Now, of course, as a fantasy game where a medieval setting was presented, Chronicles of Aeris had beings like dragons.
I even encountered one of them when I was still trying to grow as an attack tool that had stormed a huge city.
But what comes to one's mind when talking about Dragons?
It is their mightiness, being a superior race, etc, isn't it? Their glory, pride, the peak of nature, the epic and legendary beings that are far superior to any other.
And all of those things 'were' true.
They are no longer.
The era of dragons reached its end, just like the era of gods, the era of ancients.
But, there is one question that arises at this point.
Why?
Why beings of such mightiness reached their demise? Why does their glory no longer exist?
This is where things surrounding the game's past and lore get complicated. This is where the things that make the game start to fall apart.
Let's consider that I make a game based on the real world. Can I include everything in that game? Do I have such power to create everything in its little details?
Probably not.
The Chronicles of Aeris also suffered from that.
There were a lot of unknown questions that weren't answered in the game, this being one of them.
But still, the existence of dragons is something that the developers can never ignore. Therefore, they actually put a lot of dragons into the game.
The Dying Dragon King – Placudraxion.
It was the being that had prepared this test to adapt and prove yourself; it was the very being that was looking for someone that was worthy of improvement.
The reason was unknown since the developers couldn't necessarily put a reason for his actions, or maybe they wanted to save the mystery element. But when you finished the test of convergence, he would talk about the fate surrounding the character, and finishing this test would have a huge impact on the future.
However, while playing the game, most players thought this was where the interactions with Placudraxion finished. After finishing the test and talking about fate, the Dragon King would simply lie there and watch you leave.
But, while playing the game as a nerd, I was one of the lucky ones.
Going to him with Dragon Heart at my disposal, I encountered another option. The option to revive the race of Dragons.
It was a mission that would appear when you bring the Dragon Heart and make Placudraxion learn about the situation of Dragons in the world.
How they were slowly going to become extinct. How they were wandering savage beings that behaved like monsters.
And, when you make him learn about their fate, and you present him the Dragon Heart, he would legit create a baby dragon from the heart and would present it as a pet.
But this is nothing but a meaningless action.
Because there was a reason why dragons were going extinct, it was because they were cursed. Every child Dragon would die when it reached the age of three.
And thanks to that, the little baby dragon that was created by the heart would soon reach its demise.
But, while thinking about this, one small fact lingered in my mind.
If this Dragon King was able to create a baby Dragon from one simple heart, then wouldn't it be possible to integrate this Dragon Heart into my body and make me a partial Dragon?
Or, in other words, a Dragonoid?
That was the idea of mine. It was a crazy idea, an idea that had yet to be tested in the real world, and an idea that risked my life.
But why not?
Why not take the risk?
Some of you may ask, why take the risk? What is my reason?
The answer I will give might be something weird.
It is my hunch.
This is a gut feeling of mine.
You can call it the hunch of the protagonist, even. But, when I talked about Placudraxion about the strings of fate, it was not something I was seeing.
But it was something I was feeling.
For some reason, I feel like I am going to need it. Every possible strength I could get. Therefore, here I was.
"Then, I shall begin."
The dragon extended a massive, scaled limb. As he took the heart from my hand, a surge of energy passed between us, a connection forged in the crucible of chaos. The heart's radiant glow intensified, its light intertwining with the dragon's fading aura.
"Grrrr..."
And following that, an immense amount of pain assaulted me as the energy of the Dragon King entered my very being.
However, that was not the end of all. Because the Dragon King was a being that used ancient magic, immediately, a bunch of magical circles were formed around me, and following that, I could see my soul going out of my body for a second.
"Can you see it, kid?"
The Dragon's voice echoed, but this time it felt like it came directly to my soul. I was now in my Astral form, but it was not the first time I was entering it.
"Yes."
Hearing my answer, I could see an expression that was reminiscent of a smile on his face.
"As expected, you are no ordinary guy."
With deliberate intention, the dragon raised the Dragon Heart above my chest, his ancient claws hovering over the very spot where my heart would have been. As the heart's light bathed my form, my body began to convulse, otherworldly energy surging through me.
The chaos around us seemed to respond, the elements swirling in a mesmerizing dance that mirrored the heart's transformation.
My form shuddered as the heart's energy merged with my being, and my body seemed to break down and reconstruct in a continuous cycle.
Amidst the tumultuous display, I could see the Dragon King's scales shimmering with iridescence, his form becoming more ethereal as if he was transcending the boundaries of his own existence. His roars echoed with a blend of agony and exultation, a melody that resonated with the very fabric of the universe.novεluSb.Com
"Hey, old man? What are you doing?" Realizing what he was trying to do, a weird feeling enveloped me.
The heart's light pulsed with an intensity that matched my heartbeat, and the air itself seemed to vibrate with the convergence of power and purpose.
My form pulsed with waves of energy, each surge propelling my transformation further.
However, with each passing time, with each wave of energy, I could see the Dragon losing its form.
"Hey. Old man." I persisted, even if it was something that I wanted; I didn't want it to be like this.
"Kid. I have no need for your pity." The Dragon's mighty voice echoed. "This energy of mine is already reaching its limits."
"What do you mean it is reaching its limits?" I asked. In the game, four people entered this test one by one, and the dragon still had the energy to live.
However, right now, this guy was saying it was about to die. It was a contradictory thing.
"I see.... Kid, do you think everyone's test requires the same energy to create?"
As he asked the question as an answer, I understood its meaning.
"It doesn't. Creating such a test must have taken a toll on your body."
"Indeed. Now, keep quiet and let this old Dragon finish his last moments in peace."
As he finished his words, I could see my body getting elongated and my wings undergoing a metamorphosis of their own.
Four pairs of wings now spread out; each set vibrant and majestic, a manifestation of my newly merged essence.
My scales shifted, taking on a hue that shimmered like the heavens themselves, a tapestry of colors that shifted with every breath.
As the transformation reached its zenith, my form seemed to become one with the chaos that surrounded us. My body glowed with an inner radiance, the embodiment of the Dragon Heart's power. My eyes, once dim, now blazed with a brilliance that held the knowledge of eons.
With a final surge of energy, the transformation stabilized. My form remained colossal, but there was an otherworldly grace to my presence, a fusion of raw power and ancient wisdom. The Dragon Heart's energy had not only revitalized me but had elevated me to a state that transcended the physical realm.
I regarded Placudraxion with eyes that held a depth of understanding beyond mortal comprehension. "I have merged the power of the Dragon Heart with my essence, binding my legacy to yours."
The dragon nodded, a mixture of reverence and gratitude filling him. "Callius, you now carry the legacy of dragons within you. The race of the cursed one's, now its blood is flowing through your veins. May you use this power to overcome your fate."
And just like that, with a final nod, Placudraxion's ethereal form faded into the chaos, his presence becoming one with the currents of destiny.
Following that, my soul returned to its place, where it was supposed to be. Opening my eyes, I could feel the power inside me.
The power of my body was resonating.
And as I stood alone atop the pillar, surrounded by the harmonious chaos, I could feel the weight of the Dragon King's essence resonating within me, a force that would shape the tapestry of my own journey, a journey both complex and enduring.
<Ding! The host's race setting has been changed.>
<Ding! The host has achieved something that has never been achieved.>
And the voice of the system followed me like a haunting ghost.
