The Chronicles of a Scalebound Sage

[31] Emotional Rollercoaster

Everyone in the camp was looking at Bjorn, his form shaking violently on the ground. Black wisps of maya escaped from three heads. Tanisha had to do a double take and count, one, two… three? His blue scales were shedding quickly only to be replaced by new dark green ones. His body seemed to be elongating, growing sturdier and bigger.  

His skin was splitting along his back and necks as sharp-looking spines protruded outward. Webbed skin connected each spike all the way down to his tail, which ended in a small, four spiked thagomizer. Antlers started to grow from his heads, each one creating what wendigo would consider a beautiful crown. There was little blood in the transformation, but the convulsions looked painful and didn’t stop.

“Bjorn, what's wrong with him? Bjorn, Bjorn?” Tanisha panicked but couldn’t move. “I thought you said nothing would happen. Bjorn, I’m here.”

She tried with all her might to shift her body to reach her familiar. Through the bond she felt he was afraid, no, terrified, his emotions were all over the place. She couldn’t even lift her arms; her body felt like she had run a few marathons and wouldn’t respond.

“Stop moving, Tanisha.” Joha said with force. “Your core is unstable right now, if you move too much it may cause more issues.”

Bjorn continued to grow, going from about the height of a medium sized dog to the point where his shoulders would reach half of Tanisha’s hips. From snout to the tip of his tail he was nine feet long. He shed more scales as he grew, only for those to be replaced with fewer larger and stronger-looking ones. The black mist maya he exhaled was absorbed by the new scales, darkening them to a greenish-gray.

It kept going for a few minutes; he lost claws only for them to come back larger and stronger, he lost his baby teeth and fangs for new terrifyingly sharp rows of teeth to replace them. As time went on the black maya subsided and Bjorn continued to lay there, unconscious. His emotions calmed as did his breathing.

“What the fuck was that?” Tanisha screamed. “You said… I thought he would be unaffected.”

Joha nodded and took his hand from her heart. “This should not have happened. Do not move, the maya is still settling in your lungs. I will check on…”

“Don’t you fucking touch him!” Tanisha yelled, blue maya escaped her mouth as she did. “Not until you tell me what happened.”

“I think everyone should calm down,” Helina said. “Tanisha, you really shouldn’t move much right now.”

“He lied,” Tanisha stated. 

“I miscalculated,” Joha said. 

“You think? You’re a bit calm for someone that almost killed my familiar.” Tanisha shook her head in disbelief. “You know what he is don’t you? This was a possibility wasn’t it?”

“He is a hydra, the Killer of Serpents, the Poisoner of Worlds, the Consumer of Dragons.” Joha took a deep breath. “I thought he might be a lesser hydra. They have no connection to the Higher Planes, like any other beast of this world. Now that I have seen this, I believe he may be a son of the Lernaean Hydra. The True Hydra and Queen of a Thousand Heads.”

“So, Bjorn is a True?” Tanisha asked, her eyes narrowed on the tiger demon. 

“He is a True?” Owen questioned. “What?”

“Sabec finds that hard to believe,” the gnoll stated. “Sure Bjorn is an unusual creature, but no more unusual than any monster, yes?”

“It doesn’t matter, he is my friend,” Tanisha stated.

“I am going to suggest something, and you are not going to like it,” Joha said as he stood to his full height. “Break the contract with Bjorn.”

Tanisha was flabbergasted by the audacity. He would tell her to abandon him, what the fuck was that? She forced what little mana she had left into her muscles and gritted her teeth when the maya in her body protested.

“Stop, Tanisha,” Joha said. “Listen to me.”

Tanisha stood up despite the aching in her body. Despite the world spinning around her. Despite the maya’s opposition to every move and every muscle.

“I will never abandon my familiar. Bjorn is mine.” She never broke eye contact with the demon. “They took everything from me and succeeded. He is all I have left. So you better have a pretty good damn reason you said that.”

