In the Dragon Bay of the continent of Faerûn, it was another sunny, peaceful, and comfortable day for the blue dragon clan living there.
Under the gentle breeze, the sea glittered under the bright sunlight, displaying a faint golden shimmer. The blue sky reflected on the water surface, and numerous plump fish swam below.
Several blue dragons, perched on jutting cliffs with their wings spread out, were picking their teeth. They squinted in the sunlight, occasionally turning their heads to see if any ships strayed into the bay so they could plunder them to enrich their hoard.
"Ah, that human empire to the north is becoming more and more powerful," one blue dragon said.
"They've even got floating cities moving into the Meteor Sea."
"Good thing those archmages aren't too ambitious, or they might have taken over all of Faerûn by now."
Another blue dragon lifted its head, grumbling discontentedly.
"Remember the Eastern Automaton Empire that tried to dominate Faerûn? Where are they now?"
"Hmph, sooner or later, all those arrogant cities will fall."
Time flowed quietly in such a tranquil atmosphere.
Half an hour later, the fabric of space-time suddenly rippled intensely.
All the blue dragons looked up simultaneously, their vertical pupils gleaming with a dangerous sharpness.
While these blue dragons couldn't detect fluctuations in time, their keen senses as top-tier magical creatures allowed them to perceive changes in spatial energies.
This wasn't the first time something like this had happened.
Once, a spellcaster had wandered into Dragon Bay by accident and, unsurprisingly, was captured by the blue dragon clan. They stripped him clean, not even sparing the magical material underwear.
"Uh?"
"Daring to open a spatial portal in my Dragon Bay, these blind fools."
Before the sentence was completed, an enormous dragon nearly seventy meters long emerged from a portal in space-time, transitioning from a phantom to a solid form and appearing in the skies above.
With majestic crown-like horns, dazzling golden scales, a hundred-meter wingspan, and rings of black scales around its body, the enormous dragon struck awe into the blue dragons, who gaped in silence, unable to utter a word.
By Tiamat, was this a dragon god descending into the material world?
Garon's massive size was profoundly shocking to the local dragons.
Even the ancient dragons of their clan seemed like children compared to Garon.
Looking at the golden dragon with platinum dragon pupils, some blue dragons recalled another name for the Metal Dragon God, the Platinum Dragon God.
Could it be because our blue dragon clan has committed too many misdeeds, robbing our kin, the metal dragons, too often that the Platinum Dragon God has come to punish us?
Some of the blue dragons shrunk back, their imaginations running wild with fear.
"What do you wish to say?"
Garon looked down at the blue dragon who had spoken out of turn.
That dragon, not even twenty meters long, stammered under Garon's gaze, nearly spinning in place from nervousness.
Garon shook his head slightly, not bothering with these minor creatures.
He then surveyed his surroundings.
The steep cliffs of the bay and the boundless ocean caught his eye, while the sound of the roaring waves echoed in his ears.
"So, this is the Meteor Sea's Dragon Bay?"
Garon paused for a moment, realizing where he was.
Looking at the blue dragons who had their heads buried, afraid of being noticed by Garon, he chuckled, "This blue dragon clan and I seem to have a fate."
He remembered his last visit here.
The blue dragon clan had mistaken him for a silver dragon and challenged him.
Garon had then mercilessly plundered the entire Dragon Bay as a small punishment.
Now, a similar scene unfolded once again.
The blue dragon clan had just given Garon a reason to plunder them again.
However, Garon, now the lord of the Dragon Court and tasked with the duty to restore the dragon race's glory, would not bother with these minor dragons who meant no offense.
"Meteor Sea, long time no see."
Garon ignored the blue dragon clan, gazing at the vast blue ocean.
Here in the depths of the Meteor Sea, Garon had once hidden to escape the pursuit of celestial angels and later to avoid the attention of divine beings.
"If those divine beings were to come again,"
"All of them together might not be able to oppose me."
Garon's gaze was profound as he looked eastward.
The flow rate difference between the main timeline and this timeline was nearly a hundredfold.
Since Garon's last visit to the continent of Faerûn, nearly ten years had passed, meaning this world had experienced a millennium of time, evolving into a different landscape.
The once glorious Imaskar Empire was now likely just a legend, recorded only in the history of this world.
Garon also noticed the floating cities in the sky.
Not just one.
His vision, now infinitely extended, observed that nearly every hundred miles in the sky, a floating city stood majestically.
Countless cities floated between the heavens.
