XEXGANA'S OFFER OF HIS HEART
"We are lucky we did not heed your advice to break in here. These dragons would wake up immediately to attack us if we did that", Ratatouille told him.
"Yes, yes", Chash replied to him.
The Temple of Dragons probably doesn't welcome uninvited visitors by the assembly of all the dragon guards here. Fortunately, we were not considered uninvited.
We reached the end of the cavern where there was another dragon statue, or hibernating dragon. This dragon was much stronger than the rest of the dragons in the temple.
"This dragon is the Boss here", Sara told us as we reached the last dragon.
"Can someone tell me what we are supposed to do here?" Cassandra asked us.
"Look for treasures of course", Ratatouille replied to her.
"This place was once an important arm of the Trinity's alliance. I can find many lores and books here about the Revelations", Meera told us excitedly as she rummaged the place for sacred books and scrolls.
Indeed, there were many such works here in the Temple of Dragons.
"We didn't come all the way here for those two to loot, are we?" Cassandra asked us again.
"Frankly, I'm not too sure about what I must do here, what do you think, Rinna? You are the one who wanted to come here with us", I asked Rinna, training the question toward her.
"I don't know. This place looks familiar or not. I couldn't tell. My dreams were hazy,", Rinna replied to us.
"This place isn't in a dream", someone told us to our shock and horror.
"Who spoke to us?" Chash asked in surprise and shock.
"Didn't you come here to seek me?" the voice replied to him.
Then we realized who was talking. It was the Boss, the Dragon lord of the Temple.
"Are you the guardian of this temple?" I asked the dragon.
"Obviously, isn't it. I am Xexgana, the guardian of this temple. From the fact that you have not awakened my guards from their slumber, you people may have some relation to our temple", Xexgana replied to us.
"We opened the door with our palms, I still don't understand why it will respond to me", I replied to the dragon.
"Only our dragon kind and our former masters have the magic to enter this temple. Are you the new Incarnate of the Dark Angel?" Xexgana asked me.
"Yes, my master is the new Dark Angel", Meera replied to the dragon on my behalf.
"So, did you come for my heart?" Xexgana asked me suddenly.
"Your heart?" I asked him when I remembered.
The hearts of dragons were the ingredients that awakened the Sword of Malevolence, the weapon of the Dark Angel.
"I do not intend to take your heart, if you believe me", I told the dragon.
The dragon looked at me and scrutinized before commenting again.
"I believe you tell the truth, human. Although I couldn't say so for the one inside of you", Xexgana told me.
"It is the duty of the dragons to supply their hearts to the Dark Angel for his reincarnation", Meera said to the dragon suddenly.
We were shocked by Meera's outburst and wondered if the dragon would be offended. Taking the heart of the dragons would mean ending their lives.
The dragons would definitely not agree to it without a fight.
"Yes, you are correct, little succubus", Xexgana replied to her to our surprise.
"Why will you give your heart to this fool?" Sara asked the dragon.
"Because it is the agreement between the Dark Angel and the dragon kind. We offer our hearts in sacrifice to him in exchange for being in allegiance to him", Xexgana told us.
"That is a strange agreement. You agree to serve him and offer your hearts? What is there for you?" I asked Xexgana.
"The Dark Angel at his prime is the greatest existence under the Heavens. Together with the Trinity of Revelations, he is the ruler of all existence under Heaven. We are just slaves that could be sacrificed at his whims", Xexgana told us about the Dark Angel.
"I do not want your heart. If you don't mind, we can leave now. I never intended to come here", I told Xexgana.
Anything that accelerated the reincarnation of the Dark Angel souls in my soul realm wasn't welcomed by me.
"What about you, my lady? Have you found what you want here?" Xexgana asked Rinna suddenly.
"No, this is not where I need to be", Rinna replied to him.
"The place you are looking for is not here. It is in Elis, at the foot of the Garden of Eden", Xexgana told Rinna.
"Elis?" Rinna asked.
"What place is it?" I asked the dragon.
"That place is the Sacred Grove of Dragons. Our dragon kind originates from there and some still live there although they may not look kindly to you, Incarnate of the Dark Angel", Xexgana told me.
"Can you tell me where in Elis I can find this Dragon Grove?" Rinna asked Xexgana.
"You will find it once you are in Elis. The Serpent Mother inside of you will guide you without asking," Xexgana told Rinna.
"Ok thanks for the information Xexgana, we will leave now", I told Xexgana as we prepared to leave.
"No, you must claim the hearts of the dragons here, master", Meera protested and reminded me.
"We are no match for the Boss Dragon. He's beyond our ability to fight", Sara reminded her.
"And neither do I want to be an enemy of this dragon for no reason. He never threatened me in any way", I said to Meera.
Although claiming the dragons' hearts was fundamental to completing the awakening of the Sword of Malevolence of the Dark Angel.
But we were much weaker than the dragon whose magic was probably close to divine. The dragons probably won't give up their lives to me without a fight.
Furthermore, it was not my intention to strengthen the Dark Angel anymore before I found a way to contain him.
"But claiming the dragons' hearts is a part of the Revelations", Meera protested and told me.
"The Revelations never said when I should claim the hearts. I don't have to do it now", I replied to her.
"You may claim our hearts now", Xexgana said to me suddenly to my shock.