The guest chambers were exactly as they'd left them, though the mana-infused spring water had been refreshed. Yuki immediately collapsed onto one of the beds, the slime hopping off her head and settling on the pillow beside her.
Owen shifted back into his full Juvenile Dragon form it still felt more natural than the humanoid shape and curled up on the floor, his massive body taking up most of the available space.
"Owen?" Yuki called out withna concerned look on her face.
"Yeah?"
"... never mind"
Within minutes, Yuki was asleep.
Owen watched her for a while, noting the way even in sleep, her hand rested on her katana. The way her breathing was steady but alert. The way the slime pulsed gently with a blue glow.
"What the hell happened to her in that tower, I just hope it didn't break something inside her"
Eventually, Owen slept too.
---
Meanwhile, in the War Room of the Palace.
The five Greater Dragons stood around the circular table, its surface now displaying a magical projection of the entire continent. Three distinct territories were highlighted in different colors: Averion in the north (blue), Great Zerath in the south (red), and Sillawells in the east (green).
Glacius pointed to a dark spot on the map, a region between all three kingdoms, unmarked and pulsing with an ominous energy. "The egg's location. We're certain now."
"The ShadowGrave lands..." Veridra said, her voice tight with concern. "A place where neither human kingdoms nor our eyes can easily reach. The mana there is corrupted, twisted. It interferes with scrying magic."
Zephron spun his dagger absently. "So we send a strike team. Go in, retrieve the egg, get out."
"It's not that simple..." Fey'rath interjected. "The Shadowgrave lands are infested with creatures that can specifically hurt dragons easily. Whoever stole the egg chose that location deliberately. It's a trap."
"Then we don't send just any dragon..." Chronara said quietly.
All eyes turned to her.
"We send the human. And the new royal."
Glacius's expression darkened. "You want to send those two children into the Shadowgrave lands!?"
"They are not children, Glacius" Chronara said, her violet eyes glowing faintly. "Owen has completed the Tower of Royals. He has evolved. He has proven himself worthy of the blood. And The human, Yuki..." She paused. "She has faced trials that would break most adult humans. She has emerged with power that rivals the strongest in the human kingdoms And she has been gifted a Primordial Slime, a creature of legendary potential."
Veridra's serpentine pupils narrowed. "You've seen something, haven't you? In the timestream."
Chronara didn't deny it. "I have seen multiple futures. In most of them, we fail. The egg is lost. The Dragon King never returns. And Drak'thar falls to chaos. The world burns due to our failure" She tapped her staff. "But in one future, one narrow, fragile possibility, those two succeed where we cannot."
"Because they're not just any dragons?" Fey'rath realized. "The anti-dragon defenses won't target them as aggressively."
"Precisely..." Chronara confirmed. "Owen is a dragon, yes, but his bond with Yuki creates a unique signature. Something the ancient wards won't recognize as a threat. And Ythe human herself carries no draconic aura. She can move through the lands more freely than any of us."
Zephron leaned forward, intrigued. "So we send them on a retrieval mission. What about the three kingdoms? They're on the brink of war. If they find out the egg is right next to them..."
"Then we ensure they don't find out..." Glacius said coldly. "We keep this information contained. The fewer who know, the better."
Veridra crossed her arms. "And what of the cult?"
Silence fell over the table.
Fey'rath's expression grew grim. "You mean the ones responsible for stealing the egg in the first place."
"The Cult of the Descending One..." Chronara said, her voice heavy. "They believe that by corrupting the Dragon King's egg, they can summon their dark god into this world. They've been operating in the shadows for decades, gathering power, recruiting believers."
"We've eliminated several of their cells..." Glacius said. "But they're like weeds. Cut one down, three more sprout up."
"Their leader remains hidden..." Veridra added. "We don't even know their name. Only that they possess knowledge of ancient magics that should have been lost."
Chronara's eyes glowed brighter. "The cult will be watching the shadowgrave. They will have guards, traps, and contingencies. But again..." She looked toward the door, as if she could see through it to where Owen and Yuki slept. "Those two are our best chance. Perhaps our only chance."
Glacius slammed his fist on the table, cracking the stone. "I don't like sending untested outsiders on a mission this critical."
"They're not untested anymore..." Chronara said firmly. "They've climbed the Tower of Royals. They've proven themselves. And more importantly..." She turned her gaze to each Greater Dragon in turn. "They're not bound by our politics. Our history. Our prejudices. They will do what must be done, without hesitation."
Fey'rath sighed. "She's right, Glacius. You know she is."
Glacius was silent for a long moment. Then, finally, he nodded. "Very well. We approach them tomorrow. We explain the situation. And we ask, not order, if they're willing to undertake this mission."
"And if they refuse?" Zephron asked.
Chronara smiled faintly. "They won't. I've seen that much at least."
"Your visions are not infallible, Chronara" Veridra warned.
"Yes, they are not." Chronara agreed. "But in this case, I am certain. Those two are bound by fate, a heavenly mandate that defines all dragons." Her violet eyes glowed with ancient power. "They will protect the World. They will restore balance. Because that is what they have chosen to be."
The Greater Dragons exchanged glances.
Finally, Glacius spoke. "Then we prepare. Tomorrow, we present them with the truth. And we hope, for all our sakes, that Chronara's visions are correct."