"It is unknown why monsters hold such violent behaviors. It is thought that they are innately pushed to fight each other like rabid beasts, but this theory is proven wrong, to some extent at least, from the existence of sentient monsters. Those often look at their unthinking brethren with disgust, and pursue more personal, human-like goals.”

“Monster like… like dragons?”

“Indeed! Depending on their breed, they can behave almost like us humans. Although, one thing holds true for all of them: their absolute obsession for any form of treasure.”

-Professor Alaric, holding a class at the Beacon of civilization.

Nashariel pov

“Do we go back the slow way, or the fun way?” The omnidragon asked with a smirk. Her protégés were all healed up by now and had stored everything. Not foreseeing the ambush stung, but it had been a while since they had such a fun hunt. I can't wait to see my progress!

Dorel and Dan groaned, Veliel casually flapped her wings once, smirking in turn.

“Let’s be quick. I need to wash this shi-stuff off me.” Said the defender.

Nashariel ignored that.

Dan sent a betrayed look to his friend.

“Fun way it is!” Veliel wrote.

The dragoness shifted in the air dragon, lowering for her teammates. They mounted on her, holding her feathers tightly. And with that, Nashariel took flight, progressively increasing her speed.

As always, Dan screeched like a harpy.

Five years had passed since she started her training. At first, when the Templars told her that she was to be in charge of protecting her peers, Nashariel thought that they were joking.

They weren't.

She had expected a different treatment, mainly harsher training in consideration of her massive head start instead of this. They simply said that it was the strong’s duty to protect those weaker than them. She took this to heart.

Nashariel trained her ‘students’ in the only way she knew.

Bouts.

They got so popular that even older and, later, younger recruits participated. Not everyone appreciated fighting a dragon, but she hadn’t forced that on them. The instructors did.

The four recruits could taste salt in the air, anticipating the return to each of their homes.

The lighthouse was in sight. The newest structure was almost as tall as the Bastion, and it was linked to the mainland thanks to a thin thread of earth. It had been built to prevent further Bloodbay-like incidents.

Andriel was a peaceful city, for the most part. It mainly dealt with monsters and those who preyed on innocents, so a direct attack like that had been a shock for the citizens. From that day on, the atmosphere in the city had lost part of its joviality.

Nashariel only hoped that it would return like before, and soon.

They lost altitude. “Prepare for landing!” The dragoness shouted. She felt her team’s grip tighten, then landed as gently as she could. The earth beneath her still trembled.

Her three passengers jumped down, and she returned a metal dragokin. Not worrying about clothes exploding on her had been amazing, as did being more similar to her father’s fighting style. The Quest wasn't particularly rewarding, but it accounted for the monster that they had slain, and their strength.

After being greeted by the guards with a nod, the group finally made its way to the Bastion.

Kinda.

Her teammates needed to visit a clinic, being still sore from the battles of the day. Nashariel wasn’t a proper healer, after all, and she could only stitch them together. "I'll report by myself, don’t worry. See you in two days!”

They bid each other goodbye, then Nashariel made her way to the Bastion.

For real this time.

"Where is your team now?" Asked Karda, raising an eyebrow after Nashariel had concluded her report. The Templar was a large sharkin woman and their combat teacher.

“They went to a clinic. I didn’t ask which one.”

“You should always know where your team goes, little one.” Karda scolded her softly.

Nashariel held in a huff. “Yes, ma’am.”

A glint in the woman's completely black eyes made the girl aware that her annoyance had been noticed. "Good. Have a good rest, Nashariel."

The dragoness saluted, then went into her apartment.

Some time ago, the culprit behind the attack had been identified, and her parent's team had requested to be sent there. A year later, they hadn't come back yet.

They sometimes talked to her thanks to an enchanted mirror left by Lianna, but it just wasn’t the same as having them around.

As time went on, Nashariel requested Karda for a place to stay, who got her a nice room in the upper side of the Bastion. Nashariel didn’t need as much sleep as before, but it was nice to have a space to call her own, without being all alone. And to stuff her rewards. She still visited regularly her house, cleaning and such, but not sleeping.

She entered the medium-sized room, looking at the rows of books rented from the Library, made of solid light of different colors. Nashariel preferred the real things, but these were much cheaper.

On that note, she fumbled with her bag --the normal one since the Spatial-storage had been given back-- and emptied it on her bed, where her small hoard was.

