54 The Arcane Order (1/2)

A low growl reverberated across the still room. In the turmoil of Delilah's mind existed two opposing forces. Her primal half seeking to bend the knee before a creature of such majesty, and her rational mind, one that understood that it was but a baby in front of her and refused to view it as an existence surpassing her.

”She says she has to excuse herself,” Furtak translated, as he in confusion watched his friend leave the room in a huff.

Delilah's exit did not, however, alter the mood.

As Rainer sat against a wall holding the now sleeping [Eldritch Dragonling] in his arms his thoughts were filled only with care.

”Do we have enough [Draconic Essence]?” Rainer asked before anyone else could question the mythical existence resting in his arms.

”We…do not,” Theodore responded.

As explained to him, the purpose [Draconic Essence] served was two-fold. One was to naturally increase, and possibly cause a later evolution of a Wyvern's natural Draconic nature. The second replaced the after-birth care which involved the Wyvern's mother.

She would transfer her vitality to her child, something that would take her quite some time to recover from.

”I imagine were such a child born to the [Scaled Wyvern] of before…she'd consume herself in transferring her vitality,” Gunthar said. Even with the gravity of his words he still knelt over Rainer watching the small black dragonling with care.

Rainer sighed. Then there were two possibilities. One was to somehow return to Nalmar and have Gunthar and Kara reenter the dungeon, alone. Or, more likely, find some source of Wyvern or Draconic related monster here.

”How long can we last with the amount we have?” Rainer then asked.

”A few weeks at most I'd guess, but I truly have no idea…”

”Does the [Draconic Essence] have to come from a Wyvern?” Elru spoke up after some thought.

”I don't suppose it does…”

”Us Fae have a detachment of riders who venture beyond our borders and out into what cannot truly be called the Fae Realm anymore. One of the mounts they use, though quite rarely, we call Feryar. From what we know they descended from Dragons.”

”Would you know where to find wild ones?” Rainer asked.

”It may be difficult. Perhaps it's best to bring the question to Laneth?”

”So then onto a more important topic,” Rainer said with a serious tone. He paused for several seconds before finally mentioning just what held more importance.

”She needs a name,” He said.

Given Kara's look, were he not holding the small dragon in his arms he may have come to harm.

”I was thinking Tiamat. Quite a famous name for a Dragon in my world. Fits such a powerful little one perfectly,” Rainer said before wondering how he'd feel being named after one of Earth's many mythological figures. He certainly wouldn't be happy as Zeus Nvos. But perhaps, without having the Earthen knowledge of the name he'd enjoy it.

”Maybe Isabelle. Since Elle is kind of like Eldritch…” He spoke to himself. He then remembered the original meaning behind Isabelle and found it quite unfitting given his own titles.

”It should be your choice, Sorcerer,” Gunthar spoke. Rainer looked at him in surprise given his earlier excitement, but he imagined then too, that this familiar bond meant more in their culture than just master and servant. Given its requirement of needing an unhatched Wyvern to bond to, the weight could be quite large.

No one disagreed with Gunthar's words. However, Theodore reached out his hands toward Rainer. He held out his leather covered hands expectantly without saying a word.

With a light laugh, Rainer carefully handed over the little Dragon. Gunthar looked on from the side and, after some prodding, Theodore reluctantly handed her over.

Rainer couldn't help but liken the scene to a delivery room.

The Dragon suddenly awoke while in Gunthar's embrace. It stared for quite some time at the two violet flames within Gunthar's eyes. One could see his shoulders deflate as he worried his undead nature would bother the little dragonling.

But after a long glance, she only made a pleased purr and returned to sleep. A small noise left Gunthar, but before Rainer could comment once more, Gunthar beat him to it.

”Not a word, Sorcerer,” Gunthar added as quietly as he could.

Rainer thought back to the name. She was a dragon. A legendary creature even by this world's standards. There was no reason to have her name limited to only, or two, or three, or six.

But for now two will do.

”Kara, you should choose a name as well. We can let her pick what she wishes to be called.”

Kara did not even think for a moment as if she had already chosen one, ”Lesha”

”Lesha Tiamat Nvos,” Rainer spoke to the baby dragon in Theodore's arms. His familiar screen immediately altered and displayed her new name. He couldn't help but be a little surprised as he thought over the ramifications of naming another.

”Hey, what about my last name?” Kara then asked not expecting him to add that part.

”What about it?”

”Well I accepted her as a familiar first,” Kara said grinning and taking the baby dragon from a reluctant Gunthar.

