NOVEL NEXT Chapter 16: Great Dragon Mother
The air, thick with palpable tension, made the passing time, during the stare down, feel like years. Possibly… Decades. In reality it only lasted a few moments, the time it takes to take a couple of breaths or so. In other words just a second or two.
"You've had enough vengeance for one day. Release my children back to me or suffer the con…"
Night Silver gave the dragon a look, the look one would never wish to see. One so fierce that even this massive dragon felt a tinge of fear in her soul.
"Wait a minute… Did that actually attack my soul? She's dangerous but I need to take back whoever I can." "Achem, I mean. I'll be taking my children back. Release the ones that are still alive…"
"You can have all of the ones left alive here…"
"Excellent, then we'll be on our way…"
"Not so fast there. The one in the cage is dead."
Night Silver gave a deathly stare. The mother dragon looked at the cage, the dragon trapped inside was clearly still alive. So she was hesitant.
"I…"
"Accept this or I'll kill all of you in an unhinged rage. I've been holding back. I wanted to cause maximum pain as punishment… But, I'm not opposed to slaughtering you, draining your blood and drinking it like finely aged wine."
This comment sent one hell of a shiver down all of the dragon's spines. Even the gods were a bit surprised by that level of threat. It sure was a hefty one, that definitely got the point across. But even still a dragon has their pride.
"You know, a statement like that might make me fight you instead. Are you not worried that I might attack you?"
"Oh, I don't mind if you do, or don't. I'll still kill you one way or another. You're weaker than that lustful gluttonous bastard was."
"Then at least explain why…"
"That one in the cage is going to receive a truly special punishment. He orchestrated this massive betrayal. And ordered so many of our kind to be swallowed. But… Then he had the nerve… The gall, to call me, a bitch! I won't be letting him get away with that."
"But he's still alive…"
"No he isn't. That's temporary. His life was over the moment he was captured."
Night Silver calmly explained, interrupting the mother dragon specifically to keep her from saying things that would allow her to take that child back.
"You're being quite unreasonable. Killing my bastard cheating husband is one thing, but picking on my children…"
Night Silver smiled, with closed eyes and silently cast a Maximized Boosted Widened Arch Magic - Storm of Vengeance. This was enough to change everything. As the longer this took the more damage the dragons took.
"Are you sure you'd like to press me about this? I'm already being kind enough to let these ones live. My kin, they see me as their godly mother. This makes them my children. And your children… ATE THEM! DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO CLAIM I'M UNREASONABLE!"
The mother dragon shook with a bit of terror. "I'm going to need to get and stay as far away from this woman as possible. Even if it means sacrificing one of the children… Damn her… I'll make sure she dies for this."
"Fine, have it your way. I'm taking my 16 living children away from here."
Night Silver nodded to the great gods, and they backed up. Though they kept their guard up just in case there was a moment the dragons wanted to go back on their word again. Post conflict is usually when tensions are at their absolute zenith.
"Mother, please! Help me!"
"Come children. Let's go, don't fall behind."
The dragon's quickly obeyed and began flying away. The mother of these dragon's flew backwards to ensure nothing would happen. Night Silver smirked.
"Oh, and by the way. I'll be paying you all a visit to collect my Kin. If any of them have been harmed… Well, those children of yours can explain it to you."
"You really are… Fine, but we are keeping the demi-humans."
"Hmm, the ones that feel more humanoid than beast-like should be turned over as well. Now have fun and don't do something stupid like this dead son of yours."
"Hey! I'm still alive here! Come on, give me a break! You're just so delicious!"
"Like I said, your dead son. Hmm, I wonder what I should do with his blood… Fry it? Turn it into some type of booze? Hmm, I'll have to think about that later."
The mother dragon flew away, abandoning her son. She was far enough away that she was able to speak without Night Silver overhearing, or at least the mother dragon thought this distance was far enough away, it was.
"Now, what the hell possessed you idiots to go make a promise you knew you'd go back on?"
"Mother, those people… They are too strong…"
"Shut up! Answer the question!"
"Well, our brother said if we all fought together, we could get rid of the 6 great gods. And then from there, the elf wouldn't be able to do anything?"
"So you just went along with it? Wasn't she the one who cast the spell that ultimately killed your father!? Idiots! We could have had a tacit relationship. Now… We need to find a way to hide some people from her…"
"You mean we're going to hand over all of our tasty snacks? But they keep multiplying! And they taste just so good! Plus they make it easier to use our wild magic."
"You idiots, if Wild Magic was effective against them you'd have won long before I arrived. Stop talking nonsense. We're going to gather and continue the ritual that your father tried. With any luck, we might be able to summon weapons that can deal with them."
…
"Alright, brothers and sisters. Let's wrap this up. I've got a few ideas on some dragon lord blood wine."
"Oh! Sister nature! If you keep that one alive, we can have an endless supply of blood!"
Night Silver's smile turned into a wildly satisfied grin, and licked the bit of blood on the back of her hand.
"I love it. We might have to grab some others at some point."
"Well, don't just sit there! Let's get going! That wine isn't going to make itself."
The god of wind said, pulling two of dragon corpses into his inventory. This was followed up by the others doing the same. But for the "dead" dragon lord, Night Silver just pulled him along with a chipper smile on her face.
"Ah I wonder how it'll taste!"
"I bet it'll be delicious! No, Divine!"
And so, the 6 great gods and their friend Night Silver went back through the gate. And were greeted warmly.
"Meowster's, I am pleased to report, there were no casualties, and we captured 4 dragons, alive… Barely alive, but alive nonetheless."
"Woah! You did a great job Mr Paws."
"Please, no need for flattery Meowster, these were simply stupid overgrown lizards."
"Still, you protected the people here. That is worthy of praise, you did our job…"
"Please Meowster, such paltry foes are unworthy of standing as your opponent. Allow myself and the summons to deal with such contemptible foes."
The gods chuckled nervously, not out of freight, but out of shock.