Book 5: Chapter 150: Interval

Book 5: Chapter 150: Interval

In the midst of an infinite starry expanse, whose depths were unfathomable, stood a pyramid of gold within the ruins of an ancient palace.

Time had etched its relentless passage across this place, bearing witness to epochs and wars. The palace’s roof had long vanished, leaving behind only colossal pillars in the void. Its once intricately carved reliefs and murals narrating tales of formidable races had been reduced to dust, surrendered to the annals of time.

Gazing upward, the debris of buildings, akin to asteroids, mingled with fragments of shattered stars, orbited chaotically around the pillars. The tumultuous forces at play rendered this a realm of desolation, where dead stars collided in cosmic demise every few years, tearing open spatial rifts that could devour nearly everything and persisted for millennia. Hence, even the most seasoned deities tread lightly, avoiding this forsaken land.

Yet, amidst this desolation stood the pyramid, seemingly untouched by the ravages of time, its splendor undimmed, a testament to a once supreme reign.

At the pyramid’s summit was a platform, as smooth as the surface of a mirror, adorned with nothing but a throne of unparalleled elegance.

Seated upon this throne was a figure in crimson. The hem of her beautiful flowing dress cascaded like a river of flames down the pyramid’s steps.

Her beauty was such that it could eclipse the stars themselves. She lounged there, eyes closed and hand to cheek, in a state of repose that suggested a short respite.

Time’s relentless flow seemed to bypass her, as if she and the ruined palace shared an agelessness, entwined in an eternal rest that could go undisturbed for eons.

BOOM!

The silence was abruptly shattered. The wind howled like the wails heard on judgment day as debris collided with celestial bodies, their obliteration marked by flashes of golden thunder.

A golden dragon that traversed countless dead lands descended into the hall of the ruined palace.

The size of his body was capable of rivaling that of a celestial body in the void. He shook his colossal body, removing dust that might once have been whole stars.

The dragon lifted his fierce head, his gaze meeting the woman atop the pyramid. In his eyes, memories spanning millennia flashed through.

“It’s been a long time, Regalis,” the dragon said, his voice as thunderous as countless ancient bells tolling in unison.

The woman’s eyes fluttered open.

Her gaze serene, as if she had been expecting the dragon’s arrival.

“Gerald... You’re still alive huh?”

The dragon, taken aback by her informal address, bristled slightly, though it masked its ire swiftly.

“Should you not bow in reverence before your queen?” she asked, barely stifling a yawn.

The dragon bared its fangs, but ultimately yielded in the face of the woman’s might. “I... understand.”

“So?”

“...Greetings from Aterlieum Niger Gerald, the Origin Dragon, Your Majesty.” The golden dragon prostrated himself completely before the crimson figure.

“Rise,” the woman commanded indifferently. “So, what gave you the audacity to suddenly turn up before me after nine million years?”

Gerald lifted his gaze and replied, “I came here solely to pose a question to Your Majesty.”

“Go ahead.”

“Why have you eased the control over the Ancestral Star?”

“Ease?” The woman glanced upward, where above the peak of the pyramid, an azure planet hovered silently in the heart of the hall. “Never once have I eased in the past nine million years.”

“Then why are there insignificant worms on the Ancestral Star?” Gerald pressed.

“Mayflies obscure their presence, and their movements are elusive. If there were only one or two larger entities, I could easily obliterate them. When faced with a group of lesser beings, it’s natural that one or two might slip through, no?”

“Why, after nine million years without incident, do things suddenly change as I near my goal?”

“It’s not so much a change, but perhaps you’ve underestimated the old geezers in the Great World.” The woman fixed a penetrating gaze on the angry dragon and continued, “As the time draws near, those old geezers must have sensed something. Their increased activity, sending scouts to probe, suggests they might already know some part of the truth.”

“What?!” A flash of concern crossed the dragon’s features but was quickly masked. “Those old geezers... they’re really all a bunch of sly foxes! ... This won’t do. I must monitor them vigilantly.”

Gerald looked at the woman, as though he had momentarily forgotten what had just happened moments ago and asserted fiercely, “I expect you to fulfill your duties, and never forget that it’s all for the Dragon Race!”

With those final words, he soared into the sky, transforming into a bolt of golden thunder that vanished over the desolate landscape.

The woman was once again left alone in the desolate world.

“For... the Dragon Race, huh?” Her gaze returned to the azure planet, her expression softening. The austere aura around her dissolved as if it were merely an illusion perceived by others.

A turmoil of emotions was evident in her eyes.

“Nine million years of preparation is finally coming to an end. Between past and future, reality and fantasy, how shall I decide?”