All The Skills

Out of the corner of his eye, Arthur noticed that Brixaby had followed him out as well. But most of his concentration was on finding Larry. The exit led to a tunnel which curved sharply upward and led back up out at the crater opening. It was likely an emergency tunnel, carved out for emergencies.

Larry hadn't gone far past the opening. He stood with fists clenched, staring out to the middle distance.

Arthur walked up silently and didn't say anything, just offered his silent support. After a few moments, Larry glanced at him and snorted in a self-deprecating sort of way.

"I'm sorry I wasted your time, kid. I should have known that it would all turn out to nothing. It always does," he added bitterly.

Arthur wasn't entirely sure what to say. He wanted to console the man. It had to have been difficult being passed over again and again. But at the same time, he was aware that he was several decades younger than Larry and he suspected Larry would only see any comforting works as condescension.

That was when Brixaby spoke up. "Worthwhile things are rarely quickly accomplished. Besides, it is only the first day, and there are many other dragons in this hive."

The man glanced at Brixaby in surprise. It looked like he wanted to argue, but then he sagged his shoulders.

"I suppose," he muttered, though he didn't seem all that sure of it.

However, something in Brixaby's tone caught Arthur's attention. "Wait, there are more riderless Purples in this hive?"

So many had flocked to them for dinner and meals, that he assumed that had been all of them, but now he realized that he hadn't checked.

To his surprise, Brixaby grimaced. He actually seemed a little... embarrassed.

"That was indeed not all the Purples, but even I cannot force a dragon to share their card if they do not want to."

"Are there a lot of them?" Arthur asked, surprised. He knew there were dragons like Laird who had personal reasons for not wanting to link with another rider. And certainly, there were many dragons in the Free Hives who also did not want riders. Many of those had other opportunities, such as pursuing crafts to fill their time. It seemed like a dragon who had been disenchanted with this hive to the point of not wanting to link with a rider would just go somewhere else.

"I am unsure and before you ask, I do not know their reasoning," Brixaby said quickly. "None have approached me directly. I only sense them from the outskirts. They are the true wild dragons, and they do not exist within the hive society."

Arthur scratched the back of his neck. "I'd like to talk to them if any of them are open for it. Especially if any have useful cards. We're going to need all the help we can get." He glanced at Larry who had remained silent but still downcast. "Don't give up yet."

Larry heaved a sigh. "Look, maybe I should just go back to the farms. It's what I know."

"You also know what happens to farmers who are in the wrong place at the wrong time," Arthur reminded him. "And that's happening more and more often. Besides, why go back to the farms when I can pay you better?"

A man glanced over at him, squinting suspiciously. "Pay me for what? I won't be your bully boy, kid."

Arthur couldn't help it. He smiled. "I can take care of myself.”

“Then, what is it?”

He had been playing with this idea off and on. “I'm new to this hive, and what's most valuable to me at this moment is information." Then, with an internal grimace he did not allow to show on his face, he reached into his Personal Space and produced a Rare shard. He held it up between two fingers and let it glint in the light. "If you're interested, this should be more than enough for you to buy some long-term lodging in the city, and quite a few meals as well."

Larry stared at it. "Do you know how long it would take me to earn one of these, working on a farm?"

"You're not on a farm anymore," Arthur said.

The man barked out an involuntary laugh. "That's getting clearer and clearer. But I still don’t understand: What do you want me to do?"

"There's a lot of dragon riders who drink out in the city. Alcohol loosens lips, and I need to know what they're saying—all the rumors around here. You seem like a smart man, Larry."

"I barely graduated my classes," he said. "The only reason I didn't starve on the street is my pa’ kicked off early and I inherited his card. It gave me the ability to work."

"You're smart where it counts. Social smart," Arthur insisted. "You know how to sift the lies from the truth in a conversation, don't you?"

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Reluctantly, Larry nodded. "Yeah, you got me pegged right, I guess. I know I'm a grumpy bastard, but I can be sociable when I want to be."

Arthur already knew this as Larry had unconsciously set himself up as a leader among the evacuees. He could be downright surly at times, but people instinctually looked up to him. Arthur could use that.

"I want to know if there's anything that comes up that I should be aware of. Dangerous rumors, plots against riders, what people are saying about the leadership and the blood price. Things like that."

Larry squinted at him, thinking hard. "I get where you’re going, but that's not enough work for the cost of a Rare shard.”

"You have no idea how much I value knowledge," Arthur replied. "And forewarning."

Still, Larry hesitated. "I could just take off with it, you know."

"I have more of these where this came from," Arthur said. "And don't forget, your best chance to change your life and get a dragon is through me.” It was clear that the man still wasn’t convinced so Arthur hit him with a darker truth. “You think that any farm nearby is hiring, with the amount of evacuees we receive on a regular basis?"

That seemed to do it. Larry huffed and then reached out to take the Rare shard. He quickly slipped it in his pocket and then glanced around obliquely, as if to make sure that no one had watched the exchange. Arthur had already been doing the same, but he was impressed to Larry taking on an air of suspicion.

