The Territory of Dragonheart clings to the cliffs of Mount Avalon, stretching across the rugged Avalon Range. Its stronghold is built to endure the harshest weather, perfectly suited to its challenging environment.
At the heart of this territory stands the Dragon Citadel.
The Citadel, being the oldest building perched atop the snowy peak, serves as the headquarters for the Dragonheart family. Its ancient stone walls resonate with centuries of history and tradition, embodying the enduring spirit of Dragonheart.
Ardiel had to walk for half an hour to reach the Citadel, standing at the highest elevation of the territory. Legend has it that a dragon itself built the structure using the bones of other mythical creatures.
"Spare me from those eyes, Reno!" Ardiel exclaimed, irritated by Reno's intense stare filled with doubt and shock. He couldn't really blame him, though. Anyone unaware of Ariel's current situation would be equally shocked to see him use magic. Reno had almost fallen on the stairs earlier due to his clumsiness, and Ardiel had saved him with a spell just in time.
It had happened naturally, and Ardiel had cast the spell effortlessly, without even uttering an incantation. Simon, who was escorting them, was also shocked but quickly composed himself, fitting for a member of the Golden Scale Knights.
He wanted to ask his student how it was possible but knew that the reason Ardiel was called to the Dragon Hall was related to this, it wasn't his place to ask at such an early time.
Ardiel wasn't particularly trying to hide what would soon be known by everyone, as long as the secret remained concealed for now.
"You're keeping secrets," Reno pouted as he stomped forward.
"Sure, I do," Ardiel replied with a grin, not lying in the least.
Soon after, they arrived at the entrance. The two huge wooden doors stood open as always, and countless members of the clan, including the branch family and vassals, bustled in and out of the huge atrium.
"This is my first time here," Reno said in amusement, he can't keep himself from looking everywhere, knights were scattered inside holding their own conversations, with some preparing to depart for their newly assigned missions.
The Citadel served multiple purposes: the Mission Vault, where members were assigned their tasks; the Commerce Hub, handling financial matters and serving as the Bank and Treasury; the Assembly Hall, where political and territorial issues were discussed; and the Dragon Roundtable, where the Council of Elders held their meetings.
Because of its crucial role, the citizens often referred to the Citadel as the 'Dragon's Lair.'
"Good morning, Deputy General Simon, Young Master Reno, and Ardiel," a knight clad in silver armor greeted them.
"Purpose?" Simon interjected before Ardiel or Reno could respond.
"General Felix wishes to see Young Master Reno," the knight replied, maintaining a respectful tone.
"Not again!" Reno grumbled at the mention of his mentor's name. While most would jump at the chance to be a General's student, Reno was decidedly less enthusiastic. He begrudgingly followed the silver knight towards the Mission Vault, where military officers often gathered.
"Let's go," Simon said, leading the way down the wide hallway that led to the Roundtable.
Ardiel took this time to carefully observe the interior as this was his first time here. Younglings like him or Reno had almost no chances of going outside the walls of Azure Hall; most of their training was done inside the provided training halls built around it.
They stopped in front of two massive golden doors as tall as the ceiling, with dragons carved parallel to each other. A heavy thud echoed as the doors opened just as they arrived.
Inside was a huge circular table with five chairs arranged in a star pattern around it. Ardiel recognized the faces of the four people sitting there, all wearing white capes laced with golden patterns.
Frey sat on a particularly larger chair coated in gold. To his left was Ravenia, and to his right sat an aged woman with short white hair—none other than Frey's great grandmother, the Grand Elder. She had lived for over a century and held the greatest power in the family after Frey, who was the current patriarch. Beside her was Alentor Dragonheart, the Grand Elder's nephew, who had served as a Legion's Commander for the longest time in the family and was also Frey's mentor.
These four were among the twenty strongest figures in the Eldenfren Empire, and all of them gazed intensely at Ardiel, who felt small and fragile compared to these colossal power holders.
"Why are you standing there?" a low, gravelly voice asked from behind him. Ardiel turned to see the owner of the familiar voice.
"Go inside!" Hendrick, Frey's uncle, placed his hand on Ardiel's head and gently ruffled his hair, showing their close bond.
