Dragonlord

Ep 179. Some Things Don’t Need To Be Taught. (1)

Ep 179. Some Things Don’t Need To Be Taught. (1)

As the two dragons walked side by side, Bruton continued to glance back towards the direction his wife had gone.

And in turn, it was making the dragonlord glance at him.

“…You seem rather worried, Bruton. Perhaps you should’ve gone with them?”

“it’s probably for the best I remain behind. Considering how rushed Xerun seemed to be in taking her, it’s quite likely that someone’s hurt…I’d only get in the way.”

“Hm. I do hope it’s nothing serious, then.”

Hearing the dragonlord’s reply, Bruton turned a curious glance towards her.

“…I’m surprised to hear that from you. After what’s happened between you and Xerun, I thought you’d be more upset with him.”

“…Pft.”

Serenis chortled at the comment, forming a faint smile as she answered.

“Not at all. A child was being childlike; it’s nothing to be upset about.”

“Haha. I recall you referring to Elder Ardion as a child…I suppose all of us are mere children in your eyes.”

“…”

Though no answer came back, Bruton could make out the evident grin spreading across Serenis’ lips.

But when her steps soon came to a halt, the dragon had to turn to the massive hollow before them.

“…I was wondering if this was where you were headed.”

“There’s something I’ve been meaning to confirm.”

Taking another step to stand on the very edge, Serenis gazed into the hollow beneath.

The pit was just as massive as before – easily a couple dragons in width, its depth a few times that. A brush of unnaturally cold air rose from within, chilled by the frozen remains of her son beneath them.

But it wasn’t as cold as it had been before.

In fact, even beneath the dimming skies, it wasn’t difficult to see that the frozen surfaces had receded. While Vulka’s remains still remained frozen for the most part, the hollow’s walls were starting to show soil, its frozen covers molten away.

“…Xerun had said that the ice had begun to melt. If he thinks that the ice is a seal of some sort…I can see why he’s concerned.”

“Well…it’s a natural occurrence, is it not? With the mana source gone, the ice would inevitably melt away.”

“Quite. But I wonder…”

Serenis tilted her head.

The thought hadn’t really occurred during her first visit. But now that she had more time to think things through, the sight was nothing short of strange.

“Why ice?”

“…I beg your pardon?”

Serenis then turned to Bruton, adding details to her query.

“The kin knows Vulka’s grave as a cursed kin’s seal – a lie woven to keep my heart concealed, no doubt. But if concealment was the sole purpose, Vulka should’ve known better ways to go about it…so why ice?”

“I’m…not sure. Was ice the second lord’s affinity?”

“The opposite. His affinity laid in fire.”

“…Then…perhaps the ice was to suppress their fire?”

“What fire could the dead possibly possess?”

“…True.”

“…”

The more she thought about it, the stranger it was.

‘Vulka sacrificed himself to keep the Reaper at bay…he must’ve arranged his death himself. But why would he choose to freeze his remains? If he sought to protect the heart, he may as well have used stone or steel…fire, even.’

Another minute passed by in silence before Serenis would break it with another question for Bruton.

“The story of this ‘cursed kin’…I presume it was told by your elders?”

“Yes. That’s what we were all taught since our hatchling days…to never go near the pit, lest we break the cursed kin’s seal.”

“And I suppose those who told you so are no longer with us?”

Bruton returned an immediate shrug. His elders were a generation long past; even his own parents had passed away more than a century ago.

Although…

“Well…there is one. You did see Elder Ardion earlier.”

A soft gasp escaped the dragonlord’s lips as she heard the elder dragon’s name.

“I was looking to speak with him at some point. He seemed strangely…trusting. All the more reason to find him later, I suppose.”

“…Oh.”

Bruton abruptly turned around, his eyes fixed on the faint silhouette behind them.

He soon let out an amused snort.

“Quite the coincidence. It seems a search won’t be necessary, my lord.”

“…?”

Seeing Bruton’s turned head, Serenis likewise glanced behind them to see what the red dragon was looking at.

An elderly figure was limping their way towards them, supported by two rather familiar faces.

After a short pause, Bruton briskly made his way over to the limping elder.

“Elder Ardion.”

“Oho…is that Bruton’s voice I hear?”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“It is. But…what brings you out so late, elder?”

“I…I’ve come to…to examine something.”

After his brief answer, Ardion continued to stumble forward, carrying his trembling legs with Aymeia and Elin’s support as he neared the frozen pit.

Both Aymeia and Eline looked at Bruton momentarily as they passed the red dragon. But neither of them said anything, with Eline only rolling her eyes before continuing to focus on preventing Ardion from tripping on anything.

‘…Another patient who’s refusing to listen, I suppose.’

