29

Time wasn't something you were simply allowed to control at will. The element was so elusive because it didn't want to be touched, because it wasn't meant to be touched. Each, and every one of us was given a hint of the time element the moment we were born. That very same element pushed us forward through it's flow so we could know what it was to live, and the longer we lived the more of it's effects we felt. Time is the driving force behind all things.

If time did not exist then nothing else would. Time was the oldest of the elements, and it was likely to continue existing long after my passing. Altering it meant risking altering time itself, and such a thing could lead to the decay of all things. Time flowed through all living things, and that told me exactly how I could create time crystals. That realization gave me an idea for a spell that would word as a last resort as well.

Although making time crystals wasn't exactly my idea of fun I really didn't know how I could execute my idea without drawing a massive amount of attention to myself. My muscles tensed when I heard someone off behind me somewhere. They were making a stink about my weapons to the merchant riding next to them. I looked at him with one eye over my shoulder. The cold dead calm in my eyes was enough to terrify the average elf.

They were used to humans, and other slaves looking at them with fear or reverence. I looked at them like the nasty little animals they were. Disdain, and murder in my eyes. My eyes narrowed before I turned my attention back toward the path we were walking. Sekka pretended not to notice the little exchange.

I pretended not to notice him noticing. It wasn't as if I really cared. Sekka was beginning to grasp the scope of my personality now that we'd been together virtually alone for so long. I was glad he could keep up this appearance of not caring for the other slaves, but I didn't like that he had to. I'd experienced a lot of things I didn't like in the last few weeks, and months.

I smirked to myself casually at the elf's fear. I'd enjoyed that simple act of petty resentment. I wanted more of it. I wanted to make those elves regret every act of cruelty they'd ever thrown at one of those slaves they considered lesser, but I currently lacked the strength needed to do so. I gritted my teeth at the thought.

I'd been gritting my teeth a lot lately, but at least I'd finish engraving my scales. I didn't need to consciously repel the harmful poisons in the mana in the air anymore. It was a small improvement really. It could even actively draw in mana when I was in my dragon form without worry. I didn't realize it before, but I passively brought in mana near constantly.

My core didn't like the idea of being empty all the time. I kept it just below three quarters most of the time. Funneling mana into the crystal creating rings that were in my spatial storage. My mana was infused with the traits of the elements already so it naturally separated into the rings the mana was meant for. The walk was long, and I tried my best to distract myself, but my split focus didn't really allow me to do so.

If I unified my thoughts then I ran through my thoughts at lightning speed which kind of defeated the purpose of distracting myself with these random lines of thought. I wanted to body slam or outright beat every elven merchant around me, but nothing seemed to distract me for longer then twenty minutes. Even counting the wyverns above my head did little to nothing for me. I realized a long time ago that none of these wyverns were powerful enough to take me on individually. The only reason I had to run away from the wild group was simple their numbers kind of forced me to take a step back or flee.

I wasn't willing to submit to them so I chose flee. It really wasn't the worst option for me, but that didn't make it fun either. I didn't even know if submitting was a safe option. I snorted in irritation. Sure the alpha of that wyvern pack wasn't strong enough to fight me one on one so I stood a good chance of winning if I managed to get him alone in a real fight.

Being face to face with a beast that was that dangerous wasn't my idea of fun. I sighed audibly, and looked around the road with slight curiosity. I wanted to know what was causing the elves around here to be so tense. It turned out that in all my musing I'd actually managed to distract myself. A wyvern had landed right on the edge of the road, and was observing the terrified merchants that were hesitant to move forward with the beast observing them, but luckily the beast wasn't observing them directly.

She had her big blue eyes leveled right at me. Mutations among wyverns weren't all that rare so I wasn't surprised to see that this one had ice blue eyes, and forest green scales. The cold air that came out of her mouth was the part that surprised me. She was old for a wyvern, and the old scars that littered her body were evidence that she had fought to survive. Perhaps it was the chill on her breath that led her to need to fight for her survival even among her own kind.

Maybe it was something as simple as her coloration. She knew I was different from those that surrounded me. Thus the reason she came down to observe me. She was unclaimed. She probably allowed the elves to come near the nest she'd made at the center of the capital.