Stopping for a moment, Alexander could not help but show interest in the shadow's proposal.
At first, he had thought it to be some sort of mindless monster, but from its tone and words, he could tell that it was intelligent.
Its deep and ancient voice spoke to a vast wisdom. Perhaps it truly did have a method that would allow him to escape this place alive. This chance was too alluring for him to leave without at last hearing the creature out.
"What is it that you are suggesting? How can you help me out of this situation, and what do you want from me in return?"
"I have a means of restoring your mobility. As for what I want, I desire retribution against those that have reduced me to this miserable state."
Alexander could sense the deep-seated anger the shadow held, and he was beginning to understand its situation a bit more.
The particulars were beyond him, but it was clear that some sort of sorcery was holding this shadowy dragon here.
"So, does that mean you can heal my leg? Also, who is it that you want revenge against?" Alexander asked, attempting to find out more about this ancient and enigmatic creature.
"I'm afraid that regenerating a lost limb is beyond me. Even in my prime, that was not something I could accomplish. As for the particulars of how I will help you and whom I wish to enact vengeance upon, I shall keep that to myself until we have formally entered into an agreement."
"That's it. You expect me to go along with whatever you want without any information." Alexander said with an exasperated sigh.
He was beginning to think that entertaining the idea of working with this creature was a mistake. It had tried to kill him and was now trying to make some sort of deal with him where it concealed all of the pertinent information.
"There is no reason for me to reveal that with which I do not want to. My position in this negotiation is higher than yours. I have nothing to lose if an agreement is not made. I'll simply be stuck in the same situation I've found myself in for a long time. You on the other hand, have everything to lose."
The veins in Alexander's forehead started to throb in anger at the shadowy dragon's blatant words.
Emotionally, he wanted to leave immediately and be done with this, but logically, he knew what the creature had said was true.
For a solid minute, Alexander bit his lip in frustration, before finally giving his answer.
"Fine, I will agree to your proposal on one condition. I need money. That's why I came here in the first place. If you can lead me to some hidden treasures, I'll accept your deal."
"Hehehe." The shadow snicked. "Very well, we have come to an arrangement. After we have solidified our pact, I shall bequeath you items of the highest quality. Without a doubt, selling one should bring you all of the coin you seek."
Alexander's heart rate began to quicken at the mention of high-quality items. The castle being as old as it was, there was the possibility that it contained a relic. These were magic tools created far in the past by nations that had long ago fallen to ruin. They could not be reproduced by modern methods, and often boasted incredible power.
'A single relic is said to be worth an entire castle. If could sell one, that would surely be more than enough money.'
Letting the temptation of immense rewards take over his thoughts, Alexander did not notice the shadow creature sneering at him.
"Come this way. There is something that you must do to formalize our deal."
Snapping out of his fantasy, Alexander followed behind the shadow towards the corner of the room where he first saw it appear.
As they got closer, the floor tiles in the area began to rise up and slide away.
Alexander could hear several mechanical sounds coming from below the room, and soon, a hidden platform rose to the surface.
"What is it?"
Affixed to the platform that had just appeared was a large pedestal that had a wide bowl on top of it.
There was a dark red liquid within the bowl, and a sinister magic power emitting from it.
"This is all that remains of me. Blood that I extracted before my demise and sealed my consciousness into. It has left me in the pitiful form you see before you, but I still live even after my body perished."
A cold chill assaulted Alexander as he heard this. Magic of this kind was a taboo of the highest order. Trying to extend one's life this way often had dire consequences. The fact that this creature had pulled it off, though, was a testament to its skills.
"What the hell are you?" Alexander said, a horrified expression warping his face.
"Ah, I suppose that I never introduced myself. I am Tharildron, the Shadow Dragon Lord. Or at least, I was a long time ago."
This revelation shocked Alexander to the core. Dragon Lords were known to be the most powerful beings in the world, and each one was the protector of a different nation. Still, there were only six Dragon Lord as far as he knew, and never before had he heard of a shadow dragon, Lord or otherwise.
There were several more questions that came to Alexander's mind, but he was not sure if he really wanted answers to them. He felt as if he had stumbled upon something he would be better off not knowing.
Unfortunately, backing out now was not really an option. He had been backed into a corner, where his life depended on the assistance of the being that had crippled him.
'For those I care about, and myself, I just have to keeping moving forward, no matter where this path may take me.' Alexander thought, solidifying his resolve.