Ch. 621..630

Chapter 621

Halmut immediately gathered his stimulants and fled the conference room in a hurry. The remaining gods each stood up and either left alone or began chatting within their own social circles.

"Kylon..."

As The Storm Goddess was about to leave alongside her divine attendants, she turned around to bow her head. "Perchet, what can I do for you?"

"Would you mind if I joined you?" asked the Nocturnal Dragon. "Given our shared circumstances, I wondered if we could gather our candidates together? It would offer another layer of protection for us and give us a person to chat with. Would you mind?"

"That’s fine. I would enjoy the rare company," replied Kylon, motioning for Perchet to step beside her.

The two gods left the conference room and began walking through a vast hallway. Kylon’s attendant Flood Dragon gods kept close behind them but so close as to impose on their master’s conversation.

Once out of direct earshot of the others, Perchet asked, "Kylon... Are you okay?"

"Of course I am. There’s no need to ask that," Kylon confidently and calmly replied.

"But your eyes tell a different story," stated Perchet. "I understand that you don’t need much sleep, but the exhaustion on your face leads me to believe something else."

"Oh... And what’s that?"

"You don’t seem physically tired but you seem... mentally exhausted. Perhaps you’re trying to sleep but are failing to sleep well?"

"Perchet, there’s no need to--"

"I understand that this is personal, but that’s why I ask. Sometimes, no matter how proud we are, it helps to have a listening ear. And listening happens to be my specialty."

"Was that a joke?" Kylon chuckled. "Since when have you had a sense of humor?"

Smiling, Perchet responded, "I see no reason for me to entertain Halmut’s wicked thoughts so there’s no reason to smile while handling business. Right now, we’re just chatting, something I believe is rare for the both of us, since the Godly War at least."

"Right..." Kylon’s chuckles fell into sighs. "I guess chatting isn’t too bad."

"Feel better after laughing a little? Talking this over will help even more," reasoned Perchet. "Let’s head to my room first for some tea. Afterward, we’ll use my teleportation circle to reach Fulken and select three divine candidates. Then we’ll bring them back here and repeat the cycle in the depths of Kustram."

"I... think I’d like that." Kylon nodded. "It’s been some time since I’ve chatted with another reputable god."

"Nearly five hundred years."

"What?" asked Kylon.

Perchet repeated himself, "Nearly five hundred years. That’s how long it’s been since you’ve had a casual conversation with a god."

"That’s not--"

"It was then that Lunara hid away in her temple to never return to the chateau and that’s also when you grew much colder to everyone else," mentioned Perchet. "Yet you suddenly grew warmer to Halmut, something none of us expected."

"Perchet, I haven’t changed. Sure, I may see things a bit differently after what happened to Kustram, but I’m still the same person as before," stated Kylon in a somewhat teasing voice.

"There it is!" Perchet smiled and pointed to her. "I haven’t heard you talk like that for all this time, so chatting must be helping you. But, Kylon, I do find it somewhat hard to believe..."

When Perchet paused, Kylon couldn’t help but ask, "Find what hard to believe?"

"That you’re the same person as before... Actually, I highly doubt it..." Perchet sighed and shrugged, leaving Kylon unsure of how to respond. "Kylon... what do you think of Skaryn?"

"He killed my people!" Kylon firmly stated. "Skaryn slaughtered an island of his own believers and obliterated my people in the process."

"But what do you remember before that?"

"What do you mean?"

"What do you remember from your conversations with Skaryn?" Perchet rephrased.

"I... I never talked with Skaryn, so--"

"Impossible." Shaking his head, Perchet slowed his steps as they neared the door to his room. "You really don’t remember?"

Kylon acted more stern, stating, "Perchet, I never--"

"Then what about your nightmares?"

"My what?!" Kylon shouted without realizing it. "How did... I mean..."

"Believe it or not, I’ve heard you mention it a couple of times during your visits to the chateau."

"You... That’s not possible."

"Then did your attendants seem surprised by my statement without question?"

The Storm Goddess nearly bit her tongue in search of something to say. She glanced at her attendants who avoided eye contact and followed her mistress into the room.

Perchet closed the door and mentioned, "Don’t worry, our conversation has been unheard of by the others. I soundproofed the air around us the moment we entered the hallway. And now that we’re here, we can relax and share our true thoughts without fear of the others. No one, not even Halmut, can listen into this room."

Seeing that Kylon was hesitant to respond, Perchet sighed and placed a tea kettle over a flat, black stone. Upon doing so, an inscription lit up over the stone and the matching kettle. In seconds, the inscription vanished and left the water at a perfect temperature. As Perchet poured numerous glasses for all his guests, Kylon and her attendants took a seat.

When Perchet brought the tray of teacups to the lounging area, he set it down and took a sip from his cup. "Kylon... I want out of legendary gods."

"What?!" Kylon immediately leaned forward and nearly spilled her tea, as did her attendants.

"I want out of the legendary gods," repeated Perchet, taking another quick sip. "I’ve wanted out for quite some time, for many centuries in fact. But I only thought it possible recently, so I haven’t acted on that thought until now."

"What do you mean?!" questioned Kylon, rushing to her feet. Her attendants did the same as they were clueless about what would come next.

"Kylon..." Perchet took one last sip before returning his cup to the small table in front of them. "Do you love Skaryn?"

 

Chapter 622

"Do you love Skaryn?"

"I-I... Why...."

As if her brain malfunctioned, Kylon found herself unable to say a thing. She was certain at first, ready to denounce such a ridiculous claim without a second thought. Yet she couldn’t. Kylon couldn’t bring herself to admit a thing. In that single moment, Kylon fell back onto the couch and slunk against the backrest. Her eyes twitched, on the verge of inexplicable tears.

When Kylon’s attendants were about to step forward and shout in place of their mistress, Perchet glanced at them and slowly waved his finger side to side. "Kylon... I’m being completely open with you. Do you believe me when I say that?... Kylon?"

"I... I believe you..." she struggled to speak, but she was unsure why.

"Then, can you be open with me? I want to help you."

"I... I-I..."

"Take a moment and breath. Just relax..." Perchet slowed his speech, trying to bring her tumultuous mind to a standstill. "What’s on your mind? You can be open with me... Nothing you can tell me would be more disastrous of a secret than what I’ve shared with you. Right?"

"... R-right..." Nodding, Kylon did her best to realize why water was streaming down her face.

"I... I don’t know anymore..."

"You don’t know what?"

"... Anything..." mumbled Kylon. "Halmut... Skaryn... I don’t know what to believe..."

