Chapter 493 – Universal Language
Everyone stared into the spot into which Noir had disappeared for quite a while, almost as if expecting her to return in a blink, her mission finished. No one was sure what exactly did getting bored mean to a True Dragon. Not to mention two of them.
“Anyway.” Asterios recaptured their attention, smacking his palms together. “I’ll await your decision while my friend takes a look around. Things might get a little busy in three days, more or less, so it would be best to set things straight before that. And we still have over a week before the celebrations start here if I’m not mistaken, taking in mind the recent delays.”
The patriarch cleared his throat. “That is correct. It might still change, but only for longer, not shorter. And we won’t keep you waiting long either, Lord Asterios. All that’s necessary is simply working out the details between ourselves.”
Truvi stopped by his side, glancing up at Asterios too. “Mah father and mahself shall stay with them and ensure there are no misunderstandings. We have plenty of cachin’ up anyway. I shall keep ya updated, Mah Lord. Just don’t forget about the little ol’ me here. Would hate to miss the big party.”
“I would be in deep trouble if I did.” Asterios chuckled softly. “I promise to bring you back ahead of time. Just treat this brief outing as a kind of vacation break.”
“Will do, Mah Lord.” She bowed showily. “Come on, Dad, let’s see if Grandma is still kickin’.”
Noticing that the man was beginning to look rather uncomfortable around so many elders of the family, his loving daughter came to his rescue and strong-armed him out of the meeting hall. The pair might give each other shit verbally, but it was obvious that they still cared for each other deeply. As soon as they headed for the exit, many of the council participants rushed after them, most likely intending to learn more about the unexpected guests and court some favor. After a moment, only her grandfather remained.
Asterios turned to the lone dwarf. “I should be going too. Having one True Dragon parading around is already risky for you, and there’s even a chance that my spiritual signature might get picked up by someone since it doesn’t come that far from the one they are using. We’ll be in touch through Truvi. If I may know who to address…?”
“Ah!” The man finally realized that he hadn’t introduced himself properly due to all the shock. “I apologize for my manners! Patriarch Garm. Garm Hammertingle. It’s an honor.”
“Hammertingle?” Asterios raised a curious brow. “I could have sworn I heard something else from Truvi.”
Garm snorted. “Wouldn’t be surprised. Doesn’t sound as heroic as some of the real clan names. A few of our members can be a tad embarrassed about it. Especially when they are teased about their hammers tingling by the other families.”
“Understandable.” Asterios gave him a nod. “Regarding things turning out different from set expectations, would it be offensive to inquire how come Truvi and her father seem like the only ones speaking the old tongue? I was sure the elders would do the same.”
“Her grandma, his mother, is an archivist of the clan. Let’s just say you won’t find a woman more devoted to our traditions than her. You can imagine what her children and grandchildren had and have to go through. Or myself.” The short man grinned sardonically. “Most of us have already adapted to the current age. You might find people who remain in the old ways, but they are a minority by now. Well, if you feel cheated, then don’t worry, there will be plenty of conservatives amongst the Rubytongs. So many that you’ll be fed up by the time you finish interrogating your second target.”
“I like to think my threshold is fairly high after spending some time around my peculiar receptionist friend.” Asterios smirked, then glanced around one more time. “I’ll leave you to your own devices then, Patriarch Garm. These rooms aren’t exactly designed with tall and horned entities in mind. I fear your ceiling might be ruined if I stay here any longer.”
They both directed their attention to the ornamental surface, noting a number of scratches, then laughed together. Hiding his draconic features, Asterios exchanged handshakes with the family head and disappeared into his shadow in a similar way to Noir. A few seconds later, he emerged back in Glimmervale’s castle.
He barely strolled up to a nearby window when a crimson gate rose from the ground behind him. One rather gorgeous fox lady stepped out of it with a ladylike smile, holding her hands in front of her navel.
“My Lord.” Selene curtsied respectfully, a hint of mirth twinkling in her cunning eyes. “Is now a good time to request an audience with our ever-so-busy monarch?”
Shaking his head, he moved closer and wrapped his arms around her waist, greeting his beautiful lover with a gentle peck. “I know this demeanor. What are you scheming this time and how does it involve my person?”
Batting her lashes innocently, she tried to pout at her dear Soul Mate, but he simply continued to gaze back at her unflinchingly, seeing right through her foxy games. Ceasing the act, she returned the kiss affectionately and pulled away a little, still staying in his embrace.
“Do you remember when I mentioned part two of our tiny initiative?” Selene asked, tracing a path over his chest with her finger.
“I doubt tiny is an appropriate adjective here.” Asterios rolled his eyes, making the corners of her mouth lift a tad. “But, how could I forget? I assume things are ready to be set in motion?”
“The transfer archway for my kin is going to be finished next, allowing them to visit our cozy capital during the festivities, and most importantly the challenges. It would be wise to finalize our plan of formally introducing you as the Venerable Patron of the tribe,” she explained, sneaking a peek or two at him now and then while keeping her focus mostly on his front.
