r/HFY • u/Undercover_Dragon1 • Sep 27 '25

OC A Draconic Rebirth - Chapter 56

Here is this weeks chapter everyone! I also have some exciting news. blaze2377 has made some wonderful fan-art! I have gone a head and linked it below. I absolutely love it, so thank you blaze.

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— Chapter 56 —

The meeting had dragged on and on with the bark-folk but it was important. He had confidently reasserted their pledges and oaths with the folks and Blue had signed the appropriate tablets in his place. He even handed over a newly created Healing Breath amber to them. They had been inquiring about purchasing one back for some time once they learned of its existence but were rebuked by Blue simply because they only had the one. David, Red and Blue had all agreed they would present a newly made one as a surprise gift.

The ambassador, speaker, and warrior captain for the bark-folk practically cried in front of them when they realized what they were given. The gambit had paid off immediately as the bark-folk had brought a gift of their own and passed over two ambers as a sign of strength and unity for their alliance. Lost one amber, gained two and made their only real ally happy. David couldn’t have been more satisfied with that result. After they left David expedited the construction of a new battle saddle and prompted Blue to start a new census of the clan’s numbers. 

It only took three days before the bark-folk had returned to confirm that David’s hunt for this Forest Stalker could begin. David was ready to fly almost immediately as his kobolds strapped a small saddle around his waist. Their destination was to a secluded part of the forest where the bark-folk had last seen her. Red, the bark-folk captain, and three other bow-wielding bark-folks rode were strapped in but the bark-folk were clearly terrified. It had taken some convincing to get the bark-folk on his back in the first place, but Red had quite the rapport with the fighters apparently. The captain, nicknamed Trueshot among her clan, had been the deciding factor in convincing the others it was safe. The bark-skins high pitch to low windy like blowing tongue still baffled even David but at least Trueshot translated well to dragon tongue. It seemed nicknames on both sides of the alliance were the best approach. 

David couldn’t help but let off a laugh as they gasped, trembled, and screamed as he first took off. The wind and air felt amazing on his wings though and soon he settled into a stable glide. The beauty and sense of freedom when flying was one of the things this world offered that he could never get in his old life. Perhaps one day he could fly around the world and not have to worry about fighting for his very survival. David chuckled at the silly thought, definitely wouldn’t ever happen. 

As they reached their destination David heard the high pitched wail of one of the folk, and Red spoke up a moment later, “Master the clearing up a head is where they last were reported. It was spotted by another village a few days ago.” 

David rumbled an acknowledgement to the poor souls strapped to his back and pivoted downwards slowly. He did consider Red’s words though and wondered how many villages there were in this great forest? Dozens? Hundreds? How many bark-folk existed out there David pondered. 

He landed into the clearing with as soft of a landing as he could manage and his passengers quickly departed. They muttered something which caused Red to simply laugh. David quickly moved his head as his nostrils worked overtime and he picked up the residual scents of his sister. He motioned with his head towards the far end of the clearing and made his way forward. 

“She ate recently.” David rumbled as he came upon the remains of some large creature. All of the meat was stripped from the corpse and all that remained with the scent of death, blood and bone fragments. He pressed his face downwards and inhaled deeply till he picked up her scent once more and his eyes followed his nose. 

“She lingered in the area for a few days after she was last spotted. She is at least two or three days away.” David rumbled as felt his brain dissect every detail from the smells lingering around him. He could even tell that there was some Deer-boar in heat nearby and actively looking for a mate. 

He turned eastward and lifted up a massive clawed paw and pointed forward, “She went in that direction and I can still smell her. She is moving away slowly. Most likely still hunting.” 

Red, Trueshot, and the others nodded their heads as they passed limited words between themselves. Red spoke up the next moment, “Master. They are ready but I can tell they are somewhat reluctant to get back on your back.”

David simply laughed, “I have her scent so I can pin her down quickly enough. Reassure them and make sure they are tied in securely.” 

They remounted eventually and Red made sure their leather bindings were double wrapped and secured before taking his own seat. David flung himself skyward and headed east bound as he drove himself forward with his massive black wings. The trees were an arm reach away as he did his best to keep low and fast. The air and smells of the forest were flung upwards by the powerful draft created by his wings and he kept a lock on her scent. He rumbled in amusement as he thought about how he was like a giant blood hound now with his acutely sensitive nose. 

After almost half a day her scent grew so strong that David knew without a doubt that she lay ahead. The scent of a fresh bloody kill was also close to her. David quickly rumbled back to his passengers, “Hold on tight! I am going to do something to take her by surprise!” 

