Chapter 56 – Reconsiderations and the Festival (1)
The dust and sparks of smoke in the magma chamber slowly began to settle, but the reality of what had just happened had not yet fully registered in my mind. The feeling was clear, cold, and cruel. We had just faced an entity that, for most mortals of this world, was nothing more than a legend or an untouchable deity.
— This world is absurdly unbalanced... — I thought, staring into the glowing lava pools with a distant gaze. — What kind of gods designed a reality with arcane laws so completely out of context? Where is the logic in creating creatures capable of bending space and time with a simple snap of their fingers, while the rest of the races fight with swords and primary spells?
The truth eating away at me from the inside was a feeling of total powerlessness. Throughout the entire "test," Roun had merely been playing with us. He acted like a patient adult watching a baby crawl on the floor — someone who finds it amusing to see the child struggle to stand on two feet, knowing it will fall right after. He went easy on us from start to finish. If Roun hadn't wanted us to touch his barrier, not even the sum of our combined strength would have scratched his aura. For us, it had been a fight on the brink of survival; for him, just ten minutes of casual entertainment. How long had it been since I last felt so terribly small?
While I stood static, absorbed in my thoughts, Valéria remained euphoric and fascinated with the gift she had received. She activated the rune on her palm, making the multi-elemental spear materialize in a beam of light, and then retracting it back into her pocket dimension. She twirled the weapon in the air, attempting to channel her mana to draw out some spark of fire or ice from the blade, but nothing happened.
— Nothing comes out... not even a spark of flames — Valéria muttered to herself in a mix of excitement and frustration. The tigress let out a deep sigh, realizing she couldn't master even the basics of that ancestral artifact's power.
Beside her, Akra looked completely disoriented. The dragonoid stumbled along the basalt rock, clutching her little tummy with both gauntlets.
— Master... Akra's tummy is really warm... — the little girl grumbled, letting out a small yawn that released a cloud of golden smoke. — Akra feels super sleepy... just like when she eats a whole roasted steer... Akra isn't hungry, master... just really, really sleepy... Can I sleep here on the stone floor?
Since I remained standing still like a statue, staring blankly into space, Akra took a few more unsteady steps and stopped right beside me.
— Master?... Akra is sleepy... Master?! — the dragonoid began, raising her voice until she ended up shouting right beside my ear.
Valéria approached next, storing the spear in her pocket dimension and crossing her arms with an eyebrow raised.
— Kaelen, we need to go back to the surface... Kaelen?!
Seeing that I wasn't blinking, the two looked at each other and shouted in unison, with the full strength of their lungs:
— KAELEN! MASTER!
A sudden start snapped me out of my trance. I blinked several times, shaking my head to clear the torpor, and looked at the two with a confused expression.
— What is all this shouting for? — I asked, adjusting the bracelet on my wrist. — I was just thinking... Did I miss something important?
Valéria and Akra glared at me with pouting faces, their cheeks slightly puffed up in indignation.
— You weren't answering at all! — Valéria protested, placing her hands on her hips. — You were just standing there like a stone statue! We've been calling you for almost two minutes!
— Yeah! Master looked like a weird doll staring at nothing! — Akra added, rubbing her sleepy yellow eyes.
— Alright, alright... My apologies — I said, letting out a weak laugh and running a hand over my face. — It's a lot of information to process all at once. Let me ask you a question, since I am not exactly familiar with the customs and history of this continent... Is it normal for ancestral dragons to show up out of nowhere in other people's homes like that? I have an uncomfortable feeling that we were set up by the barons. Luckily, the dragon was agreeable, but the whole thing feels too surreal. What do you think?
Akra tilted her head to the side, staring at her tempered steel claws with a blank look.
— Akra doesn't know any of those stories... — the little girl answered, in a soft, honest voice. — Akra never had school or anyone to teach her anything. Akra was left to her own luck in the underground... Master is the only family Akra has.
