Under a red sky, within the mountains' embrace, the Alpha Tribe lived a life of peace and harmony.
However, the harmonious life of the Alpha people was about to be disrupted today.
Suddenly, an ancient and heavy stone door, inscribed with countless magical runes, appeared in the sky, suspended thousands of meters high, surrounded by a convergence of fiery elemental energy.
The members of the Alpha Tribe below instinctively looked up.
They recognized this stone door as a physical portal belonging to the lord of their demiplane.
Therefore, the Alpha people were not overly cautious or alert.
However, what happened next surprised the magically adept Alpha people.
Under their gaze, a robust, dignified male humanoid passed through the stone door and, in a flicker of light, transformed into an enormous golden dragon, its scales shimmering so brightly it was almost blinding.
The ancient golden dragon took a deep breath.
The sulfur and ash-laden air of the Lava Demiplane was comfortable, though not entirely to his liking.
The golden dragon appreciated this environment, but not wholly.
The appearance of the giant golden dragon was just the beginning.
Soon, one figure after another passed through the stone portal, arriving from the continent of Noah in the Lava Demiplane, quickly resuming their massive true forms like the first dragon.
Quickly, thirty-two metallic dragons of at least giant size appeared before the Alpha Tribe.
The overlapping auras of different dragons, like the raging waves of an angry sea, made the air nearly stagnant. The unintentional release of their auras, when mingled together, was almost suffocating to all living beings within dozens of miles, as if an invisible hand was pressing down on their hearts and throats.
The spellcasters of the Alpha Tribe were forced to cast numerous protective spells.
Humming shields of fire enveloped them individually while protecting the entire Alpha Tribe. Under the dragons' immense presence, these shields flickered unsteadily.
The faces of the spellcasters inside were pale, clearly under great strain.
Meanwhile, after the foreign metallic dragons from Dragon Island passed through the portal into the skies of the Lava Demiplane, a young man with silver hair and deep, timeless eyes stepped through the portal last.
In a flash of light, a legendary dragon over forty-six meters long soared into the sky.
Even among the over thirty legendary dragons, this silver dragon stood out conspicuously.
Whether it was his size, unmatched among all true dragons, or his majestic horns and mysterious black scales, he clearly had a unique identity and unmatched demeanor.
Garon, the moment he appeared, stole the limelight from the ancient golden dragon.
"Gentlemen, please contain your auras," Garon requested politely.
His power was the greatest among these legendary dragons, but he was much younger than these ancient metallic dragons. Addressing them as seniors was appropriate, and Garon was not a dragon to flaunt his status.
Upon hearing Garon's request, the metallic dragons came to their senses.
Realizing their auras were oppressing Garon's followers nearby, they willingly reined in their imposing presence.
To Garon, addressing them as seniors was a matter of courtesy, and they dared not really assume such a status.
"Garon, is the human tribe below your followers?"
"So many spellcasters!"
At this moment, Lockwood noticed the Alpha Tribe.
The ancient golden dragon's gaze was drawn to the towering mage towers in the tribe. Upon closer inspection, he realized that this small human tribe of about a thousand had over two hundred spellcasters, including several powerful mid- and high-tier individuals.
Such a sight astounded even the worldly-wise ancient golden dragon.
"A tribe with exceptional talent, I discovered them here in the Lava Demiplane by chance."
"The magical talent of this tribe is naturally strong, and I plan to cultivate it properly."
As the legendary dragons withdrew their auras, the flickering fire shields around the Alpha Tribe gradually dissipated.
Then, Anya, a great mage whose realm had stabilized at the ninth ring, looked up at the sky. Among the terrifying dragon figures, she saw the familiar silver dragon and slowly relaxed her tense heart.
"Talented beyond measure"
"Such a number of spellcasters is unprecedented. If this ratio is maintained after the population grows, it could become an extremely formidable force."
Lockwood let out a long breath.
After a pause, he looked at the eight-year-old gigantic dragon Garon and said, "Your followers are extraordinary, Garon. You must pay more attention to them."
"A blade too sharp may cut oneself."
Garon nodded, smiling slightly. "I understand, but I have enough confidence in myself."
Even if the Alpha Tribe thrived and eventually restored the glory of the former Alpha Tia Empire, by then, Garon would have gained divine-like powers and could still control this mighty magical empire.
A magical empire, no matter how strong, is just a mortal kingdom. Against gods and divine-like beings, it's inherently at a disadvantage.
Garon had previously thought that the destruction of the Alpha Tia Empire might have been due to gods feeling threatened by this potential empire and intervening to shatter it.
Back to the matter at hand.
Garon summoned Anya.
