Ashen sat on his throne in his hidden dungeon and talked to Ragnarok about their future plans with Pandora and Ruination. As they spoke with one another, Ashen noticed someone walk into the room. It was Ishia and Pandora. Ragnarok turned around then looked at the three.
"Wow, so you have a secret dungeon too?" Pandora asked and looked around, admiring the purple and red lanterns and the items in the dungeon.
"Well it was a secret only known by me until Ishia found it. This is where I was able to freely speak with Ragnarok. No one can hear what goes on down here." Ashen said. "Not even abilities that boost hearing and the use of manipulating soundwaves don't work because of a magic barrier that is set up around this dungeon. The only ones allowed in here are those I don't deem threats and those Ishia trusts down here I guess."
Pandora walked over to Ashen then walked up the stairs to the throne. She stood in front of him then placed her hands on the arms on the throne. "Since we will be officially married in the next few days, we shouldn't keep too many secrets from each other."
Ashen looked at Pandora then narrowed his eyes down her body. He looked back up in her eyes once again. "I don't have much to hide."
Pandora noticed Ashen had checked her body out then smiled and closed her eyes then stood up straight. "I don't either and you can't find out what hides beneath my clothing just yet either."
Ashen chuckled then pat his lap. "Sit."
Pandora looked at Ashen then sat on his lap then immediately melted within his presence. He held her and closed his eyes. Ishia felt their darkness combining and noticed their flames connecting. Ashen opened his eyes and they shined a bright orange then went back to normal.
"Your presence is something I didn't know I needed...until now. I feel so calm around you...so happy...so twisted.." Pandora said.
Ashen placed a hand on her thigh. "Together...we shall rule over this accursed world...start a war that will last thousands of years. We will be eternal, we will destroy everything and create a perfect world."
"I would much love that. I would love to torture our foes, make them beg for death itself..." Pandora giggled softly.
Ishia watched and cleared her throat. "So uhm...The maids have prepared the altar if you two would like to take a look."
Ashen nodded then Pandora gotta off of him then fixed herself. Ashen stood up and began to walk down the stairs with Pandora. Ishia led them out of the dungeon.
.....
"Exithia, home of the Dragons, pets of the gods." Pandora's father said. "It's only fitting our daughter married someone who's a mere stepping stone compared to us Mythics."
"I don't think that's fair to say, dear. Dragons have existed way before our bloodline. They are more than just pets of the gods. They themselves are godly beings, the Origin Dragon is literally the being that gifted us life with their Awakening Stream." Kagura said.
"PAH! I respect no dragon, no beast. No Monster. They can not possibly outshine our Sacred Abilities. Not anymore. With a perfected Sacred Core, we've reached a level higher than a dragon." Pandora's father said.
Silas looked at his father then looked ahead. "It was that same dragon that defeated Pandora, a Mythic. Dragons are amongst the strongest beings in the universe. Because of their nature, their genes, they grow stronger during and after each battle. That is why we can never truly outclass the Dragon Race. We are even."
"We are not equal to those feral beasts. We never will be because we are vastly more superior. They will get their moment to shine, but we always have the last laugh." Pandora's father said.
The group grew silent after the conversation and they kept travelling along the path to Exithia.
.....
"This place is so beautiful...It looks so...divine..." Pandora said and smiled.
Ashen nodded and sighed. "This is where it all started. My stepdad married my mom here, I resent being here because of it...but I grew to tolerate it."
Pandora looked at Ashen then walked to him and held his hand. "We will make the best of this."
Ashen smiled at Pandora then nodded. "While you're here, do you want to meet the Guardian Dragon?"
"I can? No one will mind?" Pandora asked.
"I told you I have nothing to hide, plus I am the one in command of the Guardian Dragon." Ashen said.
"You command the Guardian Dragon?! That's like so cool!" Pandora said and looked at Ashen in awe.
Ashen smiled and nodded then began to walk to the back wall with the giant statue of the Origin Dragon. Pandora and Ishia followed then watched Ashen as he touched the statue then it shined brightly. Rumbling was heard then the statue moved and rose a table with a button on it. He pressed it and the floor began to rumble and a set of stairs slowly formed down into a dungeon. "This is one of two ways to get to the Dragon Lair."
"What's the other way?" Pandora asked.
"My Lair. It's directly connected to the Dragon Lair. The dungeon I made my throne room used to be used be part of the Dragon Lair where the first Dragon Guardian ruled." Ashen walked down the stairs and was followed by Pandora and Ishia.
"So like...how strong is this guardian?" Pandora asked as she skipped down the stairs beside Ashen.
"Very. Enough to rival any Mythic and anyone who holds this supposed Anima power. Boosted by the Dragon Stone, she is able to make use of her full power at all times." Ashen said.
"She?" Pandora asked.
"Just like your Hero of Legend, our Guardian is also a generational thing, but only those connected with the original bloodline is able to command her and directly use the power of the Dragon Stone." Ishia explained.
"Which revolves around us and our parents, grandparents, and generations before. She happens to be a distant relative of our family who comes from the same bloodline as our ancestors." Ashen added to Ishia's explanation.
