Chapter 474 - Is it Tasty?

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“There’s something strange about this place,” Dylan said.

They had managed to make it across two islands on the first day, both very similar to the one they had started on, minus the ancient wizard or godly temple. It was almost as if a giant forest had been broken up into dozens of pieces. Every time they found a clearing, Hump found himself lost in wonder at the sights—waterfalls falling from one island into empty air, only to meander to the next island and continue on its path. Swarms of creatures clutching to the towering cliff faces.

A few had tried their luck and attacked them, but it seemed this area was home to only lower ranked monsters. On the islands lower down, that seemed to change occasionally. Where they walked, on the very outer islands at the top of the sky, essence wasn’t too dense, but farther down Hump could tell it was different. The forests there were brighter, the beasts more powerful. Occasionally he would sense an aura that reminded him they were walking in foreign lands and couldn’t be too careful.

“What do you mean ‘something’?” Emilia said, laughing. “There’s a lot wrong with this place. We’re walking on flying islands!”

“Don’t listen to her,” Hump said sagely. “I think you might be onto something, Dylan.”

Dylan glared at them both. “Well, obviously. But it’s about how they’re flying. Look at those rocks.” He pointed toward a section of rocks floating through the air. “They are untouched by any of the essence pillars that seem to keep the larger islands floating, so what’s keeping them up? Can you make anything out with that perception ability of yours, Hump?”

Hump studied them with Spirit Sight.

“Nothing too useful,” he said. “I’ve already tried it on a few things but it’s hard to get a proper read on any of the magical workings in this place. They’re layered with such complexity.”

“As in the intent?”

Hump nodded.

“I noticed that too,” Dylan said.

“Care you explain it to the rest of us regular people?” Emilia asked.

“Almost everything here is influenced by something else,” Dylan said. “Considering Lord Loften told us he is holding the world together, I assume by him. His intent is in everything, and its so rich and deep that it’s almost nothing like the natural world.”

“That’s what I’m seeing too,” Hump said. “Those stones for example—you would expect them to be predominantly made up of earth essence, and while that’s somewhat true, the construct is so different. Rather, its like there’s a cloud of earth essence around everything, along with powers I can’t recognise. It reminds me of spell formations in a way.”

“How so?” Dylan asked.

“The way everything is connected and structured. The intent. It’s like we’re looking at one piece of a large formation that repeats all around us.” Hump stroked at his chin wizardly. “I wonder if the pillars of essence are some sort of gravity magic, and these stones and the water are caught up in the residual effects of it.”

“Is that possible?” Celaine asked. “Loften said he was trapped here and didn’t have all his powers. Could he really cover the entire world in magic like that?”

Hump shrugged. “The powers of godly beings are a little out of my expertise. You Dylan?”

“Can’t say it is.” Dylan smirked. It was good to see him smiling. He’d quite naturally been rather upset being in this world—the arm, of course, but also leaving Lorissa behind.

Celaine rolled her eyes. “Aren’t you two just hilarious.”

“It’s possible,” Bud said. “Lord Loften told us it is so. And he is a god. This is what they do.”

***

The sun was a couple of hours away from setting when the ease of the day finally broke. While there had been the odd monster dangerous enough to pay attention to, they kept their distance. Hump had become too relaxed. Nisha soared overhead, enjoying the feel of the wind on her scales, when suddenly she got into trouble.

She’d been chasing after a bird that darted between the islands, her joy infectious through their bond. But then that joy shifted to terror.

“Something’s wrong,” Hump said, already picking up speed.

Celaine and Emilia were faster, bolting ahead the moment he spoke. The rest of the group followed at a spring, feet pounding across the earth ground. When they reached the edge of the island, Hump’s breath caught.

Nisha was suspended in midair between two floating landmasses, wings thrashing, tail lashing wildly. At first glance, she looked as if she were hovering—held up by nothing but air, as if the world itself had frozen her in place. The last light of the day shimmered off something unseen, tiny glimmers catching in the fading glow.

Hump’s Spirit Sight told a different story. A vast web spread between the islands, glistening silver in his vision, crisscrossing to form a lattice. It had to span at least a hundred paces and was nearly as tall. Every strand pulsed with essence, but it was more than that. After a few seconds he recognised it as a kind of Soul Manifestation, like the web was an extension of whatever creature had created it.

From the other island, a creature scuttled across the silken threads toward Nisha. Its body was the size of a horse, legs long and chitinous, tapping lightly against the web strands as it moved with unnatural grace. Eight eyes gleamed like black ink.

“She needs to stop panicking,” Dylan said. “The vibrations are what draws the spider in.”

“Stop struggling,” Hump told Nisha. “We’ll get you, girl. You need to stop panicking, its making it come quicker.”

He tried to soothe her with his voice, his presence. Then, thinking it might help, he sent her an image of the spider—how far away it was, how it wasn’t approaching too quickly.

Her terror surged.

“She’s more panicked now,” Hump muttered, wincing at the backlash of emotion. “I tried.”

“What did you tell her?” Celaine snapped, turning on him.

“I said to calm down and showed her what was approaching. I thought she’d be less worried if she knew it was just a spider.”

“You’re an idiot.”

“Just shoot it down!” Hump snapped back.