"Is it because of your nightmares?" asked Perchet.

She began to nod but then shook her head. "Yes... No... I don’t know..."

"How about we talk about it? The more you can verbalize, the more concrete some thoughts might become. Or it might have the opposite effect, letting you weed out what may be false," reasoned Perchet with a smile.

"Who was Skaryn to you?" Kylon asked, blinking and momentarily halting her tears.

"Skaryn was a man that few understood," Perchet stated. "He was far smarter than Halmut will ever admit, and his strength always troubled Halmut until Skaryn was mysteriously sealed away."

"Mysteriously?" Caught off guard by his phrasing, Kylon asked, "Why would it be mysterious?"

"Kylon, when has Halmut ever used a seal apart from that fight?"

"He..."

"Can you think of just one other time? I can’t."

"Halmut... Didn’t he... There was the time when..."

"There was no other time. Right?"

Kylon opened her mouth but again failed to respond. Her brain had shortcircuited yet again.

"Tell me about your nightmares," Perchet insisted, seeing that Kylon was completely unable to explain some of her thoughts.

"Yes... The nightmares..." Taking a deep breath, Kylon regathered herself. "Almost every night for the past century I’ve been... someone else..."

"How’s that? You’ve been someone else in your dreams?"

The Storm Goddess nodded. "Yeah... But I’ve really been them, reliving the same day every night from a cruel, new perspective..."

"Now, I don’t want to force you to speak about this, Kylon," Perchet added. "I understand that this is hard for you to admit, but don’t you think it will feel better to get it off your chest?"

Taking another deep breath with her eyes closed, Kylon then opened her mouth and paused. "I..."

"Go on."

"I... Each night I relive the massacre of Kustram. But every time, those memories are lying to me. But they feel too real to be a lie... But they have to be a lie, or else..."

"Kylon... Kylon..." Perchet gently whispered and rubbed the woman’s shrinking back, making her gasp at first and then slightly relax. "It’s okay. Let it out."

The attendants in the room didn’t know what to say. They had always wanted their mistress to come clean but they had never managed to get her to admit anything beyond them being nightmares about Kustram. Never had they seen their mistress so fragile... so torn with herself.

As Kylon was balling up on top of the couch, she sniffled. Still, she struggled to get words to properly form in her mind. No matter what she tried, Kylon felt like her mind was failing her, adding to the stress she already felt burdened with.

"So... Your nightmares contrast your memory?"

Kylon nodded robotically.

"Well... Then, what do you remember? You’ve met Skaryn and you’ve had private conversations with him, so what do you remember about him?" asked Perchet.

"I... I never spoke with him alone," admitted Kylon. "At least... I don’t remember anything. I remember avoiding him."

"Then how did you avoid him?"

"I..."

Suddenly, the look on Kylon’s face turned from torn to grim. It was the moment she understood that something was drastically wrong with her. And she had no clue what, making it worse.

"I... I don’t know... But I always avoided him, because Skaryn was abusive and toxic to everyone..."

"Everyone?" Perchet tilted his head to the side. "Maybe you should ask Sillo for his opinion of Skaryn some time. I remember hearing that he and his sister have been tutored by Skaryn for a long time."

"Really? But... Skaryn is abusive and..."

"Then how is Skaryn abusive? Can you name an instance where he abused someone?" questioned Perchet.

Kylon nodded slowly but wasn’t able to remember a single incident. She deeply felt that Skaryn was such a man yet Kylon was unable to imagine why or how she had reached that conclusion.

"So, tell me about the nightmares. Was Skaryn abusive to you there?"

"N... No..." admitted Kylon. "Skaryn had sav... He help..."

Again, the expression on Kylon’s face grew grimmer as her mouth and mind failed to produce the thoughts she wanted. The more she dug around the top of Skaryn and the loss of Kustram, the more pained and tortured her mind felt. Just mentioning what took place in her mind was seemingly triggering her mind to shut down. But nothing was making sense!

"He what?"

"He... Skaryn... I don’t know... I don’t know!" Kylon shouted, feeling lost in her own mind, not recognizing if her memories were reality or fantasy or even her own. "I don’t know! WHY DON’T I KNOW, PERCHET?!"

Whimpering, Kylon stopped her shouting and let her tears fall willingly. "Why don’t I know... Why don’t I remember anything..."

 

Chapter 623

"Kylon..." Perchet softly asked, "Are you having trouble remembering things?"

The Storm Goddess nodded slowly, gradually shaking less and less as she realized how pitiful she was in front of her fellow god.

"Do you want help?"

"I..."

"Kylon, do you want help?" repeated Perchet. "If you don’t, then I’ll forget this ever happened. I won’t expect you to do the same, but I will ask that you give me some time to flee as a courtesy to our long time as friendly acquaintances... So, do you want help?"

"But... How can I get help?" Kylon asked. "I... This problem is mine, it’s not like--"

"You do realize that there’s a god specialized in the mind, right?"

"You mean... No! Perchet, I can’t--"

"Do you want help or not?" insisted Perchet. "If you want help, Eedaj and the leisure gods are your best bet, correct? You tried to tell Halmut but you were ultimately ignored. Why not ask Eedaj? You respect him as much as I do. He may even agree to evaluate your situation in secret, without the other leisure gods knowing."

"If..."

Kylon bit her lip, stopping herself from admitting to her desire for help. For as long as she had lived, that was the one thing she hated most, feeling weak and unable to solve her own problems. That was why she hesitated in contacting Skaryn, which allowed Halmut to force her into the worst contract possible.

"Kylon... It’s not that you’re weak," stated Perchet, stealing her attention again. "Everyone has problems that need help sometimes. For example, how do you think all of us legendary gods will reach Glacier Keep without you? We need to rely on your ability to locate and enter Glacier Reef so that we can teleport to your side.

"That’s the same reason why getting Eedaj’s help now would be best. He’s the most knowledgeable and capable when it comes to the mind, making him your only chance at discovering the problems with your memory." Perchet added, "Who knows, maybe he’ll be able to help you with your nightmares as well."

Little by little, Kylon’s ears were perking up. Mentioning the nightmares was like the straw that broke the camel’s back."

"I... want help..."

Perchet immediately retrieved a contact crystal and commented. "I’ll ask him to meet us in Fulken. That way, it will be fast and unknown to all. Okay?"

"... Okay..." Hesitantly nodding, Kylon took a deep breath. "But I’m not rebelling, like you. I still might give you up if push comes to shove."

