r18novel Page 106
Page 106
“I must say,” Silverwing began, his voice deep and magnetic, “the news Casaloz brought is worrying. The turmoil of the gods has begun to affect all of Faerûn, and even our secluded homeland is feeling the magical fluctuations.”
Vera Marandes nodded: "Yes, the red dragons in the High Forest have become more irritable and aggressive. In recent months, we have had to send out three missions to drive away the red dragons that approach the Nether Mountains—if they cross the mountains, it will be a disaster for the Silvermoon Federation."
"So do you need any help?" Casalos asked. "Although the situation in Damara is urgent, I can still get some dragons from Waterdeep that might be able to help you with your defense."
The golden dragon smiled gently: "Thank you for your kindness, Casalos, but we can manage for now. However, we are very interested in your proposed business cooperation. Gems, magical items, and dragon equipment are exactly the resources we need right now."
Chapter 329
“Then it’s settled,” Casalos nodded. “I will arrange for caravans to supply you first. Anyway, Ratambirol is currently trapped outside of Faerûn, and all its trade on Faerûn is managed by me as the intermediary. In exchange, the crystals and elven artifacts you provide will greatly enhance the diversity of my inventory.”
Midnight and Isis exchanged a glance. Clearly, Casalos had engaged in extensive business negotiations with the two dragons during their break.
“Now,” Vera Marandes said gently, “let’s enjoy this dinner. We’re tired from the journey and need to replenish our energy.”
She tapped the table gently with her tail, and then several elf and dwarf servants entered with new dishes.
“This is McLuhan’s favorite roasted venison,” Vera Marandes said, looking at a plate of fragrant food, “served with moonshine juice and spices from deep in the mountains.”
“McLuoGarland?” Eton asked, puzzled.
A hint of nostalgia flashed in Vera Marandes' eyes: "Merogalan was the former master of this floating mountain range, the Red Dragon Queen of the High Forest."
The four of them gasped almost simultaneously. A red dragon queen? And the golden dragon spoke of her with such reminiscence?
“I see the surprise on your faces,” Villa Marendace said with a smile. “Not all stories are as black and white as legend suggests. If you’d like to hear, I can tell you my story with Mirogaran.”
“We’d love to hear that,” Isis responded immediately, and the other three nodded in agreement.
Vera Marandes gazed into the distance, as if reminiscing about the past: "That was the year of Snow Rose (DR826). I was still quite young then, not long after leaving my parents' territory, and was traveling the continent in search of my own land..."
The banquet proceeded slowly, narrated by Vira Marandes. The golden dragon recounted how she discovered the critically wounded and dying Red Dragon Queen, Mirogran, and how she used the only spell she could use to help Mirogran—Pain Suppression—to allow the Red Dragon Queen to calmly pass the last few hours of her life.
“Melogalan knew her days were numbered,” Vera Marandes continued, “and her greatest fear was that her territory would be seized by other red dragons. So, in the final moments of her life, she made a decision that shocked me—she claimed her territory over to me.”
"A red dragon gave its territory to a gold dragon?" Kevoran asked incredulously. "This...this doesn't make sense for dragons."
“As I said, not all stories are as black and white as legends portray them. Merogaran may be evil, but she also has her own pride and dignity,” Vera Marandes continued. “Rather than let her territory be taken over by her own kind who have long coveted her status and wealth, she would rather hand it over to a strange golden dragon who has shown her kindness.”
"Later, I inherited this territory and used magic to lift it into the air, turning it into the floating mountain range you see now. This helped the fragile Silvermoon Federation to block the evil threat from the High Forest, and I named it 'Soft Wings' in memory of the wings of Marogaran that could never be spread again."
"Your magic... makes the entire mountain range... float up?" Midnight rambled on, while Vera Marandes smiled without saying a word.
“But then again,” Silverwing continued, “I think if Marogaran knew what Vera Marandes did, he might find it somewhat ironic—turning a red dragon’s lair into such a ‘benevolent’ place.”
Isis and Midnight exchanged a meaningful glance. For the two female mages, the story's portrayal of good and evil, and the complex relationships between dragons, was far more profound than any magical theory. Of course, Midnight couldn't understand the strange look in Isis's eyes—the fate of the colorful dragons in Dragon Territory, Uncle Kenneth's rambling…
Casalos looked at the girl's expression, a hint of amusement flashing in his indigo dragon eyes: "Even the most evil red dragon will show a side different from the legends when facing death."
