"Alright, alright, let's play a game. We'll play cat and mouse. You be the cat, and I'll be the mouse."
"Heehee, if you catch me, I'll go with you to the Hero Domain without resistance."
"But, as the king of the Hero Domain, the master of the praised spirits, I don't think you can catch me."
The Fairy Dragon God winked at the silver dragon, flashed a big smile, spun around like chasing its own tail, and split into billions of illusions, singing, spinning, twisting, and running in all directions.
In an instant, countless Fairy Dragon Gods filled the surrounding space and scattered at incredible speeds.
The silver dragon in the sky shook its head from side to side, seemingly trying to locate the true body of the Fairy Dragon God.
Among the billions of Fairy Dragon Gods, one of them had almost completely concealed its aura and was speeding towards the southeast.
The other Fairy Dragon Gods carried faint waves of extraordinary divine power, with some even bursting with divine light, dazzling like the sun.
Anomalies always indicate something unusual. After a brief hesitation, the silver dragon chased the least conspicuous Fairy Dragon.
Under the milk-white moonlight, the countless ancient tree branches in the green woodland swayed with the night wind, and a chase between dragons ensued.
After some time.
In the fairy flower sea, where the Fairy Dragon God first appeared, the many white buds were swaying.
A gust of night wind blew, and the flower branches trembled, transforming into the Fairy Dragon God.
The tiny Fairy Dragon God fluttered its butterfly-like wings, wrinkled its nose, stood on two legs, put its hands on its hips, and showed a proud expression.
"Hmph, I've never lost at playing games."
"What's a Time Dragon anyway?"
"Let me take a nap and see when you'll realize you chased the wrong one."
Not intending to take the opportunity to leave, the Fairy Dragon God turned back into a flower, swaying in the wind, letting down its guard against Garon considerably.
Meanwhile.
A sudden change occurred.
The countless petals dancing in the air, the gentle night wind, the swaying flowers, the delicate fairies—all things came to a standstill, like a beautiful three-dimensional painting.
Silent ripples appeared on the river of time.
The silver dragon's body leaped out from the river of time and had already transformed into a gigantic divine form, its wings covering the sky. All beings under the wings could only see a dragon wing sky curtain imprinted with a ring pattern.
A resplendent silver dragon claw, as large as a continent, descended from the sky, like the sky falling, pressing down on the frozen sea of flowers.
Garon returned, and in a surprise attack while the Fairy Dragon God was off guard, he locked onto its position and gave his all.
Under the dragon claw's domain, time resumed its flow.
The flower rain continued to scatter, filling the sky, and became wild and violent due to the descending dragon claw. Countless small fairies screamed and hugged each other as they looked at the falling dragon claw.
However, the time stop had not been entirely lifted.
The time stop domain changed from a large range to a targeted skill surrounding only the Fairy Dragon God.
Without meaningless consumption, the effect became even stronger.
This was an extension of Garon's original time abilities, enhanced after his ascension.
The time stop domain, which previously covered a large area indiscriminately, could now be fully concentrated on a single individual, sacrificing range for greater effect.
The Fairy Dragon God had already transformed back into its original form, bursting with full power, radiant light, and shaking with extraordinary divine power. However, it still felt as if an invisible shackle, as heavy as a thousand mountains, was restraining it, making movement difficult.
Authority of Enchantment: Disarray.
The Fairy Dragon God raised its head, its body radiating a dazzling, mesmerizing luster.
In an instant, chaotic emotions arose in Garon's mind, and countless false illusions and trivial memories surged, causing him to pause briefly.
Taking advantage of the moment Garon was enchanted, the Fairy Dragon God murmured an obscure incantation.
In the green woodland, various types of elemental energies converged and gathered at the Fairy Dragon God's location.
Authority of Magic: Plane Warp.
Under the guidance of divine power, the elemental energies formed a structure and attached to the Fairy Dragon God's body, making it begin to blur.
However, before it could successfully leave through magic, the dragon claw pressed down again, contracting inward.
The power of time, like countless threads, penetrated the space and wove into a net.
Time and space lock!
Time and space were simultaneously locked, and the Fairy Dragon God seemed to collide with an indestructible barrier, causing the elemental energy light on its body to dissipate.
"Huh?"
The Fairy Dragon God was dumbfounded.
It hadn't expected Garon to break free from its enchantment so quickly and interrupt its warping spell.
Garon was an all-around powerhouse, no, more accurately, a perfect war god. His mental will was not a weak point and had been tempered by the Holy Light of the Radiant Heaven, making his will exceptionally strong.
