Iron Dragon's Advancement Journey

Page 180

　But Serancia stood in its way: "Enough, Aurelion! Can't you see? His Majesty has indeed been influenced by Dragon Frenzy!"

　"Nonsense!" Aurelione's tail slammed heavily on the ground. "His Majesty was merely upholding the dignity of the Golden Dragon!"

　Just as the two dragon lords were about to clash, the bronze dragons, who had remained silent all along, finally couldn't hold back any longer.

　"Enough!" Uriel roared like a war drum, "It's your business if you golden dragons want to fight amongst yourselves, but don't drag us all into it!"

　The old bronze dragon suddenly spread its wings, lightning crackling wildly between its horns: "Lares, if you're truly affected by the dragon frenzy, then obediently accept treatment! If you're doing this on purpose, then explain clearly what you're up to!"

　Other bronze dragons followed suit. As the most warlike race among the metal dragons, they were extremely dissatisfied with this inexplicable conflict.

　"That's right!" shouted a young bronze dragon. "If you're going to fight, then fight properly! Stop putting on a show!"

　"We're here to discuss how to deal with the Dragon Frenzy, not to watch you Golden Dragons engage in court politics!" another Bronze Dragon added.

　The brass dragons also began to stir. They used to talk, and now they were discussing amongst themselves.

　"I knew the Golden Dragon Royal Court was bound to run into trouble sooner or later!" a bronze dragon whispered to its companion. "Too much centralized power is bound to cause problems."

　"Look at Lares, where is the slightest bit of the King of Justice's demeanor?" someone on the other end chimed in.

　The copper dragons, however, reacted quite differently. They seemed to find the conflict extremely amusing, quickly finding their spots to watch the show and preparing some covert tricks to provoke the dragons yet to enter. Although Chaturio was held captive by two iron dragons and unable to speak, his eyes still gleamed with excitement. (The last part is a nonsensical string of characters and doesn't translate directly.)

　At the other end of the basin, Klaus lazily stretched his wing membranes, relaxing his tense muscles. The Primordial Red Dragon turned to look at his two companions beside him, its beak slightly parted.

　"What a show..." The Northern Dragon's voice was filled with the pleasure of watching a spectacle. It gently tapped the rocks with its tail and soothed its wing membranes—if Hevilan and Tamarand hadn't stopped Lares, it would certainly have had to step in. The reason was easy to find: as everyone knew, Klaus had now signed an alliance with Casalos, and as a rare ancient red dragon that leaned towards the evil of order, it was only natural to protect its ally's mate if it could.

　Emuris, who had almost completely transformed into a construct, emitted a sound of star-like trembling: "Infighting among golden dragons, how rare indeed."

　The pure white dragon Elvia remained silent, but the chill in her icy, crystal-clear eyes seemed to have lessened somewhat. Clearly, this sudden conflict had also taken her by surprise.

　Klaus, however, was thinking something entirely different—Saloz was deeply perplexed by Lares's unusual behavior. Its judgment that Lares would attack Kara was based on the original timeline; beyond that, its understanding of Lares wasn't sufficient to deduce his detailed actions through the pseudo-Laplace's demon… But regardless, after witnessing Lares's behavior from Growl's close-up perspective, it was filled with an indescribable sense of unease.

　What exactly is it that causes a dragon king known for his wisdom and benevolence to repeatedly cause trouble—whether in the original timeline or in this timeline that Casalos has already distorted beyond recognition, Lares's behavior is the most abnormal.

　"What are you so afraid of?" Klaus Casalos pondered deep within his heart. "Or rather, what exactly did those gods who control destiny and show you 'dreams of the future' let you see?"

　Just as the situation was about to spiral completely out of control, the Nexus finally snapped out of its shock. The slender, ancient golden dragon slowly raised its head, and vast magical power surged around it.

　"Everyone, calm down!" Although the voice of the Demon Nexus was not loud, the magic of the law clearly entered the dragon souls of all the dragons.

　Several powerful calming and soothing spells were simultaneously activated, not only affecting Lares but also enveloping the entire area where conflict was about to erupt. Aurelion and Serancia were forced to separate, and the lightning of the bronze dragons gradually subsided.

　Hevilan stood up again, silvery light flowing around her. Although her divine magic was not as sophisticated as the arcane magic of the Nexus, it had a unique effect on calming the mind.

　"Lares, my friend," Hevilan's voice was gentle yet firm, "Please calm down. We are all your compatriots, not your enemies."

　Salomes, the elderly dragon lord who had remained silent until now, finally spoke. His voice was aged yet full of wisdom: "Your Majesty, we understand your concerns. But resolving problems with violence has never been the way of the golden dragon."

　Although Griffindo remained silent, it moved to Tamarand's side, clearly indicating its stance—supporting the urging of Lars to calm down.

