Chapter 688: Talrond

Dragon wings swept across the sky, the pale golden glow of the sunset shattered by the massive wingspan into countless shimmering fragments that glazed the broad, majestic blue scales. Magical currents condensed along the edges of the wings into delicate ribbons of faint light, tracing a magnificent arc between clouds and clear sky. Riding the ripples of magic, the sovereign of the heavens soared beyond the continent’s borders, beyond the endless ocean, beyond the ever-raging storm barrier, speeding northward beneath the radiant glow of the distant sun.

The biting cold wind howled, the frigid air of the far north signaling the destination’s approach. The blue dragon dipped slightly, her large, pale-golden vertical pupils reflecting the Arctic ice sea below, dotted with drifting icebergs and various permanent alloy constructs rising from the water. Small, harmless creatures frolicked and leapt across the ice and platforms. As the dragon’s shadow passed overhead, some immediately dove into the sea to hide, while others stared up blankly, seemingly unafraid, as if they did not know what fear was.

The endless ice floes rapidly receded behind her, the air growing colder still—until suddenly, the number of icebergs sharply diminished, and the temperature oddly rose. The blue dragon slowed her flight slightly. At the edge of her vision, a magnificent continent floated serenely among the glaciers on the calm sea.

This land was much smaller than the continent of Lorren, yet still boasted towering mountains, forests, and rivers. Along its edges stood countless elegant towers with a metallic sheen, arcs of electricity dancing between them, light flowing and shifting.

Above it all, a colossal shield—vast enough to leave humans speechless and far grander than the Great Wall—extended from the towers, enveloping the entire continent. Within the upper atmosphere of this great shield hovered numerous silver-white devices, stationed precisely to maintain its integrity. Countless shadows flitted busily and orderly between these devices.

The blue dragon gave a pleased low roar and headed toward one section of the shield. As she neared, the shield automatically opened a gap. A long guiding beam of light extended from the opening, cutting through the dim sky to direct her homeward. A massive metallic ring emerged from the shield, flying along the beam to meet her and accompany her flight.

A streak of light flashed across the ring’s surface, and an artificial intelligence voice issued forth: “Identity verification… External operative, Observer, Tyr-One Agent of the Mithril Vault… Melita Pernia, identity confirmed. Welcome home, compatriot.”

Melita, in her dragon form, clearly delighted, greeted the AI behind the ring: “Hey, Omega, any big news in Talrond lately?”

The ring paused briefly, then its surface shimmered again: “Search complete—Power Unit Two of Environmental Control Tower was successfully replaced 72 days ago; the Elders’ Council issued commendations to the construction team. The Dome Control Center recently completed upgrades; the Elders’ Council issued commendations. The Third Hatchery’s Health Lab improved the 6+2 deformity screening process for synthetic dragon eggs prior to hatching, enhancing the ceremony’s solemnity. The lab head expressed reluctance to disturb the Elders but requested a twelve-year paid leave, which was denied, though their outstanding work was officially recognized…”

“Ha… There’s never any news worth hearing, is there? These trivial ‘achievements’ have been going around for how many millennia now?” Melita sighed, flying alongside the ring toward the great shield. “Anything about the Council?”

In Talrond, dragons had two crucial governing bodies. The largest and most powerful was the Elders’ Council, responsible for all internal affairs and, with Omega’s assistance, controlling all ancient technological facilities on the continent. The other was the High Council, overseeing foreign affairs. As a senior officer of the Mithril Vault, Melita most often dealt with the Council’s elders.

The ring paused again before responding: “Three days ago, the Council decided to deduct ten years’ bonuses from Tyr-One Agent Melita Pernia of the Mithril Vault as punishment for unauthorized damage…”

Melita’s wings tilted sharply, nearly causing her to lose balance. After steadying herself, she took a deep breath. “Alright, you don’t have to say any more—I knew about that three days ago…”

“Keeping up with homeland news helps external operatives ease loneliness,” the ring intoned monotonously, slowing as it aligned with the shield’s opening. “Welcome home again, Melita. Wishing you well.”

“I shouldn’t have asked that last question—there’s no way I’m feeling ‘well’!” Melita muttered, folding her wings slightly. She passed effortlessly through the thin luminous membrane at the ring’s center, instantly completing the necessary sterilization and quarantine procedures for reentry into Talrond. After circling inside the shield to recalibrate her bearings, she swiftly headed toward a grand city nestled among the mountains.

The city was a massive fortress of stone and metal, climbing skyward along towering peaks. Its heavy, imposing, and intricately detailed architecture stood in stark contrast to most cities on the continent of Lorren. Most strikingly, the city’s buildings came in two distinct styles: some were enormous, magnificent, and solemn—like the legendary homes of giants, with porticos and windows soaring twenty or thirty meters high. Between these colossal structures were smaller buildings, perched on rooftops or walls like decorative “ornaments.” These were finely crafted, richly adorned with thoughtful colors and designs. Though still grand, they appeared delicate and almost “cute” compared to the giant dwellings.

Melita slowed slightly above the city, then flew straight toward a familiar spot, landing steadily on a vast gray-white terrace. Once down, she lifted her head and let out a booming dragon call: “Noretta! Noretta! I’m back! Are you home? Are you home?—”

Before she could finish, an annoyed voice interrupted: “I’m home! No need to shout so loud!”

