Flashback

After the wyrms were handed over to the processors we returned to the guild hall. Upon returning to the guild reception desk, Christine asked,

“So how were the wyrms killed? Kanae used dark arrows and dark spears to kill the Wyrm. I used many attacks to distract them in order to give Kanae openings to kill them. She also killed the Red Ogre, while I protected our friends,” I said.

“Thank you. There will be an extra reward for the second Wyrm. Now on the matter of the materials. You had said you were going to keep some of them?” Christine said.

“Yes, we want the skin and horns from the male. We are selling the rest. I have no desire to partake of Wyrm meat. I have already extracted the blood from them,” I said.

“Do you want to sell some or all of the blood?” Christine asked.

“I destroyed the blood,” I said.

“You... destroyed... the Wyrm blood!? Are you crazy!? Do you know how valuable Rainbow Wyrm blood is?” Christine said.

“I am aware of its worth and its uses. Frankly, some of the uses are disgusting to me,” I said.

Gasps and whispering were going on all around us. Wyrm blood was extremely rare, and, like dragon blood, was often used to make people stronger and extend life. It had been used in the past for many nefarious experiments. It was now strictly controlled by the Royals. I threw away a fortune in blood, although, I had secretly retained a small amount of the blood. Not that I really needed it. I could use my own blood for the projects I had in mind. My dragonkind blood wasn't as strong as normal dragon and Wyrm blood. But, one of the reasons I'd been hunted as a child, and even now, was for my blood.

“The Royal representative witnessed my destruction of the blood. It's noted there on the quest contract,” I said.

“Yes, I see. You really did destroy the Wyrm blood. The guild would have shared some of the commission for that,” Guildmaster Nic Fagan said, appearing out of apparently nowhere. I had barely even sensed her.

“Just like that idiot Ragdoll, to throw away a fortune,” Damien snickered.

“May I ask why you destroyed such a rare and valuable material, Miss Deirdre,” Guildmaster Nic Fagan.

“To prevent it being abused to experiment on living creatures. While it does have some worthy uses, it is far too easily abused for abominable things,” I said.

“I see, but cannot say I am surprised to hear that from one of dragonkind. I am raising your rank to rank C and Miss Kanae to rank B. I will leave you with Christine to handle the registration of your new party mates,” Guildmaster Nic Fagan said.

“Now, we'll start registration with you Miss?” Christine said.

“I am Takanaka Aoi, Takanaka is my family name. Please call me Aoi,” Aoi said.

“We would like a private registration, please,” I said.

“Again? Is this really necessary?”

“Trust me,” I said.

“Very well,” Christine said. And we went into a private room, after Christine sent a missive to the guildmaster. A few moments later, Miss Nic Fagan entered.

“Why all the secrecy?” Guildmaster Adele asked.

“You'll see soon,” I said.

“Proceed, Christine,” Adele said.

“Ok, Miss Aoi. Please place you hand on this chrystal,” Christine said.

“All natural elements!? You knew? How did you know?” Adele and Christine said simultaneously.

I pointed at myself with both hands, “Dragonkin.”

“But you don't display any remarkable dragonkin properties!” Christine said.

“Cancel Conceal,” I cast. Then I placed my hand on the chrystal. Then on the talent board.

“You've been concealing you true powers? Why, and why reveal it now?” Adele asked.

“Well, obviously I was trying to avoid attracting attention. I already have to deal with assassins and slavers trying to kill or capture me. I'm powerful, but just one person. Now, though, we're going to attract a lot of attention, given the Queen has her eyes on us now. The time for hiding is over. Now I need to protect my friends as best I can,” I said.

“Right. The Queen isn't going to forget about you lot now, and it's only going to get more crazy isn't it. You don't need the magik artifacts. You can sense mana and powers, can't you?” Adele said.

“Yes, I can see mana, and detect levels, power, and skills. I can see through most concealments,” I said.

“I'm a bit jealous. That would be a nice cheat skill to have,” Adele said.

“Really?” I said, giving her a look. She can sense mana, I could tell that, but she apparently wanted to keep that hidden.

“Who wouldn't?” Adele answered.

“True enough,” I said.

“Shall we continue? Miss Aoi, please place your hand on this talent board so we can assess your talents,”

“You are a level 40 Spellsmith. That's a rare skill, and you already have a very advanced skill level, and you are only sixteen,” Christine said. We had obviously taught Aoi and Darby to conceal their levels. I had suggested making them on the very high end.

