After flying for what felt like an eternity, the branches finally gave way to a truly amazing sight: a vast clearing at the very top, covered in soft golden glow.
Alister and Terra descended gracefully, their feet’s landing with a soft thud, walking among the leaves of the branches as they looked around… Or specifically, Alister looked around, wondering what could be up here.
He then noticed that Terra’s gaze was fixed ahead and decided to look ahead as well and then his eyes fell on a rather… Peculiar sight.
At the center of the clearing hovered a golden orb, pulsing with a small but noticeable rhythm, as if drawing in energy from the entire tree.
Tiny, shiny star like particles of light floated towards it, converging around the orb in an almost hypnotic motion.
Alister narrowed his eyes, activating his dragon vision, hoping it would reveal something about this hovering orb. But he neither got a status window, or a warning, instead a blank status window appeared.
[…]
‘What?’ Before he could think further on what could be the possible cause of this never seen before blank window he heard terra speak in a rather strange tongue.
“Eir’lan thal’astren…” Terra whispered softly, as her gaze remained fixed on the orb, her blue eyes glowing softly, she seemed as though she was in a trance.
The words seemed to linger in the air, giving off an aura that felt ancient and profound.
Alister turned toward her, his curiosity peaked by the unusual phrase.
“What did you just say, Terra?”
Blinking, Terra snapped back to the present, realizing she had spoken aloud.
“Oh! My apologies, my lord,” she said, a bit flustered.
“It’s an old name… Eir’lan thal’astren in dragon tongue…. I believe, in the language you would understand… It would be called ‘Celestium’s Heart.””
“Celestium’s Heart…” Alister repeated with a thoughtful nod, tasting the words as though they were somehow familiar, yet mystifying.
Alister’s curiosity deepened, and he turned to Terra. “Are you aware of what this orb is supposed to do?”
Terra nodded confidently, her eyes gleaming. Reaching out, she extended her hand, and the orb floated gracefully into her arms.
The moment her hands closed around it, a crest appeared just below her eyes-elegant, curling blue lines that spread across her face, giving her a regal, ethereal appearance.
She took a breath, feeling an immense flow of information stream into her mind. As the sensation settled, she exhaled calmly. Turning to Alister, she asked, “How do you wish to proceed, my lord?”
Alister glanced around the massive clearing as he then spoke saying. “I’ll admit, I’m not fully aware of what this tree… Or orb is truly capable of. If you could do me the favor of explaining, I would be glad.”
Terra’s face brightened with a touch of pride as she gazed at him. “It would be my pleasure, my lord.”
Terra looked down at the orb in her hands, her voice low and reverent. “My lord, with Celestium’s Heart, you hold a power unlike any other, the ability to monitor, control, enhance, and even direct the growth of the dragon race itself-all according to your will and strength.”
“Over generations, this power has led to the creation of new branches and types among the dragons.”
“When the Overlord wishes, they can adapt the dragons’ forms to suit new needs or prevent them from becoming stagnant over time.”
She paused, tracing the lines of the crest on her face as if feeling the weight of her words.
“For example, if the dragons were ever infected by some form of illness, I would have the insight to help you understand it, and with the power to change or enhance their bodies, we can make them immune to it. This constant evolution and adaptability over the ages is what made our race nearly invincible.”
Alister’s eyes narrowed slightly as he listened, intrigued. “So, the dragons of today are the result of countless Overlords making adjustments over millennia?”
Terra nodded. “Precisely. Each Overlord has left their mark, refining and strengthening our race. But…” She looked at him with a gentle, encouraging smile.
“For now, the influence you can exert is somewhat limited, considering you have not yet assumed the title of True Overlord. Even so, the Heart currently responds to only you-only a few ever gain that privilege.”
Absorbing Terra’s words, Alister’s thoughts raced.
‘The ability to have total control over a race… its growth, structure, and form… isn’t that basically the power of a god?’
