Another Time

𝑭𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓, 𝑭𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝑹𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒇 𝑬𝒑𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒐𝒏, 𝑪𝒆𝒅𝒆𝒕𝒉 𝑪𝒊𝒕𝒚

*𝑽𝒂𝒔𝒌𝒂𝒓 𝑻𝒆𝒂𝒓 *

I made my way up the grand white crystal stairs of the Cedeth Monarchs palace. The palace structure was built up high and encircled the cylinder ocean stream of the first ring. It was built with a grandiose white crystal rock, with thousands of blue glowing symbols engraved throughout the interior and exterior. Although it was made of crystal white stone, it was not fragile due to the ancient magic that upholds all of Epsilons rings in the first place.

I entered the towering main hall with two massive white doors at the end engraved with blue wings. The left and right sides of the crystal walls were see-through. However, through the right wall, one could see the stream of ethereal water that went through the rings. As for through the left wall, it was a view of Cedeth City.

"I'm here to report to Cedeth Clan Monarch Cyrus."

I greeted the two guards posted at the end of the hall doors.

They both gave a slight bow before a glow of mana enveloped the two, transforming them from their anthropomorphic bodies to full-grown Blue Dragons.

With both of them using one of their wings, they pushed open the massive hall doors.

After I stepped through the main hall and into the Monarchs room, the doors closed behind me with a resounding boom. I looked around the room, the same see-through walls on either side with the same view to the right and left. Only at the end of the room were a small long group of white stairs that led up to a balcony overlooking Cedeth City. On that balcony, the light blue long-haired Monarch Cyrus turned around to face me with his dark blue piercing eyes as he slowly walked to the edge of the stairs.

I glanced at his two blue slits that ran through his eyes and through the two black horns from head forehead. He wore royal semi-tight fitting black leather clothes in his anthropomorphic form, as well as black armored boots and a long blue and black scaled robe that fell just below his knees

While kneeling, I began my report.

"Lord Cyrus, we've located First Sothen Commander Saram Talon of Sothen. He has been hiding on islands on the west coast of Druisal for the past four years. How should we proceed?"

He held his hands behind his back as he spoke,

"First Commander Vaskar, if this information is true, then proceed with capturing Saram, as well as eliminating the island he has been hiding on. Since Druisal has chosen to stay neutral in this war, then make sure you and the other commanders leave traces that would lead them to believe it was an attack from Sothen.

"If they are going to join this war over some primitive tribe infested islands, then we must make sure that they are fighting against Sothen, not us. Do not mistake this for cowardice. If Druisal joins the war opposing us, then that means all of Leoto, including Athos and Vara, join the war as well. The realm would descend into chaos."

"I understand Monarch Cyrus. We shall proceed with the attack then."

𝑶𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒓 𝒘𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒔 𝒊𝒔𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑫𝒓𝒖𝒊𝒔𝒂𝒍

*𝑪𝒂𝒊𝒏*

Fours years have passed and I'm now ten years old. I've grown taller, and my black hair has grown longer as well. Throughout the years I didn't care to cut it as much as a normal person would have since I'm I've been so focused on training. 

Throughout the years I've learned exceptionally a lot about this world. One of the earlier questions I had were about the dragons and their strength. Why did they invade my world and destroy it? How did they even invade it? Of course I couldn't just straight up ask these questions to Sam. I don't plan on letting anyone know that I reincarnated. So in order to get answers I asked loophole questions that danced around the main subject.

What I've learned is that throughout his life Sam himself has never learned of any power that has the ability to travel to different worlds. However I did remember Aasimar mentioning something called the "Aldea". I asked him if he has heard of that word before and he was just in dark as I am. So I guess those questions will remain unanswered for a long time. 

The next big mystery was how the dragons had the power to destroy my world. What I've gathered throughout the years from Sam tells me that they are high above average stronger than every other race in this world. If that is the case, then is every being capable of magic in this world have the power to destroy cities, countries, and continents? Through more loophole questions I eventually got an answer.

The dragon's of this world have more similarities than they do differences with the rest of the races. When a dragon is born, they are born in a "human form" or "anthropomorphic form". Sam says that most of the realm calls it a human form, only the Dragons refer to it as the latter. Probably because they don't want their species associated with humans, every proud race has a bias I suppose. But it's no suprise coming from them.

This human form does not have many specific traits to it, their hair would be the color that represents their clan, so a blue dragon would have blue hair and a red dragon red hair. Another trait is that they have one small line that goes through one of their eyes on their face. This line is also the color of their hair. When I first learned of this I was confused because I specifically remembered hundreds of Andath dragons that had two lines that ran from their forehead, through their eyes, and down to their chin. 

I learned that all dragons undergo a change when they reach a certain age a little above one hundred. He explained to me that dragons have a similar life span to the rest of us, except if they are able to achieve the white or black heart stage, they live much longer. I was suprised to hear that since the Astra Epoch, more and more dragons have difficulties advancing into the white and black heart stage. Currently all the Clans together have ten thousand white heart dragons, and only the Onyx Clan has a hundred black heart dragons. That's not alot considering that their population all together is more or less three million.