Silverwing elegantly raised a huge silver goblet and took a sip of the fruit wine brewed by the elves: "It is precisely these stories 'beyond legend' that are the true treasures worth treasuring."
“That’s true,” Eton said thoughtfully. “As pastors, God always teaches us to be single-minded, but reality is always more complicated than theory.”
“Complex or not,” Kevoran yawned, “all I want to do right now is get a good night’s sleep. These drinks are really relaxing.”
Vera Marendas chuckled: "Yes, this fairy fruit wine contains extracts of calming herbs, which help eliminate fatigue and promote sleep."
"Will this affect our trip tomorrow?" Isis asked with some concern.
“On the contrary,” Silverwing explained, “these drinks will help you recover your energy faster. You’ll feel refreshed and more energetic than usual tomorrow morning.”
75. The shadow descends
The harmonious atmosphere of the dinner did not last long.
Beyond the soft wings, in the pitch-black night, countless shadowy creatures hovered around the floating mountains. They were silent and elusive, as if they were part of the night itself, only their blood-red eyes betraying their presence. These eyes—if they could truly be called eyes—were merely a conceptual organ of sight, a material expression of death and nothingness.
Isis was admiring the stars in the night sky through the dome when she suddenly noticed that the starlight was being obscured by moving dark shadows. She squinted, and her magical senses immediately issued a warning.
"Mentor!" she called out urgently as she turned around, "There's something outside!"
Casalos remained seated on the dragon throne, which seemed rather out of place on its structure, leisurely munching on a camel hump.
“Don’t be so nervous, Isis,” it said, looking up to swallow the charred, thick hump of the camel, and then slightly spreading its wings. “As long as you’re still in this hall, still on Soft Wings, you’re safe.”
"What is that?" Midnight asked, her well-trained mage senses already detecting the unusual magical fluctuations in the outside world.
Casalos's dragon eyes narrowed to slits: "The uninvited guests from the underworld, each one carries the aura of death."
Golden Dragon Vera Marandes and Silver Dragon Diszdedrodon Silverwing exchanged a glance, a tacit understanding flashing in their eyes.
“Cassaloz,” the golden dragon said gently, “take good care of your friends. We’ll entertain these uninvited guests.”
Casalos clicked his dragon beak: "Don't worry, I'll be right there..."
“Honorable guest,” the silver dragon interrupted, its voice tinged with a hint of humor, “please allow us to extend our hospitality. After all, we have some experience dealing with shadow creatures.”
Before Casalos could respond, the golden and silver dragons had already strode gracefully towards the terrace. Their scales shimmered with gold and silver light under the magical lamplight, making them appear like two walking metal statues, exuding a breathtaking majesty.
"Are we just going to stand by and watch?" Kavoran gripped the hilt of his sword, eager to try.
Casalos turned his head, a hint of a smile flashing in his indigo eyes: "Watching? No, two-legged warrior, we're not 'watching,' we're 'appreciating.' This level of combat is not something you can participate in wielding that toy sword."
Before Kevoran could retort, Eton stopped him: "He's right. Look, they've started."
Vera Marandes raised her enormous dragon head, her throat slightly bulging, within which a golden light gathered. Silverwing unfurled her massive silver wings, the tips of which were entwined with ice crystals.
"Are they performing some kind of magical ritual?" Midnight murmured, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I feel like I've read about this in ancient texts... no, not ancient texts... it's a memory!? Strange, how could I have memories from tens of thousands of years ago?"
"Shh," Issy
Chapter 330
Silk grasped Midnight's hand. "Don't worry about those memories, just look at them."
The golden and silver dragons simultaneously unleashed a soul-stirring roar, the sound waves piercing through the entire floating mountain range, causing the four humans to involuntarily shiver.
The stars in the night sky seemed to shine even brighter because of the roar. Then, the golden and silver dragons soared into the air, their movements so coordinated that they seemed like two parts of the same life. Vera Marandes flew eastward, while the silver dragon flew westward, tracing two intersecting arcs in the sky.
“Look at those shadows,” Casalos whispered. “They’re hesitant, they’re afraid. They feel threatened.”