"Go right ahead. I just want you to get the help you need." As the crystal connected and dimly glowed, Perchet stated, "We need to speak, now."

*****

"No one is Halmut’s ally, not even his own race. It wouldn’t surprise me if he ate his own child in order to strengthen his own bloodline strength."

"What do you mean?!"

The volume of Jack’s voice abruptly increased, catching Moranti off guard. The God of Space continued to speak, feeling that Jack’s reply was a bit more passion-filled than expected, "That... is an ancient way to increase the potency of a dragon’s bloodline. Many experiments have been done to test draconic bloodlines but a dragon consuming their unborn child is the most effective. Our children share our blood, which is the most compatible with ours. If a parent consumed their child’s bloodline, something we Spectral Dragons banned long before the race was wiped out, then there’s a chance that parent would experience a mild transformation of their bloodline strength.

"It’s a minor event but for Halmut it might mean a breakthrough, maybe. He’s been at lv. 99 for so long now... I don’t know why, but it feels like breaking through lv. 99 takes more than just leveling up."

Jack clenched his fists, taking in a sharp breath as he tried to calm his mind. "Thank you for telling me this... It’s more important than you know."

"What do you mean?"

"I’ll explain it later. For now, we need to let Estonya and Trodar celebrate," Jack stated as he turned to face the lively city in the distance. "After we publicly announce victory and let them spread the news with a celebration, we’ll meet up and discuss what’s next."

"Okay... Then I’ll gather the others."

Moranti could sense that something was off, especially after his remark about Halmut’s insatiable greed. But he understood that Jack would tell them soon or when the time was best. After spending five hundred years chained up, Moranti had become more patient than he would admit.

Jack took his time to walk toward the Estonya city walls. The surviving military forces of the Leisure Guild trickled in behind him with the gods taking the lead.

As the army capable of flattening the entire capital neared the city, the guards began to cheer. After a few moments, however, their cheers slowed and died down. They too could sense the somber mood of the army and recognize that the victory was still a great loss of life.

Once there, Jack and the other gods walked through the air to step atop the city wall.

"PEOPLE OF ESTONYA!!!"

That booming voice stilled the hearts of the elves within the city. They had experienced a rollercoaster of emotions and opinions and were still on an emotional high. Within twenty-four hours, the people of Estonya had their chief abandon their old gods, were then threatened by those same gods, and defended by the newly accepted gods despite the lack of public support the elves showed to Trodar. Right now, they were quite sensitive to Jack’s words and showed him their complete attention.

A few seconds passed as the city’s cheers stopped and all-eyes found Jack on the city wall.

"From now on, you’re one of us!" Jack shouted, lifting one arm to the sky. "No matter your thoughts or ideals against us or other species, Korten will remain under Trodar’s banner of protection! Today, Trodar has resoundingly defeated Halmut’s gods of old, who only seek obedience through oppression! From now on, YOU’RE FREE! As a part of Trodar, every person, no matter their species, is free from the oppression of Halmut and his tyranny!"

Chapter 624

Estonya erupted into cheers! Sure, the elves were brand new to Trodar and knew little to nothing of its current place in the world, but so far Trodar had only made a good impression on the elves.

Recently, more products than ever before were flooding the marketplaces of the elven cities. This was attributed to the trade pact with Trodar. More and more elf merchants were starting to leave Estonya to become mobile merchants as well, gaining far more wealth than what was possible within Estonya thanks to their unique products against the markets of the outside world. And after witnessing the gods and military of the Leisure Guild fend off dragons and the legendary gods, how could the elves question the capabilities of Trodar’s military might? Even without asking for help from Estonya or the other nations under Trodar’s banner, the Leisure Guild alone managed to repel the draconic threat.

Hearing that Korten wasn’t being overrun by Trodar but under their protection meant a lot after witnessing that battle. The very mention of retaining their freedom added to their boosted quality of life after the trade pact, cementing Trodar’s influence in their hearts and plant a seed of loyalty. It wasn’t too difficult after seeing Lyrun and the other formerly-named holy gods attempt to eradicate Estonya. Plus, Trodar proved it could also wipe out Korten or oppress the elves, yet they opted for free enterprise and rule to keep Estonya and Korten in peace.

"THANK YOU, MASTER JACK!!!"

One elf took to the sky and shouted with all his might. The elven chief spoke loudly, proud to have followed his gut and witness his people begin their own change of hearts. "Thank you!"

"It’s to be expected!" stated Jack, keeping his fist up. "Under Trodar, you’re still the Korten of ancient legend and heritage. Only now you can share that legend and heritage with the world without fear of war or discrimination. Only prosperity awaits you under Trodar’s protection, not radical change or war! Now is a time to celebrate! Let all of Kartonia know of the peace that’s possible under Trodar!"

After Jack finished his words, he dropped his arm to the side and hopped off of the city wall.

As Jack’s silhouette vanished along with the other gods, Gwendon led his people in a chant, "TRODAR! TRODAR! TRODAR!"

"ESTONYA!" Gwendon shouted, regathering the people’s attention after the crowd mentality had spread throughout the entire city. "Let’s commemorate this day, the day Estonya was both threatened with extinction and returned to the global stage as a rising star of Trodar!"

Shouts and cries of joy filled the capital’s streets as elves admired the chance of a new holiday. It didn’t take long for the restaurants and dispensaries to distribute their food and drink at an all-time high. The quick action of the stores and restaurants added to the excitement and pulled in the crowds to incite more enthusiasm.

While Estonya was celebrating, the elven merchants in the city updated their counterparts spread throughout Trodar. Those traveling elves were elated to hear the public announcement and understand the true prospect of joining Trodar.

The same traveling merchants were too excited not to share the news with their latest customers and begin the spread of information through Trodar. This started the domino of rumors about the event, as well as excite the people and merchants of Trodar. Not only had the Leisure Guild won a decisive battle, now Korten, the long-time ally of Halmut and his subordinate gods, would be open for Trodan visitors and merchants.

Of course, aside from the people of Trodar getting excited about the matter, the informants of the other nations soon heard about the results. They wasted no time contacting their home countries and fully explained the reappearance of dragons along with Trodar’s unexpected victory.

Adding the declaration of freedom under Trodar, a life without overbearing pressure of the gods, the kings and rulers of Kartonia felt all the more tempted to rethink their alliances. Not only had their gods lost, but Trodar was also offering a much fairer style of governance. Their nations were allowed to rule as they always had with minor changes, proven by how the Leisure Guild had paid for their newly made branches without any extortion of the new nations’ people.

