"When I arrived, all that greeted were the desolate ruins of the Royal Court... and the countless remains of ancient dragons, who once lived harmoniously but now seed to wish nothing more than to devour flesh and blood.
"There was also the child whom the King would rather suffer the pain of being devoured by his own kind, their Divinity usurped, than flee; a child he resolved to protect until death.
"The vast Ancient Dragon Royal Court t an irredeemable and tragic end because of my cowardice.
"From that day on, I beca a wraith or, perhaps more accurately, a resentful spirit dwelling above the ruins of the Royal Court.
"Because of my error, the radiance of the ancient dragons has faded. Perhaps so of the Dragon Race escaped from the Royal Court to the Western Continent. But those who fell into madness are no longer significant. Even if they are still alive, or have left descendants bearing dragon blood, it has all beco aningless.
"They are rely large lizards with a trace of dragon blood, having long forgotten the glory of the past Royal Court, unworthy of the na of ancient dragons.
"This is my sin, one that no amount of ti spent repenting or atoning for could ever fill."
The gaze of the giant gold dragon softened slightly as it fell upon the Egg of the Night.
"The only thing I can do is to protect the child that the King guarded with his Life.
"It is the King’s child... and also the last remnant of the Royal Court.
"Since the great apocalypse brought the end of the Glorious Era a thousand years ago... it has been absorbing the fragnted power of the World Tree Fragnt.
"It is the last witness to that luminous Era, the glory belonging to the Ancient Dragon Royal Court.
"The history of this radiant Royal Court will ultimately be sung by it."
The speech of the giant gold dragon paused for a mont.
The next instant, a divine, Red Gold light burst forth from its dull, murky dragon eyes. The blackness of decay retreated from its body, revealing the Red Gold scales beneath, exceptionally brilliant. Only at this very mont did the spectral being perched atop the Royal Court regain so of the majesty of the giant gold dragon of old.
"The influence of the Fallen Sun persists.
"As a Race living above the clouds, we have suffered the most severe corruption. Even the slightest exposure to sunlight can provoke uncontrollable madness.
"Even the advanced Elves had no choice but to create an eternal curtain of night, concealing themselves within the vast barrier of Eternal Night, forever unable to leave the Lost Island.
"Nobody knows how long the radiance of the Fallen Sun will last. Perhaps a thousand years... or maybe, several more Eras are needed.
"However, I know that this place can’t endure that long.
"For the past thousand years, I have relied on the power of the World Tree Fragnt within the ruins of the Royal Court to barely stave off erosion by the ’Calamity of Light.’
"But now, the last of the power of the World Tree’s branches is on the verge of exhaustion."
It looked directly at Shiayar. "I know... recently, within the Human Race, a new form of contract has been developed—
"A thod allowing the spiritual power of Humans to resonate with the Soul of an Extraordinary creature through a contract.
"Once, whether it was our Dragon Race, or the Giants and Elves, we all looked down upon you Humans.
"We thought Humans lacked innate Racial Talents and a long Life, that a single mature pureblood giant dragon could easily sweep through the strongest among Humans, who were no more than an inconsequential Black Iron Tribe.
"But now I’ve co to realize that we were wrong.
"Precisely because you Humans are born with nothing, without the extraordinary powers and strength granted by the Creator God, you are also unbound.
"Unconstrained by the Fallen Sun, able to walk freely in the sunlight.
"And it is only with the aid of a pure Human Soul, by entering into a contract with a Human, that we, the higher Races, have a chance to suppress our inherent madness and tendency to lose control.
"Furthermore...
"Among Humans, who are born with nothing, there can still erge individuals like you."
The giant gold dragon looked at Shiayar, its words pausing briefly.
"Enter into a contract with the King’s child. Take care of it for the King.
"In exchange, I will use the Authority of the heir to the throne of the Ancient Dragon Royal Court to help you establish a guide to the Lost Island using the connections between the World Tree branches."
Towards the end, there was even a hint of pleading in the giant gold dragon’s voice.
Shiayar did not speak, simply gazing silently at the dragon before him.
For so unknown reason, under Shiayar’s gaze, a slight chill ford in the heart of the giant gold dragon. It felt as if it had returned to its youth, the first ti its parents led it into the Royal Court to have an audience with the King seated high on the Throne—profound and mysterious.
A calm voice sounded beside the giant gold dragon’s ear.
"Have you really thought this through?" Shiayar asked. "The power of this secondary plane can still be sustained for about another hundred years. But if you do that, the last of the World Tree branch’s power will likely be exhausted imdiately. Then, having lost the protection of the World Tree and being directly exposed to the Fallen Sun, given the current state of your Soul and body, you will completely succumb to madness, with no chance of your self-awareness ever awakening again. When that happens, to protect myself, I will kill you first."
Hearing Shiayar’s words, the giant gold dragon could not help but smile bitterly.
"It seems nothing can be hidden from Your Excellency."
This was perhaps the first ti since the dawn of the First Era that a mber of the Ancient Dragon Race had addressed a Human with the honorific ’Your Excellency.’
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