"I surrender, I surrender."
"You've won, don't waste any more power, don't hurt the fairies. I'll go back with you."
The Fairy Dragon God looked dejected, its wings drooping at its sides, and it turned into a stream of light, voluntarily flying into Garon's dragon claw, where it was grasped and no longer resisted, sealed by Garon's power of time.
Then.
The gigantic dragon slowly shrank, returning to a size of a hundred meters.
Garon's sharp claws held the Fairy Dragon God's long tail, shaking it back and forth in front of his eyes.
"Stop playing dead, come with me to face judgment."
Garon said calmly.
The Fairy Dragon God rolled its eyes and said sullenly, "We're of the same race, and you're my junior. Don't be so serious. After all, I'm a Dragon God. Well, no, a Dragon God who betrayed its own pantheon. I understand why you're so serious."
Garon ignored it and prepared to leave.
However, a dark green light descended from the sky, turning the space, including Garon, into an emerald color.
Looking up, through the planar barrier, Garon vaguely saw a grand structure of intertwined vines and flowers, resembling a double-decker palace. Inside, ten small figures stood against the light, gazing at Garon.
"The Fey Pantheon, the Court of Joy."
Garon squinted, confirming the identity of the newcomer.
The Fey Pantheon was a highly divided and conflicted pantheon.
It was split into the Court of Joy and the Court of Sorrow and Rage.
The chief deity of the Court of Joy was the Fairy Queen Titania, and within the Court of Joy were eleven fey spirits, including the Fairy Dragon God.
The chief deity of the Court of Sorrow and Rage was the Dark Queen, the dark sister of the Fairy Queen, who enjoyed twisting the minds of fairies, dragging them into darkness, and imprisoning and torturing many fairies. She had no other divine members and was the arch-enemy of the Court of Joy.
The Court of Joy did not remain in a fixed outer plane but mainly moved around the Boundless Wilds, Mount Celestia, and the Golden Hills.
"Garon Aurelian, Dragon of Eternity and Time."
"Please release our member of the Court of Joy. The Court of Joy does not wish to stand against the Dragon God System."
A soft and elegant voice echoed.
At the same time, a figure left the Court of Joy drifting in the planar rift and descended in a green light.
She appeared human, standing only two inches tall, with a particularly petite and delicate figure, wearing a beautiful emerald dress adorned with tiny flowers. She was incredibly beautiful, with fair skin, and had delicate, transparent wings on her back.
The Fairy Queen, Titania, a deity of great power, with a divine rank of seventeen.
Fairies were inherently weak, and the combat power of fey spirits was not strong. Among deities of the same rank, they were often at a disadvantage.
However, as a deity of great power and a chief deity, the Fairy Queen was not to be underestimated, despite being relatively weaker compared to other chief deities. Her petite body contained formidable divine power.
"Fairy Queen, if the Court of Joy does not wish to oppose the Dragon God System, then do not interfere in the affairs of our dragon gods."
Garon frowned slightly and responded.
The Fairy Queen looked at the Fairy Dragon God, who was being held by Garon, and shook her head. "Nailskyaak is a member of the Court of Joy. Though only an outer court member, they still belong to the Court of Joy. The Court of Joy will not sit idly by."
The Court of Joy had inner and outer courts.
The true core was the inner court gods. The Fairy Dragon God, not being a true fairy, was an outer court god and held a low status in the Court of Joy.
Garon glanced disdainfully at the Fairy Dragon God, not understanding why it had abandoned the Dragon God System to join the Fey Pantheon, and its treatment didn't seem great either.
"Whimper, whimper, little Nia, I may be just an outer court god, but you defend me so much. I'm so touched."
The Fairy Dragon God squirmed like a worm in Garon's dragon claw.
"But, as an outer court god, even if I'm gone, you wouldn't really be sad, right?"
Hearing the Fairy Dragon God's words, the Fairy Queen frowned and said softly, "Nailskyaak, you are a valued member
of my pantheon. Do not belittle yourself."
The Fairy Dragon God's eyes lit up and said, "In that case, little Nia, divorce that weak and overly proud Oberon and make me your consort. Also, elevate me to the inner court, and we can rule the Court of Joy together."
The figure inside the virtual court swayed slightly.
Oberon, the Fairy Queen's consort, was a deity of moderate power.
"You—"
The Fairy Queen wanted to scold the Fairy Dragon God.
Garon interrupted their conversation, his tone steady and calm, "Queen, if your Court of Joy does not wish to oppose the Dragon God System, then do not block my way. Otherwise, the Court of Sorrow and Rage will become the legitimate faction of the Fey Pantheon."