Even more so, Garon noticed that in the depths of the Meteor Sea, thousands of meters below, there was a city within a magical formation, its glaring elemental light nearly piercing through the layers of the Meteor Sea.
And every city lord was at least a legendary archmage.
In Garon's field of vision alone, he could see thousands of floating cities.
And beyond his sight, there were undoubtedly even more traces of such cities.
By now, the power scale of the Netheril Empire could indeed be described as imperial.
This empire referred not to the form of Netheril's nation but to an acknowledgment of its composite strength, which was actually a confederation of city-states formed by individual archmages.
"I wonder if Iolem is still alive."
This timeline was one Garon had visited before.
He had not opened a new timeline.
Because of Garon's arrival a millennium ago, the historical trajectory of this world had changed, accelerating its development and bringing about many unusual alterations.
Some things that shouldn't exist were now present at this point in time.
Meanwhile, some people who should exist might no longer be around.
However, Garon felt that crucial figures in major historical events would not easily perish or vanish.
Karsus, the archmage who developed the ascension spell, Garon believed he would also have been born.
If not, he would open a new timeline to find him.
Garon came here because he had left traces here before, and the Netheril Empire would inevitably have legends about him. Seeking Karsus and his ascension spell would be much simpler under these circumstances.
If Iolem was still alive, that would make things even easier.
Given Iolem's contributions to Netheril, he was rightly hailed as the King of Arcanists of Nether.
Meanwhile, a voice filled with awe in Draconic rose from below.
"This mighty and magnificent dragon, please forgive these little ones for their thoughtlessness."
"I apologize on their behalf."
"To soothe your anger, I am willing to offer a treasure from our hoard."
Garon looked down.
A blue dragon, forty-three meters long with sky-blue scales, stood at the top of the bay, bowing respectfully to him.
Sniffing the scent of this blue dragon, Garon chuckled and said, "
It seems you have forgotten me, Phelin Sicilia."
Hearing the golden dragon accurately call out her name, the ancient blue dragon was stunned.
At the same time, the layers of golden scales lost their color, and Garon once again appeared as a silver dragon in the eyes of the many blue dragons.
The ancient blue dragon hesitated for a moment, then as if remembering something, her eyes widened.
Dragons have always had a strong memory.
The silver dragon in her view had changed greatly in size, and now had an additional pair of horns and a much more majestic and profound appearance, but the leader of the Sicilia blue dragon clan, after a brief moment of discernment, recognized Garon.
This was the dragon who had first offended Garon, leading to the plundering of the entire blue dragon clan.
A millennium had quietly passed.
She too had grown into an ancient dragon.
Perhaps because she had experienced being plundered by a stronger dragon, her response to propose a remedy was not undeservedly quick.
"You are the source of the fall of the ancient Imaskar Empire, the destroyer of empires, known as the Calamity of Silver, that elder?"
"We have met once before."
"I am honored to see you again."
The ancient blue dragon, whose spirit had endured many trials, took a deep breath and spoke.
This dragon, who had plundered their blue dragon clan and then caused the destruction of the ancient automaton empire, had returned to Faerûn!
It was said that a thousand years ago, after the destruction of the Imaskar Empire, this dragon who looted in the chaos and took away the six Imaskar artifacts had left the material world, its whereabouts unknown.
The last place it appeared was in the floating city of the great archmage Iolem.
"This world might change again."
The ancient blue dragon thought inwardly as she looked at the majestic figure.
The appearance of this profoundly powerful dragon seemed to herald the eruption of unimaginable major events.
Garon's recollection of his notorious reputation and aliases made him smile.
He hadn't cared then, and he didn't now.
"Tell me about the events that have happened in this world over the past thousand years."
He folded his wings and landed atop the bay, speaking in a calm tone to the ancient dragon beside him.
The ancient blue dragon nodded, "I am most willing, but there are many events that have occurred over the millennium. To tell them all will take some time, please be patient and stay a while longer."
Garon replied calmly, "That is fine, I am not in a hurry."
The ancient blue dragon's face brightened as she instructed the younger dragons of her clan, "Bring food and wine to entertain our elder."
One by one, the blue dragons flapped their wings, bringing many magic beasts suitable for the dragon's palate, and laid them out on top of the bay.
Jeweled fish with gem-like scales, crabs with claws over ten meters long, and squid and octopuses with tentacles longer than ten meters were among the offerings. Being coastal dwellers, their diet mainly consisted of magical creatures from the sea.
Garon did not hold back, quietly savoring the food provided by the blue dragon clan.
