Chapter 171 – Chapter 34: Gathering
A thousand years ago, there had been a big fight. No matter how good the fight was, the result didn’t necessarily benefit them.
‘No, as a matter of fact, it was our defeat.’
The Great Enkidu remembered that day. It was an unforgettable day.
Enkidu had taken down Famine. He had smashed that lowly rat, but Famine wasn’t destroyed. Enkidu succeeded in hitting his essence, but that was all. The rat had lost his power and ran away.
Guardian Queian had fought against Death, but he hadn’t won either. Both Death and Queian had suffered critical damage.
The Cruel Talia had struggled as well. If only her opponent hadn’t been the hateful War… She would have won if it had been against Famine or Death. However, her opponent had been War. The most brutal one among the four riders had overwhelmed Talias. If the ‘event’ had occurred a little later, Talia would have died.
The Recorder Torres had caused the incident. So, Enkidu didn’t know what Ainkel’s soul and Torres did. The result was what had been witnessed.
Conquest and Torres destroyed each other. However, Enkidu, who dealt with the power of destruction, was able to see it. Conquest’s and Torres’ forms of destruction were different in nature. The destruction of Conquest was destruction for renewal. Torres had attempted to break Conquest and let her be reborn again, away from the other riders.
The idea was absurd, but the plan was partially successful. He didn’t know if Conquest was truly liberated, but it seemed like it.
‘Silly bastard. Stupid bastard.’
The price was too big. Ainkel’s soul, which remained beside Torres, disappeared. Her soul was lost forever.
Torres’ case was even worse. He had been destroyed. His essence itself was broken and scattered across the world. Queian couldn’t accept Torres’ ruin, but that was just desperation. Torres had died. No, it was more than death.
After that, it was chaos. He fought against the raging War. Death and Queian destroyed each other’s essences. Enkidu couldn’t remember the end of the fight clearly. He had been exhausted at the end of a long battle, and when he recovered his spirit, everything was over.
Then Enkidu realized… The Four Riders of the Apocalypse and the elder dragons had been destroyed. Since that day 1,000 years ago, both could no longer exist in the world like they done in the past.
However, the fight wasn’t finished. It was just delayed.
Talia had escaped in a weakened state and fallen asleep. Enkidu himself had gone into a deep sleep. Queian had said before he fell asleep that after waking up, the fight wouldn’t be a direct confrontation between the Four Riders of the Apocalypse and the elder dragons.
The ones who would decide the fate of the world would be the four knights selected by the riders and the dragon warriors with the power of the elder dragons.
Dragon Warrior… One who received strength from the elder dragons…
‘I will reproduce the first dragon warrior… Drakon Kechatulla.’
These were the last words Queian left behind.
Drakon Kechatulla had been the strongest dragon warrior who preceded the elder dragons, and he had played a decisive role in defeating the Red Dragon of the Apocalypse. 10,000 years ago, when the red dragon and the older elder dragons had been annihilated, he had died as well. However, his blood was still being transmitted through one species.
‘Warrior.’
A miracle had been born among the humans—an incarnation of the first dragon warrior.
Enkidu lifted his head to the sky. Everything in the world seemed so far away.
‘Dragon Warrior.’
There wasn’t just one warrior. The Conquest Knight was one as well. Thanks to Torres’ sacrifice, Conquest had been reborn in the world and chosen her knight.
Enkidu recalled the story that the War Knight had said when he appeared before him. He remembered the rude provocation of War, who had just woken from a deep sleep.
What would be the result of the fight?
The Great Enkidu gazed far away. He looked at the land in the north, beyond the limit line.
&
In-gong opened his eyes and saw the white woman alone in the darkness. She was inside In-gong’s head. She was a woman with white hair, and her red and blue eyes were gentle.
In-gong now knew that….
She had been destroyed on that day 1,000 years ago and born again. As a result, she escaped from the fate of ending the world. However, it wasn’t a complete liberation. She was resisting that will even now.