To be precise, her bed was composed of a large, thick, soft mattress, with all the coins that she earned over the years on top and around it, together with the things she bought with them. Recruits were paid little, but they were granted a room if they asked for it like Nashariel did, and could keep their share of the Quest since it was the one who posted it to give the Church a cut. The Bastion took great care that everyone had more than the necessary to live a good life, so poverty was never an issue.

Trainees had a free day every week plus one after a prolonged mission like the one Nashariel’s team just had. A day that Nashariel usually used to have her personal hunts or study in the Library. Although lately, even more people than usual asked her for help to train their skills or build up more stats, so her free time was even diminished.

Nashariel made her armor vanish, and dropped down with a relieved sigh, sinking in the pure softness of her bed. She used [Metal manipulation] to cover herself with the surrounding metal, then fell asleep counting coin per coin.

The omnidragon woke in the most pleasant rattling of falling coins. The sun shone brightly, reflecting itself on her improvised mantle. Slightly embarrassed, Nashariel stood up and grabbed some clothes from her dresser. Her draconic instincts kept getting stronger, ever since she had gotten [Draconic hoard] at level 75. Nashariel hoped for something more... unobtrusive, for her Lvl 100 milestone.

She quickly raided the dining hall, then she sat on her small balcony. Karda seriously got her a nice room.

System time!

*Quest: Forest supplies.

Objective: Harvest as many ingredients as you can!

Success! You have harvested above and beyond what was requested of you. Total reward: 12 gold.

Bonus objective: Harvest poisonous materials. Harvest a Plant-Toxic sunflower.

Success! You harvested a great variety of toxic plants and monsters. You obtained the specific item requested and its evolved version. Bonus reward: Triple experience for every action related to this Quest, double monetary rewards.

Status: Quest fully completed!

Omnidragon Lvl up! *

Giddy, Nashariel recalled her full status.

* Name: Nashariel Holyshield

Race: Omnidragon (young)

Age: 18

Current humanoid form: Human dragokin

Current attunement: -

Level: 50-> 91

Available stat points: 23

Available skill points: 33

Strength: 400 - 800

Power: 350 - 700

Resilience: 500 – 1000

Vitality: 500 – 1000

Dexterity: 300 - 600

Awareness: 400 - 800

Essence: 300 - 600

Endurance: 250 - 500

Hp: 10.000/10.000

Mana: 6000/6000

Stamina: 5000/5000 *

Been a while since Nashariel told anyone about her stats and her liking for clean numbers. Aside from the Grandmaster, that is. She had kept her promise to uncle Nick.

*Skills:

Racial:

Omnidragon kin (minor) Lvl -

Omnidragon prowess Lvl 20-capped-> Omnidragon might (II) Lvl 20-capped

Omnidragon body Lvl 4-> 20-capped

Draconic breath (II) Lvl 5-> 15

Draconic fighting style (II) Lvl 20-capped

Elemental aura Lvl 1-> Draconic aura (II) Lvl 2

Draconic hoard Lvl 4 *

While the evolution of her growth skill hadn’t just outright doubled everything again, [Omnidragon might] had been an amazing skill so far. Also, [Omnidragon body] could now absorb enemy attacks to fuel her mana, even if only a little.

*Air:

Improved flight Lvl 4-> 20-capped

Draconic feathers Lvl 2-> 20-capped*

One of her protégés told Nashariel that she looked like an ugly bird, from enough distance. He… wasn’t wrong.

*Water:

Venom Lvl 4-> 12

Draconic dive (II) Lvl 1-> 3

Improved learning Lvl 20-capped

Identify Lvl 5-> 20-capped

Improved grapple Lvl 3-> 7

Mana efficiency Lvl 10 *

Not much to say. For understandable reasons, Templars weren’t sending kids below the water anymore.

Only after the training.

[Improved learning] had gained a little boost in applying what she learned and required Mind affinity to be upgraded, while [Identify] revealed more information about her enemies even when she didn’t know them.

*Earth:

Improved burrow Lvl 2-> 9

Increased size Lvl 1-> 20-capped

Increased body density Lvl 5-> 20-capped

Earth armorLvl 6-> 14

Hunter senses Lvl 14*

Nashariel huffed upon seeing her first Armor skill. If only I knew that a better one was coming soon…

[Increased body density] strengthened her weak points, [Increased size] simply enlarged her a little more.