"I suppose you have a point—a couple of points," Larry stared at Arthur for a moment, and for the first time there was a touch of respect in his eyes. "You know, you look like a skinny kid, but there is some deviousness in you."

"Why do you think I chose him? A utility user?" Brixaby said affronted. "When I was hatched, I was presented with the best of the best. Yet, out of all who had come from across the kingdom to behold my hatching—from the very cream of the Kingdom—I chose Arthur."

"I'm not sure if I should be offended or not," Arthur muttered.

Larry shook his head, then frowned. "So how am I supposed to get in touch with you if I am drinking it up in the city?"

That was a very good question, and Arthur could have kicked himself for not thinking of that. Then again, this had been plan C, with plan A and B being getting Larry linked to a dragon.

"Give me a moment," Brixaby said, then closed his eyes. A moment later, he opened them again. From the faintly tired look—the way the fine scales crinkled around his eyes—Arthur knew that his dragon had retreated into his Personal Space for quite some time. Very likely, to read through his enchanting books and do some crafting. He could have just been in there for hours.

Sure enough, Brixaby produced two palm-sized slivers of metal. They looked a lot like scraps, rough at the edges and hammered thin. However, dark runes were stamped onto them.

He gave one to Arthur and one to Larry. "These are now linked to one another. When you push mana into one, they will both glow. It is much like a card anchor, but better. Because I made it," he added, in case neither one understood.

"How did he..." Larry started, then caught Arthur's warning gaze and shook his head. "All right, all right. He is Rare and you have your secrets. I get that."

Brixaby looked faintly smug and Arthur knew he was thinking that if Larry knew the truth—that he was a high-level Legendary with a half a set of cards under their belts each—his head would probably explode.

"Okay, so this works as an alert, but we still need a meeting place," Arthur said.

Larry frowned. "Do you mind going into the city? People will see us if we're talking here in the hive. And no offense, but that should be avoided as much as possible. In fact, if I knew that this conversation was coming, I would have told you that we need to go have it somewhere else."

Once again, Arthur was impressed that Larry was taking this seriously.

"We'll meet at the Onion and the Hammer," Arthur said. "It's a bar on the outskirts of the city, but it may take me some time to get there once I'm alerted."

He casually slipped the enchanted light shard into his pocket. He was intensely curious how Brixaby had managed that. Despite Arthur's best intentions with enchanting when he’d first gotten those books, he hadn't embraced it as much as his dragon. Then again, Brixaby had a Weapons Blacksmithing class, and Arthur's most advanced class was Cooking. They had different interests.

As for the light enchantment, he suspected that he had been studying Sams’ and Horatio's cards on the sly while Arthur had been leveling his card smithing.

As if on cue, there was a rush of wings only a couple of levels above Arthur's head. Normally Arthur wouldn't have taken much note of it. Dragons came and went all the time in a hive.

But Brixaby suddenly swung around and glared upward. Alerted, Arthur glanced in the same direction.

A shimmering Green dragon was coming in for a quick landing quite close to them. The moment its claws touched the ground, his rider dismounted to walk over straight up to Arthur.

Thinking quickly, Arthur jerked his chin to Larry and said in a loud voice that was meant to carry, "That will be all, recruit."

Larry looked briefly startled, but he was quick on the uptake. He sketched a salute that wasn't too far off from the Blood Moon Hive’s standard. Then he made himself scarce.

Half a breath later, the green's rider approached him. He looked like he was delivering bad news. "Sir, I've been sent to fetch you for the leadership meeting."

"Leadership meeting?" Arthur asked, drawing a momentary blank.

"They're hosted every three days. It's a mandatory meeting," the man said, with emphasis. "At high noon. The leaders sent me up to make sure that you knew about it."

So there will be no excuses why I didn't show up, Arthur thought.

He glanced to the side to see that Larry was walking away toward the direction of the town outside the hive’s crater.

Arthur hoped he would actually see him again and that he wouldn't just run off with the Rare shard. Despite his bravado, he didn't actually have a lot of those left.

He turned his attention to the Green rider. "I understand. Are we allowed to go ourselves, or will I be portaled again?" he asked significantly.

"No, if you agree then you're to go on your own recognizance. But you should know..." He grimaced and leaned forward a little as if to impart a secret. "This is where wing captains present their wing’s blood price."

That was right, he remembered Chester mentioning something about the meeting now. Between all of the dragon linkings and getting set up in this new hive, it had slipped his mind.

Also, he was to pay for the next three days.

So, it wasn't enough that wing captains had to collect the equivalent of an Uncommon shard every day from their people, but the collection actually took place in advance. That would put extra pressure on anyone who was running short.

Thankfully, he'd been expecting something along these lines. He glanced at Brixaby and saw the slight shift in his dragon's face as if he were suppressing a smile.

“We’ll be there,” Arthur said.

If the leaders thought they were going to catch him and Brix off guard, they were in for a surprise.

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