"How can I do it? How can I go back to my friends? How can I rend my own fate?" asked Tatsuya eagerly.
"Rending your own fate is not an easy task to achieve! Do you think that it's such a frail concept and not a force to be reckon with? Who are you to possess such foolish eagerness to surpass the natural laws of the universe?" came Shenlong with clear spite in his voice. "Know your place, Dragonborn."
Tatsuya gulped and said nothing back in reply. Though it may be normal for him to argue against others who spite him and his ideals, he was not one to pick a fight with a powerful celestial god. He was put in his place by the fear of the celestial dragon's clear omnipotent strength.
"Patience and restraint should be the first lessons your should learn," huffed Shenlong. "Rending fate is not something that can be accomplished like breathing. No being in existence can escape fate. But that doesn't mean that there weren't many who tried. The best you can do is transcend the very laws of existence into a plane where fate exists but has no power."
"There's a place like that?" wondered Tatsuya.
"If you reach that place, you can never return back to your friends," cautioned Shenlong. "Tell me, Owatatsumi Tatsuya, what makes you think that you are worthy of my aid?"
"You promised me that you'll teach me—," pointed out Tatsuya.
"Promise? Hah! I didn't promise anything! I said that I will teach you, but I did not promise you," clarified the Celestial Dragon. "First of all, from the stories you told me of your journey as a Dragonborn, it has become clear that you are ignorant of the value the Dragonborn possesses. You are also ignorant of the history of the universe, ignorant of the realm of dragons, and ignorant of everything that does not concern you."
Hearing those words made Tatsuya's body tremble. He knew that he was ignorant of all these things, it's a fact. But he wasn't being ignorant out of choice. Maybe a little bit in the beginning, but that was only because he got dragged into this weird world without any prior warning. But as he became continually exposed to this world and live his life surrounded by magic and dragons, he became aware of this ignorance and the fact that he couldn't move forward while still being kept in the dark. "I know that I'm not the smartest or the most knowledgeable when it comes to the dragons or magic or this realm or its gods. But I want to change that. I don't want to be ignorant anymore! Please, teach me!"
"Teach you? What a ludicrous request!" snapped Shenlong. He let out a puff of smoke from his nostrils. "Very well then, I will teach you. But know this, Owatatsumi Tatsuya. You better listen to every word I say. I will not repeat myself."
"I understand," said Tatsuya with a nod.
And so, Shenlong narrated to Tatsuya the beginning of everything.
Long ago, before time was born and reality was formed and space was constructed, there was only an impervious darkness and an immeasurable light. This darkness was the essence of formlessness and the light was the essence of form. Both essences existed together in an undisturbed balance. From these ancient essences sprang forth the very first of beings: Tianlong, the Creator; and Mara, the Destroyer. These beings were the very first Celestial Dragons and masters of the universe.
Tianlong, with his powers of creation, gave birth to the universe that we know. He birthed time, formed reality, and constructed space. He brought forth galaxies and stars and planets. He gifted light to the universe and fathered the other Celestial Dragons. From his power arose Puk, the Celestial Dragon of harmony; Shenlong, the Celestial Dragon of divine protection; Imoogi, the Celestial Dragon of guidance; Mucalinda, the Celestial Dragon of wisdom; Fafnir, the Celestial Dragon of protection; Nidhogg, the Celestial Dragon of balance; and Ouroboros, the Celestial Dragon of rebirth. Tianlong's union with Puk further gave birth to Watatsumi, the Celestial Dragon of storms; Ladon, the Celestial Dragon of youth; Yam, the Celestial Dragon of absolution; and the Hoyao Kamui, the twin Celestial Dragons of the seasons. This generation of gods are known as the Ancient Gods.
Watatsumi's union with Ladon further brought forth Ryujin, the second Celestial Dragon of storms; Mizuchi, the Celestial Dragon of healing; Sortis, the Celestial Dragon of fate; Orichalchos, the Celestial Dragon of prophecy; Sapiens, the Celestial Dragon of knowledge; and Alita, the Celestial Dragon of truth. And from other unions sprang forth the rest. This generation of gods are the Celestial Gods which now rule the universe.
