Attempted Adventuring (The Attempted Vampirism Series Book 2) Page 2

  Her hydra form could certainly catch its attention, but do you really think trying to fight an ancient draco-hydra with a normal hydra is going to work? She won’t be fast enough to retreat, and it is going to tear her limb from limb.

  “When you put it that way…”

  My plan is simple. You go out there and blast it with some of my power, and then you get ready to dodge. If you can keep its attention long enough, the others will be able to escape. Once they’re clear, you can escape as well.

  “And how do you expect me to live that long?” Jonathan was not good at dodging. In fact, he wasn’t much good at anything related to combat. Admittedly, he was improving, but being mediocre at best was not going to cut it against a draco-hydra.

  The others can enhance you with some of their Words, and do not forget that you are a vampire noble. You might not be as fast as I was, but you are still much faster than any normal human.

  “I don’t suppose you can blast it hard enough to kill it, can you?”

  If I were alive and well, it would be relatively straightforward. However, you are currently serving as my anchor. Any attack powerful enough to kill it outright would most likely incapacitate you for days – if it doesn’t outright kill you – as well as collapse the cave. I know you survived being buried under rubble when we first met thanks to my influence, but it’s not something you should make a habit of.

  Jonathan was not looking forward to attacking a giant, molten-acid-spewing, winged reptile, but it was looking more and more like he didn’t have a choice. “And you don’t have another plan we could try?”

  Unless you can somehow master advanced blood magic in the next two minutes, I’m afraid we’re out of options.

  “I was afraid you’d say that.” Jonathan considered asking the Blood Emperor if they could use the Dagger of the Crimson Dawn before realising how bad an idea it would be. The dagger could only seal away something that was badly wounded or dead, and certain creatures were highly resistant to sealing magic. He wasn’t sure if draco-hydras were, but he knew that dragons were practically impossible to seal away or bind. If he tried to use the dagger and it failed, he would find himself right next to an enraged draco-hydra. He’d be lucky if he got more than a few seconds to regret his mistake.

  Jonathan took a deep breath. It was time to face reality. He was going to have to do the completely foolish but heroic thing. Hopefully, he’d do a better job of it than he had of securing financial stability. He raised his voice just enough for Miles, Eric, Blue Scales, and Eileen to hear him. “Get ready to run. I’m going to distract it. The Blood Emperor will make sure I get its attention.”

  Miles stared. “You cannot be serious, sir. There must be another way.”

  “It’s our best chance.” Jonathan was amazed by how confident he managed to sound. Instead of sounding utterly terrified, he managed to come across as only mildly concerned. “I’ll be fine. The Blood Emperor needs me around, so he won’t let anything happen to me. However, I will need you to use a few Words on me.” He smiled weakly. “I won’t be fast enough to survive otherwise.”

  Miles’s fists clenched. It was clear he wanted to argue, but he could also see that Jonathan’s mind was made up. “Very well, sir.” He put one hand on Jonathan’s shoulder and reached for his magic. A jolt of power ran through the vampire as his servant applied several Words in quick succession. Miles was best at enhancing himself, but he could enhance others if they were close enough although physical contact was best. “[Quicken], [Accelerate], [Fortify]. I wish I could help more, sir, but three Words is the most I can use on someone else.” He lowered his hand. “I would also suggest you avoid being struck. [Fortify] will increase your durability considerably, but I doubt you would survive a direct hit from that monster.”

  Jonathan waved off Miles’s apology. He already felt stronger and faster. “This is excellent, Miles. How long does it last?”

  “A few minutes, sir, as many as ten if you’re lucky. You should be able to feel when it’s about to wear off.”

  Jonathan grimaced inwardly. A few minutes? Hopefully, he wouldn’t need to distract the draco-hydra for longer than a minute or two. “In that case, I’d best get started. I’d prefer to only do this once, so as soon as I get its attention…”

  “Don’t worry.” Eric had managed to sneak over, and his usual grin was gone. “We’ll run for it the second it’s distracted.” He pointed at Jonathan. “[Hunter’s Instincts], [Eye of the Wolf].” The Words settled onto Jonathan, and the whole world suddenly seemed clearer. Something stirred inside him, instincts he’d never possessed coming to the fore. “Take care of yourself, Jonathan. Once we’re clear, you run for it. There’s nothing heroic about ending up in a monster’s belly.”

