Master Of None

Midnight and Walker took a few moments to look at the skeletal remains of the two mages who had perished here so very many years ago. They had done their duty to move their most sacred statues hiding the research and legacy they had created. It was a noble cause and one that deserved a moment of silent reflection.

Being able to maintain and pass on a legacy was a major focus for many of those within the guilds of Genesis. It was part of a master and disciple relationship that had been normal for many years for all kingdoms.

This was why searches and competitions were so popular amongst the dwarves in terms of their forging or the demi-humans in their arenas. Despite the standing that came with being masters in crafting or combat, they all wanted to pass on what they spent their lives learning and refining. Always improving what was possible for their respective field.

These ancient mages had taken survival in terms of earth magic in various forms. This led to many arcane classes and a reputation for saving others when they could. Anyone who said that passing on their legacy would not be worthwhile would be foolish.

After their moment, Walker began to move back to the hole leading to the surface. He could see the many cuts in the rock where the spider had moved up. He could also see that there were some small tunnels most likely from smaller monsters burrowing in the ground and accidentally breaking in to this cave. The small bits of fur here and there proved that they had not met a joyful end after accidentally entering this cavern.

With a little earth mana, Walker sealed the hole leaving the flow of air cut off. For now, it was a good stop gap so that the people working in the ruins would not worry about new enemies appearing out of nowhere. It was also a good way to ensure that there was no one to disturb the remains left in the other area of the cave before they returned to the ruins.

When the pair walked back in, everyone looked expectant leaving Walker to explain what they found and how they would need to find an inheritor for the legacy.

”Have one of the earth dragon hatchlings or earth wyverns learn it. The ritual should let them, right?” Everyone was surprised that Su was suggesting this since they expected her to want to confer with her partner, a literal earth spirit, about taking the legacy in some way or being able to pass it on in another way.

Noticing their confusion, Su spoke up again. ”The earth dragon hatchlings are fewer than others because the earth dragons left their eggs to hatch and grow alone for the beginning of their lives. Less survived compared to the other dragons. So this could be a way to maintain their stability and equality. Especially since Terron will most likely have half breed children with the earth wyvern queen in the future.”

Blunt, but very true. Terron did not dance around his desire to protect the earth wyvern queen and even the hatchlings she had watched over for years who did not have a dragon father. He was an upstanding man who could serve as an example of care for others despite not being directly linked to them.

Regardless, Su had good points about the earth wyverns as well. ”If an earth wyvern hatchling learned the way of natural earth mana used in ancient times, it might be a good way to match the combined might of the other wyvern species to the earth wyverns. They still have some resentment between one another and this is a way to make sure that the older wyverns all respect one another.”

There was a lot of tension on the Sigil continent as the wyvern species of different affinities clashed. It was a bit reminiscent of the elves but different in the sense that there were more barbaric actions in fighting one another from the wyverns.

Yet, it had also been seen that the earth wyverns who had been less educated and more bestial were beginning to accept their more intelligent role as a properly recognized world race. They were learning from the other races and also beginning to show their strengths. It was an impressive change compared to the first time that the party had met a wyvern at all.

”I think it would be better for the wyverns than the dragons. The earth dragons have Terron standing as a protector but the earth wyverns are not necessarily as strong since they are purely governed by the queen and haven’t managed to step aside other than their numbers in terms of strength. The other wyverns are already strong enough to fight a few earth wyverns.” Remey had witnessed a few small skirmishes that Ignus or another dragon had stepped in to handle. So she had the best opinion on this.

”That’s that then, we will find a hatchling that might need an extra push and allow them to take this path if they want.” Walker smiled a bit before he changed the topic again.

”Everything found here will be brought back, we can trust the guards and the researchers to handle that. The adventurers are also showing off some documentation skills. I have a feeling this was encouraged by Clara in the new recruitment and testing of young adventurers.” It wasn’t a secret that standards for the veteran and young adventurers had grown much more lately.

Specifically, the knowledge how to map, record information, and also generally communicate has grown. It had been a major focus simply because all of the kingdoms were in need of these skills and an adventurer having the basics was invaluable to every position now. It was just a change in the times.

”So we are going to head back and look for more towers?” The short sight after he spoke told everyone that Gil was not enjoying this new continent nearly as much as possible. There was a lot to explore, but hunting for ruins and trying to discover this and that hadn’t really given any ground breaking new knowledge other than the fairy dragons and how ancient magic might have worked.

Until they found methods to utilize that ancient magic or actually find a place for the fairy dragons, it seemed like they had just taken on a few new responsibilities. It was like adding on to the to do list without the time to actually do the first thing on that list. It felt pointless.

”I think we should actually head back and see how the teleportation formation is coming along. I want to check and see if there are natural runes that we can use to help the fairy dragons to hatch. We know that the statues we just found will need a naturally formed earth rune, but if we can find more naturally formed runes, we could be able to hatch the fairy dragons or awaken the dormant ones sooner.”

The reason that Walker had his eyes on Gil was because the forest elves had three different naturally formed runes in the forest now. Ever since the connection to the elemental planes returned, this was a more common occurrence. Therefore, Gil could travel a little there and also be the focus on what would happen in those areas when the fairy dragons awoke.

There would need to be those who learned about the fairy dragons and also protected them. It was part of their duty to these beings nearly left to go extinct in ancient times.

”Before we go, we need to hunt!” Midnight wanted a good fight and she was tired of waiting. She hadn’t let loose properly in some time and this was the chance. A vast wilderness with monsters that should be able to give her a challenge. So there was no way she was letting that escape her.

”Why not get a better view from above and see what we can see then?” Remey grinned a little too hard showing her teeth. Apparently, she was also looking for a good fight before she went back and kept working on the new forms of potions. Digging deeper in to the potential of celestial potions and the fact that more potential grand potion creators were bringing a lot of new research to her desk.

There was also a slight smirk that told everyone she was thinking about Ignus after they had mentioned dragons a few times. As much as she wouldn’t say it out loud, the pair had become closer than peas in a pod. They worked together and fought together. So, it made sense that she would feel somewhat lost without him around. It was a certainty that Ignus was the same, although, as a royal dragon, the alone might be an all too familiar feeling that Remey helped chase away.

An odd thought to think that the more powerful beings were the loneliest. Walker dwelled on that a bit longer.

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