Melita looked around. “Where are you?”

“Right under your feet! Lift your toes!”

Melita quickly lowered her head, her huge eyes nearly touching as she peered closely. After a moment, she hastily moved her claw, revealing a woman in a white dress with pale golden hair and a tear-shaped beauty mark beneath her eye, struggling to climb out from beneath where Melita had been standing.

“Oh… Noretta!” Melita exclaimed, astonished, carefully lifting her friend with her forepaw. “This is the first time I’ve seen you stay in human form while awake—I didn’t see you at all!”

“That’s because your eyesight’s bad!” Noretta waved an arm, easily freeing herself from the dragon’s grasp and landing firmly on the ground. “And of course I have to stay human—today’s the Sacred Festival, and the ceremony is held in our city. Do you want me to greet the gods in dragon form?”

Melita’s massive form shimmered with a radiant glow, shrinking rapidly until she was fully human again. Hearing her friend’s words, she paused, then murmured with a complex expression, “Ah… the Sacred Festival… I almost forgot. Today’s the day to pay homage to the Dragon God…”

Noretta, with her pale golden hair and tear mark, noticed Melita’s expression. She pursed her lips but smiled faintly. “She will always be the god who protects us.”

“Yes, after all, she’s our god…” Melita said, shaking her head slightly. “Enough about that. I need to see Speaker Andal—I’ve brought back a special ‘Mithril Commission.’”

“A Mithril Commission?” Noretta looked at her curiously. “What kind of commission is important enough for the Council Speaker to review personally?”

“Gawain Cecil. You remember that name, right?”

“That resurrected human?” Noretta blinked. “You’re still taking his orders? Last time he came back to pick up a delivery, the Mithril Vault was completely overwhelmed. We even had to dig up graves all over the place to make sure none of those dead clients would come back to collect on their orders…”

“But in the end, no one came knocking from any other grave!” Melita waved her hand dismissively, then grew serious. “I’m not joking this time. This commission is truly unusual. That human is even more interesting than we thought, and the power he’s building has developed beyond what the Council initially expected. Most importantly, he’s already noticed…”

Melita suddenly fell silent.

In Talrond, among dragons, such sudden silence was itself a signal.

Noretta frowned, then said in disbelief, “Are you sure?”

Melita nodded gently. “Remember that mad human empire? And their reckless rebellion plan—we all thought a magical cataclysm had utterly destroyed those audacious mortals and their ambitions. But in truth… their resilience and courage have surpassed every dragon’s imagination…”

“Rebellion…”

The white dragon’s expression darkened at the word. Then, with a hint of melancholy, she repeated it softly.

She recalled the High Speaker’s first reaction when the Council learned that the Gondor Empire might be researching anti-divine power:

“Short-lived and unpredictable, born weak and fearless—in the face of gods, humans are braver than dragons.”

“Alright, there’s still some time before the ceremony. I’ll arrange for you to meet Speaker Andal.”

…

At the heart of the dragon city, atop the towering mountain peaks, a magnificent temple pierced the clouds.

The far north was in the midst of its polar day, with half the day bathed in radiant twilight. This brilliant light streamed through the temple’s vast floor-to-ceiling windows, flooding the golden-hued inner sanctum. Every ancient tile and weathered pillar was dappled with shifting shadows and highlights. A woman stood by one of these windows, dressed in an exquisite pale gold gown, her golden hair trailing to the floor, her striking features regal and serene. She gazed out at the distant glow, overlooking the sea of clouds below the temple, where the faint outlines of city buildings and scattered lights shimmered.

She had been watching this scene for nearly a million years.

“No matter how beautiful the scenery… there will come a day when even it grows tiresome,” the woman with golden hair cascading to the floor sighed softly. She turned her head to speak to the high-ranking dragon priest standing respectfully just behind her. “What do you think, Hragor?”

The dragon priest called Hragor bowed his head slightly, his pale golden vertical pupils hidden beneath the shadow of his ceremonial crown. “That is because Your Eternity has surpassed all landscapes, my Lady.”

“…Perhaps,” the golden-haired woman’s lips curved faintly, a smile so subtle it was almost impossible to tell if it was one at all. Her voice was gentle and warm, yet so flawlessly perfect that it inspired both awe and unease. “Hragor, you have been my companion longer than any other priest. There’s no need for such flattery—insincere words only wear down both the speaker and the listener.”

The dragon priest did not raise his eyes. “My respect for you is sincere.”

The woman narrowed her eyes slightly, still smiling. “And what of hatred? Is that, too, as genuine as it is for the others?”

“…”

“I have bound you all with a lock. You should hate me. Yet, sadly, even that hatred is locked away,” she said, turning to gaze at the distant clouds glowing with sunset hues. “Like this unchanging scenery that has lasted a million years… From the day you failed in your rebellion, you have been forever trapped here, locked within this eternal cycle of day and night… Hate me with all your heart—that is what you should do.”

“…”

“But it doesn’t matter. I am still your guardian deity. I will protect you as always—yesterday, today, and forever.”

Her voice softened as she spoke. Turning away from the floor-to-ceiling window, she walked deeper into the temple.

“Poor creatures. You are doomed to be trapped on this planet for all time.”

The dragon priest Hragor lifted his head, staring at the goddess’s retreating figure. Expressionless, he stepped forward and followed closely behind.

(End of chapter)