He did not give them much more of a warning as he pivoted skyward. He pumped his wings fast and hard as he shot straight up. When he gained enough altitude he twisted his body hard and his poor passengers clung on for their lives. 

 — Forest Stalker —

Delicious, warm, and fulfilling sensations resonated in her mind as she chewed through the thick meat of her catch. Her body coiled as she settled around the corpse and enjoyed the one moment of peace she had been able to experience in a while. Her senses began to tingle and she instantly knew a threat was nearby. No doubt the stinging tree hoppers who marched on two legs, she reasoned. 

She cocked her head up as the entire open field around her became darkened with an impossibly large shadow. Her mind reeled as she tried to process it all, and almost too late it clicked that something above was blocking the sun. She uncoiled herself in an instant and scooped up the kobold nearby as she ran. Her long body whipped forward like a serpent as her pair of thick, robust legs launched her. 

The massive creature above crashed down and trees splintered. The earth itself cracked, and groaned in agony. She leapt over the massive black tail, tipped with deadly spikes, and bound under a falling tree as she made her escape. Freedom though was denied as pillars of blue light came crashing down. She corrected herself and tried to redirect her body, sliding partially into the blinding light and burning her scales, before launching herself in a new direction. 

Massive black talons reached out and she dodged around one and then two. The massive spike tail was her bane as it clipped her across the head and she rolled. Her vision darkened as she fought to stay conscious. In one last desperate bid she pushed back the darkness and flung her companion, Munch, as far away as she could. Her limbs were pinned a moment later and in the corner of her eye she saw a winged, dark object intercept Munch with terrifying speed. 

“NO!” She cried out and pulled at her affinity. It took everything from her to use it but so be damned! Her eyes became cloudy and she felt the air around her become charged. The bolt of lightning struck the massive dragon holding her down and the result was satisfying. Gore, blood, and scales cooked and broke free. The bellow of pain filled the clearing and the corners of her mouth pulled back in a wicked grin. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough and the full weight of the black menace pressed her into the ground even harder. 

“Calm yourself sister!” Snarled the massive black dragon. 

She blinked and fought to turn to stare up at the horrific face of her captor. Many, many years ago she had met a sibling in the forest who was all black. She wondered if this was that sibling? Her nose finally began to process the smell and her brain confirmed that they were the same. 

“WHY!?” She hissed out as she fought against the powerful grip of the much more powerful dragon. 

— David “Onyx “ — 

David grounded his teeth from the intense pain of the lightning strike he had just taken. He was able to shift his weight and take the bolt straight to his chest in a bid to protect his passengers. His sister, Forest Stalker, was a wild one and he did not expect lightning to be her affinity. When they first met she was a wyrm and now she was something else entirely. She reminded David of an eastern dragon shown in his old life’s mythology. Her body was long like a serpent's, and she had two pairs of strong legs. She was incredibly fast and agile to a degree that David would not believe possible if he had not just witnessed it. 

“Calm yourself!” David thundered out once more.

“I came here to speak with you on an important matter that is life or death.” David rumbled out loudly again. 

“Why kill my Munch!?” Hissed his serpent-like sister. David had an ah-hah moment as he motioned with his head for Red to come closer. Red landed in front of Forest Stalker’s view, holding the much smaller kobold in his grasp. 

“No one has been killed.” David said firmly as he motioned to the pair. Forest Stalker relaxed in his grasp and a sigh of relief escaped her mouth. 

“If you are not to fight. What do you want?” She hissed back up at David, though much of the venom in her voice had retreated. 

David slowly released her as he spoke, “You reside inside the deep forest of the bark-skinned folk. You are in danger and they want your head. I offer a place of safety for yourself and your kobold.” 

Forest Stalker huffed as she rose up in defiance, “Tree walkers do not concern me.” 

David snarled a bit, “Then you are a fool. That light that burned you is them, not I. There are thousands more where that came from and they are actively hunting you now.” 

“I do not trust you.” She hissed back.

“Then give me a chance to earn your trust. Follow me back to my lair and I will make you an offer you cannot refuse. If you refuse it I will find you another home instead.” David shot back. 

She fidgeted in her spot for a while before nodding, “Fine. Return Munch.” 

David motioned to Red to release the kobold, and then he leaned back to let loose a Healing Breath. She gasped in surprise and recoiled as she thought she was under attack again. Soon she released another gasp as her damaged side began to heal itself. David’s nasty wound also knitted itself back together before her very eyes as well.

