Summon Undead!

The malevolent dragon, known for his peculiar habit of diary-keeping, might never have revealed such a trait had it not been for his fondness for jotting down his thoughts. It was this habit that prompted him to gift her a colossal notebook, roughly a meter in length, accompanied by an exquisitely crafted pen.

Her encounters with the diary unveiled a new layer to her understanding of dragons, particularly the one named Lance. She thought, "There are two kinds of evil dragons; the common kind, and then there's me, Lance."

Curiosity piqued, she asked him, "Do you keep a diary to remember formidable foes you couldn't vanquish in your youth?"

Lance chuckled softly before replying, "No, I keep it to document the mundane joys of daily life. It's a treasure trove of memories to revisit, be it a century or five hence, to relive the halcyon days of my youth."

He continued, "We dragons have lifespans that stretch across eons. Many of us succumb to boredom and enter prolonged slumbers; others perish in the throes of youth. Those who awaken seek amusements to stave off the dreariness of eternity, be it through hoarding treasures, spiriting away princesses, or marauding human settlements."

"Life on Dragon Island differs vastly; surrounded by kin, one seldom feels the gnaw of solitude or boredom. But my fate was to grow from hatchling to behemoth alone on this vast continent, competing with beasts and monsters alike for food and territory."

"As I matured and my strength burgeoned, I yearned for the camaraderie of my kind, only to find the dragons of the mainland few and far between. Thus, I turned to other pursuits to fill the void, scholarly pursuit, the thrill of the masquerade, and jaunts into human world."

"In my leisure, I chronicled these escapades in my notebook. Over time, the act of writing, especially in the diverse tongues of different races, became a source of my joy. There's an indescribable satisfaction in weaving words from many different cultures into the daily writing of my diary."

"Imagine, a century or two from now, revisiting the diary entries of your past," Lance mused with a wry smile. "All the adventures, the faces you've encountered, they'll dance before your eyes, bringing a wealth of nostalgia and amusement, especially those involving humans."

He chuckled, then added, "Though I'd advise moderation in human companionships. Lingering too long can lead to unexpected attachments. And when they eventually succumb to old age, societal norms compel us to bestow parting gifts. It can become quite the financial drain if every significant life event, a marriage, a birth, requires a lavish present from your hoard."

Lucia listened intently, her fascination piqued by the dragon's reflections. However, his pragmatic view on gift-giving at human life events shifted her mood. "Shouldn't the passing of a long-time friend evoke sorrow rather than concern over material losses?" she questioned, a hint of reproach in her tone.

"When it comes to humans, I tend to think pragmatically to shield myself from grief. But, perhaps there's a way to extend our camaraderie beyond their mortal span," Lance pondered aloud, more to himself than to Lucia.

"You're powerful enough to transform your cherished human friends into undead, binding them to you with a summoning pact. They could remain as eternal comrades, perhaps even joining you in a game of cards on a quiet evening," Lucia suggested playfully, a mischievous spark in her eyes.

She sensed a twinge of sorrow in Lance's dismissal of prolonged human relationships, recognizing it as a defense against the inevitable heartache of loss. His reluctance to discuss gifts might have been less about stinginess and more about a deeply ingrained draconic instinct to hoard treasure.

"That's an intriguing notion," Lance replied with a raised eyebrow, amused by her boldness. "Perhaps we could explore some ancient tombs together soon, as a sort of field trip?"

Lucia blinked, taken aback. "Wait, you're not actually considering...?"

Her voice trailed off as she realized the dragon might indeed take her suggestion seriously. The thought of her lighthearted idea being implemented to avoid the finality of death and potentially filling the ranks of the undead, gave her pause. "I was only trying to lighten the mood, not propose a grave-robbing expedition," she clarified hastily.

"In any case, respecting the departed is important. We mustn't forget that."

"Why are necromancers so reviled?" Lucia mused, her curiosity piqued by the reputation that shadowed these dark artisans.

"It's not merely because they summon the undead to aid them in battle," she continued, trying to piece together the puzzle of societal disdain for necromancers.

"That's ancient history now," Lance reassured her with a dismissive wave of his claw. "Let the dead rest; don't trouble your friends with the affairs of the living."

"You're right," Lucia agreed, somewhat comforted. "Centuries have passed; the relentless march of time buries all beneath layers of sand and dust."

She looked at Lance, who seemed to be enjoying the mild torment his teasing caused. With a playful glint in his eye, Lance proposed a tantalizing alternative. "Your words have sparked an idea, though. If not friends, then why not my old foes? Could I not summon my once formidable enemies from the depths of hell to serve as undead minions?"

Lucia was taken aback. "Still harboring grudges, even after centuries or millennia?" She eyed the diary on the table, realizing that its true purpose was more than mere reminiscence, it was a catalog of enemy, with the act of diary writing serving merely as a facade it was more of a list of people he hate.

Intrigued, Lucia picked up the pen from beside the diary, opened it, and boldly wrote her name, "Lucia," on the first page. As she flipped to the next page to continue, she paused, struck by a practical concern. "How do you mark the dates here, Lance? Do you use the imperial calendar?"

Lance shook his head, a smirk curling the corners of his mouth. "I use the Black Dragon Calendar. It lists the years, months, and days."

Bewildered, Lucia asked, "And what is today's date in the Black Dragon Calendar?"

"June 19, 3455," Lance responded promptly.

Lucia's eyes widened in realization. "3455 years, is that your age, Lance? No wonder you use your own lifespan to mark the years!"

Lance nodded, his expression a blend of pride and melancholy. "Indeed, every year marks another chapter of my existence, each page marks the ages I have seen."

"The longevity you dragons boast complicates timekeeping if you were to adhere to human standards," Lucia remarked, her pen paused above the page. "In the human world, time is a mix of discordant calendars across many kingdoms, each with its own reckoning of years, months, and days."

Lance nodded, his gaze distant as he contemplated the human concept of time. "Indeed, humans have something they call the Creation Calendar, unified across major temples, yet still subject to variations due to regional time differences."

Lucia smiled slightly. "I suppose it's simpler for you to use the Black Dragon Calendar, starting from the day you hatched, rather than juggle the chaotic timelines of human kingdoms."

"Exactly," Lance confirmed with a lazy flick of his tail. "Why bother with the messiness of human time when I have millennia to account for?"

Thus, Lucia decided to align her entries with Lance's calendar. She began her diary entry dated June 19, 3455, under the warm sun of Black Dragon Island.

Diary Content:

Yesterday, Lance, the so-called evil dragon, gifted me a lucky gold coin. This morning, he surprised me with another notebook. Our conversations have spurred an intriguing thought: to excel as an evil dragon, one must master the art of pettiness and the craft of holding grudges. My aspirations are twofold first, to rival Lance in draconic prowess; second, to become a emperor in the human realm, perhaps even capturing a princess to present to Lance as a tribute.

After jotting down her reflections, Lucia looked up with a sense of achievement. "How does it feel to keep a diary?" she asked Lance, a hint of challenge in her tone.

Lance raised an eyebrow, amusement playing on his lips. "It's uncharacteristically quaint for a fearsome dragon. Who would've thought that a diary could be part of an evil dragon's arsenal?"

Lucia exhaled a quiet sigh of relief, glad to steer away from the potentially grim topic of undead transformations. She harbored concerns that turning historical heroes or valiant knights into undead could backfire, especially if those figures were destined to be celebrated in human lore. The last thing she wanted was to provoke the ire of legend by disturbing the rest of such esteemed souls.