The Unrivaled Holder: Rise of the Dragon Monarch

The curse was gone. Fafnir flexed his hand, inspecting his skin where the mark once resided. A quiet sense of relief settled over him, but there was no celebration—only the weight of what came next.

Zarathorak crossed his arms, his piercing crimson gaze shifting toward me. "Now that this little problem is dealt with, what next?" His tone was sharp, skeptical. "Surely, you didn't come all this way just to fix a curse."

I took a deep breath, organizing my thoughts before speaking. "No. There's something bigger at play." I met his gaze directly. "Djinn… She was trying to tell me something.. about the seal is breaking"

At the mention of that name, Ingi's expression darkened slightly, but he remained silent, allowing me to continue.

"I think she wants me to gather the dragons."

Zarathorak's eyes narrowed. "Gather them? For what?"

I exhaled. "To prepare for the calamity that's coming."

A brief silence filled the cavern. Fafnir shifted slightly, looking between me and Zarathorak. Ingi, standing off to the side, remained unreadable.

Then, Zarathorak scoffed. "Tch. And what makes you so sure this so-called calamity is coming? I know that even Da- I mean, Ingi mentioned that the seal might be breaking up, but what made you so sure about that?"

I met his skepticism head-on. "Because Djinn knew something. Something important enough to reach out to me despite being sealed away." My voice was firm. "And if she's warning me, it means we don't have much time."

Zarathorak's gaze remained locked onto mine, unreadable. Then, after a pause, he smirked. "Hah. Let's assume you're right. Let's assume there is some great catastrophe coming. What do you expect to do about it?"

I didn't hesitate. "We gather every dragon. Every last one. We prepare."

Zarathorak chuckled darkly, shaking his head. "And you think that's going to be easy? Dragons aren't sheep to be herded, boy." His smirk faded. "Many have gone into hiding. Others have been hunted, sealed, or worse. Even if you could find them all, what makes you think they'll listen?"

I exhaled sharply. "I don't know. But I have to try."

Zarathorak's smirk disappeared completely. His gaze sharpened. "You expect me to just follow along with this idea?"

"I expect you to care," I shot back. "Or have you been sleeping so long that you've forgotten what it means to be a dragon?"

The air grew heavy for a moment. Fafnir and Ingi exchanged a brief glance, but neither intervened.

Zarathorak held my gaze, his expression unreadable. Then, after what felt like an eternity, he let out a deep breath, his smirk returning—less mocking, more thoughtful.

"Hmph. You're an interesting one," he muttered. Then, he glanced at Ingi. "And you? Do you believe this?"

Ingi, who had been silent for most of the conversation, finally spoke. His voice was calm, but firm. "Djinn wouldn't have reached out if this wasn't serious." He looked at me. "And if this really is her will, then we must act."

Zarathorak clicked his tongue. "Tch. Annoying." He crossed his arms again before sighing. "Fine. I'll entertain this idea. But don't expect me to blindly follow orders."

"I wouldn't expect anything less."

The tension settled slightly, but the weight of the moment remained.

Fafnir finally spoke. "Then, where do we start?"

I exhaled. "We needed to find the dragons—every last one of them. But where would we even start?"

I turned to Fafnir, who had been watching me with an amused yet calculating expression. "You've been alive for longer than any of us. If anyone knows where the dragons are hiding, it's you."

Zarathorak smirked, but there was a glint of something more serious in his eyes. "Hah. You give him too much credit. I bet he does not know where they at because he was so busy doing his own business? heh" 

Fafnir ignored zarathorak's remarks and said "It's been a long time since I've bothered with the affairs of other dragons." He stretched his arms, rolling his shoulders as if shaking off centuries of slumber. "But…"

We all waited.

He exhaled, rubbing his chin in thought. "There are whispers—legends that stubborn creatures like you might find useful." His gaze darkened. "Dragons don't simply disappear. If they aren't dead, they're somewhere beyond reach."

Ingi furrowed his brows. "Beyond reach? What do you mean?"

Zarathorak's answered. "Some may have chosen exile in lands unseen, places where mortals dare not tread. Others…" He trailed off, his fingers tightening slightly against his arm.

I caught the subtle change in his demeanor. "Others what?"

His gaze met mine. "Others were sealed."

A heavy silence filled the chamber.

Ingi's face darkened. "Sealed? By who?"

Zarathorak's smirk returned, though it was devoid of humor. "By those who feared us." His voice was low, almost bitter. "Gods. Mortals. Even our own kind."

Fafnir scowled. "So you're saying some of our kin are locked away somewhere, imprisoned?"

Zarathorak nodded. "That's exactly what I'm saying." He crossed his arms. "I don't know where all of them are, but if we're looking for dragons, the first place we should check is one of those sealed grounds."

I felt a surge of urgency. "And you wouldn't happen to know where one of these sealed dragons is, would you?"

Zarathorak chuckled. "I might." His eyes gleamed with intrigue. "But it won't be a place you'll enjoy visiting."

Fafnir narrowed his eyes. "Where?"

Zarathorak sighed dramatically before finally giving an answer.

"The Ruined Spire."

Fafnir's expression darkened. "…That place again."

I looked between them. "You've been there before?"

Fafnir nodded, his voice grim. "A long time ago. The Ruined Spire is a remnant of a forgotten era—an ancient battlefield where god and dragons once clashed." His gaze hardened. "If dragons were sealed away, it's not surprising one would be there."

Zarathorak smirked. "Indeed. But don't think it'll be easy. That place is cursed. It devours those who step too close."

I exhaled sharply. Of course, it wouldn't be simple. "Then we don't waste time. If there's even a chance a dragon is there, we need to check it out."

Fafnir nodded. "Agreed."

Ingi closed his eyes for a moment before sighing. "Then we head for the Ruined Spire."

The mention of the Ruined Spire already set an ominous tone, but what Zarathorak said next made it even worse.

"If there's a dragon hiding there—or sealed—it's none other than Umbaxis, the Abyssal Enigma."

Fafnir's expression hardened. "Umbaxis… I should've known."

I raised an eyebrow. "Who is Umbaxis?"

Ingi crossed his arms and exhaled. "The Void Dragon. A being of shadows and mystery, with no true allegiance to anyone or anything. He exists between realms, slipping in and out of reality itself. If the Ruined Spire is his resting place, then he's either hiding there willingly… or he's been sealed away."

Zarathorak chuckled, shaking his head. "It makes sense. That place is an abyss of forgotten power, a graveyard of gods and titans. If Umbaxis wanted to disappear, there's no better place. But if he's sealed…" He smirked. "Then someone feared him enough to lock him away."

I frowned. "What makes him so dangerous?"

Fafnir's voice was cold. "Umbaxis is unlike any dragon you've encountered. He doesn't fight with brute force like Zarathorak or me. He's… an enigma, a being of the unknown. His power bends reality, twists perception. He doesn't just fight you—he makes you question if you're even real."

I clenched my fists. "And you think he'll help us?"

Ingi looked toward the horizon, deep in thought. "If he's still free, then he may not care about our cause. But if he's been sealed…" His golden eyes darkened. "Then he'll want revenge."

Zarathorak let out a low chuckle. "Freeing him would be a gamble. He could aid us—or he could turn on us the moment he's loose." He glanced at me. "Still sure about this?"

I met his gaze. "If we're gathering dragons, we can't afford to be picky. We'll deal with whatever happens when we get there."

Fafnir smirked. "Heh. You sound like someone I know."

Ingi sighed. "Then it's decided. Our next destination is the Ruined Spire."