Pandora noticed the dragon statues lighting up one by one until they reached the end of the path leading to a huge arena. She looked ahead and noticed eight crystal pillars each with floating crystals on top and a large red spherical crystal in the middle.
Sitting in front of the Dragon Stone was a woman wearing a dragon kimono. She had a slight tan skin complexion, white hair tied in a ponytail, and dragon markings on her arms.
"This place used to be a shrine, but it was requested by the first guardian to be built over to further protect the stone from the Legendary Dragon Slayer. They are also a generational thing." Ashen said.
The woman opened her eyes, hearing Ashen's voice. "Lord Ashen, it's been a while since your last visit. You do not have to worry about me getting lonely, all I need is the Dragon Stone and the connection to the Original One. Knowing you all are safe is enough for me to keep going."
"I know, Cipi. I am sure you're aware of my marriage." Ashen said.
"I am much aware. It is a good sign to ally with another powerful nation. We will have the Hero of Legend on our side, our natural sibling of the Three Guardians." Cipi said.
"Uhm...Hi! Dragon Guardian! I am Pandora, Princess of Aestrea. Ashen's fiance, so excited to marry him!" Pandora said excitedly.
Cipi looked at Pandora then closed her eyes. "I sense you also possess the Corrupt Ember."
"Your senses are good." Ruination said then appeared beside Pandora.
Cipi opened her eyes once more and looked at Ruination. "It's rather weak, but hard to ignore. It's not shocking on how no one else is able to sense it."
"She hasn't gotten a complete full grasp on it yet, but when it does awaken..." Ruination said.
"Wait why are you so calm about me being a Monster?" Pandora asked.
Ragnarok laughed and appeared beside Ashen. "Foolish Princess. Cipi already knows of Ashen and I."
"Plus, my heart will always go to Ashen no matter his choices. I live and die by his hand and command. If he ordered me to kill a thousand people, I will kill a thousand people." Cipi said.
"Your heart goes to him?" Pandora started then gave Ashen a side eye.
"You misunderstood her." Ashen said.
Cipi stood up and softly grunted. "I am no means in love with Lord Ashen, our love can not reach the kind of love he will have for you, but I love him enough to follow his every order as he is my future king."
"What Cipi is trying to say is, I see Cipi as a sibling." Ashen said and walked over to her then ruffled her hair. "I've known her since she was just starting to control her powers. I had to been around 15 at the time and she was merely 10 years old blowing her first dragon breath. I trained her myself with what I learned."
Cipi blushed slightly and looked shy.
Pandora looked at Cipi and Ashen then her heart thumped. She felt jealousy because of how close Cipi and Ashen was. She took one step then froze.
"One step closer will lead you to death." Ragnarok said.
Ashen stopped rubbing Cipi's head then held his hand out, making Ragnarok stand down. He looked at Pandora then smiled and walked toward her. He gently held her chin then caressed her cheek. "You do not have to be jealous. It is just sibling love."
"But she isn't your sibling. That's why I don't care too much for you showing affection to Ishia. Cipi isn't even your blood." Pandora said.
"Well technically-"
"Yeah whatever Ruination, you know what I mean!" Pandora said with a groan.
"Cipi is my blood. We've fought battles along side each other before she became the new Guardian. We never shared any affection beyond friendship. I asked to marry you, no other woman will receive my true love." Ashen said.
After hearing those words, Pandora calmed down. She sighed and closed her eyes. "Okay...But I'm watching you, Cipi!"
"You'll rarely ever see me outside this shrine unless there is an immediate threat or unless Lord Ashen summons me." Cipi said, with a bit of sass in her tone.
"Alright, both of you. Enough. I don't want you two to start anything, so let's get along. We should probably head back anyway. This shrine can not be left exposed for too long." Ashen said.
Pandora scoffed and turned away then walked off, dragging Ishia with her. "Let's go, Ishia! We will partake in our activities with Queen Kinona!"
"O-Oh! Okay! See you later, Brother!" Ishia said as she was being dragged along with Pandora.
Ashen sighed and looked at Cipi. He shrugged and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I will need you on standby just in case. Me and Pandora were just enemies a day ago, it would seem suspicious to marry her a day after I defeated her in a Royal Battle."
"She's been here for eleven days, I don't think it would be too suspicious." Cipi said.
"It's more than that, Little Wyrm. She went back to her kingdom after we defeated her at the bridge. She reported what happened to her father most likely. He has to know about Ashen's Monster Side by now. There's no doubt he's bringing a way to awaken the Hero of Legend to Exithia." Ragnarok said.
Cipi crossed her arms and closed her eyes. "I guess that's true enough..."
"If all goes according to plan, we won't be needing you to start carnage, but if things go south..." Ashen said.
Cipi opened her eyes and looked at Ashen. "I will be there at your command. You do not have to worry, milord."
Ashen nodded then ruffled her hair then walked off. "I also need to finish things with my own nation before handling Aestrea."
"Your stepfather correct? He needs to go down as well. For you to be the Crowned Ryu, you'll need to kill him. It's the only way a dragon fights, to the death." Ragnarok said.
"Just waiting for the perfect moment, only then will I strike and take what's rightfully mine." Ashen said then his eyes shined.
To Be Continued....