*Fire:

Fury Lvl 4-> 13

Sharpened natural weapons Lvl 8-> 20-capped

Improved Aoe Lvl 20-capped

Light:

Improved healing Lvl 7-> 20-capped

Light’s refuge Lvl 3-> 20-capped

Taunt Lvl 2-> 9 *

A simple boost in the power of the skills might have been a bit boring, but Nashariel hadn’t scoffed at it. On more than one occasion, those little boosts have saved a life.

*Dark:

Stealth+ Hide smell+ Silence steps+ Hide aura-> Nullify presence Lvl 8

Improved draining Lvl 4

Shroud of darkness Lvl 3-> 7

Metal:

Metal manipulation Lvl 6

Metal creation Lvl 9

Metal armor Lvl 9

Metal dragon fighting style Lvl 6 *

The day Nashariel unlocked variants, she immediately sought a way to wield weapons like a proper Templar. The metal dragon had been the obvious answer.

The fighting style had had some prerequisite skills, but it was worth it in the end. If anything, she did not need spare clothes now.

*Omnidragon might (II)

Immortal. Invincible. Might incarnate. Dragons have been, and are still, defined as such by mortals and inferior monsters. Such creatures have little to fear. Little, but one thing.

You.

Your steps will echo into the ages, young omnidragon, but beware. Those who cannot be vanquished always attract beings that wish to destroy them.

All stats are doubled. Forms share each other's strong points, but only slightly.

You regenerate considerably faster than normal. Severed limbs will regrow (this particular effect is reliant on your vitality stat. Magic designed to regrow limbs is twice as effective on you).

You become immune to natural illnesses and poisons and resistant to magical ones.

Stat points received are doubled, while skill points are tripled.

Points received from challenging, hunting, killing, or subjugating other dragons are further doubled. Effect decreased for only partly draconic creatures.

Break cost: 250 points. Absorb and regenerate 100.000 points of damage, prevail over at least 10 other dragons in any way.

Draconic aura

Surprisingly, dragons can be weaker than other creatures in raw might. However, as with elementals, their auras are not to be taken lightly. The devastation unleashed by such a creature will always be catastrophic, and none can attest otherwise. This skill-line is earned only by a single being, and even elementals themselves feel inferior to him or her.

You can unleash an elemental aura, attuned to your current element, whose damage and size considerably increase with level.

Size: 30 meters +1,5 Lvl.

Mana cost: 500-1500 2/s

The amount of mana spent increases the damage dealt.

Secondary effects for all your elements can be applied, if you so choose. Doing so consumes a flat 10% of your mana every 5/s of use.

Allies are slightly more resistant to friendly fire. If a healing attunement is active, the effect is weakened on the enemies instead.

Upgrade cost: 7 points Lvl.

Draconic hoard

Dragons and treasures are a staple pair. Immense riches wait for those who vanquish a dragon’s lair. But beware, death comes with thunder and fangs, for those who fail.

This popular rhyme is fitting for such a powerful monster. Dragon hunters or thieves, this skill will help you to face such threats, turning them into simple annoyances.

While you are near your hoard (1 Km +100 m Lvl):

All skills are slightly stronger, costing slightly less.

The effects of your stats are slightly increased.

The higher value your hoard has, the stronger these effects become. Value is both objective and subjective.

Benefits last until you leave your territory, at which point their benefits vanish 1 hour Lvl after.

Upgrade cost: 6 points.

Mana efficiency

Mana is the main ingredient of every spell and most active skills, but much of it is wasted in the process of transmutation. This skill helps to cut part of those losses, allowing you to use even more of your power at once. Or brag about how large your essence bar is during a competition. No judgment here.

Your skills use slightly less mana per activation or active time.

Effect scales with Awareness.

Upgrade cost: 4 points Lvl.

Hunter senses

Predators seek to hunt during most of their waking time, and prey strive to avoid their notice. This skill ensures you that your stomach will never suffer the pains of hunger and that those who pursue you won't do so undetected.

Perception is slightly increased.

Effect scales with awareness.

Upgrade cost: 3 points Lvl.

Improved Aoe

Unleashing waves of elemental power as large as an ocean is a dream for many, but an extremely low number of them are capable of this feat in the end. This skill is the first step in that long journey, but at least it’s in the right direction.

