How long had it been since I'd fallen under my master's thrall? That shelled beast that destroyed mountains with such ease as it.

How long had it been since I'd seen the one cloaked in void? The one who had shown me absolute fear.

How long had it been since I'd fought against the Thunderbird patriarch and lost?

It's hard to say, really. Things and events start to blur when one lives for thousands of years. Time starts to become one jumbled mess, and memories begin to mix with each other.

Atop my throne from beneath the holy city, I sat in contemplation. This area had once been the land that we had been pushed into. We'd lived in lush forests filled with trees but had eventually been forced into deserts.

I remember the days when the suns scorching heat was seen as torture.

We had been little feeble things back then. Unaware of the greater size of reality and of the beasts that called this world home. It's almost amusing when one thinks about it.

Almost amusing.

We were scampering little ignorant things back then, and now, we were only slightly more knowledgeable. We still scurried around, and in addition, we wished to go back to ignorance. When one's only goal is to survive, life tends to be much simpler.

The chamber remained silent as I sighed breathlessly. No air came out. Bones clacked against Gold as I raised myself from the throne. Instinctively I stretched, but the lack of muscle made it an empty gesture.

I was left feeling dissatisfied. Like when one builds up to sneeze but suddenly can not at the last minute.

I glanced around the throne room in all its golden might. I still remembered quite vividly the days when it used to be packed with my servants. It would echo with the bustling of nobles and clinking of plates and glass. Laughter would fill the air, and hisses were a near-constant.

Now the room stood empty apart from me. It had been that way for several tens of thousands of years now. I wonder if my people still remembered me. Or did they only know the Grand-Patriarch? The all-knowing protector of the lands, unceasingly working towards enlightenment and ascension. He who crushed all foes mercilessly.

Bones clicked against each other as my body attempted to imitate a laugh.

The clicking sounds quickly stopped that attempt. It just didn't feel right. Without a second thought, I descended from my throne.

Thousands of years of silence are enough to make any being mad. I didn't doubt that it had changed me profoundly. That was never in question. No, it was the original purpose of my seclusion that was now in question.

I had done it to hide from my people as I guarded them from the shadows. In the past, they had regularly called upon my aid, but now they had ceased to call upon me.

So then what is the purpose of continuous exile. I was immortal due to the powers of the one lurking below the depths. Staying here for all time wasn't all that pleasing of an idea.

I could not and would not spend an eternity in here.

I had already forgotten my name, any more time down here, and I would forget it all.

My footsteps echoed throughout the room as I walked onwards. The doors opened automatically in my presence.

To think they still functioned after so long, impressive.

I wondered what the world was like now. Was the mist still in existence? Where the humans still alive? Would I be able to survive?

Various questions ran through my mind as I walked out the door. I could not feel anxious in my undead body but had I still been made of flesh, I would have had a panic attack.

As I stood below the hole that led to the outside world, I could not help but hesitate. Was my sacrifice worth it? Had my actions helped my race?

I wanted answers, and staying down here would not give me any. I shook away my doubts before suppressing my qi. With only the barest amounts, I cloaked myself in an illusion of flesh.

The living are not fond of things that look like they should be dead. With a single light jump, I launched myself from the bottom of the hole into the sky.

The wind roared in my ear as I burst from the hole and soared upwards. I pushed through the mist and went through clouds before reaching the apex of my jump, where the sun's rays awaited.

Even as an undead, I couldn't help but soak in the warmth before I started to descend.

With a boom of force that tore the clouds, I hurtled down. The air was set ablaze as I descended. A streak of fire followed after me.

Further and further down, I went until my eyes lay upon the city. If I had lungs, I would have gasped. If I had actual eyes, I would have cried.

The sight of the city and the bustling of my people below brought endless joy to my heart. A quick glance at the horizon showed that this city spread as far as my eyes could see.

Many of my people flew through the air; some glanced my way before going about their day. Seeing someone fall at such speeds was not unusual for them.

I saw the guards, the merchants, and the civilians all working together. It was a perfect system.

I felt as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I didn't need to protect them anymore.

They were grown. I could live a life of peace and enjoyment.

As this realization struck me, I allowed my descent to slow. The buildings grew, and the details became more intricate.

Finally, I descended upon the roof of one building and took it all in from the rooftop. My tail swished as I struggled to contain my joy.

I was tempted to locate that arrogant bird and boast to him about my people. But, I knew better than to attempt such foolishness.

From where I stood, I watched them all go about their daily lives. In fact, it was only by the time the sun began to set that it sunk into my mind.

My goal in life was never to become powerful or to cultivate. It had been to protect my people from the dangers of the world. I'd needed to do those things for my goal, but they were never the reason in of themselves.

But I had accomplished my goal already. My people were no longer in danger, and they were thriving. I had done what I had set out to do.

Now what?

..........

The doors of the halls burst open, and a panicked guard ran in. His tail twitched in horror as he ran up to where we sat before kneeling on the floor.

"Great Elders, I have urgent news!"

I looked at the strange guard in front of us. Its multicolored scales and golden armors seemed to dim at my gaze. I knew that many of my peers were ready to blast it into oblivion for bursting in so suddenly, but I was too curious to allow it. I connected with their minds and asked that they stayed their hands.

The grumbling that followed after was expected, but thankfully all stayed their hands. "What is so urgent that it allowed you burst into the chamber of the Elders unannounced?" I asked.

My voice carried throughout the room and seemed to bring a deathly silence to it. All color was lost, and all sound ceased. The guard trembled before me, but that was not my intention. If I treated him kindly, the other elders would be most dissatisfied.

He would just have to deal with this for now.

The guard seemed to stumble upon his words. He stammered many times before stringing together the sentence he was searching for. "Elder Crimson Tail, the throne of the Grand-Patriarch is empty."

The shock generated by that statement was palpable. The Grand- Patriarch was no longer in cultivation? I retained my cool." Where did he go?"

"I'm not sure elder, some of the others reported seeing something burst out, but it was too fast for us to see."

My mind raced as I attempted to figure out what exactly was happening. The murmuring of my fellow elders told me of their unease.

I turned my focus back to the kneeling guard." Has there been any other strange events lately?"

"No elder Crimson Tail."

"Then you are dismissed." He seemed all too happy to rush out of the room. Once he exited, the color and sounds of the world returned. I look to see my fellow elders deep in conversation. They were as confused as I was.

The Grand Patriarch had not exited his throne room for over one hundred thousand years. What would make this all-powerful being move?

I shuddered at the very thought.

Whatever was happening needed to be investigated immediately and without alerting the public. The disappearance of the Grand-Patriarch would cause immense panic amongst the people and would embolden our enemies.

This could not be allowed.