With the ground cracked and split open, exposing a fissure, a giant lance of earth capable of leaving a family home barreled toward me. My Plasma bolt spell heated and warped the air around my hand, and I ignored the intense heat as I let the spell core free.

The spells clashed and turned the stone into molten slag, but that was only a tiny portion of the lance. The earth reformed nearly instantly, heedlessly to one of my most potent spells, and came to me. I forced mana into my legs and moved to jump back with my force. I had to gain distance because after my most powerful spell failed to stop the onslaught.

And I couldn’t get hit by that spell. No amount of luck would save me. I would be impaled and then crushed into an Elf puddle.

I steadied my breathing as I flew backward with all my force. The Earth Lance broke straight through my defensive gravity magic and continued toward me. The moment my foot hit the ground, I was going to dump mana into a gravity spell core and swap my gravity and send me into the roof in hopes of dodging the spell.

But that never came. I hit something soft behind me, and my momentum was stopped. I felt a hand grip my shirt with immense force and quickly looked behind me. There shouldn't have been anyone in the room beside me and the council yet…

What?

A pair of blue and pink cotton candy eyes glared at me in annoyance. His pupils were slits like a lizard, and his sclera was as dark as the night. It was a monster in the form of a child, a Dragon. And he looked just like me when I was a boy.

“Annoying…” Kelzrenth grumbled as he moved me to the side and put his hand out.

I felt an immense amount of mana that wasn’t nearly as powerful as the previous burst of mana but still paled compared to even the most elite of Humans or Elves. The temperature in the air plummeted in a fraction of a second as a giant swath of jagged blueish-pink ice exploded from the small hand of the Dragon. If Cerila’s ice magic was beautiful and serene, his could only be described as chaotic and unnerving.

The rumbling of the earth stopped as the spells collided into a defeating crash, making the walls around us shake the dust free from the highest points. They must have canceled each other out, as no house-sized spear of earth was ready to kill us. Kelzrenth stepped in front of me as his ice parted to the side by a handle made of earth.

A stout, muscular Dwarf swaggered through the hole. His hair was short but was the color of sand, and he wore simple tan pants with a robe that could barely be called a robe. It only covered parts of his muscular, hairy chest. He looked down at us with dark brown eyes, and my heart sank somewhat when I looked at him.

Because he was a Dragon as well.

The Dragon that attacked me looked surprised as he raised his eyebrows. “Young Lord?” he questioned with a deep gravely voice that rumbled in my chest.

“Attacking a lesser in broad daylight is against the treaty, no matter how you look at it. What do you think you are doing, Emperor Chthonia? Have you gone mad?” Kelzrenth asked curtly.

“There is nothing wrong with me. I’ve deemed this man to be too dangerous to continue to exist. No lower race should possess the power of a Dragon. Even an insignificant and unknown one,” he said back gruffly.

“That’s not for you to decide,” Kelzrenth shot back.

Chthonia narrowed his eyes and glared at us. “Avasta lied,” he growled.

Kelzrenth didn’t flinch under his intense gaze, but I could feel the sweat roll down my neck at the bloodlust. Dragons were the furthest thing from normal. They were monsters beyond my comprehension. Avasta, Qylrenth, this boy, and now a new Dragon Emperor, they were an existence that made me fear for my life.

I’m not afraid that I wouldn’t fight. But their overwhelming power is suffocating.

“So? You two are not the only ones to make such a decision. Your consequences will have ramifications that far exceed what you expect if you continue down this path,” Kelzrenth stated with a shrug.

“Who sent you? Are you protecting this Elf?” Chthonia questioned.

“I am. And it doesn’t matter who sent me. Because I’m right here,” Kelzrenth told him evenly.

Chthonia ruffled his nose and, much to my surprise, nodded at Kelzrenth. He turned around without saying another word, but he made sure to send me a resentful glare before doing so.

Kelzrenth let out a breath he was holding in and looked back at me. “Let’s go.”

I also released a breath I didn’t realize I was holding as I followed behind the young Dragon. I had a million questions and one, but I wasn’t sure if I could ask them. But if I let him go, I knew I wouldn’t get another chance.