The area of effect of your skills and spells is increased, but their power is weakened.

You can control the amount of bonus/malus you benefit from.

This skill can be toggled on and off.

Break cost: 15 points.

Nullify presence

A much more encompassing version of the stealth skill, this one has the same generalized purpose and a much higher depth. This skill has a mixed reputation since it's used by both hunters and assassins, so it might be in your best interest to not announce it to the world. On second thought, they probably won't find you. Oh well, you do you.

Every physical aspect of you is harder to detect, should you will it.

This effect scales with dexterity.

Upgrade cost: 4 points Lvl.

Improved draining

If you pick this skill, you are either a glutton or someone who should revise their fighting style. Sure, healing while damaging your enemy is a brilliant tactic, but you might wanna avoid damage in the first place. No? Eh, whatever.

Your draining attacks heal you for a little more.

Upgrade cost: 4 points Lvl.

Metal creation

From mana, everything comes and everything returns. Creation Skills like this one apply this belief in full, or, maybe, they originated it.

Metal is hidden, deep within the world. Much has to be invested to acquire it. You may now provide you and your allies with it, for a time.

Cost: Any, with a minimum of 100 mana

The efficiency of conversion between mana and material increases with level and is influenced by your essence.

You must know a metal before you can replicate it. The higher your familiarity, the easier it is to create it. The higher the quality, the higher the cost and time needed to create it.

The quality of metals increases with this skill’s level.

Current best Quality/material: Mundane steel, low quality.

Fade time: 1 day.

Upgrade cost: 6 points Lvl.

Metal manipulation

Metals require time, energy, talent, and experience to be used properly. This Skill goes beyond that. Any metallic thing created, or worked on, by you obeys your commands.

You may now alter the specific properties of any metal in your sight.

You may use your mana to manipulate metals to a maximum of 20 m from your body (static) that are in your sight.

Manipulation cost: Varies based on the quality of the material influenced. Cost is reduced for material that you conjure.

Upgrade cost: 6 points.

Metal armor

As an aspect of the earth, metal shares its parent’s resilience. Less protective than raw stone, metal is much more flexible, adaptable, and, most importantly, better looking than mud and dirt. Conjure the armor, charge into the battlefield, and know that your body is stronger than steel and sharper than a blade!

This armor reduces your speed and maneuverability, enhancing your defense and attack power.

Cost: 40% of your total mana upon activation, 5% per minute after.

Upgrade cost: 6 points Lvl.

Metal dragon fighting style

Metal dragons are very peculiar among dragonkind. Their natural weapons are the same as manufactured ones, and this pushes many of them to try a humanoid fighting style. Other metal dragons go the other way around, turning their own bodies into weapons, gaining the mastery of a humanoid in the body of a monster.

While in dragon form:

Your armor develops various tools of death, such as bladed wings. These weapons cannot be removed unless the limb in question is cut.

While in your humanoid form:

You can summon any weapons that you have seen and understood. Those tools are perfectly sized for you, and cost no mana to conjure or maintain. You can have only a single weapon, pair, or set at a time, depending on the chosen weapon.

You must activate Metal armor to benefit from this skill, or wear an external one that can be modified by Metal manipulation.

Proficiency with all weapons is increased.

Efficacy relies on strength, resilience, and dexterity.

The quality of metals depends on the level of Metal creation.

Upgrade cost: 6 points Lvl. *

A bunch of capped skills… Nashariel mentally grumbled. Her mother had been right: ‘You never have enough points’. The dragoness supposed that Sofia, the mind healer, had a point too. Being a generalist felt good, but it sure was expensive. She eyed her status, glancing at her remaining Quest, A dance of elements. To complete even just the first part, she had to acquire another form… which required 50 skill points, adding to even another expense that she wished to make.

The girl had been busy, these years of training. Looking after the other kids, learning in classes (again), and holding back during actual fights… She had taken her new duties seriously, but it had left her whoefully starved for points.

Still, now she was close to another ‘Aspect’, as the specializations of the various elements were called. Nashariel scrolled the list. Passion looks interesting, paired up with Metal… Protection is kinda what dad does, right? Ugh, but I don't want to step on Dorel's toes. Healing is a tad too boring… Goddess, Mind sounds amazing… definitely not Curse, thank you…

Huffing, Nashariel closed her status. She needed some fresh air.

