"You're pretty durable, you know that?" Cloudjumper compliments, but I'm in too much discomfort to even chuckle or laugh back. Much less give a sarcastic reply.
"Hrnghh…"
That's what left my mouth instead. I panted, heavily. Sweat buildup all over my face, maybe in the body as well. I could feel it dripping down my back. Maybe wearing a black tattered cloak was not the best idea…not like I had anything else though.
My face pressed against the wood. I could no longer try to kneel. Felt to weak, and the chains seemingly drained every ounce of energy I had. My mana still feels like it's going to explode within me, and yet I can't do anything about it.
I coughed, and a mixture of floods came out. Saliva, blood. For the past…I don't even know anymore. It's been that long. But, for the past moment or so, I've had to endure serious torture against Cloudjumper.
All because I didn't want to forfeit my True Name.
What a…agh, man. My eye hurts, I'm chained up, and I don't know how long I can keep this going for. Cloudjumper surely enjoys it, because everytime I happen to look at her, she's always smiling, or doing that prideful grin.
She picked me up by the chains again, and looked at me. My eyes already looked away, towards the high windows. It was getting dark, I had already forgot that I had to disband a terrorist organization in the same day. Funny how life goes, right?
My breathing became shallow, never thought I could even go through this type of pain before. Usually I just shrug everything off, but if I'm put in an effortless position, it shows that I too…can be beat.
Only beat when I'm clearly chained, that is.
Cloudjumper's eyes narrowed down at me, her hand on her gauntlet wrist. Something tells me she was getting tired of this eventually, even despite of how much enjoyment she found within it.
Then, she looked at my neck. Her lips curled, face showing slight confusion.
"The poison should've worked…why hasn't it?"
I tried to hold back my chuckle and laugh, but I failed. I think I sounded more delirious than anything as I did. Along the left side of my neck, were small, dark black tints. Applaud for her scorpion stinger, everyone.
"It…agh—it doesn't work on me. All Dark Dragons are naturally resistant to poisons. I'm surprised you didn't know that already…agh…hah…"
The last two grunts didn't come out so well. Even though I was basically immune to all poisons, doesn't mean that my body just disregards the effect of fighting it off. While the main effects of the poison, whether it be to harm me critcially won't land very well, I just get very, very sluggish.
Cloudjumper's gauntlet hand grabs me by my hair, forcefully. Forced to see eye to eye…even though there's been nothing eye to eye about this. She stares, which turns into a gaze. Hard. Long. Questioning. Agonizing.
All of the above. If anything, it would probably have to delve from the fact that she can't deduce my True Name. Means very much, because if she can, then that's another part of me she knows and exploits.
The greatest thing I hadn't realized yet if my True Name was ever recorded within…you know, the masses. The public. The entirety of Dragonkind who turned my name and legacy as a boogeyman.
I doubt it, though. I rarely used the transformation even within the game. It was more so for things that you needed to deal with regarding PvE…not PvP. It was kind of a unwritten rule, type of thing. Never use your True Name transformation.
Because when you did, the other would do so too. The PvP was in our builds, not the true dragon forms—that was boring, to be fair and honest. Everyone agreed that it was just kind of the sense that, you would fight as your person, not as a big blazing beast.
Cloudjumper let go, but roughly. Threw my head back as I tried to balance myself on my knees, not wanting to tilt over. She yet again crossed her arms, looking and wondering to what to do for me.
"Y-you had your fun, right? Now, I think we can just come together and forget about all of this—"
Disgust flashed across her face again, as if allying with me might be the worst idea to even be brought to her. "What makes you think I would? You aren't even the Sovereign you claim to be."
"Plus…" She adds on, trailing off.
"Some tale of the Dragon Sovereigns never existed anyways."
My eyes widened, lips parted. Pure shock. There's no way she believes that…right? But Cloudjumper's face doesn't even look like as if she's lying—no, she entirely believes it.
"Wh…what…?" Is all that came from my mouth. And…unironically I found it weird to even say such thing. Everyone else seemed to believe it…but the actual dragon herself?
She shakes her head, doubling down on her statement. "You know how long ago the Dark Age was? I'm supposed to believe that dragons from that age…had unfathomable power? And supposedly…one of them is right before me?"
