John and Heilong exchanged wide-eyed stares, enveloped in a silence that rendered the atmosphere increasingly peculiar. Amidst this tension, the Welsh Green Dragon, having exerted considerable effort, finally clambered up the slope. It seemed to embody the essence of perseverance, poised to unleash a triumphant roar to express its hard-won victory. However, upon catching John's direct gaze, the dragon recoiled timidly. This single step backward, driven by its timidity, led to its downfall—quite literally. Losing its footing, the Welsh Green Dragon tumbled down the slope, its efforts undone in an instant.
John and the Romanian Longhorn could only exchange speechless glances, both taken aback by the Welsh Green Dragon's unexpected timidity. This incident, however, lightened the mood somewhat.
Breaking the silence, the Romanian Longhorn introduced itself. "I am the elder of the guardian dragons' homeland, known as the Spear of Thunder."
John was momentarily taken aback. "Is that really your name?" he wondered internally, finding the name both grandiose and slightly absurd, even more so than 'Amohan'. Yet, judging by the proud demeanor of the Spear of Thunder, it was clear the dragon held its name in high regard.
With no other dragons approaching, the Spear of Thunder proceeded to explain the next steps. "You are to venture to the Dragon's Land, and as per tradition, I will guide you to the Dragon Field to receive your own name."
John was puzzled. He had heard of this place from Amohan—a site akin to an altar within the dragon village, also serving as a dragon cemetery. However, he was under the impression that it was the elders' role to bestow names. A flicker of doubt crossed his mind.
Without delving into details, the Spear of Thunder led John to the peak of the dragons' homeland, where a cave entrance to the Dragon Field awaited. Upon entering, John felt an immediate lightness, the oppressive aura of the dragon homeland lifting. Inside, he observed numerous silver threads floating about, all emanating from a singular, ancient boulder that seemed to have been in place for millennia, seamlessly integrated with the stone platform beneath it. The boulder's surface was impeccably smooth, a feat John found hard to reconcile with dragonkind, known more for their destructive capabilities than for any finesse in craftsmanship.
"Are these all souls?" John mused, eyeing the silver threads, which he deduced were formed from soul fragments.
As the Spear of Thunder prepared to leave, John, still bewildered, inquired, "How do I obtain my name?" He had come with a mission, passed the test, yet his name remained elusive.
The Spear of Thunder paused, then replied solemnly, "This requires your own effort."
John couldn't help but feel frustrated. After all the challenges he had faced, this final task seemed like yet another hurdle. "Even Dumbledore wasn't this cryptic," he thought to himself.
Taking a deep breath to regain his composure, John ventured further into the Dragon Yard. Despite his considerable size, the space accommodated him comfortably, suggesting some form of magical enlargement akin to the traceless stretching charm. "Could fire dragons possess magic beyond their elemental affinity?" John pondered, intrigued by the possibility.
Moving cautiously, he reached out to touch one of the silver threads. Instantly, a familiar force pulled at him, reminiscent of his first encounter with Nagini. Under this mysterious power's guidance, his dragon form dissipated, and he found himself transported to a new, desolate space, now in his human form. Surrounded by darkness, John looked around, trying to make sense of his surroundings and the task at hand. Hands trembling and a drop of cold sweat sliding down his forehead, John experienced the unsettling sensation of being forcibly returned to his original form for the first time. Gazing into the distance, he spotted what he initially mistook for a hill. With a swift motion, he drew his wand and cast a spell, "Lumos Maxima!" A radiant orb of light soared into the sky, illuminating the area like a miniature sun. Only then did he realize that what he had seen was not a hill but a dragon, surrounded by a macabre landscape of dragon bones and lifeless corpses.
