Chapter 268 - Exit Triforge (1/2)

Li opened up a small pocket of space in the chrysalis, letting Tia put her small hands out and take the grey scale. The scale looked huge in her hands, appearing like a solid plate of metal almost as large and even sturdier looking than a metal b.r.e.a.s.tplate.

The scale was a light, faded shade of grey littered with scratches – the marks of time. However, there was a faint gleam about its surface that shone even through the age. A light blue shine that flickered like cold flame.

”Impressive,” said Li as he inspected the scale in Tia's hands.

”What is it, seer?” said Mercer, ever more curious than his brother Mason who even now stood silent and wary, overwhelmed by the sheer scale and speed of events that had just transpired. ”That you would deem anything impressive is rare indeed.”

”Aye, it is hard to impress the lad,” said Old Thane. He smiled. ”Makes me curious about this scale, too.”

”Nothing too much,” said Li. ”Are any of you familiar with how rock hydras or mountain drakes strengthen their scales?”

”I do recall reading something about it.” Mercer scratched his head. ”Alas, it has been too long since my expulsion from adventuring curriculum.”

”Not that you were ever one for the books anyway,” said Mason. He nodded, remembering. ”If I recall correctly, is it not true that earthen dragonkin fortify their scales by sleeping on precious ores?”

”Or consuming them,” added Asala.

”All correct,” said Li. He pointed to the blue gleam that flickered off the scale. ”That scale is infused with adamant, though the scale itself has grown softer from centuries of decay, even if this black matter slowed it down. Tia, if you consume that, I have no doubt you will become far, far stronger.”

Tia looked down at the scale pensively. ”Feels wrong. This scale…not me. Was for him.”

”And now, he has given it to you,” said Li. He knelt down and put a comforting hand on Tia's head. ”It will surprise you all to hear this, but there was once a time I felt much the same as Tyr.

Sometimes, your head is the worst place to be, the easiest place to get stuck in, and that stops you from ever moving forward. It keeps you in the past, sinking and sinking until you feel like there is no point to anything.

And sometimes, the only way out, the only way up, is to let go. Let go of the past. My suffering was nowhere near what Tyr is facing now, but I can understand what he is trying to do. He gave away that scale because he wants to face the present, and to even begin to do that, he needs to move on from the past.

Tia, that scale is for you and only for you. Tyr has let go of it, and for the better.”

Tia nodded and looked up to Li with saddened, big eyes. ”Papa, are you still sad?”

Li shook his head. It sounded so silly, but the time he was at his worst, his most cynical, was when he realized his dreams were never going to be fulfilled. No matter what he did, he would never live the life he wanted or walk through a green and blue world. He could have been the greatest genius of his times, but even then, society would never have allowed him to break the status quo.

That realization crushed him. But finding Elden World let him face the reality of his life better and gave him the strength to compromise on his dreams. In a way, it sounded quite sad, settling on his dreams like that, but trying to keep yourself living to dreams so high they were always out of reach was quite possibly the most exhausting thing anyone could put themselves through.