"It's stupid. Only kids believe in the Sovereigns. If only they knew it was something to make up for following the Dark Age to make sure Dragons never lost their image within the world."
I scoff, "Sounds like a conspiracy theory you have there. Jealous of the power they had?"
Her eyes narrow. I just shrug.
"That's what it comes of, anyway. All Dragons were taught the same Draconic history, and you think they never existed?" I ask.
"If they did, then surely I would've been one of the Sovereigns."
That statement alone reeked of delusion…blind delusion. But Cloudjumper believed it anyways. To think herself had what it takes to become Sovereign? Pfft. No. Never.
I don't even know where to begin with her build, but it wouldn't be this. No.
But then again…her entire motif is power. I didn't forget that. Cloudjumper values power over everything and anything, it looks like. What Aarx told me still is true, somewhat. It just seems like Cloudjumper is one of the rare and few dragons that never bought into the myth.
…for the wrong reasons, though. Not because it was inaccurate, but simply because she believes a realm of power that we achieved couldn't be possible. She's never seen it before, and really?
I don't blame her. All of her ancestors must've passed down the same information for thousands of years. It's only right to question it formally.
"Which…brings me back to you. Sovereign or not, you are…an Alpha Dragonoid, aren't you?" She asks, but basically confirms to herself.
"If I had your True Name…I'd rewrite this continent."
It comes off as not informative, but chilling. Sultan and Cloudjumper make work together for the time being, but it's already clear that they are cut from different cloth.
"Trust me, it's not something you would willingly want. I'm a Sovereign, entirely—but I can't really show you the almighty power you're looking for. Long story short I was—"
It came, like a quick blur. The slap was heard across the room. I barely had time to react. It was so fast that not even [Dragon's Authority] probably could've picked up on it.
My cheek stung, but when I looked towards her fist, it was contorted, filled with annoyance and anger. The more I mentioned the Sovereign, the angrier she became. And to be fair? The last thing I need on my plate is a angry dragon.
"How long will you keep posing as them, huh?" Cloudjumper asked, but my attention was caught toward something else.
It was already dark out. All three moons could be seen through the high windows, but there…there was something else. I could smell it.
And apparently—
—so did Cloudjumper.
Our nostrils moved, both inhaling quickly. Dragons, mainly Dragonoids and Dragonkins, both had the ability to sniff out raw mana, or magic. Paired with that, alongside our eventual ability to sense it as well gave us more investigation tools than one.
Then, from the corner of the room.
I noticed something I've never seen before.
A white fog.
No, not a fog.
A white..mist.
How could that appear within this building? My nose is telling me it's magic…but what kind?
"What…?" Cloudjumper's surprise came fast, she looked over, but didn't move away from me, not at all. Wasn't entirely moved. But she knew this was something strange. Her head snapped to me.
Pointing behind her already, "You had something to do with this? If you did, I won't hesitate to kill you."
Her threat came clear, almost enough to make me choke on my spit. "N-no…the chains are already dampening my magic. Why would you already think I would be up to something like that?"
"You are a…Sovereign, aren't you? Surely a mere artifact like this won't be enough to hold you down." She mocks the title, and something within me stirs just slightly. As if my own body took the direct disrespect more than I did.
I push it to the side, but alongside lingering power that has yet to be unleashed, it only dies down temporarily.
"Anyone would have some trouble against a S-tier artifact, mind you…but this magic? It almost feels like…"
I trail off.
Then the realization came after.
The sense of another mana signature hit my head like a sharp needle. On it's way, arriving, quickly. This wasn't any other mana signature—no, I recognized it way too easily.
Then, one more at my direct situation. The white mist?
That wasn't nature…that was…Spirit Magic.
And the mana signature heading on it's way here?
Was Vaniti.
Her magic alone was warning us of her incoming presence.
I almost overlooked it. This mana signature was not the same as when I sensed it last time. It felt…greater, stronger overall.
Did one day of being by herself propel her in strength that much…?!
Slowly looking towards Cloudjumper, I slightly gulped. The Consort of Calamity is on her way, and if she sees the state that I'm in…
…I don't think it would be good for anyone to see.