(POV: Lumiere)
The morning sun rose over the Silva Citadel as the time came for Serena, Isadora, and myself to depart for the Royal Capital. As we made our way through the citadel towards the magic airship that Thrain had recently repaired, I felt excitement bubble within me.
The airship was magnificent - adorned with ornate designs and emblazoned with the emblem of the Silva Citadel.
A flower-like crest.
As we approached the airship, I heard the familiar sound of our friends bidding us farewell. Eris was conspicuously absent, which brought relief to me, as I didn't want to cause any more tension between us. Mojito hugged me tightly as Fasit and Mimosa brought Serena and Isadora off to the side to say their goodbyes.
I sent a comforting smile to Fasit and Mimosa before turning to Mojito. "Don't worry, I'll be back before you know it," I promised.
Finally, we were ready to board the airship. As we stepped onto the deck, I felt the cool breeze of the wind whipping through my hair. I gazed out at the stunning landscapes below us, which seemed to stretch out infinitely in every direction. Isadora's eyes glittered with excitement, clearly thrilled to be aboard such an incredible vessel. Serena, as always, was calm and collected, but I could feel an eagerness emanating from her.
We began to move, rising higher and higher into the sky, Skarz's voice drifted up towards us. "Thank you for everything you've done," he shouted. "We'll miss you!"
I shouted back, "We'll miss you too, Skarz! Take care of everyone for us!"
Fasit's voice echoed across the citadel. "Stay safe! May the gods watch over you!"
I smiled at their concern for our well-being. It was a testament to how close we'd all become, living and fighting together.
As we soared into the skies, I watched the Silva Citadel recede into the distance. With every passing moment, the kingdom's capital loomed ever closer. But for now, I was content to soak up the breathtaking views and enjoy the feeling of adventure and excitement that being on the airship brought.
Isadora unwrapped a parcel of what appeared to be bracelets and passed them around to us as we sat comfortably in the cabin of the airship. I was the first to inquire about their purpose.
"What are these for?" I asked, examining the ornate silver bracelet in my hand.
Isadora, a hint of a smile on her lips, replied, "They're mana suppression collars. Thrain designed them for us to use when dealing with lesser monsters."
"But they look like bracelets," I said, perplexed by the seemingly decorative nature of the collars.
"Doesn't matter what they look like, only what they do," Isadora retorted dismissively. "When you put it on, your mana will be contained to a more manageable level, making it safer and easier for us to interact with the monsters without revealing our true strength."
Serena, who had been quiet until now, piped up. "That's really clever. It'll be much more convenient than trying to suppress our mana manually."
"Exactly," Isadora agreed with a nod. "And Thrain's designed it so it'll drop our effective mana signature to 5,000 MP, which is a reasonable amount for a human, so we won't attract too much attention."
We all murmured our appreciation for Thrain's ingenuity and expertise in engineering as we slipped on our BRACELETS. I could feel my mana being pulled down instantly, relieved at the weightlessness of not constantly casting spells and exuding arcane energy.
Honestly, things couldn't be better.
.
[ POV: The omniscient Akashic Records ]
In the desolate dimension of eternal darkness, strewn with the rotting corpses of dragons, a small castle stood, shrouded in darkness. As the cold mist descended upon the ancient kingdom, three dragons, Barin, Draknis, and their leader, King Barodius, gathered around a round table, sipping wine from the Duchy of Drakoria. The wine tasted of fire and ash, only fitting for the dragons that consumed it.
Barin, showing his impatience, spoke up, "Will we ever leave this place?!"
However, King Barodius remained quiet, appearing lost in thought.
Draknis, the lady with the ivory hair, suggested "My king, if we stay here for another year, we may not survive."
Barodius was silent for a moment longer, reveling in the enjoyment that came with ignoring their simple-minded utterances.
"You need not worry, Barin and Draknis. Everything is going according to my plan," King Barodius said, with a sly smile gracing his countenance.
Barin pounded his fist on the table and raged at the King, "I'm tired of waiting! It's been two hundred years already!"
Draknis, being the calm and collected one, or rather the smart one, chided Barin for speaking disrespectfully to the King.