"These true dragons come from the same material world as I do, embodying kindness and justice."
"They will stay in the Alpha Tribe for some time."
"Metallic dragons are not difficult to get along with. Just compliment their kindness and bravery, avoid misdeeds in their presence, and they will most likely be friendly to you."
"The Alpha Tribe must treat them well, without any negligence."
Garon's expression was calm, his platinum dragon eyes reflecting Anya's figure.
Anya bowed slightly, replying, "Rest assured, I understand what to do."
After a moment, Anya looked puzzledly at the metallic dragons, now in human form, curiously observing the Alpha Tribe. She whispered to Garon, "Have you summoned so many legendary dragons to the Lava Demiplane for a particular reason?"
"The fire mages of the Alpha Tribe are ready to serve you at any time."
The silver dragon showed no change in expression, calmly replying, "Just do your tasks well. When I need you, I will let you know."
Anya nodded, asking no further.
Then, Garon approached Lockwood, who had reverted to human form. "Seniors, please rest here for the time being. If you need anything, let me know."
"There are some unique landscapes in the Lava Demiplane that you
may wish to explore."
Lockwood nodded and then asked, "Garon, when do you expect the enemy forces coveting the demiplane to attack?"
"In about five months, not too long."
For these legendary metallic dragons, five months was a short time, easily spent waiting for the enemy's arrival.
"You seem very certain."
Lockwood looked at Garon curiously.
Garon spoke calmly, "The river of time is mysterious and grand, and through the power of time, I have ascertained this."
Understanding the power of time, Lockwood nodded and smiled. "Then I pity those who covet your territory."
Soon after, Garon left the Alpha Tribe.
The silver dragon flapped his wings, traveling through the red sky and soon reaching the Flaming Mountain Range.
Sensing Garon's presence, the red dragons Roe and Greta came out to greet him.
"How goes the task I assigned you?"
Garon asked without preamble.
Roe opened his large mouth, "We have not failed your trust. During this time, we have found the location you were looking for."
"Where is it?"
"It's in the hilly region inhabited by earth elemental beings, near the boundary of the demiplane but outside the Stone City Maze," Greta hastily answered before Roe could speak.
Roe, annoyed at being interrupted, glared at his spouse, snorting fire from his nostrils. Greta, nonchalant and unafraid, ignored Roe's angry glare.
Fuming internally at Greta's audacity to steal his thunder in front of Garon, Roe turned away with a huff.
But he restrained himself because Garon was present, planning to show Greta his displeasure once Garon left.
"Garon, let me lead the way," Roe offered eagerly.
"Very well, take me there."
Garon needed to see the location himself to confirm the enemy's arrival point.
Roe glared triumphantly at Greta and then led Garon to a familiar place.
The dusty, gray sky stretched over rugged gray mountains. The land, devoid of greenery, appeared barren and lifeless, save for the occasional earth elemental.
The scenery felt familiar to Garon, having seen it in his visions of the future.
The only difference was the absence of twelve enormous magical ships in the sky.
"Twelve magical ships. I don't have such items in my collection yet."
Magical ships for cross-planar travel, made with high-quality materials and magic runes, were far superior to ordinary magic items. Garon couldn't help but desire them, not for their utility, but for the sheer joy of collecting.
Having confirmed the location and timing of the enemy's arrival, Garon now prepared accordingly.
He scanned the area thoroughly. The dense earth elemental energy here would simplify the construction of a single-element magic circle. Although not an expert in magic circles, Garon could rely on the expertise of the legendary metallic dragons and the earth giants of the Stone City Maze.
Under the blazing sky, time passed steadily as Garon occasionally used future sight to anticipate changes, patiently making preparations.
Meanwhile, in the primary material world, the continent of Cain housed the Imasca Second Empire.
A magnificent mountain, its side transformed into countless giant platforms and railroads, showed countless runes on its buildings, showcasing potent magical craftsmanship.
Here lay the Imasca Second Empire's magic ship dockyard.
Busy like ants, people moved around, performing their tasks in an orderly fashion.
On the giant platforms connected to the mountain, magic ships of varying lengths, from a hundred to six hundred meters, were docked, equipped with terrifying magic cannons.
Crews bustled around the ships, maintaining and repairing them – checking spell anchors, energy cores, structural integrity, and shield weaknesses.
The atmosphere was lively and energetic.
Gransem Austin, the leader of the 21st Magic Fleet, sat in the command room of a two-hundred-meter-long magic ship.
In his fifties, his black hair flecked with gray, he appeared ordinary, but his bright eyes were full of vigor.
Gransem tapped his fingers on the table, contemplating a document in silence.
