I was dropped harshly, no thanks to Cloudjumper. My face tasted straight wood, and it wasn't until I was grabbed by the chains and picked up Cloudjumper herself.
Forcing me to kneel—submit. It's a dragon's way of admitting or proposing inferiority, but it doesn't mean much when I'm being forced to.
There, I had to look right directly at those three. Cloudjumper, Sultan, and Koga. All with different expressions on their faces.
The Dragotanium chains won't budge. Doesn't make it any better that's it's paired alongside magic. Any force I use is just returned to me. Always matching my level of strength to a sure stalemate.
Possibly the only way I can get out of this is by making Cloudjumper drop her concentration on the magic skill. It's an artifact at base, but the magic property is what's really keeping me here. Break the concentration, and I'm a free man.
Free, as in slither my way out of it course. I'm not that strong to break a damn near indestructible material. Not yet, at least.
Maybe I already am, just never really knew. That's not an invitation to start trying to break the chains again, though. Even if I did, I would just run into a three-on-one.
Sultan's golden staff tapped on the floor thrice. Then, his eyes narrowed at me. He was about to speak, but Cloudjumper jumped at the opportunity.
"This is the Sovereign of Calamity?" It came off mocking, then what came after was the mocking laugh tagged alongside with it.
Sultan turned to her, "…I still believe so. He's still shelving most of his power."
Then, turned to me.
"I wouldn't be as so surprised if he has something planned."
I chuckle. It came out accidentally. Planning? What could I be planning? I got outplayed fair and square. That's all there is to it, really.
My face deadpans, "I wish I had a plan. Trust me, really do right now."
Sultan's face sharpened, perhaps he didn't like my sarcasm. Because he struck me with his golden cane—or, attempted to at least.
I didn't need [Dragon's Authority] to alert me beforehand. I just slightly tilted my head and let my horns take the brunt of the attack.
The golden staff bounced back with such speed that it flew out of Sultan's hand and across the room. Rolling away.
Then, I brought my head back up to see him slightly irritated. It was showing, but he's too composed and forced himself to be calm to show otherwise. With a deep exhale, he turned his back towards me and started walking away.
"Do whatever with him, sooner or later, he'll turn." He spoke, hardly. Irritation showing through more and more now. But wait, do what with me? What are they going to do?
Koga turned as well, along with him, which only meant Cloudjumper was there. A smug smile was placed on her face, her armour shining brightly as before.
With her gauntlet hand, she struck quickly. A slash with three of her fingers against my cheek. I winced, and almost wanted to jump back if it wasn't for me already kneeling. Blood dripped down the same area without any time to waste.
Of course.
Of course it was going to be like this.
Because, why wouldn't it be?
The same blood on her gauntlet hand, dripped onto the wood. My blood. And I can't use [Soulwarming] to even heal it. I would just have to endure, but there's no telling what Cloudjumper has in her mind.
A form of torture, that is, or any form of it.
"H-hey…you wouldn't do this, right? We are both dragons. Think about it." I tried playing my card there, hope it would amount to something. Cloudjumper only looked at me in disgust.
"Think about what? Aiding a Dark Dragon like you?"
Ouch.
She said it with more than just disgust, animosity and probably hatred coupled in there as well. Sometimes I forget that my kind is not well-liked. Dark Dragons of all dragons, really, are hated. Because—well, we are just naturally evil.
That would make sense if I wasn't affected by the dark impulses. There's a saying that no one will ever see a "naturally good" Dark Dragon. Maybe that's just the way the game wanted it to be.
"Touche, but still. Sultan is about to drive Aurea Islands into the ground. Surely you can see that, right?" Cloudjumper drops her former expression, then looks back to confirm something. Maybe to see if Koga or Sultan were in the vicinity.
No, they weren't, and since we were in the dining room, with multiple guards, she looked back right at me.
"You think I'm working with Sultan?" She asked. Almost…genuinely. This might've been the first time I've heard her ask anything genuine. I nod my head viciously and violently to get my point through.
She scoffs, "Sultan needs me more than I need him. We had a deal, and he promised me something that I would achieve."
"And…that is?" I ask.
She stays silent.
Then speaks.
"To gain unfathomable power."
She looks right at me, serious. She's not joking. And here I thought Cloudjumper was just some underling under Sultan, no. It was Sultan that got lucky, not the other way around. I figured that the power imbalance would always be there with dragons.
It's just entirely hard to have one work under you unless you were one already. Society norms and whatnot. Doesn't help that the dragon is a Crimson Dragonkin like Cloudjumper. They carry pride directly into their hearts.
"Power is everything, and if I get that then…" Her words trail, as if she realizes she already said too much. Her gazes sharpens right directly onto me. Then, another question.
"Ryuuzen, you seem strong, but not actually. Weak."
Ouch times two.
Not easy trying to restrain most of your power.
You want power.
I only want to use it and not make sure I'm hurting someone else in the process.
Two different things.
"But…you have to be, right?" She furrowed a brow, but didn't say after. It wasn't until I caught on that I got exactly what she was referencing, and violently nodded my head.
Her posture changed, she then crouched to my level, our eyes meeting each other. Face to face. I would be lying if I said I wasn't flustered. This is the worst time to try and be enchanted by the enemy.
Is she even the enemy anymore? She's been acting nice for the past couple of minutes…despite the slash on my cheek.
"Then…what is it?"
"Are you serious? I'm not telling you that." I replied instantly.
"You have it, and I want to know it,"
"Your True Name."
Yeah, no. I'm not giving that away. It's like giving away super secret numbers of your ID. Not everyone should know it.
She sees me being reluctant, analyzing more. Is she trying to guess it?
"The Midnight."
Scary close. I don't think I hid my reaction well, because she slightly grinned. Her fixation on my true name means a lot. Because if she realizes that, then she would realize I'm literally hiding a whole new plane of power I do NOT want to unleash.
It would make matters worse for her, I, Sultan, Koga, Jonah, Vaniti, and everyone in Aurea Islands.
"Eternal Night?"
"Wrong."
"What about The Dusk?"
"How long are you going to keep guessing?"
She stood up entirely, crossing her arms over her chestplate. "As long as I want to, I guess. It would be a shame to torture the only other dragon I've seen in years."
Her foot repeatedly taps on the ground, slow. It's like she's trying to come up with something in order for me to swoon to the other side. News flash, I'm not. Don't know how many more times I have to reiterate the same thing over and over.
But, Cloudjumper looks at me like she's got an idea. Her tail uncoils around her waist, and I can see it. The stinger on the tip that looks just like a scorpion's. You know what would be funny? If somehow her dragonkin biology allowed her to coat poision just based off it's function—
Why did I jinx myself.