Draconia Offline vol. 1

23.3. Frail But Not Weak - Part 3

Two bodyguards are standing in front of our apartment, this time it's Kristoff and Stefan on duty. I feel they're a bit nervous today but I don't catch anything serious. We ask where the cafeteria is and they lead us there.

We have to get into the elevator, of course, and I'm doing my best not to show any discomfort. Only Erik is aware of my developing claustrophobia because I'm almost crushing his hand. Almost, just a figure of speech. I don't think I have the strength to seriously hurt anybody with my new body. I feel lighter and lighter each day. My bones keep changing.

It doesn't hurt, does it? Erik asks because he catches what I'm pondering about. I don't close my thinking process to him anymore because that wouldn't be fair towards him as I can hear everything when we're touching.

My bones getting hollow? I sigh in my mind. Surprisingly not but I can feel my strength diminishing each day. It would probably hurt a lot but I think my mana circuit is compensating for that. Ingame, each race had slow passive healing of their own.

How did that work? he's curious.

Well, in case of Celestials it's restorative magic, I start explaining. The Earthborn can make body cells regenerate at astonishing speed. The Dragonkin are just resilient against almost anything and Clawfangs simply heal faster.

Erik wants me to elaborate on the topic but the elevator stops and we have to get off. I'm trying not to run out too obviously, even though talking to Erik did mitigate my discomfort.

"What the...?!" we're shocked because the corridor is full of Draconians.

At first, nothing happens but then we're noticed and get surrounded immediately. So that's what my bodyguards were nervous about. They're desperately trying to make some space but Draconians are pushy. Especially the Celestials.

"Your Majesty, could you give me your autograph?"

"Will we resume training sessions again?"

"Your robe is so beautiful, where can we order one as well?"

I recognise a few faces from the mansion but most of them are unknown to me. It seems new refugees must have arrived straight here. It's crowded and local human employees who decided to stay don't know what to do.

"Hey, no touching!" Erik mercilessly slaps a hand that's after my wings.

"That's quite enough!" Fefnir shows up to save us.

Newcomers and even those I got to know step aside. Fefnir's Dragonkin presence is really something when he puts his mind into it. But it might be more than that?! He's truly... intimidating somehow. I can feel Erik is scared all of a sudden. And others as well.

"Fefnir, did you learn the intimidation skill?" I'm astonished. I'm not affected because it doesn't work on high-levels but Erik next to me freezes.

"Oh, actually... not sure," he scratches his scaly chin, uncertain. He's also wearing new Draconian clothes I observe. He didn't switch back. "How does it feel?"

"I'm okay but others are...," I stop myself. I can't tell him in public what I feel from them, of course. "Just look at them."

"Damn, you're right," he clicks his tongue. "I just thought they're intimidated by how big and handsome I am."

Erik is still in mild shock so I deepen our connection and try to slap him out of it telepathically. It works. He blinks several times, totally confused but normal again.

"W-what was that?" he gasps for breath.

"Sorry, it seems I've just executed my racial skill by accident," Fefnir apologises but he's, in fact, quite proud of his achievement. "It's call Daunt and in the game we were using it to intimidate monsters to run away."