Meanwhile, the ancient blue dragon recounted the major historical events of the millennium.
Garon listened, gaining a clearer understanding of Faerûn's historical context.
One point of interest was the period between the fall of the Imaskar Empire and the rise of the Netheril Empire, during which a new empire emerged from the ruins of the ancient Imaskar.
The Enser Empire.
Initially, when Garon heard of the Enser Empire, he thought the Netheril Empire might have battled Enser to witness its moment of imperial glory.
Because, according to the ancient blue dragon, the burgeoning Netheril Empire had already aroused the enmity of Enser at the time.
The deities of Enser, led by the divine saints, considered subduing Netheril while it was still growing.
However, unexpectedly, this nation founded by divine saints was fleeting and did not last long.
This was due to Enser spellcasters accidentally opening a planar gate to an orcish realm during a spell experiment.
Countless orc legions poured into Faerûn, igniting a war with the Enser Empire.
These orcs were not like the unsupported orcs of the ancient Imaskar Empire; they were also protected by orcish deities. Several orcish gods descended in the form of divine avatars, coordinating with the endless orc armies to devastate the Enser Empire.
The saints who had once toppled the Imaskar Empire mostly died at the hands of these orcish saints.
The orc legions, having suffered heavy losses, no longer invaded this world.
"Such is the capriciousness of fate."
Garon shook his head slightly.
Who would have thought that an empire with dozens of demigod saints, more powerful than the ancient Imaskar Empire and the current Netheril Empire, would exist for only a brief time?
"Perhaps the native deities of Faerûn played a role."
Garon mused silently.
The divine saints from other worlds, having come here, were bound to divide the faith with the local gods, who would hardly welcome them. Thus, the rapid fall of the Enser Empire seemed inevitable.
As for the current Netheril Empire, described by the ancient blue dragon, it could only be characterized as thriving.
Countless floating cities flew across the skies of Faerûn.
In addition, there were similar underwater cities deep in the Meteor Sea.
Floating cities adjacent to the outer planes were also not uncommon.
However, the current arcanists, elevated above others due to their lofty positions, even began to regard all races other than arcanists as inferior, treating even their human kin the same way.
Garon wasn't surprised by this.
The Iolem he knew was mild-mannered and willing to contribute, but what Garon knew was that his contributions were to the nation of arcanists.
Iolem was inherently proud; otherwise, he wouldn't have claimed that deities were merely arcanists who had mastered the ultimate magic.
Looking at the development history of Netheril, it seemed to be smooth sailing.
The threat from the orcs had been quickly resolved, and during the most critical period of development, the potential threats from the Automaton Empire and the Enser Empire had successively fallen due to various reasons.
Such a fate-favored development could explain why the Netheril arcanists gradually became arrogant.
After all, they hadn't experienced the trials of fire and blood.
Garon took out a communication crystal, infused it with magic, and tried to call Iolem to communicate with him.
However, he received no response.
Communication crystals couldn't last a thousand years, and the one Iolem held that recorded Garon's magical fluctuations had likely decayed.
"Is the great arcanist of the Netheril Empire, Iolem, still alive?"
Garon asked the ancient blue dragon.
The ancient blue dragon thought carefully, then shook her head, "I'm not sure."
"This arcanist is known as a demigod in Nether, recognized by all great arcanists as the closest to divinity, the King of Arcanists."
"However, his last public appearance was over three hundred years ago."
"Whether he is
still alive is uncertain."
Hearing the ancient blue dragon's response, Garon frowned slightly, then relaxed.
"Iolem has the spell of eternal life; he wouldn't die from age limits."
"Such a great arcanist wouldn't likely die unless it was due to some accident."
Garon felt that Iolem was most likely still alive.
He needed the spell of ascension, and first, he had to find the great arcanist Karsus.
It would be best with Iolem's help.
Now, whether Karsus had been born was uncertain, and finding him would be challenging if he hadn't yet gained fame as a great arcanist.
As the day turned to evening and the sky filled with fiery sunset hues, Garon had learned much about the current state of Faerûn from the ancient blue dragon.
Looking up at a city floating in the sky, Garon smacked his lips.
"The great arcanists I knew, if they are still alive, must be among the elder statesmen of the Netheril Empire."
Garon decided to visit the floating city nearest to him to inquire about Iolem.
The ancient blue dragon might have lived for a millennium and seen much, but she certainly knew less about her own matters than Netheril's great arcanists.
"Elder, you are welcome to visit Dragon Bay anytime."