Valéria heard those words and felt a pang in her chest. The noble tigress's gaze softened instantly; overcome with deep emotion, she bent down and warmly embraced the little girl, gently stroking her scales and small horn.
— I don't know all the ancient details, Kaelen, but I know what history books teach us in the heteromorph academies — Valéria explained, maintaining her noble posture while holding Akra in her arms. — We learned that this volcanic region is considered the sacred domain of the Ancestral Fire Dragon. Legend has it that ages ago, this entire continent was nothing more than a barren land of flames and lava. It was the Ancestral Dragons who, at the request of the gods themselves, shaped the geography to make the continent habitable for mortal races.
Valéria paused briefly, looking around the colossal magma chamber before continuing:
— That is why our capital and the great noble houses idolize these entities. They are seen as the true moderators of the planet. And according to official records, there are no more than three Ancestral Elemental Dragons on each continent.
— Three per continent... — I murmured, taking in the tactical data. — And do you know if there are ancestral dragons that control time and space?
— Only what the oldest and rarest tomes mention — Valéria answered, furrowing her brow to pull from memory. — The texts say they form a primordial pair. The Dragon of Time is a reclusive entity, rarely seen by any mortal, while the Dragoness of Space lives on the great blue moon orbiting our sky.
Her last sentence caused my scientific mind to stall for a second.
— Wait a minute... — I interrupted, staring at Valéria with an intrigued expression. — Are you saying that the Dragoness of Space inhabits the gas giant in our orbit?
Valéria blinked her blue eyes, completely confused by my choice of words.
— Gas giant?... Kaelen, what are you talking about? If you're referring to the large blue celestial body shining in the night sky beside the smaller moon, yes. At least that's what the priests' dogmas and capital books say.
I decided not to delve into an astronomy lesson on celestial bodies and methane atmospheres at that moment. I shook my head and shifted focus back to our immediate situation.
— Forget the technical term... My main point is why I think House Serpentis set us up. Think with me, Valéria: if it were any other group of common mercenaries or adventurers in our place, what do you think would have happened after Belantri's death?
Valéria pondered for a few seconds, her expression growing increasingly serious as the logic settled in.
— If it were as you say... the group would kill the Dragon-Turtle, try to take the spear, and then Roun would appear... — Valéria swallowed hard, her blue eyes flashing with apprehension. — Roun would take the spear and likely incinerate all of them in a second for invading the nest. We only survived because you responded with extreme caution and because your soul and our potential caught his attention. It was pure luck and discernment.
— Exactly — I agreed, crossing my arms and narrowing my eyes. — But what if Baron Seth's or Baroness Vespera's intention was precisely that? Send us to clear out the monster, let the Ancestral Dragon eliminate the witnesses, and then collect the rewards without having to pay the debt or deal with surface nobility?
Valéria clenched her fists in indignation.
— Do you think those nobles had the audacity to plan our deaths so cold-bloodedly?
— I'm not certain yet — I replied in a cold, calculating voice. — Although I read part of their past with my psychometry when we arrived at the manor, someone could have omitted facts or used intermediaries. However, now that we are returning with the gas issue resolved, with the spear in our possession, and with the three eggs intact, the barons' reaction will tell us everything. Let me see how well they can hide their shock upon seeing us walk out of that door alive.
We walked toward the heavy stone sealing door that separated the mine corridor from the magma chamber. As we passed through the stone gateway, I came across a completely unexpected scene: the barons of House Serpentis, their daughter, and the entire elite guard of the manor were kneeling on the cold basalt floor with faces pale as wax, their heads touching their own hands. The lamias' serpent tails were visibly trembling against the rock.
The sight was strangely bizarre, bordering on comical. Baroness Vespera, without daring to raise her gaze even a centimeter, stammered in a trembling voice:
— W-Welcome back... Your Highnesses... — she murmured, her chest heaving in sheer terror. — Please forgive us for the trouble... We never imagined that... mere mortals like us would... receive spokespersons of such magnitude... I apologize in advance for any failing or insolence from our House...
