Kala Planet.
In the interval when the legendary dragons departed for the Dragon Court demi-plane, nearly ten fatal conflicts suddenly erupted among the dragons.
Adding to the previous ongoing deaths, there were now over twenty cases in total, all occurring in quick succession.
Given the grand scale of battles among dragons and the significant number of dragons on Kala, some nearby dragons ventured to inspect the aftermath of these battles, quickly discovering the bodies of true dragons. The victors showed no mercy, killing their kin.
Most of these deadly battles occurred between different dragon species, leading to the fatalities.
Just as Garon returned to Kala, he was greeted with this disturbing news.
After the legendary dragons of various clans joined the Dragon Court, an immediate decree was issued to prohibit dragon-on-dragon violence, barring deep-rooted vendettas, and forbade killing opponents after achieving victory. Any dragon disregarding this warning and killing a kin would face accountability from the Dragon Court's legendary dragons.
This rule wasn't met with much resistance from non-legendary dragons.
After all, no dragon wishes to be killed by a more powerful kin.
While dragon killings were rare, they persisted, especially among different dragon species.
Such direct deadly conflicts were the quickest to intensify internal strife within dragonkind, like now.
Some metal dragons, valuing kinship highly, sought trouble with nearby chromatic dragons upon learning about the deaths of their kin, spreading out from the territories of the deceased metal dragons. Facing a group of aggressive metal dragons demanding justice, the innocent chromatic dragons allowed them to search their territories rather than becoming scapegoats for crimes they didn't commit.
Though the chromatic dragons cooperated,
Their perception of metal dragons worsened invisibly, with some hot-tempered chromatic dragons coming to blows with the investigating metal dragons.
And it wasn't just metal dragons that died.
Dragons from the three most powerful clans in dragonkind—metal, chromatic, and gem—had all suffered losses. Through the surviving kin, it was known that behind these deaths, there were almost always traces of other dragon species involved.
This led to an almost palpable tension across Kala, as dragons, already prone to disdain each other, became like ticking time bombs due to prolonged restraint and the stimulus of recent events. Minor conflicts, or even a mere glance, could escalate into severe bloodshed.
"Just after my coronation as Lord of the Dragon Court, such an incident occurs."
Within his dragon's lair, Garon, who had only been back for a few days, pondered with a slightly furrowed brow.
If this situation remained unresolved, the prestige of the Dragon Court would undoubtedly suffer, and his capacity as Lord would be questioned. Once prestige is lost, it becomes challenging to rebuild.
"Is this intense strife a natural progression of conflicts among Kala's dragons?"
"Or is someone stirring trouble behind the scenes?"
A sharp light flashed in Garon's platinum eyes.
With the aberrant creatures gone, Kala had become a haven solely for dragons, with no other beings posing a threat. Hence, over time, internal conflicts among dragons were bound to deepen.
However, Garon didn't believe such a situation would have escalated to this extent in just over two years.
Moreover, the escalation wasn't gradual.
Kala, which had been peaceful, suddenly saw deadly battles, and the dragons responsible for the killings seemed to lack fixed territories and remained untraceable.
Ordinary dragons, upon hearing this news, would feel outraged and uneasy without delving into the details.
But from a broader perspective, Garon sensed something deeply troubling about these developments.
His instincts and deductions suggested an unknown force was deliberately exacerbating the internal strife among Kala's dragons.
What enemies do dragons have?
Due to dragons' pride and self-perception as born rulers, they have countless enemies. Were it not for the dragonkind's strength, they would have vanished from history long ago.
The revelation of Kala as a dragon nation might have prompted a response from an aggrieved party.
With too many enemies to count, Garon couldn't pinpoint which unknown force was behind this.
"Lockweed, Aelison, Ogresg (Ancient Red Dragon)."
"This matter demands attention."
"Your strengths are among the highest on Kala, and you each belong to one of the three dragon kinds. I task you with calming the internal discord."
Garon contacted three of the more powerful dragons through the Dragon Court Covenant.
They, like Garon, recognized the seriousness of the situation and promptly agreed to his request.
Subsequently, Garon assigned legendary dragons from various clans to investigate whether the beings responsible for the dragon killings were dragons or something else.
As for Garon, he couldn't act hastily.
As the Lord of the Dragon Court, if he had to intervene in every issue, the Court would lose the trust of dragons, and Garon didn't want to be a leader who handles everything personally. He made it clear when he agreed to become the Lord that he didn't want to be entangled in too many troubles.
"Perhaps some beings are intentionally undermining the prestige of the Dragon Court."
"If this issue isn't resolved quickly, more complications will arise."
Yuna's thoughts mirrored Garon's, suspecting someone was secretly causing trouble.
She gnashed her dragon teeth, saying, "If I find out who these culprits are, I'll blast them all to death."
Garon nodded, stating, "Don't worry, we'll have a result soon."
