As Arius and Aegara enter the dust palace they are met with Dust Guards, who at first want to attack them but they quickly recognize Aegara so they back away. Arius pays no mind to this and keeps walking together with Aegara. They keep walking until they reach the throne room.
"Krona how are you doing?!"
Aegara shouts.
A tall figure raises from the throne, around 220cm tall, a dragon in humanoid form, her hair and eyes are red like ruby, she wears a golden veil surrounded with golden armor from her shoulders going to her hands and feet finishing at her tail. She had taken the appearance of a woman in her 40s and had about her a warm presence.
"Mommy….."
Arius whispered.
Aegara slowly turned her head and told Arius:
"Man, what the hell!"
Arius replied:
"I am just appreciating this piece of art."
And as Krona descended from her throne she looked at Arius and said:
"Hello child, would you like to accompany us in our conversation?"
Arius was drooling and not on his right mind so he simply made up some words on the moment to reply to her:
"Y-yesh mommy-Ma'am."
Aegara looked at him with disgust. Right as she was about to hit him Krona started talking to her so Arius was spared of the punishment. As Aegara and Krona continued to talk Arius was thinking about a very important matter.
GODDAMN I WANT TO SPEND THE NIGHT WITH HER!! I want to stay with her forever, her scent is so good, that smile is so bright and her attitude is ohhhhhhhh! I just want to spend the rest of my days loving her. Why is life so unfair, why am I a simple soldier why can't I just be a prince who-
*slap*
"Hey idiot, I have been calling you for about half an hour, get moving we are going to the laboratory."
Arius, Aegara and Krona started walking to the laboratory, but as they were walking Arius started to notice something odd. The palace wasn't solely simple dust from the ground but it was made out of other elements too, he examined the details of every corner of the palace and asked Krona:
"Ma'am, I would like to ask what other materials were used to build this structure?"
Krona was surprised but didn't hesitate to give him an answer.
"It was made out of a special material in addition to the plunders from the armies who tried to attack us, flesh, bones, metal, wood you name it."
Arius was shocked:
"Who would attack this place and what would they earn from it?"
Krona continued:
"Dust people were a peaceful race, they worshipped nature and helped everyone who would ask for help. Now child the thing is when you help people they see you as a good being but when you help them more than you should they take you for an idiot. That's how the Dust people were seen by those they helped. Yet the Dust people continued to help and help and help only for them to be hunted down by the same people who they once helped. The reason? Dust people hold in their head a rare gem which can power a city for millennia. During the war of Atraks the scientists from all sides of the world got hold of the information about their head gem and started hunting them down until they went to near extinction."
Arius was silent, he couldn't form thoughts, only process what was being told to him.
"You might think, but how did they survive? Many of them fused together to build this grandiose palace. Unfortunately it still wasn't enough to hold back the armies rushing towards them. On a "lucky"day I found them, struggling for their right to exist and be equal like everyone else. I took pity towards them and decided to cast an Origin spell. The palace became a living being, made out of all the fallen Dust people having a shared consciousness. That's how the battles were overturned. It ate all the armies that dared to challenge it, becoming bigger and bigger with each time it was attacked. As for me still being here, that's because I got appointed as their leader."
Arius was satisfied with the answer. He now understood what the special material really was as well as their malevolent hostility. He was filled by a deep sense of pitty.
Time to lighten the mood:
"All the drama aside Krona, you know why I'm here right?"
Aegara said in a soft voice.
Krona looked at Aegara and replied:
"Actually no, I don't know why you're here. I thought you came to drink some tea with me."
Aegara smiled at Krona awkwardly and replied:
"I am actually here to recruit you."
Krona was surprised and told Aegara:
"Don't you already have enough members on your team?"
Aegara with and awkward nervous smile said:
"Well you see, they are all dead."
Krona was stunned.
"Eh? Dead? All of them?"
Aegara nodded, then she looked at Arius and he also nodded.
"*sigh* Okay how many people does your corps have?"
Aegara raised four fingers.
"What?! Only four people?"
Aegara nodded and said:
"Yes only four: me, the boy, an elf and a fairy."
Krona sighed more and replied:
"So your team basically has: You a demi-god, a human child, an elf who probably has no experience and a fairy?"
Aegara nodded aggressively.
"And now you need me? A dragon?"
Aegara nodded her head even more aggressively looking like it could fall off.
"Ah…..let me think about it a little okay? I need to ask my apprentice and her knight about the proposal and their thoughts are on what to do. You are on your campaign to retrieve all fragments and become emperor rig-"
Aegara was laying on the ground from nodding her head too much so Arius stepped up and started to explain.
"Well yes you are correct ma'am we are going to get all the fragments and make her the next Emperor, or more exactly my friends will. I'm not really a part of this since I'm just a soldier and I only work for her. We all would really appreciate it if you were to join us. Your presence would increase the chances of getting the fragments greatly."
Krona nodded and said:
"Yes I understand, give me 3 days to think about it so I can give you my definitive answer. Until then you can stay here."
Arius was happy hearing that. Aegara slowly started to get up and yelled:
"YEAH WE ARE GOING TO HAVE SO MUCH FUN!"
Krona chuckles and the three start walking again.
They get taken to the laboratory where they can meet Krona's apprentice and her appointed knight.
*door creeks opens*
"Apprentice are you here?"
Something comes down.
"Ah master you came to see me?"
Arius was shocked by her appearance. He had never seen something like this before.
Wow is that a Mothman?Mothwoman?!?! She looks so cute and fluffy. I have only heard about them and never thought I'd see one in my lifetime. Her setae which mimics a mammals fur is white and her skin is black. Her antenas look so weird how do they work haha?
Another being comes flying down.
"My lady, master, your humble servant is pleased to be in your presence."
Now Arius is shocked by this one. He has seen multiple of them on the battlefield but they were only used as messengers.
It was a bat, they were good agents especially during the night. The northern war became harsher when they were used by both sides. If it wasn't for them the war would have ended 3 years earlier.
Krona turns towards Arius and Aegar and introduces them.
"Arius, Aegara, this is my apprentice Lenora and her knight Crowell. Lenora is the last of a noble family and Crowell is an ex soldier who served in the northern war."
Lenora and Crowell smile. Arius and Aegara smile back at them and introduce themselves.
"Hello Lenora and Crowell, I am Aegara a general of The Order, nice to meet you!"
Arius follows up:
"Hi I'm Arius, just a normal soldier trying to make a living!"
Lenora and Crowell reply at the same time:
"Nice to meet you Aegara and Arius!"
Krona claps her hands happily and says:
"Well now that we've got to know each other how about a cup of tea?"
Everyone nods, Krona then takes the lead.
"Good, then let's go."
And as they start walking out of the laboratory Arius starts thinking to himself.
Crowell hmmm, have I seen him before? Krona did say he served in the northern war. Maybe by chance we have met. Either way I need to look out from them. While Krona is genuine on what she says the same cannot be said for these two, they are definitely hiding something and it's definitely not good. For the moment I'll act a doubtless fool. Aegara seems to be doing the same too. There's something being done behind Krona's back in that laboratory and hopefully it's not something dangerous enough to risk the entire planet or worse the entire cosmos.
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To be continued…