Since I accepted myself and met my soul part that was born as a kobold, we had both been working together and in sync; I had all the memories of our previous human life, he had the instincts to survive in this world. I thought we would unite as one being, but it was a yes and no; and it's something strange to explain. But when we are awake, we do not differentiate between us; we know we are one and the same being. Of course, my human life and experience have more years, while my life as a kobold is only a few months. Generally, I always feel like myself, but when I have to do something as a human, my mind betrays me; he takes more control or I let him do it, like, for example, when I was terrified of accumulating mana in my snout. I thought it would accumulate until it exploded my head, but he knew it wouldn't and managed to teach me how to feel through some nerve endings we have inside our snout, which allowed us to know how much and when to release the mana before it exploded.
And so, these months went by, trying to understand who we were now; only when we slept or when we reached the place of the great ancestor could both souls see and feel each other as separate beings, but without ceasing to be united, or at least that's how we both felt.
In general, we shared many things in common, more than not; however, since we realized the death of the great serpent, everything began to change. My feelings from my kobold soul were overwhelming me, and there was also the connection we had with our kobold heritage. This was much greater than my years of life as a human, and I understand that my kobold soul felt it was normal, but my human soul did not feel that way, it overwhelmed me! That's why our synchronization even when awake felt wrong, especially when we saw that they had desecrated Tammat's body, of someone whose life of sacrifices, these humans reduced to a simple stone to locate and destroy his legacy. It wasn't that it didn't hurt me or that I didn't know it was wrong. But I tried to stay calm for both of us, there was too much at stake, yet everything went to ruin when that human brought the crystal of the great serpent and showed it, saying something that mattered little to me and that I didn't understand either; you could still feel a faint mana, the same mana that saved us that day, the same that helped me save Garrl, the same warm mana that showed their friendship to us, and they had it there, and then both souls knew it, they killed her, and we wouldn't forgive them, and without thinking of any other consequence and despite the warnings from the great ancestors and the spider lady, I lunged at the humans, I didn't even realize until later that I had unknowingly sent the signal to Garrl.
……………………………………….
I ran towards the human who seemed to be their leader, and on the way, another human tried to intercept me, but I dodged his spear attack and kicked one of his knees with all my strength, making a horrible sound and causing him to fall. I took the opportunity to jump on top of him and harden my mana in my tail, and I struck him on the nape, leaving him unconscious, and immediately headed back towards their leader. He had already drawn his sword and was waiting for me. I knew from the mana he emitted that he would kill me with a single blow if he hit me. So, I expanded my mana, hoping to detect his attack and dodge it, while gathering the little mana I had left in my mouth to attack him. And so it was, I barely dodged his attack and launched my mana burst at his chest, and immediately bit the hand that held his sword. What I didn't consider was that his armor still had that magic barrier that my fangs couldn't penetrate, but I kept biting anyway, trying to gather mana in my bite and repeating to myself, "they had to pay." But the human, with his other hand, took another sword from his armor, although smaller, and drove it into part of my shoulder.
I roared in pain as I moved away with the sword still embedded in me; I barely managed to pull it out just as the human was about to cut me with the sword, I had tried to take from him earlier. I didn't have time to gather mana where the attack was coming from, and even if I did, I had very little. Instinctively, then, I used the sword with which he attacked me to try to intercept him; I don't know what happened next, I only know that there was an explosion or a flash that sent me flying, leaving me semi-conscious.
By the time I regained some of my consciousness, I didn't know what had happened, everything was blurry. I tried to stand up, but I kept falling. It was several minutes like that, or honestly, I don't know, I just felt lady Spider's mana telling me not to move. What did I do? It was the only thing I could think: how did I think I would defeat those who killed the great serpent? Idiot! I always told Garrl not to be swayed by his emotions, and what did I do? Let myself be swayed by my emotions, idiot! Idiot! Idiot!