Those that were on the fence had little to think about. Combining a key show of strength and a much less oppressive form of ruling, the neutral nations immediately began drafting letters to Trodar for conferences and discussions regarding the requirements to join.

The meteoric rise of Trodar had officially become unstoppable. Not even the opposing gods could stop them. It was an irrefutable fact now.

All the while, the gods and military of the Leisure Guild traveled back home via a spatial rift. They came home to a city that had already begun its own celebration, but many of the returning combatants didn’t join in the festivities.

The gods and key figures of the guild were among those that didn’t celebrate. Instead, they hurried to the strategy room to discuss the announcement that Daruun had made to stop the fight.

Jack sat at the head of the table but was slouching back into the seat without a word, twiddling his fingers around the contact crystal that Eedaj had just returned to him.

"Jack, what do you think about all of this?" asked Moranti, wanting the discussion to get started.

Sighing, the hero replied, "Well... I’ve never heard of Glacier Keep, so I don’t even know where to start. But since someone should know about it... Mom, do you know where that is?"

Lunara nodded. "I do... It’s been so long but I can’t forget my original home."

Caught off guard, many of the other gods present looked at the Water Goddess in surprise. She continued, "It should be off the west coast of Aazoon’s small shoreline. But it will take some time to find the definite location."

"Is it that hard to reach?" Dragas asked.

"Yes. After all, it’s more than ten thousand meters below sea level."

 

Chapter 625

"It’s that deep?!" shouted Jin.

Rikko stammered, "Rikko no swim! How Rikko go so deep?!"

Each of the gods added their stupified reply as Lunara waited to continue her explanation. Eventually, Lunara added, "Also, Kylon should be able to find it better than me. She found me, which led to her discovering my old home, Glacier Reef. But she didn’t stay or visit, according to my knowledge."

"Then both sides have a way to find the keep within the week..." mumbled Jack, putting his mind to work. "What do you know about Glacier Keep?"

"Glacier Keep is a sacred ground for the Glacier Hydras. It’s a place sealed in ice a bit deeper than the city. No hydra has ever been able to enter but every hydra has visited Glacier Keep at least once for a rite of passage," explained Lunara. "Well... not every hydra..."

"But you’ll still be able to find it?" Jack asked with a slight smile, understanding what she meant.

Nodding, Lunara replied, "I can definitely find it, so don’t worry about that. What I want to know is how we’ll get everyone down below for the dungeon run."

"I’m so excited!" Hadurt rubbed his hands together with enthusiasm.

"Actually... I don’t think you’ll be joining us."

"JACK! Come on!"

"Let me explain." Taking a deep breath and pausing to gather attention, Jack stated, "Daruun said that only groups of four can enter, stating that any larger groups would regret sending larger parties. Why would that be?

"With that question in mind, I would prefer to have our most powerful people in a single group rather than separate them among several groups."

"But then we’ll be dead for sure!" argued Lorwynn, taken aback by the proposal.

"And that’s why I think sending one group would be best," Jack clarified, leaving many flabbergasted.

"Jack, you can’t--"

"Do you think Halmut won’t create more gods?" questioned Jack, getting everyone to think for a moment. "If more gods are created, what else would that mean?"

"That more high-level gods will be created as well..." Moranti answered, sharing the thoughts of everyone.

"Then, due to Halmut’s greed, don’t you think he’ll want to create as many balanced teams as possible? Then he’ll best guarantee their success in claiming the treasures of the keep. Also... Daruun hinted at a special chamber before he left," added Jack. "Don’t you think there’s a chance that Halmut knows something about Glacier Keep, given his past relationship with Skaryn and Daruun? I think he knows far more than he’s letting on."

"But even then... what about everyone that doesn’t go?!"

"Calm down, Jin." Lunara sighed, "I understand what you mean, but Jack’s idea makes sense."

Moranti nodded, adding his thoughts, "If we split up into multiple groups, we would still be outnumbered. And if we’re encouraged to travel in small parties, then there may be a chance of separation within Glacier Keep. Should our groups get separated, the odds of running into an opposing team would be more so than finding an ally party. And our lack of high-level gods will be exploited in such a scenario, especially if we’re split up to create lopsided teams."

Jack was glad to see that Moranti was so insightful. But Jack also believed that Moranti only said so much because Moranti was certain to join the single party due to his strength.

"Then how would you separate us?" Eedaj asked Jack.

Jack scratched his head for a moment, finally answering, "We’ll have a single team of four. Sadly, Sterfen is busy and I don’t want to disturb his current objective. But him not joining us will be a plus."

"How so?" asked Hadurt.

"Halmut scared of Sterfen?" Rikko spoke loudly, asking the question to the table at large as well as himself. "If Halmut scared of Sterfen, Halmut hide in chateau. If Halmut hide, Halmut no go to Glacier Keep!"

"Exactly!" Jack gave Rikko a light gold clap before expanding on the idea, "Excluding Sterfen, I think we all agree that Moranti and I should be two of the four entering Glacier Keep. Are there any objections?"

Dragas spoke up, glancing at her lover, "What if they attack us here?"

"I doubt they will. If Halmut makes a move, then you can bet that Sterfen will do the same. And in the worst-case scenario, both Moranti and I can teleport back to help. And do you believe Halmut’s greed wouldn’t make him send everyone into the keep?"

"Alright..." Dragas bit her lip and nudged Moranti beside her. "But what if one of you dies or gets injured? I should join you as the--"

"Sorry, Dragas, but no."

Turning to face Moratni directly, Dragas blurted out, "And why not?!"

"Because what we need isn’t support, it’s all-out firepower," reasoned Moranti. "With us sending one group, we’ll be susceptible to ambushes of greater numbers. In those scenarios, though your support would greatly help us, you would also become the party’s weakness."

"I agree. That’s why I want Lunara joining us."

"ME?!" Lunara was stunned, as were others. "But I’m only lv. 94! I’ll find the place, but then you can teleport to my location and--"

"Mom, calm down." Jack paused, not wanting Lunara to talk herself out of the situation. "You’re more powerful than nearly anyone at your level. That was obvious when you fought Naparn to a draw, even with Dragas’s help. So long as you gain some more levels, then you’d be a nearly unstoppable force."

"But... how can I--"

"Don’t we have plenty of demigod candidates at the moment?" added Moranti, playing off of Jack’s thoughts. "We could have you level up in time to enter the keep as a high-level god."

"Not just a high-level god, as the highest leveled gods."

