Half the people in the Chronometric Temple are croudin' around this inscriptionist dragon. I came over to see what's goin' on and was blown away.
This 'Aitia' fellow is makin' compressed sigils the size of a coin on an inscription slab the size of the whole table. Only the Chronometric Temple itself has better inscriptions. I don't know what he's makin' but I'm awed anyway.
'Cept, I came here to sightsee, not gawk. I'll be back at work soon enough buildin' them buildin's with the giant Porrthai. I ain't takin' a day off unless someone wants to turn me into a dragon, too. Hell, I wouldn't mind.
I turn around and meander up toward the Chronometric Dias, climbin' the huge slabs of stair like they're walls. I'm glad you made these stairs since Dragons can just fly up there, but damnit all Chronomet, they're still much too big.
Ugh! I pull myself up another stair. Hah, I need a break.
I look back at the enormous rows of seatin' behind me. Despite their excessive size, they're incredibly finely crafted. Wait, what's that at the bottom? I try to squint, but with all the black and white, I can't see what's botherin' me.
image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/102.png]
Ah, never mind.
I again look at the stairs to my front. Then I suppose these are dragon-sized stairs? None of this is made for a human to use, never mind a dwarf. I look up at the high ceilin'. He seems to have planned for his dragons to become much bigger. Porrthai wasn't a one-off judgin' by this architecture.
image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/102b.png?v=2]
I shake my head and return to climbin' the oversized stairway.
...
I finally find myself standin' next to the top stair, where I witness the darnedest thing I ever did see. Does this last stair contain a movin' sculpture under the floor? How in the heck did he do that?
I look up at the ceilin' again. Wow, was Chronomet originally a kaizen like Porrthai? Then, I see the northern image. Um, excuse me? Is that to scale? I hope that's metaphorical.
Hah, knowin' him, it's probably not. Not metaphorical, I mean. He'd probably also say the scale is 'too small.' Damn god dragon, takin' all the space. I ain't cursin' you, though, you done good all things considered. For all of us, 'cept the ones who died— but you couldn't help that, I 'spose. Least, I hope that's what it was.
*wooosh*
Eh? What's that?
*HZZZZZZZSSZ*
*THUD-skk*
"Hello, my fellow dragonkin! My name is Dracosect! I am lord Chronomet's newest believer and staunchest follower! I desire a duel from anyone who contests my self-declared position as his claws!"
Holy Chronomet. That is one big friggin' bug. Looks like a dragon, but it's a 40 meter tall bug. Can these dragons swat it?
I look around and watch the dragons talk to each other. One steps forward, growin' to nearly the same size as Dracosect as he does. No, not quite. Seems Chronomet already came through on that size-changin' thing Porrthai talked about, hah!
"I will fight you, sir Dracosect! For the glory of our lord and god Chronomet!"
"For the glory of our lord and god Chronomet."
The two dash and attack with sharp blows. They seem evenly matched, but Dracosect's hits are easily inflictin' damage. The dragon doesn't seem able to do a thing.
*thok*
*thok*
*shik*
*tok*
*TAM*
With grace, Dracosect sweeps his leg under the dragon's. His claws are at the dragon's throat, but not drawin' blood.
*shuup-thik*
*chak*
"Brilliantly done, sir Dracosect. You are a most worthy contender for lord Chronomet's favor."
Dracosect withdraws his claws. He bows.
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
"Thank you. Anyone else want a go?"
I notice there's an inscription on Dracosect's body glowin' brightly. I look around and see the same inscription on all four walls and the ceiling glowin' all the same.
What's happenin'?
I look back at Dracosect. Wait a second. Does he look... Even bigger?
I shake my head.
He's a huge bug. Course he looks big.
Another dragon walks up, this one larger than the last. Yet, he's still not measurin' up to Dracosect's immense stature. I feel like I'm watchin' a battle amongst the gods.
"For the glory of our lord and god Chronomet!"
"For our lord and god Chronomet's glory."
They immediately clash. This time, the dragon might have the upper hand. She's swingin' with righteous fury. 'Cept, Dracosect dodges it all 'n shoots a blade out his arm, forcin' the dragon to pull back. She dodges as well and maneuvers herself back into close combat.
*shp*
*shuf*
*shuunk*
*shff*
*shp*
Dracosect swings his armored wing at her face, but she parries the blow easily and presses her attack. Yet, despite her advantageous position, Dracosect starts pushin' her back, almost like he's growin' stronger as the battle rages.
*thRIK*
*chak-chak-chak*
*thok*
*TRK*
*chnk*
*shuf*
*ERyn*
Another left, another right!
*TAU*
*TAU*
Dracosect throws a blade again.
*shuunk*
Then, he goes to bite the dragon. She pulls back, but her leg is caught by Dracosect's tail!
"Raaah!"
