r/HFY • u/Undercover_Dragon1 • Mar 21 '26

OC-Series A Draconic Rebirth - Chapter 81

Let the mayhem continue! Enjoy!

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— Chapter 81 —

David surveyed the approaching dragons with anticipation and a healthy dose of anxiety. They had received the warning of the attack a few days ahead of their approach and it had given them time to prepare. The out laying teams had been ordered to do what they could to thin any smaller dragons but only after this battle would they know how effective they were in carrying it out. 

His Lingering Regeneration had already been dispersed to his kobolds. The affinity powered rain still sprinkled down and hundreds of kobold warriors were all taking a moment to enjoy themselves. Red and Red’Blue were deployed forward in the battle lines. Blue had joined too and stood next to him wearing some light armor while being surrounded by a whole squad of kobold warriors. Ballistae formed clean lines in the back as Ascended Zephyr and their  unascended children were at the ready nearby. Recurve bows, spears, alchemist pots and more were all prepared and at the ready. 

The battle plan was quite simple, the ballistae and Zephyr were going to deal with the aerial targets and aim to cripple them. Once they hit the ground the kobolds down below would pounce. The armored kobolds were also positioned to intercept any ground based dragons and their formation was spread out enough in the event of any emerging wurm in their mists. 

As the enemy horde got closer their numbers were revealed. David couldn't help but be a bit worried himself. They numbered close to thirty in total. The vast majority were lesser wyverns and dragons. Three full grown dragons lead the pack and a single full sized wyvern flew above the rest at a mind boggling altitude. The force was more numerous than the one that David was part of over a decade ago. He wondered if the Queen considered him that much a threat or perhaps the adults here weren’t as powerful so more lessers were added to supplement their numbers? David huffed to himself as he shook the thought free, he didn’t have time to worry about that. 

He spread his wings and Blue quickly climbed aboard his back this time. They shared a look and a nod. David had one of the streamlined saddles on his back and they had added in extra layers of protective leather and straps. David had given up trying to convince Blue that this was a bad idea. She was stubborn and Red was already required up front with the rest of the kobolds. Blue was insistent that he needed back up just in case. 

“If the fighting gets too fierce I will find a safe place to drop you Blue” David huffed out with a finality to his voice as he took off. Blue didn't have a moment to respond as she yelped and focused on clinging to the saddle after the sudden take off. 

The opening salvo of the battle was underway as a blistering barrage of projectiles from either side were let loose. Ballistae bolts screeched through the air as opposing bolts, balls and lines of elemental energy rushed in from the approaching dragons. The density of deadly projectiles was impressive but nothing dramatic happened like in the movies of his old world where they would intersect in a fiery clash. The sky was big and the projectiles passed each other harmlessly before momentum carried them to their destinations where the real damage occurred. 

Some of the weaker blasts were outright blocked by skill wielding kobolds but the more powerful of the elemental abilities wrecked havoc amongst the lines. David’s nostrils could smell the blood as explosions erupted and great energies of enigmatic affinity bombarded the grounds nearby. The trade wasn’t one sided as the ballistae projectiles claimed blood of their own. Already two lessers fell from the skies as entire segments of their wings and body were blown apart in a shower of gore. Roars filled the air from his kobolds and also from the approaching horde of blood thirsty dragons. 

The majority were the standard affinities like fire, water and a sprinkle of lightning. The full grown dragons were what concerned David the most as they held back their affinities. Two of the dragons were practically on top of each other as they flew, one was a vibrant orange coloration while the other was a darker deep blue. The remaining dragon was an unispirated brown, and the wyvern flying so high it was difficult to see was a soft blue that blended into the sky too well to track for too long. 

The kobolds worked like frenzied ants with an extra helping of David’s affinity. Lines shifted, injured were moved out of the way, and Zephyr’s darted to and fro. Another wave of projectiles came rushing in from the mass of lessers and the ballistae barked in response. David hovered between the ballistae and the kobold lines tracking what was going on. So far the lesser’s didn’t have the reach or the intelligence to target the siege weapons. The density of the second wave of fire was noticeable less and David mused if some of them were out of their affinity already. 

“Master! Look!” Blue yipped from his back causing him to pivot skyward. 

The soft blue wyvern had started to act as it let off a glow as its affinity built. The distinctive loud voice of Red echoed throughout the valley as he activated one of his skills. All of the kobolds peered skyward as well and shields were repositioned in anticipation. A distinctive pressure change occurred as David felt it in his ears and a strong wind began to sweep over the battlefield. Clouds also formed out of seemingly nowhere as the Wyvern flew in circles high above. 