Jack’s statement stole everyone’s attention, immediately forcing their heads to turn back to the hero-turned-god.

"The other reason only one team is going is simple. I want everyone that’s not going to help those that are to level up. That includes you, Moranti."

 

Chapter 626

"Me?!" Moranti’s face instantly became more lively as an enormous smile painted itself from ear to ear. "You mean--"

"Yes, I want both you and Lunara to reach lv. 99. Then, our disadvantage of having a single party would become our advantage," reasoned Jack, leaving everyone in awe. "As a lv. 91, I was able to keep up with Torian and overwhelm Tralbok. I’m lv. 93 now thanks to them."

Jack motioned to the opposite end of the table, pointing to the four newest gods.

One had burning red hair and a tight, cut physique. He seemed agile and flexible yet unusually strong with his well-cut cheekbones, matching his father’s. Beside him was a man with pale purple hair, who was slimmer yet his deep purple eyes showed off his incredible strength.

However, the two in the spotlight stood at the very end of the table, in the most junior seats a god could hold.

With silver hair that contained streaks of gold, the slimmest of the four men chuckled. He leaned back into his chair while craning his neck forward, showing off the most flexibility of all. But his golden draconic eyes were sharper than ever, proving he was more than meets the eye.

The last man sat up straight, unchanged by Jack’s motion, apart from showing a smile. Though he was sitting, the man’s head towered over the others at the table and matched or surpassed the height of the mortals standing at the side. His shoulders were so wide that the only person capable of sharing the table’s end with him was the slimmest of all gods, who also happened to be at the bottom of the godly hierarchy out of luck. The well-built man’s eyes weren’t as demonic as the slim man’s, but those dark brown eyes still contained a hint of bestial strength and the man’s rows of sharp, smiling teeth proved that he was no ordinary human.

"With Phoro and Dragov ascending, I should be able to face any god in a one on one fight, including Halmut. And after Jin and Hadurt ascend, then I should be able to overwhelm Halmut and not just fight him evenly," continued Jack. "I know that everyone else wants me to assist your ascendance, but we can redo that later if needed, right? Since you’ll all be lv. 90, what’s wrong with dropping a single level again once this is over and we’re able to act without Halmut interfering?"

"But what if that’s not an option?" Lorwynn asked.

"Given Halmut’s situation, I think our troubles with him will be ending sooner rather than later," stated Jack. "After Glacier Keep, I think someone will be passing lv. 99. That’s what we’re racing for now. The first side to get that will automatically win."

"Then why not use this time to do that yourself?" Rydel spoke up from the side.

Jack shook his head, thinking back to his many conversations with Daruun. "It’s not that simple... I understand why Halmut hasn’t passed lv. 99, but I don’t think that same reason applies to Skaryn, at least not to the same extent. There has to be a reason why passing lv. 99 isn’t as easy as the other levels. And I think that secret might be what’s hidden inside Glacier Keep, considering Daruun built the place to train gods."

"So you’d rather give that chance to Lunara and Moranti, as you may be able to reach lv. 99 with ease later while also rounding out the team?" questioned Rydel, sharing his thoughts aloud. "But how will you get Lunara to lv. 99?"

"I want to ask if the other gods are willing to die."

"Wha--"

"So that we can immediately revive you. If I ’killed’ you, then I’d gain EXP and give Lunara and Moranti the chance to level up as well after they make you their demigods," reasoned Jack, not letting anyone interrupt him before finishing his thought. "I’ll level up once or twice, as will the fourth member of the party."

"I knew you wouldn’t leave me out!" shout Hadurt, sticking out his chest.

"The helmed hero will be the fourth party member."

Jack’s statement left everyone startled, including Moranti and Lunara. But they were momentarily speechless and Jack was quick to share his reasoning.

"He can act as both a support and a lead attacker with his incredible speed. We could even argue that he has the greatest short-distance speed among the gods while he’s still a mortal. Am I wrong?" Jack glanced to the side, getting everyone to find the helmed swordsman leaning against the wall, who silently nodded.

"His teleporting attacks combined with lightning and wind magic make him to hard to hit while making him the perfect ally to flank a busy enemy. That would give us three teleporting gods who could switch between enemies at will, keeping the opposing gods on guard at all times while offering little to no opportunities to strike us. Are there any objections to that strategy? It should match what Moranti was explaining earlier to perfection."

Sighing and shaking his head, Moranti chuckled, "You’re right... Such a team would be devastating. I’d prefer if he was higher-leveled, but after executing your idea to level up, he wouldn’t be any weaker than the others are right now."

"I agree," reaffirmed Lunara. "My superior health will let me play the role of tank while the rest of you can pick them apart with pure offense. It’s not how I usually fight, but I believe it could work if I can really reach lv. 99."

"If Dragas, Eedaj, and Rikko agree to the plan, we’ll be able to gain six demigods that will plow through Earthen Keep, giving you and Moranti a combined six levels. One for Moranti and five for you, Mom," Jack explained.

"I’ll agree, but only on one condition!" Dragas immediately objected. "I want to form a pact mutual seal!"

"Dragas, there’s no point in--"

"You’ll make my seal with Moranti as proof of our marriage!" shouted Dragas, leaving everyone floored.

 

Chapter 627

"Honey, that--"

"We’ll form a pact and then I’ll be the one to pledge to you, making you lv. 99 and free of your contract," Dragas stated firmly. "You didn’t deny our relationship last time, only putting it off."

"But we can’t go so fast--"

"Why not?!" argued Dragas, not caring who was present to witness the bickering couple. "We’ve been patient our whole lives, waiting thousands of years for somethings. But why should we wait on this? If anything, our years of wisdom should make the decision all the easier."

Moranti swallowed some stagnant saliva. He paused to think before replying, "Dragas... I’m fine with getting married. But--"

"Then why not now? Give me one good reason!"

"I... I promised her to have a child first." Taking out his scythe, Moranti sighed. "The remains of my wife and my people will always be with me in this scythe. Her dying wish was for me to have a child and revive my people. That’s why I’ve wanted for Jack to search for more sealed dragons..."

"That’s it?!" Dragas gave Moranti a resounding slap, befuddling everyone. "I told you, never doubt the fertility of a dryad!"

"W-what do you mean?"

"Dryads can bear children with any living organism, at least any that have attempted. Why can’t I bear your child?!" pouted Dragas, retrieving a set of cheap wedding rings. "I made a promise too, and you fit the bill! I’m not allowed to marry anyone that’s weaker than him, so who else can I ask?!"