Mara, who witnessed Tianlong's amazing powers of creation, grew envious of him. He coveted the creator's powers of creation and despised his own powers of destruction. Everything he touched was met with mutual annihilation. But because he had powers of destruction, there was only one thing he could create. As contradictory as it seems, the destroyer could in fact bring forth beings, too. These beings, however, were manifestations of his own powers of destruction. They included: Apophis—chaos; Leviathan—hatred; Vritra—famine; Tiamat—suffering; Jormungandr—disaster; Kulshedra—disease; Gonggong—misfortune; Hydra—fear; Veles—ignorance; Cipactli—despair; Satan—deception; Typhon—conflict; and Orochi—madness. These were the Cursed Apostles.
War between both sides was apparent. Mara, in his desire to take Tianlong's power and all creation for himself, led the Cursed Apostles to battle against the Celestial Dragons. This war was waged with the entire universe in the balance. Will darkness forever consume the light and break the balance, or will light expel the darkness and preserve it?
For the next five millennia, the forces of darkness and the forces of light fought a war that shook the universe to its very core. Both sides won battles just as much as they lost them. No side ever had what could be considered an advantage. When light would almost reach the edges of the universe, darkness consumed it; and when darkness would almost cover the entire cosmos, light drove it out. This balance, it may seem, despite being the personification of the very struggle between the most fundamental of forces, allowed the universe to grow. Whether this growth was intentional so as to expand their battleground, or came about as a side-effect of the constant clashing between light and darkness, the universe's expansion could've only arisen by the primeval powers that birthed it in the first place.
And with the growth of the universe also came the never-ending cycle of creation and destruction. The forces of Tianlong continued to add to the growing universe and gave rise to more planets and stars and galaxies. But the forces of Mara would always destroy them and would do it in the most heinous ways: natural disasters, epidemics, erasure, physical destruction. Darkness always follow light, a universal truth that had existed since time immemorial.
When the war began to take a toll on both sides, not because of casualties or the like but of exhaustion and redundancy, the Ancient Gods and the Celestial Dragons took refuge in a corner of the universe. It was here that they created the system of planets and stars that we all know now as the Milky Way. Tianlong and his forces took great joy in their respite, one which they would otherwise not have if they continued to engage in their seemingly never-ending war against Mara. The creator god, finally at peace for once, celebrated their rest by creating something he had not done for millennia—living beings. These beings were not like the dragons and humans of today; they possessed great power and did not require daily sustenance in order to live another day. These beings were the very first gods. But creating the gods wasn't enough for Tianlong. With his powers, he gave rise to even more living beings: beasts, birds, fish, chimeras, great serpents, monsters, spirits. It had been so long since he used his powers for anything other than war.
However, this respite did not last long. Mara and his forces successfully tracked down their enemies and war began once again. Seeing Tianlong's new creations only enraged Mara further and he took out his anger on them. Tianlong knew that if they did not defeat Mara and his forces of darkness, then everything that he had built and the universe as they know it would cease to exist. The creator god sought out the counsel of his fellow Celestial Dragons for a solution, but none could come. Every solution, if they could be called solutions, always ended with the destruction of the universe in some way. It was as if Mara's fate was tied to the universe's own fate. That's when the creator god settled on a method to end this war without destroying the universe: he would seal the evil god. But with Mara's own forces at his beck and call, it would be hard to get near the evil god. Tianlong used his powers and conjured up the only solution he could think of to take down Cursed Apostles. This solution led him to create beings made of the very fundamental elements of the universe: the Thirteen Dragons.
Each of the Thirteen Dragons, personifying the very basic elements that came about by the universe's creation, also possessed the necessary powers to oppose each of the Cursed Apostles. There was Draco, the God of Fire; Naga, the Lord of Water; Quetzalcoatl, the Deity of Air; Python, the Queen of Earth; Druk, the Goddess of Lightning; Okami, the Empress of Ice; Wyvern, the Mother of Nature; Lindworm, the Sovereign of Luck; Bakunawa, the Lady of Magic; Long, the Emperor of Light; Amaru, the Father of Darkness; Ur, the King of Death; and Abzu, the Ruler of Time. Now with the Thirteen Dragons on their side, Tianlong's forces finally had an advantage.