  “I can assure you that I have no intention of sticking around longer than I have to.”

  That would only end in your death – and mine. The Blood Emperor sent a pulse of his power through Jonathan, and the younger vampire trembled as some small measure of the legendary ruler’s strength filled him. It was mind-boggling to think that this kind of power was only a mere fraction of what the Blood Emperor had once been capable of. I’ll try to make this as easy on you as possible. Go grab its attention.

  Jonathan murmured a swift prayer to the five mightiest gods he could think of and then stepped out into the open. “Hey!” he shouted. “Here I am!”

  He flung one of the coins he’d taken at the draco-hydra. The makeshift projectile bounced off its burgundy scales, and its heads immediately swung around to face him. With all of the Words on him, Jonathan’s speed and perception had been enhanced well beyond their usual limits. He saw everything with perfect clarity, and the world around him slowed to a crawl. Somehow, he managed to keep from screaming when all eighteen of the draco-hydra’s eyes narrowed at him. The beast was not happy. It was the very opposite of happy. He swallowed thickly and almost tripped over a stray chest when he took a step back. A shudder ran through him. He had to be careful. Even with all of the enhancements, he couldn’t afford to stumble. If he lost his footing, he was dead.

  It was a testament to how fast the creature could move that despite Jonathan’s mind working at more than triple its normal speed, it didn’t seem the least bit slow as it rumbled toward him. He’d thought it was enormous before, but seeing it loom over him now made it seem even bigger. By the gods, what had he been thinking? This was madness.

  He’d often heard about how the minds of warriors could both sharpen and dull in the heat of battle. With their senses stretched to their very limits, they could perceive every detail with astounding clarity and precision. Yet their minds could also wander, their thoughts moving too swiftly for them to control. Jonathan hadn’t always believed the stories, but he believed them now because his mind was doing exactly that. He should be running. He should be using the Blood Emperor’s power. He should be doing something – anything – except gawping at his oncoming death like a fool. Instead, his mind was busy reminding him of everything he’d learned about draco-hydras, which was all very interesting from an academic standpoint but not at all useful to surviving the next twenty seconds.

  From his research, he knew that draco-hydras followed a similar growth pattern to regular hydras. They hatched with one head and grew a second during adolescence. A third head would follow during adulthood, and they would continue to add more as they grew older and more powerful. Ancient draco-hydras were so powerful they might as well have been a different species from their younger kin. Their molten acid was vastly more potent and far hotter, and they could unleash it at immense pressures, allowing them to attack from much longer ranges – or to simply cut through anything that could withstand their acid’s heat and corrosive properties. Throw in the fact that they could fly, and the only things ancient draco-hydras had to fear were ancient hydras and older dragons. Even then, it would take a powerful member of either species to truly threaten them.

  Eric had mentioned that Alaric, the Great Silver and the mi
ghtiest werewolf in history, had once eaten an ancient draco-hydra, but Alaric was said to be more like a force of nature or a living natural disaster than a werewolf. He was one of the only people to have survived facing the Blood Emperor in single combat during his prime. Whatever Alaric had done to defeat an ancient draco-hydra was not something any other werewolf could replicate.

  One last fact filtered through Jonathan’s panicked mind before he managed to focus back on the task at hand. Most ancient draco-hydras had seven heads. This one had nine.

  “Why did I agree to this?” Jonathan muttered as the monster drew back two of its heads to unleash twin sprays of molten acid that travelled at speeds fast enough to put crossbow bolts to shame. Despite all of the Words enhancing him, Jonathan still came within inches of dying right there. It was a sobering reminder of the cavernous gap between him and his foe.

