“Are you sure about this, Azureath?” asked Aaron.

“I am sure,” said Azureath. “It is the only way I can finally let go. And besides…no dragons want to use a lair so close to a sprawling human settlement. It is one of the reasons why it stays abandoned for so long.”

“I see.” Aaron held out his staff. “I suggest you stay back, my werewolf friends.”

Hans and Adeline looked on as Aaron, the former mage king of Nolingrod, unleashed a powerful fire spell from the tip of his mage’s staff, burning down the lair. The two werewolves had gathered as many flammable materials as they could, with Aaron supplying the oil necessary. He had already planned to do it before his own death, as a sign of respect for the then-gone Azureath. With the azure dragon giving her consent, he did not need to. Like Azureath, he could finally move on from the cursed dragon lair.

After giving respect to Azureath’s deceased family, the four went with Aaron to the nearby Nolingrod, which was still a kingdom, but much bigger than what the azure dragon remembered. The kingdom was one of many that was governed by mages, with the head of government bearing the title of mage king. The position was elected to the office based on the decision given by the council of Nolingrodian mages, with reelection being possible after the first period of office. Aaron was the latest king who finished his term and decided to retire, citing old age as the primary reason.

He then lived with his pension in a home he built, and he generally was considered a good advisor, albeit informally. His retirement was relatively peaceful, with the new government doing well, continuing the prosperity of Nolingrod. As for Aaron, he generally lived happily with his wife, who occasionally worked as a mage instructor.

While Aaron’s wife prepared for tea and snacks, Aaron sat on an outdoor chair with Hans and Adeline, alongside Azureath and Zenithia. They soon discussed the threat of the light dragons and what they did to Pol Hain, the village overran by mutated people, and Dracokin. They also talked about Hans and Adeline, Ternorians with almost no potential with magic, and also werewolves, a foreign beast race hailing from a different continent.

“Ah. So that is the crisis you currently face,” said Aaron as he sipped his tea. “But I’m afraid I can’t be much of help. I feel that your hatchling friend has more knowledge of it than I do, given that she’s clearly far more experienced than I am.”

“Maybe so, wise Aaron,” said Azureath. “But you may be able to help find out about the city of Qeveriyt.”

“The legendary lost city of dragons?”

“Dragons does not keep a record of anything. That is what humans and non-humans do. So, maybe you have an insight on it? Maybe from the archives of Nolingrod’s grand library?”

“Only the same thing people know, along with theories of where it might exist. That knowledge is pseudo-historical.”

“But it is not a story.”

“No, it is not. I once read papers about mages researching the possible cause of its disappearance and one struck me as intriguing. Tell me, have you ever heard of a perception filter?”

“What’s that?” asked Adeline.

“It is related to presence concealment, but it is far more complex despite its simplicity. Hypothetically, it is a spell that makes things ‘disappear’, or at least make you unable to perceive the object. So, the object is there, but the magic prevents anyone to see it. The wild theory they came up involved a powerful perception filter generator that kept the city invisible. It was dismissed because it could not explain why Qeveriyt remained a legend instead of a factual city. In short, if the city did exist, no one even remembered it. There were no records of it ever existing, and longer-lived races like dragons and elves did not think the city existed. It only exists as a fable. A legend about a mythical city of dragons in an age where dragons and beast races were considered different from humans and elves.”

“A city that exists only in legends…. We do have a story like that in Tragoria.”

“Ah. The legend of King Percelis and his knights presiding in the kingdom of Calotte, right?” said Adeline. “Along with the magic sword Excelis?”

“Qeveriyt was either the seat of a lost kingdom or a city established by disenchanted dragon riders of the past. Even the legend is inconsistent,” said Aaron. “So, I am not sure why you are pursuing a legend while you are supposed to be finding a way to fight the light dragons.”

“They won’t go away unless we sever the Thread giving them access to this world,” said Zenithia. “And Qeveriyt, and somehow Azureath, has something to do with it. I have seen what Azureath was capable of, so only Qeveriyt remains.”

“Yes. In regard of Azureath…I know it is very unlikely, but she is a Daughter of the Eternal Frost. Everyone assumes the daughter would be an elf, considering the Eternal Frost being an elven legend, but for her to be a dragon? That is a pleasant surprise, indeed.”

“Is it any different from being an ice dragon?”

