Chapter 101

Once revered as a guardian dispatched by the gods, Sameshita fell from grace to earn the ignominious moniker of the Bright Dragon, a symbol of dread etched deep into the hearts of Grandel’s populace.

Sealed away seven centuries past by his own disciple, Sameshita’s whereabouts and activities have since shrouded in mystery. The seal’s location remains a closely guarded secret within the walls of the Argan Citadel, its form, potency, and legitimacy veiled from human understanding.

Yet, while humanity remained oblivious, those beyond human kin possessed knowledge of the dragon’s whereabouts, among them, Rezette. The presence of Sameshita’s power loomed palpably, especially in the rugged northern reaches of Grandel.

The northern expanse of the continent stood adorned with formidable mountain ranges, with the Grenthern Mountains reigning supreme as its central spine. Stretching from the northeast to the northwest plateau, this range earned its epithet, the Backbone of the North, for its uncanny resemblance to a colossal dragon, with folded wings, sinewy body, and poised stance.

In homage to his mentor, the hero Gallian immortalized Sameshita within the natural splendor of Grandel’s lands.

Between the craggy confines where Sameshita’s seal lay and the southern reaches of Grandel sprawled vast deserts and wastelands. Consequently, only remnants of the unleashed magic roamed the northern mountainous territories, leaving devastation in their wake, with the lands beyond blessedly spared.

Now, after centuries of dormancy, the time had come.

Sensing the dragon’s presence amidst the peaks, encountering the fully awakened Sameshita was an unprecedented experience for Rezette. Their eyes met, and a moment of profound silence ensued.

As Rezette arched an eyebrow in response, an omnipotent voice reverberated throughout the entire range.

“You.”

To mortal ears, the voice was akin to the force of a tempest or thunder, leaving even the bravest knights deafened for days upon nearing the mountain’s base.

“Do you have a name?”

“Galeus,” Rezette replied promptly, offering the first name that came to mind.

The being before him was beyond human comprehension, transcendent and lofty. Only the gods themselves could fathom its nature. To such a being, Rezette felt no inclination to divulge even a single letter of his own name.

Ignoring the pounding in his temples, Rezette spoke without deference.

“For decades, we believed the seal to be unyielding because it remained unmoved, but I never imagined it was awake.”

“I never fell asleep, so I never woke up,” the entity countered. 

“Your body appears to be tied to the ground.”

“What you see with your eyes is superficial,” it continued. “The essence lies beyond sight.”

In legend, dragons assumed many forms: a fair maiden, a stalwart youth, or even a weeping child before maturing into a wise elder. Yet, Rezette harbored no curiosity regarding Sameshita’s true form.

What truly matters is that your essence remains unbound by the seal, and that you endure, whole and intact. Unless the shell stirs of its own volition, sowing seeds of destruction within the human womb.

Though they had never met face to face or conversed in this manner before, Rezette had encountered a dragon long ago. It was before he was born, when he was cradled in his mother’s womb. Sameshita had visited his mother several times. Rezette instinctively felt its presence and thrived by absorbing the magic flowing into the womb as nourishment.

The Bright Dragon scrutinized Rezette for a prolonged moment. Then, as if a realization had dawned upon it, it spoke. “You are my offspring.” A glint of amusement danced in its elongated pupil, sharp as a spear point. “I never imagined there could be one who has emerged into the light of the world so flawlessly. Truly unexpected.”

Rezette had anticipated as much, knowing it wouldn’t remember. He took a sip of water to calm his jittery nerves; his throat felt parched.

Half-dragon beings like Rezette, bearing the semblance of human form, emerged only once every century or two. They were miraculous entities conceived in the wombs of women violated by Sameshita. Despite their imperfections, these hybrids were as robust and graceful as the physical embodiments of dragons.

Thus, what he faced now was the progenitor entity from which they arose. The one who laid the foundational cause for Rezette’s existence, the being who violated his mother and impregnated her. If only that event hadn’t occurred, there would have been no need for him to be born into this wretched world.

The dragon seemed rather pleased.

“You have a familiar scent. You bear a striking resemblance to me,” remarked Sameshita. The once dry and icy tone, akin to a desert or an iceberg, softened suddenly into a distinct affection. Continuing to scrutinize Rezette from all angles, Sameshita emitted inexplicable expressions of admiration. “Yes, it was indeed you. I’ve always been curious about you.”

