The Primal Hunter

Passing the gateway had also shrugged off all the annoying followers who had stared after Jake like he was evil incarnate. No, he was not looking forward to meeting many of them again at the lesson the next day.

The two of them headed towards a café that offered private rooms to have their discussion. Using personal residences for discussions with people you didn’t trust was rarely done, and Jake could see why. The rules of safety seemed to primarily dominate in public areas, and giving someone access to a residence also meant those people would potentially see your secrets.

What plants you grew, the laboratory, books in the library, or just something as simple as the atmospheric mana were all clues. That poison alchemists of an evil snake-worshipping cult were secretive didn’t come as a surprise.

Jake and the dragonkin soon found themselves within a cozy room as an attendant brought them both a cup of some weird drink Jake didn’t recognize. However, he felt the toxins within it. He had allowed the dragonkin to order for them, and he didn’t think she wanted to poison him. Well, okay, she did want to poison him, but the good kind of poison.

“So, the elephant in the room?” Jake eventually said, his Tongue of the Myriad Races doing work to translate the figure of speech to something understandable.

“I believe an introduction is finally in order before we do that. I am Helenstromoz Emberflight, pleased to make your acquaintance,” she said as she nodded.

“Hunter,” Jake just said, sticking to his fake name. When he heard the last name of the dragonkin, he already knew what this was about. “What gave me away?”

The dragonkin just smiled. “Many things… it is hard to hide from an A-grade even if you have means to perfectly mask your level and even possess a Bloodline. The mana lingering on your body is from the ninety-third universe, and the knowledge you displayed did not correspond to what a true master would do. Finally, during the brief discussion with you, he switched languages a total of seventeen times without you noticing… in fact, I have already spoken three during this brief talk. Even if you do have a translation skill, they don’t tend to be that effective, and more often than not, you switch language fluidly with your conversation partner. You did not,” Helenstromoz said with a light smile.

Jake didn’t even know what to say. He had never even considered Tongue to be a dead giveaway, though in hindsight, perhaps he should have. The problem was Jake had no counter currently, so he just took a drink from the poison the restaurant offered. It was tasty as hell, and he gladly just savored the taste for a few moments before answering. “That answered the how he found out, but not why you are here. Helenstromoz, was it?”

“He suspected you had a Bloodline and sent me to check for obvious reasons,” Helenstromoz answered. “And please, just call me Helen. The Stromoz suffix is used to communicate someone is truly a dragon or at least was a true dragon at some point. Us descendants of true dragons are allowed to also have it, so it is truly more about status than anything else.”

“While I am thankful for the dragon lore, it doesn’t truly answer the question of why you chose to come and stay for a lesson you clearly did not need and bring me here for a private discussion. It took you five seconds to confirm I had a Bloodline, didn’t it?” Jake said, shaking his head as he took another sip of poison drink. Yep, definitely a fan.

Helen seemed to study his responses quite closely as Jake enjoyed his drink. She also took a sip herself as she spoke again.

“Bloodlines are rare. I assume you know this despite coming from a new universe?”

Jake just nodded in confirmation, as while he didn’t think it was common knowledge Bloodlines even existed back on Earth, it would be odd for him not to have found out.

“These Bloodlines come in various forms, and whenever a new universe is integrated into the multiverse, many new ones appear with it. There are few better ways for a faction to improve their organizational strength than quickly making contact and hopefully integrating such a Bloodline into their ranks. Though I assume you already have a backer or an organization you belong to? Besides the Order, of course,” Helen asked after more or less telling Jake she was there on a recruitment mission.

“I do indeed have a backer if you can call it that, but no faction besides the Order,” Jake said. He knew acting like he didn’t would be moronic as he had just spent hundreds of thousands of AC on a single lesson, something he clearly couldn’t afford on his own. Hence the only explanation – besides the truth – was that he had a backer who gave him points.