However, the Cursed Apostles were not allowed to be destroyed. Tianlong knew that ever since they had been brought forth, their fates had also become entangled with that of the universe's. In fact, he now knew the truth that all of the Celestial Dragons had their fates entangled with that of the universe's. Their very existence has allowed for the universe to grow and had given birth to concepts that have now become crucial to the universe's continued preservation.
The intensity of the war escalated even further now with the head-to-head battles between the Thirteen Dragons and the Cursed Apostles. Their powers shook the entire universe and pitted the purest of creation against the purest of destruction. One wrong move by either side would spell defeat for them. And if defeated, they would never get a second chance. The fate of the universe was entirely in their hands.
But like all stories, willed by the powers of the universe, as if it was the natural thing to happen as established by some metaphysical law that binds us all, the Thirteen Dragons came out victorious over their enemies. The fight was brutal and the work that they put in to stop their enemies from achieving a harrowing victory proved to the other Celestial Dragons the extent of Mara's powers, but also the superiority of their own as the gods who were born from the purest of elements that the universe was built upon.
The Cursed Apostles were sealed and the Thirteen Dragons sacrificed their own existence to act as those very seals. But not before giving rise to the Thirteen Tribes, their own descendants who were charged with carrying their legacy as protectors of the purest universal elements. And so, the war came to an end.
Once Shenlong finished the story, there was something that bothered Tatsuya at the very end. "Wait," he said, "what happened to Mara?"
Shenlong paused. "Isn't it obvious?" he suddenly said, "He was sealed, too." He let out a rumbling huff through his nostrils, sending out a stream of smoke from them. "This is the story of the universe, the birth of the Celestial Dragons, and of creation itself. Did you listen well, Dragonborn?"
"I think I understand it a little bit more," said Tatsuya. He tightened his fist and furrowed his brows in a look of confidence. "I now know more of my heritage," he declared. Shenlong let out a rumbling laugh that shook the entire cave. "What-What's so funny?" demanded Tatsuya, blushing.
"Your simplicity amuses me so!" boomed Shenlong.
"Anyway, now that I understand more of this realm's history, you'll teach me how to render my fate, right?" asked Tatsuya.
"Fool!" bellowed Shenlong. "That story was not the history of this realm! It was the history of the universe! Both the human and the dragon realm were in fact one, but the bickering between your races have led to this split! Foolish mortals!" There was fury in the god's eyes and Tatsuya's spine tingled with fear. "Mortals are consumed by their greed. They destroy all that is given to them to satisfy their own useless lives. I know. It is the fear of death that drives them so. Being an immortal being, I may not know exactly what goes through their heads. Their actions have no meaning to me, but destruction is a concept that all beings know. It is the destructive nature of their greed that has rendered the bonds that Tianlong had long established to preserve all of creation."
"What happened between humans and dragons? I've heard a little bit of the story before, but since you've actually been through it, could you tell me what really happened?" asked Tatsuya. "I've seen how the Yellow Terror wanted to destroy the human realm. I know that the dragon slayers are determined to kill every dragon they come across. I know that this exact sentiment between the two races existed since ancient times. But I want to know why this is still happening."
"Enough!" roared Shenlong. "Why must I explain to you the foolishness of mortals?! Firstly, you made a mockery of me with your unfamiliarity of the concept of a soul. Secondly, you reveal yourself to me as the son of that idiotic king. Thirdly, you request me to teach you how to render your own fate. Fourthly, you asked me to reveal to you the history of all of creation. Do you think that you possess power over me to command me so, Owatatsumi Tatsuya? I have done more than enough to humor your whims!"
Tatsuya said nothing more. He didn't know what would've happened if he kept on going, but he knew for certain that he wouldn't want to find out. Even without witnessing the powers of this Celestial Dragon, the godly power present in his voice was enough to give Tatsuya a glimpse of the god's power level. 'I definitely don't want to make this guy my enemy,' he told himself wisely.