“Now your turn, sir,” Christine said.

“All natural elements and light!? I shouldn't be surprised anymore. Your skill is Holy Knight!? That's super rare and also level 40! You're only 15 on top of all that! Well you'll make an excellent tank in an adventurer's party. We obviously have to report this to the Queen. You should all prepare yourselves for attending the Imperial Academy of Magic. I'm sure she'll order it,” Adele said.

“This is one hell of a ridiculously overpowered adventurer's party you've built Miss Ragdoll S-Ranked Monster. I have good mind to bump you all to rank S, but I won't.” Adele said.

“Darby and Aoi have no experience or training in the use of magik. It would be reckless, and dangerous, for them to take on the combat test at this time. Give me a week or two to prepare them,” I said.

“That sounds like a wise decision. Teach them enough so they don't destroy the arena when we have them test. You are all registered. Now get out of here and start training these loose cannons. The rear exit is being watched, so exit anyway you like,” Adele said.

“Thank you. I don't know about you, but I'm hungry. Shall we go hit up the local pub? Then we need to find a new home. Something bigger and in a nicer neighborhood,” I said.

“I'm starving!” Darby said.

“Let's eat!” Kanae and Aoi said.

“Alright off to the Spotted Griffin Pub!” I said.

After settling in and placing our orders we began to relax. The pub was now filled with the curious.

“Why do they call you ragdoll and tell you to go back to the slums,” Darby asked.

“Well, that's a story. The story of my short life, but it will take some time to tell it. Do you really want to hear my life's tale?” I asked

“I do!” Kanae said.

“Yes, I'd love to hear it too,” Darby said.

“Me too,” Aoi said.

“Alright. Well, my mother was a Red Dragon, and my father was a human noble. His family disinherited him when he married my mother. Unions between dragons and human are rare, and both dragonkin and human shun the offspring of such unions. So, I am detested by nearly every human and dragon. My parents both died in what was ruled to be an accident, but was more likely an assassination, when I was very young. No one took me in, so I wound up on the streets. I wound up scrabbling for a living in the slums. The only place I wouldn't be completely chased out of,” I said.

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“That's terrible!” Kanae said.

“Truly despicable,” Darby said.

“In the beginning, I was mostly ignored. I didn't have visible and obvious markings of dragonkin then, and I was too little to attract slavetraders. I did have some of my dragonkin skills, so I was able to make my presence obscure. I basically hid in plain sight of everyone. A natural defensive skill among dragon hatchlings and toddlers. My troubles began around the age of five when my dragonkin features became obvious. Many criminals began to notice me, and hunt me for my dragon blood. Those were hard days, where I was constantly on the run. Sleeping was dangerous, and my powers hadn't yet activated. My hiding skills only worked on those not actively hunting me,”

“Oh my goddess! So horrific!” Darby said.

“Truly evil!” Aoi said.

“My draconic powers awoke when I was seven. It was then when the slavers noticed me. I would occasionally get caught, only to escape. I got branded numerous times over the years when slavers would catch me. I hid my gender because girls are more valuable than boys. After having been caught a few times though, it became common knowledge I was a girl. By the time I was nine, I was able to evade all the hunters and slavers. I killed the few hunters who were a real threat. Of course, I lived in rags, because I wouldn't steal clothing or food by that age. I began sneaking in and out of town to hunt in the woods. The slavers never gave up, because they thought I was pretty, and would make a lot of money in the whorehouses. That's when I became famous as the Ragdoll of the slums,” I said.

“I can't even imagine how horrible it must have been to live like that,” Kanae said, tears rolling down her cheeks.

“When I turned eleven I began selling things I caught in the forest, and when I had enough money, I registered with the Adventurers Guild. Of course most adventurers found me disgusting as a half dragonkin in rags. I couldn't enter any decent clothing stores, because I was in rags. So I learned to make my own clothes. It was still too dangerous to sleep in an inn, or an apartment. So even the clothes I made looked like rags fairly quickly, because I had to hide in unusual places and ways in order to rest.”

“How can you even call that living? How horrible to have to live like that!” Aoi said.