The fey spirits were not strong in battle, and the Court of Joy had no capital to contend with the Dragon God System.
If a conflict arose, even if the Court of Joy joined forces with the Court of Sorrow and Rage, they could only hold on for a while but could not ultimately contend.
The Fairy Queen understood this.
Moreover, the dragon race, like cornered beasts, had become increasingly fierce, and starting a war again was very likely.
At that time, faced with the wrath of the dragon gods, the Fey Pantheon would be torn to pieces.
To gamble the future of the Court of Joy for a Fairy Dragon God who joined midway... the Fairy Queen hesitated.
Meanwhile, noticing Titania's hesitation, the Fairy Dragon God's eyes rolled, and it instead comforted her, speaking righteously, "It's okay, little Nia. Don't feel troubled or guilty."
"I'm very grateful for your company in playing games, but Garon Aurelian is right. After all, I am a dragon god. This is an internal matter of the dragon gods, and the Court of Joy doesn't need to get involved."
Hearing the Fairy Dragon God's words, Titania hesitated even more.
The more righteous the Fairy Dragon God appeared, the more her heart struggled.
This guy... Garon looked down at the Fairy Dragon God.
He saw that this guy, looking at the conflicted Fairy Queen, was secretly laughing, as if a prank had succeeded, feeling very pleased, with its long tail raised high.
On the other side, the Fairy Queen sighed and looked at Garon, her delicate face becoming solemn and dignified, filled with a sense of authority.
"You may take Nailskyaak and judge his actions according to your dragon clan's rules."
"But, as he now belongs to the Court of Joy, if you go too far, the Court of Joy will not stand by."
Upon hearing this, the Fairy Dragon God wept and put on a sincere expression, "Little Nia, I knew you still loved me. Please wait for my return."
Next, the Fairy Queen and the Court of Joy disappeared, and Garon took the Fairy Dragon God back to the Hero Domain, entering the Metallic Dragon God's divine kingdom in the second layer of Sky Garden.
In the stabilized divine kingdom, Garon came to the hall where the Metallic Dragon God resided.
In the hall, a golden dragon turned its head and looked at Garon.
Garon released his claw, letting the tiny Fairy Dragon God go.
"Bahamuth, should I kill him?"
Garon asked seriously.
The Fairy Dragon God's body trembled, "Hey, hey, don't kill gods so casually. I haven't done much to wrong the dragon clan, just some small pranks and tricks."
The Metallic Dragon God gazed at the Fairy Dragon God and said slowly, "Nailskyaak, have you had enough fun? The dragon clan is in crisis and needs all its strength as a bargaining chip. Lead your fairy dragon kin back to the dragon clan."
Upon hearing this, the Fairy Dragon God's frivolous expression changed to one of seriousness.
"Bahamuth, have you forgotten how you treated me back then? Have you forgotten why I left the Dragon God System?"
"You casually want me to return to the dragon clan with just one word now. Don't you think that's too much?"
The Fairy Dragon God questioned repeatedly.
Beside them, the silver dragon showed a trace of curiosity.
Garon was curious about the reason for the Fairy Dragon God's departure from the Dragon God System. When he first asked the Metallic Dragon God, he didn't get a straight answer.
Now, listening to the Fairy Dragon God's tone, it seemed that the Metallic Dragon God had done something deeply offensive, angering him, leading to his departure.
Under Garon's gaze, the Metallic Dragon God showed a pained expression and said helplessly, "I just didn't have time to play with you back then. Don't make it sound like I committed some heinous crime."
Garon: ...
So, it was such a simple and childish reason.
But thinking about the Fairy Dragon God's mischievous nature, his 'running away from home' seemed reasonable.
The Fairy Dragon God snorted, circling the Metallic Dragon God, and said, "You promised to play with me but, as the grand deputy chief deity, you broke your promise and hid from me. And after I left the Dragon God System, you didn't even come to persuade me."
The Metallic Dragon God thought for a moment, his eyes becoming firm, as if making a decision.
"I will play with you for a thousand years. Let's forget the past."
The Fairy Dragon God's angry expression changed, shaking his tail, "Are you serious?"
The Metallic Dragon God's dragon face showed a worried expression, "Garon can be a witness here. I will keep my promise."
Playing with the Fairy Dragon God was a very tiring task.
"Alright, we can reconcile."
The Fairy Dragon God beamed with joy.
"But I don't want to leave the Court of Joy. The fairies respect me and are willing to play with me. Little Nia is also very interesting. I aspire to be her king consort."