With legendary dragons collaborating, tracing the perpetrator would be straightforward.
None of the slain dragons were of legendary status, possibly because the culprits couldn't guarantee killing a legendary dragon, indicating they might not be too powerful.
Within his treasure-laden lair, the silver dragon closed his eyes, waiting for his subordinates to report back.
Time ticked away silently.
Suddenly, a seductive female voice, speaking pure Draconic, echoed in Garon's mind.
"Little Time Dragon, hehe, you're growing stronger."
The voice seemed to carry a moist licking sound.
Garon's eyes snapped open, his heart chilling.
He looked around; aside from himself and Yuna, there were no other beings in the lair.
"What's wrong?"
Yuna, who hadn't been sleeping, was stacking gold coins into a sculpture shape, fixing them with her strength. Noticing Garon's unusual demeanor, she asked.
Garon's brows furrowed slightly, shaking his head.
"Nothing," he replied.
The voice hadn't sounded in his ear.
Yuna, also in the lair, hadn't heard any noise.
It had spoken directly in Garon's mind, unfamiliar yet vaguely familiar.
As Garon pondered who was speaking to him, the voice sounded again.
"Little Time Dragon, you seem to have forgotten me."
"I seldom take a special interest in a dragon descendant like you, making me quite sad."
The voice, speaking directly in his mind, sounded sorrowful, yet its tone was condescendingly mocking.
Meanwhile,
Hearing the voice again, Garon's gaze sharpened.
He remembered.
During the first convergence of the Light God's will and the Metal Dragon God's will, this voice had spoken in his mind, seeking conversation. But before it could finish, it was forcibly expelled by the Metal Dragon God. From the Metal Dragon God's words, Garon knew the identity of this voice.
The Mother of All Evil Dragons, the Undying Dragon Queen, the Lady of Darkness—She has many names.
Her name is Tiamat.
A dragon deity of evil, standing alongside Bahamut, the Platinum Dragon God, in notoriety within the pantheon of dragon gods.
Among all dragon gods, these two are among the most powerful and widely venerated.
The sudden contact from the Mother of All Evil Dragons put Garon on high alert.
The Metal Dragon God had once advised Garon to distrust everything the Mother of All Evil Dragons said to him. Even without this warning, Garon was well aware—Tiamat is a cunning and malevolent deity, adept at seducing and corrupting dragon hearts.
She revels in destroying beauty and has even plotted to kill Bahamut to seize his power.
Many of the divine carcasses scattered across the astral sea fell victim to Tiamat's schemes and malevolence.
What could be her motive?
Could it be related to the Dragon Court?
Garon wondered silently.
Without making any noise, he focused his thoughts on the platinum dragon scale given to him by Bahamut.
In the primary material plane, deities can only exert a fraction of their power.
But one should never underestimate a deity.
Especially Tiamat, a powerful dragon god.
"Great Dragon Queen, I remember you,"
Garon replied mentally, maintaining respect due to a deity of his kin.
Tiamat, who has lived through countless eons and endless ages, might only be a lesser deity, but her power is immeasurable. Even as a Time Dragon, Garon knew to respect such a being, not because of his soul transmigration, but because his unique identity as a Time Dragon attracted special attention, not his soul's origin.
"Smart little one,"
Tiamat responded with amusement.
"If you wish to become my consort, I can grant you unparalleled physical pleasures and will assist you in becoming an ancient Time Dragon. If you desire divinity, I have ways to help you achieve godhood."
"What do you think?"
Her voice, dripping with seduction, momentarily swayed Garon's spirit.
But he quickly steadied himself.
Tiamat's personal life, as recorded in the annals of history, is notably chaotic.
It's said that in Tiamat's divine realm, all male dragons of ancient lineage are actually her consorts. Her realm is also her harem.
And rumors have circulated that Tiamat has developed an interest in collecting unique dragons for her harem.
Whether true or not, Garon couldn't say.
"Great Dragon Queen, I am still in my juvenile phase. Isn't this somewhat inappropriate?"
Garon tactfully declined.
"Hmm?"
"Are you refusing my invitation?"
"You should know, becoming my consort is a great honor for a dragon."
Tiamat's voice grew slightly colder.
Garon remained silent, not responding.
The platinum dragon scale was ready, and he could call upon Bahamut, the god of goodness and justice, at any moment.
But doing so would be tantamount to openly defying Tiamat, and Garon held back, not wanting to use the scale prematurely.
"Hehe, you soul-transmigrated dragons are both a delight and a frustration to me."
In the almost frozen atmosphere, Tiamat suddenly spoke.
Hearing her, Garon felt a chill down his spine, revealing his greatest secret, involuntarily fostering a trace of fear.
"I don't understand what you're saying."
Garon responded.
"Not understand?" Tiamat scoffed.
