"Let's see. And when were you going to tell me we were heading to the North Pole…?" The Demon Queen broke into a sweat, looking her wife straight in the eye.
"Today~" The white-haired woman replied cheerfully, bundled up in a heavy coat.
[Black Abyss Coat PNG]
"..." Dont glanced at Black Abyss without saying a word, then looked behind her…
Bulldoger, disguised as a generic commander, was there, kneeling alongside Mishirifus and Wanda…
Meanwhile, a sizable group of bodyguards, level 80 Mercenary NPCs and a Level 90 Twilight Seraph, were loading luggage onto a carriage… Or rather, a vehicle so massive it resembled a tank, drawn by Level 75 Violent War Bicorns…
It wasn't that the level of security bothered Dont… But she certainly would have liked a say regarding the trip itself.
"I don't want to say anything, but… We're always either in Titania or Deorum Regnum, and we've never actually seen snow, right~?" The white-haired girl pointed out.
"You went to the mountains. The 'snowy' ones." The Shooter emphasized with a sigh, rubbing her temples.
"But those are mountains, and it was a mission, I couldn't just stop to roll around in the snow or anything like that~ Besides, what if there are 'birds with atrophied wings' lurking about~?" She remarked, staring intently at the Demon Queen.
Dont gasped in exasperation but then shrugged.
"Well. Alright… If all this has been arranged, I imagine Bachelory, Mimosa, or Superbia handled it, so it's bound to have everything necessary…" She grumbled before stretching a little. "And I suppose a little vacation wouldn't hurt~" She conceded.
Black Abyss flashed a brilliant smile at this, causing Dont to smile back.
"Though… What's with all the warm clothing? Not that I'm complaining…" She glanced at the outfit she was wearing before meeting her golden eyes again. "You shouldn't really feel the cold." She asked the Angel, curious.
"Well, I wasn't planning to, I was just going to go in this suit, but Bachelory and the other Commanders insisted I wear coats enchanted for cold protection, not for my sake, but for the baby's," Black Abyss explained. "Though, really, it ought to be protected by all my own defenses."
"Not to mention your body temperature is over 60 degrees... But yeah, I suppose it's not a bad idea. Besides, bundling up is part of the experience~" Dont nodded, hands on her hips. "Now, just give me a couple of hours. I need to pick out something to wear, too."
"H-Hours...?" Black Abyss broke into a light sweat upon hearing that...
"Of course~ Titania has plenty of cold-resistant clothing~ So I have to try them on to see which looks best~" She hummed, as if it were obvious.
"Ha... Women... Alright, then~" The Angel sighed.
Meanwhile...
"... Mishirifus..." Bulldoger called out.
"Yes, Lord Bulldoger?" She hummed softly.
"... Should we wear coats too...?" He asked curiously.
"..." The Miko said nothing... Because she wasn't sure, either.
…
"Cmendio." A deep voice called out, the speaker was sweating slightly from the effort required to keep pace with his target.
The other, however, did not hear him, or simply ignored him.
Tsaindorcus gritted his teeth slightly.
"Cmendio, this is Tsaindorcus Vaison. I have found it necessary to…" His words died in his throat, however, when he noticed the dragon wasn't even paying attention to him.
He looked into the eyes of the one called Cmendio… They were open, gazing straight ahead…
He wasn't asleep. He was simply… Ignoring him.
He considered attacking to grab his attention, but that certainly wouldn't leave room for a friendly conversation.
He glanced back, seeing several creatures peering from the edges, watching him…
"Hm…" He uttered, a bead of sweat rolling down. "Cmendio. I understand that the fate of your entire… People… Depends on you continuing on your path." He murmured, looking toward the massive landmass practically attached to his fellow dragon's back.
Legends spoke of a Celestial Dragon Lord so massive that he carried an island on his back…
Though, more than legends, they were simply unverified truths.
A single glance downward revealed they were well above the cloud layer.
The mere fact that the beings on that island could survive with so little oxygen, such strong air currents, and who knows what else… Was remarkable, yet Tsaindorcus wasn't particularly interested.
From what little he knew, that island held almost no beings of even a moderately decent level.
That was the consequence of being so isolated from the rest of the world.