"Hehe, now kind little Nia feels very guilty and remorseful. When I return to the Court of Joy, she will surely find ways to make it up to me."
"By then, I'll have the chance to become little Nia's partner and have her accompany me forever."
Imagining a beautiful future, the Fairy Dragon God squinted in comfort.
Upon hearing this, the Metallic Dragon God's expression became solemn and dignified, his voice low, "Nailskyaak, after the dragon clan's crisis is over, you can play however you like. But under the current circumstances, I will not allow you to continue your mischief."
"If you insist on staying in the Fey Pantheon, I will have to perform my duty as the deputy chief deity and judge you."
Betraying one's pantheon was a capital offense in any pantheon.
Knowing the gravity of the situation and the dragon clan's current predicament, the Fairy Dragon God did not argue with the Metallic Dragon God, wrinkling his nose, "Alright, since you insist, I'll lead the fairy dragon kin back."
At this point, Garon looked at the Metallic Dragon God, his eyes thoughtful, and said, "Bahamuth, there's no need to rush to a conclusion."
"Letting Nailskyaak stay in the Court of Joy is not a bad thing."
The Metallic Dragon God's eyes moved slightly, "Oh? What do you mean?"
Garon pondered for a moment and said slowly, "In the face of the gods' blockade, I am thinking that maybe we can weaken and ultimately disintegrate it from within."
"Now, the Dragon God System is flourishing, naturally attracting the gods' jealousy and targeting. However, this jealousy and targeting are based on seeing the Dragon God System as a hypothetical enemy and not wanting to see the dragon race rise again. The stronger the gods and pantheons, the more they target us to protect their divine rights."
"But for weaker gods and pantheons, whether the dragon race regains dominance actually has little impact on them. It might even be a good thing because their situation is already poor."
"For example, the Fey Pantheon. Due to the fairies' weakness, they have long been oppressed by various races. Their divine-level combat power is also weak, and their status is low."
"We can win over such pantheons or gods to form a larger alliance around the Dragon God System. Once our power is sufficient, the blockade from the gods will naturally collapse."
In short, it was an alternative form of diplomacy.
The gods had never been united, each having their own interests, grievances, and conflicts.
For some weaker gods and pantheons, betting on the Dragon God System's resurgence could be a good choice, as their status could improve if the Dragon God System regained dominance.
After a brief contemplation, the Metallic Dragon God said, "It's worth a try. Let's extend an olive branch to the Fey Pantheon first."
The Fairy Dragon God cheered.
After further communication, Garon said to the Fairy Dragon God, "What the Fey Pantheon desires most, or more precisely, what the Court of Joy desires most, is to crush the Court of Sorrow and Rage. The Court of Sorrow and Rage has only one deity of great power, the Dark Queen."
"You can tell the Fairy Queen."
"If the Court of Joy is willing to stand behind the dragon clan, the dragon clan will help her eradicate the Dark Queen, removing the poison from the Fey Pantheon."
The Fairy Dragon God nodded, "Don't worry, I know how to persuade little Nia. She will agree."
"Remember, do it discreetly."
Garon and the Metallic Dragon God reminded.
Soon, the Fairy Dragon God left.
The dragon gods then began their actions, holding meetings, discussing suitable targets similar to the Fey Pantheon, as potential allies to counter the gods targeting the dragon clan.
Identifying targets, making contact, and negotiating alliances was not something that could be accomplished overnight, but it was promising.
The Immortal Dragon
Queen showed great interest, and due to her expertise, she took on this task.
Garon returned to the Hero Domain, continuing his work on shaping its rules.
After a period, good news came from the Fairy Dragon God.
The Fairy Queen agreed to become an ally of the dragon clan.
For fairies, even if the dragon race regained dominance, their situation would not worsen, and it might even improve. Thus, they were willing to bet on the Dragon God System.
This was also related to the Fairy Dragon God. He had been in the Court of Joy for a long time. Though mischievous and fond of pranks, other than Oberon, the fey spirits did not dislike him. With the Fairy Dragon God as a link, they were more likely to trust the dragon clan.
However, only the Fairy Queen knew about the alliance with the dragon clan.
To avoid alerting the gods, the alliance plan was carried out discreetly, without fanfare.
Shortly after the good news from the Fairy Queen, the Hero Domain welcomed a guest.
The Wind Elemental Queen descended into the Sky Garden to meet the fully recovered God Garon.
Although aware that God Garon was a duplicate, the Wind Elemental Queen preferred to communicate with him rather than Garon's original form.
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!] [www.p@treon.com/INNIT]