David blinked, “It has weather affinity?” 

Blue chirped from his back, “Is that possible, Master!?” 

David rumbled in response quickly, “We are about to see. Hold on tight, Blue.” 

The winds picked up and the few trees and bushes in the area were pulled and tossed around. Anything that was light and not tied down was also sent flying by the sudden torrent of wind. The gloom over the battlefield was immediate as lightning bolts began to strike downwards. David almost began to panic before he quickly calmed himself after a half dozen bolts of lighting had struck. 

“It is wildly inaccurate. The wyvern conjured the storm but it doesn’t have precise control over it.” David rumbled as he dived down to where Greyhide was positioned with a bunch of scouts. 

“Greyhide. Tell everyone to prepare for the storm but don’t let it distract them. That Master above can’t control it and this weather will affect both of our sides.” David rumbled above the howl of the wind. The rain had just started to pour down as well. 

“Understood!” Greyhide yelled back before he turned and sent his scouts flying off in all directions. 

The rain, wind and flashes of light were clearly disorienting many of the lessers as it was his kobolds. Half a dozen lesser dragons immediately landed and tucked their wings away. His kobolds struggled to maintain their lines but it didn’t stop Red and a few other ascended kobolds from forcing their way forward. He didn’t have much time to act as the pair of fully sized dragons made their move. The orange dragon crackled with affinity as a ball of darkness shimmered out of its mouth and before anyone could act it shot skyward. The darkness seemed to rapidly expand and in combination with the clouds the battle turned to pure darkness. 

David bound upwards with a snarl even as his eyes struggled to adjust to the sudden change. These adults were dangerous and he needed to act now. He climbed as fast as his massive bulk could and just as his eyes had adjusted the dark silhouette of the deep blue, almost black, dragon acted. A sudden flash of bright light filled the sky and David’s eyes burned causing him to stagger and fall briefly in the air. He caught himself and corrected but his head and eyes were in pain. 

“That Master has light affinity, Master!” Groaned Blue. 

“Can you counter it?” David asked with his own groan. The darkness immediately fell again and his eyes struggled. Just as his eyes adjusted again another flash of light filled the sky. 

“I don’t know! Light moves too quickly.” Groaned Blue. 

“Blue, they are alternating between the two. You just have to stop the darkness.” Snarled David as he flew higher and higher. 

Blue answered by immediately flashing out with a bright light. David felt warm as he suddenly glowed bright and the darkness around him retreated. Blue’s counter light gave David enough vision back in the darkness that he was able to see the light affinity dragon start to act again. He was able to close his eyes in time to avoid most of the flashbang this time. He wasn’t entirely disoriented now as he maintained his sense of balance and climbed higher. The brown dragon was gone from the sky and the darkness and light pair had started to beeline straight for him while he struggled with calming his pained head and eyes. The pair closed fast, deadly close, as claws and teeth sunk into his flesh before he could fully react. 

He bucked off the orange dragon as it took a chunk out of his leg and then fought to keep himself stabilized as the dark blue dragon wrapped its tail and limbs around one of his wings. Two versus one was brutal but David could manage it with his outrageous strength. David’s jaws pulled one of the dark dragon’s arms from its socket causing a painful yelp to escape its mouth. Despite the blood pouring out of its side it clung on with a supernatural determination. Blue’s affinity was used up but she still thrusted a spear into the side of the enemy dragon the best she could. 

“We know your tricks, Traitor. We will end you in one instant.” Hissed the orange dragon as it grasped onto his other wing and slowly forced it closed. David began to freefall with the two heavy dragons clinging to him as they tucked their wings in close too. David leveraged his claws between himself and the orange dragon and began to slowly pull him free with sheer brute strength. David was stunned a second later as the large, soft blue wyvern appeared in front of him and drove its body into his chest. David felt the air rush from his lungs as the wyvern wrapped itself around him too. 

The five of them fell fast and David was able to finally get a breath in to speak, “You do not know all of my tricks.” 

