Death Mountains, Dead Gods' Valley~
The golden morning sunlight was reflected on Eiran's protruding eyebrows that we're flinching subtly.
A while later, Eiran finally awoke from his sleep of who knows how long. He slowly gets up as he grunts with a body ache, possibly from being in an almost vegetative state for a long time.
His last piece of memory was still clear in his mind. The image of the Earth's enormous size shrinking and the evident deaths of many powerful beings replayed, as he shook his head.
"Ugh..."
When he was beginning to be fresh after his sleep, he slowly recalled the meeting with the Gods.
"The world will change."
"You must protect it again once more!"
"We will depend on you once more"
"Help us find our descendents and do the needful."
Various voices of different tones flooded his mind. He felt dizzy as if the world around him was spinning like crazy and the surroundings began to appear in double images.
"Live! Eiran..... Live the life you never could. Try finding love once more. I'm sure even the most fateless person like you will find love."
A pleasant female voice resounded in his mind. It was as if a warm stream of calm and composed water began to flow smoothly with the wind.
His headache and dizziness disappeared and that voice full of care and affection was all that was left.
Eiran sighed and a bitter smile was let out.
"Goddess Emmeline...some people are just not meant for happiness."
He got up and checked his surroundings. He seemed to be somewhere in the plains of a mountain range.
He used wind and earth magic to check around the places he was in. After a while, a surprised and alert look appeared on his face.
He was actually just some distance from a valley. The Mountain range he was in currently was the line of entrance before the valley. The mountain range itself was enormous with around 15 mountains in the range.
What surprised him more was that the valley was rather a very peculiar region. It was quite big with an area of 16000 sq. km which was bigger than a 7000-9000 average sq. mountain of the mountain range.
That wasn't even the main thing, the extremely peculiar and miraculous areas of the valley, constituted of a completely different climate, weather conditions and even terrains despite being in a valley.
One area was completely made of ice and snow, another was a complete thunderstorm and lightning area, and so on with a hot desert like area, an extremely windy area and one area was a completely calm and normal place with blooming vegetation for plants and weak animals. There was even a sea that was connected to the valley at the back.
What in the world was going on?
He had never come across a place with such a mix of areas that could actually co-exist together.
However, that also meant a great energy was maintaining these places together or else logically, scientifically or even magically this was not possible.
At this time, Eiran's brows slightly burrowed, frowning a little, as felt a presence with powerful aura approaching him from the location of the valley.
The powerful presence had already reached him. In front of Eiran was a huge 10 metres tall grey dragon whose scales varied in grey, white and ash colour. Its wings were big and valiant looking, flapping as it landed on the ground.
Eiran was not a tiny bit afraid or even had a plan on how to escape or fight it. He had the strength to topple it easily given it's rank.
The ground shook and trembled on the landing of the huge dragon.
" Master Eiran, I have eagerly awaited your arrival ."
The dragon bowed its head and said in a respectful tone. The dragon's attitude perplexed Eiran who was well aware of the arrogant and prideful personalities of the Western dragon race.
"Who are you?" Eiran asked indifferently for the sake of cautiousness.
"Master, I am Denlemor, an Earth Dragon. The gracious Gods had tasked me and my fellow companions to await your arrival millenniums ago after the Great Mystery."
The dragon looked at him and said, still in a respectful tone.
Learning that this was the Gods' doing, he was no longer worried about the dragon's intentions.
He was taken to a cave made of precious gems and herbs by Denlemor. Further deep into the cave was a huge space where an altar made of gold stood.
The altar was rectangular in shape and not too big, around a metre. Surrounding the huge space of the cave interior were the 6 intricately carved marble statues of magic beasts.
Eiran recognised the beasts to be the Holy Sea Whale, Demon Thunder King Tiger, Mystic Nine Tailed Wind Fox, Seven Colours Death Scorpion, the Nirvana Phoenix and the Immortal IceWind Pheoenix.
The huge hall like space had 3 statues on each side as the middle place remained empty.
It may have been a sight for others to see this, but Eiran had an idea on seeing these statues.
"So those areas are...."
"Yes, lord. Those areas are the result of their everlasting magic and soul power or as what humans now call, spiritual power."
The dragon spoke clarifying his doubts about those areas in the valley region.
"This valley is called the Dead Gods' Valley by those humans. Over the years, all my companions have slowly left for eternal peace and freedom from this World; and only I remain now."
"We have been here for nearly a million years in this world when the Gods summoned us for a task. We were tasked with guarding this valley and shedding our immortal powers when we decide to pass this realm."
"Lord Eiran, it was my honour to serve the Gods, now I shall as well join my fellow companions in the next realm. The spirits of my companions and I shall ever remain this place to protect and guard this place as promised. And the beasts shall never lay a finger on you."
"I have a few subordinates who guards a region each. I hope the Lord could be courteous and not misunderstand them."
"Now I, Heavenly Earth Dragon, Denlemore, shall go..."
Saying that Denlemore slowly begins losing his physical body and his remaining powers and energy it accumulated moves towards the altar completely absorbing and dissipated all of its remains.
"Denlemore, you must have been lonely." Eiran said in a bitter low voice. He turned his back around and left the cave.
With Eiran's exit, a new statue was formed between the 6 previous statues.