I realise I strictly speaking don’t have to kill or befriend her right now - This is far enough from people that she probably won’t kill anyone, and I could return later and gradually befriend her. Or tame her.

The problem lies in the fact that people use this area for hiking and stuff, and I’m not sure she wouldn’t prey on them for food, or simply to get possible threats away from the nest. Actually, will she even leave the nest now that her mate is dead? If I didn’t live in an apartment in the middle of the city I could’ve tried coaxing her to my house.

Hmm, I wonder if I could buy some empty land nearby. That’d be useful for multiple things, actually. I could set up a proper workshop, and test spells and such. For now, let’s look over my abilities and see if there’s anything I could use. Hm, [Mind Magic] might work. Essentially, setting up some sort of translation spell. Or connect our minds, but that sounds dangerous. Ehh, let’s try.

So, what I want from the spell is a ‘soft’ bond between our minds, to aid in understanding each other I should leverage the aspect and [Beast Empathy], but ultimately [Mind Magic] is what will do the heavy lifting. Which means I should equip that, if at all possible. [Beast Empathy] is required, and if I do end up fighting I need [Mana Perception], [Force magic], and [Body Enhancement].

That leaves [Regeneration] and [Meditation], and I don’t think I should use magic without [Meditation]; I already have the beginning of a headache, and I think I completely ran out of mana earlier, when the dead wyvern landed on me… Will I get the mental equivalent to sore muscles tomorrow? I hope not, that would be awful. Either way, [Regeneration] is the only option. Besides, if we do end up fighting I could force swap the abilities.

Okay. Let’s try this. I really have no idea how to accomplish this, save for my intent and the fact that the [System] often assists by pushing me just in the right direction. I carefully sit down, ready to defend myself if she grabs the chance, but aside for the ever present curiosity, and anger and fear slowly being replaced with sorrow, there’s only a tinge of… Something, and then it’s gone.

I beckon for her to lower her head again, and this time she complies without an oral order. She really is smart. Just, how smart? Let’s assume she understands at least simple speech, and explain what I want to do. “I want to use a magic. It will create a bond between us, so that we can better understand each other.”

I glide my hand over the fine, dark gray scales on her head. She seems pleased, but she’s put weight on my leg in such a way that I will probably get pins and needles later. Oh well. A small price to pay. “Is that fine with you?”

She lets out a garbled cry, flinging a few remaining globs of blood at my chest. Well, it’s not like I’m not already covered in blood. I get the impression that she agrees, and start guiding mana. I start by guiding mana to my head, then draw a solid strand of mana to the giant head in my lap. “Connect with me.”

She does as instructed, meeting my mana with her own.

And my mind is blown. I can feel the mana coursing through her immense frame, from the mana crystal and her heart, through the various channels in both blood vessels and flesh, to the very tips of her wings. It’s… Beautiful. Magnificent. Awe-inspiring. So much mana, flowing so much smoother, much more naturally, than my own. I see now, how to make my body magical.

I have just a moment to notice my new sub-ability, [Mana Manipulation: Mana Link].

And then her mana flows into me. The sheer density of the mana burns my unprepared body, and it is only because I have my own mana concentrated in my head it doesn’t sear my brain from the inside. I open my mouth for a scream, violently trying to get away from the scorching torment that flows into me, but at this point I can do little more than try to guard my head and vital organs.

Even as the mana pushes against my faltering defences, I am helpless to do anything, and the only things that exist, is the pain, and what little mana I have regained after the battle, my final stand against oblivion. After an eternal moment, for the first time after testing it once, I force an ability swap. Through the pain I make sure of only one thing: I need to heal!

My body instantly takes available mana to fuel the passive [Regeneration] magic. Another moment lasting longer than eternity, and suddenly no more mana is forced into my body. I instinctively spread my mana around my body, corralling the remaining invasive mana to a single spot, where it won’t do much damage.

I open my eyes and draw a harsh breath, the first after it started, no more than a second earlier. I look at the wyvern, tears in my eyes from the still fresh pain. She was the one to sever the link, and now she looks at me with worry. What… was that even? Mana burns… I can barely move my aching body, but I can see dark lines and a lack of scales where the mana has passed through my body.

What happened? We made a… mana link, and I could sense through her mana. And then… She poured a lot of mana into me? I wince as I shift to a more comfortable position. Did she mean to? Is that a thing wyverns do? I focus on the mana I trapped. It’s incredibly dense. I think the link should have left at least one of us in control, but did the connection work akin to opening a valve to a giant reservoir? She has so much mana, so is that what happened?

I was very low on mana, after using all I had to kill the other wyvern. I might’ve blacked out back then, actually. I constantly drew in mana after that, though. Still, even at ‘full tank’ I’d only have a fraction of what she has, not only because she’s bigger, but also because of that density. I should try to find a way to condense mana. And use the insight I gained to make a mana core and mana channels.

Ick, her mana still burns strong, stinging my body from the inside. I sit cross legged and turn inwards. The trapped mana is still dense. Is that why it burns? I experimentally try to drain off a little bit. I succeed, but it does not disperse until I force it with my own mana. How? Does she has super-mana? Or does she condense it? I throw away such thoughts as I start to drain and disperse and properly absorb the mana.

