the water, turning the clear river cloudy and charring the lush weeds to black silt. He continued the blast, sweeping it back and forth until the entire patch of weeds was a desolate, bubbling wasteland.

He felt satisfied. Damn right! Can't catch you? Fine. I'll just starve you.

He swam for the surface.

SPLASH!

He broke through, floating on the current. He lifted his wings from the water, shaking them in a glorious, glittering spray. The river water had washed him clean, and his red scales shone in the light.

Heh. I am, without a doubt, the best-looking dragon alive.

With a final, narcissistic thought, he beat his wings, rose from the river, and turned his gaze toward the forest.

Right, time to hunt for ingredients.

With a beat of his wings, Aiden launched from the river and flew toward the forest. The canopy was dense, his wingspan already too wide to navigate it. He flew for only a moment before dropping to the forest floor, folding his wings, and continuing on foot.

He didn't have to walk long. Off to his right, beneath a large, shady tree, he spotted a cluster of brightly colored mushrooms.

He hurried over and sat down, lowering his head. The mushrooms were vibrant—purple, red, and yellow—covered in fresh dew that made them glisten.

He plucked a purple one, tossed it in his mouth, and chewed.

Om nom.

For a fleeting second, his vision multiplied, the world dissolving into a thousand overlapping trees. Just as quickly, the vision faded.

What a vibrant, earthy flavor.

His eyes lit up. These were top quality. This would make a truly incredible soup.

Nice! his "rawr" a silent purr of excitement. Finding ingredients this good, this fast... My luck is insane!

He ripped a long, thin vine from a nearby tree, held it in his left claw, and began carefully picking and stringing the mushrooms with his right. He spent ten minutes on all fours, clearing the entire patch. When he was done, he held up the resulting string. It had to be at least fifteen feet long.

He tied the ends in a quick, tight knot and draped the entire mushroom chain around his neck.

He stood up and moved on. Soon, he found another patch under a different tree.

They were all grey.

Tsk. Boring. They probably taste terrible. Pass.

He kept walking. Another patch came into view, this time orange-yellow ones under a massive pine.

Still just one color. Ugly. Pass.

He continued on.

Squelch.

He'd stepped on something.

He froze, took a step back, and lowered his head. Purple pulp was smeared on his hind claw. All around, the ground was littered with basketball-sized purple fruits, each marked with a fine, black, web-like pattern.

He leaned in, his wide nostrils flaring. A rich, sweet fragrance filled his senses.

Well, these smell incredible.

Om nom. He bit into one. Mmm.

The juice exploded in his mouth. It was incredibly sweet, the pit was tiny, and the flesh had a heady, perfumed flavor. He had a brief vision: a forty-foot-tall tree, heavy with fruit, shimmering in the light.

He swallowed.

Not bad at all. I'll take two. This would make an amazing glaze for the roast...

He crouched, scooped up two whole fruits, and looked up. There was the tree from his vision, loaded with fruit. He saw yellow and purple ones. Yellow must be unripe. Purple is ready. The ones on the ground must have just fallen.

He mentally marked the location. He'd test these two first, and if they were good, he'd be back for more.

He picked up his claws and continued on.

Rustle!

A blur of motion in his peripheral vision. A Great-Horn. His arrival must have spooked it. The beast bounded away on its absurdly long, seven-foot legs.

Aiden ignored it, but as he was about to look away, he froze.

He looked back, toward the path the Great-Horn had taken.

There, in a messy thicket, was a plant. It was covered in small, cone-shaped, red fruits pointing at the sky.

His pupils contracted into razor-thin slits.

No. Way.

He scrambled forward, crashing through the underbrush. He stopped and lowered his body, staring intently.

The stalk was straight. The flowers, some white, some purplish, drooped slightly. And there they were. Dozens of small, red fruits.

He carefully plucked one. He tossed it into his mouth.

A bright, sharp, spicy flavor exploded on his tongue.

That's it! It's a chili pepper!

He stared at the plant, an uncontrollable grin spreading across his muzzle. Hell yes! This is amazing!

He looked up, counting. One, two, three... fifteen!

Fifteen full plants!

He stared at his new treasures. This is going to make the roast absolutely divine.

Right! And I'll get some salt from that short-lived species contractor!

Roast Meat + wild onion + flamepepper berries + chili pepper glaze + fruit jam + mushrooms = The Ultimate Delicious Roast!

His eyes lit up. He shoved his claw into the dirt and, with one motion, scooped up the first chili pepper plant, roots, soil, and all.

A treasure this great must be planted back at the lair, where I can watch it!

And who can watch it...? Heh. Isn't there a pet 'dog' back home? (Garruk)

He is perfect for the job.

And if he fails, he goes on the grill. He grinned again.

He carefully dug up all fifteen plants, gathered them in his arms, and unfurled his wings.

With a powerful beat, he launched upward. His long, serpentine tail became a red blur, whipping back and forth, slicing through the branches that blocked his ascent.

CRASH! and CRACKLE!

As several treetops he'd brutalized finally gave way and fell to the forest floor, Aiden burst free of the canopy.

He ignored the commotion below.

With a beat of his wings, he flew toward the mountain lair.