Celaine drew her bow but didn’t nock an arrow. “If I shoot the spider and break the wrong thread, she might fall. Tangled in that web she can’t fly. Also… she should be able to handle this.”

“What do you mean?” Hump asked. “She’s panicking.”

“As you said, it’s one monster. Help her through it. I’m ready if she needs me.”

Hump frowned but hurried to try and reassure her again. He filled her mind with an image of her unleashing her fire and freeing herself, then defeating the spider. His intent was confident and calm. His mind fixed with certainty. “Burn the webs, Nisha. You can kill it. You just need to free your wings.”

The thrashing stopped.

A plume of fire burst from Nisha’s jaw. It licked across the web, igniting the threads in a violent blaze. The silk snapped and curled, glowing red as it burned away. She snapped her wings outward, thrashing at the air until she soared once more.

Freed, she surged with a roar of fury. Her wings beat twice, gaining height, and then she plunged, her scales glinting gold as she tore into the spider and dragged it toward them. The two creatures hit the ground before them, earth scattering around them. The fight was brutal. A whirlwind of claws, teeth, and flailing limbs. The spider screeched, a keening sound that echoed across the isles, but Nisha didn’t relent, tearing into its carapace until finally it lay still.

Hump flinched at her rage, but underneath he felt the thrill in her. The triumph. Her excitement was surging through their bond—vengeance, victory, joy. She tore a leg from its body, chewing slowly, but the meat became stuck in her teeth making her grimace.

“Is it good?” Hump asked. Tasty?

He sensed her doubt as she continued chewing, clearly not impressed.

“Can she even eat that?” Bud asked.

“It’s a spider, right?” Celaine said. “She can probably eat it.”

Nisha finally managed to swallow the chunk.

“Too late if she can’t,” Hump said. “Is it nice, Nisha?”

A very disappointed grumble returned, followed by a spark in her head. Suddenly, she unleashed a jet of fire over the meat she’d taken from the spider. The smell of roasting filled the air and Nisha took another bite, this time her tail happily wagging behind her. As she chewed, she looked up at Hump with a gormless smile.

Tasty. Good. Want?

“Do I want some magic giant spider?”

Nisha tore off another leg and dropped it at his feet, roasting it again.

Eat! Eat! Eat! She hopped around excitedly.

“She wants you to eat it,” Dylan said.

“Definitely,” Emilia added. “You might upset her.”

“And how can you say no when she’s that adorable?” Bud asked. “It would be rude.”

Celaine nodded. “You’d definitely hurt her feelings. Sharing in a kill is a sign of affection and with no other wolf dragons around we need to support this important part of her development. She needs to learn that sharing with the pack is good behaviour.”

Hump stared at her. “Are you serious?”

Nisha must have sensed his hesitation because she had stopped hopping and stared at him, her head tilted. He felt her confusion and the bitter feeling in her stomach as if she’d done something wrong.

Overwhelmed by guilt, Hump put on his very best smile and squatted down for the slightly charred, smoking spider leg. He picked it up by the bit still covered by shell and raised the fleshy piece to his mouth, taking a bite.

He chewed cautiously, only to realise it tasted good. He raised his eyebrows and took another bite. “That’s not bad actually!”

“Really?” Emilia asked.

“Yeah. Really. Kind of tastes like chicken.”

Nishari hopped around excitedly once more and went to rip off more legs, placing each of them before the rest of the party before roasting them too.

Hump stared at them with the most vindicative grin he could muster. “Go on then. Look how adorable she is. You can’t say no to that, can you?”

Celaine and Dylan went for the leg without hesitation, Bud paused but also picked his up. Hump watched the same hesitation turn to surprise on their faces, and they all turned to Emilia who was staring at the leg, horrified. Nisha stared at her, head tilted.

“Aww,” Hump said softly. “She’s feeling sad, Emilia. You might upset her.”

Emilia glared at him.

“It’s really pretty good,” Celaine said, taking another bite. “If we can find more of these it’ll save us having to try to get the birds to fall on an island.”

“You can’t be serious,” Emilia said. “It’s a bug.”

“Oh, stop pushing her,” Bud said. “Emilia’s a very sensitive lady, used to the fineries afforded to one of her status. Even if it was a gift from the heart of a young dragon just trying to make her happy.”

“Ah, of course,” Celaine said. “My apologies, Lady Emilia. Don’t worry about Nisha. I’m sure she’ll get over it… Eventually. Right, Hump?”

Hump nodded. “And she’s very sweet. I’m sure she’ll forgive you.”

The daggers in Emilia’s eyes were sharp as she picked up the spider leg. “I will remember this. There will come a time when you will come to regret this day.” She took a bite, then froze. “It’s nothing like chicken.”

“Sure, it is,” Hump said, wiggling the leg in his hand. “Like a drumstick.”

Emilia stifled a gag and forced the bite down, then she turned to Nisha. “Thank you, little one. Would you like the rest?”

Nisha took it eagerly and carried on eating.

“There’s plenty more,” Dylan said, pointing at the remaining two legs with the one in his hand. “You sure you don’t want one? Can’t complain later if you get hungry.”

“Not you too, Dylan.” Emilia sounded genuinely betrayed now.

That broke them. Laughter erupted between them, even Nisha looking up from her feast and trying to understand their amusement.