Because I can’t just let the fact that a Dragon Emperor tried to kill me go.

“Thank you for saving me,” I told him honestly, trying to break the silence as well.

“Don’t mention it. I’m just doing what I was told to do,” he grumbled annoyedly.

Avasta must have told him to keep an eye on me. Just how long has he been watching me? And does that mean Avasta had a feeling this was going to happen and didn’t tell me?

Chaotic and tumultuous times indeed…

“Still…that man was a Dragon Emperor, was he not?”

Kelzrenth sighed. “He is the Earth Dragon Emperor, Chthonia.”

“Earth Dragon Emperor…why did he want to kill me all of a sudden? He didn’t even say a word and just attacked me,” I questioned.

“Because he is the leader of the Revisionists. He deemed you too dangerous to live and wanted to get rid of you. Seems cut and dry to me,” Kelzrenth shrugged with his small frame.

That is such an articulate voice coming from someone so young. Is this…is this how people felt talking to me when I was a child? Also…revisionists? What?

“You may have to explain some things. I’m not exactly up to date on Dragon politics,” I said.

Kelzrenth stopped as we were in the middle of the large hallway. He slowly turned his head over his shoulder. “You are… interesting. For someone who nearly died to a Dragon Emperor, you are awfully calm about all of this.”

“You get used to it.”

Kelzrenth averted his eyes and continued walking. “I’m starting to understand why my mother is interested in you now,” he mumbled to himself.

“I’m honored,” I said half-heartedly.

“Now, to put it simply, there are two factions of Dragons. One is the Conservators. They follow the Bloody Accord to the lettering. They believe in the ancient mission of protecting the world from an external threat. Just as it was written. In contrast, the Revisionists want to interpret the original accord in a much broader sense. They want to stop a threat from ever rising in the first place,” Kelzrenth explained.

“So those who want to keep things as they are and those who want to lord over the lesser races?” I said for clarification.

Kelzrenth let out an annoyed huff. “If you understood it, why phrase it as a question?”

I was just making sure…it’s not like this is common knowledge that I am lacking. And just great…the strongest beings in the world are split into two extreme factions. This also means there may be a society of Dragons. And a portion of them want to take over the world.

“How does this all work? Why did that Dragon Emperor back down to you? Just who are you? Who is your mother, to be exact,” I asked.

Kelzrenth groaned and rubbed his face. He even crossed his arms like a child and continued forward, mumbling some things to himself. “So many questions…well, she never said I couldn’t tell you…fine, I’ll let you in on some family history. The only reason that old man Chthonia backed down is because my mother is the new leader of the Conservators, while my father was the previous leader of the Revisionists. I hold a…unique position, although it’s nothing more than me being the child of those two.”

A Chaos Dragon wants to uphold the status quo? That might be the most chaotic thing about her.

“Your father…who is he?” I asked.

“You know his name. He has the same name as the mountains just to the west of here,” Kelzrenth said with a hint of pride.

“Keldrag, is your father? The Ice Dragon Emperor? Are you the child of two Dragon Emperors? Is mixing amongst your races even possible?” I questioned.

That is…not what I expected to hear. This may be even worse.

“Not normally. I am the first of my kind.” Kelzrenth looked back at me again. “Just like you.”

Things just keep getting more complicated.

“Then, if the Earth Dragon Emperor attacked you, would you have been able to stop him?”

Kelzrenth snorted and chuckled. “Not at all. I’m nothing more than a bug to that old man. He’s easily the second or third strongest Dragon. If he wanted, both of us and everyone in this building would have been crushed. Maybe if I was lucky, I could rip a scale off in a hundred years or so,” he said with a shrug. “Just because I was born with powerful parents doesn’t mean I’m going to be like them.”

I’d generally agree, but this world’s logic says otherwise for the most part. Powerful bloodlines at least lead to inheriting abilities.

“So, to get things straight, the Earth Dragon Emperor, the leader of these Revisionists and an Adventurer Guild council member, was ready to start a war just to kill me because I have an attribute of Chaos Dragons? And the only reason he decided to ignore his initial decision is that you are the son of the opposition leader and the former leader of his group.”