When they reach the white heart stage, their form becomes like the form that I encountered in my past life. Two slits that run down and through their eyes, and an armored scaled infested torso that gives them those claws. Their scales run up their arms and stop at the elbows.

And once they reach the white heart, they can then transform into a dragon. Since only the Onyx Clan has been able to achieve the black heart since Astra, their form instead appears with two horns and the scales run up to the sides of their necks. 

Anyways, Sam told me that neither white or black heart dragons have the power to "destroy the realm". It is true that they are able to intake vast amounts of mana more than everyone else, but that only aids them in achieving white and black heart. It actually takes more difficulty to reach Crescendo for them than it does us because of this. They have to train twice as hard if they wanted to reach Crescendo in the same amount of time a human does.

After learning that, I asked Sam if there are different affinities to magic and he said that it is random among each person, there is no direct way to learn them, you'd just have to be born with one. The humans and Dragons usually have two affinities, but it is entirely possible to create four. For example someone with water and earth affinities can unlock an ice affinity for themselves.

***

Cale and Milura looked at each other before breaking out into laughter. The rest of breakfast went pretty well, and when I was finished I got up and said I was going to go train with Sam. Three years ago, after a while they both eventually got suspicious on where I was heading off to everyday and why. Sam came down himself and explained to them that he was training me in self defense. They were suprised but didn't care much as long as I was in "capable" hands.

"Wait, Cain, before you go come here."

Milura said as she waved for me to come over where she and Cale where.

"Yes?" 

"You remember what I told you, no extreme sparring with Sam, and you have to be back to the beach before the sun starts to set. Ok? Oh and-" 

I let her list off all the things she didn't want me to do while training, and Cale nodded his head in agreement while listening to the side.

"Yes yes, I know." 

I was about to leave before they both pulled me in for a group hug. 

"Do you have to do this every time?" 

I said while being squished.

"Do you have to train everyday?" 

Cale remarked.

"We love you son, we just want you to stay safe." 

I nodded tersley before turning to head off.

In that moment, for some reason I felt that I should say something like "I love you to, mom and dad." So that they would think that their son was normal, and that their normal son equally loved them back.

But I'm not their son.

"Thank you." I said with a smile before leaving.

I can atleast do that..

**Sometime later In Sams cave**

Ting!

Ting!

Sam swung his sword to the left with one hand. 

Ting!

I gripped my sword hard to block it. Then quickly retreated it before countering multiple sword strikes at him.

Over the years I had actually gotten pretty tall. As much as a ten year old could atleast, as well as a more muscular and lean frame. This enabled me to be able to swing the heavy sword with almost no difficulty.

I swung down to the right,

ching! 

He blocked it while still holding his sword with one hand. I pulled my sword back and struck again, 

ching! 

This time it had an affect. His arm swayed back, and a smile crept up on his face. 

"Finally, we can spar a little more seriously." 

After saying this, he grabbed the swords grip with two hands instead of one for the first time ever.

He lifted his arms up and swung down with immense force. A loud clang! Could be heard throughout the cave as we traded heavy strikes. 

He would swing hard to the right and I would block it, before immediately parrying him with a hard strike of my own. Then I struck to the left, then right again, left and right and down as fast and hard as I could. The loud strikes echoed loudly in the cave.

Clang, clang, clang!

His swings felt immensely heavier than ever while holding it with two hands. After a while I was pushed back to the side of the cave.

"Seems like I win again." 

He held his sword above his head and struck down with so much force that my legs gave out and I landed on my bottom.

But this time, I didn't let go of my sword. I had blocked his strike even though I was on the ground. Using this opportunity I kicked the sides of his ankle, and he slipped to one knee. As soon as he slipped I quickly got up, kicked his side, and struck down with my sword.

Clank!

his sword was knocked out of his hand and dropped to the ground.

In the brief exchange that just occurred. Sam was only able to block my strike with one hand holding his sword instead of two, while he was kneeling he held his side with the other hand in pain.

"You said it yourself on a real battlefield the fighting is ugly."

I said while helping him up.

He let out a laugh while stretching his shoulder.

"Yeah, whatever you just had one lucky moment for the first time in a long time." 

He grabbed his sword from off the ground.

"Alright let's see if that luck will help you again-" 

He stopped, and a silence ensued.

"What is it?" 

"It's... nothing don't worry about it, but I just remembered something that I had to get from the main village for my shack. I think it's going to rain tonight, so I should head down the mountain now before it's too late.

"You wait here and while I'm gone, I want you to complete your usual regiment of five hundred push-ups and a thousand sword swings against the Onyx Dragons scale over there." 

I nodded tersley before taking a sip of water and looking at the scale. It was roughly the size of a door. And I had been practicing against it whenever Sam couldn't be here personally to train me.

A long time after Sam had left, and I finished my regiment. I looked around the cave before noticing something.

he took his sword with him!

I grabbed my sword and began heading towards the exit of the cave. When I got there, the entrance was completely blocked with boulders. And a writing was enscribed on them.

"It's for your own safety, wait here, as for your training it will have to wait another time"

Just then a loud boom! could be heard around the island as the cave shook. 

"What the hell is happening?"