DIVINE BOW [1]

Well, why? He left me again without answering questions... What emotions should I feel? Life didn't prepare me for this. I am glad that this time at least I can see. That's just… I didn't figure out how moving right away.

— Who did I become in the end?

My words echoed. It's relatively dark around and only now I was able notice that I was in some kind of cave. This place was a real treasure trove. Precious stones and objects reflected so much light that my locators didn't realize how bright it was first time. It seemed me that the darkness here isn't clear, but in fact quite bright location. But wait, there is also no single source of illumination here.

— Do I have night vision?

I've seen a similar plot somewhere… The cave, and the structure of dungeon itself is very similar to MMORPG genre. I often played similar games on my computer. Although I came from village, I was far from poor estate and could afford powerful computer for such entertainment. At the same time, I can't remember exact name of any game that fits description of what is happening. And to be honest, strange location for spawn is cave of mobs. Stop if I'm in a cave…

I tried to ignore the sounds, but I think I hear someone snoring. Oh no… It seems that a scarlet dragon is sleeping not far from me! Anxiety and fear didn't leave me. Dragon was eerily realistic. His breathing caused strong currents of air, and his scales seemed highlight his surroundings.

— No, it's impossible appear in location of boss, right?

For unknown reasons, I could look far and sharp, like some kind of telescope. There was a huge door in the distance, giving impression that this was boss's room and a prison for dragon. Inscriptions in language unknown me were scratched on doors. In trying get closer to him, I realized that I was unable for moving. Ability to see only a certain angle told me that I was clearly not a person and not another living entity, it seemed that God had moved me into an artifact or a weapon…

I am absolutely unable to contact the world around me. No matter how hard I try to shout, dragon can't hear me. I can't move, but at least I don't have any food needs. I seem to be completely trapped in an unknown space with no way to do anything about it.

— So-so journey, it turns out.

I wonder where I ended up… Who did I turn out to be… So many questions continued gnaw at my consciousness in a completely hopeless state. Since cave doesn't even have natural light, it become impossible follow flow of time. Day? Night? Without a clue. Of the reasonable solutions, it remains only waiting. Unfortunately, I am not capable of anything more right now.

***

At a completely unremarkable moment, I heard a crash. Dragon was still asleep and clearly not source of noise. So someone is approaching from outside world. Huge door slowly and lazily opened. It seemed me that even a true strongman wouldn't be able move it, but noticed change was accompanied by presence of only one silhouette.

I was surprised to find a gentle girl who was able enter treasury. She was dressed in a green suit, had similar eyes and long elf ears. This isn't as surprising as it seems, especially if you accept the fact that you are in a fantasy world.

In fact, I was scared watch her stomping around treasury with her little heels. I was worried that she might die, because dragon guards this place for a reason, and object into which I was reborn definitely lies here for this reason. Most likely, I am special if I am placed under protection of such a powerful and ancient being.

The elf looked with such a serious look that it felt as if she was carrying an unbearable burden and her conscience was silencing her for this. It looks like she got into the dragon's lair to rob his treasury. And it is not without exceptions that I am also her target.

Her gaze sharply focused on the dragon, a little prepared, she jumped up and ran towards the boss. For some unknown reason, her heels left absolutely no noise and even the dragon continued to sleep peacefully without feeling her presence. I already thought that she would somehow start attacking the dragon sharply, but all she did was just put her hand on the huge red forehead of the lizard.

She had been in this state for a long time. The dragon absolutely did not react in any way and continued to sleep, as if it was supposed to be. After performing the ritual, I began to hear her rise and approach in my direction. She wasn't interested in the treasures in the area, she knew why she was going. The sound of her heels echoed through the cave. The dragon still didn't react in any way, as if he was in a trance.

She looked around the cave for a while, after which she noticed me.

— I found it!

— Popados… (I got caught)

Out of habit, I answered, completely forgetting that I was the subject. She came over and took me in her hand.

— I wonder if anyone here will be able to talk?

— …

Now it's really a mess. I didn't even imagine that the elf would be able to hear me, because I wasn't sure if I was even able to speak out loud.

She stared at me intently, simultaneously groping and touching me wherever possible. Fortunately, I'm not a kinesthetic. The information that my object is somehow being touched gives absolutely nothing even about my form.

— I know that you have been reborn, you don't have to hide.

To my surprise, there were no side chapels. What talents does this girl have if she guesses reality so easily?

— Em? Hi…

From that moment on, she fully realized that someone from the outside got into the object she needed.