Shenlong let out an extended huff of his breath. "It sickens me to see mortals appropriate the name of a god for their own evil purposes," grumbled the Celestial Dragon darkly. "I do not care for their squabbles or their beliefs, their lives are miniscule and insignificant when compared to the mighty expanse of the vast universe. But their ignorant pride, the idea that they have arrived at which only a primitive mind like theirs could develop, to think that they could use a deity for their own nefarious purposes only bolsters my opinion of them as lowly creatures. Though they possess the ability to think, they have used this grand gift to sink themselves lower than the germs which live under their skin. Many times I have toyed with the idea of tearing this world apart to put an end to these needless creatures." He added the last part in a low voice, sending chills down Tatsuya's back.
"Do you hate the mortal world that much?" Tatsuya found the courage to ask the Celestial Dragon.
"Are you going to tell me that I have no reason to?" spat Shenlong in reply. "They start needless wars to satisfy their own arrogance and pride. They murder their fellows to satisfy their envy and greed. They take pleasure in the torment of their enemies, the tears of their brethren, and the death of their kind. They cause destruction everywhere they go and to whatever they touch. Need I go on?"
Tatsuya couldn't argue against the god's words. Every single word the Celestial Dragon had spoken were grounded in truth, whether he liked it or not. "B-But, not all mortals are like that," he finally said, carefully choosing his words.
"A few blooms do not change a field of weeds into a garden of flowers," rumbled Shenlong. "I have told you before when we first met, haven't I? The world of mortals is a realm beneath my own existence. If you think those words are empty showings of haughtiness, I will not fault you. Your opinions as a mortal do not garner my attention one bit. But now that I laid down to you my reasons, I ask you to be more careful before choosing to talk to me about your kind."
"Do you regard Dragonborns the same way?" Tatsuya asked the Celestial Dragon.
Shenlong raised his head and stared down at Tatsuya from up above. "Do not confuse your mortal self with your divine nature," he said sternly. "Not only are you ignorant of the world, but you are also ignorant of yourself." The Celestial Dragon paused for a moment and then slowly brought his head back down. "I see," he mumbled to himself in a slow and understanding manner. Tatsuya wasn't sure what the Celestial Dragon meant by those words, but it looked like he had calmed down. "Tell me, what are you?" asked Shenlong cryptically.
"Me?" asked Tatsuya, confused by the question.
"Who else?" quickly replied Shenlong.
"I'm Owatatsumi Tatsuya," answered Tatsuya simply.
"I know that!" boomed Shenlong. His voice shook the cave walls. "I didn't ask about who you are, I asked about what you are."
"D-Dragonborn!" answered Tatsuya with a slightly higher-pitched voice.
"Do you not know the significance of that term?" asked Shenlong.
"A dragonborn is the child of a dragon and a human, right?" replied Tatsuya.
"Hmph," snorted Shenlong. "Your ignorance of your own divine nature amuses me just as much as it infuriates me." Hearing those words sent a chill down Tatsuya's spine and he swallowed a hard gulp. Shenlong paid no attention to this and continued on with his words. "You carry on your person the power and will of a god," explained Shenlong. "In my recollection of the history of creation, I had not yet introduced perhaps the four most important Celestial Dragons of all. They are known as the Four Marduks, the guardian kings of the four cardinal directions."
Shenlong's words triggered a memory inside Tatsuya's head. He distinctly remembered that he had heard of this before. As he flipped through the channels in his head, the melody of a song escaped from his lips. It all came back to him now. "The Northern King, Marduk Marduk; the Western Sage, Marduk Piasa; the Southern Knight, Marduk Azhdar; and the Eastern Hero, Marduk Kukulkan," he remembered.
"You recite those names as if they were etched in your memory," said Shenlong in an impressed voice.
"Aika told me about them," explained Tatsuya. "It was from a lullaby her mother used to sing her as a child."
"The way of mortals never cease to amuse me," said Shenlong.
"Did they play a part in sealing Mara?" asked Tatsuya eagerly.
