The flight with Elder Ignis was less a journey and more a revelation. Held within the humming amber sphere, Seiji was granted a panoramic view of Dragon Island, and he quickly realized the term "island" was a profound misnomer. It was a microcosm, a floating archipelago of impossible biomes. Below him, a chain of volcanic islands smoked and churned, rivers of lava painting the sea with steam. Adjacent to them, islands of pure, glittering ice rose like crystalline fortresses, their peaks catching the light in a dazzling display. Other isles crackled with perpetual storms, shrouded in swirling clouds alive with internal lightning. There were forests of trees with leaves of solid emerald, and deserts of shimmering, mana-infused sand. It was a world unto itself, a testament to the raw, elemental power of its inhabitants.
At the center of this breathtaking archipelago stood a mountain that defied scale and logic. Dragon God Mountain was a pillar holding up the very sky, its peak lost in a permanent, radiant vortex of clouds that swirled in colors of gold, silver, and azure. Even from this distance, Seiji could feel the pressure emanating from it—a concentration of power so vast and ancient it made the air itself feel thick and heavy. It was the heart of this world, and he could sense the slumbering consciousness of immense beings within.
Seeing his captivated gaze, Ignis's voice rumbled, not unkindly. "That is the heart of our world. Dragon God Mountain. It is where the Primordial Dragon, the Mother of us all, resides. She is the first crystallization, the perfect union of the Sky, the Earth, and the Ocean. I am taking you to her three children, the triumvirate who rule in her name: the Dragon Kings."
They began their ascent up the mountain. The higher they flew, the denser the ambient mana became. It was no longer just air; it was a syrup of pure energy that Seiji's Vanguard system automatically began to siphon and process at a low level, replenishing his reserves. The mountain face was not bare rock; it was carved with terraces and openings that served as dwellings, from which ancient, scaled heads emerged to watch their passage with impassive, knowing eyes.
They finally approached a structure that was less a palace and more a natural cathedral grown from the mountain itself. Great arches of living stone, intertwined with veins of crystal that pulsed with soft light, formed an entrance that led into a vast, open-aired chamber. The floor was polished obsidian, reflecting the sky above, and the air hummed with a profound, resonant silence.
Ignis landed, his massive form graceful despite its size. He set Seiji's containment sphere down gently and then bowed his great head low. His voice, when he spoke, was filled with a reverence that bordered on awe.
"Most Honored Dragon Kings. I, Ignis, Elder of the Crimson Wing, humbly seek audience. May the Dragon Mother's wisdom forever guide your reign."
Seiji's eyes adjusted to the dim light, taking in the assembly. Around the periphery of the chamber stood several other dragons, each radiating an aura of immense age and power. Ignis, sensing his curiosity, provided quiet introductions, his voice a low rumble meant only for Seiji.
The first was a dragon of breathtaking elegance, her scales the color of deep ocean ice and tropical lagoons. She had the fluid form of a sea serpent but with the regal bearing of an empress. "Aquavis, Elder of the Azure Tides, my mate." Next to her was a dragon who seemed to be made of the storm itself, his form constantly shifting with wisps of cloud and crackles of lightning. "Aemon, Elder of the Raging Storm." Then, a dragon so massive and still he could have been mistaken for part of the mountain, his scales like continental plates and his eyes like deep canyons. "Terrock, Elder of the Unmoving Continent." A being of pure, soft light, whose form was difficult to look upon directly, her presence bringing a sense of peace and clarity. "Creseline, Elder of the Early Dawn." And finally, a shadow that drank the light, a dragon whose form was a void in the shape of a wyrm, exuding an aura of profound, silent depth. "Umbra, Elder of the Silent Abyss. Creseline's mate"
But it was the three figures at the head of the chamber who commanded all attention.
On the left, coiled upon a dais of smoothed coral and pearl, was Mercphobia, the Dragon Ruler of the Sea. She possessed the long, serpentine body of an Eastern dragon, her scales shimmering in shades of silver and cerulean. Her face was wise and ageless, with long whiskers that twitched as she regarded Seiji, her eyes like deep, still oceans holding secrets of forgotten tides.
On the right, Pangaea, the Dragon Lord of the Land, rested on a throne of fused elemental rock—basalt, granite, and obsidian. He was a classic Western dragon, quadrupedal and immense, his body a living landscape. Patches of his scales were like mossy earth, others like flowing lava, and still others like jagged ice. His wings, when folded, looked like mountain ranges, and his breath carried the scent of deep soil and ozone.