They faced only the challenges of their environment and local predators. He was somewhat curious about how they survived, certainly, but not enough to actually land on the island.
"... However, I need your assist—" Tsaindorcus continued his speech before being cut off by the Dragon.
"Mm… Tsaindorcus, old friend. Do you not hear that melody?" A deep, ancient voice hummed as it gazed toward the horizon…
"..." The Platinum Dragon Lord said nothing, straining to hear what Cmendio was speaking of.
Yet, he heard only the whistling wind caused by their rapid flight above the clouds.
He focused his senses on the island, hoping perhaps to hear music…
At most, he heard leaves rustling in the trees, the beings on the Dragon's back talking and going about their daily tasks, and the sound of bells tinkling or chiming in the wind.
Was 'that' it?
"I see you do not hear it." The Celestial Dragon Lord chuckled softly.
Tsaindorcus was certainly in no mood for games.
"Cmendio… This is serious. Playe-"
"Shh." The Dragon silenced him with a soft hiss. "You talk too much. You worry too much. You have no time to listen."
"... Of course I don't have time. I don't suppose you've noticed, given your composure, but four of us have already died." He growled, slightly annoyed.
"I know." Cmendio said dryly. "That is why I was praying for their souls to find peace."
The Dragon Lord's eye twitched.
"Praying? What are you supposed to be praying to?"
"To the universe." The beast nodded gently, careful not to let the bell tower atop his head collapse.
Tsaindorcus was certainly struggling to keep his cool. "I need to rebuild our forces. I managed to… Convince Cure Elim… To join our alliance. And I came to you because you're far more approachable than… The others available." He muttered, not exactly pleased that Cmendio was saying such… Stupid things.
"Mm~ Cure Elim… It's been a while since I heard about him. I imagine getting him to join you wasn't easy. What did you have to give him in return?" He murmured, his tone… complicated.
"... Half my reserves." Tsaindorcus grumbled.
"If you were in sync with the universe, such a thing wouldn't bother you. Peace would overflow from within, and you could unleash your true power." The creature remarked, gazing up at the sky.
"This goes beyond whether I'm in sync with anything. You seem to forget that the Players brought us to the brink of extinction without us openly provoking them," Tsaindorcus reminded him, feeling a twinge of unease at bringing up the subject...
"Mm, indeed, even those from another world can be evil or merciful. But you forget that their actions might have been driven by the very same reason you want me to join your alliance." The Celestial Dragon Lord murmured.
"And that is?" He narrowed his eyes.
"Fear."
Tsaindorcus fell silent, staring at the horizon as he was forced to... concede the point.
He was afraid. He couldn't deny it. Yet, that wasn't the whole story...
"When you begin to grasp the vastness of the universe, you realize just how small we are. If you were snatched from your home and taken to an unknown place, you'd be afraid, and so would I." Cmendio murmured.
"... I know. I can't entirely blame them for how they acted. Because of us, regardless of their power, they were brought to an unfamiliar place... Their first instinct would naturally be to determine their standing in the food chain, to see if they were in danger. But doing so led them to commit countless atrocities against this world. We... We suffer the consequences of our own mistakes, but even so, how many other beings in this world have suffered, died, or wept because of the invaders?" Tsaindorcus murmured, gesturing behind him, the Celestial Dragon Lord watched his back without turning his head. "It's… It's my responsibility to bear the burden of my father's mistakes. It is my responsibility to at least form a line of defense against these beings, beings who could well destroy everything if they chose to. If we don't unite to stop them."
"And they will keep doing it, long after we are gone, they will keep coming. The responsibility you've taken upon yourself is too great, it is infinite, Tsaindorcus. That mindset will consume you for eternity." The giant remarked.
"I have already decided to shoulder that weight. I've… I've already lost too much to turn back now. So, I will do everything in my power, even if it costs me my life, to give this world a moment of respite." He declared.
He hadn't intended to give an inspiring speech, nor did he plan for his words to sway Cmendio, but he wasn't going to lie to him.
"A son using his life to atone for his father's mistakes. How often I have seen that…" The Celestial Dragon Lord murmured. "If you need my help, I offer it. But preserving my current existence is my top priority, I am not one who wishes to resort to violence, neither of us is, so you will understand the responsibility resting on my shoulders as well."