Simon was left outside as the massive doors closed once again, isolating the six people inside from external interruptions.
"Come here, son," Frey said, motioning for Ardiel to stand beside him.
Ardiel complied, standing quietly beside his father. He kept his gaze fixed on the floor, overwhelmed by the powerful presence in the room. Each of these figures could topple a city, let alone all five together.
"We are here to discuss the peculiarities surrounding Ardiel's disappearance—how it happened and what led to it," Frey began in an authoritative tone.
"Ardiel, please recite the Oath after me," the Grand Elder instructed. She recited words that bound Ardiel to a spell ensuring truthfulness and sincerity. This spell allowed the Council to discern dishonesty and uphold integrity.
After reciting the Oath, Ardiel remained on his feet. He reminded himself of the things Exzhen has provided him so he would be able to bypass this session.
"Let's proceed and be direct with the few questions we have for you, this will be quick so just answer honestly," Frey said, it was normally just a short introduction, but given his nature and the fact that it was his son who is now being summoned here, he wants to be as gentle as possible.
"Do you know who was behind your disappearance and where you were taken?" Hendrick asked first, as the current Commander, he was the most concerned about security and this issue was everything but simple for him.
"A Dragon called me and took me to its realm," Ardiel replied.
"Do you know where this realm is?" Hendrick pressed.
"Yes, the Dragon said it's a different realm," Ardiel answered. This response elicited reactions from the elders. Ardiel knew they understood what he was referring to—Exzhen had orchestrated much of this situation, as if he had seen the future.
"Ravenia mentioned you gained powers similar to a Dragon Vessel. Can you confirm this?" Alentor inquired.
Ardiel nodded and summoned a faint golden aura from his hands, although it was faint, it was evident that he had indeed gained the ability to handle mana.
"Hmm," The Grand Elder squinted as she examined the attributes of the mana Ardiel had summoned.
"Interesting. It contains concepts of Heaviness, but it's vague enough that I can't fully analyze it," she concluded.
"I told you, grandmother, his dragon pair is definitely of higher rank, possibly on par with yours and Frey's," Ravenia said. She had shared her observations about Ardiel's mana and its properties.
"But why is it different for him when he received it? Did the dragon mention anything about this Dragon Mark?" Frey asked, now clearly worried.
"Yes, the Dragon said that Vessels could receive powers in two ways: through the Soul pact, which our family has practiced for ages, or through this mark. However, he mentioned that receiving powers through this mark imposes a significant burden on the host's body, which is why the other method has been passed down," Ardiel recounted. This was true but omitted the fact that the Dragon Mark was only possible if the Dragon was willing to share its life's burden, and with the pride that is inherent with dragons, this is simply absurd.
This is where Exzhen felt like he was scammed. His predecessor was sure that he would refuse once he had known about the full details about the Dragon Mark, so it forcefully made him linked to Ardiel without divulging its full implications, just saying that it was part of the responsibility as the Herrscher of Dragons.
Frey was taken aback but tried to stay calm.
"Then why does this dragon choose to place a burden on you intentionally?" Frey inquired. He was now worried as a father.
"He said it's related to a war that I would be involved in—some sort of obligation," Ardiel explained. This revelation added gravity to the situation.
Ardiel was aware of the world's turmoil, perhaps more than anyone in the room. While the elders might think it referred to the empire's impending war, Exzhen was hinting at a much larger conflict.
Ardiel had yet to process everything fully but had accepted his fate. With Exzhen's assurance, he believed he would be strong enough to face the challenges ahead.
After a brief discussion among the elders, Frey announced their collective verdict. "Since we can confirm that a Dragon's intervention was indeed behind last night's events, we shall place significant attention on your situation and put you under strict supervision. Elder Alentor will be assigned to provide you with the foundations of a Dragon Vessel until your Peerage training concludes. This session is adjourned."
"Join us for dinner later after you settle things with Elder Alentor," Frey said, patting Ardiel's shoulder before leaving the room.
Ardiel nodded and smiled as he watched his father exit, likely busy with family matters.
"Follow me," Alentor said, pulling Ardiel from his thoughts. The old man, about the same age as the Grand Elder, walked away with an authoritative stride that belied his years.