Helen smiled a bit as she wondered out loud. “I do wonder who it could be… not even A-grades can toss around that many AC on a single lesson they barely get anything out of. An S-grade? Gods are out of the question as the Malefic One has already blessed you… they must be quite a figure in the Order, are they not?”

Clearly, she was baiting him to reveal something. He also knew why she ruled gods out. Why would a god invest in him when the only ones to benefit would be Villy? The reason why gods helped mortals was to get rewards from the system based on the performance of those they blessed. It was part of the reason Jake didn’t feel that guilty about his one-sided relationship with Villy as he knew he also helped his snake god pal, just in ways Jake didn’t see himself.

As for Helen’s questioning: “My backer does indeed have some influence in the Order, but why is that of any concern to you?”

“All I am looking to know is, are you associated with any faction besides the Order of the Malefic Viper? The Order does not restrict where one belongs or has any true requirements of loyalty to the faction itself, so if you don’t, I just wanted to let you know there are many doors open to you. Of course, it will require an evaluation to know the true nature of your Bloodline, but if it is deemed of high quality and beneficial, these factions will gladly support you,” she said as she also took another sip of her drink. “Naturally, this also depends on if your backer agrees. Just know that true multiverse factions can offer far more than any individual.”

Yeah, I kinda doubt that, Jake thought. Probably didn’t count if that individual was a Primordial.

“I have no interest in joining any faction as of the current time,” Jake answered, shaking his head.

“Eventually, you will have to align yourself with one unless you plan on fully dedicating yourself to the Order. Tell me, how much do you know of the Emberflight?” Helen asked. She seemed amicable still, but Jake did get the feeling she wasn’t happy he so quickly rejected her offer.

“That it is a Dragonflight?” Jake just said with a shrug. He knew what Dragonflights were. They were collections of dragons, and he knew it was hard to be recognized as a Dragonflight. But to be fair, he had only done some cursory reading.

“The Emberflight is one of the nine Dragonflight of the Draconian Accords and is the most powerful faction of the red dragons. We have hundreds of publicly-appearing gods in our ranks and stand as a true top faction of the multiverse with a presence in all universes,” she said proudly.

Jake got the feeling he was meant to be very impressed, but he had been firmly desensitized after spending too long with Villy. He was curious, though.

“What are these Draconian Accords?”

“A long time ago, the different dragon races were at war but were eventually brought together and formed an Accord under the leadership of the Primordial known as the Wyrmgod. The Wyrmgod later established Nevermore and no longer has any connection to the accords, but an alliance and close working relationship still persist. There were originally only five Dragonflights in it, the Emberflight one of them,” she explained, Jake really getting his fill of old dragon lore.

Helen also clearly enjoyed sharing it, as she was patient with Jake’s lack of what he didn’t doubt was general knowledge. She did take a jab, though. “I would recommend you take a few history lessons if possible.”

“I’ll think about it,” Jake took the jab. “However, my answer remains the same. I currently have no interest in joining a faction. I am not saying this won’t change in the future, but I am not the type to be loyal to factions, and I don’t tend to deal well with authority.”

He wanted to distance himself and give a reason, but she didn’t seem fazed in the slightest.

“I understand. Your Bloodline relates to resisting and somehow emitting a presence far more powerful than you actually are. That it has innate properties of pride and unwillingness to submit to those more powerful only strikes me as natural.”

Jake nodded along, gladly confirming that is what his Bloodline did, as he and Villy had agreed on that being a good idea a while ago. Better they thought that was all it did.

“You seem to understand my Bloodline well… but I have no clue what yours does,” Jake asked, finally getting to the part he actually cared about himself. So far, he only knew of two Bloodlines. His own and Eron’s. Learning more about different ones only struck him as helpful.

“I have a version of the Bloodline of the main clan back in the Land of Embers. I cannot share the exact details of the Bloodline as I am under oath, but I am authorized to say it involves the manipulation of fire magic, the concept of flames, and the concept of time,” Helen briefly explained. “Only members of the Order can know the true description of it, and mine is a bit of a mutated version.”

