Two dragons conferred briefly then decided to slip into the cave discreetly. The dragon kind had learned the bitter taste of arrogance multiple times, a lesson etched not only in their own memories but also those around them, especially in this desolate wasteland.
They stashed their belongings in a safe spot before camouflaging themselves and entering the cave.
To Luciano's astonishment, the sign outside the cave was not some jest as Ahti had anticipated. Inside, the decor hinted at the beginnings of a restaurant. It was unthinkable; never in the ancient god ruins had there been a restaurant or shop. Here, food was more precious than gold or jewels. Who would barter invaluable food for mere stones?
What was once a mere cave a day ago had transformed significantly. Bright lights illuminated the intricate patterns on the rock walls, and the tables and chairs were carved from granite. Upon closer inspection, these furnishings were carved directly from the floor, seamlessly integrated with the ground. The new proprietor had dug nearly a meter deep into the ground to carve out these stone furnishings.
Luciano's first thought wasn't about the amazing idea but about the sheer physical effort it must have taken. Someone had both the strength and the time for such a task.
In the magic-deprived ancient god ruins, even dragons had to cooperate with other species to avoid starvation. In the lands of Moro, a dragon could sleep for five years without feeling any discomfort, sustained by the ambient magical energies. There, food was a mere delicacy. Starving dragons were unheard of.
But in the ancient god ruins, hunger became painfully real. A month without food and dragons would be consumed by an inner emptiness, a profound hunger. Bereft of external magic sources, their energy needs transformed into a voracious appetite.
Races that had ventured into the ruins viewed each other with distrust, yet survival's harsh reality meant that collaboration was their only chance at life.
Luciano, usually too lazy to even flap his wings unless he had to work, marveled at the unknown creature's leisure to carve stone. A twinge of envy mixed with his admiration. He longed for the luxury of time for personal hobbies instead of constantly being a courier.
He had yet to meet the master of this place. He pondered about their identity. Only a dragon could possess the strength to carve through rock, and the sign reading "Dragon Flame restaurant" seemed to hint at a dragon proprietor.
Yet Luciano hadn't heard of any dragon with such plans. With food scarce even for their own sustenance, selling it seemed preposterous. Could there be other powerful beings in the ruins? Luciano became wary; he didn't need another potential threat.
Ahti gestured for Luciano to inspect the peculiar structure beneath the granite tables. The tables weren't just simple stone platforms. The mysterious creature had intricately designed them with pipes protruding from their bases, all leading to a massive tray in the cave's center.
No wonder so much effort went into carving the tables; the design allowed the granite pipes to connect seamlessly with the table surfaces. Luciano deduced a purpose. The pipes were hollow, similar to aqueducts they were sometimes carved from rocks for water transportation. Pour water into the central tray, and it would be distributed to every table.
But the whole setup still perplexed him. The cave was spacious, not a tight crevice. Why go through all this trouble?
At that moment, the owner of the "Dragon Flame restaurant" finally emerged from the depths of the cave, appearing before Luciano and Ahti.
The two dragons exchanged puzzled glances. Before they stood another black dragon. Black Dragons were a rare breed, and in the ancient god ruins, they often stuck together for survival. Each dragon knew the others well. So, who was this unfamiliar newcomer?
With an air of nonchalance, Ina walked over to the enormous carved-out tray. From her backpack, she produced a "restaurant Decoration - Lava Fountain" and set it atop the tray.
The Lava Fountain, while resembling an ordinary water fountain in appearance, spewed not pure water, but thick, scalding magma. The magma bubbled out of the fountain, pooling in the tray before flowing into the pipes leading to each table.
Ina swiftly sealed off all the inlets connecting the other pipes to the magma-filled tray, leaving just one open.
There were no cooking utensils in sight, and no shops available. Still, she could create her own. The magma that flowed into the crevice of the granite table served as a natural charcoal fire. Ina set up a pot, also carved from granite, alongside a stone slab. Tonight, they'd have a hot pot and stone-grilled meat.