A quizzical frown crossed Bruton’s expression as he walked along the elder dragon.

“Hold on…elder, are you planning to head into the pit? If so, then I shall go in your stead.”

“No…no, you mustn’t.”

“But elder, you’re in no shape to-“

“No.”

Following the elder’s last denial, Bruton reluctantly silenced himself.

As Ardion came to a halt upon the hollow’s edge, his empty eyes also gazed into its frozen depths.

“In the seal lies a…a cursed, treacherous brood of ours. You mustn’t go near…I’ve merely come to see its state.”

“…Elder Ardion. In case you haven’t heard yet, the seal is actually-“

Instead allowing Bruton to finish, the dragonlord’s voice swiftly cut in to interrupt their dialogue.

“His name is Vulka.”

“…?”

Slowly, Ardion turned to face the dragonlord at his side.

Despite being mere steps away, he hadn’t even known that she was standing there – in fact, had Bruton not spoken to him first, he wouldn’t have known anyone was here. After all, he could scarce make out his own son’s face within the comfort of his home.

But once the elder had heard the dragonlord’s voice, he quickly turned to face her properly.

“Who just…? No, that…matters little. How…how do you…know that name?”

“How could I not? Vulka is my child and successor.”

“…”

Ardion opened his mouth several times, scrambling for a proper reply.

“You’re…the dragon…from earlier. Dragonlord…Serenis.”

“…Yes. That would be my name.”

“Har…”

It wasn’t the first day Ardion had heard Vulka’s name.

And it wasn’t the first day he had heard Serenis’ name, either.

- ‘Ardion. She no longer remains with us, but the kin was once ruled by a far greater king than I, long before you were born. Her name…was…’

“…”

Ardion closed his eyes, indulging in the memories that continued to surface.

He’d forgotten it all. He’d left it all behind as told, never to speak or think of them again. After his own passing, no one would ever speak of such names again.

Clearly, he was wrong.

The elder soon let out a deep, resigning sigh.

“To think I’d hear a kin speak his name again...this is a most strange dream.”

“…Dream? For what reason do you think this a dream?”

“Why…you’ve…long passed away. Long before this old brood was born.”

“…!”

No kin had recognized Serenis’ name after her awakening. Not Raizel, not Ilias, not even Bruton or Aether.

But right now, the elder before her was clearly recognizing her name – and speaking of it as if he knew exactly who she was.

“If this is not a dream, then…I suppose I could already be standing before the gates of hell. I’ve erased the names and legacies of the kin’s greatest dragons…if this is not a dream, then you’ve come to deliver my due punishment.”

The elder began to chuckle at his own remark. Despite sounding sarcastic, he did truly mean it – if the afterlife truly existed, then he had little doubt that he’d be bound for the deepest pits of hell.

Not that Serenis had any plans to take him to such a place.

With pained, grieving eyes, the dragonlord began to answer the elder.

“…This is not a dream.”

“Hm?”

“This is not a dream. Nor have I come to deliver your punishment.”

“…But…you’ve already…”

“I still live, child.”

“…”

“…So do not mock my son’s name before me. As long as I live, no dragon shall remember Vulka as a cursed kin.”

Despite her commanding words, Serenis’ trembling voice made it sound like a plea more than an order.

And Ardion likewise began to frown, trying to make sense of what he was hearing.

“…Lord Vulka…must not…be remembered. It was his last wish…our king’s final wish. To uphold the Twelve’s covenant, he chose to…”

“There’s no need.”

Once, Serenis had entrusted the kin to her son.

But it wasn’t a proper succession by any means; she’d left him with nothing but children to take care of, alone in a world ruled by their enemies that wanted the dragonkin dead. It wouldn’t have been surprising for Serenis to find out that her kin had perished after her death.

But they hadn’t.

They were still here, protected and nurtured by their now-forgotten ancestor.

‘Our time’s already passed…isn’t that right, Vulka?’

Serenis’ time had ended a thousand years ago.

Her son’s time had likewise ended, hundreds of years in the past.

She knew better than anyone that she no longer belonged to the world of the living.

So, what she was doing now was nothing more than selfish acts of atonement.

Atoning for lives that she couldn’t forget,

Making amends for her brethren’s unfulfilled lives.

“…There’s no need. The covenant’s been disposed of, together with the Reaper.”

“…”

Vulka had sacrificed his remaining days to protect and nurture the kin.

The children he’d raised had likewise followed in his footsteps. They’d foregone their freedom and forsaken their lord’s legacy to protect those after them.

Then, the least Serenis could do was to release them of those responsibilities,

And return the freedom they’d resigned.

“…As long as I draw breath, no divinity shall harm the kin again.”