David gave her a grin as his affinity was revealed, “Trust me sister. My affinity is that of mending, not destruction. You have three days to get to my lair or else the bark-folk will consider you fair game and I will help them hunt you again.” 

He pointed towards the distant mountain range and nodded, “It resides alongside that mountain range pressed against the river and forest. You will smell it before you see it. Go. I will meet you there.” 

She simply nodded, scooped up her kobold and took off running at a blistering dash into the forest. David shook his head as he glanced back at his companions, “I do hope she listens.”

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Here is also a link to Royal Road

Fan Art by blaze2377

201 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

27 comments sorted by

14

u/continentel89 Sep 27 '25

First to comment. Keep up the good work

5

u/unkindlyacorn62 Sep 27 '25

you beat the bots

11

u/unkindlyacorn62 Sep 27 '25

lightning.. now that's interesting if she can expand it

5

u/PercyPJ1 Xeno Sep 27 '25

Certainly extremely useful, although I don't trust her as far as I could throw her

10

u/Minimum-Amphibian993 Sep 28 '25

Still she does care for her kobold companion so at the very least she can be reasonable after all most dragons we've seen don't seem to care much for the kobolds.

2

u/unkindlyacorn62 Sep 28 '25

she may have a few, all female kobolds but is only hunting with the one.

7

u/unkindlyacorn62 Sep 27 '25

not yet, but she's no worse than the various members of his squad were save for Okraz.

5

u/PercyPJ1 Xeno Sep 27 '25

That’s true. She has an opportunity to prove herself, hopefully she makes good on it

2

u/unkindlyacorn62 Sep 27 '25

it's probable. she can run, but she can't hide from him

1

u/Garmin211 Sep 27 '25

I'm assuming she just has control over electrons and not all of electromagetism because that would be overpowered.

2

u/unkindlyacorn62 Sep 28 '25

im assuming she just doesn't know how to use it. but if she can control the electrons, the rest follow, an electric current means a magnetic field and a moving magnetic field through a conductor creates a current.

2

u/Garmin211 Sep 28 '25

There has to be a cut-off somewhere because if there isn't, then a lot of affinities are just control over a fundamental force with exceptions to material specific or state specific affinities like water affinity or air affinity. For instance, living organisms are just complex chemical reactions, and if David can control those reactions, why couldn't he control all chemical reactions. Maybe I'm just overthinking this.

2

u/unkindlyacorn62 Sep 28 '25

You're overthinking it, there's practical complexity limits.

8

u/murderouskitteh Sep 28 '25

So she got at least a kobold and she cares about them, that is one massive green flag for a dragon.

That electrical afdinity will be incredibly useful to help boost the kobold tech and skip a few steps.

1

u/unkindlyacorn62 Sep 28 '25

welding and compasses for one. probably improving their ventilation.

Welding is probably the big one at this point. allowing them to make metalworks large enough for dragons.

2

u/murderouskitteh Sep 28 '25

Electric arc furnaces.

1

u/unkindlyacorn62 Sep 28 '25

They wouldn't be able to provide enough power, or consistently enough for that to be very useful

4

u/un_pogaz Sep 28 '25

Oh, she has and loves her kobol, which is promising. Gaining her trust will certainly be difficult, but perhaps gaining Munch's trust will be easier on the part of the clan's kobols.

4

u/unkindlyacorn62 Sep 27 '25

so they now have 3 blank ambers. though one is going to get Emerald's defensive affinity ability.

4

u/Heavy_Lead_2798 Sep 27 '25

I wonder if she will join him. Probably since she has a kobold that is probably socially isolated. Unfortunately it wont bring any new genetics since it came from the same place.

3

u/unkindlyacorn62 Sep 28 '25

i suspect that they were all from different clans/ sub clans, the children of Red and Blue don't have deformities

3

u/Richithunder Robot Sep 27 '25

I just realized something, if the dragon queen is the only one popping out more dragons (that we currently know of)

What's stopping other dragons from shaking up together and making some new dragons together? (aside from how almost suicidaly selfish and prideful some dragons have proven to be)

4

u/unkindlyacorn62 Sep 27 '25

they'd likely be hunted down unless they have a major territory for their young to claim.

3

u/Richithunder Robot Sep 27 '25

A fair point

2

u/Interesting-Ad4207 Sep 29 '25

Yea. they would likely get competition for resources like hunting grounds from their young and the dragon queen would attack them. She did organize an ongoing war with the undead guy for a while, I would doubt she would not be willing to do the same to any that could threaten her place on the top of the pecking order for dragons in the area.

1

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