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Authors: Kristopher Cruz
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it had been waiting for him. He concluded that hydras may, in fact, be more clever than he thought.
They had regrouped with the Ezeilo, Tanya, and Giselle shortly after the fight, and they were able to finally rest. Joven had managed to salvage several square feet of intact hydra hide and over thirty pounds of meat, the rest of which he left for scavengers. He also had collected a large assortment of the creature's bones, including several of its long teeth, the largest of which was a bone from the foreleg, which was just a little bit longer than Endrance was tall.
The mountain pass spit them out only two day’s ride from the fort of Commander Gural. Joven suggested that they take a circuitous route around it, which Endrance quickly agreed with. They would run east of the fort, and head south down to Lakestead, where they would resupply before cutting through the Iron Satrap into Ironsoul City.
That night, and the night after, they didn't light a fire for fear of being spotted by any of the regular patrols coming out of Commander Gural's fort. It wasn't that Endrance had a warrant on his head that was the problem; he had, after all, complied and was actively returning to Ironsoul. Rather, he was more worried about the commander carrying a grudge for events that Endrance did not have a direct part in.
The night that they could finally have a large fire, Joven spent several long minutes inspecting the hydra’s radius.
"What did you take that huge bone for?" Tanya finally asked. "Don't you have enough weapons?"
Joven shrugged, holding it up. The bone at its thinnest point was as thick as Endrance's wrist, and as thick as his clenched fist at the ends. It wasn't white like Endrance had expected, but Joven had told him it would take time for it to do that naturally.
"I was thinking that it would make an excellent trophy for Endrance." he declared. The mage, who had been jotting some notes down into his spellbook, looked up.
"What?" he asked.
"He said he got it for you." Selene said, putting a hand on his shoulder. She had been sitting next to him, quietly watching him go about his work. She didn't understand any of what he was writing, but something about the intense concentration and focus he had when working on a spell form, captured her attention like no other. Something in the demonic half of her was enraptured by the singular will the young man had.
Bridget looked at the bone from her spot by the fire, where she was heating up a pot of water. "That should be pretty strong." she observed. "He could definitely beat a man to death with it."
Endrance stared at her. "Again," he said. "What?"
Joven sighed, shaking his head. "I don't think it should be a weapon." he started. "But whenever travelers talked of wizards, I've always heard it said that they had a staff. I just thought that since we barbarians use trophies as signs of our accomplishments, then a staff made from a hydra bone would be a really good trophy."
Endrance frowned. "I wish someone had told me that thing about staves when I was in training, then perhaps I'd know how to handle them." he replied with a shrug.
"I don't think you have any trouble handling your staff." Selene interjected. She then realized what she had said, and clamped her hands over her mouth with a muffled 'eep,' her eyes wide with surprise.
"Whoa." Tanya said, shaking her head. "Too much info."
Bridget scoffed. "I don't know." she added. "She's half succubi, she probably knows what she's talking about."
Selene's face turned bright red as she tried to control her embarrassment.
Endrance shook his head. "Ladies." he said, "I take it you know how to fight with a staff?" he asked his bodyguard.
"Yes." Joven declared. "It's called 'stick fighting.' It's easy to learn the basics, but versatile when you master it."
"You know how to do that?" Endrance asked, ignoring the conversation the three Draugnoa were having at his expense. Giselle had stolen one of the dragon's finger bones and
They had regrouped with the Ezeilo, Tanya, and Giselle shortly after the fight, and they were able to finally rest. Joven had managed to salvage several square feet of intact hydra hide and over thirty pounds of meat, the rest of which he left for scavengers. He also had collected a large assortment of the creature's bones, including several of its long teeth, the largest of which was a bone from the foreleg, which was just a little bit longer than Endrance was tall.
The mountain pass spit them out only two day’s ride from the fort of Commander Gural. Joven suggested that they take a circuitous route around it, which Endrance quickly agreed with. They would run east of the fort, and head south down to Lakestead, where they would resupply before cutting through the Iron Satrap into Ironsoul City.
That night, and the night after, they didn't light a fire for fear of being spotted by any of the regular patrols coming out of Commander Gural's fort. It wasn't that Endrance had a warrant on his head that was the problem; he had, after all, complied and was actively returning to Ironsoul. Rather, he was more worried about the commander carrying a grudge for events that Endrance did not have a direct part in.
The night that they could finally have a large fire, Joven spent several long minutes inspecting the hydra’s radius.
"What did you take that huge bone for?" Tanya finally asked. "Don't you have enough weapons?"
Joven shrugged, holding it up. The bone at its thinnest point was as thick as Endrance's wrist, and as thick as his clenched fist at the ends. It wasn't white like Endrance had expected, but Joven had told him it would take time for it to do that naturally.
"I was thinking that it would make an excellent trophy for Endrance." he declared. The mage, who had been jotting some notes down into his spellbook, looked up.
"What?" he asked.
"He said he got it for you." Selene said, putting a hand on his shoulder. She had been sitting next to him, quietly watching him go about his work. She didn't understand any of what he was writing, but something about the intense concentration and focus he had when working on a spell form, captured her attention like no other. Something in the demonic half of her was enraptured by the singular will the young man had.
Bridget looked at the bone from her spot by the fire, where she was heating up a pot of water. "That should be pretty strong." she observed. "He could definitely beat a man to death with it."
Endrance stared at her. "Again," he said. "What?"
Joven sighed, shaking his head. "I don't think it should be a weapon." he started. "But whenever travelers talked of wizards, I've always heard it said that they had a staff. I just thought that since we barbarians use trophies as signs of our accomplishments, then a staff made from a hydra bone would be a really good trophy."
Endrance frowned. "I wish someone had told me that thing about staves when I was in training, then perhaps I'd know how to handle them." he replied with a shrug.
"I don't think you have any trouble handling your staff." Selene interjected. She then realized what she had said, and clamped her hands over her mouth with a muffled 'eep,' her eyes wide with surprise.
"Whoa." Tanya said, shaking her head. "Too much info."
Bridget scoffed. "I don't know." she added. "She's half succubi, she probably knows what she's talking about."
Selene's face turned bright red as she tried to control her embarrassment.
Endrance shook his head. "Ladies." he said, "I take it you know how to fight with a staff?" he asked his bodyguard.
"Yes." Joven declared. "It's called 'stick fighting.' It's easy to learn the basics, but versatile when you master it."
"You know how to do that?" Endrance asked, ignoring the conversation the three Draugnoa were having at his expense. Giselle had stolen one of the dragon's finger bones and
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