VRMMO: World's First Glyphborne

Standing up, Revenant snatched up a bowl filled with a strange black liquid. It was a concoction brewed with a mixture of Lord’s Orchid, rotten blood and a few more disgusting or deadly ingredients such as the venom of a Slithering Death - which was a type of snake that had incredible camouflage and fatally potent venom, so much so that you would never realise what had killed you, or even that you were dead, even after you had dropped to the ground and slipped from the mortal coil.

It was so unexpected, that many people became undead simply because they did not realise or believe that they were dead, and became lost in the fog between the realms.

Holding his hand over the deadly concoction, Revenant muttered a few words before pulling his hand away. At the same moment the contents of the bowl erupted into flames. Black flames with green edges, creating a strange image as they danced and flickered within the confines of the bowl.

At least until Revenant emptied them out.

He tipped the bowl forwards, pouring the flames out like they were still a liquid. The flames fell through the air, before suddenly altering their trajectory and flowing upwards. They were drawn to the runic circle, creating a ring of flames around the Dragon’s Heart, which suddenly began to beat.

Completely separated from the body it had supplied blood to, and long dead, the Heart on the floor beat. Each thump was loud and clear as the wrapped muscle contracted and expanded, pumping non-existent blood.

With each pump, the circle below it pulsated with light, and the flames surrounding the heart began to move. They flowed in one half of the heart valves, and then out the other. Moving in time with the pulsations of the heart, the flames acted like blood flowing through a non existent body. Although not for long.

Tendrils of flesh started to sprout from the hearts valve and rapidly spread through the air, weaving themselves loosely together into the vague form of muscles. Bones sprouted from the new flesh, cracking into place as the beating heart was quickly surrounded by a new set of ribs.

Skin came next, like a blanket knitting itself together and enveloping the bones and muscles. It was thicker around the torso, completely enclosing the ribs and sealing the heart away, but the further out from the chest the looser the skin became and the less of the body it covered.

The tail that sprouted was mostly bone, whilst its legs only had a few threads of skin stretched over the sinew and bone. The head was half covered in the new skin, and no new eyes sprouted within the newly grown eyes sockets. At least not ones made of flesh.

Instead twin flames flickered to life in the dark sockets, acting as the Dragon’s new eyes.

No matter how much it was covered, or by what. Despite the flesh being newly grown there was not a hint of freshness about the beast. Instead everything looked old and rotted, reeking of a completely putrid stench as if the Dragon had dragged itself out of the grave instead of sprouted from a heart.

Brought back onto the mortal coil, the Undead Dragon threw its head back and let out a thunderous roar, as it to declare its presence in the world, while spreading its wings wide - which were nothing but bone and stringy, rotten muscle slung between them and which definitely did not look viable for flight.

A moment later, it bowed its head. Lowering itself before Revenant, who rubbed its head lovingly and smiled widely as he looked upon his latest minion.

"I’m glad you are happy." Belladonna said, covering her nose with her hand.

"But can you put that thing away now? This place isn’t exactly an airy space, and that thing reeks. It’s bad enough we need to put up with your corpse stench, never mind that things."

She retched a few times, trying not to breathe too much as doing so was just repulsive. Through the nose meant the smell, but through the mouth meant she could taste it in the air. She wasn’t sure which was worse.

Revenant rolled his eyes, annoyed that she had interrupted his big moment, but obeyed like a good boy nonetheless. It seemed her training was working on him.

His shadow extended outwards, flowing across the ground beneath the Dragon’s feet, before the Undead Lizard sank into the darkness and took the stench with it. Most of the stench, at least.

Thankfully, Lilith’s ritual was much more simple and much, much less stinky. All she had to do to tame the Dragon was nick her thumb, to draw some blood, and use that blood to write a particular rune on the egg - which she did with some assistance.

Then, after some magic words, she was set. All that was left was to wait for the baby dragon to hatch, then feed it more of her blood and repeat the chant, then seal the ritual with a name.

It was similar to a form of imprinting. Less binding than the bond she had with Beans, or that Revenant had with his Undead. It inspired more free will and a more equal and loving relationship between them, more akin to a parent and child. Which meant that if she abused the dragon after it was born, there was a very strong chance it would turn on her and eat her.

Which was not ideal. But since she didn’t plan on doing such a thing, it wasn’t an issue.

As if to complete the classic game prophecy and divine rule of three, Belladonna did not miss out on being part of a growing family. As whilst she was putting the finishing touches on the final coin pouch, a notification sprung out from the crystal on the back of her hand.

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[Secret Quest - New Blood has been Completed!]

[Rewards:- Loyalty]

[Your family has grown]

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It was quite the vague and cryptic notification. It didn’t expand much on what it meant by ’loyalty’ although she at least did not have to question whose loyalty it was talking about. What was interesting was the third message.

’Your family has grown’. What did that mean exactly? She had a few suspicions, especially since deep within her Belladonna could feel a new connection forming.

Alongside her Bond with Beans, a new thread had formed and tied itself to her existence, weaving into the very essence and root of her bloodline, before turning dormant. What that bond did, or if it would benefit her in any way, was yet to be seen.

Yet for some reason, Belladonna could not help but smile.