Antares walked away, a furious expression on his face as he made his way to his Father’s Chambers. If any of the guards dared to look towards him, they’d see a muscular man whose face was fully red with anger, and they could almost envision steam coming out of his ears.
anwhile as Antares made his way to have a discussion with Varus, the trio made their way towards the chamber of Damon’s father. The hallway was grand and spacious, showing paintings which depicted the strongest and most legendary Dragons.
However, it wasn’t just the history that caught Astralene’s attention, it was the technology casually interwoven in their environnt. Everywhere she looked, there were strange devices and chanisms.
Astralene’s eyes widened in astonishnt as they passed a sleek panel embedded in the wall. The panel glowed with a soft blue light, displaying an array of symbols and numbers.
Damon casually reached out and touched the surface, causing the panel to light up even brighter before the door beside it clicked open, "What... what is this?" she exclaid, turning to Damon with a mixture of wonder and confusion.
Damon glanced at her and offered a reassuring smile,"It’s a digital touch-pad," he explained, "You can use it to enter codes, access certain rooms, or even perform other functions. It’s powered by Mana, but it’s more refined than just casting a spell."
"A touch... pad?" Astralene repeated, her voice trailing off as if tasting the unfamiliar words. Her gaze shifted to Artemis, who was holding a sleek black device in her hand, tapping away at it rapidly, "And what is that? So kind of enchanted artifact?"
Artemis laughed and waved the device in front of Astralene, "It’s called a Phone. Think of it like a tiny, portable magical communication device. You can communicate with people, read information, even record things with it. Most people have one nowadays."
Astralene’s brows furrowed as she tried to wrap her mind around the concept. "You an... you use it to communicate? Like a transmission spell?"
"Exactly," Damon said, nodding, "It’s a lot faster and more convenient than casting spells. You can send ssages instantly to anyone across the world."
The Astronomanian Princess gazed at the smartphone with awe, her thoughts racing. "In my ti, we would need elaborate rituals just to send a ssage across continents... and now, it can be done with the press of a finger?" She shook her head, marveling at how much had changed, "Incredible. The world has truly advanced."
As they continued down the corridor, more signs of the modern age beca apparent. They passed Mana-powered lights affixed to the walls, glowing steadily.
Rather than the flicker of candles or the soft glow of traditional light spells, these lights cast a steady, even illumination across the hallway, dispelling the shadows entirely.
Astralene stepped closer to one of the lights, her expression a mixture of curiosity and skepticism, "Mana lamps... but without the incantations or runes?" She reached out tentatively, feeling the warmth emanating from the orb of Mana-infused crystal.
"How do they maintain the energy flow? It doesn’t appear to have any enchantnts..." She inquired.
"They’re connected to a Mana grid," Damon replied. "It’s a network that distributes Mana across the entire stronghold, or even entire cities. The flow is regulated so that lights, devices, and other systems all receive the exact amount of Mana they need."
The concept was foreign to Astralene. In her ti, Mana use was entirely individual, with spells or enchanted items crafted by hand for specific functions.
The most advanced use of Mana was probably for Mana Formations. Back then, in a world where one could die any second, where one lived on the tip of a knife, persons focused more on improving their combat skills than miscellaneous things such as this.
This level of infrastructure, of blending technology with magic seamlessly, was astonishing to her, "To think that such a thing would beco common knowledge... In my era, only the most learned scholars could dream of such applications."
Damo looked at her with a playful smile, "Welco to the modern age, Astralene. You’re going to see a lot of things that’ll surprise you."
As they reached the end of the corridor, they ca upon a set of double doors, intricately carved with ancient draconic symbols. All three of them remained quiet at the doors, although Astralene and Artemis both had similar thoughts.
Both wanted to see what kind of man had fathered Damon, especially hearing that he was a Divine Chaos Angelic Dragon, known as the Supre Emperors of the Dragon Clan, even back in the Primordial Era.
With a steadying breath, Damon pushed open the door, its weight giving way easily under his touch, as if welcoming him inside.
The room beyond was vast, with high ceilings and walls lined with tapestries depicting legendary battles and ancient victories of the Dragon Clan. In the center, lounging on a luxurious throne covered in red silk, was a man of extraordinary presence.
Damon’s father, Malik, imdiately had an imposing figure even while he was relaxingly lounging on the throne. He had a tall, muscular fra and a bearing that radiated effortless power.
His hair was a cascade of golden waves, falling just past his shoulders, framing a face that was as chiseled and handso as a sculpture of the ancient gods. His eyes, however, were the most striking feature. They glowed like liquid gold, bright and intense, as if they could pierce through any facade and see straight into one’s soul.
He was dressed in a loose-fitting tunic of black and gold, with the emblem of a dragon embroidered on his chest. His deanor was casual, yet there was an unmistakable sense of authority in the way he held himself.
