Ruger knew it was time to make a choice. He wasn't that tenacious little tree root, after all, which had crossed mountains and rivers just to drink a mouthful of dragon urine. Judging by the black fruit's effects, the urine in this pool probably wouldn't do much either. On the other hand, it suggested that this might have come from the Giant Dragon, and that its condition wasn't severe enough for it to be urinating much blood.
He suddenly looked down at the cultivation pouch at his waist.
The pouch was shaking harder and harder, as though it wanted to jump off his belt.
"You... want to drink that dragon urine?" He glanced around, then ventured the question.
The pouch went still for a moment, then shook twice in reply.
He didn't act right away. After standing there to think, he began circling the cave on tiptoe, studying the great beast. Its head pointed deeper inside, and it lay at a slight angle. Between that and its sheer size, he could see very little of it.
Afraid to get close, he made a wide circuit before reaching a spot where he could see its back.
He frowned slightly and walked a little farther to check from another angle.
Why does this great beast seem to have no wings? he wondered.
The dragons Old Gold Tooth had spoken of, and the ones occasionally mentioned in Ka Liu's diary, all had wings. Their appearances might differ, their temperaments might be peculiar, and even their sizes might vary enormously. But if they were pure-blooded dragons—true dragons—they had to have wings.
Was it just an underground beast with Giant Dragon blood? Something like the Red Horn Tribe's former Saint Lord—a false dragon, a lesser dragon beast?
Then another possibility occurred to him.
If it had been injured badly enough to urinate blood, it might have lost its wings too.
He noticed that the great beast breathed only once in a long while. He didn't dare go near its mouth, but each exhalation sounded like a powerful gust of wind.
Perhaps Kobolds were naturally too small and weak to draw its notice, or perhaps he had been careful enough since entering. Either way, the great beast showed no sign of waking.
He circled the cavern again, examining it carefully.
He was certain now: apart from the tunnel he had used, there was no other way in or out. Considering the valley outside, its surroundings, the marks and trees within it, and the condition of the soil, he could all but conclude that the great beast had been asleep here for a very long time—perhaps longer than several Kobold lifetimes put together.
The differences between species really were fascinating.
Ruger stroked the few hairs left on his chin. A bold idea took shape.
Would a vast, powerful creature, sleeping so soundly that it had not woken in decades—not even when it began urinating blood—notice the bite of a tiny mosquito? What if that mosquito was very polite? What if it was considerate enough to move quietly and make no buzzing sound?
The more Ruger thought about it, the more impressed he was with himself. His legs going weak earlier almost felt like an illusion.
Even if the great beast wasn't a Giant Dragon, it was an immensely powerful dragon beast. With enough of its blood, even an ancient Kobold who had started sprouting anew could regain his vitality. Old Gold Tooth could be saved. Ruger's path as a Wizard could be saved too—or at least he could walk it with less haste. He wouldn't rush to drink dragon blood himself. What mattered more was having another option.
He still remembered Half-Man's promise to help him solve the problem of his short lifespan, but there had been no news since. With this new option, he could face Half-Man and his own path as a Wizard with greater ease.
Mental Boil seemed to reach its peak as his spirits surged. He felt as though his energy would never run out. He even wanted to burst into song.
After a moment's thought, he retreated toward the tunnel.
If he was going to be a mosquito, it wouldn't be today. He needed to prepare first.
Besides, Aisijin was still outside. If the great beast woke, she would have no chance of surviving.
Before leaving, he looked at the pool but ultimately left it untouched. It wasn't that he found it disgusting; he would deal with it next time. For now, he would disturb nothing.
He climbed out of the tunnel as quietly as he could.
As he made his way upward, he tipped out some soil to seal the entrance.
Aisijin was already frantic from waiting.
"Let's go back first. Old Gold Tooth can be saved," he said.
That would set Aisijin's mind at ease. If his plan failed, he could try stealing a whole pool of urine and soaking Old Gold Tooth in it. Having a pool to himself ought to do some good.
The two of them hurried back.
Between feeling their way around and digging, they had spent the whole day there.
"Oh, right. I have a present for you!"
He took out the roasted beast leg he had been saving, personally prepared by an apprentice at the very limit of the rank.
Its aroma reassured him. The flavor had survived.
They were both hungry, so they found a place to rest along the way and shared it. Tension drained energy too. Ruger had spent the day climbing up and down, swinging between delight and terror, while Aisijin had been worried and anxious throughout. The beast leg, which had originally included a portion for Big Silly Hum, was soon picked clean.
Back at the Kobolds' settlement, he told Aisijin not to tell Old Gold Tooth yet.
He would explain everything once he had handled it.
He composed himself. The day had brought results, but it had also delayed his meditation.
He relaxed and lay down in his familiar spot, staring at the cave ceiling and blinking now and then. He recalled the great beast's towering body. Beside it, the Gray Longneck Saint Lord would have looked like an earthworm. Its overwhelming presence, the shock of seeing it and feeling it so close—that was what had made his legs go weak for an instant.
And a beast that enormous might not even be a true Giant Dragon. How powerful, then, were dragons? How terrifying were the Wizards who stood above them? They must have transcended the very notion of being human. They might still be as small as ordinary people, but surely they could make dragons tremble, just as he had today.
He thought of the words in Ka Liu's diary.
Explore the mysteries of life, lift the veil from the river of time, wield mighty power and possess an immortal soul. With a life spanning ages, see through everything in the world; with supreme wisdom, uncover the secrets of all things.
Of course, those were only Ka Liu's dreams of Wizardry when he had still been an apprentice, and his understanding of Wizards at the time.
Ruger thought of it that way because he had realized this diary was probably only the beginning. There might be many more volumes, and he had no idea how far Ka Liu had ultimately gone.
That assumed the diary was something Half-Man had found, and that Ka Liu was still alive.
Reading the diary had given Ruger a glimpse into Ka Liu's life. Without noticing when it happened, he had begun to feel as though this Wizard Apprentice he had never met was an old friend.
He took a deep breath and sat up.
No matter how distant the goal, he had to reach it one step at a time. He would start with his daily meditation. As long as he kept moving forward without stopping—even if his steps were small, even if the road sometimes bent—Giant Dragons would one day seem insignificant, perhaps not even worthy of being called a goal on his path as a Wizard.
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