"... They might come for you." Tsaindorcus pointed out dryly.
"They will." He agreed. "But I will face them."
Platinum snorted with a hint of amusement, looking downward…
The clouds rushed by, occasionally offering a glimpse of the surface far below…
It was almost hypnotic…
He could understand why Celestial simply liked being here…
"It's what we do, after all, isn't it? We grow enough to take on the greatest responsibility." His old friend's words drew his attention back.
Tsaindorcus looked at him, not understanding what he was talking about now.
"Take a moment, remain silent, in body and mind. Just… Exist." Cmendio spoke, then fell silent, gazing down at the land far below… Doing nothing else.
Tsaindorcus followed his gaze. He stopped thinking, though not without some difficulty, and simply looked…
… Hours passed, with Platino doing his best to… Stop thinking.
It was a struggle, but… He managed to clear his mind, to let his thoughts and worries fade into a blank slate, if only for a moment.
"—cus. Tsaindorcus." Cmedio's voice called out, shifting his gaze away from the view below to look at him once more. "Hm~" He let out a… Laugh? Glancing to the side, Platino saw that dusk was falling…
"How long was I…?"
"Seven hours, give or take."
"… Hm. I suppose you expected longer." He remarked, feeling a bit better…
When was the last time whole hours had slipped by like mere moments for him?
Dragons lived such long lives that even days could feel like seconds. But Tsaindorcus… He simply couldn't afford to waste a single minute… Hm…
"It is time for you to return, Tsaindorcus." The Celestial Dragon Lord said.
"…" Platino looked at the gigantic Dragon… And nodded gently after taking a deep breath. "I see." He murmured, before casting one last glance at the island atop Celestial. "This might sound bad, but…"
"There are no powerful warriors or mages among my people. The greatest talent here can merely help sustain the life upon me." He shook his head with a soft laugh.
"… I see. Forgive me for asking."
"Remember to calm your mind. Even for beings like us, living in a state of worry isn't healthy." Cmendio hummed.
"I came looking for you, and I'll end up leaving with a lesson~" Platino remarked with a laugh.
"The twists and turns of life~" Celestial replied.
"Yes…" Tsaindorcus murmured, without another word… And slowly, he descended.
…
"Hm. Another disappointment." He scoffed, no longer even surprised by the fact, he simply gazed with indifference at the Elf who had come to bring news of the death of… How many of his children had the messenger said?
Honestly, he didn't even care to know the number.
He simply waved his hand, dismissing the weakling 'bureaucrat', if one could call him that, who had come to report the news.
"Send more troops. Try the ones from the 13th batch." He ordered, hoping that, even if only one from among those hundreds of children, something might awaken.
Even just a fraction of the power he sought.
He needed to secure one.
It was impossible that, out of the thousands, hundreds of thousands, perhaps even millions! Of children he had fathered…
Only one had shown, or so he had heard, even a shred of real power.
And that specific child was out of his reach.
Well, not really. If he went looking for him, he could certainly drag him back.
But… He knew that child would return.
A son always returns to his parents, after all.
Decem Hougan, the Elf King, furrowed his brow and extended a hand in a specific direction.
"[Crystal Spike]" He chanted irritably.
A shard of crystal, no, practically diamond, violently erupted from the ground with a nasty shriek that sounded like a mix between a whisper and a creaking door, while shadowy specks scattered into the air.
"Continuing to use these insects to spy on me is, if not insulting, simply pathetic." He scoffed, fed up with having to kill vermin that thought themselves undetectable.
For the past few years, these pests had been lurking in his castle like a plague. They were weak, they weren't even skilled at their jobs, at least not skilled enough to evade his notice.
And while he cared little to nothing about how much they spied on the other weaklings of his nation, he didn't like having rats scurrying through his palace corridors, especially after having already caught a couple of them trying to make off with something that belonged to him.
Fortunately, he had managed to safeguard all his father's relics using some highly convenient summons and spells.
He really ought to thank him again for leaving him so much.
Especially since, thanks to that useful 'Monster Manual,' he had easily identified exactly what these things were, these creatures that kept trying to sneak about.
Shadow Demons. Weak, elusive, and annoying creatures.
Their power was negligible, practically non-existent, they were useful only for spying, or perhaps for being a nuisance if they came in large numbers.