　Under the combined effects of multiple spells, and with the persuasion of most of the dragon lords, Lares's struggles gradually subsided. The Golden Dragon King's breathing slowly calmed down, and the raised scales returned to their original position.

　Tamarand sensed Lars's relaxation and slowly loosened his grip. But he remained vigilant, ready to stop any possible impulsive action at any moment.

　"I..." Lares's voice was hoarse and weary. His gaze swept over Kara, who was still sitting in place, then looked at the silver dragons blocking her way, and finally landed on Tamarand, who was tightly restraining him.

　A mournful cry of grief and indignation escaped his throat, a sound filled with pain, anger, and a deep-seated fear: "You... must never believe Ge Long's words!"

　Kara maintained her elegant posture. She nodded slightly, her voice calm and serene: "Your Majesty."

　The dragon's tail swayed gently, whistling melodiously: "I told you, I was merely recounting a story told by a hermit, and this story has no direct connection to the topic of the gathering..."

　She paused briefly, her indigo vertical pupils staring directly at Lares: "Excuse me, why did you react so strongly?"

　Hevilan shook off the dust, revealing several new wounds on her silver scales caused by impacts, further enhancing her paladin-like majesty: "That's what I also want to know, my friend."

　Tamarand completely released his grip on Lars, but still stood in front of him: "Your Excellency, your reaction is far too abnormal."

　The Nexus joined in the skepticism: "It's just a story. Even if some parts are disturbing, it shouldn't warrant such a reaction from you."

　Serancia went even further: "Your Majesty, do you know something we don't?"

　Bryant added, "If you have any concerns, why not just say them directly instead of going through this trouble?"

　Even Oriclone, who had always supported Lares, fell silent at this moment. Although he still stood on the side of the Golden Dragon King, his face was full of doubt.

　The bronze dragons had completely lost their patience. Uriel's tail pounded the ground incessantly: "Lares, stop beating around the bush! What are you trying to say?"

　"That's right, just say what you want to say!" the other bronze dragons chimed in.

　The brass dragons' discussion grew louder, with various guesses and speculations rising and falling. The bronze dragons, on the other hand, completely switched to spectator mode, abandoning the impossible trick and instead focusing their attention on betting on what would happen next.

　Lars fell silent.

　In the long silence, only the howling mountain wind could be heard. The Golden Dragon King's gaze swept among the dragons, as if he were weighing something. His whiskers trembled slightly, clearly indicating an intense internal struggle.

　Finally, he slowly spoke.

　"If Long's words are credible," Lares's voice was low and heavy, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth, "this Dragon Madman is the Dragon Worship Cult's malice towards our race. What will you do then?"

　The moment the words were spoken, the entire basin erupted in excitement.

　"Isn't it obvious!" Klaus roared first, the ancient red dragon abruptly standing up, its massive form casting a huge shadow. Its scales stood on end in fury, gleaming like lava through the gaps. "Those dung-scooping skeletons dared to touch us! Of course, we'd attack and wipe them out!"

　Even the metal dragon, whose stance was completely opposed to that of the colored dragon, now wholeheartedly agreed with the red dragon's point of view—it would be even better if the words were more civilized and the sentence structure more elegant.

　"That's right!" Uriel was the first to respond, electricity crackling across his body. "What are the Dragon Cult anyway? They dare to plot against us? Let them know what the wrath of a dragon is!"

　The other bronze dragons roared in unison. They were already warlike, and now that they had a clear enemy, their fighting spirit was even higher.

　"Kill them all!"

　"Grind Samass's bones into powder!"

　"Let those lunatics who worship the dead know that dragons are not to be trifled with!"

　Although the Golden Dragons spoke relatively politely, their attitude was equally resolute.

　"The Dragon Worship Cult should indeed be eliminated," Serancia said coldly.

　"This is a challenge for all dragons," Bryant echoed.

　Even Griffin, who had been silent all along, nodded slightly in agreement.

　The silver dragons reacted even more fiercely. As guardians of the good faction, they already deeply abhorred the evil organization, the Dragon Worship Cult.

　"We must stop them!" Haivilan's voice was firm and powerful. "If it really is the Dragon Worship Cult controlling the Dragon Frenzy, then we can't stand idly by!"

　"The Claws of Justice are ready to fight!" Azak declared on behalf of the other silver dragons.

　The brass dragons whispered excitedly, discussing how to find the lair of the Dragon Worship Cult. The bronze dragons were even more eager, wishing they could rush out and wreak havoc immediately.

　"Count me in!" Chaturio shouted excitedly, finally breaking free from the Atheros's grip. "How could we Bronze Dragons be left out of a fight against the Dragon Cult?"

　In this atmosphere of heightened emotion, even the metal dragons, who were usually at odds with the colorful dragons, stood on the same side at this moment.