The girl took some of her precious coins, then jumped out of the window. She flew, enjoying the wind against her face, then accelerated towards the market near the bay. Just before landing, she took in the majestic view of the coming and going of the various ships, with the lighthouse standing like a massive protector. I wonder if they will come back soon…

For the rest of the morning, Nashariel hunted for gems, books, and trinkets. She found out that her entire room was considered her hoard, and these items were more worth than coins for her skill. Probably because of her predilections, judging from the skill’s description.

As she was haggling with a gem-cutter, she heard her name being called. Turning, she saw a familiar young man waving at her from a departing ship. Nashariel smiled, quickly ended the transaction, then flew towards him.

“Going to hunt?”

“It’s called ‘fishing’ if it’s in or below the sea, Miss Holyshield.” Replied Cody, giving her an exaggerated sigh.

Nashariel rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Need a hand?”

The young leviakin paused. “Actually… give me a second.” He walked quickly near the helm, talking with the walruskin directing it.

The Seaweavers had kept their isolation for a month or so. The sender hadn’t been recognized at the time, and Cody’s father had been… displeased, to put it mildly.

Not with the Church, but the one who put his family, people, and business in danger. Lord Altichos Seaweaver wasn’t a bad person, but it emanated a stern aura and had little time for games. A leviakin like his son, he spared no expense in searching for the killer of his employees and had personally assisted at each one of their funerals. When he could finally prove his suspects against a company from Aldrastor, he immediately put a bounty on their heads, following the five Templar teams that had been allowed to pursue it, including Nashariel’s parents.

At the moment, Alandra, his wife, and Cody's mother ruled their House. She had gifted Nashariel a few of her favorite gems, for the saving of a ship and its crew. No Abyssal sapphires, unfortunately.

The boy gestured for her to come closer.

“Good morning, miss.” Said the captain, taking off his hat.

“A good sailing to you, captain. Can I help you in any way?”

“I hope so. My young Lord said that you search powerful monsters to face and that you can survive said encounter. Is that correct?" Nashariel nodded. "Wonderful!"

The brown walruskin brought out a nautical map. Various spots were marked by an ‘x’ with a word or two about what was in the location. The captain tapped one relatively close to them. “We were planning an expedition here, as the harvest season for corals draws near, and to help our young Lord to increase his power.”

Cody nodded, smirking. “I have a thing or two to show you!”

The captain ignored him and tapped another location, much further than that. The ‘x’ was much deeper in color. “But, if you assist us, I’d like to sail here. We will dip into the Deepsea, have a look around, then harvest what we can.”

“I’m not exactly a harvester. Unless there are monstrous corals…?”

“There are, but it doesn’t matter right now. I hope. Thing is: a dangerous seamonster chose that trench as its lair, not long ago. Your job is to beat it, then keep the gatherers safe. What do you say?”

Nashariel hummed. Andriel was getting smaller, but some seagulls kept following the large ship, perhaps hoping for some scraps. “Seems simple enough. What can you tell me about the monster? Also, how long do you want to harvest for? I have two days free before my duties call for me."

“A few gatherers reported burns, but we know little else. We stay until the cargo is full, such amount of time is more than enough, I hope. If possible, I’d like you to kill every scavenger too. Better yet, gravely injuring them and let our young Lord deal the finishing blow.”

Nashariel hid her disapproving grimace. Raw levels don't mean everything, Cody…“Let’s go.”

They shook their hands, the walruskin smiled so wide that his tusks were fully exposed. “Set sail! We dive deep today!” He shouted.

The crew yelled their approval.

Nashariel told Cody about her latest adventure.

He whistled. “You certainly don’t like boredom.”

“Nope,” the girl replied with a feral grin, “can’t wait to find out what we’ll face today!”

The noble shook his head. “I can’t understand what makes you so much excited. You like getting hurt?”

Nashariel shrugged. “I like challenges, to put my power to the test, apply the theories I studied… many things, really. Do I like the pain? No, but it's a necessary step to do the things I want.”

“Such as?”

“Travel around, without fear.” Nashariel dreams hadn’t stopped. She kept seeing and feeling her past selves, her deaths seared in her mind. Come hells or high water, I’ll fight until my last breath.

The noble didn’t reply. This wasn’t the first time they had this conversation.

The ship swayed pleasantly under them.