“Let me make it easier for you,” Alphox said, his deep voice carrying a hint of amusement.
He snapped his massive clawed fingers, and a faint shimmer surrounded Alex.
“A panel should appear in front of you. I’ve granted you the knowledge you need.”
Just as Alphox predicted, a glowing golden panel materialized in front of Alex, the words shimmering as if imbued with magic.
[A Primordial Dragon has granted you access to the information you seek!]
[Guide on Becoming a Dragon]
Alex’s gaze fixed on the panel as more text appeared.
[To acquire the Dragon Bloodline, you must first gather these three items:]
[Dragonheart Essence]
[Two Dragon Wings (The Ember Dragon Wings Won’t Work)]
[A Soulstone]
“Soulstone?” Alex muttered, narrowing his eyes.
That sounded ominously rare, but he continued reading.
[After gathering these items, you must proceed to the Dragon Altar within Dragon City and undergo the ‘Dragon Bloodline Trial.’]
[Warning: The Primordial Dragons will judge whether or not you are eligible to join their ranks. Note that they are extremely biased and will likely fail you outright if they discover you are human.]
Alex sighed, rubbing his temples.
“How am I supposed to do, then,” he groaned, “Then I guess I have to hide the fact that I’m human to begin with…”
“You catch on quickly,” Alphox said with a chuckle, lounging lazily on his shadowy floor. “They despise humans, after all.”
Even the shadow dragon that couldn’t even be considered as his pet kept saying the words “trash human” every time, so it wasn’t surprising at all.
“Can’t you vouch for me?” Alex asked, his tone laced with frustration. “If I become a dragon we’ll have an easier time destroying all those that wronged you!”
Alphox’s expression darkened.
“Unfortunately, human, I don’t have any authority left to sway their judgment. If I did, you wouldn’t even need to ask.”
[However, if you belong to another prestigious race, such as the Beast, Angel, or Demon race, your chances increase significantly. There have been rare cases where non-dragons succeeded in obtaining the Dragon Bloodline after surviving the trial.]
“So basically, they’re racist,” Alex said with a dry laugh.
“Extremely,” Alphox confirmed, laughing as well. “It’s ingrained in dragon culture. Even I can’t change that.”
Alex sighed again, leaning back against the darkened walls of the [Shadow Pet Space].
His mind raced.
The task before him was daunting.
Obtaining the [Dragonheart Essence] alone would mean defeating another dragon as powerful, or stronger, than Nivran, the Sunless Dragon.
That wasn’t going to be easy.
The [Two Dragon Wings] might be simpler, provided he got lucky with his extraction abilities after defeating dragons.
“Why won’t the Ember Dragon Wings work?” he asked out of curiosity.
“Just simple rules, they won’t, trust me,” Alphox shrugged, “Remember their description?”
[Description: Wings of the Ember Dragon, slightly damaged, need fire to use up full potential, not recommended for usage.]
“Oh…” Alex understood, “Slightly damaged…”
“Yes.”
But the third item, the [Soulstone], was an enigma. He didn’t even know where to begin looking.
“Any idea where I could find a Soulstone?” Alex asked, looking over at Alphox, who had stretched out on the ground.
“No,” Alphox admitted. “But I do know that every candidate who has ever attempted the trial brought one with them. That means they’re out there, you just have to find them.”
“Helpful.”
“Oh, yeah, and talking about that damn trial,” Alex started, “Doesn’t that mean I would need to first become one of those races that are accepted and then try it?”
As soon as he said that, more panels appeared.
[Note: The Dragon Bloodline Trial is among the hardest trials in existence.
Only beings of extraordinary strength, typically at least Level 800, stand a chance.
Even then, only the strongest and most influential among their kind are accepted by the Primordial Dragons.]
Alphox, now perched regally, added,
“Even among the most powerful races, very few succeed. Thousands attempt the trial every year, but only one, or none, make it through. You’d need to be not just strong but exceptional.
I’ve been part of that process several times, and I won’t lie to you, even an outstanding warrior usually gets refused if their status is not up to satisfaction.”
This meant that not only would Alex have to join one of the “prestigious” races, but also become strong enough to impress the Primordial Dragons, as well as have a high authority among his initial race.
“Wait a second,” Alex said, thinking back to the panel’s mention of other races. “If I join another race, will I lose my human bloodline?”
“No,” Alphox replied. “When acquiring a new bloodline, you don’t lose your original one. Instead, the new bloodline stacks on top of the old.
Meaning that if dragons get a hold of someone powerful in a new race, then they would be able to control it a little bit.”
Alex frowned.
“And what happens if someone with the Dragon Bloodline refuses to listen to the dragons?”
A sly grin spread across Alphox’s face. “Usually? They’re killed.”
“Of course,” Alex muttered.
“You’re gonna have to be that one person that manages to impress them, human.”
“Yeah,” Alex grinned, “I’ll manage somehow, but first I need to find those items.”
“You also need to think about which race you have to join, here, take this,” Alphox snapped his fingers, and a golden panel appeared in front of Alex.
[Accepted Races for the Dragon Bloodline Trial:]
[Beast, Demon, Angel, Elf (All Types), Vampire, Dwarf, Ogre, Undead…]
The list went on, but Alex’s attention snagged on one word.
“And of course, remember that they only take the strongest and mightiest among those.”
“Damn.”
Alex couldn’t help but worry.
He didn’t have any idea as to how to join any of them, and not a single one would probably accept him to begin with.
At least that is what he thought… until his eyes lay on the [Beast] race.
“Wait,” he said, his eyes lighting up. “Beast race?”
“Yes,” Alphox replied, tilting his head curiously. “What about it?”
“Does that include foxes?” Alex asked, a grin spreading across his face.
Alphox blinked, then nodded slowly, “Yes, it does. Why?”
Alex’s grin widened, “I think I have a way forward now.”
The pieces were starting to fall into place.
The Fox Tribe Village had been more than just a passing stop on his journey.
If he could deepen his connection to the foxes, he might be able to gain acceptance into the Beast race.
And if he rose through their ranks, it could give him the credibility he needed to approach the Dragon Bloodline Trial.
“I’m sure the dragons would love for the king of the [Fox] race to present himself, wouldn’t they,” Alex’s mind already imagined what he would be doing.
And the moment he said that sentence, Alphox also realized it too.
“Yes…” his eyes widened too, “That is… true…”
Even Alphox didn’t believe in Alex to do everything that needed to be done to join the [Dragon] race, especially with the items and authority needed.
But Alera was the queen of the foxes, which meant that he had a chance.