Baron Seth, keeping the upper portion of his human body bowed to its physical limit, added in a voice thick with fear:
— In our kingdom's tradition... all mortals who encounter an Ancestral Dragon and return with his mark are considered... His Spokespersons. The vessels of the Will of Flames...
I blinked, surprised by that exaggerated, theatrical reaction. I gently tugged Valéria's arm and whispered out of the corner of my mouth:
— Did you know anything about this?
— No one ever told me anything about this! — Valéria replied in a perplexed whisper, her blue eyes wide open. — Not even in the noble etiquette tomes in the capital is there any mention of such a rule...
I maintained a firm posture, taking a step forward while adjusting the bracelet on my wrist. I stared at the barons with a cold, analytical gaze:
— Raise your heads and tell me the truth. Did you lie to us? Did you omit that the Dragon-Turtle chamber was part of Ancestral Dragon Roun's direct territory? And why didn't you mention the existence of the multi-elemental spear?
The baroness bowed even lower, almost pressing her forehead to the dust on the floor.
— We would never lie to Your Excellency! — Vespera exclaimed, desperate. — We already had our share of fear when you used your mysterious art in our manor! Everything we knew was reported by one of our excavation chiefs from the workshops... He merely reported the discovery of a new obstructed magma gallery. I swear on my own life and by the Dragon God, we did not lie to Your Excellency!
I felt a throbbing headache start to brew in my temples. The way they were treating us — as if standing before divine incarnations or ancestral kings — was an absolutely ridiculous situation for my pragmatic mind. However, if their terror granted us absolute authority, I would use it to our advantage.
— Bring that workshop laborer here immediately — I commanded, my voice adopting calculated gravity. — And listen closely to what I say now: summon guards and protect the nest inside that chamber. There are three eggs inside. If even the slightest scratch happens to any of those eggs, this entire mountain will be wiped off the map. This is not my threat. I am being very clear: we were tasked by Roun himself to take care of them, and until we leave the city, I demand an absolute security perimeter so that nothing threatens them.
Baron Seth raised his torso that very instant, assuming an upright, military posture as if obeying a direct order from an emperor. He turned to two of the lamia soldiers who were still prostrated beside him and bellowed:
— You two! Do exactly as His Excellency requested! One of you go to the central barracks and bring an entire regiment to mount guard at the entrance to this chamber! The other go to the workshops and bring the excavation chief immediately! Now!
— Y-Yes, my Lord! — the guards stammered.
Trembling in terror, they scrambled up and bolted down the corridor, their scaled tails sliding noisily against the stone as they tripped over themselves.
Baroness Vespera, joining her hands in a suppliant gesture, asked softly:
— Is there anything else we can do for Your Excellency?
Uncomfortable with the abundance of titles and worship, I massaged the bridge of my nose.
— How did you know we were coming back before we even opened the door? And please, stop with this flood of praise and veneration. Explain to me what is happening.
The baroness hesitated for a second and, with a trumbling hand, pointed to the pocket of my tunic where Roun's crimson scale was stored, and then looked toward Akra.
— Perhaps the entire subterranean city sensed your arrival, Excellency... — Vespera explained, her voice almost fading. — The aura of the Great Fire Dragon... it emanates from you like a storm of heat. And that's not all... the aura surrounding the little girl beside you is absurdly dense and pure. We are merely a small, diluted lineage descended from fire and earth dragons... We would never have sent you there had we known Lord Roun was present. Please forgive any unintended insult from our House...
I looked at Akra. The little dragonoid was leaning against my leg, letting out a small yawn with golden sparks and closing her yellow eyes, completely oblivious to the nobles' terror. The true dragon blood she had swallowed was emitting a spiritual pressure that the lamias' weak lineage could barely endure.
— This blind veneration and absolute fear are giving me a terrible headache... — I thought to myself, realizing there would be no room for rational conversation with people in that state of panic. — At least it ensures no one will dare attempt to betray us or touch the eggs.