“I swear, you are coming up with a new title for me every time we speak.” He snickered, running his fingers through her cloudy tail. “At least we moved on from the Dragon Emperor.”
“Well…” His vulpine mate looked aside. “One does not necessarily exclude the other…”
“Of course.” Asterios deadpanned at her. “Speaking of which, I just realized we are connecting Kraedorion with a realm or realms that have seen my true nature. How are we going to solve that issue without me coming out already? Unless that’s part of the plan?”
“Fret not, my Lord. Gwen and Lady Luna have been on it since the moment the transfer became possible.” Selene caressed his cheek fondly. “Your secret shall remain safe for a while longer.”
“How?” He frowned with visible intrigue. “There’s no way they can ensure everyone keeps their mouth shut with the sheer volume of visitors that are surely going to flood the city.”
A charming giggle escaped her throat. “It’s not them that their efforts are directed at. As you have prudently noted, it’s impossible to control every single person passing through unless we introduce some rather invasive techniques that might scare people away. So, instead of attempting to silence the foreigners, it’s much more efficient to prepare the natives.”
“What?” Asterios smiled at her confusedly.
“Almost everyone is aware of the running joke about you being a Dragon. It’s become part of the local culture. But, it’s not the only culture in the universe that had the chance to meet you. And some cultures might express their worship of you in an even more zealous way. Like, for example, behaving as if you being of a draconic heritage and being able to turn into a True Dragon are well-known facts rather than some jolly jesting.” Selene’s tail swayed mesmerizingly as she spoke, further emphasizing the message.
It didn’t take him long to catch on. “You didn’t just spread enough propaganda through a hidden spy organization to brainwash the masses into believing that people from other realms are basically more zealous about me than they are…”
She started getting extremely interested in her own nails, her long ears twitching adorably.
Asterios sighed and gave them a few loving rubs. “I don’t even have words… So, what do you girls need me to do this time?”
The vulpine beauty escaped his grasp with a twirl and produced a packet of documents from nowhere, holding them up to him with a very happy grin. “It’s all noted here. Step after step. All you have to do is to follow these instructions and everything will be perfect.”
Receiving the notes, he popped the dossier open and flipped through a few pages. “Gods almighty…”
※ ※ ※
Free space was hastily becoming a hot commodity at the peak of the marble mountain belonging to the Spiritual Fox tribe. Even the translucent mana platforms conjured by the hardworking acolytes that extended from the edges of the plateau were barely enough. But, it shouldn’t be that much of a surprise considering the upcoming news that are supposed to be shared with everyone in just a few minutes. This place hadn’t seen anything of such caliber pretty much since the times Lady Kaguya walked around the settlement.
The gathered Foxkin whispered amongst themselves, aware that the assembly was related to the rumors about Lady Selene becoming the Eternal Guardian of the clan. Numerous people had spotted her zipping through the air in her Fox Goddess form and most considered it a matter of time before she became the next Matriarch or something else. No one argued that their lives had turned out for the better since the day she had been cured.
Wrong.
Since the day it had become known that it wasn’t a curse but a blessing.
A blessing not just for her but the entire tribe.
A blessing that didn’t stop at just more power from being born with external spiritual circuits.
All the chatter died down the moment a figure stepped into the view at the top of the main temple, pausing above the highest point of the intimidating entrance standing on mighty columns. The current Matriarch of the Spiritual Foxes gazed down upon her people with a sharp expression. Hundreds of pairs of eyes gazed back at her as stillness and expectant tension filled the air. Males and females young and old awaited her words.
Nodding to herself, Lerisse drew a deep breath.
“For decades, for centuries, for as long as we can remember, we followed and worshipped the great ancestor of our line, the great Lady Kaguya. She was the pillar this community has been built on, her teachings and dogmas laying the foundations for prosperity and advancement. If not for her guidance, we would never have reached the stage we find ourselves at today. We’ve been cultivating according to her advice, relying on her wisdom and experience which were left behind with the development and blossoming of our talents in mind. She was the role model of a spiritual cultivator for us, a person not just powerful but also caring about her descendants and comrades.” The Matriarch paused, letting her voice echo throughout the area. “Or was she?”
The gathered exchanged glances.
“No, she wasn’t!” Lerisse shouted, swinging her arm to the side. “We’ve been lied to!”
She snapped her fingers, the sound traveling through the air mystically. Countless flashes of blue spanned above everyone’s heads and a rain of papers descended upon the crowd. Pages upon pages twirled as they descended, caught by the listeners before they reached the marble tiles of the sacred grounds.
“These are just a few techniques she has locked away for her personal use instead of sharing them with the masses! Take just a look and you will realize how much these could have helped you or someone you know! Many of these manuals were concealed and stashed away as a personal collection!” She snarled, her six tails, proof of a recent advancement, whipping in irritation. “But, that’s just the tip of the iceberg! There’s a mountain of things that not even the Matriarchs have been aware of!”
The audience, busy examining the information handed out to them and discussing it with their kin, turned to her again at the astounding declaration.