“Well, it's gotten slowly better over the years. When I was thirteen puberty really hit me full on, and slavers went to extreme lengths to capture me. However, it was then that I discovered an old recluse mage in the Demon Forest. She took me in and taught me how to better use my magik. I studied under her for two years. She also was responsible for providing me with my first store bought clothes since my parents' death. She has passed away not long ago, but I have her to thank for so many things. My skills at making clothes have also improved, and I was able to buy a home to live in. A home in a decent neighborhood. The Adventurers though, have never accepted me, and I'm still just a Ragdoll to them. But some of the Guild employees have accepted me, and some of the citizens do now as well. Now, I'm fifteen and an adult, but I still have no social power. I can only imagine how I will be treated at the Academy. I am certainly not looking forward to that, and yet the prospect is exciting,” I said.

“What a truly sad tale. Are you still hunted and sought by slavers?” Aoi said tears streaming down her face as well.

“Ladies have it rough. Blood hunters are very rare, because they know I will fight to kill them. Slavers, are still interested in me, but I don't find myself in parts of the town where they are most common. But slavers are a threat to all women, even nobles. So make sure you ladies don't go wandering around town on your own. Of course nobles and the wealthy have guards to protect them. The slavers who go after that class of women will always be a threat to me. At least until I am too old to be desirable to potential clients. That may be many decades down the road,” I said.

“Wow! Ladies do have it rough,” Darby said.

“Well pretty boys like you might get snatched up by slavers too, if you aren't careful. There are people of all sorts of tastes out there seeking hired pleasure,” I said and winked at Darby. Darby shivered, but didn't say anything. He he he.

“The world is full of dangers. But one thing I'm confused about. You said you'd been branded before, but we've bathed together, and I've never seen even a scar on your lovely skin,” Kanae said.

“I heal rather rapidly, due to being dragonkin, but I also can use earth healing. So even magically created scars or marks I can heal away. The only exception is mutual contracts that create seals,” I said.

“Oh, well that's good. Can you teach me that healing magik?” Aoi said.

“Yes, that will be the first thing I teach you since you have Earth, but not light magik. Fire magik and water magik also have healing spells. Only air magik has no healing spell,” I said.

“You said you were very little when your parents died, but you didn't say how old,” Aoi said.

“I can barely remember that time, but I think I might have been three, or maybe two,” I said.

“Oh how horrible! It's a miracle you even survived!” Kanae said starting to cry all over again.

“But enough of such sad tales. Happy times are here, and we have more than enough to live on. We are all part of a strong B-Ranked Adventurer's party. That makes us one of the top guild parties in town. No one is likely to mess with us. Although, you will all be hounded by the guild parties in town in attempts to draw you away from me and this party, especially the few strong ones. Then again, we're soon all going to be headed for the Academy in the Capital City. Maybe even in a few days. So who knows what will happen then. Maybe we should come up with a new party name. I picked the one we have mostly as a joke and taunt,” I said.

We finished up our meal with some more conversation. Then we headed out to the rental agent to find a place to set up as a base. We figured renting a place made more sense than buying one, considering we probably would be required to attend the Academy soon. Although, I didn't like the whole idea of renting. Having regular bills was distressing from all those years of poverty. It took us the rest of the day to find something we could agree on. I then listed my home for renting out with the agent. After having another meal at the pub, we settled in for the night in our new home. In the morning we headed out for our first training practice. I pulled out the cart again and took us deep into the forest, where my old magik teacher's home was.

“This is the former residence of my old master, who trained me. We should be safe from prying eyes here. The entire place has a concealment barrier around it. Nocht do rún!” I said.

A pathway appeared before me and we entered. I led them to the training grounds my master had set up to teach me.

“This is a good time to check what kind of inventory you have. Darby and Aoi you both have magic bags, I see. Do you have any weapons or tomes on magik in your inventory?”

“I have daggers, a sword, and a halberd.” Darby said.

“I have daggers, a sword, and a tome on alchemy,” Aoi said.

“Great take out your swords and daggers and put them on. Get used to wearing them. Swords are good for close combat, and fighting in confined spaces. But training to use them takes years of training. But we'll cover the basics during your training. The halberd should be your weapon of choice, Darby. It is easy to train to use, and we'll begin training with that tomorrow, Darby. Pull out the halberd, so I can examine it,” I said.

“What about me? Should I have a halberd too?” Aoi asked.

“No, you will not be a front line fighter, Aoi. I will train you in the arts you will excel at. I've been a party of one, and so have learned some skills from all party skill categories. That was a less than ideal situation. It's far better to specialize on one category,” I said.