“Very different. A Daughter of the Eternal Frost uses a different form of magic that some say did not even use mana to produce ice. What you did in that cave was not mana manipulation, but an innate, almost natural, ability to manipulate thermal energy.”

“Thermal…energy?”

“You have full control of thermal energy over a limited area, which also includes controlling the weather simply by manipulating the temperature. There are countless applications of that ability if you are creative enough.”

“How do you know all this?” asked Hans.

“I only suspected her to be one. Now that she showed what she was capable of, then my suspicions were justified.”

“Since when?”

“Since always. I have lived with dragons, considering my parents’ work as traders. I know dragons do not use their breath element through their claws. So, when you survived the ambush in your lair and end up killing the Dragonsbane with your ice, I became inspired to be a scholar to know more about you. That’s when I stumbled upon the Eternal Frost legend. With the help of some elven peers, I theorized that you may have the powers that can cause an Eternal Frost. Calling you a living goddess is by no means an exaggeration.”

“A living goddess. I don’t feel I earned that title,” said Azureath. “The burden of that title only adds to the burden of being a dragon, not to mention the repercussions that title will bring to me.”

“As a former king, I understand you perfectly.” As Aaron finished the last of his tea. He sighed, stood up, and said, “I never thought I’ll see another war coming after such a short time, especially not against dragons of light that can never die. I do wish I can help you more on Qeveriyt, but you can only go so far with myths and legends.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll find out about it,” said Hans. “Before I met Azureath, I only knew dragons from stories and legends, not sure if the only truth about them happened to be statues and heraldry crests. I don’t even think magic can be explained, either. Then, I arrived on Main with my crew, and all those stories…they were real. If dragons and magic are real, then a city of dragons forgotten by all might have a chance to be real.”

Aaron chuckled. “I like your enthusiasm. And before you go, let me tell you something that has been in my mind. Your ability to transform into a human and a wolf is something a druid is capable of, only not with your specific race. Maybe you can learn a bit more of your heritage here, however improbable that is.”

“Druid? Well, we do have a druid in our midst.”

“A satyr, more like,” said Adeline.

“It might help asking her about it. Just for an insight. You might need that knowledge sooner or later. Your inability to use magic will not help you survive for long, especially against Aetherium. Magic potential is essential on this continent, even for those who chose not to hone the craft of mana manipulation or not able to. Keep this in mind.”

“We will.” Adeline then bowed. “We bid you farewell.”

“As do I. Nolingrod will be ready for anything. King Julius will listen.”

Hans and Adeline were glad that they could find a kingdom ally just by accompanying Azureath. They also found out more about Azureath’s story, however improbable it was.

While they rode on her, they started talking about how Azureath could be considered a living goddess, with the azure dragon simply shrugging the whole revelation off.

“Don’t give people any ideas to start a dragon cult, little ones,” said Azureath with a huff. “Especially not for me.”

“The Raptors certainly did,” commented Hans.

“If they did, Hrashiran wouldn’t even bother talking to me, nor will Keeshar. They do not wish to anger their deity by striking a conversation. I was their guardian. Nothing more. They already had a god to worship. I do not wish to cause a divide in such an isolated, primal island like Raptor Island. All they will do is wipe themselves out before you even came to the shores. You can’t blame them, though. It’s our nature, be it humans, Raptors, or dragons.”

Adeline and Hans contemplated on those words and Azureath’s wise decisions. It was easy for the Raptors to associate her with a goddess, and the azure dragon knew it. She had wings to fly, and she was a sapient being with reasoning capabilities, not to mention her own powerful ability that could influence the weather. Someone would bound to call her a living goddess, so Azureath chose to disassociate herself from that image. She knew the price one had to pay if they were to try and become something more than they were. Anyone would be tempted. Dragons included.

Their contemplations on their recent discoveries and Azureath’s own closure of her own past were quickly interrupted by Zenithia. The light dragon raised her head and said, “No, not again!”

“Another pillar?” asked Azureath as she prepared herself for a surprise attack.

“In Dracokin. Hurry, Azureath!”

“Should’ve known this is the case,” said Adeline as Azureath increased the speed of her flight. “I’m surprised they didn’t finish the job while the city’s still recovering.”

“They are also recovering, but time is relative for us. Years for you may only feel like a second for them, and a moment in your perspective can go on for a thousand years.”

“Let’s not discuss how time progresses and focus on the danger, shall we?” suggested Hans. “Leave the discussion for those who are more interested.”