And in the center, standing bipedally with an imperial posture that dominated the space, was Karmish, the Dragon Emperor of the Sky. His form was that of a great European wyrm, with powerful legs and immense, clawed arms. His scales were a brilliant, reflective platinum that seemed to generate their own light, casting a soft glow throughout the hall. A crown of natural, crystalline horns swept back from his brow, and his eyes held the boundless expanse of the firmament.
It was Mercphobia who spoke first, her voice a fluid melody that seemed to echo from the depths of the sea. "My eyes, inheritted form Mother, are attuned to the currents of destiny, little one. I see the threads of fate woven around all living things." She tilted her head, a flicker of genuine astonishment in her oceanic eyes. "But you… you are a singularity. A being without a fixed course. I see not one future, but a cascade of possibilities branching from you, guided by a power I cannot perceive. The potential you carry… it is a weight that would crush a continent. It is immense, even by our measure."
Pangaea shifted, the grinding of stone accompanying his movement. His voice was the rumble of an avalanche, deep and grounding. "Keep it for another times! I care not for nebulous futures. Now I just want to know the past that forged such a paradox. I want to see the path that led you to our sanctum." His molten gaze turned to the Elder of Early Dawn. "Creseline. Illuminate his history for us. If the human consents."
Seiji met the dragon's gaze. He knew this was the ultimate test. To gain their trust, he had to offer his truth. He gave a single, firm nod. "I agree."
The light dragon, Creseline, stepped forward. She uttered a single, pure note that hung in the air, and a ring of soft, white-gold magic formed around Seiji. It did not feel invasive, but inquisitive. Images began to bloom in the air above him, projected for all to see.
They saw a classroom in another world. The disorienting summoning to the throne room. The king's contemptuous dismissal. The despair in the alley. The awakening of the Vanguard system—though the system itself remained a blur, an inexplicable void in the memory, showing only the result of the transformation, not its mechanism. They witnessed his wanderings, the rescue of the elves, the conquest of Grimgar, the alliance with the Beastmen, and his relentless pursuit of power. They saw his compassion and his ruthlessness in equal measure. The memory ended with his intense study under Orias and his journey to the island.
The chamber was silent as the last images faded. Karmish, the Sky Emperor, was the first to break it. His voice was like a gentle but firm wind, carrying undeniable authority. "A soul displaced, not belonging to this world. Cast into despair, yet you did not break. You forged bonds with the forgotten and the persecuted. You seek not just power, but a new order. This is… a fascinating tapestry."
Pangaea slammed a fist into his palm, the sound like a cliff face shearing off. "It is more than fascinating! It is a sign! He has the will to fight the empire! The humans who slaughtered our whelps must answer for their crimes! An alliance with him is not just acceptable; it is necessary!"
Mercphobia's fluid voice cut through her brother's fervor, calm and measured. "Peace, Pangaea. Your heart burns with a righteous fire, but we must temper it with wisdom. This involves the fate of our entire race, re-entering a world that sought our extinction. It is a decision that cannot be made in haste." She turned her deep gaze to her siblings. "The threads are too tangled, the potential outcomes too vast. We have seen the vessel, but we do not know the hand that guides it. We must seek a higher counsel."
Karmish nodded, his platinum scales shimmering. "Sister speaks true. This is a matter for the Mother. Her dream will reveal the path we must walk."
The three Dragon Kings looked at each other, a silent communication passing between them. The decision was made.
Karmish turned his gaze back to Ignis. "Elder Ignis. Our guest is to be treated with the respect due a potential ally. Provide him with quarters. See that he lacks for nothing."
Ignis bowed deeply. "It shall be done, Your Majesty."
With that, the three colossal forms of the Dragon Kings rose. Mercphobia flowed into the air like a river of quicksilver, Pangaea launched himself with a tremor that shook the hall, and Karmish ascended with a single, powerful beat of his wings that filled the chamber with a rush of wind. They flew upwards, towards the unseen peak of the mountain, to seek the counsel of the Primordial Dragon herself.
Ignis turned to Seiji, the amber sphere dissolving. "Come, human. You will wait in comfort. The judgment of the Dragon Mother is beyond the sway of kings or empires. We must all await her dream."