"Dragas..." Moranti’s breath paused as he saw Dragas’s shouts turn to cries. He lowered the scythe to the side and embraced her with his free arm.

Everyone else was speechless. No one dared interrupt the moment, either out of compassion or fear. At least, for a minute or two. Then, Jack spoke up, "I agree with Dragas."

"Jack..." Moranti sighed.

"See, I’m not the only one!" Dragas admitted, glancing back at Jack. "If he agrees, then why not?!"

"I want to know what will happen if you two form a mutual seal while you both have my bloodline skill," added Jack, changing everyone’s thoughts immediately. "If that were to happen, wouldn’t Moranti’s magic types match up against Halmut’s?"

Seeing the situation in a new light, Moranti’s mind went blank for a moment. He blinked. Moranti then chuckled once. Then twice.

"See?" Dragas turned Moranti’s head to look her in the eyes. "Why can’t we make it official? And since I’ll be starting over as a god anyway, I won’t be battle much and can focus on raising a child..."

Overwhelmed, Moranti didn’t know what to say. He wanted to impulsively delay it again but Moranti also wanted to know if Dragas could possibly bear his seed. Then, thinking of what their mutual seal would do for his fighting strength, Moranti was unable to stop imagining such a drastic increase in his abilities.

"You know... if we form a seal, then I may be able to make a hybrid form. Wouldn’t that guarantee fertility?"

Dragas’s soft whisper was the final push Moranti needed.

"I... I’m okay with that."

"Then say it... Don’t make your women wait..."

Sighing and chuckling, Moranti kissed Dragas and embraced her. Leaning his head against hers, Moranti asked, "Dragas, will you marry me?"

"Yes!"

The couple kissed yet again as Dragas was unafraid to slip her man the tongue in public. It took a moment for Lunara and Jack’s wives to start clapping, followed by Lina and then everyone else. It was the last thing everyone was expecting to happen during their meeting.

Jack brought the conversation back to the main topic, asking, "Then, are we all in favor of that plan? I’m sorry if it’s not your preferred way of doing things."

"I don’t mind at all," stated Eedaj. "Death is nothing to be afraid of in this instance, so why should I waver."

"Rikko okay too. Maybe Rikko swim with Lunara’s blessing!"

The entire room broke out in laughter as Rikko began to daggy paddle the air.

"We need to speak, now."

Jack halted his laughter and changed his expression to a sly smile. He whispered, "What is it?"

"Go to Shadow Gorge, alone. An escort will bring you to us. Kylon needs your help, no questions asked."

"Okay... I’m on the way."

The conversation was brief and to the point, but it was all Jack needed to feel much better about what came next.

"So, shall we prepare for the ceremony?" Jack joked, adding to the laughter around the room.

"YES!" Dragas immediately agreed. "We can do it here and now since this is everyone we need! Let’s clear the tables and rearrange the seats!"

"Honey, that’s--"

"We can only get married once, so you owe me this much at least! Now let’s hurry, or we won’t have time to level up and get you your levels!" argued Dragas, storing the giant conference table in her storage, no questions asked.

Everyone instantly played along, doing as Dragas asked. Many seats were stored and the women rushed to take down all decorations within the room. Dragas and Eedaj then began to set up their fauna and plant life decorations, according to Dragas’s tastes and every whim, of course. Dragas even had the lazy Phoro rushing to store every small knick-knack on the many small tables throughout the room, as well as the tables. She needed everything perfect.

Though Jack was unable to escape the setup, one person had vanished under everyone’s watch without anyone the wiser.

A small flash of purple light appeared on the Maldor-Fulken border. When the light rescinded, the helmed swordsman found himself alone on a rocky, desert path. Taking in a breath of the warm air, the man’s helmet was stored, as was his unusual make-shift armor. Smiling wide, Jack was happy to be using one of his many anonymous disguises from his in-game past. The thrill of deceiving others, even allies, was still a rush for him.

Changing into Sterfen’s cloak, one of the spares that he had picked up from his tomb, Jack assumed the common garb of adventurers and took out a broom, if it still qualified as a broom. Red racing flames existed where bristles usually were and the shaft of the broom was made of unusually thick steel with strange contours. It even had handlebars and a large leather seat. The item looked more like a levitating motorcycle than a broom, but it had always been labeled as the "Harley mount" under the broom category.

Hopping onto the lottery item that had cost Jack a summer bonus, the hero rocketed through the air at incredible speed.

Chapter 628

Thirty minutes flew by. Jack then descended and stored his prized mount. Now that he was near his destination and not traveling over random forests and wildernesses, he didn’t want to draw any unneeded attention to himself. Although he did feel temporarily depressed after putting away the exciting mount, which had fulfilled many nostalgic, nerdy fantasies.

But the decision paid off.

With his minimap out, Jack passed the final treeline. All that was left was a breath-taking view.

Shadow Gorge was aptly named. Two sharp cliffs stood on opposite sides of each other with a river and some lush land far below separating them. Large trees would sporadically sit at the cliff’s edges. They couldn’t compete with the Life Tree in Estonya but they could match plenty of the trees within the Prehistoric Forest. Those same trees had roots burrowing out of one cliff and into the other, making natural bridges overtop the gorge with thousands of vines connecting roots or falling to the deep gorge below. The amount of sunlight landing within the gorge was minimal at best due to the sheer amount of shade those trees, roots, and vines produced. But there also seemed to be a dark fog that dwelled within the gorge and slowly followed the flow of the river below. The river was virtually unnoticeable from where Jack was standing but he knew it was there.

There was one other thing that startled Jack, though it took a minute for Jack to realize it. Jack couldn’t hear a thing.

There was no noise from the powerful raging river below. The hero couldn’t hear any wildlife from within the gorge. It sounded as if no wind was following the walls of the cliffs. But it was obvious that all three of those things existed, either from the little that Jack could see at the moment or his in-game visits to Shadow Gorge. Obviously, there was a river as it was what naturally created the gorge in the first place despite the silence. Birds or other wildlife could be seen traversing the vines and roots or even dwelling inside them, but no sound was heard. And the dark mist was moving, proving that wind was indeed present within the gorge.

Yet Jack couldn’t hear a thing. He felt like he had accidentally muted the game, only it was no longer a game.

It took Jack a few minutes to better grasp the situation and disregard the strange phenomenon. Finally, Jack took a deep breath and leaped off the cliff.

Wind spattered against Jack’s unguarded face as he used no magic to shield himself. The hero reached out his arm and grabbed one of the thinner vines to swing off and redirect his course. He did this a few times, eventually finding himself at the center of both cliffs. Then, Jack simply let himself fall through the thickest part of the black mist.