Valéria stepped closer to me, tilting her head and whispering with a slight, sarcastic smile at the corner of her lips:
— I'm not very familiar with the Spokespersons dogma either... I'd need to ask my father when we return to the capital. But thinking about it, Kaelen... don't you think all this terror is terribly convenient for us?
I looked at the tigress, taking in her words, and let out a restrained sigh. She was right. If the Ancestral Dragon's authority granted us free rein and total protection in the lamia city, I wouldn't waste time trying to convince them otherwise.
A short time later, the echo of hurried footsteps resounded through the stone corridor. Two lamia guards appeared carrying the excavation chief and dumped him onto the basalt floor like a sack of potatoes.
The fellow — a slight lamia wearing work clothes soiled with volcanic dust — was trembling from head to the tip of his tail. However, as soon as he raised his eyes and came face to face with Akra, who remained at my side involuntarily emanating the heavy, suffocating aura of the True Dragon blood she had swallowed, the spiritual pressure proved too much for him. His eyes rolled back and he fainted cold right there on the floor.
We had to wait about fifteen minutes for the man to finally regain consciousness, aided by a cup of water brought by the guards. The moment he opened his eyes and realized where he was, he abruptly prostrated himself on the ground, trembling like a leaf in the wind:
— M-My name is Rix!... What can I do for Your Excellency?... I beg for mercy!
I adjusted my posture, focusing my psychism and keeping my psychometry on passive alert to read his micro-gestures and mental resonance. The terror these people showed was already becoming a real headache, but I needed clear answers.
— Calm down, Rix — I commanded in a cold, measured tone. — Tell me exactly how you discovered that magma cave. And why did you omit the most important details when passing the information to the baroness?
Rix cupped his hands in panic, sweat dripping down his scales:
— E... Excellency... I was not the one who discovered the chamber! I was merely the intermediary! The ones who found the passage were three frontline workers... three lizardmen from our excavation crew. But... but this morning all three were found dead in their quarters! The detailed report is already on the baroness's desk, I swear! But the most bizarre thing, Excellency... is that their bodies were found completely dry, mummified, as if every last drop of vital energy in their bodies had been sucked out!
Hearing that, I immediately turned my face and locked an inquiring gaze onto Baron Seth.
— Did you know about this, Seth?
The baron turned pale, raising his hands in despair:
— Your Excellency, I swear on my honor that I did not know those three lizardmen were the true discoverers! Rix was the one who brought me the initial verbal report, and my lady is proof that we had no knowledge of these bizarrely recent deaths!
— Calm down, Seth — I replied, waving my hand to dismiss his fear. Through my psychometry, I had already read the baron's mind at the manor and knew he was telling the truth. — I know you aren't lying. But I want to see the mortal remains of those three workers right now.
Before we could move toward the mine quarters, a detachment of thirty lamia guards heavily armed with spears and heavy shields arrived at the scene. Seth, assuming his command posture, issued immediate and strict orders: the regiment was to completely isolate the magma chamber entrance, protect the nest, and ensure that absolutely no one entered or left under pain of summary execution.
Guided by Rix and followed by the barons, we walked to an isolated room in the mining complex's west wing. Atop three stone slabs lay the bodies of the lizardmen excavators. The sight was macabre: the creatures' dark green skin was twisted, gray, and completely withered, stuck to their bones like old parchment.
I approached one of the slabs. Gloves would be useless here; I extended my bare hand and touched the mummified forehead of the first corpse, channeling my psychism to trace back through the cellular memory of the tissues.
In that same second, my consciousness was pulled into the past through fragments of psychometric visions:
In the first fragment, I see the three lizardmen talking in the dark mine galleries with a female figure wearing a long hooded cloak.
In the second fragment, one of the workers appears completely obsessed with her, his eyes glassy like someone under a mental spell, while the woman whispers in a velvety voice for them to dig further north, breaking through a sealed wall.
