All units returned to Eryndor. Seeing Aeth return with yet another victory, and hearing of the triumph in Caelmor, the people decided to hold a victory celebration. Aeth, however, ordered everyone to rest until it was time to depart for Caelmor. Not only did the people celebrate, but they also began repairing the destroyed castle walls.
After the conquest of Eryndor, Aeth had already sent word to the capital, Averlion. In response, architects and additional healers for the wounded were dispatched. This celebration was also being held in Averlion. Everyone was waiting for the Emperor and his brave army for the grand festival.
The Dragon Realm…
Valdor: Queen, I bring you news.
Nexella: What news have you brought, Valdor?
Valdor: Queen, after Eryndor, the Chaos Empire has defeated Kravendor twice in succession. One of these battles ended with the conquest of Caelmor, and the other with the destruction of Ralden and his entire army in the Karzan Valley.
Nexella (in surprise): But they were fighting in Eryndor! Three consecutive victories! This human truly fascinates me!
Valdor (jealously): Queen, there is nothing truly remarkable. He simply split his army in two, sending forces toward Eryndor and Caelmor. The rest are nothing more than ordinary human tricks. I see nothing else surprising.
Nexella (angrily): Valdor, are you implying that I am foolish enough to be amazed by a human's trivial actions!?
Valdor: That was not my intention, my Queen. Forgive me. I merely meant that I have seen greater—
Nexella (furious): Silence, Valdor! You attempt to insinuate things while being overwhelmed by your own emotions! That man, whom everyone saw as incompetent, killed my general before our eyes. Then he conquered Eryndor, an impregnable fortress that our race could never conquer! And as if that were not enough, he achieved three major victories in a short span of time, all while surrounded by enemies on every side, including internal conflicts and hostility even among humans themselves! If any of my subjects had achieved even half of what that human did, I would have chosen a king for our kingdom long ago. If a so-called superior race cannot accomplish even half of what a frail human has done, then it has no right to speak with arrogance! Do you understand me, Valdor!?
Valdor: Please accept my apology, my Queen. I understand.
Nexella: The real issue is whether this human possesses a demonic aura. If he is the third bearer of a demonic aura, and if he turns hostile toward us, it will bring serious problems. Someone we once saw as insignificant would become a great calamity.
Valdor: Queen, even if he possesses a demonic aura, what could he possibly achieve with just one aura? As seen in battle, he is merely an aura bearer—nothing more.
Nexella: Use your mind, Valdor. He is of Chaos lineage, and their inherent element is Darkness. To this day, I have never known a Chaos Emperor who failed to awaken that element. Moreover, this human has been fighting continuously. There will inevitably be a moment when his element awakens. The Demon King possesses only the Fire element, yet his demonic aura turned him into a force that threatened the entire world. Now imagine if this human truly possesses a demonic aura and additionally awakens the Darkness element. Can you comprehend what would happen, Valdor!?
Valdor: Only that woman could stand against him—if that legend truly exists.
Nexella: Regardless of whether it exists or not, even if it does, it means another disaster for us!?
Valdor: Then we should attack the Chaos Empire, my Queen!
Nexella: No, Valdor. There are several fundamental reasons why we must not wage war against the Chaos Empire. One of them is this: if he truly possesses a demonic aura and the Darkness element, there will be no turning back once war begins. Another reason is that although we dragons are the strongest race, precisely because of that strength, we lack threats that would force us to awaken new powers. We have been confined to these mountains above the Spirit Plains for generations. Even when we fight, those power holders inflict heavy losses upon us. All we can do is defend this impassable land. Do you understand, Valdor?
Valdor: Yes, my Queen. But what can we do? Because we are already powerful, awakening new forces is nearly impossible. Yet we cannot simply stand still and wait to be conquered.
Nexella: No. This time, it will be different. We will wait a little longer. If that human grows as I expect, instead of fighting him, we must use him. This will also shape the future of our race. We may finally leave these mountains and spread across the world.
Valdor: Form an alliance with a human!? My Queen, you know well the inter-racial war that took place three hundred years ago! In our bloody war with humans, countless of our kin were slaughtered—and so were many humans. In the end, humans emerged victorious, and we were confined to these lands. Do you truly believe they could ally with us!? It is impossible—especially if they possess such terrifying power!
Nexella: Valdor, I know all of this. But for the future of my people, we must take the risk. As for that human, something inside me tells me he is different. We can only confirm this by waiting. That is why we must not rush into a decision. Great events will occur in the future—events that will directly affect our race as well. Therefore, we must make intelligent choices.
Valdor: As you wish, my Queen.
NOTE: "If you enjoy the story, consider adding it to your library to support the author."