"The flames of your arrogance have been fanned, I see," said Shenlong, commenting on Tatsuya's shameless display of confidence. "You have spoken the truth. The Four Marduks indeed played an important role in sealing away Mara. In truth, they are still keeping watch in the far corners of the world as guardians of their respective seal."
Hearing about the important roles the Four Marduks played in taking down the universal destroyer made Tatsuya more wary and cautious of his mark than ever before. 'Why is it here, then?' he asked himself. "If they are still protecting the seals, then why do the Dragonborns possess their marks?" he asked out loud.
"Why?" came Shenlong in a pensive voice. "Owatatsumi Tatsuya, if there is any wisdom I can impart to you as a supreme being that stands above the universe, it is this: Everything returns just as everything becomes, this is the true meaning of eternity."
Tatsuya heard every word coming from the Celestial Dragon but he couldn't put them together at all. It all sounded like some kind of ancient proverb he would get from a fortune slip at a shrine during New Year's. "What does that mean, exactly?" he asked sheepishly.
"I may know all, but I will not answer all," was the Celestial Dragon's reply. He turned his head around. "We are done for today. You can rest in the cave, but leave my lair. I will not tolerate any disturbances while I rest." Tatsuya understood and left.
"Who's that?"
"What are they talking about?"
"He's not from here, it looks like."
"Shh! I'm trying to listen."
"I can't hear their words."
"Why are we hiding?"
"It sounds like they're talking about the kingdom."
"Did he just say 'ice field'?"
"Aren't we doing a bad thing?"
The princesses, gathered around the doors to the castle's main hall and peeking in through a small crack made by Aika, were jostling each other and whispering over each other in futile attempts to hear what was going on on the other side. Aika had received word—she actually heard it through the servants' gossip—that a messenger had arrived for the king. Even without confirmation, she knew that the messenger had to be from the Okami tribe. Her intuition was proven right. Although she wasn't invited to sit in on the conversation, she was still intent on hearing what the Okami tribe plan to do. One by one, the other princesses joined in on her eavesdropping, much to her chagrin, which brings us to now.
On the other side of the door, King Rexus and Prince Nobi listened to the words of the Okami messenger. General Alekso, Royal Advisor Zazo, and Minister Dex Lector was also present. Despite the seriousness of the situation, the king and prince couldn't help but feel burning embarrassment from hearing the echoes of the princesses' whispers enter the room. The princesses were innocently unaware that their words were being heard very clearly by those gathered in the room. The Okami messenger, a skinny man with pale white skin and a white goatee, spoke calmly with an expressionless face, but even the king and the prince could tell that their guest was also subject to embarrassment.
"And so, the Okami tribe have made our decision," concluded the messenger. "The Draco tribe allowed us to choose the date and field of our battle. After much deliberation, the date and field we have arrived at is two months from today on the Hyperborean Mountains. This conflict began with the mountains, therefore we aim to end it with the mountains."
"It appears that further talks for peace will not be granted," said the king with a sigh.
"That's fine with me," said Nobi. "I didn't want to fight a war against my own brethren. Though we may be of different tribes, we are of one kind. However, I cannot forgive the slight that your tribe had shown us. You have taken a treasure of ours and we intend to get him back. Tell me, where is Owatatsumi Tatsuya?"
"I do not know," replied the messenger.
"Does the Okami tribe have him?" asked Nobi.
"I do not know," replied the messenger.
"What happened to him?" asked Nobi.
"I do not know," replied the messenger.
"Then what do you know?!" yelled Nobi.
"I only know what I have been instructed with by my liege," answered the messenger bluntly. Nobi looked like he was about ready to attack the messenger.
"Well, well, this type of bluntness is to be expected by his kind," chimed in Dex Lector. He turned to the messenger and said, "Do you have any other news? If you do not, I suggest you leave. I hear that your kind does not bode well under extremely high temperatures." The messenger immediately bowed and took his leave.
"So they intend to drag out the feud that got us into this mess in the first place," grumbled Alekso once the messenger had left.
