Fire and tree danced together, and it ended quickly, like waves passing through the sea.
The Scadutree was a divine tree equal to the Erdtree, yet it could only hide away in a dark corner of the world, in a place where it could gaze out over the sea.
This was a coastal corner of the Land of Shadow, close to Shadow Keep and rarely visited by people. The Incarnation's duty was to protect the magnificent great tree behind it.
The crimson beast flew in openly. Under the searing flames, The Scadutree's Incarnation collapsed completely, then was blown apart by the gale in an instant.
Trina abruptly looked up, instinctively grabbing Nolan beneath her and assuming a defensive stance.
Nolan raised his head, his long silver hair billowing in the wind. He glanced at the colossal thing in the sky with some confusion.
"A dragon? What's it doing here instead of staying on Jagged Peak Summit?"
A cherry-red giant dragon descended before Nolan. To his surprise, it was an Ancient Dragon with four wings and four legs. Its long, powerful body was strong and graceful, and anyone who rode it would surely be able to cross the skies of Shadow without fear.
Miquella's heel pressed into the ground, his brows knitting tightly together as the massive creature landed with a thunderous crash.
There was no doubt that the being before them was a powerful and beautiful Ancient Dragon. But why would an Ancient Dragon, one that should have been guarding the Flying Dragons, come to the roots of The Scadutree? To pay homage to some ancient Faith?
Before Nolan arrived, this place had been guarded by a monster. The Scadutree's Incarnation was by no means weaker than an Ancient Dragon. If such a threatening creature had come here, it should have fought that dragon.
The Ancient Dragon bowed respectfully, offering its salute to the young man before it. Not out of fear, but out of respect.
In the blink of an eye, the dragon changed.
It became a woman, half-dragon and half-human. Her figure was tall and slender, her skin dark, and her eyes and brows were extraordinarily sharp, like blades tempered in lightning.
She wore dark red dragon armor. Her white hair was soft and light, and flame-red curved horns rose from her chest and head.
The miraculous sight drew no gasps of surprise. Thanks to a certain mad Ancient Dragon woman, the three of them had long since grown used to the strange abilities of Ancient Dragons.
Still, although Ancient Dragons worshipped strength, this posture was a little too humble.
"Thank you, Lord, for granting me this audience," the Ancient Dragon said gently, placing her right hand before herself and bowing slightly.
Only then did the chilling killing intent fade away. She was not some mindless thing like The Scadutree's Incarnation.
Long before she approached this land, she had known she had already been "caught" by this young Lord.
As expected of the powerful Lord who had destroyed the Divine Tower. His senses were exceptionally sharp, and even standing there, he radiated a fearsome sense of danger.
She had no doubt that if she had shown the slightest hostility just now, the posture in which she met him now would have been with her head separated from her body.
The Demigods said to have swept through the Lands Between were likely inferior to him. This Lord might possess the qualifications to challenge the Lord of Heaven.
Nolan found the Ancient Dragon's attitude rather strange. He had already turned off the charm before this Ancient Dragon arrived, yet this proud dragon was treating him with astonishing goodwill.
"Dragon, who are you? Did you come here for me?" Nolan asked in a low voice.
"Yes, mighty Lord. I am the Dragon Communion Priestess, Florissax. Thirty days ago, you conquered the Hornsent's holy land. Ten days ago, you slaughtered the Flying Dragons in Bonny Village."
The Ancient Dragon's voice carried undisguised respect.
"A quarter of an hour ago, you defeated Marika's child, the Demigod Messmer. And just now, The Scadutree's Guardian was reduced to ash."
"All of these are proof of your strength. That is why I have come to seek an audience with you."
Florissax bowed once more, without the slightest trace of an Ancient Dragon's usual arrogance.
"And the reason? What do you want from me?" Nolan asked softly.
"Rather than a reason, it is a request. Lord bathed in dragon blood, I ask you to kill that rebel... Bayle."
"I've killed plenty of Flying Dragons, but that doesn't mean I kill every Dragon I see, does it?"
"The hatred between Dragon Warriors and Flying Dragons cannot be erased. Once they smell the blood on you, they will bare their fangs at you."
"Then I'll just kill the ones that dare open their mouths. That isn't enough to convince me." Nolan shook his head.
"Then what about power? Do you wish to swallow the power of a dragon? Do you wish to swallow the burning heart of the oldest, most vicious dragon?" The Ancient Dragon's gaze was earnest.
Nolan fell silent. The Mad Dragon's power was certainly tempting. Even if it could not defeat Placidusax, it was still a being on the same level.
"Any other Lord would surely agree without hesitation. Yet this mercy, something that should not exist in the Lands Between, also matches what I know of you," the Ancient Dragon said.
"In truth, you need not pity that dragon. It is the most tyrannical, cruel, and frenzied Lord I have ever seen. 'Mad Dragon' Bayle is a name well earned."
"There are only wrong names, not wrong nicknames?" Nolan thought. His eyes made him look like a bottomless well.
"I smell the scent of one of my kin on you. Is it Lansseax? Not the smell of blood. It seems the two of you are close. She would surely support you in hunting Bayle as well."
The Ancient Dragon had no idea she was dancing across the Goddess's minefield. She only looked at Nolan seriously.
Nolan ignored Trina, who was rubbing her nose back and forth against his neck, and asked, "She would support me in slaying a dragon? Is she really that responsible?"
He did not believe Lansseax would treat hunting Bayle as some serious duty out of responsibility toward the Ancient Dragons.
"No, you misunderstand me. I mean she would absolutely enjoy the spectacle and stir you into challenging that villain who has hunted countless heroes."
Florissax laughed.
"You're very... clever," Nolan said, curling his lip without rushing to answer.
When benefits failed to move him, she had switched to emotional persuasion. This female dragon might not be brilliant, but she was certainly no fool.
"So... can you... become a dragon?" After a moment of hesitation, the Ancient Dragon asked in a low voice.
Dragon. This was the highest praise dragons could give to a non-dragon they acknowledged.
The Dragon Lady had extremely high hopes for the Lord before her.
Only now did Nolan seem to glimpse a tenderness that an Ancient Dragon should not have possessed.
"You know," Nolan suddenly said, "I actually have no grudge against those big winged creatures. I even have a Flying Dragon friend in Liurnia of the Lakes. But you and I have only just met."
The Ancient Dragon's face was covered in Scale Armor, yet the confusion in her eyes was still clear.
She did not understand. This man was steeped in the blood-aura of Flying Dragons, and he had surely killed more Flying Dragons than could be counted on one hand. How could he possibly be friends with one?
"Does it hurt you?" Florissax asked softly.
"What?"
"When you kill your friend's kin, does it hurt?" Florissax asked quietly.
"Of course not. A friend is a friend, and an enemy is an enemy. I never mix them up," Nolan said with a light laugh. "Still, you're a pretty interesting woman."
"Then does that mean you agree?" Florissax asked in surprise and delight.
"I told you, you're a clever woman." Nolan grinned. "But you guessed wrong, because I haven't made up my mind yet."
"But your matter will have to wait. Right now, I have some family business to deal with."
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