Chapter 124 - 124

[Companion Creation Complete: Summon Companion to finalize] 

This is the moment of truth, what will he get for a Dragon Companion. Kone had a theory that willpower matters so Cain focuses on what he wants in a Companion and initiates the Summon. At the very last second, Elmira declaring she wanted a pretty Dragon friend pops into his mind and the new Companion starts to form. 

It's definitely a Dragon, thankfully. Elmira's words had him worried about what he might get. It's rather small to be a full grown Dragon though, the formed body similar in size to a horse, but shorter in the legs. The thick tail gives it a much greater sense of presence though, and it's sure to be imposing once its wings are spread. 

The scales are a pearly white, shimmering with color in the dim light of the dungeon. The Dragon has entirely blue gemstone like eyes, glowing with an inner light and staring directly at Cain in curiosity. 

"You're an interesting one, daring to Summon the great Laura." The Dragon says, looking at him. 

"Welcome to the team Laura. My name is Cain." He greets the juvenile Dragon with a smile.

"I demand an apology for this insult. Where are the sweets. Surely a human has something. Cake, cookies, ganache?" The Dragon says hopefully. Oh man, they've collected another oddball. 

"I've got a few options with me. What do you think about chocolate cake?" Cain says looking through his inventory. 

"Yes, puny human. Give me cake!" Laura cheers, causing Vala to thump her on the head. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. Can I have cake please?" The Dragon quickly corrects herself. That's much better, Cain decides. It's amazing what a little attitude adjustment can do. 

Cain brings out one of the cakes stored for the journey and sets it on a low rock in front of the Dragon. She lets out a noise somewhere between a cheer and a purr before transforming into a Pixie and producing a spoon from nowhere. 

On closer examination, she's not a Pixie, just the same size. She's humanoid with long scaled pointy ears and Dragon wings. And doing an incredible job of eating her way through an entire cake. 

Cain takes the time to look over her skills while she's distracted. 

[Name] Laura

[Lesser Dragon Companion] 

[Juvenile Opal Prismatic Dragon] 

[Skills] 

[Ice Breath] 

[Rapid Healing] 

[Transformation] 

[Brutal Strikes] causes bleed on melee attack.

That's not a bad skill set for a Lesser Summon. Plus, she can clearly fly at least in her smaller transformation. When she becomes a Greater or Epic Summon she will likely be an absolute monster. 

Laura manages to eat an entire cake before transforming back into her Dragon form with a burp and a sigh. 

"Why transform to eat? Is cake better in a different form?" Nemu asks, clearly pondering if she herself should transform before meals.

"In Dragon form, a cake is barely one bite. In Dragon Pixie form it's a workout to eat that much. A thousand bites of delicious instead of one." The Dragon says with a wisdom that defies her apparent age. She's got a point too. A cake twenty times your body size sounds amazing. 

[We've got incoming. Green Orcs, no indication if they're hostile or not] Misha sends in Guild chat. 

[Just finishing up in here. Made a new friend too, so we will be out in just a few minutes.] Cain sends back with a sigh. 

"Looks like we've got company up top. Maybe not hostile though, so don't attack unless they do, but we should start heading back to the exit." Cain informs the rest of the group. 

"Do Orcs taste like cake?" Laura asks when they're about halfway back and Nemu laughs. 

"Definitely not. They don't even look like they would be easy to chew." The Felian informs her. 

"Then why are we going to see them?" 

"Because they might be friends with Master, which means they might bring us places with shiny stuff and good food." Nemu fills her in on the basics. Everyone else generally understood these sorts of interactions from the time they were Summoned, but it seems the Dragons weren't exposed to outside culture. 

"Speaking of shiny stuff what kind of gear can you use Laura? We should get you some equipment." Cain says. 

"In this form, I don't use any equipment. Dragons gain power from their age and Horde. So I gain power from your Horde instead. I must say you're doing pretty well. Whatever a Guild Bank is, you have amassed a huge fortune in it."

That makes things easy, the Guild is ridiculously wealthy from their crafting and trading endeavors. 