Even after absorbing all the foreign mana, I just sat there, petting the wyvern, for longer than I needed, or had planned to. Well, my entire body aches and I feel mentally exhausted and have a minor headache, from my over-consumption of mana and forced ability swap, I think. “This is kinda pleasant.” The wyvern lets out a soft garble, as if to echo me.

“But I should probably get going.” I get up unsteadily and turn to the magnificent beast. Actually, the [Mana Link] ruined my plan of linking our minds, but if we avoid that, I might make some progress. Now that I have refilled my mana and are prepared, I might be able to do it safely. No, let’s not. Actually, I know what I can do. I take a few steps away. “One moment, I will change.”

The first time I take on a form is usually a bit confusing, and any strong instincts can be surprising, but I have plenty of practice by now. I open the sides of the sleeveless shirt, and then I start shapeshifting to a new form: That of a more humanoid Wyvern. Like the birdkin form, it will be a bit stumpy. My body is not in the best condition to do a full shapeshift, but since it will ache for a while anyway I would rather be able to fly, and perhaps form a bond with her, than having to walk to the nearest road and call for someone to pick me up.

When I open my eyes after taking on the form, I am face to face with her. “I will try again. Do not link our mana.” I think at least one of my guesses should be correct, so instead of making a connection with mana first, I form my mana into [Mind Magic], touching only lightly on my own brain. I look at the face of my earlier adversary, currently staring at me intently. Well, here goes nothing.

I ready my mana to form a barrier between us, as well as to break the spell if I need to. And then the spell connects to her. At first, it is effortlessly resisted, then enveloped in her mana, seemingly inspected. Finally, she opens her defences, and the spell connects two very different, but in a way similar, minds. And I recoil by the sudden impressions.

My surroundings suddenly become, not quite clear, but I simply know them. This area is my nest. Let nothing close. This much much larger area is my territory. Hunt is good to the east, but too far south and the air is bad. Ah, no, stop! Far to the west is mountains. There are others there, do not intrude on their territory.

I stem the flow, guiding it to what I want. Mate is dead, protected me. No, her. Curious creature here, me, of the small ones, but also of Us. It killed mate, in protecting itself. Hurt mm-her. Does not want to fight. Healed her. It-me! I am curious, of wyverns, of her, of the egg. It seeks a nest. I do? I am weak, but still strong, knowledge lets me do much. Stop!

I find myself on all fours, like she stands, breathing heavily. What- she- I- Okay. Deep breath. I think I prefer the subtle knowledge from the [System] better than… that. ｢Little one take, but do not give.｣ Huh? Did she talk? Wait, the mind bond works? Does she mean me?//｢Do you mean me?｣

｢{Affirming}You are little one.｣ With the words ‘little one’, an image of myself, from another perspective flashes in my mind. It works, ｢haha, {joyful}it really works!｣

｢{Confused}Little one give only like lightning. {Questioning}Where is little one’s territory of hunt?｣The words are not words, no more than those of the [System], more an idea, a concept. Some are shown as images, some are smells, sounds. Even taste. They are all memories. But there is something… other. The abstract. It is faint, but there.

｢{Uncertain}Do I think too fast for you?｣ I send, ｢{Impressed}She learned how to use this quickly.｣ Oh. So that’s what’s going on. Surface thoughts and stronger emotions are broadcast. ｢{Apologetic}Sorry, I am learning how to do this.｣

A warmth fills the mental bond, and a moment later I sense a similar feeling with [Beast Empathy]. So- ｢{Affectionate}This one also learns. {Urging}Little one give too fast. This one can not follow.｣

Does she think slowly? I should send the messages more slowly, deliberating. ｢You asked about my territory to hunt.｣ How do I explain how that works to a creature who is far from civilized? ｢Little ones, like me. We are called humans. I use magic, to become like others, like you.｣ I transmit a mental flight, back to the city. ｢Humans.｣

I think of as many fruits and berries and the like I can, as well as as a field of swaying wheat. ?We eat many things. We make much from the earth and plants.? I pause, holding the message for a moment. ｢{Uncertain/questioning}Do you understand?｣

The answer is just confusion. As I thought, it might be very difficult to teach an animal about human values and concepts. But the first step worked, and if her understanding is at the level of a young kid, that just means I can communicate as if she were one. Or perhaps, I can do what she did at first, share a lot of knowledge?

I start with numerous different humans, then myself. Different cities, houses, cars and other large inventions. ｢Humans.｣ I show more images, of farms, both for meat and plants, of people eating. ｢Human food.｣

I change to me, myself, and show where in the city my apartment is, the inside, and the look from the air above it. ｢This is my- home. I do not need to hunt, but I hunt in the eastern forest.｣ For everything important, I share my understanding of the concept, with examples. Barring moral guardians, this might be the new way to teach kids. After all, if you can directly impart the understanding of more advanced concepts to them, they could learn so much quicker. Heck, it could work for higher education as well.

｢{Confused}Little one confuse this one. Little one have nest, but wants a new one. {Questioning} Does little one seek a mate?｣ I look at her in mild horror at the implications, but then realise she probably has a completely different understanding of such things. I reply: ｢Not quite.｣