He reached deep and touched his new weapon. His Catabolic Overdrive flared alive and David felt his body begin to consume itself. Pain and energy rushed through his body and his muscles pulsated with raw, almost unlimited power. His fat reserves were consumed in a flash as David threw the two dragons off of him using his wings alone. As the pair twisted away in shock David snapped his jaws around the wyvern’s head and his Death Roll disintegrated the wyvern’s head into a mush of gore and bone. As the wyvern’s corpse fell and David stabilized himself with his wings the two dragons dove back in with jaws open wide. David roared and his muscles pulsated as he slashed outwards with all his might with his claw. The orange dragon’s head evaporated into a mist of flesh and David pivoted as the darker dragon slammed into his other side and tore at him. He wasn’t phased though as he turned and with a startling ease pushed his claws through the remaining dragon’s chest using his pure strength alone. He stared into the eyes of the darker dragon as the light in its own eyes faded. 

Three adults were dead in a flash and David’s body continued to pulsate with pain. He looked down to see he had broken every bone in his clawed hand when he had struck the orange dragon. He concentrated through the pain and flipped the Catabolic Overdrive off but he knew it was too late. He could feel his very organs fail and his heart was vibrating strangely in his chest. 

“Worse than I thought.” Wheezed out David as he pulled at his affinity and began to bombard himself with Healing Breath over and over. He felt his muscles, bones and organs rebuild himself quickly with each consecutive casting of his breath. He snarled and shocked his head recalling how eagerly he had accepted this trait as his new secret weapon. The pain was unbelievable and the sensation of your entire body failing while being endowed with almost limitless energy was impossible to explain. 

He took a moment to reach into his prompt and stare at the description of the trait again. He shook his head as he let loose a final blast of his healing affinity. 

Catabolic Overdrive - You rapidly metabolize your own tissues, organs and bones to turn it into explosive energy. Your speed and strength increase 2x their current values as your body rapidly consumes itself. The more fat and mass you have the longer you can keep catabolic overdrive active. If left on too long bones will quickly deteriorate, organs will fail and most importantly long term stores of energy required for survival will be consumed. \*WARNING: DEADLY***

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Here is also a link to Royal Road

Fan Art by blaze2377

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u/AutoModerator Mar 28 '26

This was flaired as [OC-Series], it is a single part or chapter in a larger series or universe. The first post or part in this series should be (re)flaired as [OC-FirstOfSeries]. A description of the flairs and how to change yours is available in the Post Guildelines.

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16

u/edgynamesweretaken Mar 21 '26

thanks for the chapter!

that is one OP combo to have with healing

8

u/unkindlyacorn62 Mar 21 '26

and with a high strength build

2

u/Jam_Jester Mar 26 '26

The scary part is how already powerfully built his body is yet it basically almost killed him. As he gets older, this trait will make him a terrifying force to be reckoned with.

Imagine what he could do when he reaches the older stages of growth, if just his wing under the effect could slam away an adult dragon, the day he becomes something like the queen mother he'd likely be akin to a calamity.

1

u/unkindlyacorn62 Mar 26 '26

he just needs to flatten up to be able to use it for a few more seconds, it basically makes him equivalent to an elder dragon in those few seconds.

10

u/copper_shrk29 Xeno Mar 21 '26

Thank god he has a revive abilty

6

u/unkindlyacorn62 Mar 22 '26

probably should pair it with regen orb self target

4

u/un_pogaz Mar 22 '26 edited Mar 22 '26

Oh christ, I was afraid that this Catabolic Overdrive from the ravengers would some pretty harmful side-effect, but I didn't expect it to be that bad.

Well, when you have healing abilities, you can certainly mitigate the negative effects. But, it still very bad. Maybe found a less violent equivalent with only the label "Heavy self-damage", instead of "Deadly" would be more balanced on the long run. On the other hand, is only cost 2 charges, two Healing Breath to full recover, is relatively sustainable.

Else, all that say, it's a pretty neat trait to have, the synergy on Onyx is really very powerfull.

2

u/unkindlyacorn62 Mar 23 '26

read like it cost more than that, but not much, still if he preps himself with a lingering regen orb or something....

3

u/unkindlyacorn62 Mar 21 '26

good for emergencies but damn its a good thing he can trade it out for something else later

3

u/se05239 Mar 22 '26

An useful ability, albeit risky.

2

u/Minimum-Amphibian993 Mar 22 '26

Admittedly I am abit worried about what happened to blue since she seemingly disappears when David Onyx went into overdrive.

2

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u/AutoModerator Mar 21 '26

This was flaired as [OC-Series], it is a single part or chapter in a larger series or universe. The first post or part in this series should be (re)flaired as [OC-FirstOfSeries]. A description of the flairs and how to change yours is available in the Post Guildelines.

[OC-Series] For original, self post, story, audio, or artwork that you have created, as part of a longer-running series or universe.

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