”Yeah, but when you get married in this world, who's name do you take?” Rainer had asked before he realized the question was far too leading.

Kara, however, let that go.

”I suppose Nvos is more fitting,” Kara spoke. Tiamat nestled in her arms as if finding her presence comforting.

”How do you change your name?” Rainer then asked. He wondered if it were a more permanent thing.

After being explained to that it only required thinking of the name category in the status screen, he thought of things children would do but only laughed. It seems in this world one's name in their status screen didn't particularly mean anything.

Meaning identifying someone could only be done in the same way as his own world of past. Though, he thought, there had to be magical means of doing so here.

Elru suddenly became confused as to why Rainer wouldn't know such a basic thing.

”Rainer, how come you didn't know that already?”

Rainer scratched his head awkwardly as he looked at Furtak and Elru. Judging from what he knew of Fae he ventured it may even be a plus.

”I'm from another world,” Rainer answered, ”One without the system. No levels, no skills being displayed, no attributes. No wolves the size of a house or undead walking around. ”

Probably…At least the mythologies are way too close…

Rainer thought as he looked at Furtak, and then Elru who apart from her currently hidden wings resembled an elf all too common to his world's fantasy stories.

Neither Furtak nor Elru seemed to respond. To Elru, she was familiar with old stories of Heroes, as was Furtak. As his race was often on the receiving end. They were villains of his bedtime stories in a history long since past.

”Well, you've seen my teleportation ability, right?” Rainer then said, seeking to clear up any misconceptions on his method of arrival.

”Yes…it's extremely strange. There is not a single warning or sign of you doing it. It goes against everything I know of teleportation magic….” Furtak answered.

”It…” Rainer wondered if he should take the chance to alter the story a bit. Gunthar, however, did not give him a chance.

”The Sorcerer screwed up. Instead of walking through a wall he accidently walked into another world,” Gunthar spoke.

Elru laughed a little, but Furtak placed a hand on his forehead as he thought back to the experiments done in his house.

Rainer sat down and leaned against the wall once more. They had left in the middle of the night, and from there till now he had yet to sleep. With his raised attributes, he hardly required the same amount as before, but he still preferred his daily rest.

He never knew when that would no longer be available.

”Kara, you mind watching over Tiamat while I take a nap?” Rainer asked as he took out another vial of [Draconic Essence].

Gunthar was about to step up to offer but was stopped by his father.

”Yes, it would be better for her to be with someone warmer at this point…” Gunthar sighed in dejection. He and his father headed away to discuss the trees with Elru. He was also curious on testing with Gunthar his son's new class abilities.

Gunthar gave back a few reluctant looks toward the little Dragon but continued. The need to acquire more of [Draconic Essence] fueled him.

”Rainer, you should only rest a few hours at most. I imagine the Courts aren't the type of people to be kept waiting longer than needed,” Theodore added as he left the room.

Rainer nodded. He agreed, but he still had to consider what he was to say fully. The Arcane Order needed to be a powerful yet believable existence. At the same time, it needed not to threaten the existence of the Fae directly, and yet apply pressure.

And above all else, The Arcane Order needed to be; he needed to be, someone they couldn't call a bluff on.

Rainer, Luna, and Kara headed back to their room. The little dragonling still sleeping in Kara's arms as she then looked to the full-sized Luna who was manipulating her flame. After receiving the flame back from Yulia, its strength had improved significantly.

Luna was still getting used to it as before Rainer fell asleep she had slightly burnt him. Something her flame had never been particularly strong at. This was added on to her new hidden attribute which she, at level 14 from all the energy that was poured into her along with shared experience, had acquired.

Her injured and nearly fatal state had allowed far more Mana and Arcane Power, as well as the newly empowered and strengthened Faerie Flame to change her.

Rainer slept soundly in the bed as Luna sat on the edge of it. Once more using a more automatic [Sleep learning] to train his [Arcane Weaving] while he enjoyed the blissful nothingness of sleep.

”Are you as okay with it as you seem?” Kara suddenly asked while looking at Rainer.

Luna instead looked at the little dragon with some thought.

”I can always make a second pocket…” Luna pondered. She would make her own far better; such a victory was enough. For a moment she thought to make the Dragon's even a little uncomfortable but ventured Rainer would not like that.

”Not that…you know…” She said.

”Oh!” Luna suddenly said in realization.

”It is interesting,” She said looking at herself, ”but I can unlike most Fae return to my original small size. So, I wouldn't say it's too big of a change for me.”