"Not only that, but they have chosen a really bad place for the first battle," added Zazo with a shake of his head. "I know that we decided to let them choose the battlefield, but it is clear by their selection that they do not intend to fight us on fair and equal ground."
"A war can only be won by using whatever advantage you have. Honor in war is only awarded to the victor. Isn't that right, general?" said Dex. Alekso only replied with an agreeing grunt.
"All of you gathered behind the door, come in," ordered King Rexus.
The door flew opened and the princesses fell into the room. They quickly picked themselves and bowed before the king. Aika stepped forward and had her arm thrown behind her head. "How did you figure it out?" she asked with a sheepish smile.
"We could hear every single word you said," replied the king. "If you want to eavesdrop, I suggest reducing the whispers next time."
The princesses had the color in their faces replaced with a strong crimson. They couldn't believe that they were embarrassing themselves without even knowing it! Oh, the shame and humiliation! These feelings quickly dissipated and Aika addressed the meeting with the messenger. "War between out two tribes is inevitable now," she began. "The mission we were sent on to discuss peace between our two tribes failed miserably. What more, the Okami tribe took full advantage of the opportunity we had given them and chose to fight on a field that they know we would have no chance of winning in. And as a Draco, a tribe known for our military prowess, it irritates me."
"Aika," whispered a worried Kanjomizu from beside her.
"I don't want to suffer such a dishonorable defeat," continued Aika. "That's why I don't want to fight on their terms."
"What are you saying, Aika?" asked King Rexus, confounded by his daughter's words.
"Father, the other princesses and I found a way we can avoid war with the Okami tribe," revealed Aika. "At the very least, it can prevent the war from escalating further than a single battle."
"We tried for peace with them already, but they are intent on fighting," said Nobi, unsatisfied with his sister's words and behavior.
"This is what Darling would want," Aika told him.
"Did you forget? They have him!" snapped back Nobi aggressively.
The air quickly became tense. "Now, now, why don't we discuss this calmly?" came Kiai with a disarming smile. "Prince Nobi, please hear us out." Nobi snorted and said nothing. "The idea that we came upon is to build an alliance with the other tribes."
"An alliance?" asked King Rexus.
"If we add any more factions to this war, it will only spread throughout the realm!" argued Alekso.
"What an intriguing idea," said Dex Lector.
"What are you talking about?" asked Alekso.
"General, I think I may know where the princess is going with this idea," said the minister. "But since this plan is not my own, why don't we let the princesses explain it?"
Now that the floor was handed back to Kiai, she continued with her explanation. "Building an alliance with the other tribes will be a difficult task, that we understand. But if you have the other tribes on your side, King Rexus, you can dissuade the Okami tribe from wanting to continue with the war. I doubt the Okami tribe would want to make enemies out of the other tribes. And if the Okami decide to test their chances and engage in a battle, having the other tribes on your side will allow the Draco tribe to defeat the enemy swiftly and without many casualties. Of course, the Okami tribe will suffer many casualties of their own, but the psychological damage they will take will surely lead them to surrender. At least, that is what we predict and desire."
"Even if we want to execute this plan, how do you expect us to propose this plan to the other tribes?" asked Alekso.
"That's where we come in," spoke up Kanjomizu to the other princesses' surprise. "Your Highness, we princesses are royalty of our respective tribe. We will act as your intermediaries to request aid from our fathers. Please, accept our plan!" She got down and bowed before the king, stunning everyone in the room.
Aika couldn't believe just how far Kanjomizu was going to help her. This girl, whom Aika had treated unkindly since their introduction in the human realm, was the last person that the Draco princess expected to do this. Seeing the Naga princess go out of her own comfort zone to get this plan approved lighted up Aika's heart. She immediately rushed to Kanjomizu's side and got down and bowed. "Father, I beg of you," she pleaded. The other princesses quickly followed suit and bowed before the king. King Rexus was at a loss for words. Aika looked up at her father and said, "Father, please understand that we are serious about this."
"We will do everything in our power to persuade our fathers," said Arashi.
"This is for peace and the good of the dragon realm," added Kiai.
