60 Princess
It was the size of two horses stacked on top of each other, and its proportions were much closer to those of dragons as they were depicted in art: slender limbs, long tail, a crest-like ridge that ran along its spine. Its wings, though, were different—instead of the five "fingers" forming a wing, only two did—
the rest created a long-clawed palm at the second joint. They didn't look like they could carry the creature into the sky.
And there was intelligence shining in its flat, lizard eyes.
In every other account, this creature was a swamp dragon through and through. The increase in sight only made it uglier. The texture of its scales, which reminded Cael of a mud-covered tree, weird growths all over, and the inescapable stink of a swamp.
Cael shook his head, staring at the creature in disbelief. "I don't get it. If these overgrown lizards," he gestured somewhere into the swamp, "are swamp dragons, then what are you? And if you are a swamp dragon, then what are they?"
The creature sneezed; at least, it sounded this way. A moment later, Cael realized it was expressing its amusement this way. "Hunter, are all others who came there as ignorant as you? Those drones you hunt are my brothers. While not alike in stature, we are of the same kind."
Cael tensed and took a step back. "Brothers? You sound terribly blase about their murder…"
"There's no good blood between me and them, and there's no bad blood, either. They merely obey the will of their queen. Like those insects… worker bees, they are called, I think. They won't dare to come near me, so you can lower your guard, hunter."
Cael felt the strength of belief in the dragon's words, but still stayed cautious of both the dragon and the surrounding marsh. He didn't come closer to the dragon, either. The things they were saying… they were too strange, even if the creature believed his every word.
"Worker bees? But… Dragons are nothing like bees! You are—"
"We all carry the blood of the First Dragon, but that doesn't stop us from changing. Evolving." The dragon tilted its head up to stare Cael down. "Like you, hunter. I sense the power within you… It's so much like that of Queen. Maybe your arrival was a work of Fate—because I think you may actually free this marsh from her oppression."
Now, this was the most shocking revelation Cael heard yet. Chill spread within him.
"You can't mean that Queen can use blood magic too?"
"She can't use any magic; but her size and strength grew immensely since the day she got the cursed power."
The dragon lowered her head to the ground and let out a long, sorrowful breath.
"It was a year ago—I was still a hatchling back then. Yes, we dragons age much faster than humans. The power fell to the ground like a comet that glowed in colors that have no names in human tongue, for you can't see them. It also glowed with mana that was, plainly put, not out of this world. It scared me. But Queen was enraptured. She took the comet and kept it on her person until her body absorbed its power."
The description was hauntingly familiar. Cael saw nothing like this himself—but this sounded exactly like things relayed to him by his predecessor by System.
'It was a Starspawn Shard!'
According to System's words, "shards" of Starspawn power would sometimes fall from their transportation devices. It wasn't malicious by its nature, but the very presence of it indicated that the first invaders have already come down to Cael's world.
And were probably much closer than he thought—while still hiding out of reach. Their ability to mask themselves was unprecedented. 'Damn!'
By System's account, Cael's predecessor first met with Starspawn personally about three years after meeting his previous version—and it was nowhere near Oliveira lands. But then again, Cael's present history was as different as his predecessor's differed from his own predecessor's. He knew that much
—minor alterations in history lead to significant changes in it down the way.
In the meantime, the dragon continued its story.
"By my kind's way, I could only live in my mother's nest until adulthood, after which I had to challenge her for the nest or to leave. The latter was what I originally planned to do, but after watching Queen's rule, I knew I had to kill her for the good of both humans and dragons. She kept laying more and more eggs, without care for where her children would feed, or on whom. She tried to kill me while I was an adolescent, but I escaped. And now, here I am. An exiled princess, asking for your help, hunter. Join my side and fight Queen together with me."
Cael frowned, thinking it over. A huge and powerful dragon meant a lot of potent blood and a ton of Blood Points. Or it could spell his death. The Princess, at least, was honest in her words.
Her. Hah. He'd never guess this was a girl dragon if she didn't tell him. For Cael, all swamp dragons were equally ugly in their own unique ways.
"I will reward you for help, too, hunter. You seek the blood of my brethren, am I right? When I become a queen, the males would obey my every command. I could supply you with blood for a lifetime, and nobody would have to be harmed without need."
"What a bargain you make," Cael muttered.
It really was a great deal. Dragon blood could steadily supply him with BP, or with money… And he wouldn't have to lift a finger. Or to put a toe in this muck.
Besides…
'A giant swamp dragon head? Now that would make a fine trophy. Father would get a stroke from the sight. Though, for that the Princess' head would fit just as well…'
Cael measured the dragon in front of him. Could he take her on? Could he take a bigger version of her on?
I picked up Elden Ring now. It gives me inspiration... the results of which you may notice.
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