Chapter 24

I was observing everything around me with my new eye to the amusement of the dragons. Angharad arrived with a Mantecore name Louie. His home was invaded by a group of bosquet. They are creatures that look like plants. Mostly stems of peonies or roses with leaves for hands and roots for legs. Or vibes or bush like. These plant based creatures were removed from the world. Their leader Silva had commandeered his home and converted it to the forbidden garden of delight. They looked beautiful and fun but they serve a type of fruit that is highly addictive. I asked if they had asked the council for help. Louie said that his tribe doesn't recognize the council since the council seems dishonorable. I said that I will help them so Angharad opened a portal. It resembles an opening to a cave. The entire time Drakov was yelling at his cousin that he should have come to him first.

We walked in and found ourselves in the trencher. This place is said to have been a site for many grisly murders. The Manticore were drawn to this darkness so they made this place their home. As we walked the eye started to show me what was up ahead. My normal eye has night vision but the new one has xray vision. It showed me the space where the garden was situationed. I walked into an enormous hall-like cave and ordered them to get out. They ignored me as a rule so I asked Angharad how the previous one was defeated. The nearest plant looked at me scandalized. Angharad said that there was a fire. I smiled at Drakov and he turned into a dragon and went to work. The plant uprooted themselves and ran for their lives. Only one remained fearlessly. I am guessing this was Silva. I used my dagger Mini Excalibur to cut off her branches. She screamed in pain and sent her thorny roots to wrap themselves around me. Drakov let out a burst of flames. The fire engulfed Silva and she died.

A nymph arrived and started to fight. Angharad picked up a mirror and cursed her to be trapped inside it. The Manticore let out a weird sound and the others came running. We made a quick exit to make sure we weren't killed in the stampede. I told Drakov that I am going to see Tiamat. He was not happy with Tiamat. I promised him that mistakes would happen and that it will never happen again. He was satisfied with my words so he sent his family to visit the place.

I asked Angharad what could a dragon egg be used for. She said, "Other than raising it to be your companion. The shell can be used in protection charm. The yolk can be used in fertility rituals. The whites can be used to find lost things. All put together can be used to enhance a person's abilities ten folds for a whole day. Dragon bones are used for various cures. The skin is used to make maps and talons are used in invisibility spells. A dragon's heart can extend a person's life by a thousand years. The meat is poisonous. The poop is used in making prisons and fertilizer."

I explained that Poseidon's son Perseus is attacking places that could take him to the dragon's cove. Angharad asked me if Perseus is trying to gain some sort of immortality. I told him that it is likely that he is trying to be a tyrant and he could throw everything off balance. More likely that a lot of innocent and not so innocent people are going to die. He hates both sides so killing them would mean that he has a clear path. Tiamat's mother is one of the few people who can help him. The crystal dagger isn't working so I would like to propose a different prison. I asked if she could be turned to stone. Angharad said that Tiamat's mother is one of the few people immune to Medusa's head.

I asked her if she could possibly turn her into a tree or something. She told me that transfiguration is something that belongs in stories not real life. In real life transfiguration doesn't exist. I asked if her immortality can be transferred to someone else. She said that there is no such spell. I told her that someone tried to separate me from my vampiric half so is it possible that they can try something like that. She said that there is a book that could solve it but it is in a place where witches are not allowed to traverse. She asked if I could help her acquire that book.

I promised to help in exchange for an answer. I asked her why people wanted to sacrifice me. No one can bring back the dead. She said that certain traits in people make spells stronger so they chose me. Had they known that I was the doppelganger of Drake's wife they would have used it to earn his favor. She cast a spell so that my new eye looks normal. I told her to take me to that place to acquire this book. She told me that it is in the underwater waterfall near Mauritius. The place in question was surrounded by a different type of aquatic beasts. If you are not worthy you have a choice. Either leave or be eaten.

We reached the place and immediately Angharad caught fire. I told her to stay with Drakov while I dive into the water. He took her to a higher altitude while I took a swan dive. The water felt lukewarm but it got colder as I swam deeper. I felt around and flicked my wrist the ring lit up to show me the way. There was a crack that appeared too small but it got bigger as I got closer.

The floor was littered with pink seaweeds. Closer observation shows that it was a type of worm that burrows into bones. The skeletons of mythical creatures were scattered all over the floor. I saw fishes with long sharp teeth swimming around chewing on prey. They looked at me like I was a mystery but they finally chose to look the other way. I swam to the cave and found a tunnel that led to an illuminated space. I swam towards the light and found an air pocket. There was a flight of stairs and I climbed up to see a huge door with a dragon for handles. The door was slightly open.

I quietly snuck in to see humanoid creatures waiting for me in the cavernous room. I guess some sort of sensor must have gone off warning them that I was here. They look thin with slightly shrunken heads. Their skin looks almost melted. Their eyes were blood red. They had spikes all on their heads, their forearms and backs. They had webbed hands and feet. Their nails looked like talons. Their teeth had serrated edges and their screams were high pitched. It was ear splitting.

I saw a rusted metal book in the center of the room. The creatures warned me that the book has created problems so it can't leave the place. I said I need a spell to stop the end of life itself. So I just need to take a quick peek. I am not interested in taking the book. They let me through and looked at every single page. Memorizing the contents. I read the book end to end and thanked them. They stepped aside to let me pass and I swam back to the surface. I came up and pressed my hand against Angharad's face. I showed her the contents of the book and she happily took me to her palace where she wrote down everything page by page. She thanked me profusely and showed me a way to stop Nigreos.