[WARNING! Filler Chapter, you can skip this, but this chapter will discuss dragons in this story, and you might miss some information]
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Horizon settled into his routine in the mausoleum, immersed in a world of dragon lore and ancient knowledge.
With the Red Moon looming on the horizon, he wasn't in any rush to explore Drakha.
He speculated that Nixis might send them soaring on the back of a Nix Dragon or perhaps a Dracolich, ferrying them to Eternia in a way only dragons could.
His trust in Nixis came easily; dragons, especially great wyrms, were known for their integrity and honor. They didn't lie — it was beneath them.
And though what seemed like days quickly stretched into weeks and then months, the Red Moon's arrival marked a significant turning point.
As the awaited event approached, Nixis regaled Horizon with tales of dragonkind.
"Dragons are the pinnacle of existence," Nixis proclaimed. "Look at how other species struggle to mimic even a fraction of our power, intellect, and magic!"
Months with Nixis had shown Horizon a different side of the great wyrm. While her demeanor was often sassy and condescending, their initial fear had faded.
They came to see her as a surprisingly lazy dragon who spent much of her time lounging amidst her treasures, guarding them with a possessive streak. Her days were a mix of potion brewing, scholarly pursuits, and lengthy naps.
"We are, without a doubt, no quintessential dragon," Nixis continued, her pride unmistakable. "I am tired of the lies, rumors, and myths that mar our true nature. Such insults cannot stand."
She gestured grandly to a tome that seemed to pulse with ancient power. "I have assembled the ultimate collection of dragon lore into this singular volume. Within its pages, you will uncover the profound truths of our kind — hidden powers, rare species, mysterious ecologies, and more."
Her eyes sparkled with a mix of arrogance and excitement. "By all means, dive into this treasure trove of knowledge and grasp the true essence of our magnificence. Discover what it truly means to be a dragon and why our legends echo through all realms."
The term "dragon" encompassed a vast range of creatures in the world of fantasy. While everyone may be inclined to picture a quadrupedal reptile with large, bat-like wings, a long neck, and a sinewy tail, that failed to account for the numerous ways dragons presented in this world.
Some were the size of humanoids, blending bipedal physiology with draconic features.
Others were landlocked, wingless, and spent their entire lives burrowed beneath the ground.
No matter what plane of existence you visit, it was likely you'll discover some breed of dragon living there, unique to its environment. To help organize this vast spectrum of biological diversity, dragons were divided into two: True Dragons and Dragonkin.
"You sure keep yourself busy writing these books," Horizon muttered, flipping through the pages of yet another tome.
Nixis stretched lazily, a smug grin on her face. "I already know I'm amazing, but it's always nice to see it in print."
Horizon ignored her comment, continuing his reading, but Nixis was never one to remain quiet for long.
"Kobolds, drakes, dragonkin . . . they're pale imitations of our magnificence," Nixis mused, her voice a mixture of disdain and superiority. "You humanoids have more in common with tiny monkeys than we do with such lesser creatures.
"Our bodies endure for millennia, growing stronger with each passing year. It must be so . . . strange for humanoids, to reach their peak only to fade away so quickly. No wonder you're all in such a hurry."
"Yeah. No wonder," Horizon replied, voice dead as his face.
Nixis rolled lazily onto her back, sprawling over her glittering hoard, the gold and jewels shifting beneath her weight. "By the way, did you know that dragons are considered delicacies in Eternia? Our only noteworthy trait, according to those brutes, is our flavor. I'm told we have a . . . spicy kick." She snickered, her sharp teeth glinting. "Though I must say, I'm mostly bone by now, so there's nothing spicy or exotic about me."
"Is that so?" Horizon replied, his tone half-interested as he skimmed another page.
"Oh yes," Nixis continued with a hum of satisfaction. "But I doubt they'd ever get to taste a wyrm like me. Have I ever told you how I claimed this lair? Several hundred years ago, it belonged to a stone giant runesmith, quite the formidable foe. It took me seventy years of planning and manipulation to bring her down — slain by my magic, of course."
She paused, her eyes gleaming with dark pride. "I still keep her skull in my hoard, as a reminder. A reminder that patience, above all, is key to victory. Time bends to dragons, after all."
Horizon glanced up briefly, intrigued despite himself, before returning to his studies. "Patience, huh? I guess that's something humans could learn from you."
Nixis chuckled, the sound echoing through the chamber. "Indeed, if only you had the time to learn."
She lazily pointed a claw at the massive stone giant skull, now repurposed into a cabinet for her most precious treasures.
Horizon read on, eyes narrowing with interest as the true nature of dragons' lifespans unfolded before him.
Dragons, it seemed, were not truly immortal, but they might as well have been. Unless they were slain or consumed by their own ambitions, dragons were known to live over a thousand years, each stage of their life marked by constant, unstoppable growth.
From a small, curious wyrmling to the towering might of an ancient wyrm, a dragon's existence was one of evolution.
The older a dragon became, the more powerful it grew, unlike humanoids, whose bodies weakened with time.
At the height of their life, the ancient dragons stood at their peak — physically, mentally, and magically unrivaled.
But only once a dragon entered its final phase, "the twilight," did its inevitable, and decline begin.
Horizon traced the dragon age categories in the book: Egg (0-2 years), Wyrmling (3-25), Young (26-100), Adult (101-500), Ancient (501-1000), and finally, Twilight (1000+).