Ina had some ingredients and condiments in her backpack. It wasn't a lot, but it was enough for her own meal. She began by preparing a tomato hot pot broth. Pouring oil into the already heated granite pot, she first saut￩ed spring onions, ginger, and garlic until fragrant. Then, she added chopped fresh tomatoes. The aroma of the tomatoes wafted through the air, and the contents of the pot thickened. Once the tomatoes softened, Ina added all the other prepared ingredients in one go: chili sauce, tomato sauce, a few dried shiitake mushrooms, a handful of red dates, and some seasoning with salt and sugar.
Luciano deeply inhaled the rich and spicy aroma, swallowing hard.
With the hot pot base ready, all that was left was to add clear water and wait for it to boil. Although they didn't have any stock on hand, the base Ina made was aromatic enough to serve as a delightful foundation for their meal.
As Ina waited for the hotpot to boil, her eyes wandered to the granite slab on the opposite side, which had become blazing hot from its proximity to the table's molten center. She placed a marinated, thick slice of pork belly onto the greased slab. It sizzled immediately, its fats oozing and it's color deepening, the edges turning temptingly golden-brown.
Luciano stared at the pork with an almost trance-like hunger. It had been so long since he'd been met with such an intoxicating aroma.
Amid the rising smoke, the pork belly cooked perfectly. Ina, with a sharp knife, sliced the meat into bite-sized pieces, dipped them into a sauce, and set them in a bowl. Then, she placed several stuffed button mushrooms onto the sizzling slab. On the other side, the hotpot began to boil. Ina tossed in a variety of ingredients, then wrapped a piece of the golden pork belly in a fresh lettuce leaf and tasted it.
The soft sounds of her chewing, combined with the bubbling of the hotpot, reached Ahti's ears, who felt overwhelmingly tempted. Unable to bear the sight any longer, she suddenly kicked Luciano out of their hiding spot.
Luciano betrayed, stared at Ahti with a mix of confusion and disbelief.
Ina didn't seem surprised by the sudden appearance of the two intruders. Instead, she introduced herself graciously, "Hello, I'm Ina."
Awkwardly, Luciano and Ahti introduced themselves, before voicing their curiosity. "Have you always lived alone? We've never seen you here."
Realizing his tone might sound a bit accusatory, Luciano corrected himself, "I mean, I'm surprised to meet someone of our kind whom I haven't met before."
Ina seemed less interested in Luciano's inquiries, more concerned that the meat in her hotpot was overcooking.
"Why don't we sit and chat while we eat?" she suggested. As she used communal dishes to serve Luciano and Ahti some shrimp paste and meat rolls, she explained, "As you might've noticed, I haven't been here long. An accident brought me here, and it seems I might be here for a while."
Although Ina was vague, she wasn't lying. Taking a dish from Ina, Ahti offered an explanation, "It's probably because of the spatial rifts that have recently appeared, which transported you from your original realm to here."
It was evident that Ina hadn't been in the ruins of the Old Gods for long. The fresh meat she had was proof. The realm of the Old Gods, once nurtured and maintained by the deity's power, had been deteriorating ever since its fall. Unknown spatial rifts were emerging, leading either back to their homeland or to entirely unfamiliar realms. Yet, the most frightening prospect was that these rifts might lead to the void, where everything would be obliterated.
Unaware that Ahti had already pieced together a plausible reason for her presence, Ina sought to change the topic, urging the still-stunned Luciano and Ahti, "Come on, eat! It won't taste as good once it cools down."
With a sympathetic gaze, Ahti looked at Ina, who remained oblivious to everything here. "You'll soon discover that meat is more precious than gold in this place, so we cannot accept your gift," she said. In Ahti's view, Ina had no idea of the worth of the meal before her. Even if her eyes struggled to move away from the plate before her, the proud dragon wouldn't take advantage of her at this moment.
Ina understood their hesitation. "I've now grasped the value of meat here," she began, "but I hope to exchange this food for something even more valuable than gold: knowledge on how to live in this place."
Ahti chuckled heartily and forked a piece of shrimp into his mouth. "I'd be delighted to share." she didn't speak for a while, intently savoring the small morsel of shrimp as if it was the most exotic delicacy, not just a simple piece of seafood.