　Amuris sneered, "The Dragon Worship Cult, humph. Those ants who dared to try and control the dragon race should have been crushed to ashes long ago."

　Even Elvia, who had been silent until now, slowly nodded: "Agreed."

　However, just as all the dragons were excited about the upcoming battle, Lares' next words were like a cold wind from a glacier, extinguishing all their enthusiasm.

　"Samass, leader of the Dragon Cult." Lares pronounced the name slowly and deliberately, his voice carrying an unbearable weight. "Formerly a chosen one of the Goddess of Magic, Mystra; the mortal enemy of the current chosen ones of the Goddess of Magic; the top target on the Dawnbringer's wanted list; the Harpist's primary objective."

　He took a deep breath, and the ancient dragon language resounded once more: "When the dragon's madness descends, its fury permeates its very soul. At that time, it will not distinguish friend from foe, nor friend from foe, but will indiscriminately attack everything it sees, hears, smells, and feels. And I will be unable to escape its reach."

　The Golden Dragon King's gaze swept over the excited dragon horde, aligning the words of his dragon language runes with the frequency of the dragon magic flowing within his veins: "If the war begins, who among you can say you won't be driven to madness?"

　The bronze dragons, who had been so eager to fight just moments before, fell silent. Uriel's lightning gradually faded as he lowered his head, pondering this unavoidable question.

　Yes, under the influence of Dragon Madness, they're struggling to even maintain their rationality, let alone organize to fight against the Dragon Worship Cult. They might even start killing each other before they can even find the enemy.

　"Then... then are we just going to let the Dragon Worship Cult do whatever they want?" a young bronze dragon asked unwillingly.

　"Otherwise what?" Aurelion said coldly, "Can you guarantee you'll remain sane while in Dragon Frenzy?"

　The basin fell silent once more. The dragons, who had been so passionate just moments before, were now speechless. They all realized how powerless they were in the face of the dragon's madness.

　Lars pressed on: "You all chose to sleep to avoid disaster, but what about those who were not protected?"

　His gaze lingered for a moment on Klaus, Amuris, and Elvia: "What will become of those races whose scales radiate five colors of light—red, blue, green, black, and white?"

　Casalos-Klaus raised its scales at the opportune moment, but quickly regained its composure. It knew what Lares was implying—if the metal dragons all hid and slumbered, the chromatic dragons would become the primary victims of the dragon frenzy.

　Haivilan's voice lowered, and pain flashed in her silver dragon eyes as she repeated the opening admonition of the King of Justice's assembly: "Let them all go mad, slaughter all living beings, and cause untold suffering."

　As the leader of the Claws of Justice, she understood better than any dragon what this meant. Those chromatic dragons were already brutal; once they descended into dragon frenzy, the entire land of Faerûn would become a slaughterhouse. Countless innocent lives would perish under their claws, cities would be reduced to ruins, and civilization would be swallowed by their breath.

　"What will the people of Ferenc do then?" Lars's question pressed on relentlessly.

　Tamarand's voice was filled with fear, as if he had suddenly understood something: "They will fight back. Led by many chosen ones and heroes, they will form armies and slaughter those crazed, colorful dragons."

　He paused, a flash of understanding appearing in his golden dragon eyes: "Then...then they'll find the Dragon Worship Cult, find Samaster, and kill them again!"

　This deduction plunged all the dragons into deep thought. If things really did develop this way, then… Just then, a deafening burst of laughter broke the silence.

　"Hahaha!" Klaus's laughter echoed through the valley, as piercing as thunder. The ancient red dragon's body trembled slightly from the laughter, and sulfurous smoke billowed from its nostrils. It shook its massive head, the laughter gradually subsiding, but the light in its dragon eyes grew even brighter: "So that's what you were planning, how interesting!"

　Klaus abruptly turned to Lares, a fierce, blood-red flame erupting from his dragon-like eyes: "Laras, I apologize. It was wrong of me to treat you like a fool all this time."

　It slammed its tail heavily onto the ground, sending up a flash of light, flying pebbles, and dust: "I think there's probably no more ruthless and vicious golden dragon on this continent than you."

　The ancient red dragon widened its beak further, revealing its gleaming, sharp teeth: "To be honest, I really like golden dragons like you!"

45. King against King

　Tamarand's whiskers twisted in inner turmoil, his body trembling slightly, the tremor manifesting as a whooshing swaying at the tips of his wings. His massive golden form reflected the sunlight with flickering luster. He slowly raised his head, his golden eyes slightly choked with emotion.

　Tamarand murmured, "My friend, this action..."

　Before he could finish speaking, Lars suddenly roared, interrupting his best friend's question. The King of the Golden Dragon straightened his back, his sail-like fins fully unfurled, casting an even more majestic shadow.

　"This is unkind and unjust, contrary to the virtues of the Golden Dragon."