— After all, you ended up in the bow. In some ways, you're lucky, because I only need this thing. What is your name and who were you?

Lucky? Oh, my story is so balanced by luck that I don't even want to know my future. Now I officially know that I am a bow. This is no less surprising, I was in the treasury all the time, being a weapon.

— My name was Bogdan… Up to the present state, I was a human being. By profession, he was supposed to become an engineer, well... this is not the kindest story.

— I don't understand a lot of your speech. Most likely, the differences in our worlds are to blame. In fact, I did not expect to meet a reborn person at all, especially in the subject.

— ...

— Ah, that's so impolite! I should tell you what you are first! There are many races in our world. Many souls have tried to describe it with words: elfpunk or manapunk. The dominant ones are Humans, Elves and Dwarves, who were able to consolidate their strength and skills.

According to the information received, it seems that this fantasy world is only on the way to steampunk. On the other hand, I don't think that an ordinary bow will come in handy in something more technological.

— In order to balance the peace on our mortal earth, the greatest minds have developed a triangular prayer, with the help of which they endowed three weapons of different races with divine powers. Humans have a sword, dwarves have a hammer, and elves got a bow for us…

So, okay, I'm not an ordinary bow at all, that's at least something.

— Unfortunately, agreements are forgotten, and customs are crumbling. Now another world conflict has been unleashed, and I have been instructed to activate the divine weapon.

— But what about the dragon?

— Hah, as for the dragon, it is our ally. I used a spell to not accidentally wake him up, otherwise even I could get hurt.

So I'm going to be the key in some kind of battle? I'm not as lucky as the elf thinks, considering I can't even move.

— Oh, I almost forgot! My name is Irime Lorasis.

— As I already said, Bogdan. Just Bogdan.

I don't think my last name means anything at this stage. Although, she is also not particularly interested in my past.

— Nice to meet you!

After clapping his hands twice, the sleeping dragon finally woke up.

— I think it's time to move out.

It seemed to me that she didn't want to wake him up, but in fact, she just didn't want to wake him up abruptly? Perhaps I don't understand the mechanics of the spells here at all.

— Did you subdue him?

— It sounds a little… Of course not, he is my friend and comrade! I just have a skill that allows me to get into the thoughts of animals. If the dragon had not been initially kind to the elves, then most likely nothing would have happened.

— Do you know how to communicate with animals?

— If you popadans decided that we elves know how to talk to animals, then you are mistaken. This is simply impossible, our minds are too different.

—Then... how?"

"I've been in touch with his past reincarnations.

What, so it turns out that the dragon was also a conditional person in the past? So it's the norm here when someone is reborn?

— This is not surprising. There are practically no primordial reincarnations.

No matter how much Irime tried to give it away, I still couldn't believe it to the end.

Taking my hand, the elf sat on a huge dragon as if it was a common thing in her world. The dragon hesitated, then headed for the huge doors. When I came out of the cave, I realized that I had been in the mountain all this time. At a high altitude, the dragon opened its wings and began to take off in a direction unknown to me.

— Now we will go to the capital of the elves. The city of Alearahil should please you!

Should like it… As if it matters now whether I like the city or not. Although, on some level, I am grateful that Irime fixed me so that I could see the whole environment clearly and intelligibly.

— Just don't think, as it should be, a dragon is a true rarity in our world! Therefore, the mere appearance of such a creature on the border can be considered as a natural declaration of war. We should be more careful.

Trees and plains changed each other quickly. The dragon was not flying too high so that nothing would happen to the live cargo. As I understand it, it doesn't even use its maximum speed, which is amazing. We flew through the cities fast enough, it would have taken several days on foot.

— Why are some cities empty?

Irime did not answer the question. She turned the bow, showing her face, and continued to be silent. I only became convinced of what the scorched earth leads to and why without the use of divine weapons, the elves would not have had a chance. I hope I can stop these terrible events, even though I am a simple weapon.

— Here, this is Alearahil!

We were approaching the capital of the elves. Bringing it as close as possible, I saw how the local townspeople and even the knights panicked at the sight of the dragon. Most likely, this was indeed a rarity.

In one of the castles, the local guards had already managed to line up in rows and listened to a report from a peaceful citizen. Most likely, this boy was a spy who sneaked into the rear and returned to report the situation.

— In this castle we will stop.