Then, she continued, "Throughout the endless ages of the multiverse, there have been numerous dragons like you, born of chromatic dragons—my children."
Her once cold voice now carried a gentle breeze's warmth.
"Little one, there's no need to fear."
"Since you were born within a dragon and proclaimed your true name, you are a true dragon."
"Moreover, do you really think your soul-transmigrated condition could escape the notice of dragon gods?"
"We dragon gods won't deliberately trouble soul-transmigrated dragons."
Garon fell silent once more.
The secret he thought he held was nothing in the eyes of the dragon gods.
To them, he was simply a dragon, attracting special attention and care as a Time Dragon, not because of his soul's origin.
"I also know your mother was a white dragon."
"With chromatic dragon blood flowing in your veins, by that account, you are my child."
Tiamat's voice became nurturing and gentle.
Garon remained unmoved.
"Garon, you are my most outstanding child, my embrace is always open to you."
"One day, you will stand before me and understand my selfless love for you."
Garon kept his silence, closing his eyes.
He was convinced that everything Tiamat said was malevolent.
Under that premise, no matter what Tiamat said, he wouldn't be swayed or seduced.
In essence: Ignoring her words, Tiamat's preachings fall on deaf ears.
On the other hand, seeing Garon's resistance, Tiamat remained relatively gentle, not reverting to her initial cold and malevolent demeanor.
"My child, I have prepared a gift for you, which you might like."
"Do you want to know what it is?"
Tiamat proactively asked, making it difficult for Garon to maintain his silence.
Garon was indifferent to this so-called gift.
Tiamat intended to give it, and he wouldn't refuse, but he planned to discard it as far away as possible afterward to avoid any traps waiting for him.
"Of course, I look forward to a gift from the Dragon Mother,"
Garon stated.
Tiamat smiled softly, slowly revealing, "The gift I have prepared for you is—a sealed Time Aberration, Feiani."
Simultaneously,
Tiamat transmitted information about Feiani to Garon.
Upon learning this, Garon's eyes sparkled, a hint of desire flashing through them.
Aberrations are unexpected products of divine attempts, failures deemed by the gods, each possessing terrifying power. Being failures, they are despised and abandoned by their creators, harboring hatred and a destructive desire towards the world. Hard to kill like gods, most are sealed away by the deities.
Occasionally, an aberration breaking its seal and entering the primary material world would cause catastrophic destruction.
The Time Aberration mentioned by Tiamat was an unwanted child of an unknown deity associated with time, personally abandoned.
If Garon could obtain the Time Aberration and harness its power, his growth would accelerate dramatically.
"This would be a great boon for you,"
Garon wavered.
"Thank you for your gift,"
He planned to adapt to whatever Tiamat intended after obtaining Feiani.
After hearing Garon's response,
Tiamat stated, "This gift represents a mother's love for her child."
"I will give you the location of the primary material world where the Time Aberration is sealed. You must retrieve it yourself."
Then, Tiamat provided Garon with a world coordinate.
Seemingly recalling something after Garon received the coordinates, Tiamat casually added, "Oh, by the way, there's a powerful barrier at the location of the Time Aberration's seal."
"When you go there, remember to bring the Iron Dragon King. That barrier can only be opened by the king of the Iron Dragons."
The Iron Dragon King?
What kind of barrier specifically requires the Iron Dragon King to open?
Garon was puzzled, but he nodded, saying, "I understand, Great Dragon Mother, thank you for your gift."
"Go and retrieve it quickly. If you're too late, it might break free from its seal and escape, making it difficult to capture."
Tiamat's voice grew fainter until it completely vanished.
Afterward, Garon took a deep breath.
He reviewed the conversation with the Dragon Mother, analyzing her motives word by word.
Honestly, Garon didn't believe the Mother of All Evil Dragons was so benevolent as to contact him just to give him a significant gift.
However, knowing what the Time Aberration was, Garon couldn't ignore its existence.
For Garon, the sealed Time Aberration was a feast too tempting to pass up, real or not, he couldn't help but want to try.
"But, my current thoughts are exactly what the Dragon Mother expects."
Garon was aware of this, yet the desire to obtain the Time Aberration was irresistible.
Eventually, after taking several deep breaths, his emotions gradually calmed.
Though Garon couldn't overlook the existence of the Time Aberration and was very eager for it, he was not reckless.
Without understanding the Dragon Mother's intentions, he wouldn't set out.
As a Time Dragon, even without the Time Aberration, he would grow stronger with the passage of time. It would be regrettable if his craving for power led to an unfortunate fate midway.
Garon quietly considered the coordinates of the plane, then shook his head, temporarily setting the thought aside.
Soon, a week passed.
Thanks to the pacification efforts of several ancient dragons, the tensions among Kala's dragon populace had temporarily subsided.
Meanwhile, following Garon's orders, the legendary dragons investigating the killers of dragons relayed a message to Garon.
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