Joha chuckled and shook his head disbelievingly. “A child of the Queen of a Thousand Heads, here in this Plane.” He closed his eyes and hung his head for a moment to compose himself. “You have no idea what is going to happen because of him. People are going to come after him. Beings from the Higher Planes, too. Assassins, kings, Trues, mages, demons, those that crave power and secrets and know what he is.”

“So what, you want him for yourself?” Tanisha asked pointedly.

Joha’s tone was sad and somewhat longing. “No. I am done with wanting power.” He looked at her. “You are not ready for what is to come… for who is going to come after him.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be teaching me? Get me ready,” Tanisha demanded. “I am not going to stay weak.” 

Joha sighed. “Very well. Please sit down. I would hate for any further damage to take place because of my… because of this oversight.”

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Tanisha fell back into her chair, her body going limp as the last of her magic ran out. 

“I will make you as strong as I can,” Joha continued. “But what you will face is beyond me. Keep this in mind as Bjorn grows in power. If your bond does not grow in kind, there will be nothing stopping him from being one of those threats that is after your life.”

Tanisha had no more energy to argue, so she merely slumped back in her chair. Joha walked over to Bjorn and placed a hand on his back. For the first time, Tanisha realized she could sense the maya, the connection to the Infernal Planes, and dark power within it. She was surprised at how complex the maya was. She could see Joha performing an unknown formula. Unlike mana however, the maya moved to his breathing and followed his intent.

Joha suddenly turned back to Tanisha with confusion on his face.

“Did you break the Pedagogue Demonic Pact?” Joha asked, and watched as Tanisha shook her head. “How, did? What?”

Tanisha decided to open her status to see what Joha was talking about.

Status Menu

Name: Tanisha Scalebound
Species: Lernaean-Wendigo
Level: 10
Vitality: 10
Restoration: 4
Constitution: 2
Willpower: 8
Strength: 5
Dexterity: 4
Stamina: 8
Maya: 3
Magic: 24
Magic Regeneration: 25 (+100 from bond)
Page 1 of 2

She had leveled up again, but what took center stage in her mind was her race. Her eyes opened wide at that change. Lernaean-Wendigo, how did she become that? She quickly looked at the second page to see what changes were made.

Skills Analysis

Pact of the Lernaean Hydra

You are under the direct protection of a Lernaean Hydra. You are now connected to the Infernal Planes through your new Patron. Maya is yours to command as long as your patron deems you fit to wield this infernal power. 

Delta Familiar Contract
You are bonded with a delta class familiar. You gain +100 to magic regeneration. Your bond has grown, allowing you to convey emotions though your bond. Your bond is resilient against outside influences and can not be forcibly severed by outside parties. Your familiar’s life expectancy is extended by five years.

Mystic Wind Hands
Magic cost: 3
Speak the words of power and call forth the mystic hands created from the wind. These hands can interact with the world and act out the caster’s will. (II) Infernal Hands, Maya cost: 1, Infuse mystic wind hands with the breath of the Infernal Planes. These hands will burn any that oppose you.

Mana Manipulation
Magic cost: Variable
Manipulate the pure mana inside and around your body. Allows you to circulate your mana and use mana dependent tools.

Mana Muscle Saturation
Magic cost: 1
Push mana into your muscles and bones to temporarily increase your physical attributes.
Page 2 of 2

“Pact of the Lernaean Hydra,” Tanisha said in a whisper when she read the change. “Bjorn is my patron now? Well, either him or his mom, I guess.”

Unassigned Cultivation Points Distribution

You have leveled up 1 time(s) before assigning your UCP.
You have 10 UCP
Please assign all UCP within 7 day(s) or UCP will be automatically assigned.
Assign [yes/no]

Tanisha dismissed the window because she didn’t want to think about where to place the points just yet. Between the exercise, the emotional rollercoaster and the maya, she was totally spent. Her eyes felt heavy, and she fainted.