The shadowy creatures that had been circling the floating mountains began to disperse, seemingly trying to escape something. But it was too late.
The golden and silver dragons unleashed their breaths almost simultaneously. Vera Marandes' breath was a blazing golden flame, while Silverwing's was a chilling silver aura. The two distinctly different breaths converged in the air, forming a sphere of light that shimmered with gold and silver. The sphere rapidly expanded, instantly covering an area of several hundred meters in radius.
“Lady Fire-Haired…” Eton exclaimed, “That’s no ordinary dragon breath.”
Casalos nodded: "That's a product of the combination of dragon magic and high elven magic. It seems that protecting the High Forest and the Silvermoon Federation for hundreds of years has not been without reward, what a pity."
At midnight, I was torn by Casalos's final lament: "What a pity?"
"Unfortunately, the war magic of pointy ears was designed from the moment it was created to kill mortals on a large scale. The number of elven civilians who died from this type of magic in Faerûn's history is at least ten times more than the current total population of the elves of Torriel..."
The four opened their mouths but couldn't speak. Casaloz's account of history was beyond their comprehension; even Isis had never heard of these secrets.
The sphere of light created by the golden and silver dragons continued to expand, engulfing more and more shadow creatures. Those shadows touched by the light did not scream or struggle; they simply vanished silently, like morning mist illuminated by sunlight.
Even so, the sheer number of shadow creatures was alarming. They surged forth from the darkness in endless streams, crashing against the floating mountains like a tidal wave, trying to find a crack in the path where the light couldn't reach.
Upon seeing this, the golden and silver dragons simultaneously ascended to higher altitudes. They circled beneath the starry sky, their tails touching to form a perfect ring. From the perspective of the four people, the pair of dragons formed a symmetrical pattern of alternating gold and silver, slowly rotating in the night sky.
“This is…” Midnight stared wide-eyed.
“Celestial Summoning,” Isis finished for her, gripping Midnight’s hand even tighter, “another spell we’ve never seen before but ‘remember’!”
The golden and silver dragons opened their mouths simultaneously, chanting in unison an ancient language. The power contained within that language made the souls of those who heard it tremble. It was neither dragon language nor elven language, but a language from the divine realm—the language used by the supplicants within the kingdoms of the gods.
As the chanting continued, a massive vortex appeared in the night sky, within which stars shimmered like shattered diamonds. At the center of the vortex, a dazzling golden beam of light pierced the heavens and earth, shining directly upon the floating mountain range.
The beam of light spread out, forming a massive golden dome that enveloped the entire floating mountain range. Any shadowy creature attempting to pass through this dome would vanish the moment it made contact.
“This is the power of Paradise Mountain…” Eton murmured to himself.
Casalos found it strange and unconsciously narrowed his eyelids.
These two dragons have also made contact with Bahamut? That doesn't make sense, Bahamut isn't even out of prison yet, there's no place for him on Heavenly Mountain, not to mention all the gods are currently in the mortal realm. Could it be…? Arcane vision scanned the magical structure of the gold and silver dragon couple and the floating mountain, the pseudo-Laplace demon smoothed out the tangled web of fate, and Casalos knowingly shrugged.
“But there are no prayers, no magic spells,” Midnight said, puzzled. “How do they channel divine power?”
76. The Power of Divine Artifacts
Under the protection of the golden dome, the golden and silver dragons began their true counterattack. They intertwined and circled, each turn unleashing a breath of dragonfire that annihilated swarms of shadow creatures. Their movements were so synchronized, as if a dance rehearsed a thousand times, yet so natural, as effortless as breathing.
Most spectacularly, whenever the breaths of the gold and silver dragons converge, a small explosion is created, radiating light like fireworks, annihilating the surrounding shadow creatures in one fell swoop.
“Such powerful magical power,” Isis exclaimed. “No wonder it can levitate an entire mountain range into the sky.”
Casalos shook his head: "You're overthinking it. It's not just the power of magic."
"What is that?" Midnight asked curiously.
“It’s the power of the artifact,” Casalos replied, “and also because the two of you are here.”
"Us?" Isis and Midnight asked in unison.
Casalos did not answer, but continued to watch the battle outside.