"For once, we must band together to protect our own brethren," stated Sunaji.
"It is better to ask for help than to take on the burden all by yourself," spoke Shurai.
"We will aim for victory and nothing less!" declared Takara.
"We may not have the right to do any of this, but we have already become a part of this fight when they declared war on one of our friends," said Kanjomizu.
King Rexus saw the fire of confidence in their eyes. He was very familiar with these eyes. He knew that nothing he will say will get them to back down. The only thing he can do now is to accept or deny their plan. "You're right that none of you have the right to do this. This is our fight and ours alone," he told them. His words elicited furrowed brows from the princesses. "Men, what do you think?"
Alekso and Zazo exchanged glances before giving their answer. "I see the merits of this plan," began Alekso. "I am not entirely sure of its efficacy, but if we can prevent a destructive war from happening, then I don't see any problem with trying it out."
"This is for the best for our people and the peace of the dragon realm," agreed Zazo with a nod of his head.
"It seems like a very interesting idea," added Dex Lector. "Whether it works or not, I am tempted to see how well the other tribes will receive this plan," said the minister with a giggle.
In the midst of this, Nobi's expression had significantly softened by his sister's gesture and his heart was swayed by the other princesses' words. He turned to his father with a fiery gleam in his eyes. "Father, let's give it a chance."
King Rexus took in the words of his men and meditated on them. He carefully weighed the benefits and drawbacks of the plan before finally giving his answer. "Whether or not this plan succeeds, we know what we must do," he began. "It will be unwise to entirely depend on this plan and expect everything to go our way. Before we make any decisions, we must carefully measure their merits lest we suffer the consequences. With that being said, I will allow for this plan to move forward." These words were all the princesses needed to hear to quickly jump and cheer. "We shall strive to establish connections with our other brethren to promote unity and prevent destruction. No one tribe is greater than the other. We are all of the same kind, despite the origins of the blood that run deep in our veins. Before, I was afraid for our tribe. But now, I understand that our tribe is but one of the greater dragon race. We have promulgated the idea of unity all this time while we continue to keep ourselves occupied within our own little tribal world. However, we can start now. This act will be the first act which the entire dragon race can truly unite as one!"
"Yes, Your Highness!" cheered everyone else in the room.
Somewhere on the outskirts of Jaculus City and travelling in the direction of the Hyperborean Mountains was a black carriage pulled by black and purple pegasi. Inside the carriage, a butler was pouring tea for his mistress. Both of their faces were obscured by darkness.
"Your tea, My Lady," said the butler. His voice was calm and silky and reminiscent of a still moonlit night.
The mistress took the tea and sipped it. "It has been so long since we traveled outside the lair," said the mistress. Her voice was husky yet refined, carrying both weight and grace. "There have been rumors among the wind of an approaching war." As she spoke, the butler took out a plate of confectionaries for her. "How foolish. They do not hear the cries of their ancestors that beg them to stop. Needless bloodshed will only exacerbate their suffering. Yet, they strive to satisfy their greed, envy, and pride. How foolish."
"Foolish indeed, My Lady," agreed the butler.
"The Holy Darkness will not be kind on their judgement in the afterlife," said the mistress.
"They shall beg mercies for their sins," agreed the butler.
"There is another rumor that have piqued my interest," said the mistress after taking a bite of a cookie. "It tickled my blood. Apparently, the Grand Savior has been inhabiting the lair of the children of fire, blessing them with his presence. I do not know if the Grand Savior has anything to do with the war, but the thought intrigues me. Many holy daughters had the pleasure of basking in his presence before, but I have yet to witness him with my own eye. I wonder, what color do you think he is?"
"Would black not satisfy your tastes, My Lady?" asked the butler.
"It depends on what type of black he is," replied the mistress. "Is it a dirty black that hides the heart of a coward and masks a sinful soul? Or could it be a pure black that shines even in the most darkest of darkness?"
"Do you have a preference, My Lady?" asked the butler.
"Everything turns to black eventually," replied the mistress. She took a sip of her tea. "After all, it is the will of the Holy Darkness."