Luciano's face twisted in gastronomic pleasure, torn between wanting to speak and savoring the grilled pork belly. The perfectly cooked meat, paired with a rich seasoning, revived his dulled taste buds. Having endured a century of almost inedible food, Luciano's current indulgence felt magnified. Yet, the fleeting nature of his joy weighed heavily on him, knowing that he'd soon return to his former, meager diet.
Clearly, they had been through some tough times, even a mighty few pieces of meat, exhibiting such profound emotion.
Ina added even more ingredients to the hot pot.
Having finished his plate, Ahti began recounting life around the ancient god's relics. "Life here is simple, everything we do is to gather more food. The vast majority of land resembles the barren white expanse outside the cave, bearing no edible plants. There are, however, a few patches of arable land, where villages have been established by humans, goblins, and orcs. On the other side of this mountain, there's a larger settlement. We're delivering something there..."
Ahti paused abruptly, exchanging a significant look with Luciano.
"We have urgent matters to attend to," Ahti rose, apologizing to Ina. "I'll return and share more with you later."
As the dragons prepared to leave, Ina asked urgently, "If you're heading to the village behind the mountain, could I join you?"
"I don't see why not," Luciano replied. The village wasn't a forbidden place for Ina, even if there wasn't much to see.
"Let's go then," Ina quickly retrieved all the food from the pot, filling bowls with it, and shut off the molten lava fountain at the cave's center. Handing each dragon a bowl, they exited the cave while enjoying their meal.
Upon leaving, they transformed into their dragon forms. Luciano and Ahti went to where they had previously left the buckets and boxes, collecting these precious supplies for their journey.
Their days must have truly been tough, for even mighty dragons showed such deep emotions over mere morsels of meat.
Ina added even more ingredients to the hot pot.
Once Ahti finished his plate, he began sharing about life near the relics of the old gods. "Life here is basic. Everything we do is to secure more food. Most of the land, like the pale terrain outside this cave, yields no edible plants. However, there are sparse patches that can be cultivated."
she continued, "Apart from dragons, humans, goblins, and orcs inhabit this land, building villages around the arable patches. On the other side of this mountain lies a significant gathering place. We are headed there to deliver..."
Ahti suddenly halted, exchanging a frozen glance with Luciano.
"We have pressing matters," Ahti said, standing and addressing Ina apologetically, "I might need to return later to share the remaining information."
Seeing two dragons prepare to depart, Ina quickly interjected, "If you're heading to the village beyond the mountain, might I join you?"
"Sure," Luciano replied. He didn't consider the village a forbidden place, though it really had little of interest to offer.
"Then let's get moving." With the affirmative response, Ina swiftly gathered all the ingredients from the hot pot, filling the granite bowl in front of the dragon to the brim. She then closed off the cave's central magma fountain and handed a bowl to each dragon. Together, they made their way out of the cave, eating as they went.
Upon exiting the cave, they transformed into their massive dragon forms. Luciano and Ahti approached the spot where they had left their water buckets and chests, collecting these valuable supplies for their journey.
"Is there a river nearby?" Ina inquired, noting the water buckets. Tasking dragons with transporting water seemed a bit excessive.
Luciano shook his head. "There's only one major river, and it's very, very far away. Even for us, it's a long flight. Moreover, the area is overrun with thorny ghost vines, too perilous for other races. That's why only we dragons handle the water transport."
Ina had wanted to ask Luciano about the thorny ghost vines he'd mentioned. But the dragons flew so swiftly, and the village was just beyond the cave they had left. In mere moments, they were there.
From above, the village was impressively large. At its heart lay a vast field that seemed to be growing wheat, and all the houses encircled this precious land in protection. The houses were distinct in two aspects. Firstly, they bore a muted grey-white hue, mirroring the color of the barren land outside the fields. One might guess that the buildings were made from this same grey soil. Secondly, although made from the same material, there was a clear distinction between human and beast-man houses. The taller, more rugged ones likely belonged to the beast-men, while human houses, though shorter, showcased walls decorated with mosaics made of colorful stones.
Ina noticed no architecture reflecting a distinct cultural style, leading her to speculate that there were no goblins in this village.
A wall surrounded the village, with two main entrances. But Luciano and the others didn't need either. Ina followed them straight to the fields, where two other dragons stood guard.
On seeing Luciano, they complained, "You're late! I was worried you'd spilled the water buckets on your way."
