Forgotten Conqueror Book Two - From RoyalRoad.com by Za1d3

Chapter 41 - Names

  Spreading its wings to catch the ever present wind, the young serpent rode them upward into the clouds.
Having gone high enough, it tucked in its first two pairs of wings and dove, using the third pair on its tail to steer and control its trajectory.

Like a pitch black bolt, the young drakall shot straight down towards the forest, using its newly enhanced senses and vision to close in on something moving in the undergrowth.

Breaking through the opening in the canopy, it spun and unfurled its wings, instantly halting above its prey. With a powerful roar, it sent shockwaves outward, throwing up the leaf litters on the forest floor and stunning the small hog that had been too busy digging up roots.
Running on instinct, it quickly coiled around the stunned hog, tearing at its throat with razor sharp fangs.

Within moments, the stunned victim had stopped squirming.

Grasping tightly onto its catch, the young drakall began beating its wings once more, lifting itself—and its prize—into the air.

---

In the midst of preparing a breakfast of wild greens and wolf meat, Kaidus watched as the youngling returned with a small black boar dangling from its mouth. Judging by its size, the boar was about the same as the kavaks from a few days ago, only rounder. Yet, the youngling was carrying it with little to no signs of discomfort or struggle. Gliding over to him, it dropped the kill by the fire and swooped over onto his shoulders.

"Krruuu."

"Good job, Zirus." He smiled, looking at the bloodstained drakall. With a thought, the sheen of red liquid that was covering the serpent began sliding off, revealing the glossy black scales underneath, and a small red gemstone on its forehead—where the stripe began.

"Kruuurrrrrr!" The youngling flicked its tongue out in quick successions before leaving him and slithering down to lie beside the fire, and to watch his food cook.

Just like the previous day, it was adhering to his rule of eating when he eats.


-Two days prior-

"Do you want to come with me?" Kaidus questioned, holding out a piece of meat to the young hvaral.
It was not yet evening, but they had already left the village of Reigun far behind, and were having an early dinner.

The young serpent flicked its tongue twice before taking the food with a quick striking motion, then jumped onto to him. "Kuuuurrrrrr."
Slithering across his shoulders, it coiled itself around his left arm once more as it ingested the wolf meat.

"I'll take that as a yes."
Grabbing at the black coils, he pulled the serpent and it unraveled, allowing him to pick it up. Docile and completely still, the youngling's head was arched back and leveled with his own. Its two golden eyes were staring back earnestly, as if not wanting to be left behind again. "What should we call you?" Without answering, it simply gazed back at him.

"Ah, I got it." Setting the serpent on the ground, Kaidus knelt down on one knee. "Trust me on this, alright?"
With his knife, he nicked his left thumb and allowed a bright red bead to form. By his will, power swelled up from within himself, and coursed into the single droplet of blood.

Seeing the action, the youngling began vibrating as if getting ready to flee or defend itself.

"Don't be afraid. I need you to trust me." Kaidus repeated, dropping the knife onto the ground and pulling back his powerful aura to show that everything was fine.
Bringing his left hand toward the serpent, "By the gilded laws, intangible and forever bound in eternal darkness. Zivas, nal' en aelires." He drew a glyph in the air with his thumb, tracing along an invisible path. "By the blood that flows within me, by my name and my will. Aran zuc inoss." He pressed his thumb against the young hvaral's forehead. "As one who rides my wind, I name thee Zirus, arbiter of the skies." With those words, he swiped his thumb upward, sealing in the name with blood.

Like a potent spell, a name in itself was a very powerful form of magic. More so, when the two are combined. By binding his own will to the name, then binding the name to something that willingly took it, it would allow for some form of connection between them both. Although a simpler binding compared to the one used to bind his spirits, it was all he could do, for the youngling was not a spirit. He was uncertain if it would work due to their recent encounter and the lack of trust, but it was worth a try, seeing what had occurred in Reigun.

"SHRRAAAAA!!!" Immediately, the young hvaral began hissing and thrashing about. "KRRAAAOOOOO!!" It howled painfully as the blood upon its forehead began emitting a silver light.

"Don't fight it!" Kaidus called out as he observed the process.
His magic was rushing throughout the serpent and becoming one with it, strengthening and empowering it. He felt his mana merging with the young serpent, fusing and reinforcing the creature's own. He watched as the light began shining even brighter, distorting and drawing in more light from the atmosphere.

"KRAAAAAUUUUU!" A powerful roar came through from the serpent, and the light immediate vanished. As everything subsided, before him was the young hvaral, staring up with confusion and surprise.

Upon its forehead, instead of the bloody smear, there was a vibrant blood red gem in the shape of a tear. The serpent's two golden eyes had turned silver, giving its elliptical pupils a reddish polish that looked as if they were on fire. A glossy luster ran along its pitch black body, almost like a thin film of protective mana, and exuding power.
As it opened its wings, all three pairs fanned out majestically, glistening transparently in the sunlight. With a sharp and focused visage, it turned to look at its wings in wonder.

"Zirus." He spoke, and the beast immediately turned to him once more, lowering its head—bowing. "Fly." He commanded.

"KRAAUUU!" Zirus roared, and with a single stroke of its wings, took to the sky.