“Sounds about right, well, besides the part of him being a council member. He probably just snuck in. It’s been thousands of years since a sane Dragon killed a member of one of the lesser races, and a lesser race has never had the traits of a Dragon. Your existence coming to light to others would have changed the landscape in many ways, almost as much as them finding out one of us killed you. But I’m starting to wonder why the old man went easy on you… if he wanted, he should have been able to kill you before you could even react. Maybe he was testing you?” Kelzrenth pondered. But then he shrugged. “Maybe he is just going mad. Who knows?”

“What about the Dragonkin?” I argued.

Kelzrenth shrugged, “I don’t know.”

Sigh…this might be the worst-case scenario. If a Dragon Emperor went insane, a country or two might be leveled to the ground before he was stopped by the others. This is becoming a headache.

I felt something tinge in the back of my brain, and it was pervasive in a way, yet familiar. I caught Kelzrenth looking at me. His pink and blue eyes were glowing faintly with purple light, just like mine do.

Kelzrenth said nothing, and his attitude took a noticeable nose dive. Before, he seemed annoyed to be here, yet now he had a cold shoulder to him. The switch was flipped in a matter of moments. What did he see that bothered him so much?

“What’s wrong? Can you see that figure as well?” I asked him.

Kelzrenth kept walking without saying a word until he abruptly stopped again. “Yes, but that’s not it.”

“Then what is?”

“It’s just weird seeing parts of him inside of you. He’s gone now, but…” Kelzrenth trailed off.

He must be talking about Qylrenth, the Dragon that saved my life and repaired my soul.

“Were you two close?”

Kelzrenth nodded slowly. “Yeah…he was like a father to me.”

“I see…I’m sorry,” I said apologetically.

Kelzrenth shrugged weakly. “It’s fine. It had to be done. Dying while in that state is said to be better than living.”

“I hope so. I don’t think what happened to Qylrenth was an accident anymore. Or that it was just a random chance,” I said.

Kelzrenth looked back, his eyes wide. It was the most amount of emotion I had seen on him yet. He was about to ask me something when shouting filled the halls.

“Kaladin! Kaladin, where are you—Kal…a…din?” Dad’s voice petered out as he melded out of the shadows of the wall.

Dad just stood there upright, his face one of fear mixed with uncertainty. His amethyst eyes looked at me intently, then slowly to Kelzrenth. His lips moved, but no words came out.

Kelzrenth also stared back, but he said nothing and just sighed like he couldn’t be bothered. “I’m leaving. Try to stay out of trouble in the future because if it’s not Dragon-related, I won’t be there to help you. Saving you tired me out,” he complained with a yawn.

My dad and I watched Kelzrenth leave. We waited until he went through a door and could no longer see him to speak. “Kaladin…who…what, I—”

“I don’t really understand either,” I said, filling in his confused sentence. “I wish I knew.”

—

Sylvia Talgan’s POV.

I returned home after winning all three of my matches and went upstairs to find Kaladin. It was late in the evening now, and I heard some unfortunate rumors spreading about on my way back home. And if they were true…

I might kill him with…love or something. I haven’t decided yet. Maybe I’ll force a punishment of embarrassment on him…he did promise something like that, right? Close enough.

I’m just sick and tired of him going off alone and getting into danger. Is it really so hard to be normal for a single evening by yourself? Why is he like this?

But when I opened the front door, I found our dorm room empty. Mila wasn’t home, and neither was Kaladin, which was odd and concerning. But instead of freaking out and overreacting, I took a deep breath and went back outside.

There was a good chance the two of them were getting dinner, or they were just out back at the small park for students to relax at. That was a place Kaladin took us occasionally to eat lunch or just enjoy the outdoors.

And sure enough, my search ended quickly. I found Mila off to the side, playing with her friend Rosemary while Kaladin sat on a bench. I’d say he was watching them, but in truth, his gaze was elsewhere, pointed toward the sky.