Conquest wasn’t complete. The evidence was that she couldn’t converse with In-gong, despite being in the depths of his soul. Why was she resisting the end of the world? What made her reject the reason for her existence?
In-gong looked at the white woman. She smiled and stroked In-gong’s head gently. Then In-gong closed his eyes. The white woman’s touch was warm, and he wanted to sleep comfortably under her gaze.
However, he opened his eyes again. This time, it was in reality, not his consciousness.
“Oh, Prince. You’re awake?”
As soon as In-gong opened his eyes, he saw Carack’s face. He had just been looking at the white woman, so In-gong had a gloomy expression on his face.
“Why isn’t it Felicia or Green Wind? Maybe even Delia or Karma.”
He would rather see a beauty than Carack as soon as he woke up.
“Haha, you sound disappointed.”
Carack clicked his tongue, but he was smiling. In-gong smiled as well and raised his upper body, then he saw that he was in a large room with a stone bed.
“This is the Dragon Temple. Prince was asleep all day. High Priest said not to worry since it isn’t a big deal, but… are you really okay?”
Carack looked In-gong up and down. Although his face was still ugly, it was good to see his concern for In-gong.
“I’m fine. I feel very refreshed.”
“Then here is some cold water to wake you up.”
Carack laughed and handed him a glass of cold water. The inside of the Dragon Temple was very cool, unlike the outside which caused one to perspire just from walking a little bit. In-gong drank the cold water and looked around slowly. The ring of the Recorder Torres was glowing on his index finger.
The fourth equipment of an elder dragon… The ring was called El Ragra. Unlike the other three equipment In-gong had obtained so far, this wasn’t used in direct combat. It was instead a secondary support equipment. In-gong stroked the gem on the ring. It felt warm like Conquest’s touch.
It was at that moment that he heard a voice outside the door.
“Drakon Kechatulla, the great dragon warrior.”
It was the voice of the high priest. In-gong nodded and Carack opened the door.
“High Priest.”
The high priest had appeared exactly when In-gong had awoken. Moreover, there was someone else standing behind him.
“Shutra!”
Felicia smiled excitedly as she ran over and shook In-gong’s arm.
“Hey, hey. This place is really great! It is full of extremely old records! Ah, why have I only come here now? It would have been nice if I’d known of this place earlier.”
‘Indeed, Felicia.’
Although it was an ancient ruin, the Dragon Temple itself was a valuable archive. The high priest looked at Felicia like she was a young child and explained with a warm smile,
“Princess has been looking around the Dragon Temple. It seems like she really likes the records room.”
“Yes, yes, it’s the best. I’ve been there all day, but I want to stay longer.”
Her voice was dripping with a lingering attachment. In-gong’s mood improved when he saw Felicia’s pleased appearance and then playfulness rose inside him.
“Huk, what the? So, you left me unattended here all day to go somewhere else? Even though I was unconscious?”
He gazed at Felicia with disappointment, and she blinked, looking confused and embarrassed.
“Huh? Ah… no, that…”
The high priest had said it was okay. In-gong had looked like he’d just be sleeping, and Carack had said he would stay. Delia hadn’t been worried either and thought that seeing the records room would be a good diversion.
However, Felicia couldn’t babble anything out. As she gazed around and couldn’t figure out what to do, a new voice interrupted.
“Master. I kept staying beside Master. Isn’t that good?”
It was Green Wind who had become solid. In-gong stroked Green Wind’s head and said,
“Yes, you are nice, Greenie.”
“That’s right. I am nice. Princess is bad.”
Felicia became more perplexed by Green Wind’s words. She looked so cute that In-gong found it hard to hold back his laughter. Carack clicked his tongue.
“Prince, stop acting like this. And Princess, don’t worry. Prince is just playing.”
At Carack’s words, Felicia’s eyes widened, and she started hitting In-gong with her fan. In-gong just laughed along with Carack. It was a common sight, so In-gong’s party was used to it. Delia, who had accompanied Felicia, coughed and they stopped their game. After releasing Green Wind’s solid state, In-gong faced the high priest.
