Chapter 42 - The Family Heirloom

A ninth-circle spell—Greater Otherworld Pact. An ultimate conjuration of the Abjuration School, although it possesses a certain chance of summoning a legendary creature to serve for a time, Caesar, the Red Dragon, was never one to gamble on luck. Therefore, he opted for the legendary artifact—The Crown of Dragons.

Human legendary casters, endowed with rich knowledge, would forge a personal legendary artifact upon their ascension. However, these craftings pale in comparison to those created by a legendary godsmith—a rare and specialized dwarven career gifted by Moradin, the All-Father, God of Forge, Craft, and Creation of the dwarves.

Dwarves, aligned towards lawful good, dedicate themselves to the craft of smithing. Sometimes, when Moradin bestows his divine grace upon those of strong moral character, he imparts upon these industrious dwarves the power to endow artifacts with souls. Such legendary artifacts grow along its bearer, eventually rivaling the power of a true godly relic.

And truly, not every demigod bears their own divine artifact—only those who kindle the divine fire, ascend to godhood, and grasp their divine domains have the privilege to forge such powerful tokens.

Needless to say, a creation wrought by the hands of a legendary godsmith is exceedingly rare, and this particular piece, fashioned by an ancient blue dragon to elevate their family's might, assuredly suited the grandeur frame of dragonkind. As such, Caesar, without much hesitation, selected his rewards, feeling the onset of a deep slumber—an experience less strange than his previous transformations, akin to the premonition of transitioning from a whelp to a drake.

Caesar surveyed the hovering crown, a masterpiece of various magical metals with the ability to adjust its size autonomously. The Crown of Dragons, falling gently upon his protruding horns, encapsulated the aesthetics of his kind—strength and elegance blending seamlessly, bestowing upon Caesar's majestic form a regal and commanding air.

Upon channeling his spiritual energy into the crown, he soon claimed ownership of this legendary artifact and learned of its abilities. The Crown of Dragons bore a forever bound ninth-circle legendary spell. It was misconceived that all legendary spells are of the tenth circle and beyond, but even some of the ninth circle, unique in their effects, earned their place among legends, such as the Wish spell—the universally acknowledged omnipotent incantation capable of fulfilling any desire.

The spell sealed within the crown is the Dragonblood Pact. Devised by the ancient blue dragon, the spell weaves the bloodlines of all progeny together, strengthening the artifact with the family's vitality. The stronger the bloodline, the faster the crown evolves, nourishing the offspring and reducing the incidence of stillborn eggs. With the flourishing of blue dragons, inherently more orderly and protective of kin than their red cousins, lays the secret to their more abundant brood.

The latent power of the crown lay not only with dragons but extended to any descendants bearing Caesar's blood, ensuring their innate fortification. Behold the boundless benefits!

Additionally, the crown was etched with a ninth-circle defensive spell—the Shield of Glory—by the legendary dwarven godsmith. A divine boon akin to a god's descent in times of peril: a gigantic bulwark immune to all sub-ninth circle attacks. With a clear understanding of this exquisite artifact, Caesar succumbed to mental fatigue, diving into the newly forged lava pool created by his trolls and salamanders, ready for the transformative sleep and the grand awakening to follow.