A Degenerate's Tale

The position of the sky island cemented itself. As Earl admired the sight of the island in the distance, the area they were in suddenly felt like it was cut off from the rest of the world.

A chill ran down his back and his instincts started firing. Run away. That was what his instincts were telling him to do.

Something frightening was coming.

"Wild Magic: Gravity Shift."

The voice was mysterious, grainy, and inhuman as if it came from the forbidden abyss. From this sound alone, Earl felt a suffocating pressure that he has never felt before.

The world shook and colour disappeared. This was a premonition of death. He has felt this before and he was feeling it again.

Was he going to die here?

"Archmagic: Nullification."

This all came to an end at the gentle voice of his mother. She stood in front of him in the most natural manner. Her proportions were slender but at this moment, it looked like she could carry the weight of the world on the seemingly frail body of hers.

He clutched onto his beating heart tightly. At the corner of his eyes, he could see that everyone else was just as terrified as he was. Ari was the only one who could remain composed.

The one thing he could do now was to ease the anxiety of his two servants. He held Aria and Lily in each arm tightly to help relax their stiffened bodies.

Flap. Flap. Flap.

The sound of wings flapping came from above.

A body which stretched that stretched as far as the eyes could see. Platinum scales, black mane, golden eyes.

A magnificent dragon descended from the sky. It held an aura of divinity and wisdom. A mythical existence.

There was a deep beauty in how it looked.

"Ari." It greeted in the same voice it used previously. Its yellow eyes thoroughly scanned every member in the area.

"Great Lord." Ari shockingly revealed the identity of this dragon in her reply.

This creature was the Great Dragon Lord, a legendary existence that started the timeline of this world. In the First Era, it was said that the Great Dragon Lord descended and bestowed his teachings of magic to the sentient races. The Great Dragon Lord was the progenitor of magic.

"Fancy seeing you here. You really did become an Archmage," The dragon's tone suddenly turned kind.

"It was thanks to you for broadening my horizons back then," Ari smiled back.

"It was destined by fate, just like our meeting now. Could you imagine my surprise when I sensed your magic while passing by?"

"Lord. You've done something unnecessary and scared the children."

"You humans are too fragile. And elves too."

"Maybe it's for the better that we are this fragile."

"Struggling, huh? Yes, that's what makes you all powerful. It's something I am not able to relate to."

"But there is no need for the Lord to relate, right? Dragons are dragons. Mortals are mortals. We each have different duties to fulfil."

"I see you still have your wits in you. That's what fate used to have us meet back then, kukuku."

"By the way, why was Lord around this place?"

"I was visiting an old friend. Come to think of it, I should be leaving now. Take this orb!" The Dragon Lord tossed out a small orb to Ari and flew away.

Flap! Flap!

The Lord left as quickly as he arrived. Earl found himself frozen during the entire interaction.

"You all okay?" Ari asked when she turned around.

"T-that was the Great Dragon Lord?" Saryll asked with her lips trembling. Even for a monarch like herself, the pressure from the Great Dragon Lord left her unable to say a word.

"Yes. I was fortunate enough in my younger days to be acquainted with him."

"I'll consider this my lucky day." The Queen chuckled.

"We have different definitions of lucky. Look at how terrified Alea is."

At Saryll's side, she was embracing Alea tightly. Alea's face was pale and her lips were trembling intensely.

"It's her trauma..." Saryll sighed.

"Is she going to be okay?"

"I'll take care of her. The orb?"

"This orb is a communication tool. How about it? Dinner with the Lord at the Elven Palace?"

Later, at Ari's Magic Castle.

"Lily's heart has never raced so fast before!"

"It's good that Madam is always reliable. How is Master doing?"

Lily and Aria conversed casually while doing their chores. Earl was laying down on the couch.

"I will need the comfort of Lily and Aria..."

"Master has earned it by making us feel safe."

"That is true. He was embracing us so tightly."