“Somehow, the truth about our great ancestor has been warped and disguised. All Kaguya cared for was power. The only reason she became and stayed a Matriarch was to find more ways of growing her own might. She took everything for herself, sparing not even a thought for the others as she came to enlightenment and realization. Lady Selene’s curse? She knew what it was because she studied it. Sought it for herself even.” Gasps rolled through the crowd. “Do you see how much grief would have been prevented if only we at least knew the nature of this condition? And that is but a pinch of knowledge sealed away in her secret vault. A pinch of knowledge that we’ve been working hard to reintroduce into our community little by little.”
Some people started getting agitated, and soon, the majority of the tribe was rather incensed about their ancestor’s conduct.
“And when she stumbled across a life-changing fortune to learn from an even more ancient entity and discover the secrets of the universe? What did she do?” Lerisse silenced her subjects with another swing, causing them to hang on her every word. “She threw the tribe away and ran! Without a single word of explanation! Without a single note mentioning her leftover wisdom and treasures! She prioritized herself and her own gains from that miraculous encounter which allowed her to rise even higher! Unlike someone else we know!”
At that moment, a partial shadow fell onto the marble shelf in front of the temple. A giant white fox with eleven tails marched into the view by stepping over the roof of the building. It stopped behind the Matriarch and directed its long snout at the gathered, looking upon everywhere with its sagely gaze.
Immediately, the Foxkin kneeled in front of it, lowering their heads.
“Lady Selene chanced upon the same or even greater opportunity than Kaguya,” Lerisse continued. “But, instead of hoarding the results of her fortune, she decided to share as much of it with me, and thus with all of you. She’s the one who found the sealed vault full of cultivation treasures and wisdom. She’s the one who brought even more knowledge about our universe to us from her respectable benefactor, teaching us about Monster Domains and other mystical things. A woman full of nothing but selflessness and where did it lead her? To surpass the selfish female who has named herself our champion and idol!”
The crowd below kept their faces reverentially towards the ground.
“A false idol!” the Matriarch shouted. “And as of today, I officially denounce Kaguya as our ancestor and role model! In her place, I would like to introduce our new Eternal Guardian, The Great Sage Selene! May she bestow her teachings and experience upon us lowly Spiritual Foxes, leading our tribe to new heights of life!”
“We pay respects to the Eternal Guardian!” Everyone chanted together, shaking the mountaintop with their intensity.
Their leader made an honorable bow towards the fox too and stepped aside. All the eyes moved to its magnificent frame. The silence that arrived was even more deafening than previously. Everyone stilled in anticipation, looking forward to hearing from their new spiritual guide.
Selene made sure to glance at the whole gathering before speaking up. “Raise your heads, my brothers and sisters. I am no goddess, contrary to what some might believe. Not yet, at least. It’s an honor to receive the position of the Eternal Guardian and I shall do everything in my power to return this trust and kindness manyfold. But, just as the Matriarch has said, I’m not going to do that alone. Like Kaguya, I have been aided by an incredible backer, who also became my Soul Mate. I don’t plan on monopolizing his support. Therefore, I would like everyone to welcome our tribe’s Venerable Patron, Lord Asterios Hestizo… the Dragon Emperor!”
A sky-splitting roar reverberated through the air, causing the mountain quake with enough force to throw half of the audience off their feet or knees. Right after, a massive shape shot up from behind the temple, halting its ascent above the Eternal Guardian and the Matriarch, spreading its wide wings fully to the sides. A ferocious crimson True Dragon towered over the marble peak and its plateau.
Flapping its leathery limbs once, it fell onto the roof with a thud, moving to stand next to Lady Selene, who nuzzled her entire body into its side. Ending her affectionate cuddle shortly, she made some space for Lord Asterios, who bent his long neck as he inhaled air in droves, then released another roar and combined it with a wild plume of scarlet flames that illuminated the area with a red hue.
Finishing his display, he gazed upon the crowd menacingly, gauging the reactions to his entrance. All he found was a myriad of expressionless faces blinking at him slowly.
“Flashier!” A whispering voice reached him from the side, coming from Ronye hiding behind the roof’s ridge as she waved at him wildly. “More flashy!”
Clearing his draconic throat, Asterios opened his jaws once more, this time gathering a quickly growing orb of crimson-amber-onyx flames. It grew bigger than his head before his snout snapped shut and sent the inconspicuous sphere hurtling forward at an immense speed. A resounding whoomph echoed over the gathering and all heads turned around to follow its path.
The condensed ball soon got so far it disappeared from sight.
Then, there was a bright flash from its direction, and suddenly, a humongous globe of merciless fire appeared on the horizon, covering half of the highest peak in the faraway mountain range. However, as it gradually dissolved, the peak did not return. Where it had stood, now was an enormous half-moon gap in the chain of the rocky hills. Melted stone could be seen flowing down its side, proof of the recent, very real destruction.
A few seconds later, cheers much more extreme than the previous roars exploded from the Foxkin as they hugged each other, jumped around, and flailed their arms into the air in pure joy.
Might was always a universal language.