25 Dragon

'A dragon?... Why would a member of the dragon race be here? I was taught that they keep to themselves and don't interact with other races. They don't even leave their continent… If that's what you want to call it.'

Arvell was awestruck.

As a kid, he had always dreamed of seeing a real dragon.

Unfortunately being the hermit race they were, they never left their continent and also didn't allow for any visitors to step foot on their 'land'.

That is if those daring enough to try can even make it there in the first place.

'I'm also quite confused. However, the dragon race is a noble one. They will not attack a child such as yourself unprovoked. If anything it's safe to reveal your presence now. Your level of presence concealment is nothing before a dragon of his calibre. Also, look,' Lykos pointed towards a massive red spot that had gathered around the dragon's body, 'he's gravely injured.'

Arvell also noticed the red pool that had formed around the dragon's massive frame.

Some of the blood had already dried up, showing that the dragon had been in that same position for quite a long time.

'Is it… he even alive?' Looking at Lykos with doubt, Arvell asked.

'It's hard to see, but you can see his chest is barely rising and falling. He's still alive, but only barely.'

Deciding to trust Lykos's words over his judgement, Arvell revealed his presence.

The injured dragon weakly raised his head.

(Gasp)

"I see you have finally decided to stop sneaking around and decided to reveal yourself."

The dragon was desperately gasping for air, since even talking proved to be an excruciatingly difficult task in his current position.

After getting a glimpse at Arvell, the dragon suddenly jolted.

His eyes turned sharp as he emanate a dense bloodlust.

"That silver hair…You! Why is your kind here?" he hissed.

Arvell started trembling while desperately resisting the dragon's mental attack.

He could feel a deep resentment directed at himself, but couldn't understand why.

He desperately turned to the one person who could answer his questions.

'Lykos what the hell is happening?'

'Haa… Tell him to take a closer look at your eyes,' he tiredly sighed.

Lykos had a look of annoyance etched on his face as if he was more annoyed at the dragon than he was concerned about the life of Arvell.

However, despite being annoyed, he also betrayed the sadness he felt deep in his heart when watching the dragon struggle.

Arvell was confused with Lykos's instructions but followed them nonetheless.

"L-Look at my eyes!"

Doing his best to force the words out of his mouth, Arvell painfully tried to get Lykos's message across to the dying dragon.

Arvell felt quite silly but endured both the pain and the slight embarrassment in hope of being able to escape the dragon's bloodlust.

"Hmm? Your eyes?"

The dragon's confusion broke his look of unbridled anger, and he squinted his eyes.

He didn't even put the fact that Arvell was playing a trick into his mind.

Even if he was dying, Arvell was still too weak to even come close to him.

Arvell's strength was too insignificant.

Even though Arvell knew this was true he still felt a little insulted but knew that this was for the best.

If the dragon didn't follow Lykos's instructions he would simply die here.

The dragon noticed Arvell's beautiful amethyst eyes and shuddered.

"You… What is your connection to that person? No, wait… I can already guess."

The dragon retracted his bloodlust and his chin weakly hit the floor.

"I apologize for attacking you. I assumed you were one of 'them'."

Arvell looked at the dragon in confusion.

"What do you mean? Who are the ones you are referring to?"

The dragon looked at Arvell with a puzzled expression, before nodding his head as if he understood something.

"I see. You are still far too weak. As for 'them' you will find out in due time. After all, no one can escape their destiny."

Arvell was slightly irritated with this dragon who seemed to only speak in riddles.

"Can't you just tell me?"

"Telling you now won't change anything. Even if I did tell you, you would be far too powerless to do anything. It will just be unnecessary mental baggage. You will find out yourself in due time."

(cough cough)

The dragon entered a coughing spree and spit out a mouthful of blood.

With blood trailing down his cheek, he once again looked at Arvell, but this time with a resolute expression.

It was the look of someone who had accepted his end but had lingering regrets.

Regrets he wanted to pass on to someone else.

"We have more important things to discuss… I don't have much more time left. Our country was attacked by a group of mages who were far stronger than any normal mage we had ever seen. I was forced to flee to the closeby human continent. While I feel that his majesty and her majesty would be able to beat them in the end, we couldn't risk harm coming to the unborn one."

Arvell's and Lykos's eyes both widened in shock.

The dragon continued ignoring Arvell's shocked expression.

"However, they predicted even this. They had another group of mages who were laying in ambush to attack us. I was barely able to escape them after taking grievous injuries."

'Lykos those mages we saw before must be the ones he was talking about.'

'I think the same.'

"It's too late for me… But… I am glad I could see you before I close my eyes for the final time. We have been waiting for you for so long. I just wish I could have seen your might after you have fully mastered your power."

(Gasp)

"Enough about me."

The dragon slowly raised his wing with a pained grimace.

Nestled underneath his was a beautiful golden-coloured egg.

The dragon slowly raised his body before bowing with his head down to the ground.

"This… This is the hope for the future. Please… in honour of our relationship with him… Please protect it, and return it to our home."

The dragon was ignoring the pain moving around was causing, as well as the blood that was spurting from his open wounds.

Moving around seemed to agitate the wounds, hastening the dragon's bloodloss

Even so, the dragon continued to bow to Arvell, begging him to accept his dying wish.

Dragons were known to be prideful beings who only bowed their heads to their parents and their god.

Having a noble dragon as powerful as the one before him bow to him gave Arvell a surreal feeling.

Arvell looked at the egg and then back at the dragon. He couldn't ignore the dying pleas of someone as noble as this dragon.

Someone who would put the safety of an unborn child before his own, someone who would throw away his innate pride and bow his head to a kid to protect that unborn child.

This touched Arvell's heart.

So much that he couldn't find the heart to deny the dragon's earnest plea.

Furthermore, they seemed to have some kind of connection with Lykos, so Arvell felt that helping them would also benefit him as well in the long run.

He walked over to the dragon and raised his head.

"Someone as noble as you shouldn't have to beg. Of course, I will take care of it in your place."

Tears of gratitude began spilling from the dragon's eyes.

"I had lost all hope that this child would make it back. Just like him, you appeared in our hour of need."

Arvell looked up at the towering visage of the dragon.

"Would you give me the honour of knowing your name?"

The dragon forced himself up and took a stand.

Despite being riddled with wounds and caked in blood and dirt, his inherent majesty was still evident to see.

"My name is Kujak Ulminus. I am the black dragon king of the nine Heavenly Dragon Kings."