Rezette suppressed the nausea rising along with the smoke, as golden threads of light encircled the giant eyes studying him with keen interest. It might be the evidence of the condemnation issued by a human, now hailed as a hero, towards the mentor who had once taught him magic in a distant past.

“I have a question,” Rezette interjected, finding the timing opportune. He had been curious for months.

“Is it true that dragons cannot harm those of Gallian’s lineage, bound by the golden seal?”

There were days when excitement surged within him, especially when embracing Elise. It typically occurred when she inadvertently provoked him with her words or appeared exceptionally beautiful. The power within his right arm, usually restrained, would inevitably trigger the seal when it surged back. Only on rare occasions did Elise express fear, activating the seal.

She was the only human spared from his hand. It was convenient that as long as the seal permitted, she could move freely. However, he couldn’t help but wonder about the seal’s origin, its purpose, and why it came into existence.

Since Elise showed no signs of using magic, the cause must reside within him. It wasn’t difficult to link it to the imprisoned dragon sealed by Gallian. However, if he hadn’t been bound by the human seal, releasing it and disposing of the disciple who betrayed him wouldn’t have been an issue. Why, then, was the seal left intact?

The dragon appeared surprisingly forgiving, offering a cool response. “It’s a promise we made during our days as priests. I feared I might inadvertently harm that child without even realizing it.”

“Even after your disciple’s betrayal?” Rezette queried.

“Because I once held affection for that child,” the dragon admitted.

Rezette couldn’t suppress a chuckle as he took another sip of water. “How human of you. Do dragons truly understand love?”

“Emotions are not limited to humans. They are gifts bestowed by the gods upon the creatures of their choosing,” the dragon replied, chuckling as if it found the situation amusing. “If I were an indifferent being, the betrayal of that child wouldn’t have affected me so. Life would have been simpler without love, hatred, or resentment.”

Silence hung heavy for a moment before the dragon continued, its tone contemplative. “Then you wouldn’t be burdened by the desire to become human, nor would you harbor such hatred and the urge to kill me. Isn’t that so, Rezette?”

Rezette’s hand, brushing away the ashes of the new year, froze suddenly. 

Wait a minute.

In that instant, his name, unspoken for so long, echoed through the air. “How?” Rezette began, but before he could even raise his sharp gaze, the ground trembled as if in an earthquake, then lurched sideways.

A voice, commanding and omnipotent, thundered down like a storm. “I have given you an answer; now it’s your turn to provide something in return.”

Rezette’s discovery of the sharply marked magic circle beneath his feet was met with a sudden, angry groan. Yet, it was already too late to act.

“How are you, Rezette?” came the voice. “It means ‘Black Lightning’ in the ancient tongue.”

“Live as a human, Rezette….” The fragments of dreams that had plagued him for days resurfaced abruptly, and amidst the fading vision, Sameshita loomed.

“I’ve been quite curious about you for the past six months,” Sameshita declared, its tone betraying a hint of excitement. “You, the one who captivates the beautiful Elizabeth.”

“What…?” Rezette could barely muster a response before Sameshita continued.

“I wish to examine you closely.” There was no room for objections as the blue aura of magic drew dangerously close to the pair of yellow eyes.

Without warning, the mad dragon began scrutinizing him intently.

***

On the ninth anniversary of his birth, a fateful turn of events altered the trajectory of the boy’s life forever.

Returning to his nest after a routine competition, the boy found himself abruptly sold to a man named Noyer Erdelich, who purported to be the Fifth Prince of Van Yela. The notion of royalty and countries held little meaning for the boy; all he could vividly recall was Galeus’s twisted grin as he was handed over.

Under Noyer’s care, the boy, now under his second master, struggled with communication, prompting Noyer to appoint a nanny. Lady Rebecca Petisson, widow and head of the Petisson family, was tasked with educating the unruly boy.

“Teach him some manners and educate him properly,” Noyer instructed Lady Rebecca. “Before he starts pretending to be human, he should at least learn to communicate!”

For several years, the boy resided within the modest confines of the Petisson family mansion. Despite his innate intelligence, speaking came easily, but the challenges of learning to read, write, and understand human behavior proved more arduous.

At the age of fifteen, still not fully matured in mind, the boy, now regarded as a brother by the Fifth Prince, followed his command to the Imperial Palace. Armed with nothing but a single breastplate, he breached the formidable castle gates alone, vanquishing hundreds of knights and ultimately claiming the life of the Emperor.