These were blue dragons. With their massive forms maintained, their azure scales were immediately noticeable. One bore a pristine ice-blue shade, reminiscent of a distant autumn sky. The other was a deeper hue, hinting at a more advanced age and thicker scales.
They quickly noted an extra dragon in their midst. The elder blue dragon looked at Ahti and asked, "Is this one your offspring?"
Ahti rolled her eyes, "Do you really believe that? Ina is from another realm."
The blue dragon's interest was piqued, "Through those spatial rifts? Can we also pass through them to other dimensions?" He was eager to leave this barren, ancient land, desiring any other realm over this.
"You know the risks of traversing space barriers. Even silver dragons could be torn apart by spatial storms. If it were so easy, do you think Ina would still be here?"
Ina nodded in agreement. Although it wasn't entirely accurate, she had found herself in a transfer cooldown period, which had prevented her immediate departure.
The blue dragon sighed, "Since you're here, we'll take our leave."
Luciano's massive water barrel, taller than the adjacent houses, was carefully poured. Most of the water was distributed to the villagers for daily consumption, with the remainder meant for the fields.
"Doesn't it rain here?" Ina asked, squatting beside the fields, watching as humans and beast-men meticulously watered the wheat, careful not to waste a single drop.
After Ahti's explanation, Ina came to understand. The Ancient God's Ruins weren't a complete realm. It was carved out by deities who had long since fallen, leaving it lacking many essential "rules".
There were no seasons in the Ancient God's Ruins. No frost, rain, or snow. The sky lacked a sun, with only a burning crimson cloud offering light and warmth. No plants grew here, save for the formidable native vine known as the Ghost Thorn. The Ghost Thorn was tenacious, having once reigned supreme in these ruins when no other life ventured here. But ever since humans and other races arrived, they turned the Ghost Thorn into a source of food.
The massive box Ahti had brought was filled with the core of the Ghost Thorn, its tough skin stripped away. Ground and mixed with flour, this core was turned into a food called 'Moonlight Biscuits'.
Though the name sounded enchanting, the taste left much to be desired. Hearing of Ina's curiosity, a working beast-man broke off a small piece for her to try.
Ina examined it closely. The Moonlight Biscuit was palm-sized, pale yellow, and at a glance, seemed no different from a regular cookie. Luciano urged her to take a bite. Despite suspecting an unpleasant taste, Ina bit into it.
Her brow furrowed. Though the Ghost Thorn's core had been finely ground, the texture remained gritty. The taste was a mix of bitter and sour. If not for the minimal amount of flour softening the bite, she might have spat it out immediately.
Luciano guesses she will spit it out, recalling his own initial aversion to it. Yet, even though her expression was one of discomfort, Ina managed to swallow.
She cleared her throat, ensuring it wasn't scratched. It was hard to believe this was a staple food for many in the Ancient God's Ruins.
Luciano and the others, after helping water the parched fields, didn't leave like the blue dragons. Instead, they stood guard by the fields in their massive dragon forms, as if protecting something precious.
"Didn't they say there were no beasts here?" Ina felt like she had asked more questions today than she had in the past month combined.
"The danger comes from above." Ahti pointed to the sky. Before she could continue, a young beast-girl hurried over. "Lord Ahti, have Lord Brook and the others left?"
Ahti recognized the young fox girl by her fluffy and beautiful red tail. "Brook and his group just left. Were you planning on leaving the village?"
The fox girl regretted her tardiness, "Yes, we wanted to go to the goblins to trade for some mushrooms."
With the fields always under the watchful eyes of two dragons and villagers needing at least one dragon's accompaniment when leaving, the fox girl's hope of trading mushrooms seemed bleak. But today was different. There was an extra dragon present.
"Is there any way I can assist?" Ina volunteered.
Ahti was relieved. "These races are too fragile. Even though the path from here to the goblin cave is short, dangers might lurk. Thus, they must have a dragon to guard them." Every individual was invaluable in this land. Any loss was to be minimized. Humans, goblins, beast-men, dragons; each race had its strengths. Working collaboratively and supporting each other was the only way they could survive in this barren world.
"If it's okay, let me accompany them," Ina offered.