“They can mutate?” Jake asked, a bit surprised. Did that mean he could change or evolve his Bloodline? Why had Villy never mention-

“My father was a dragon while my mother was an elf. Both of them had Bloodlines, and they merged to form mine. You seem to not know much about Bloodlines. Did your benefactor never explain?” she asked, actually sounding a bit confused.

“Yeah, why didn’t he explain,” Jake sent to Villy right there and then.

“Because I didn’t bless you with the intent of having you act like a prize-bull and pump out children left and right. Preferably with other people who possess Bloodlines to hope for them not only to get lucky and inherit one Bloodline but get the Bloodlines of both parents and even have them merge into something useful,” Villy quickly answered. “It is gambling for a good result. The hatchling you see before you likely have tens of thousands of siblings who are little more than failed products in the eyes of the Dragonflight.”

“He only explained a little bit, but not many details,” Jake answered after listening to Villy’s explanation.

“I see,” she said, sighing a bit. She finally took out a small token with a red dragon on it and handed it to Jake. “I would like to at least invite you to a more formal chat. Even if you joining us isn’t an option, we can perhaps at least discuss some other arrangement?”

Jake looked at the token before picking it up. “I will think about it, but for now, I just want to focus on my lessons and, of course, the happenings of the ninety-third Universe and the opportunities offered there. Grow in power, you know?”

“Very well, we would prefer to see you at a higher grade too,” she finally relented as she got up. “It was enlightening to meet you… Hunter, was it?”

He just nodded as he also got up, but not before quickly finishing his tasty drink.

“Please do come by for a visit at the very least. In the token is also my contact information for the Order Token, so please feel free if your curiosity gets the better of you or if there is anything you need to know.”

With those words, she left, with Jake following after. Outside they split up as she headed towards a wall with a teleportation circle on. Jake considered staying and checking out the entertainment district a bit more but ultimately decided to just head back home as he wanted to check in with Meira, and he had another lesson in like an hour.

Also… he had some things he wanted to talk to Villy about.

When he got home, he headed for his bedroom again, and as he walked, he asked out loud:

“So… Villy… will this-“

A scaled god suddenly popped up beside him. “You were saying?”

“Can you just pop up like that now?” Jake asked. “Last time, you made quite the entrance.”

“Well, of course not. I had to make a good impression on your new slave,” Villy defended himself.

“Thinking back, couldn’t you have just done as you first did when I got here and made yourself invisible or something?”

“Jake, the question isn’t if I could or not. The most important thing is,” he said, as he made a long dramatic pause, “I didn’t.”

Jake could recognize once he had lost an argument and proceeded to change the topic. “So, what I wanted to ask was if this kind of thing will keep happening if it becomes more common knowledge I have a Bloodline? Everyone who has a Bloodline can feel I have one, and I am sure some factions will put two and two together after dragon lady approached me.”

“It is likely indeed,” Villy said, nodding.

“That sounds utterly exhausting. And there is no way to hide my Bloodline?” Jake asked a bit desperately.

“Nope, not at all. Ah, but do note most in lower grades cannot feel other Bloodlines as easily as you do. Both you and the other one from Earth have at least partly Perception-based Bloodlines and can thus easily spot others, but not everyone does. That is why that hatchling carried an orb. They are able to create a resonance of sorts when someone with a Bloodline uses one and can scan an area. Pretty much all factions with Bloodlines possess them. Even without it, another person with a Bloodline will feel it if they are close enough or interact with you,” the Viper explained.

“So that means I am fucked?” Jake asked with resignation. “What is stopping some faction from just kidnapping people with Bloodlines and using them as breeding machines?”

Villy seemed to get a bit more serious as he sighed. “I guess I should tell you a bit about Bloodlines and their storied history in the multiverse.”