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Book 2: Chapter 29: Test - 1

Arthur twisted around in his saddle to make sure she was still secure. Her eyes were wide as she gazed around. Catching his look, she pointed straight ahead.

Arthur nodded.

The wind blew too fiercely to allow any conversation, but words weren't needed. A sharp cone of scourge-eruption was growing right in the middle of lush farmland.

And that farmland stood at the edge of a small city.

Dragons appeared out of rips in the sky from all directions. Half went to deal with the scourgelings clawing their way free from the top of the cone. The other half headed for the city to help with the evacuation.

Naturally, that was where Tess went. Folding all four of her wings, she fell into a dive... leaving Arthur's stomach hovering somewhere above him. It wasn't just the quick fall, but Tess used her tail as a rudder in the air and managed to twist around other dragons as she fell.

Arthur had spent an entire day on a frantic ride across the kingdom on Tess's back. He was at least used to her antics.

He yelled over his shoulder to Echo. "Lean with her turns."

The girl yelled something back that Arthur didn't catch. It was likely snotty anyway.

The closer they came to the edge of the city, the sharper and clearer the panic.

The outer edges of the city on the eruption side were in chaos. People ran from the direction of the farmland. Some pulled carts loaded with goods and what looked like some harvest they could save. Some carried children. Some had nothing at all.

All rushed toward the city center, who's narrow roads were already being choked. Once they were jammed, panic was sure to set in.

Meanwhile, the scrouge eruption was growing by the moment. Though dragons poured in from different hives, many scourgelings had already taken to the sky.

"Get ready to dismount the moment Tess is down." Johanna had to bellow to be heard over the growing shouts of people as well as the wind. "Then get clear. Tess and I have to help with the evacuation."

"What are we supposed to do now?" Echo asked. "They never told us."

She was right. Arthur didn't reply because he had no idea. The Wolf Hive leaders were nowhere in sight. Tess was only among the first of a wave of purples who were setting down Legendary recruits.

The moment Tess's claws touched the cobblestone road, Arthur slid off her side. It was an easy drop. Just like riding a donkey.

Echo followed, looking anxiously up at the sky. She pointed out the dragon carrying Marion and Penn, and they met when they landed.

The moment the passengers were gone, the purples took off again.

Penn looked around at the chaos. "Any idea what we're supposed to do here?"

They all looked to Marion who was already rolling his eyes.

"I see three seconds into the future. If find out anything ahead of time, I'll let you know."

"Signal us or something," Penn suggested.

Arthur looked around. Most of the Legendary recruits had clustered together, looking around for direction.

"It's a test."

He didn't realize he had spoken until he felt the weight of the other's gazes on him. "Go on," Penn said in what sounded too much like an order.

Arthur let it go and shrugged. "They want us to show how useful we can be to the hive, right? So, they drop us here." He remembered the feeling of being watched when he'd carried Joy in his Personal Space. The hive leaders hadn't let him go to trot around the city without being carefully watched.

He suspected that some person--or people-- could easily slip into this chaos and do the same here.

"We're not going to get any specific orders," Arthur said. "We have to find a way to show our mettle here."

Marion muttered, "Ah, dragon shit. Too late."

A second later the bearded prince jumped up to the edge of a decorative fountain. He clapped his hands once and Arthur felt the force of his personality sweep over the immediate area.

Instinctively, he reached for his own Gentleman's Charm card and activated it. That provided a temporary boost to his own charisma.

He suddenly noticed that the prince's face was... rather lumpy. Like he had gotten the worst in a few bar fights that had left his nose the wrong shape.

Still, the man easily acquired everyone's attention. He smiled with teeth, too, that were crooked. Odd. Arthur had the impression at first that they'd been sparkling.

"These people need our help, and we need to prove ourselves to the leadership. I suggest we separate ourselves into groups: This city will need a wall to defend themselves against the scourgelings. Anyone with earth, rock, or building type cards meet over there." He gestured to the right. "Next we need defenders to protect people and property until the dragons get control of his eruption. Everyone who can fight, stay here." He pointed directly in front of himself to the fountain. "Lastly, support. Those who don't fit in the first two categories-- well, you know your cards. Help out where you can. And if you have any ideas, I'm all ears."