A moment flashed where I thought I should admonish him for not watching the children, but his empty and distant stare stopped me. Kaladin was here, but he also wasn’t. He was deep in thought with his emotionless face.

I forget that this is how he used to be. Mostly expressionless with a blank look, neither seeming to care one way or another. But Kaladin wasn’t like that anymore. So what’s bothering him? Did something really happen to put him in this state?

I quietly sat down next to him, and he didn’t even budge. I followed his eyes, and we looked up at the four moons together. It wasn’t dark enough to see the stars, but the moons still shined bright despite the sun not yet dipping below the horizon.

I just listened to him, slowly breathing in and out. We sat like that for a time, maybe a minute or two, before I broke the silence. “Is something wrong?”

Kaladin furrowed his brows slightly, but it straightened out in the next moment. “Yes. My plans are becoming more and more complicated.”

“Plans…huh…you haven’t really told me them, have you? There are some secrets you are keeping,” I said.

Kaladin shook his head, letting his long raven black hair shift to the sides. “No, they aren’t secrets. If you asked me, I would tell you in a heartbeat. It’s just one of those things I’d rather not talk about if I don’t have to.”

“Is that so? Then…what is bothering you?” I questioned. “I know you have plans with the queen but…”

“That is part of it. It’s only a matter of time before things become dangerous. It was a hard decision, but it’s something I need—no, that I need and want to do. Regardless that’s…today, my plans were expanded despite me not wishing for that,” he said solemnly.

He must be talking about the foundation and…I understand that much, at least.

“What do you mean by expanding?”

Kaladin scratched the back of his head but continued to look up at the sky. “I planned on only killing people. I’ve done it before, and even though I don’t want to, I know it’s going to continue to happen because it needs to happen. I must protect everyone. Peace isn’t an option for these people. I’m not foolish enough to even entertain the idea. But I was ready for that…but today things changed, and I learned of a new danger that far surpassed any grudge I may have had in the past or any mission I take in the future.”

“So something did happen at your meeting today…I heard the Adventurer’s Guild had an earthquake, but nobody was hurt. I take it that was just a cover-up?”

“It was an earthquake in a sense. But it wasn’t natural in the slightest,” he said dryly.

I let out a deep breath and reached for his hand. Kaladin just smiled softly as we intertwined fingers. These days he wasn’t nearly as jumpy when it came to things like that. Before, I would have agonized over that thought, but that was also gone. I could tell he was really trying his best.

And I loved every moment of it.

I rested my shoulder on his shoulder. “Well, how about we talk about it? You know I’ll help you with any plan you have or goal you set. I can promise you that.”

Kaladin finally looked at me and smiled gently at me. It was a dazzling, genuine smile. “Thank you, Sylvia.”

“Of course. Because now I’m going to be around you wherever you go,” I said back in a cheerful voice.

Kaladin flinched slightly and chuckled nervously. “Ah…”

Ah, is right… ah is right, my love. I won’t be letting you out of my sight ever again.

“I’ve gotten really unlucky today, haven’t I?” Kaladin asked bitterly.

“Probably.”

—

Kaladin Shadowheart’s POV.

Another month drifted by. My classmates, including Sylvia and Cerila, successfully gained entry into the tournament. Of course, I never once doubted their chances. For them, it was more of a formality than anything, as they were facing off against random students within the school. There was no way those two would lose to the average student twice. And within just a few days, that same tournament would be happening.

Well, we have to get there first.

“Travel safe, Boy,” Grandpa said as he nodded at me.

I nodded back with a smile. “We will.”

“Grandpa…” Mila whined as Grandpa Jacobs waved at her.

“Grandpa, you aren’t going? Really?” Dallin pouted.

Grandpa’s emerald eyes creased into a smile as he patted Dallin on the head. “I’m sorry, Dallin. I’m too old and tired to travel so far again.”

“But…it’s not even that far,” Dallin cried, a tear rolling down his face.

Grandpa thumbed the tear away and stood upright. “You can only say that because you will never grow old,” he chuckled with a cough. “A long week of traveling is like a month to me. And any place that has snow and the ocean is far too cold for a relic like myself. I really can’t go with you this time.”

