First Slumber!
Seth led the kobolds with precision and purpose around the black dragon's lair. Their innate knack for detecting ores and a unique method for uncovering hidden jewels were crucial to their quest.
Armed with mining picks, the kobolds tapped meticulously at various points within the nest. The resonating echoes guided them, almost like a secret language revealing the buried treasures.
In under an hour, the team unearthed a staggering collection of jewelry, weighing hundreds of kilograms. Far from their clandestine operation, two mighty dragons clashed in the Brass Dragon territory, their conflict far from resolution.
Back in the cave, Bruce's eyes gleamed with an unmistakable spark of avarice as he surveyed the trove the kobolds had amassed. Seth, witnessing his master's delight, swelled with pride. His service to Bruce was proving invaluable, a fact that promised bountiful rewards and a step closer to a golden era for his tribe.
Bruce instructed them with a mix of caution and reassurance, "Lay low for a while. If Kassavia notices her treasures missing, she'll undoubtedly suspect your kind. But fear not, the vastness of the Green Forest will hide you well."
After rewarding each kobold with some modest gem, Bruce watched them depart with a wry smile. "Such simple creatures," he mused, turning his attention to the shimmering pile before him.
With a flap of his wings, Bruce shielded the hoard, then gleefully ingested it, curious about the potential benefits this unusual feast might bring.
Carona and Torenço, unversed in the intricacies of jewelry collection, watched with a mix of bewilderment and disdain. Bruce's voracious consumption of the gems was an enigma to them. To their understanding, dragons hoarded gems for various reasons—vanity, power demonstration, or sheer decoration. But consuming them as food? That was unheard of.
Carona voiced her confusion, "Such elaborate scheming, and for what? To feast on gems? It's baffling."
Torenço pondered, "Does consuming them bestow magical power, or is it just a pointless indulgence?"
Unfazed by their skepticism, Bruce found a peculiar satisfaction in their perplexed expressions. Their misunderstanding of his actions only added to his enjoyment.
Half an hour later, the massive hoard had been devoured. Yet Bruce realized that these treasures did not yield as effortlessly as regular sustenance. The digestion of the gems and jewelry was a laborious process, slowing his usually formidable metabolism to a crawl.
"Could my greed have finally caught up with me?" Bruce wondered, contemplating the unique dietary habits of dragons and the unexpected consequences of his unconventional feast.
As Bruce introspected, he realized his physical state was surprisingly robust, despite the peculiar sluggishness of his digestion. It dawned on him that the quality of his recent diet – the trove of gems – might be the contributing factor.
Reflecting on his past escapade, Bruce recalled the gems he had ingested from Shia's treasure trove. The digestion had been slow then too, albeit less discomforting due to the smaller quantity consumed.
"Indeed, an epic feast," Bruce mused, a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes. The last time he had consumed such gems, he had reaped significant benefits. Now, with a much larger haul, the potential gains loomed even larger in his mind.
Yet, digesting such a monumental cache of treasures was proving to be a Herculean task. Drowsiness crept over Bruce, hinting at the onset of a profound slumber, deeper than any rest he had known before.
But the timing was far from ideal. The conflict he had instigated between Kassavia and Garon was still unfolding, their fates entangled in his machinations. A prolonged slumber now seemed inopportune.
In preparation, Bruce convened a council with the leaders of his allies – the kobolds, goblins, and werewolves – and his companions, Carona and Torenço. He briefed them succinctly, urging prudence and discretion in his absence. "Stay hidden, stay smart, and above all, stay patient until I return," he instructed, his gaze lingering pointedly on the impetuous Torenço.
With his counsel dispensed, Bruce sought one final indulgence. He plunged into the acid pool, inviting Carona and Torenço to partake in the exotic concoction derived from Dix's remains. But the siblings recoiled from the pungent aroma, unable to stomach the acrid brew.
Thus, the pool of acid, with its peculiarly acquired taste, became Bruce's exclusive delicacy.
"Soak in it, savor it until I awaken. No one else seems to fancy it anyway," Bruce thought, noting the potential benefits reflected in his senses: a burgeoning mastery over flame and poison – attributes uncharacteristic of his lineage but inherent in his unconventional diet.
Bruce pondered the rarity of a green dragon wielding the breath of flame, a signature of red and black dragons, realizing the black dragon's lineage had imparted this extraordinary gift.
As these revelations washed over him, Bruce affectionately patted his belly, content with the unexpected boon. Positioned at the heart of the acid pool, he finally succumbed to the enveloping wave of sleepiness. Coiling his massive frame, he nestled into the acidic depths, wings folded around him, as he drifted into his first profound slumber, a dragon's dreamscape awaiting him beneath the surface.