"If you ever need something specific just let me know. I'll get you what I can, since we'll be together for a long while." Cain laughs, petting her head. 

"I am a noble Dragon, do not patronize me. But maybe rub just a little to the right, yes there by the horn is perfect." The Dragon purrs.

They reach the surface just as the first of the Orcs come into sight. 'Yellow Tusk Guild' is posted beneath all of their names. So these are transfers, not a Marauding army or monsters driven insane by a Dungeon or something similar. If Cain recalls right, that should be the Guild that Ghaz and Morgan are in, the one made up of their extended family. But what are they doing here? 

"Where have you hidden my future son in law?" A woman's voice booms out in the distance and Cain can see Nathaniel go a bit pale. Cain hurries towards the Darklight Host with all of his summons still active, Laura taking to the sky to circle above his head. 

"I know it's you, I can see all the summons." The Orcish lady calls again. 

"I think he was napping. Hi Ghaz, hi Morgan." Cain calls when the two of them come into sight. Then Cain finally catches sight of their mother. That is one seriously large woman. Even for an Orc. She's heavy set, heavy in the bosom and looking every bit the sturdy Orcish farm wife. Plus she's taller even than Ghaz. No wonder Nathaniel is terrified. She doesn't look mean or angry though. 

"What brings you all here tonight? Surely you didn't come all this way to see your potential son in law?" Cain asks.

"The Tribal Council agrees that the Troll capital needs to be retaken, so we volunteered for the duty." The burly Matron of the Guild informs me with a smile. 

"That's excellent news, we can use as many extra hands as we can get. We might be pretty strong, but they've got a full experienced army and a city we can only assume is fortified." Cain gestures towards the camp and the Orcs start looking for places to set up camp. 

"You can call me Gillian, and you already know my children Ghaz and Morgan. My husband, Ghaz Senior, should be here somewhere. Oh, there he is, being eaten by a Dragon." Gillian says without concern. Maybe eaten was the wrong word, but Laura definitely taste tested him, Cain can see the wet mark on his face and Elmira is doubled over in laughter. 

"Since when is there a Dragon?" Morgan asks, raising a pierced eyebrow.

"Since just now. I gained her this evening. She's not spent much time around humans though, so her common sense can be a bit off. Like taste testing the Orcs. Clearly he wouldn't make a good dessert." Cain says with a straight face and Morgan laughs. 

"I'm not sure if the Pixie is keeping her out of trouble or creating more though." Ghaz points to the spot they've frozen on the ground and begun pouring something out. What are they doing? Making Popsicles? 

With a flap of her wings, Vala leaps over the crowd and lands next to the sugar addicted pair, producing a selection of carved sticks. So it's definitely Popsicles. Who knew ice breath would come in handy like that? Elmira certainly got the friend she wanted, but Cain is starting to wonder if the system is telling him something or playing an elaborate practical joke on him. 

The Darklight Host has already eaten, but the Orcish Guild is beginning to roast meat over the fire, everyone gathering around to meet and greet the Guild they will be working with until the Trolls get a stable home back. 

"Are you over level 90 then?" Gillian says, looking him over and Cain nods. 

"Myself and the Druid are, and most of the others are getting close. Our time in the valley might not be too much longer, but we've been looking for a few more slow leveling members to keep things in the Guild running even when the old core members move on." Cain tells her. 

"You can come back in the south pass. We get visitors a few times a year from the wasteland. But there's something wrong with the North Exit that it sends you to when you level out. The Elders say there used to be a good trading village there, but now no wagons or news come through. It isn't far from the Troll capital, so we could go see what's wrong afterwards. With this many we should be fine even if it's overrun by Ogres or monsters." Morgan cuts in helpfully, a resigned looking Nathaniel in her arms. 

"Mom, this is Nathaniel, my boyfriend. Isn't he perfect?"

Gillian picks him up, turning him from side to side before looking over his System information. "He's pretty good for an Elf. You have my approval." The matriarch agrees and Morgan cheers. 

"You're too loud Mork." Ghaz yells back from across the camp and Cain tries not to laugh.. This is definitely going to be a fun trip.