King Barodius then addressed them in a clear and commanding voice.
"You will remember your place, Barin. I am Barodius, the Dragon King of Disaster, a being responsible for death tolls without equal. So hold your tongue and listen."
Barodius took a sip of his wine, elegant in his movements, as he spoke.
Barin, slightly trembling with fear, asked Barodius when they would finally be free.
"Patience, Barin," Barodius said, his voice low and ominous. "Good things come to those who wait. Soon enough, our freedom will be guaranteed. But only if you remain loyal to me."
Barodius's red eyes flashed as he spoke, and the room seemed to darken further. Barin and Draknis exchanged uneasy glances, but neither dared to speak up against the Dragon King. Barodius smiled in satisfaction before finally breaking the silence.
"Now let's drink to our bright future," he said before taking another sip of his wine.
Barin, the tattoo-faced dark skinned man, leaned forward on the table, fixing King Barodius with an intense stare. "Your Majesty," he said, his voice low and urgent. "Please tell us what your plan is for us to escape this eternal darkness."
Barodius took a sip of his wine from a golden chalice, enjoying the fiery taste. He then leaned back in his chair, his eyes sparkling with a fierce intelligence. "I don't need to tell you much," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "But suffice it to say, I have found the key to the Black Dragons' Gate. And soon, we shall be free. Free to wreak our vengeance upon the entirety of the Human Continent."
Draknis smiled gently. "I can't believe it," she said softly. "We'll finally get the chance to lay waste to humanity again."
Barin chuckled, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "It'll be great for dragons and humans to be at war again," he said, clearly relishing the thought.
But Barodius raised an eyebrow, his eyes glowing red with suppressed anger. "War?" he said, his voice low. "Elegant creatures such as dragons like ourselves shouldn't needlessly struggle with filth such as humans. We won't be at war with the Human Continent. It will be a complete and utter annihilation of the human race. Not a man, woman, or child will be spared."
Draknis looked at Barodius with a mix of awe and fear. "You sound excited," she said, her voice barely more than a whisper.
Barodius nodded thoughtfully. "Why not?" he said. "After all, I will finally get to raze the lands of the race I despise so much. What could be more fun than that? It is without a doubt, the height of ecstasy."
Barin, always the skeptical one. "Forgive me, your Majesty," he said, his voice laced with uncertainty. "But wouldn't we require some help from the Dragon Continent to achieve this?"
Barodius took another sip of his wine. "I've been touring the Human Continent for a while now," he began, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous intelligence. "And I recently discovered that humans, demons, and dragons have all signed a peace treaty."
Draknis looked at Barodius curiously. "But isn't that a good thing?" she asked. "To have peace between all three races?"
Barodius waved his hand dismissively. "Of course not," he said, his voice flat. "But the important thing is that the political figures of the three continents have been using the other Dragon Gates as teleportation routes to other continents for their meetings."
Barin slammed his fist on the table. "That's madness!" he shouted. "How can they be so foolish? Don't they know what those gates signify?"
Draknis placed a calming hand on Barin's shoulder. "We have to remember," she said gently. "We've been unconscious for over 300 years. It's not surprising that the races have become so oblivious."
Barodius cleared his throat, interrupting their conversation. "As I was saying," he continued, his eyes glittering red. "The Dragon Continent won't help us conquer the Human Continent and decimate it. However, I've been working on something in the Duchy of Drakoria that may change things for us."
Barin quirked an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" he asked, clearly intrigued.
"Not important, for now," Barodius smiled predatorily. "But think of it... if we were to invade the Human Continent, the other two continents wouldn't interfere," he explained smoothly.
Barin was taken aback. "Why pray tell?"
Barodius leaned forward, his eyes alight with a scheming light. "Although the peace treaty exists, the true feelings of the three continents - Human, Dragon, and Demon - are still the same. Their silent hatred for one another."
Draknis looked at Barodius curiously. "So if another case were to arise where the Human Continent was attacked by someone else--"
"No one would interfere!" Barin completed the statement.
"Indeed. They want to see humanity fall. And we'll be the prophets of this calamity.." Barodius grinned.