  It’s because you actually care about getting the others out of here alive. The Blood Emperor’s voice was filled with pride. A ruler should care about his subordinates – and his friends and allies. Get ready. I will attack soon.

  “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.” Jonathan scrambled to get clear as the monster stomped forward. He was moving at more than triple his normal speed, yet the beast had no problems keeping track of him. A gut feeling – an instinct – told him to duck, and he flung himself down just in time to avoid more acid. With nine heads to keep track of, staying in one piece was going to be a nightmare. He used [Discern Weakness], but the Word came up empty handed. This thing didn’t have weaknesses – at least, not any he could take advantage of. The only thing he could think of was hitting it with something strong enough to penetrate its scales and overwhelm its regeneration. The Blood Emperor had been right. Brute force was their only option.

  You should try to learn [Identify Weakness]. It’s a stronger version of the Word you used. I doubt it would help in this situation, but it may be useful later. The Blood Emperor’s magic sharpened and turned from a tidal wave of raw power to a thin, tightly focused stream of energy. Be ready to run. We are about to anger the beast, and I doubt my attack will kill it – or keep it down for long. Once it recovers, it will do everything in its power to destroy us.

  “Wonderful…” Jonathan croaked. “Well… do what you have to do.”

  That’s the spirit.

  [Sundering Blast].

  A sudden, eerie silence fell over the cave. Jonathan’s mind had been doing its best to filter through all of the sounds he was picking up thanks to his enhanced perception – the hissing of the draco-hydra, the thunder of its approach, and the hurried footsteps of his friends – but then everything went quiet. It was like being plunged deep into a lake of freezing water. This was beyond the quiet of the grave. This was the solemn, unmistakable silence that only the gods themselves could bring to bear.

  And then there was a sound – a howl, a scream, a roar – that shook the world to its foundations.

  Everything in front of him exploded. Rocks, soil, gemstones, gold, flesh – everything ruptured, tore, shattered, and was blown away by a blast of raw destructive force that threatened to collapse the cavern. It was as though the gods themselves had taken enormous sledgehammers to everything he could see. The ancient draco-hydra reeled back, its massive bulk seemingly no match for the power of the Blood Emperor’s Word. Its scales had been shattered and ripped loose, and its flesh had been pulverised and pulped. Even its bones were smashed and broken.

  “Go!” Jonathan bellowed to the others as he sagged. His ears rang, and his vision swam. He would have fallen if not for the boulder beside him. All of his strength was gone, and even the Words the others had used to enhance him could barely keep him conscious. Jaw clenched, he forced himself to fight through the fatigue. If he closed his eyes here, he would never open them again. He couldn’t die here. He had to live, so he could get his castle back and repay Miles and Martin for everything. He wasn’t much of a vampire noble, but surely, he could manage that much. “Go!” he shouted again, voice ragged. “Get out of here!”

  The others wasted no time in abandoning any attempt at stealth for a flat-out sprint for the entrance as the draco-hydra toppled back. It wasn’t dead – it was still twitching – but doing so much damage to it with a single attack was incredible. Yet even the Blood Emperor’s Word couldn’t keep it down for more than a few moments. To Jonathan’s disbelief, it was already healing. New scales pushed past the broken ones, and its shattered bones were being yanked into place amidst its regenerating flesh. As she ran past, Aria tossed him a flask. Only his improved reflexes allowed him to catch it through the haze of fatigue that clawed at his mind and body.

  “Drink it – and don’t stay any longer than you have to.”

  Jonathan opened the flask and nearly swooned. The smell was intoxicating. It was fresh virgin’s blood from someone with holy power. It didn’t take a scholar to work out where it had come from. Aria must have set it aside in case he ran into trouble. He smiled. She would never admit it, but she had a tendency to mother everyone in the group. It didn’t matter if they were a cheerful shape-shifter, a towering merman, a snarky werewolf, a combat-ready butler, or even a vampire noble. If she could take care of them, she would. He’d have to do his best not to squander her gift.

