Chapter 442 - Balance is but an Illusion (1/2)

Chapter 442: Balance is but an Illusion

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The Dragon Valley was filled with sunlight, and Link found himself in the middle of a huge pathway where trees with lush canopies stood on both sides. The leaves filtered sunlight into blocks of gold and yellow scattered across the road ahead.

The Red Dragon Queen and Link walked along this shady path, with an entourage of Red Dragon Elders following behind them 100 miles away.

“Oh, I almost forgot. This is a 1000-year-old tradition of the dragon clan. Anyone who possesses Dragon Power, if they are able to make it through the Mist Maze, will automatically be accepted as an official member of the dragon clan,” said Gretel with a smile.

I doubt she’s actually forgotten, this must be part of her plan, Link thought.

Fearing that Link might refuse to take part in all this, she continued, “Of course, there won’t be any ties to you becoming a member of the dragons, it’s more of a rite of acceptance.”

Hearing this, Link quickly pulled back what he was about to say as a retort.

“If that’s the case, then I guess that’s alright.” Link nodded in agreement.

Gretel let out an inward sigh of relief then continued, “You know, the dragon clan has always been responsible for upholding the balance of the world, that is, if you’re up to the task. So, with your current power level, you may even be accepted as a Red Dragon Duke.”

Link shook his head. “No, no, no, I am a lord of Ferde, also I’m quite occupied with my pursuit of the ultimate secrets of magic. I won’t interfere with the affairs of the dragon clan.”

Even in peak physical condition, time was of the essence, and he could not afford to squander it in the affairs of others. Besides, Ferde was something he held dear and could not bear the thought of losing.

Gretel had expected such a response from Link, and she nodded somewhat sadly. “I knew you would give an answer like that. If that’s how you feel, we’ll just have to settle with making you an official member of the dragon clan. On the condition that you do not bring harm to us, one of the special privileges you’ll enjoy as a member will be free passage through the Dragon Valley.”

“I understand.”

“Also, the Red Dragon Elders may be a bit stubborn. Promise me you’ll try not to butt heads with them too much,” said Gretel with a knowing smile.

Link smiled back in response. “I understand. There are people in Ferde who are just as stubborn, though it may sometimes be a bit unbearable, politics does require one to be headstrong at times.”

At this point, they finally said their piece on the matter.

Then Gretel said with a smile, “We may have to wait a bit more till everyone from the Emerald Circle gets here. At this point, I’ve kept my promise.”

“And I’m extremely grateful for that,”replied Link.

Gretel beckoned with a wave of her hand at the solemn-faced elders behind her, who then walked up towards them.

“Alright, from this day forth, Link will be a part of the dragon clan. Of course, he’s still the Lord of Felde, and won’t be free to take part in our affairs, so he’ll only be a regular member.”

Though there was a grudging approval from the elders, disapproving muttering still persisted among them.

“The affairs of mortals are as ephemeral and insignificant as ember. There is nothing to be gained from something that will be no more than a memory in the span of mere decades.”

Among the muttering, Elder Pettalong added, “Master Link, I do feel that you should finish up your business in Ferde as soon as possible so that you may join us in our affairs. We desperately need your help!

“Ever since the incident with the Red Dragon dukes, the dragon clan’s strength had been greatly reduced, and now, with the emergence of spatial cracks across the Korora Mountain Range, we only have the Red Dragon Queen to fend off these Void creatures every time they come through one of these cracks.

“This is simply not acceptable, our queen’s body is of the utmost value to the dragon clan, a guarantee of its continuation. It’s just out of the question to put our queen in such danger all the time. If something happens to her, the royal bloodline will be irreparably severed.”

Link chuckled. “I’ll think about it, Your Excellency.”

Pettalong nodded, pleased at such a humble reply. “You are a wise man, Master Link.”

With that, Gretel announced to the group, “Well then, let’s go back to the Holy Mountain and mold a dragon’s heart with all the dragon spells in it for Link.”

The dragons were a proud race who would not stand for the dishonor of going back on their word. It was also a promise made by the queen, not to mention the fact that Link was already accepted as one of them. So naturally, they were duty-bound to keep their end of the bargain.

All the other dragons transformed into their dragon forms, including the Red Dragon Queen. As for Link, he was forced to ride on the back of Elder Pettalong for the moment.

This dragon elder recently gained a power boost. The last time Link saw him, he was only at Level-8. At that point, he had reached the first stage of Level-9, but since he had only recently gotten this level-up, he still had a long way to go to actually be considered a fully-fledged Level-9 master.

He was also still far from being on the same power level as the three Red Dragon Dukes in their former glories.

The procession of dragons flew straight for the Dragon Temple but did not stop there. Instead, they flew on, towards the peak of the mountain.

Link looked into the distance and saw that there was a round platform with a diameter of more than 330 feet carved out of the mountaintop. Six obelisks etched with runes were erected around the platform’s circumference, while the platform’s surface itself was densely covered in runes as well. Around the platform curled and twisted a stone dragon statue.

Looking on at the majesty of all this from a distance, one could not help but feel a sense of awe and dread that left one breathless.

“Up ahead is the Ancestor Altar, a sacred place of our clan. When members of the dragon race pass on, their spirits will come here to rest. We’ll begin our work on your dragon heart here,” said Elder Pettalong solemnly.

The dragons stopped in front of the round platform before taking on their human forms. Then, one by one, they entered the platform through an entrance in a line.

There were a total of 16 Red Dragon Elders present. After entering the place, all 16 elders each took a place at a rune carved on the platform’s circumference, forming an exact circle around it.

Pettalong moved to his rune and pointed to the rune at the center of the platform. “You just stand right there.”

Link climbed up the platform and did as he was told.

Behind him, Gretel climbed onto a dais beside the round platform and looked down at Link. “We’ll begin the ritual soon. Now close your eyes and relax. Don’t hold onto your Dragon Power, as I’ll be molding it into a dragon’s heart.”

Link took a deep breath, closed his eyes and emptied his mind as he stood motionless on the platform.

After a while, he heard the Red Dragon Queen’s voice breaking into something of a cross between a song and a prayer. Chanting along were the voices of the Red Dragon Elders around him.