Having cleared the first contest, I'm presented with the second one.
The Life Dragon feigns worry. Are they really going to say I lost to them if I'm unable to do the same as them?
So this is the contest of Constitution, and perhaps Willpower as well, as at some point you'd probably be able to keep going if it wasn't for your mind giving in to the fatigue.
"Let me try to do this once before we start properly, wouldn't want me crashing into one of you, now would we?" The Dragons agree. Despite our defenses, falling from a height could still be lethal.
Using Draconic Flight, I take off with a single beat of my wings. A vertical takeoff is easier to limit forward momentum with, but it's more draining. I theorize that I could keep using Draconic Flight to compensate, but that seems counter to the contest, as Draconic Flight uses MP and not SP.
Once I'm confident I won't careen off, I stop using Draconic Flight and start flying manually, aided with Aerial Acrobatics. I'm quite shaky the first few times, surging forward as I descend after every wing-beat, but once I get into the rhythm of flap-hold-flap, I remain quite stably in place as I move up and down.
Landing, the other Dragons glance at each other. I sense a hint of worry, probably because I was able to do something they thought I wouldn't be able to do. Or perhaps they hoped I wouldn't be able to do it.
We all move into position, shoulder to shoulder, forming a line, though we're spaced far enough apart that the gusts from each others wings won't interfere with the others.
We all take to the air with various degrees of grace, and start hovering. Minutes pass before the first Dragon tags out, panting heavily as they struggle to maintain the strength to stand, their legs shaking. One by one, the others give up, and the plains are littered with dragons laying on their sides heaving for breath.
Finally, the Lightning Dragon gives up, and it's just me and the Air Dragon. I'm sure I can outlast them, as it seems the big drawback they have when moving like this is their inability to get enough oxygen. To me, that's a non-issue. I don't need to breathe because of Anaerobic.
I glance over to the Air Dragon. It's the smallest of the bunch, but their wings are relatively large compared to the others'. Their eyes are glassed over in deep concentration, and I can see their chest move with each deep breath they take. I'm sure they're the one that usually wins, and this will be a big blow to their pride.
Just as I'm about to return to focusing on my rhythm, I catch sight of the Air Dragon making one last flap of their wings before seemingly fainting. At this height, a creature of their size and weight would be heavily damaged by the fall.
Without thinking, I rush to their aid as the other Dragons look on in horror. Splitting myself in two with Body Double, Shadow and I each grab one half of the Air Dragon, using Draconic Flight and Hover in tandem to slow our fall.
Since only HP, MP and SP is reduced for the body double, Shadow's easily able to aid me in slowly lowering the fainted Air Dragon to the ground. Once the Dragon is safely on the ground, we rejoin into one once more.
I take a quick look at their Status.
*Unnamed
Species: Air Dragon (Dragonoid) (Rare)
Gender: Male
Status: Unconscious (Great) - Exhausted (Great) - Starving (True)
HP: 1500/10.000
MP: 6800/7000
SP: 4830/10.000*
...
Wow.
The Life Dragon rushes over and touches their snout to that of the Air Dragon, checking for breath. "They knocked themselves out by running out of SP." I state, plainly. Hushed whispers of Telepathy rushes between the other Dragons.
"If I hadn't caught them, the fall would have finished them off." I add, casting Miracure on the Air Dragon as I do so. Their HP recovers only a little?
*Normally, a monsters HP becomes capped far below their maximum when under the effect of Starving. The only way to solve this is to max out their SP in order to remove the Starving Status.*
O-oh. I've never actually run myself out of SP before, so I didn't know. Still, the Miracure woke them up at least. Their voice is hushed, like a gentle breeze. The Life Dragon informs.
An expression of aghast horror comes over the Air Dragons eyes. They explain. From what I've seen, aerial endurance is the Air Dragons forte, so perhaps they ran their SP low even if they were the first to drop out.
I bring out a Wolf Spider and a Tri-Ant Worker. "It's Chimera, but it's all I've got on me at the moment that could be edible." I say, laying the carcasses in front of the Air Dragon. "I've got plenty more Tri-Ant. Just before you lot started making a ruckus, I took out a Queen that had decided to try to make her home here." I glance at the other Dragons.
Their expressions are saying 'I'm not sure I want to eat that', but the ropes of saliva dripping from their jaws tell me they're all hungry.
The Life Dragon bares their fangs before giving in and beginning to eat of the provided Tri-Ant.
I watch on as the Dragons eat their fill. Once they're all sated, the Air Dragon looks guiltily towards the Life Dragon. The Life Dragon narrows their eyes, what the Air Dragon is saying doesn't sit well with them. They huff and turn away from the Air Dragon, who glumly turns to me.