Jack’s cheeks were slapping his face over and over as he plummeted through the mist. Soon, his eyes started to find dots of light to his left and right. Knowing he was on course, Jack took a deep breath and did his best to smile in the face of the insane wind pressure.

The moment Jack exited the mist, he was still a hundred meters above the ground, or water in Jack’s case.

An almost black river of water was flowing steadily beneath the hero. On each riverbed was a plethora of wildlife, most of which could create light via bioluminescence. Those lights are what confirmed Jack’s trajectory and allowed Jack to target his freefall with accuracy.

Closing his eyes and pointing his arms and hands downward, Jack took a deep breath.

SPLASH!

Jack careened downward through the water as it dissipated his momentum. Even with his high-level physique, Jack felt some numbness on his fingers, arms, and face from the dive, but not enough to stop him or take away from the adrenaline rush he felt.

Once his momentum was gone, Jack swam for the surface. The Dim River wasn’t known for rapids or high waters but it’s strange wildlife, so Jack found it quite easy to reach the shore.

Taking in one deep breath after another, Jack was calming his excited body while smiling at his menu screen.

[Adrenaline Junkie: completed]

[Leap from the top of Shadow Gorge to the depths of Dim River without the use of spells or skills. Unique reward: 300 skill points. Would you like to claim this reward?]

It wasn’t much but Jack wasn’t going to complain about the freebie skill points, especially after feeling the true rush of the achievement without a computer monitor dulling his senses. Jack claimed the three hundred skill points and glanced around the gorge.

To his surprise, now he could hear the rushing water and the occasional humming of insects.

But just when Jack was reinspecting his surroundings, he heard the powerful flap of wings in the distance. The hero turned his attention to the southeast and could roughly make out a large figure coming toward him. Now inside, Jack fully understood why the place was called Shadow Gorge. Because anything without bioluminescence appeared to be a different shade of a shadow.

As the figure got closer and grew larger, Jack remained still and admired the grace of the now-gliding beast. He was astounded by the sudden speed the beast had gained when it started gliding, becoming far faster than when it was flapping its wings.

The dragon flapped its wings once more, halting his flight as easily as it had gained tremendous speed. It landed on the soft riverbed with soft footsteps and retracted its wings. Without any eyes or eye sockets, the dragon turned to face the hero. "Are you Jack?"

"I am."

"Come with me, please." The Nocturnal Dragon extended one of its wings to the ground, acting as a ramp for the human before him. "I’ll take you where you need to go, on Perchet’s orders. Please remain silent and say nothing until we reach Perchet’s home."

Chapter 629

"Alright, then don’t mind if I do."

Jack calmly walked up the dragon’s winged arm and sat himself on the dragon’s back. He was amazed at how welcoming the Nocturnal Dragon was, especially when considering his personal knowledge of the species.

According to "A Hero’s Tale", Nocturnal Dragons were the most isolated dragon species of all. They numbered fewer than all others and were reluctant to fight. It was incredibly rare for an event to include a Nocturnal Dragon. And even then it was usually a matter of allying with the beast and not fighting one. They were well known throughout Kartonia yet mysterious in their own ways.

Curious to see what came next, Jack kept his eyes peeled as the dragon turned and prepared for taking off.

"Hold on tight."

The moment those three words left the dragon’s mouth, Jack’s head was thrown back by the startling force of the dragon’s takeoff speed. He was fine but it was greatly unexpected. But Jack wasn’t too surprised after considering the dragon’s strength at lv. 89. It was simple logic to realize that this Nocturnal Dragon was an aide or assistant to Perchet. With the smallest population among dragon species, a lv. 89 Nocturnal Dragon wouldn’t be anything less than that.

It took a matter of seconds for the Nocturnal Dragon to flap its wings again and halt its gliding.

This gave Jack a moment to see his new surroundings. He noticed various caves carved into the cliffsides and a handful of Nocturnal Dragons coming and going from those caves.

But no matter how fascinating Jack found it, he had no more time to freely look around him.

"Hold your breath."

Another three-word warning was all Jack got, but this one made no sense to Jack. However, the Nocturnal Dragon didn’t give Jack another moment. Instead, the dragon tipped its nose downward and rocketed into the water below.

Jack was glad to have his updated system and body where he wouldn’t need oxygen but he still gasped for breath out of reflex. After realizing he was fine, Jack was astounded to see the Nocturnal Dragon zipping through the deep, dark river almost as quickly as the dragon zoomed through the air.

It was utterly perplexing though. It was one thing to swim but the streamlined dragon was seemingly flying through the water. That wasn’t swimming and wasn’t supposed to be possible according to his knowledge.

They passed many well-lit fishes and water-dwelling beasts in the blink of an eye. In a second of two, they entered pitch-black depths without a sign of life.

This was alarming to Jack but he was too curious to care about his own human instincts. They were now far deeper than Jack was able to go in-game and were traveling far faster as well. His divine body could feel the water pressure against his skin. Though it didn’t affect Jack much, it proved how difficult traversing those depths would be without his current circumstances.

Jack clung tightly to the dragon’s back, bracing his chest against the dragon’s scales to reduce the resistance against his face. The hero had no means to see the world around him as it was pitch-black and too dark for his eyes to see a thing. But that didn’t stop the Nocturnal Dragon.

Abruptly, the dragon began to twist and turn, leaving Jack completely disoriented. This continued for a few seconds as the pressure on Jack grew more and more. It grew uncomfortable, mainly due to the speed they were traveling through the different pressure levels. Yet Jack didn’t give up. He held on tight and waited to learn where they were going.

As Jack thought about what mysterious depths lied at the bottom of Dim River, he was baffled once again.

The dragon breached the water’s surface all of a sudden, from the depths of the river.

When Jack heard the splash of their exit and felt the air against his face, he was left clueless and confused. His body regained some orientation, recognizing that the dragon was now traveling upward. But Jack’s eyes were still unable to see a thing.

"Where is--"

"No noise, please," the Nocturnal Dragon reminded, getting Jack to keep his mouth shut.

Jack activated his many sets of bestial eyes, searching for some means of sight. Phoro’s sharp eyesight was useless in the dark depths of the underground with no sunlight, as were Karronteel’s. He had some luck with Dragov’s bloodline but Draconic Centipedes weren’t exactly known for their eyesight. They sensed the tremors and vibrations of the earth, relying on that to travel and find prey.