The dragon, having heard Irime, began to ground. Only the knights, who were given a serious decree, remained in place. Most people fled in horror, seeing such an ancient creature. The descent turned out to be soft and did not harm the castle's surroundings.

— Commander-in-Chief Estef Yurkrif, Irime Lorasis has arrived with a report!

At some point I thought that this elf was a princess or a noble. Was I wrong?

— And, uh, can I even talk?

Taking advantage of the commotion around the dragon, I asked this in the quietest possible voice from the elf.

— Don't worry, only those elves who touch them can contact reincarnations.

Ah, she thinks I'm a past reincarnation. In fact, I'm not going to reveal all the cards and say that I was transported to the bow, and I'm not a soul from a past life. More precisely, I'm not planning to at this stage.

— Irime, good afternoon. You got here very effectively. Tell me, is this bow the weapon of the ancients?

The Ancients? It turns out that such a thing is not trusted at the moment? The commander-in-chief's eyes were a little gloomy and did not contain even a drop of hope for the next day.

To my surprise, Irime switched to another language to communicate with Estef. Most likely, this is Elvish. I guess human is an international or so language. The very structure of the common language is also different from the one I'm used to. It's not like Russian or English, which I've studied at least a little. It's just that in some unknown way I am able to understand a special language of this world, but apparently only one.

The conversation was quite short. But it was enough to lift the commander's spirits. His red uniform was supposed to speak of all seriousness, but at the same time joy flashed in his eyes, which created a completely different impression of a person.

It looks like Irime told me that she was able to contact one of the past souls of this item. This is evidenced by the commander's gaze, directed straight into my soul, which is what we are talking about.

— Ahem, this is very good news. This innovation will help protect our lands. We, squeezed between dwarves and humans, are not capable of defending two fronts at the same time.

It turns out that two other races want to get the lands of the elves? If this world corresponds to the general concept of elves, then they are much stronger than other races, live longer and have more experience, but are not so numerous for the same reasons.

This was the end of the Irime report. It seems that not all elves know the Elvish language. This is evident from the mysterious faces of the guards, to whom my escort turned. The next point of our journey is the training ground where they will test my strength.

While we were flying on the dragon, Irime said that racial weapons can give out such power that it is impossible to recreate artificially. And in order to keep the creatures from self-destruction, the deities imposed some prohibitions. The earth will not be able to resist such an impact, but people and their souls, who are innocent from an objective point of view, will remain untouched. If the gods consider that this or that creature does not deserve to die, it will remain in health and well-being.

This is the first time I've seen such mechanics.

— Bogdan, are you ready?

She took me in one hand, pulling the bowstring with the other. A strange decision to already prepare for the shot and only then ask if the bow is ready? Arrows as such have never been included. It magically appeared in the air, after which it was perfectly positioned in the bow.

It was the first time someone "pulled" me. To be honest, I even regret that I don't feel touched or manipulated. The arrow flew a huge distance, never going down, ignoring ballistics. The shot itself flew much higher than the target and continued on its way.

— Oh...

— Irime, what are you doing?

The commander was displeased with such an attack, and the elf could do nothing. The arrow flew through the entire polygon created in the recess until it hit a tree from the forest side.

A huge explosion created a crater even larger than the landfill itself. The sound wave that reached us knocked down some objects.

— We'll have to practice some more.

— Take your dragon and train wherever you want! You're going to blow my weight off here!

Even taking into account what was said earlier, the explosion really turned out to be more powerful than I thought. The only thing for which you will have to train is, in fact, accuracy and other shooting mechanics. Up close, I noticed that Irime was not as fragile as I thought and trained a lot. Perhaps she was a good enough archer to have been chosen as my partner.

— Phew, the amount of mana that I just threw out… I thought I was going to die.

According to the canons of all MMOs, elves are the leaders in the amount of mana. This means that even Irime is still not capable of such delights. And this is all taking into account that I have invested absolutely no effort, trying to push the duct as narrowly as possible. Of course, it seems to me that such a shot is capable of destroying a regiment, but I myself wonder what my maximum power is.

— I will try to increase my mana volume before the next training sessions.

Of course, I wonder what other abilities I have? Telekinesis, night vision, mana flow control and the shot itself… It will be necessary to deal with this as best as possible.

***

— C-c-c ... Bogdan, you are not coping with the role of an Apostle.

What is it? The adventure did not reach the checkpoint at all, as I was pulled out of the events!

— What does it mean to be an Apostle!

Why does God constantly lead me to aggression? Well, never mind, I'll wait for a clear answer…