It was a good plan, and Arthur couldn't find immediate fault... other than who in the world made him the leader? He tried and failed not to resent the man, or the fact that no one else called him out for taking command. Damn Charisma card.

Penn and Echo seemed to be caught in the thrall of the plan. They'd already moved away toward the combat teams.

Marion heaved a sigh and spoke before Arthur could ask. "Yes, I'm going with them."

"With... the combat group?"

He shrugged again and pulled out a pocket-sized book out of his coat. "Sure, why not."

Well, he knew his card better than anyone. Arthur gave a lingering look and let out a sigh of his own. "I'm support. I guess I'll... find a way to make myself useful."

But that wouldn't be good enough. He had to make himself stand out.

Marion gave him a sympathetic look as if he understood, but then turned to follow Penn and his half-sister.

With the greatest reluctance, Arthur turned toward the snow-white tent which had all signs of being hurriedly built.

Sickness seekers walked quickly in and out. People were carried in on stretchers, on carts, and hobbling in on the shoulders of loved ones.

The ghost of Arthur's long-dead friend, Ernie, echoed in his mind. Being a nurse was women's work.

Well... Ernie had been 12 at the time and Arthur would like to think that he'd matured a little.

Besides, helping out with the sick had to be better than volunteering in the kitchens and cooking for the masses, right?

"I really need a combat card," he muttered.

Then he mentally stepped into his Personal Space.

It was a large area, but he and Penn had gone wild with shopping. In addition, Arthur had supplies of his own.

He grabbed an hourglass and flipped it. He couldn't afford to be debilitated by a headache.

Only... the sand didn't fall. It hung there, suspended as if frozen in place.

Arthur frowned. "How does that work? I can move things around. I can alter objects... but time doesn't flow by itself?" Something seemed off about the logic there. Then again, a card's power had rules of its own.

Okay, so he couldn't time himself. He just had to step back out in the real world before he went too far leveling his skills. Should be easy. Right?

... Right?

Arthur bee-lined for one of the medical kits he'd purchased from the hive's store. It was wrapped in leather and meant to be tucked away in a pack. It held a small roll of white bandages, a tiny bottle with a wax seal filled with a salve that was meant to aid healing, a needle and a spool of gut-thread for stitches.

He took out the needle and thread.

Then he went to one of the three cured hams which sat on a shelf that he swore hadn't existed the last time he was there.

Using a knife, he sliced into the side. Then he threaded the needle and got to work stitching it up again.

In an effort not to get an obscure butchering or taxidermy skill, he focused his will on making each stitch neat and on the skin only. Like he was trying to close a living wound.

Either the ham was of food quality, or the Master of Skills card sensed his dubious mood because it took five repetitions to get the skill.

New Skill Gained: Wound Stitching (First aid, Nurse Class)

"Nurse," he repeated sorely, hearing the echo of Ernie's laughter. The corner of Arthur's mouth twitched up. Years on and he missed his friend... but if Ernie were there, Arthur would be laughing along with him.

Besides, helping people out wasn't so bad. Due to his card's benefits, he started at level 3. That should make him useful enough to help out in the tent.

Not to impress the hive leaders, though.

Maybe... he'd done enough already? Ernest Kane had certainly developed a high profile recently with the mess at the scholar’s guild and helping to save to pink dragon. Not to mention he and Kenzie had been the ones to find the dark Legendary egg in the first place.

Just this once, it might be wise to let someone else have attention. The egg was the one who would ultimately choose the winner.

Though every time he thought of the bearded prince -- or anyone else -- standing in front of the dark egg... his blood wanted to boil.

No matter. It was time to leave this space and return to the world.

The last thing Arthur did was to ensure the Nullify card was on, canceling out his Return to Start. The anchor point for that card was back in his room in Wolf Hive. He would never be able to live it down if he was sent back because of a healer's aggressive scan.

An eye blink later, Arthur was back in the real world. He felt a slight sense of strain behind his eyes as if he had been up studying the night before, but it was manageable. And he had a new skill to level.

Arthur headed for the tent.