Malik looked up as they entered, a slow, mischievous grin spreading across his face, "Well, well, look who’s finally decided to show up," he said, his voice smooth and resonant, filled with a playful lilt.
"My wayward son, Damon." He rose from the settee with a fluid grace, his golden eyes twinkling with amusent as he approached Damon.
Damon didn’t miss a beat, his expression cool as he crossed his arms, "If I’m wayward, then you’re a deadbeat," he retorted. "You never thought to visit , even once, all these years."
For a mont, the room was silent, and then Malik’s laughter echoed through the chamber, loud and hearty. The sound was like a rumble of thunder, filling the space with a vibrant energy.
He stepped forward, closing the distance between them in two strides, and pulled Damon into a bear-like hug. Damon returned the embrace with equal force, both father and son acknowledging the unspoken truth:
Their responsibilities had kept them apart, not a lack of will or love.
Malik patted Damon on the back and then stepped back, a broad grin on his face. "You’ve grown strong, boy," he said, his voice filled with pride. "Sapphire did a fine job raising you, even if I couldn’t be there."
Damon nodded, his expression softening. "I did have a good teacher," he replied. "But I’ve still got a long way to go."
Malik’s eyes flicked to the won standing beside his son, his gaze appraising and curious. "And who might these young ladies be?" he asked, his tone lighter but still carrying a weight of authority. "I recognize you, Artemis. Your mother’s told much about your talent."
Artemis bowed slightly, her cheeks flushed with a mixture of pride and nervousness. "It’s an honor to et you, Lord Malik," she said. "I’m here to assist Damon in any way I can."
Malik nodded, his gaze shifting to Astralene, who stood tall and regal despite the awe in her eyes. "And you... you look familiar," he remarked, his brow furrowing slightly as if trying to place her face. "But I can’t quite—"
"I am Astralene," she interjected, her voice calm but filled with a quiet power. "Princess of the Astronomanian Clan." Her eyes sparkled as she t his gaze directly, "I was sealed away during the Primordial Era and was recently awakened by Damon. I owe him my life, And my... affections."
At this, Malik’s brows shot up, and he let out a hearty laugh, "Affections, you say? Damon, you certainly don’t waste any ti, do you?" He glanced back at his son, his grin widening. "I suppose that’s the Flandre blood in you."
Damon felt a faint flush creep up his neck but kept his expression composed.
However, as Astralene’s words simred a-bit more Malik’s eyes widened, and for a mont, his confident deanor faltered, "The Astronomanian Clan..." he murmured, his tone one of genuine astonishnt. "I never thought I’d et one of your kind in my lifeti. The scribes I found said your people vanished ages ago."
Quickly, his expression shifted, and he raised a hand, drawing on a thread of Mana. A gust of wind swept through the room, and from a nearby shelf, a large, leather-bound to ca flying into his grasp.
The book was ancient, its cover inscribed with celestial symbols and swirling patterns of light. "This," he said, holding the to out towards Astralene, "is sothing I discovered on one of my travels in the Abyssal Realms recently. I’ve always kept it close, even though I couldn’t decipher much of it."
Astralene’s eyes widened as she looked at the book, her hands trembling slightly as she reached out to touch the cover, "This is... the Book of Destiny," she whispered, a hint of reverence in her voice.
"It belonged to my clan, an artifact only the Monarch of the Astronomanian Clan could wield. It contains the knowledge to read the Destiny of the World. a Mana Technique that even most of my people did not know."
Malik’s expression turned serious as he handed the book over to her. "I had a feeling it was sothing important," he said, watching her reaction closely. "The energy emanating from it was... different. It wasn’t just power, it was like it held the echoes of the Universe itself."
Astralene nodded, her fingers tracing the runes on the cover as if reacquainting herself with an old friend. "It’s more than just a book," she said softly. "It’s a guide to understanding the flow of fate, the interwoven threads that connect all things. I... I can’t believe you found it."
Damon looked at his father, a new level of respect forming in his eyes. "You kept it all this ti?"
"Of course," Malik replied with a grin, "I knew it was important, even if I couldn’t make sense of it. I can’t just throw this away. And now it’s back in the hands of soone who can."
The weight of the mont settled in as Astralene held the Book of Destiny close to her chest. There was a profound sense of closure and renewal in the air, as though a part of her lost heritage had been restored.
She looked at Damon, her eyes full of gratitude, and then back to Malik. "Thank you," she said, her voice quiet but sincere. "This is... a piece of my past I thought I’d never see again."
Malik waved a hand dismissively, though his eyes shone with genuine warmth. "Think nothing of it, Princess. If you’re traveling with my son, then that makes you family in my eyes."
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