"Your Majesty?"
Zy gasped, his voice struggling to pierce the silent darkness. A soft, cool breeze caressed his skin from both sides.
The first thing he saw as the world around him set into motion was a golden dragon statue.
Poised with elegance, it sat along the red carpet that lay ahead of him. Zy realised, above all, that another person was in the room.
It was a young lady. A frank-faced type standing on the red carpet before the two golden dragon statues. Their eyes locked.
She wore a lotus gown, the white-lined fabric draping on her fra with elegance. Long, black hair that reached her waist. It had two buns at her temples, decorated with a floral hairband.
And a translucent, phoenix-shaped green jade. That, along with her unblemished and shining skin... Zy could already tell that whoever this was had spent hours on her appearance.
It would be a huge surprise if she could fight well, too.
"Your Majesty?" her tone grew indented with a hint of concern. She took a single step forward before her lordship stopped her with the raise of his hand.
Zy cleared his throat and rose from his throne, only to take a seat once more. Perhaps... perhaps he was trying to make sure he seed like the ferocious dragon emperor.
The actual owner of this body. As a tenant, he should at least avoid ssing things up in a short amount of ti.
He gazed at her shoulder instead of her face; those small red pupils were looking at him with concern. At least Zy had sothing to work with in this strange place.
One of the only rits of reincarnation is that you aren't left guessing when it cos to adapting to your new form.
'She's Aura DrakeBorn, a Celestial Dragon. She's this owner's only friend. But instead of being on such terms, she beca his right hand.'
Zy was not surprised. From the mories of the owner that were now erging in his mind, this dragon was one of wisdom. A breed ideal as a level-headed confidant for guidance.
Zy Ashbane might have been ruthless. But he supposed this Aura DrakeBorn kept his temper in check. A strange sort of balance.
'Crap,' Zy cursed, realising the dragon's personality was still intact. 'I am having this urge to keep her at ease. She must be Ashbane's weakness, I suppose.'
Aura's lips parted as she gazed at the man on the obsidian throne. Her expression showed her anxiety. She asked, with concern, "Your Majesty... are you feeling unwell again?"
'Again?' Zy repeated; of course, only in his head. There was still too much to learn about his new identity.
But he couldn't risk slipping up... and questioning anything that the original Zy Ashbane would have already known.
He placed his elbow on the rough-skinned armrest. He rested his cheek against the rather uncomfortable throne.
With a gentle but calculated gaze, like an emperor, he asked, "Why are you so worked up, Aura? You can see that I'm fine..."
"Pardon , Lord Zy," Aura shut her eyes and dipped her head in a bow, releasing a sharp breath.
She apologised, although she seed more resolved about her anxiety than anything else.
"I was only worried because you've been sick on your throne for a very long ti. You know, you usually get better in a few hours after experiencing such... troubles. This was quite the harrowing exception."
She then glanced up, and Zy realised that Aura had noticed his confusion. But, either to his relief or horror, she did not let that prevent her from putting on a smile.
"But seeing you now, I suppose I can be at ease now that you have got better. The next full moon will not rise for a few weeks, so you'll be able to get so rest."
Aura gazed at Zy with a look of admiration, letting a small laugh escape her lips. "I respect your resilience, Lord Zy. Not everyone can be as strong as you... ruling the entire Infernosphere while still battling your full moon curse."
Zy had to stop his jaw from going slack as he couldn't help but stare in disbelief. The full orb in the sky did tie into the ritual that put him in this state.
For a mont, he wondered, hoped that there could be an underlying connection. One between the emperor and him that could neutralise the magic's effect. But he brushed off the thought, dismissing it as a re coincidence... for now.
'Will I make it past my thirties?' Zy questioned. 'Could I have a better chance of living now that I'm in the beast's body?'
Could he outlive the past eight, the lives where he couldn't live past thirty-nine? If he sohow found a way to stop the curse... No, he couldn't get his hopes up. Fate had trapped Zy Ashbane in this ritual, and he could not escape it.
"You feel... distant," Aura inquired, eyes lingering on Zy's face. Until, almost self-consciously, he sat straight and cleared his throat. "Do you have sothing on your mind? Please share it. A problem shared is half solved."
Zy smiled, his gaze still not reaching for hers. "I guess. Why are you in the throne room, though? I did not summon you."