The high priest said,
“Dragon Warrior, I’ve prepared a meal. It will recover your strength.”
It had been a good story. However, instead of accepting the meal, In-gong asked something else.
“High Priest, there is one thing I want to ask you before that. Do you know about the Dragon Words magic?”
It was something In-gong had acquired after seeing Torres’ memory. He had a new secondary occupation of Dragon Warrior…
And Dragon Words was a skill of that occupation.
The high priest smiled pleasantly at In-gong’s question and explained,
“Drakon Kechatulla. Finally, the dragon warrior has returned. I will happily lay the foundations.”
&
“Dragon Words is a powerful magic that dragon warriors can use.”
After the meal, the high priest guided In-gong to a large room with nothing in it and explained in a calm tone. Felicia, Delia and Karma, who could be called the magicians of the party, sat in a corner of the room and gazed at him with excited expressions.
Carack was also curious about the dragon warrior.
The high priest continued,
“Dragon Words is the mysteries created by words. It uses the power of language to create power in the world. There is a famous story that the magic in the Demon World originates from Dragon Words. The power that only dragons could use was re-assembled so that other species could use it.”
It was a story In-gong had heard in Knight Saga.
“But magic relies on the strength of the magic power. It is a precise formula that can create miracles. According to the records, the great dragons of the past enjoyed using the newly created magic.”
In-gong nodded. The few dragons he encountered in Knight Saga had used magic in addition to Dragon Words.
“Dragon Words can be called raw magic. Compared to the magic that has been refined over many years, it is rugged and simple. But there is one thing that distinguishes it from ordinary magic.”
Felicia’s eyes shone with curiosity. The high priest spoke slowly, giving Delia time to write it down.
“Drakon Kechatulla, the dragon warrior, Dragon Words contains your feelings and will. Even if it is the same word, depending on how strong your feelings and willpower are, you can emit a totally different force. Depending on the caster’s thoughts, the form of that power can change as well.”
In-gong was reminded of Locke’s techniques. In Knight Saga, some of the unique spells Locke could use were influenced by his emotions and will.
The high priest took a big breath and pointed to himself.
“It is weak but dragon blood also flows through me. Thanks to the knowledge inherited from my ancestors, I can speak a few words.”
Dragons learnt to use their words naturally, just like birds knew how to use their wings. However, those with a dragon’s blood were different. They couldn’t speak the dragon words until they realized they could do it.
“Dragon Words is close to innate power. Dragon Warrior, you are much closer to a dragon than I am, so you will soon learn the trick.”
It made a lot of sense. Moreover, In-gong was also the Conquest Knight. So, he was confident that he could learn it.
“Drakon Kechatulla, I will now teach you Fire Breath, which is the basics of Dragon Words.”
“Fire Breath?”
“That’s right. As the name suggested, you will pour out a breath of fire. But Dragon Warrior, the name isn’t important because Dragon Words is the expression of power and will. It is important to secure the best image of fire and put your will in it. I will demonstrate once.”
The high priest grunted, turned in a direction where no one was present and exhaled. At the next moment, he exclaimed in a loud voice,
“Fire Breath!”
Shortly after the high priest shouted, a strong breath of fire poured from the high priest’s mouth.
“Fire Breath is one of the most basic Dragon Words. Fire itself is easy to imagine as it is the power of primitive destruction. It is common to learn Ice Breath or Wind Breath after becoming accustomed to Fire Breath.”
In-gong nodded silently. He thought he could do it, even though he had only seen it once.
“Drakon Kechatulla, would you like to try it once? You don’t have to shout Fire Breath. Just form a solid image of fire with a strong will behind it.”
‘Fire Breath.’
There was only one thing left to do. Shutra took a deep breath and opened his mouth slowly, speaking his first Dragon Words.
&
“Prince, what is that fire?”
“Well, it is like it seems.”