Finally, under the watchful eyes of many blue dragons, the silver dragon spread its wings and soared into the night sky. The gusts of wind stirred by its flapping wings nearly caused some of the younger blue dragons to lose their footing.
"Clan leader, how powerful is this elder compared to you?"
A young blue dragon looked up admiringly and asked the ancient blue dragon.
"Shh, do not discuss our elder."
"Just remember to maintain reverence and respect for such beings."
The ancient blue dragon did not answer.
She knew in her heart that the silver dragon who had just departed might have stepped into the realm of deities. Speaking carelessly might bring trouble to her clan.
Netheril's floating cities nearly covered the sky.
The nearest floating city was less than a hundred miles from Dragon Bay.
For Garon, such a distance was covered in a blink.
Under the twilight sky, the massive silver dragon reached the high altitude of thousands of meters, rapidly approaching the floating city among the fiery sunset clouds.
Because of his relationship with Iolem, Garon harbored goodwill towards the Netheril Empire.
Therefore, he did not intrude rashly but politely released a harmless dragon aura, signaling his arrival.
The gentle dragon aura swept across the edge of the floating city, and to Garon's surprise, when it touched the edge of the city, a transparent, wave-like shield flickered for a moment, blocking his dragon aura, then disappeared again.
Garon's released dragon aura was naturally not his full strength.
It was roughly equivalent to the legendary dragon aura of a typical ancient dragon.
However, seeing how easily the city's shield fended it off, one could appreciate the strength of its defenses.
Yet Garon's surprise was not due to the shield.
Floating cities needed shields to defend against the high winds and cold of the sky, but the type of shield was somewhat unusual.
It was a Locking Mirage.
A specialty of high elves, the Locking Mirage now appeared on the human arcanist's floating city, thus surprising Garon.
Having fought with the elf race for years, Garon recognized the Locking Mirage shielding the floating city at a glance.
At that moment, the floating city appeared as a ring, with numerous magic-patterned towers standing tall among its structures. The buildings had no fixed style; there were hollow metal high-rises, floating buildings hovering within the city, tree houses wrapped in vines, and cloud houses built from clouds.
Arcanists, according to their preferences, had turned the floating city into a bustling, exotic place without any repetition.
"These arcanists, they've even cracked the Locking Mirage."
Garon thought it was probably Iolem's work.
During his days of discussing magic with Iolem, Garon had mentioned the high elves' Locking Mirage, and Iolem had expressed great interest, noting that if it could be used on floating cities, it would be an excellent defense.
Now, it seemed, he had succeeded.
This great arcanist seldom failed once he had a magical concept.
At the same time.
Because the Locking Mirage encountered an impact, many arcanists living in the floating city were slightly startled, looking up to see the giant beast between the clouds.
Even for the lofty arcanists, witnessing Garon's enormous dragon form firsthand was unavoidably nerve-wracking.
"What level of dragon is this?"
"Why is it so big!"
"I've seen the biggest dragon at just over thirty meters, and even that was a legendary creature."
The streets filled with arcanists exclaimed.
The silver dragon among the clouds brought a tremendous shock.
A seventy-meter-long dragon had never been recorded in the history of the Netheril Empire.
Previously, the largest dragon recorded in this magical empire's history was the Calamity of Silver, known to have a close relationship with the King of Arcanists, at nearly fifty meters long, already the undisputed largest in Faerûn.
Because they didn't feel any malice from the dragon, even the arcanists, who usually held themselves in high esteem, didn't want to provoke such a powerful creature.
Therefore, the arcanists guarding the floating city were just on alert, waiting for the city lord to appear, without gathering attack spells.
At the same time, the city's lord, one of the great arcanists, sensed the disturbance and flew out from the tallest spell tower.
"Hello, mighty dragon lord."
"What brings you to my floating city?"
Without foolishly provoking the dragon, the mature female great arcanist smiled warmly and spoke to Garon confidently.
She appeared to be in her thirties, with fair skin and adorned with delicate earrings, necklaces, and other accessories. Her tight-fitting magic robe highlighted her voluptuous figure.
Her attire, from head to toe, was magical, emitting a rather strong elemental glow.
As for her actual age, she was over six hundred years old.
Clearly, she was one of the great arcanists who had preserved her human appearance and mind through the spell of eternal life.
As she spoke, this great arcanist boldly opened the Locking Mirage, allowing Garon to enter.
This breadth of mind and perspective made Garon see her in a new light. She must have known the Locking Mirage couldn't stop him, but even so, it took a solid temperament to actively lower defenses.
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