Defeated, Jack could only wait as the dragon began to descend yet again while flying in an uneven corkscrew maneuver. There was no telling how deep they were and Jack was shocked to know that such a place existed without him having explored it previously.

When the dragon suddenly flapped his wings and came to a jarring halt, the unprepared Jack felt his insides press deeper into his guts.

As Jack was taking some deep breaths to relax his body, the Nocturnal Dragon landed softly and dropped his winged arm to the ground like a ramp. "Here it is. Step off my wing and take three steps forward. You’ll find a doorknob in reach of your right hand. Turn it and enter the small passage. Take five more steps and you’ll find another door. Open that door and you’ll find yourself able to see again."

"I... Understood," Jack sighed, carefully dismounting the dragon. Once his feet landed on the ground, he used his mastery of the centipede bloodline to sense the area around him.

All at once, Jack was overwhelmed with his discovery. He had taken one step but stopped without a word.

"Two more steps. Then you’ll find the first door," stated the Nocturnal Dragon, waiting patiently and offering more instructions for the human he assumed was completely blind so far underground.

After another few seconds, Jack gulped down the saliva lodged in his throat. He slowly asked, "This place... What... Who made all this?"

Chapter 630

"This place... What... Who made all this?"

The dragon turned its head to Jack, surprised by such a question. "You can see down here?"

"Not exactly..." replied Jack. "But I can sense the ruins through the ground. You used sound waves to find your way, right? I can do something similar through the ground, but I can’t get a clear picture like you can."

"Come in. We’ve been expecting you."

A calm voice caught Jack off guard. The dragon that had guided Jack then nodded and said, "Enter that passage and the following room. If anyone can explain things, it will be Perchet, should you be worthy."

Jack felt the rush of wind from the dragon’s takeoff, leaving him with zero answers and countless questions. He blinked and did his best to sense the cast open chamber he was in but it was too large for Jack to sense without transforming. And since Perchet’s was clearly inside the building a few steps away, Jack felt that was his best chance of getting answers and not randomly exploring the ruins. At least not without skiing first.

There was one thing that Jack could instantly spot with his eyes, however. In the corner of his menu, Jack spotted a new notification. Jack opened it only to be dumbstruck yet again.

[Ace of discovery: completed]

[Discover Kartonia’s most ancient burial grounds and catacombs, the Dusk Dragon Mausoleum. Legendary reward: 2,000 skill points. Would you like to claim this reward?]

"Come on. We have other things to do," added Perchet.

Quickly claiming his skill points, Jack exited the menu with one question answered and dozens more added to his mental list. Taking two more steps, Jack gripped the doorknob and opened the heavy door with relative ease. Closing it behind him, Jack found the next door and opened it slowly as he was blinded by the light unleashed upon its opening.

Jack groaned, blinked, and squinted as he entered the well-lit room.

"JACK?!"

Hearing a women’s voice, Jack regained his senses a bit quicker. "Yes?"

"Perchet, what is Jack doing here?!" Kylon questioned. "You said--"

"Please forgive me, both of you. I was vague with each of you which has caused confusion," stated Perchet. "Give me a moment to explain, Kylon. Jack doesn’t know any better about this. I’m the one who fooled you."

"Then you’re only after killing--"

"No!" Jack shouted, catching Kylon off guard. The hero rubbed one eye as he added, "Auntie Kylon, I just came to help you."

"A-auntie?"

"Well, I don’t want to call you grandma, even though Lunara is my mom. I think auntie is better given your relationship with Skaryn, after all."

"A-auntie... Skaryn... W-what do you mean?!"

"Calm down, Kylon. As I said, I’m the one to blame here. Let me explain some things, such as why we’re down here to have our chat."

As Kylon closed her mouth and did her best to calm down, Jack was silently regaining his vision. They both listened carefully as Perchet explained himself, "We’re down here because it’s the most isolated place in Kartonia, where Halmut has no means of hearing, seeing, or sensing us. He knows nothing about this place or its existence, and I want it to stay that way.

"Now, addressing the matter at hand... Kylon, we can all speak openly and freely with each other here. No matter what, Halmut and the others will never know about what we say here unless you tell them. So there’s no need to dull the pain you feel or hide from help. Do you not trust Jack as Lunara’s son?"

"I... didn’t realize he was related to her... But still!" Kylon replied, arguing with Perchet and herself.

"Auntie Kylon, there’s no need--"

"Stop calling me that..."

Sighing, Jack replied, "Why not?"

"... Skaryn and I were never--"

"Do you still believe that?" Perchet questioned, not letting Kylon enter denial so easily. "If you trust me, then allow me to vouch for Jack along with Lunara and Sterfen, who adopted him as a demigod."

"But... You’re falling out with us... Why should I believe every word you say without question?" reasoned Kylon.

Perchet nodded. "True. I never said you weren’t allowed to question me. Feel free. Maybe if I explain the reasoning behind my desire to leave Halmut’s side, then you’ll better trust me.

"My people and I hail from a draconic bloodline that Halmut knows nothing about. But the moment he learns of it, he’ll wipe my entire race from existence, simply for existing."

"... What bloodline?" Kylon asked.

"Dusk Dragons?"

"Jack is correct," answered Perchet. "Long before Halmut, my ancestors were as noble as the Sun Dragons and Spectral Dragons. They too would evolve four times and wield many magic types, as Halmut does now. However, they were a peaceful people that sought calm lives. They’re the ones who created this underground space and made Shadow Gorge above what it is today, making it the only location in Kartonia that naturally repels people from watching or listening or spying from afar."

Pausing, Perchet added, "Now, I don’t blame the Sun Dragons or the Spectral Dragons for what happened in the past and eliminated them. Such is the way of the world."

"Wait, they teamed up to face you?"Jack asked.

"Not me, my ancestors," corrected Perchet. "In that time of peace, the Dusk Dragon population had grown substantially, almost outnumbering the Sun Dragons and Spectral Dragons combined. That was the reason behind their attack, fear of my ancestors as some younger, naive Dusk Dragons began to throw their weight around the world. If I had been a Sun Dragon or Spectral Dragon at the time, I most likely would’ve attacked as well.

"However..." Perchet’s tone shifted, becoming more serious. "Something like that won’t be overlooked by Halmut. The moment he realizes that we’ve been lying to him about our population or he learns that we wield more than sound magic and occasionally dark magic, then we’ll be wiped out."

"So you do wield water magic!" Jack shouted, getting a nod from Perchet and a look of disbelief from Kylon.