Alister began to wonder. Perhaps the overlord mantle was more than just a supreme ruler who demanded absolute obedience from the dragon race.
Perhaps it was also… their god, or a little dragon god-one they believed, no matter the storm, would ensure their triumph as long as their overlord stood by their side.
Alister could clearly feel the power emanating from the orb, the tree, and this entire space. Yet, despite Terra’s explanation of the dazzling power the tree and orb held, he couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t as absolute as it seemed.
A part of him felt that perhaps it could fail-not in helping the dragon race adapt, but that some of the changes made might not be as effective as an Overlord hoped.
‘I can’t help but feel that I’m forgetting something…’ His thoughts raced, and his gaze drifted to his right hand, where a pink-gemmed ring lay on one of his fingers. He narrowed his eyes for a moment but then…
Sigh ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
He let out a sigh, averting his gaze and deciding not to overthink things. Redirecting his attention to Terra, he began to slowly walk around her, his tail swaying from side to side as he decided to ask.
Alister tilted his head thoughtfully before asking, “What about regular evolution? Cinder evolved-what about others? Won’t they undergo any natural changes without
intervention?”
“Although this power is amazing it feels somewhat unnecessary…”
Terra shook her head. “Without an Overlord’s presence, a regular dragon would take hundreds, even thousands of years before they’d naturally evolve and adapt to the changes around them. But the Overlord’s influence nurtures the entire dragon race’s growth, accelerating their development.”
As she spoke, Alister recalled Draven once saying something strikingly similar back Before his clash with the Berserkers guild in the Wasteland Display event. The memory resurfaced in his mind, reinforcing Terra’s point.
Alister paused, then nodded. “I see. So, there’s no immediate need to use this power yet, no?” Terra blinked, a look of mild confusion crossing her face. “What?”
Alister raised an eyebrow at Terra’s reaction. “Why the surprise? Is there some change you wish to suggest?”
She nodded eagerly, her blue eyes practically gleaming as she began listing her ideas. “Yes, my lord. Imagine the poison wyverns: they could possess scales infused with lethal toxins, scales they could even launch from their backs when threatened.”
“Or the metal wyverns-they could have the power to control metals in their surroundings, manipulating armor, reshaping weapons, or even forging barriers with a mere thought. Each of them could become something far beyond their current limits.” Alister crossed his arms, his gaze narrowing thoughtfully as he mulled over her words. “Is that so…? And suppose we were to make these changes. How would they go about adapting
them?”
Terra’s excitement only grew, her voice animated as she explained, “Well, my lord, if you were to channel your power through the Heart to control the Dragon Stratus tree, you could establish these traits as new genetic pathways within the dragon race.”
“Each generation would then inherit these abilities naturally, and over time, they would become a part of their essence-unbreakable, unstoppable.”
She paused, her enthusiasm shifting to a slightly more serious tone. “But, my lord, understand that these changes would require a significant amount of your energy, especially without the full power of a true Overlord. It’s a long, intensive process, and while you could see immediate results in the current generation, embedding these abilities deeply enough for future dragons might take years.”
Alister nodded, watching her closely as he took in the implications. “So, not only would I be enhancing them now, but shaping the entire future of the dragon race, generation by
generation.”
Terra nodded, the smile returning to her face. “Precisely, my lord. We could guide them towards a perfected form, ensuring they grow stronger, more resilient and more united.” Alister’s gaze drifted back to the Heart, pondering the power resting within his grasp. The possibilities were immense, yet there was an underlying weight to the responsibility.
Just then the system window materialized before him.
[Mini quest: Mantle of the overlord.
Description: as an overlord, not only is it your right and privilege to rule over all dragons, but
it is also your responsibility to ensure the dragon race’s continuous growth and development.
Quest completion condition: make a change to one of your summons or subordinates.
Reward: 500XP]
Alister’s gaze narrowed as he was about to ask how they would begin, but just then, Terra
spoke up.
“My lord… That egg we found… In that red moon city.”
“I can feel a connection to it.”