“Can’t you at least be interested in something so unusual for you?” asked Zenithia.

“Being unusual won’t change the fact that time is not relative for us.”

Zenithia paused, impressed by Hans’ remark. “Well, you got a point,” she said.

But it soon became clear to them that they were already too late, with smoke already visible from afar before they even see the city proper. As the city became more and more visible from the air, the full extent of the damage became apparent.

The spires and the tall skyscraper buildings in the city’s downtown were damaged, with one falling after the structure failed. Azureath could see a dragon’s body among the ruins of the structure, not moving. She swooped down and landed near the building. The mages had already started an emergency response, with some using detection magic to find victims buried under the rubbles, while others tried their best to remove the rubbles with the dragons helping with the heavier ones.

Azureath checked on the dragon and found that he was still alive and conscious. He then asked, “What happened? Light dragon?”

“Light dragonborn,” said the dragon weakly. “To think…there’s another….”

“What?” Azureath was surprised.

“We can transform into something more humanoid to fit our purposes,” clarified Zenithia. “But I think whoever attacked Dracokin had a reason not to use a more elven appearance.”

“Richie,” said Hans after realizing why the light dragon took a dragonborn form. “He was confronting Richie. Something tells me he knew the weakness of a feral dragon form and chose a relatively less conspicuous form, while also trying to send a message to the only dragonborn we know.”

“You’re partially right,” said Avila’s voice, who appeared to them out of nowhere. “I saw how it started and how it ended. This whole mess is collateral damage.”

“A fight between dragonborns caused all this?” said Adeline. “Just…how brutal was it?”

“It’s better if you meet him yourself.” Avila turned to Azureath. “Have you found your answer yet, azure one? Or, should I say, daughter of the Eternal Frost?”

“So, you have always known what I am,” said Azureath. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“It is better to seek the answers yourself and appreciate the effort. What else did you find?”

“That the Dragonsbane, responsible for massacring my family, are themselves puppets to the light banes?”

“Exactly.”

“Again, why didn’t you tell us? You can save us time.”

“What good will it do? I think you, of all dragons, should know that being handed a plate of food isn’t exactly going to help you grow.”

As Azureath and Avila discussed the azure dragon’s discovery, Hans and Adeline, with Zenithia on Adeline’s back, rushed towards a healer’s camp where mage healers and doctors were tending the wounded or giving palliative care for those beyond help. Both looked around, trying to find two of the most striking people they ever met: Ritik the kobold, and Richie the dragonborn.

It didn’t take them long to find them. Hans was the first to notice Richie’s crimson scales and called, “Richie! Oh, thank the maker, you’re safe. What—”

His elation turned to surprise when Richie’s full body was shown. The dragonborn’s body had the worst beating one could imagine, Hans was doubtful Richie was still alive. His body was bruised all over and he was covered in bandages and cast, making him look like a dragonborn mummy. His crimson and gold scales were barely visible under the white wrappings.

Hans never thought he would see someone to be so severely injured, especially not Richie, a dragonborn with supposed resilience beyond that of humans and werewolves. The fact that a dragonborn, considered by Azureath and Ritik to be a legendary being, to end up like that only made Hans realize that they were lucky to be away when the worst hit, and also because of Zenithia’s involvement.

“Hey,” said Richie’s weak voice, which turned Hans’ attention back to him. “I’m glad you two weren’t here when shit happened.”

“Try not to talk, Richie,” said Ritik. He looked at Hans and said, “A light dragon attacked Dracokin and killed most of the inner-city guards before Richie had a chance to intervene. Even then—”

“I am horribly unprepared for this,” said Richie as he sighed. “But on the bright side, I did a number on him and land a fatal blow. At least I learned something new. About myself…about my lost memory.” His expression turned sad and pained. “Goddamn it all….”

“Richie…”

“I know something bad happened for me to end up here. I never realized it was worse than I thought.” He started to cry. “Why? What did I do to deserve this?”

“Why don’t you tell us what happened?” suggested Adeline. She knew the anguished expression of a dragon from seeing Azureath’s own anguished expression. It was even more apparent with Richie due to having canine features mixed with his draconic ones, making it even more apparent for the werewolf.

Richie obliged and started telling the story that happened several hours ago. It was a story where he found out everything that he had lost. It was a revelation.

A revelation that everything he had ever known…was gone.