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When I finally manage to stop feeling dizzy and see better, I realize that the spider lady is protecting me, but the humans are cornering us. I try to stand up, but I fall again; I check myself for injuries, but apart from the pain all over my body, I only have the damage on my shoulder, a not very deep cut caused by the sword, but my scales and mana hardening managed to protect me from it being worse. But then, how did I survive? I could have sworn his sword should have cut me, but then I remember that we are in danger and try to get back on my feet. However, at that moment, I felt it, we all felt it; it was an immense amount of mana followed by a slight tremor and a crackling that resonated throughout all the great caverns. When I was able to compose myself, I felt that something covered the entire area we were in and even more, and I knew it would continue to expand until it covered all the great caves. How? I manage to perceive the mana of the spider lady and interpret that she says, "Garrl did it!", "You all did it!". But …………….. When?
- When you lunged at the humans, you unconsciously sent a signal to Garrl; he must have interpreted that he should start the ritual, and he did. He managed to activate the magic seal and the miasma field is spreading throughout all the great caverns. He achieved what Orgarrl dreamed of; Garrl is worthy of his lineage. And look, the humans don't know what's happening, but the miasma will wear down the spells on their armor and reach them, and then it will all be over. Either they leave or they die. However, that magic barrier where they hide is something else, it is very resistant; if they could destroy it, this battle would end.
- But ………..…… Garrl will be fine, if I manage to activate the magic seal it means he will be fine, right?
- I don't know, I'm sorry, as I told you, the ritual is dangerous, even more so for someone without experience.
- So, I must go back to him, only I could help him.
I try to get up, but I fall again.
- Damn!
- Breigon!, calm down and focus. Look around you, the battle is far from over, and if any human escapes with the Tammat crystal, they will be able to locate the magic seal. Your duty is to retrieve it; if not, all will be in vain, so rise and fight. Now you are a descendant of the great dragons, don't forget it.
Everything hurt, but the great ancestor is right: if I want to go to Garrl, I must first help Lady Spider; I can't abandon her in the middle of this battle. Garrl literally performed a miracle; he gave us this opportunity. I won't be able to face him if the humans take the crystal from his mother and the great serpent. Besides, he promised that he would be fine; I must trust that it will be so. I manage to muster the strength and stand up, only to know that this battle is still far from over.
Out of nowhere, the humans retreat running towards their barrier and from it comes a great burst of mana heading towards us; it moved at great speed and before falling, it dispersed into hundreds of smaller bursts. How could I move to escape? I said it with great irony, "I'm sorry Garrl, I won't be able to see you," was the last thing I thought, but then the spider lady covered her body with mana and hardened it, although her hardening wasn't as effective and strong as the great serpent's, it saved us from the attack. However, it left her with wounds, but before I could react, a second attack came, and she protected me again while transmitting to me with her mana. "Breigon, we must destroy that magic barrier and that weapon, otherwise they will kill those who come to help us, not everyone can handle mana hardening," and although I understood what she said, I no longer had mana, and even if I had all of it, that magic barrier was almost impenetrable, just by feeling it I knew. Then she said to me again, "use that weapon, you defended yourself from the human's attack with it, I don't know how you can use it, but you can!
At that moment, a third attack came, taking all the strength I had left, and after that attack, I ran towards the magic barrier, with a thousand doubts. I know this sword is brimming with mana, but that doesn't mean I should be able to use it; only humans can wield their weapons and unleash the mana contained within them thanks to the pact with the great spirits. They made that very clear to me, from the great ancestor, the spider lady, and the great serpent, so I didn't even try to use the weapons we had. I am no longer human, ……………….. wait, my soul! the pact is for the soul and not for the body, that doesn't matter! If there's an opportunity, I must try.
Luckily, most of the humans had retreated inside their magic barrier, so I run straight without obstacles and, standing in front of it, I jump with the little strength I have left and try to break through with the sword. And to my surprise and that of several humans inside the magic barrier, the sword releases its attack, but it's not enough, so I gather all the little mana I had recovered: "Concentrate it and release it," and I push it into the sword. I know that different manas repel each other, and I hope that happens. I jump back and try to cover myself when a great flash and a huge explosion occur. While I was wondering if Garrl would be okay, that was the last thing I remembered.