But he possessed a couple of marvelous summons capable of devouring even these creatures.
He simply lacked the materials to create many of them.
All because of the weaklings he had for subjects.
He clicked his tongue, his mood souring.
He rose from his glorious throne and headed toward his bedchamber, his pace far from calm.
At least a dozen women would be loitering there, ready to conceive and try their luck.
The only annoying thing about women was how long they took to give birth.
He snorted, unwilling to dwell on that again.
The last time he had tried to 'accelerate' the process, he had simply ended up with one less child.
It wasn't that he cared any less, but if he couldn't even verify whether they possessed the necessary potential, then there was no point in doing it.
He extended a hand toward another corner.
"[Natural Mother Flash]" He chanted, without any particular enthusiasm. At this, a greenish flash shot from his hand, sending a light gust of wind in all directions, while three screeches, similar to the previous one, echoed out.
"Hm… One of the larger ones." He mused, having sensed only two Shadow Demons.
Occasionally, he would stumble upon a Shadow Devil, an evolved form of those pests.
But a fat rat was still just a rat. Paradoxically, it was simply a bit harder to detect.
Along the way, he came across a painting.
He stopped before it, gazing at it in silence for a long minute.
Not with boredom, nor with curiosity.
But with… Admiration.
It was the only living image of his father.
He had tried to have those useless 'artist' Elves recreate the painting, wanting to ensure his palace was filled with portraits of his magnificent father.
But none of them had been capable of capturing such grandeur.
He snorted and continued on his way, silently thanking that man for showing him the path, and the vision.
The vision of a world ruled by Elves.
He smiled softly at the mental image…
Himself, the Elven King, seated on a throne atop the highest mountain peak~
With Dragon Lords chained like dogs, ready to bite at their master's command~ Surrounded by powerful women helping him build his unstoppable army~
However, the thought made his smile vanish, replaced by a bitter, annoyed expression.
If only these inferior women were actually good for something and could bear him powerful children…
Tch. He fought the urge to punch a wall.
No… He didn't need to take his anger out on a mere wall.
Not when he could simply…
"A-Ah, Your Majesty…" One of the elves in his bedchamber stammered, immediately dropping to her knees, clad in scant attire…
Upon seeing him, the other women in the room trembled slightly yet smiled seductively, though some hesitated, striking poses that certainly caught his eye.
All except one…
He glanced at Myugi… And decided not to unleash his wrath upon her.
She was the only woman who, even if only a little, still showed some resistance toward him.
She wasn't rebellious. She was simply… Somewhat defiant. And Decem liked to keep a bit of… Defiance around, however slight.
His father had taught him many things, but one lesson stood out, keep the things that are hard to obtain as close as possible, never let them go.
He grabbed the kneeling Elf, prostrated before him, by the hair and yanked her upward.
With a single movement, her royal garments vanished.
He still needed to vent his disappointment and rage.
.
.
.
Celestial Island
Legends speak of the Celestial Dragon Lord. Many even swear they have seen his silhouette soaring through the skies.
The most remarkable aspect of these tales is the notion that the mighty Dragon carries an island, if one can call it that, upon his back, home to an actual civilization.
Countless mages and flying creatures have attempted to seek him out and discover the wonders and treasures awaiting on that island.
All returned empty-handed, unable to reach the Dragon Lord's altitude or even locate him at all.
In the end, it remains nothing more than a story, no one knows whether such a Dragon truly exists.
.
.
.
Hi everyone~! I'm back~ Tehee~ Late as always~
Ahem~ Anyway~ I hope you liked it and all that :3 The Elf King has appeared! Plus some introspection alongside the Celestial Dragon Lord~
We didn't originally want to get too deep into the Elves, since we hadn't read the latest arcs, but oh well~ Everything's been reviewed now, and it's finally time to introduce him~
Starting with the next chapter, a journey to the north begins! So look forward to a lovely trek~
Have in mind that you can read this on Archive of Our Own or Fanfiction, or you can watch this in spanish, plus an additional chapter, in Wattpad~
Remember, I have a Patreon and an X account with lewd stuff and all that~ Mwah~ I'll try my best to post the next chapter in two weeks, just like I should have~ Bye~!