He knew this white Celestial Dragon was a serious kind. After all, she had many tasks to take care of and inspect on a daily basis. She wouldn't have visited to check his condition alone.
Unless it was hard to handle alone; though, strangely enough, he couldn't recall such a day. Had he not regained the dragon's entire mory?
"Your order got on a scout through the Infernosphere," Aura began. "As of my current knowledge, none of the fire creatures have left the land.
The lava elentals are rebellious. But they didn't disobey your orders not to descend to Earth. Not to talk of harming anyone."
Zy Ashbane tried to comprehend what the hell she was rambling on about.
She paused for a slight smile on her face. "I can tell now; your idea to reconcile with the down-to-earth creatures is halfway done. Even so, the next step might not be easy.
The Beast Tars and Exorcists won't allow any vulnerability for a 'treaty.' What's your plan for this, Lord Zy? We can..."
Zy mumbled under his breath, "Being the emperor is burdenso..."
"Pardon?" Aura retorted, an astonished edge to her voice.
Zy said nothing. He couldn't look anywhere near her. In his mory, the winged fire creature had ruined lives. It had caused havoc and might as well have devoured people. Even if it made friends like humans, had its loved ones.
Or also suffered what seed an endless sorrow, it remained a beast. And right now, Zy knew he was in a body no other than that of a maniacal animal.
But what his companion had uttered shattered who he assud this dragon was. Could a ruthless being truly consider making peace with humans?
Aura's cheeks pinkened with excitent. Her eyes were wide and glinting, the two of them never leaving Zy Ashbane.
Although he was still busy rubbing his temples with his eyes absentmindedly shut, not giving her the slightest attention.... she seed even more at ease with whatever made her heart race.
She sensed thrills coursing through her wholeness, each one repeating the sa thing. The dragon emperor said that his task was burdenso!
"Oh, my! I can't believe the day ca, the one when I finally heard you say that you're tired of carrying out all those hectic tasks. Indeed, the tasks rarely help your ntal stress." The sa excitent shown a few seconds ago traced her voice underneath.
Zy locked eyes with her.
Her instincts provided an urgent warning to stop talking. Yet, that instinct lasted only a second. That's when she saw what the emperor's face hid.
Her body still recalled the thrill she felt at the start of such discussions. Zy would shoot a dissatisfied glance at her.
Even as the emperor's best friend and confidant, she couldn't discuss what she noticed. But, unlike past encounters, he didn't have a scowl on his face, not even a flicker of anything cold.
A faint smile bulged on her face. But, as soon as her eyes reached Zy's feet, her head tilted in shock.
Her gaze locked onto what she noticed.
'Lord Zy always sits with his legs wide, not having his feet intertwined at the end like that. He's different today... even the way he talks.'
"You were going to say sothing right now," Zy said aloud.
Right away, Aura glanced up with a slight shiver. And when their eyes t, she broke into a grin. He noticed Aura's unnatural reaction after his voice echoed.
"Oh, yes, Your Majesty," she replied, shutting her eyes for a slight bow. After easing herself, her voice rang out. "Everyone knows how hard you cultivated back in the days before becoming our leader.
You are the most powerful in this dominion for attaining a Wraithbound Mage Body.
Though it causes you ntal exhaustion and excessive life drain to et. Everything has been hectic and stressful for you till now, Lord Zy. It is not bad to take so ti to rest.
By doing so, you can regather your thoughts and build a strategy to sign a blood-free treaty with humans.
I will take care of everything in your absence, Your Majesty. This is all for the sake of our realm. Too, we are always reinforcing our realm's barrier against intruders, all thanks to you.
You also have people on your raider. Thus, you wearing out already would be disastrous for all Inferno creatures."
"He attained the Wraithbound Mage Body, mm? That should..." he mumbled, rubbing his temples again, "... be the third rank in dark magic cultivation.
Despite the challenges dark magic causes in comparison with pure ones, he could still et it.
It seems like the other ranks are shadowing my mory. But I know how tough it is to continue living with every ascension a sorcerer makes. What a guy the dragon was."
....
Direct Note: Spare so seconds again, pls 😊. If you haven't voted with power stones before, please do. Don't forget to vote again in later Chapters. Thx. Love you all!
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