*shuk-THISK*
Hey, wait, since when do bugs have tails? Never mind! She drops, but rolls out the way of his finishin' strike. His fist slams down, doin' nary a dent to the neat floor sculpture.
*THUD-chk-chak*
*THOOM*
She hops up, spins around, and tries to kick.
*skrrtch*
*ahuf*
Too wide! He dodges and it misses, causin' her to lose her balance. He slips behind and grabs her in a headlock, his claws again at her scaly throat.
*shink*
*CHAK*
*shuah*
It's all over! The dragons watchin' cheer.
"Roar!"
"Rewar!"
"Rohar!"
"Rawh!"
"Roarh!"
"Brilliantly fought, you are truly worthy of your claimed title. Thank you, Dracosect."
"You are very welcome. Any further opponents?"
The dragons are discussin', but nobody is comin' forward. Did the dragons' strongest fighters get defeated by a dragon-mimic insect? I overhear a conversation.
{"Hah, he knows how to pick 'em."}
{"Feh, it's a bug!"}
{"You go beat 'em then."}
{"Nope, the bug'll squish me."}
{"Damn straight."}
They seem proud, though. Proud that he's one of theirs. Dracosect speaks.
"I thank you for—"
"99:87 array activation! Enjoy, everyone!"
Who was that?
Three sigils on Dracosect's body become blazin'ly bright. So too do the same ones within the temple arrays. I feel around me that every dragon is breathin' in Mana at an incredible pace.
I look and see their bodies changin'. These already godly dragons, they're actually growin' larger!
No dang way!
I look back to Dracosect. I'm nearly floored.
Mana is swirlin' around his body like a storm. He's changin' far more than all the dragons. His chitin becomes shinier, his body more defined, his draconic features more pronounced. But most of all, his size!
He's gettin' way bigger!
I watch on in awe as the victor of today's battle receives his well-deserved prize. In a flash, he's grown larger by a full five meters.
Then, the sigils upon his body blaze brighter still, and his chitinous chest armor shifts and morphs. Can I call that his thorax anymore? No, it looks like a gemstone-encrusted chest armor.
A crystalline orb, sparklin' like a gemstone, appears upon his forehead's surface. His body swells larger once again; the gemstone seemin' to expand too. Then, Mana all around him flows greedily toward the gemstone. A pitch black area, which for some reason reminds me of Chronomet, forms deep within its sparklin' depths. Is that like his Mana conductive tissue?
image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/102c.png]
As if to answer my question, the swarmin' Mana drains directly into its black line. Dracosect's body swells significantly this time. Even some of the dragons begin watchin' his transformation with awe. It's only been a few minutes, and he's already pushin' 50 meters!
The sigils blaze yet brighter still; I can barely even look at 'em by now. As his body shifts and morphs, his remainin' bug-like features seem to subtly vanish. In their place, a real dragon emerges. Not a bulky, armored, strong dragon, no! He's become one built for speed, accuracy, and above all, an incredible presence.
Dracosect's already 55 meters tall, then another surge of Mana flows in, pushin' him to 60. I take a step back. This... Is this the birth of another god?
Dracosect replies by surgin' up to 65 meters; his draconic form becomin' relentlessly more enviable and impressive. I nervously look around. Hey, he looks more like a blazin' dragon than these dragons. What gives?
Then, just as he broaches 70 meters—
"Midnight! Array closed! Hope it was tasty!"
Dracosect's sigils dim, as do the temple's sigils.
...
He examines himself, takin' a step forward.
*THUD*
The immense pressure blastin' out from his aura almost bowls me over, even though I'm nowhere near him.
I realize— this IS why he made the temple ceilings so darn tall. I look at the immense, decorated patterns, easily three hundred meters above my tiny body. Will these creatures continue to grow, change, and evolve?
Is this the beginnin' of a new era? The age of the dragon gods?
"I, Dracosect! I hereby pledge! That from this day forward, I shall be the finest and most proper dragon, second only to Chronomet! I challenge each and every one of you, to provide greater glory to our magnificent god Chronomet than I! This is a battle, a RIGHTEOUS battle, to enhance the eternal glory of our beloved god and savior!"
###ROOOOOOAAAAARRRRRR###
Ow. Too loud.
#ROOOOOOOOOOOAAAAARRRRR#
The other dragons roar too. Yes, Dracosect is surely a dragon now. No question 'bout it. He can roar louder, even.
...
Alright, I think I've seen enough crazy fer one night. I'm goin' back to Chronometric City. I turn around and jump back down the stairs of the Chronometric Dias.
I never did get to the top.
"Roarrr!"
"Roar!"
"Rwaooor!"
I walk up to the proper portal. Goodness, they're still back there roarin' and havin' a party.
"Rawra!"
"Rooar!"
"Rhwah!"
As I step into the huge glowin' portal.
I look back at those dragons.
An' for some reason...
I feel proud, too.