“Now, shield wall!” I called up the shield wall behind the targets.

“Now, Darby and Aoi, give me your hand. Close your eyes, and concentrate. I'm going to push a little mana into you. Pay attention to the feeling of the mana and the internal movement.” I asked.

“Oh, I feel warm!” Aoi said.

“I can feel the flow of something!” Darby said.

“Ok, great. Open your eyes. Now face the targets. Put your palms facing the targets. Say fireball. Then picture a fireball forming in front of your palm and shooting towards the target.”

“Fireball!” Aoi said.

“Fireball,” Darby said.

They both succeeded in creating and shooting fireballs, but neither hit the target.

“OK, I want you both to practice that spell, until you can hit the targets every time. After that Kanae will teach you about the three kinds of spells and help you with practice some other spells. In the meantime Kanae, you should practice your spellwork against the moving targets,” I said.

“What are you going to be doing?” Kanae asked.

“Setting tomorrow's class for Aoi, and work on making some quality gear for us,” I said.

Kanae, Aoi, and Darby worked all morning on casting spells. I prepared the Master's workshop to teach Aoi the art of crafting tools and potions.

“Ok, everyone. Time for a break and a meal!” I called to them.

“About time! I'm starving!” Darby said.

“It's nothing special. I made some Red Ogre curry and rice,” I said.

“This is wonderful!” Aoi said.

“Wow, this Red Ogre meat is pretty tasty! This curry has a nice flavor,” Darby said.

“Curry, stew and eggs are about the only things I can make decently. So we might want to rotate the meal cooking around,” I said.

“I know a few recipes,” Kanae said.

“Me too,” Darby said.

“I'm useless in the kitchen,” Aoi said.

“No problem. With three cooks we should be fine,” I said.

Having Kanae train them on spells for the first day was the right call. They both had a knowledge of spells, but hadn't known how to recall them. I had assumed they might be similar to Kanae since they had all been summoned.

Over the week I taught Aoi how to make: exploding potions, arrows with exploding potions, smithing skills, and tools. I also sparred with Darby teaching him out to use a halberd. I only taught him the basics, as halberds were slightly more complicated than simple pikes. A halberd was a more all around weapon. We covered all the skills needed for the kind of battles we would most likely encounter. I knew we'd be going to the academy, and they would be learning all these skills there.

“Good morning, everyone. If you'll join me in the workshop, I have something for you,” I said.

When we were all gathered in the workshop, they could all see some cloth covered mounds.

“What's all this?” Kanae asked.

“Darby, come here. This is for you. The halberd you have is a fine weapon. This one here is a little different. I used the Rainbow Wyrm scales and some adamantine to make this halberd. It's enchanted with several spells as well as mana. This is a much higher level weapon. So train against my golems today and get a feel for it. Don't use this to spar with anyone. You'd wind up killing them. Now ... here is a Wyrm scale suit of armor for you, that I crafted. It's woven with a number of protection spells also,” I said.

“Aoi, here is a Wyrm scale suit of armor for you, and has the same protection spells woven in. This is a magik armbow which you can you to shoot your exploding potion arrows from. You can put it on, and store it by thinking about it, and from then on equip yourself any time by calling it out of your storage by thinking. It has a magik sight enchanted in it to make aiming easier. I made a few arrows for you to practice with. So get some target practice in with that,” I said.

“Kanae, here is your Wyrm scale armor, and this bracelet is an adamantine magik tool that transforms into a magik bow. It also has a magik sight enchanted in,” I said.

“So this is what you've been working on late into the night all week? This is absolutely marvelous!” Kanae said.

“Wow this armor is so light! What a wonderful gift!” Aoi said.

“Wow, This is halberd feels as light as a feather. I could wield this with one hand!” Darby said.

“Don't. Halberds are two-fisted weapons. You'll lose all kinds of control and wind up dead in seconds if you try fighting with one hand,” I said.

“Right. Important safety tip. This armor is also amazing! Thanks!” Darby said.

“Alright now that we're all equipped, and you've had some time to learn some battle basics, want to try using them in the dungeon in real battle?” I said.

“I think I'm ready for the next step. As long as we go easy,” Aoi said.

“Of course. We'll start with the easiest stuff and work our way up. Stopping when necessary,” Kanae said.

Then we were off to the dungeon to get some fighting experience. After all you can only learn so much from targets and golems.