  She is a practical woman – and a caring one. The Blood Emperor’s grin made him seem almost boyish despite his rugged features. You could do worse for a leader.

  Jonathan gulped the blood down and immediately felt better. Oh, he was still a bit unsteady on his feet, but the wool that had descended over his mind and senses had receded. The tremors that had wracked his body had stopped as well – at least until he saw the draco-hydra lumber back onto its feet. It was extremely not happy, and it was looking at him with pure, undiluted hatred.

  “Okay…” Jonathan took one step back followed by another and another. “What now?”

  I was honestly hoping it would stay down for a while longer. But now we run. The others are already clear, so there’s no need for you to stay here any longer. Unfortunately, the creature is between the entrance and us, and I doubt it will simply allow us to leave.

  Jonathan swallowed thickly. As big as the draco-hydra was, there was still some space between it and the sides of the cave. If he was quick enough and lucky enough, he might just be able to slip past it.

  What are you waiting for? Move!

  The beast unleashed a veritable deluge of molten acid, and Jonathan burst into motion. It must still have been recovering because the monster’s aim was off. Most of the attack sprayed harmlessly overhead, and his Word-enhanced senses and speed allowed him to dodge the rest, albeit awkwardly. He raced past the draco-hydra and ran for the entrance to the cave. It was so close. He was almost –

  His instincts screamed at him to duck, as did the Blood Emperor. Get down!

  He’d learned the hard way to listen to the Blood Emperor when it came to combat. Moreover, his Word-gifted instincts were like thunder in his ears. He needed to duck. So he did – and a split-second later a volley of acid streaked through the air where his upper body had been. The acid struck a boulder, and its sheer heat began to melt the rock before its corrosive properties turned it into a puddle of goo. Not good. It looked like the draco-hydra had gotten its aim back.

  Jonathan picked up the pace, barely aware that he was cursing in five different ancient languages.

  Your vocabulary is impressive. Oh, you might want to jump.

  Once again, the Blood Emperor and his new instincts were in agreement. He jumped, and three beams of acid passed beneath him. As he landed, a bolt of lightning crackled through the air. The lightning struck one of the draco-hydra’s heads, and its next attack went awry. He grinned. That had to have come from Blue Scales. He needed to get him something nice when they got back to civilisation. Perhaps he could get him some tuna buns. After all, the merman did like pastries as well as tuna.

  By some miracle, he was able to reach the entrance before the Words the others had
used on him began to wear off. The loss of strength and speed had him staggering around like a drunk as he fought to stay on his feet. The ground shook as an enraged bellow split the air, but he didn’t have to turn around to know what was right behind him. More acid hurtled toward him, but a glowing white barrier appeared to ward off the attack.

  “Aria?” he mumbled blearily as he continued to stumble forward. The barrier shattered only a few seconds later, but it had already done its job. He blinked. They’d come back for him. Weren’t they supposed to run?

  Yes. However, friends don’t leave their friends behind to get eaten by draco-hydras.

  The blonde had come back for him with Miles while Blue Scales, Eric, and Eileen hastened to ready the boat they’d taken down the river to reach the cave. Aria’s whole body tensed as she was forced to summon another barrier to defend them, and it was clear the monster had yet to truly exert its strength.

  “Miles!” she shouted as the barrier came apart in a shower of radiant sparks. “Distract it!”

  The butler bounded forward, drew one arm back, and did the most incredible thing Jonathan had seen in some time. He punched the draco-hydra.

  [Iron Fist].

  [Pulverise].

  [Shatter].

  With those three Words, Miles’s fist would have reduced a boulder to powder. It was substantially less effective against the draco-hydra. The creature’s immense durability along with its natural resistance to magic meant that all he accomplished was making it even madder. The gigantic reptile rounded on him, and Miles leapt back as it came within inches of simply crushing him underfoot.

  “Grab Jonathan!” Aria shouted. “I’ll handle our defence!”

  That’s quite a servant you have. The Blood Emperor chuckled. Any man willing to run up to a draco-hydra and punch it for your sake is a man worth keeping around.