"This situation is far from simple," John murmured to himself, taking in the grim scene. The dragons lay motionless, their bodies ranging from freshly deceased to mere skeletal remains, bleached white by time. Clutching his wand more tightly, John ventured forward. The ground beneath his feet was flat, leading to a series of steps that descended from the hill-like platform where he stood. As he moved closer, the true scale of the dragon corpses became apparent. The smallest stretched 50 feet in length, while the largest spanned an astonishing 100 feet, sizes unheard of in the wizarding world and sufficient to rewrite the records of dragonkind.
A path, seemingly carved intentionally through the pile of dragon remains, beckoned latecomers to follow. With each step, John encountered dragons marked with the imprints of ancient magic, indicating the considerable age of the corpses. His journey led him to the base of what appeared to be a mountain, but as he approached, a sense of unease washed over him. "That's not a mountain," he realized with a start, feeling a twinge of pain in his jaw from the tension.
Before him was a dragon of colossal proportions, as vast as a mountain itself. The ground trembled, and John steadied himself as a pair of immense, clouded eyes fixed upon him. "You're here," the dragon spoke, its voice ancient and resonant, causing the stones to dance once more.
"I am Heimdall," the silver dragon introduced itself, its voice carrying the weight of millennia. "Guardian of the gate, seer of the future, and sage of the dragon realm." Unlike the graceful wingbeats of smaller dragons, Heimdall's movements stirred the air, sending sand and rocks swirling around John. Yet, John sensed no hostility from the dragon.
As Heimdall took to the air, John realized that the path ended abruptly at a cliff, plunging into an abyss. "This is where the ancient dragons come to die," Heimdall explained. "Every hundred years, following the death of an ancient dragon, a new dragon king is chosen among their kind. It has been a thousand years now."
Heimdall recounted meeting a wizard from John's world who had taught him the art of prophecy. Through these visions, Heimdall foresaw John's arrival. "The dragons buried here aspired to kingship but were bested by stronger contenders," Heimdall continued, gazing toward the path they had come.
John was puzzled by Heimdall's request. "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked, aware that the dragon's revelations were not without purpose. Despite any superficial resemblance to a dragon, John knew he was human at heart and doubted he was the king Heimdall spoke of. Yet, he couldn't help but wonder about the role he played in the dragon's prophecy.
Heimdall lowered its massive head, its breath warm on John's face. "I wish for you to undertake the final test," the dragon intoned.
John was taken aback, uncertain of what Heimdall meant by "the final test." His gaze drifted to the abyssal cliff, and a mischievous smile played across his lips. "This test you speak of," he began, his curiosity piqued by the challenge that lay ahead. "Do you actually expect me to jump off?" John asked, his tone teetering between jest and disbelief. He noticed a subtle change in Heimdall's expression, a lightening of sorts, which caused John's heart to drop. After a moment of silence, he inquired, "Have you ever ventured down there yourself?"
Heimdall shook his head slightly, a tinge of sadness in his voice. "The dragon I cherished the most once descended, never to return. No one truly knows what lies within."
John's frustration was palpable. "And yet, you would have me go down? If you think I'm a fool, at least do me the courtesy of refusing my request outright." With a scoff, he took a couple of steps back, fully intending to leave.
However, just then, a notification chimed. [Ding, challenge task triggered: Enter the cliff. Reward: +2 to any attribute, Blessing: Unknown.]
"Two uncertainties in one endeavor. System, you're really pushing your luck here," John sighed, feeling the weight of the task ahead. The system's demands seemed excessive, bordering on the absurd.
John's initial reluctance was overshadowed by the intrigue of the unknown rewards and the challenge laid out by the system. Despite the risks, the allure of potential gains and the mystery of the cliff's depths stirred a sense of adventure within him. With a mixture of resignation and determination, he steeled himself for what was to come, understanding that the path ahead was fraught with uncertainty but also the possibility of untold rewards.
_________
If you are tired of reading I also have this converted to an audio novel on my youtube
https://www.youtube.com/@NovelAudioForge/featured
Direct Link to playlist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_Hg-qsW4rM&list=PLKskshYG-OcPTR4-Nw7IWFEBZm07D8pBV&ab_channel=NovelAudioForge