　The dragon's voice was like the tolling of a bell, ancient, heavy, and resonant, with a lingering echo.

　The King of Justice's dragon beak opened and closed slightly, revealing not sharp teeth, but a sharper, more resolute edge. "But I am the Dragon King, and to rule, one must first possess the virtues of a golden dragon!"

　The golden dragons in the basin all pricked up their outer ears and tugged at the fin-like whiskers connected to their jaws.

　Serancia's tail throbbed uneasily, while Bryant froze completely in place. Even Oriklon, who had always supported Lares, was utterly shocked.

　Lares continued, "You metal-scaled race, act in accordance with the principles of benevolence, righteousness, morality, virtue, propriety, integrity, and shame in your hearts." His voice grew increasingly louder, the previously restrained dragon's might transforming into a stirring rhythm, advancing like waves, "As king, my primary responsibility is the continuation of my race's bloodline and the prosperity of my people!"

　The Nexus slightly raised its head from its seat, its thin body trembling gently from the fluctuations of magical energy. The First Mage of the Golden Dragons wore an expression only a Golden Dragon's beard could conjure: understanding, pain, and a deep sense of helplessness.

　"The dragons are about to wreak havoc; I observe the will of Heaven and understand its beginning and end." Lares's gaze swept across the entire basin, as if trying to etch the image of every dragon into his memory. "Execution! The dragons are unlocked! The castle is surrounded! The Claws of Justice are all slain! The remaining metal-scaled race is reduced to nothing..."

　His voice suddenly became low and hoarse, like the sorrow of an autumn wind: "Looking across the continent, the Scaled Dragon Clan exists in name only. Is this acceptable?"

　When the dragon stopped speaking, the entire basin fell into a deathly silence.

　The young dragons trembled, while the old ones fell into deep thought. Even Hevilan, the most powerful silver dragon in Faerûn, trembled slightly, clearly shaken by the prophecy of the King of Justice—she had known Lares for nearly a thousand years and had never seen his prophecies fail.

　The bronze dragon Uriel was the first to break the silence, his voice filled with disbelief: "You mean... if we go to besiege the castle where the Dragon Cult controls the Dragon Mad Lock, we'll be completely wiped out?"

　"I have seen it." Lares closed his dragon eyes, projecting the horrific scene he had foreseen: mountains of dragon corpses, rivers of blood. The eight golden dragon lords, all the silver dragons of the Claw of Justice, and the rest were present. Uriel, Charitúo, and the other dragons found themselves amidst the carnage. Samass, the leader of the Dragon Cult, stood atop the mountain of corpses, transforming dragons into skeletal dragon liches…

　Chaturio finally broke free from the control of the Atheros, but this time it didn't joke; instead, it stared wide-eyed at Lares. Even the usually mischievous Bronze Dragon sensed the darkness of the future.

　The brass dragons' discussions rose and fell, but were all kept very low. They were discussing how credible Lares's vision of "destiny" really was.

　Klaus lazily licked his paws, then exhaled a burst of dragonfire to burn away the remaining saliva before speaking with an ambiguous taunt: "So your plan is to let the metal dragons hide and sleep, while those idiots go to their deaths?"

　Emerys's astral construct emitted a low, trembling sound: "What a 'brilliant' plan."

　Elvia remained silent, but the chill in her icy vertical pupils intensified.

　Compared to the Northern Dragons, who didn't care about the other colored dragons at all, the Blue Dragon and White Dragon were clearly genuinely enraged.

　Just as the atmosphere became tense again, a still somewhat childish voice suddenly rang out, speaking in standard and fluent Dragon Language:

　"So, you knew from the beginning that Samasser was behind this?"

　All the dragons turned to look at the sound, and saw a young iron dragon descending from the sky. Its size was not large compared to the many ancient golden dragons, but it was clearly over the age limit. Unlike the silver dragons, the large, silvery-white metallic scales reflected light like rippling water, and its indigo vertical pupils revealed a depth that was inconsistent with its age.

　Kara's seven-colored scales trembled slightly with excitement, and her voice was filled with joy: "Cassaloz! You've come."

　The iron dragon gracefully landed beside Kara, gently touching her shoulder with the tip of its tail.

　"Yes, I'm here."

　Although the Iron Dragon's voice was immature, none of the dragons present found its disrespectful tone and attitude towards the King of Justice problematic. That was the new supreme dragon of the Sub-Iron Dragons, his battle record verifiable. The Sub-Iron Dragon King's attitude towards the King of Metal Dragons was perfectly acceptable—a talkative brass dragon or a mischievous copper dragon might offend the renowned, benevolent, and magnanimous His Majesty with words and actions, but this young, hot-tempered, cruel, and abnormally strong Sub-Iron Dragon… only a fool would provoke it…

　"Leave the rest to me."