The battle lasted for about half an hour, and the number of shadow creatures began to decrease significantly. The remaining shadow creatures seemed to finally realize their predicament and began to scatter and flee. But the gold and silver dragons did not pursue them; they guarded the area around the floating mountains, ensuring that all the shadow creatures were far away.
After the last shadow disappeared into the distance, the golden and silver dragons slowly descended back onto the balcony. The golden dome still existed, but it had become translucent, like a thin veil covering the floating mountains.
“It’s safe now,” Vera Marandes said, her voice slightly weary from the battle but still gentle. “At least it’s safe tonight.”
“They’re coming for us.” Casalos flapped his wings. “To be precise, they’re coming for the Tablet of Fate.”
Silverwing nodded: "Without a doubt. Only a being with a strong desire for the Tablet of Fate would send out such a large army of shadows."
"Who is it?" Casalos asked himself. "Milkor? Baal? Or...?"
“We cannot be certain,” Vera Marandes replied, “but whoever it is, his power is far greater than we imagine. These shadow creatures are not ordinary undead; they carry the power of the underworld, a direct extension of the realm of death.”
“I’m sorry,” Casalos shook his head, “for bringing danger to you and this floating mountain range.”
“No,” Silverwing said firmly, “it is the duty of metal dragons to eradicate evil.”
Vera Marandes continued, “You should stay here tonight. The protection of the Holy Light of Heaven Mountain will last until dawn tomorrow, making it the safest place to rest. Afterwards, we will accompany you to ensure your safe arrival in Waterdeep…”
The morning sunlight pierced through the golden dome, casting a warm glow upon the floating mountains. The protective shield of celestial light remained, but as the sun rose higher, its radiance gradually dimmed, like a thin veil slowly drifting away in the breeze.
Casalos was already waiting on the balcony, its scales shimmering with a metallic sheen in the morning light, its bright, alert indigo eyes constantly scanning the surrounding sky. Beside it, Vera Marandes and Silverwing were also ready, the two dragons' size making Casalos look almost like a young dragon—well, it was only a teenager to begin with.
A hint of worry flashed in Silverwing Melt's eyes. "My friend, those shadow creatures won't give up so easily."
“I know,” Casalos said in a deep voice, “but speed is my best ally.”
At this moment, Isis, Midnight, Kavoran, and Eden, guided by several dwarven servants, arrived on the balcony. The four looked refreshed and full of energy; the effects of the elven fruit wine were clearly remarkable.
“Good morning,” Isis greeted the three dragons. “We’re ready to go.”
“Then let’s not waste any more time,” Casalo said.
Chapter 331
He then turned to the gold and silver dragons and said, “Thank you very much for your hospitality and protection.”
“Don’t mention it,” Vera Marandes replied gracefully. “We will escort you for a while, at least until you leave the High Forest.”
Silverwing interrupted Casalos before he could refuse: "Don't refuse. This isn't just for your safety, but also to ensure the safety of the Floating Mountains. If the masters of those shadow creatures are still watching this direction, we must divert their attention."
Casalos thought for a moment, then finally nodded in agreement: "Then I'll have to trouble you two."
The humans climbed into the "transport pod," with Casalos taking off from the balcony first. The gold and silver dragons followed closely behind, and the floating mountains quickly shrank in their field of vision, becoming a tiny dot floating in the sea of clouds. The three dragons maintained a triangular formation, flying over forests, lakes, and mountains.
"How far is Waterdeep?" Kevoran asked through the window.
“At this speed, we should arrive before dusk,” Casalos replied, “if nothing unexpected happens.”
“An accident,” Midnight repeated softly, “Will there be another attack like last night?”
Casalos did not answer immediately; its gaze swept across the ground below, as if searching for something.
“Mentor?” Isis sensed something was amiss.
“There might be,” Casalos finally replied, “but not in the same form. Those shadow creatures have failed, and their masters will try other methods.”
“For example what?” Eton asked.
Casalos shook his head: "Who knows? Maybe it's a demon, maybe it's a monster, maybe it's..." It didn't finish its sentence because the forest ahead abruptly ended, replaced by a golden plain.
The gold and silver dragons slowed down and gradually approached Casalos.
“This is where we part ways,” Vera Marandes said. “Red Pine Town is just ahead, and if we fly any further, it will attract unnecessary attention.”