"A demiplane of earth and fire elements"
"After analyzing the elemental composition of the air, there's a 99% chance this demiplane is rich in resources. Covering nearly a billion square kilometers, it could sustain the empire's fleet for a century, even with a conservative estimate."
The sound of his tapping fingers was steady.
Magic coursed through the document, revealing page after page.
"Encountered suspected red dragon breath in a survey, suggesting the presence of red dragons in the demiplane, none legendary yet."
Gransem closed his eyes, pondering how to handle this newly discovered demiplane.
The Imasca Second Empire's magic fleet was established not long ago.
The primary goal was not to interact with other material world forces or to invade other worlds, but to find a way back home.
The land of Faerun.
The origin of the Imasca Second Empire.
Called the "Second" because it followed the destroyed Imasca Empire, which sent a group away during a cataclysmic war to preserve its legacy.
The survivors carried the empire's secret relics, containing the knowledge and heritage of Imasca.
Under the leadership of legendary individuals, the seeds of the empire blossomed anew after over three thousand years in a new material world.
To honor their origins, they resurrected as the Imasca Second Empire on the continent of Cain.
Now, the empire's flags fluttered in every corner of Cain, matching the glory of its past. But all its citizens harbored a deep longing for their true home – Faerun.
With the unification of Cain, the empire built the magic fleet, hoping to find Faerun in the vast expanse of the material worlds.
The original empire erased all anchors and coordinates during its last moments, making finding Faerun amidst countless worlds a challenging and resource-intensive task.
Resource depletion on Cain due to inter-planar exploration led to the formation of additional magic fleets.
This new fleet aimed to harvest resources from other planes or worlds to sustain the exploration fleet.
Mining other worlds inevitably led to conflicts with native species.
Thus, this new fleet was armed for combat.
Gransem's 21st Magic Fleet was among them.
His status, reinforced by multiple achievements and an imperial relic, made him a significant figure in the empire.
"A rare elemental demiplane."
"Most likely, the strongest beings there are elemental giants."
Gransem opened his eyes, murmuring to himself.
Elemental demiplanes were uncommon, and this was his first encounter in decades of service.
He shared Garon's initial thoughts on the Lava Demiplane's potential.
Elemental beings' strength correlates with their environment's elemental energy density, allowing one to infer the limits of the demiplane's inhabitants.
Gransem's thoughts raced.
He aspired to be the fleet's grand admiral.
Without a figure commanding enough respect, this position remained vacant.
Gransem, a serious and reserved man, cared little for wealth or pleasures but was fascinated by power.
He climbed from the bottom to lead the 21st Magic Fleet, but never felt satisfied.
Only by becoming the grand admiral could he rest, albeit temporarily.
For this, he needed tremendous military achievements.
As dusk approached, the setting sun casting a dim light on his face, Gransem made a fateful decision.
"Order the crew and fighters to gather. The 21st Magic Fleet will soon set sail!"
His second-in-command, furrowing his brows, suggested, "Captain Gransem, this demiplane is significant, possibly housing dragons. Shouldn't we collaborate with the 20th and 18th fleets? They're currently idle."
Gransem's expression darkened. "Who commands the 21st Magic Fleet?"
"You, of course," the second-in-command replied.
"Exactly. So follow my orders. I don't need your advice."
Cooperation would simplify matters, but would also divide the spoils. Gransem believed a small demiplane couldn't withstand his fleet's assault.
His fleet, including nine legendary artificers, hundreds of senior artificers, and about two thousand mid-tier artificers, could easily overpower a human kingdom.
Gransem was not reckless. If the situation demanded, he would cooperate.
But a mere demiplane with a few legends and ancient dragons seemed manageable.
"How could it withstand my fleet?"
Gransem glanced at his second-in-command.
"Of course, Captain," the second-in-command agreed, withholding further objections.
He had seen Gransem become increasingly autocratic, making it harder to work with him. He planned to leave the fleet after this mission, preferring to spend time with his family.
Soon, the order was passed down, and the fleet readied for departure.
Magic ships activated, crew shouting, "For Imasca!"
As the ships left the dockyard, passing through a phase gate, the crew saw the familiar, sinister silhouettes of dragons.
Gransem, feeling uneasy, saw the truth as they entered the Lava Demiplane.
Surrounded by legendary dragons, their imposing presence nearly overwhelming, Gransem realized his fleet was outmatched.
On the surface, he remained composed, addressing the largest silver dragon, "Greetings, noble dragon. I am from the Imasca Second Empire, seeking peaceful interaction."
"There seems to be a misunderstanding."
In the face of unexpected danger, Gransem understood the gravity of his mistake – the Lava Demiplane was no ordinary place, and its defenders, no ordinary foes.
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