Grandpa put a hand on Mila’s head and rubbed both of them together. “You two are to be good, do you understand? I don’t want to hear how my students are causing problems. Only bad students disobey their parents.”

“Yes, Grandpa…” the two of them said in unison.

Grandpa chuckled as Padraic went into a rest stance after saluting to Squeaks. “Enjoy your short break, my apprentice. You are lucky I have personal projects to attend to.”

“Yes, Sir! I am very fortunate to have this time to rest and enjoy time with my family, Sir!” Padraic shouted with great enthusiasm.

He’s been wholly whipped into shape…Squeaks is genuinely a Drill Sergent, isn’t he? It’s almost frightening. Padraic might become a different person at this rate.

“Good, at least you understand,” Squeaks said with a nod of approval. Then his eyes turned to me, and he grinned. “Enjoy your new toys, Kal.”

“I’ll make sure I put them to good use.”

Squeaks nodded once more. “And watch over my apprentice. He’s a good one, so I want him back.”

I just chuckled. “I’ll return him home safely.”

“And you keep that fool safe, you hear me, Padraic?” Grandpa grumbled as he leaned on his cane.

The corners of Padraic’s mouth twitched slightly, and I swore even his eye did. “Ahaha…yes, Sir…you must really love him to—”

Thwack.

Well, maybe I shouldn’t be too worried about Padraic changing.

“I need to start praying every day in hopes that your master will beat that habit out of you,” Grapda said as he retraced his cane from Padraic’s head, clearly embarrassed by Padraic’s sudden jab.

“Haha…maybe one day, Gramps…” Padraic said as he rubbed his head.

Grandpa snorted and slowly moved past him. He stopped in front of Cerila, and the two of them stared into each other eyes. Cerila was the first to smile as she hugged Grandpa over the shoulders. She was so much taller and bigger than him that Grandpa looked well…he looked like a small, frail old man in her embrace.

Cerila signed after she released him.

Grandpa grumbled and covered his face slightly with a hand. But he twitched his nose and stood straight. He looked right into her eyes and grinned.

Cerila smiled back and wiped a tear from her face.

Now….there was only one more person that he needed to say goodbye to besides my parents…I—

“I hate your guts,” Grandpa said as he glared up at Sylvia.

Sylvia just smiled down at him, showing her fangs. “The feeling is mutual, old man.”

Grandpa snarled at her and looked over at me. He just sighed deeply and shook his head as he looked back up at her. “Just protect them with your life. It’s all you will be good for anyway.”

“You don’t have to tell me that. I would have done that regardless of whether you asked me to or not,” Sylvia said righteously with a smirk.

Grandpa huffed and slowly moved over to stand next to Squeaks. He just nodded at my parents, and they did as well. With that, we loaded ourselves up into the carriages supplied to us by a friend.

“Thanks again for the help, Lin,” Sylvia said as she closed the door.

“It’s nothing. I’m a little surprised you didn’t accept the offer to go with the royal family,” she said with a shrug.

“I would rather die,” Sylvia groaned.

Lin raised an eyebrow at me, but I just shrugged. “If you say so…” Lin said. “Let’s go,” she said to the carriage driver.

Mila put her face to the carriage window and waved goodbye to Grandpa as we slowly pulled away from the gates of the Pain Estate in the capital. If everything went as planned, we would be gone for a little over a month. It would be the longest time I’ve spent away from Vinovia in over a year.

But I had an odd feeling for some reason. It was in my gut, the one I only got when something terrible would happen. I looked out the window and caught a glimpse of Grandpa watching us depart. His face was solemn, and he seemed to be conflicted about something all of a sudden.

Which was odd because I completely understood why he couldn’t come on this trip. A week-long carriage ride to a cold place would have been rough on his body. Grandpa wasn’t getting any younger yet…

“Goodbye,” Grandpa mouthed.

Is he just too shy to admit his feelings or…I…maybe I’m just overthinking things. Yeah, that has to be it…at least, that’s what I hope it is.