In the third fragment, following the discovery of the magma chamber, the lizardman reports to her what he found. The woman instructs exactly how they should draft the report so that the information reaches the barons in a filtered state.
In the fourth fragment, the excavator enthusiastically mentions that inside dwells a "terrible Fire Dragon-Turtle guarding three giant eggs and a magic spear glowing with multiple elements." That instant, the woman's eyes beneath the hood gleam with dark greed. She alters the report, ordering the omission of the eggs and spear to lure House Serpentis and prospective mercenaries into a fatal trap.
In the final and most disturbing fragment, the woman stabs the three workers in the back. Then, she positions her pale hands over the victims' chests, draining their life force in a dark mist until reducing them to mummified husks. With the sudden movement, the hood slips from her head...
The creature revealed was not a vampire, but a demonoid — a nefarious and extremely rare race originating from the distant continent.
However, before I could analyze more features of her face, the unexpected happened: within the vision of the past itself, the demonoid woman slowly turned her head, locked her subtle red eyes directly onto my consciousness, and smiled machiavellianly.
— It is not polite at all to pry into other people's affairs, little boy... — she mocked through time.
SNAP!
A wave of psychic shock ricocheted through the residual memory, violently shattering my psychometry and causing me to stagger back two steps in the real world, gasping as I covered my forehead with my hand.
— Kaelen! — Valéria exclaimed, stepping forward with her hand on the hilt of her weapon. — What did you see?
I caught my breath, staring at the barons with a serious expression:
— Seth, Vespera... I need to speak with the two of you alone. Now.
Seth immediately ordered Rix to remain under guard in the room of the dead and led us to a private office in the mining complex. Baroness Vespera, her hands trembling against her chest, asked anxiously:
— Did you discover something, Your Excellency?... Please, tell us!
I detailed everything my psychometry had extracted from the corpses: the psychological manipulation of the excavators, the deliberate falsification of the reports, the murder of the witnesses via life drain, and the true identity of the saboteur — a demonoid from the outer continent.
— Her goal was to provoke a catastrophic tragedy — I explained, crossing my arms. — She wanted House Serpentis or any group sent there to anger the Dragon-Turtle or Roun himself, causing the collapse of the mountain and the destruction of the city. In the midst of the chaos, she intended to steal the multi-elemental spear and the eggs. The plan only failed because we survived and Roun handed the artifacts directly to us.
The two barons stood gaped, pale with horror as they realized they had been played as pawns on a nefarious chessboard without even knowing it.
— A demonoid... in our underground?! — Seth stammered, outraged. — This is an indirect act of war! I will put the elite guard on high alert and search every district of the city!
— She already achieved part of what she wanted in terms of turmoil, but she failed in her main objective — I pondered, massaging my temples to relieve the psychic fatigue. — Unfortunately, she is still at large. The real reason a demonoid would want Belantri's eggs and the spear is something perhaps only Roun could answer... But that is a problem to deal with after our journey to the heteromorph capital. For now, we need rest.
Baroness Vespera released a long sigh of relief at having her House's honor cleared of any suspicion of betrayal. Then, the noble lamia's eyes sparkled with a blend of devotion and enthusiasm:
— I understand completely, Excellency! By the way... upon learning that the gas crisis has been resolved and sensing the resonance of the draconic aura emanating from the underground, the citizens of our subterranean capital have begun organizing a grand festival in honor of the Great Fire Dragon Roun! And you... you are our absolute guests of honor!
Vespera bowed her upper body, looking at me, Valéria, and little Akra with an almost religious air of worship:
— Will you grant us the immense grace of your presence at the celebrations, Excellency?
I looked at Valéria, who gave a light shrug with an amused smile, and then at Akra, who let out another noisy yawn leaning against my hip. I rubbed my temples one last time, giving in.
— Very well... A little rest, real food, and a break before we arrange the transport of the eggs will come in good time — I replied. — We will return to the inn to change. Just send a messenger when the celebration begins.