They bow their head, their snout touching the ground.
*Establish Servants Bond with this Air Dragon?*
Yes. The familiar light that represents the Bond appears from my chest and enters that of the Air Dragon. Their pupils dilate slightly as they realize the Skill I've given them. Their voice sounds delighted, and I detect no sarcasm. Perhaps the Skill Teamwork is entirely foreign to Dragons? They surely are the competitive type.
A hint of frustration in their voice, the Life Dragon tries to egg the others on. The Fire Dragon asks, their voice giving the image of a gently glowing campfire. The Cold Dragon finishes the Fire Dragon's sentence when their courage to speak against the Life Dragon falters.
The Water Dragon adds as the twelve others nod in agreement.
Seeing as the others are starting to give up, I can sense frustration fully welling up in the Life Dragon.
They huff and look away as the other Dragons offer me their allegiance. Once I'm done accepting their requests, the Life Dragon continues.
They point towards a river in the distance, roughly a kilometer (0,6 miles~) away from us. They address the others with a newfound disdain to their voice.
They respond to the order, though I can sense a resentment towards the Life Dragon. I suppose out of all of them, it makes sense that the one to be the most stubborn would be the Life one. The Dragon and I get ready, and once we see the distant jet of flame from the mouth of the Fire Dragon, we start running.
I decide against using Quicken on myself, if only because I don't really think I'll need it. A quick glance at the Life Dragon's Stats show that, out of all the Dragons, they're one of the slowest, possibly only beaten out by an Earth Dragon for ranking of 'slowest overall'.
Of course, Dragons are superior in the air, and would beat out most other monsters for aerial speed, but ground speed is an entirely different matter. The Life Dragon pants from right behind me, as I've been pacing my speed to be just faster than them.
I don't understand why they want to be beaten that badly. Perhaps they're only doing this out of a misplaced sense of pride. Fully aware they'll lose, yet too stubborn to give up halfway. I nod, and give it my all. The presence of the Life Dragon fades rapidly as I speed up, probably burying them in a cloud of dust and kicked-up grass.
I have to start slowing down a good while before the finish line, otherwise I'd overshoot it and crash into the river, but once I'm safely stopped, I turn around to look for the Life Dragon. They're still not even halfway...
We decide to wait for them to finish, at least the others were very keen on this, and as such, I suppose this is to be the Life Dragons punishment for their attitude earlier. Once the Life Dragon finally makes the finish line, they collapse on the ground, panting and heaving for air. Actually, weren't they one of the first to drop out of the Constitution contest as well?
"Here, drink. I've still got some Tri-Ant left if you need food, also." I bring a blob of water from the river for the Life Dragon to drink. Their normally shiny scales are dulled and grayed by grime, so as they recover, I take the opportunity to wash them as well.
Their eyes are full of conflict. They look away from me, and would probably be blushing if they could. "Because just killing you would bring me much more trouble than winning you over." Shadow speaks the truth, though I still scold her mentally.
They break down in laughter, and once they're finished, adds: They get to their feet and sigh.
They walk over to the muddy bank of the river. Using a claw, they scratch glyphs into it. No- those are Earth numbers! They're quite different from the ones this World uses. This is the first time I've seen them here... A relic from a Hero, perhaps? They read:
2 X 4 + x = 11
... Math. Oh god it's been so long since I've done any of this. I look over to the Life Dragon, who seems pleased with themselves. There's glee in their voice. "Uh, give me a moment, let me look at this..." I mumble.
*Do you wish for this Skill to solve this?*
No- I've got this, this is more or less baby level 'solve for x'. First, two times four is eight... I write in my progress beneath the original script. The Dragons are staring at it in bewilderment.
8 + x = 11
Then... You subtract eight from both sides, and get the answer!
x - 8 = 11 - 8
x = 3
Once I finish the last number, all parts of our scribbles glow white for a moment, before fading. What in the World-
*The Hero of Life, that aided in the slaying of the True Tyrant, befriended the Elder Dragon of Life, Vidai, by teaching her the Earth way of math. Since then, it's been customary for Dragons to prove their intelligence to each other by replicating these equations. Of course, over time the original solutions have been lost, not even Vidai remembers them. In honor of her Human friend, though, she imbued each equation with the magic that makes them glow once solved correctly.*
I glance over at the Dragons. They're all bowing their heads in reverence.
*Establish Servants Bond with this Life Dragon?*
Y-yes. A-are they crying? They- they seem happy though... "C-come, everyone, let's go back to the grove. I'd like to just go over a few things before I let you go on your way." I gently usher the Dragons back to the grove.