At this point, Kara just stared at the Fae. She couldn't help but wonder how much of this was on purpose and how much was her just being Luna.

She sighed deciding to broach the topic of their relationship at another time.

Several hours later, they flew back to the Fae Realm. Luna in one pocket and Tiamat with her own. Unbeknownst to anyone else, Luna had fought off the little dragon the entire flight as she sought to take Luna's spot in Rainer's coat.

Over the course of the flight, Rainer went over his tactic for greeting the Fae court with Elru and Theodore. As in the past, he believed to give as little information as possible.

Yet at the same time he wished to learn from the Fae and be given access to certain magics and archives. Otherwise, he would not be bothering with them in the first place beyond getting permission to visit Quera's mother.

Just before they reached the ring, Luna helped to make a coat with a pocket for Kara to hold Tiamat within. The sleeping Dragon refused to leave her chosen lair, and reluctantly Rainer left Tiamat with him.

Rainer noted the small gain he made during the nap.

[Arcane Weaving has reached level 6]

His control over the weaves improved as well as the number he could control at the same time. It was a strange feeling that, not exactly a parallel thought but almost as if he could be more intuitive in control.

He could command an Arcane Weaved figure to move in a direction, rather than have to move its parts like a puppet. So long as he properly built the parts in the first place.

Entering through the Fairy Ring, they found a scene with a far heavier guard. Without needing to be ordered one of the Glamour Court Assassins in hiding already headed away to tell of the group's coming.

Laneth, seemingly already nearby, came shortly after.

”Has your business been taken care of, or do I get to enjoy another delivery of bad news?” Laneth asked.

”I still have some things here to do, but the council comes first. I was actually hoping you could do me a favor,” He asked before glancing at Laneth's escort.

”Sure,” Laneth said as he gestured Rainer to take flight.

Both Laneth's and Rainer's glare stopped the escorting Fae from following, closely at least.

”I've been meaning to ask. Did anyone tail me out of the Fairy Ring?”

”They did,” Laneth answered without restraint before explaining what, at least as far as he understood, they knew of Rainer. When Laneth recalled his need to stifle laughter at their assumptions that Yulia's crime was Devil related, Rainer thought of the last thing he needed for his negotiation.

Letting them believe Yulia's crime was related to Devil Summoning fixed many issues he had. In his mind, there was little to excuse killing a monarch, even a hated one by a room full of nobles.

But this way, the greater good could become an easy point to make. And it also painted a clearer picture of the ideals and goals of his order. One that killed a monarch for personal reasons, and invaded a foreign nation may not be the best ally. But one who protected the world from Devils invading was not a loose element that may turn its anger on anyone else.

Following Laneth's lead, they flew for some time until they came across a white tower. It was nearby the now closed off Palace Rainer was all too familiar with. They landed on a large balcony on the highest floor. Rainer only now recalled the lack of stairs in the Watcher's place.

He laughed, realizing that the concept of stairs may not even be a question for Fae who didn't consider any wound that wasn't fatal as anything more than an inconvenience. Meaning a Fae who could not fly likely did not exist.

They entered a large room with a circular table in the center. For Rainer, a single seat was left for him at the massive table. Twenty Fae were seated at it, five from each of the Courts.

Elru was surprised to notice her father among the members of the Winter Court. His rank was not high enough compared to everyone else here who were either former Kings or Queens, as well as various Princes and Princesses of various courts.

The entire time he had been here, Rainer had kept [Arcane Awakening] at a low level. The difference between activating [Arcane Awakening] and then Shield mode versus just the latter was not large at all. But Rainer saw no reason to risk that extra moment of time.

Rainer had learned some basics to greet the Court, though a situation like his has never truly happened. A visiting king or queen back when the Fae Realm adopted less of an isolationist stance would not be granted such a meeting.

”A pleasure to be invited amongst the Great Courts of Fae. You may know this one as Rainer Nvos, Adept of the Arcane Order.”

In the land of Fae, contrary to other places, it was quite silly to introduce oneself with their class. As the Fae appraised, several became reminded of not only his strength and strange second primary class but also his age of only 19.

Rainer remained standing as he waited in turn for other introductions but no one seemed to initiate the introductions. To sit, before such would be considered an insult.

Just before Laneth could break the silence, Rainer sat anyways.

He looked out across the room and noted nothing in particular across their faces. His insult hadn't phased them, and he understood that he may be farther out of his comfort zone than initially believed.

If I let them take me with their pace, I risk too much…