Gorkaki, 38 years after Jean was reborn as the dragon Akalani

"Tell me, Farat, how can I defeat Korath?" The wyvern asks his orc teacher.

"I don't know if you can defeat her for now. Korath is an adult dragon who has been around even before the birth of Yoana of Merenil." The shaman answers.

"Yoana of Merenil?"

“Yoana, the Paladine. A holy adventurer born two hundred years ago.”

"You mean paladin." Akalani corrects the orc's English slip.

"I'm almost sure the title she's given in Koradel is 'paladine' and not 'paladin'..." The teacher reminds his student that the language spoken in Koradel is identical to English.

"There's even a song about her, something like 'Shine, Paladine'. But never mind. Let's get back to Korath. In a few centuries, she should become an Elder Wyrm. You will become an adult dragon before that, but she will still be older. You faced her once, and you were lucky to be spared because you were a wyrmling. I don't know if she will be as merciful with you now. You should avoid facing her for now. It's better to continue your feud with the loong Renxing."

"That flying noodle is a coward. He disappeared." Akalani grinds his teeth.

"He probably went back to his homeland. The Bay of Zord was Korath's territory, not his, after all. Once, she tried to destroy Vermekh, but one of my ancestors convinced her it wasn't worth it. Since then, she hasn't left her mountains."

"If she tries to invade Gorkaki, could you stop her too?"

"I don't know. The ancient practices of orc shamans allowed us to connect with the great beasts that roam this land. However, these techniques were lost over time. All I know, I learned from my master. And he wasn't even an orc but a troll who lived long enough to rediscover them and pass on this knowledge to me.

But I doubt Korath will come to Gorkaki. This has always been the territory of another dragon."

"Ralkor?"

"No, another wyvern that disappeared a few decades ago. But there was a time when the entire continent was ruled by Ralkor. He was a tyrannical and cruel ruler, waging an endless war against the invading elves, who were equally tyrannical and cruel. But everything changed after the Rage of Gwenuin."

"Rage of Gwenuin?"

"An event of great calamity that marked the end of the Age of Spellcasters' Warmongery and the beginning of the Taboo of Magic raised by the gods. But that's a topic for another lesson. Today's lesson is about Korath and what it takes to defeat her if it is needed.

And the first thing is to obtain the Wildshape..."

§ § § § § §

Somewhere in the Mountains of Korath, 73 years after Jean was reborn as the dragon Akalani

After days of tracking the dragoness, the trio finally finds her lair.

Akalani, who would normally be complaining about the cold throughout the journey, is strangely quiet. His recent silence has Sarak worried.

Salutar has noticed the change in behavior but refrains from asking questions. Not even about why he was dismissed by Akalani during the night of the village celebration.

The group enters a cave carved into the mountain. The entrance and its ceiling are huge, suitable for an adult dragon to dwell in.

The trow casts a flame in the palm of his hand to illuminate the path. Unlike his Eskira cousins, the trows of Ul-Gak cannot see in the dark.

"Is something wrong, Your Majesty?" Shamaness Sarak asks.

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"No, I was just recalling some things your father taught me." Akalani replies, a bit apathetic.

"I hope it's something about how to defeat Korath." The orc jokes, visibly uneasy.

"More or less." The wyvern replies in a distant tone.

"I wish Lady Kheldash were here with us. My father told me she's nearly as old as Korath." Sarak says, surprising Akalani.

"Nonsense. A hobgoblin can't live that long, even if she was born tainted as a cambion." The trow Salutar interjects.

"My father told me that Lady Kheldash's father was a warlock who made a pact with a devil in search of immortality. But the devil tricked him and caused Kheldash to be born as a cambion and then granted her immortality."

"That sounds like something Camilo would do..." Akalani thinks to himself.

As they walk through the dark cave, they come across a glow deeper in it. It appeared to be a pair of sapphires reflecting the light from the trow caster’s flame, floating toward the group.

However, they quickly realize that it's nothing other than dragon eyes. The Mountain Mistress, as a gracious host, has come to greet the visitors.

"Wyrmling, you've grown." She speaks in Draconian. "But not enough."

She was enormous, nearly twice the size of the then-young copper dragon Akalani.

"And what have you brought this time?" She looks at the humanoids accompanying the copper wyrm.

"I can't believe you came to fight again. Have you lost your mind completely? Haven't you learned anything from the beating I gave you? And this time, you dare to invade my lair."

While she speaks, Akalani remains silent. The two goblinoids accompanying him are visibly fearful. It's the first time they've come close to an adult dragon.

Her aura is terrifying.

"I didn't come to fight." Akalani speaks, to the surprise of Sarak and Salutar.

"I came... in search of guidance."

"Guidance?" The dragoness murmurs.

"Ralkor once told me that I would become an adult dragon by the time I reach a hundred years. But if I continue with my current growth, I won't make it in time."

"In time? What's the difference if you become an adult dragon in a hundred or two hundred years? Time is on your side, not against you."

"Something will happen in the coming decades. I feel it. That's why I need to become an adult dragon in time."

The dragoness heaves a deep sigh.

"There's always been something happening ever since the Demonlord Oz’modeus Balmeroth and the Holy Warrior Yoana of Merenil arrived in this world."

"Oz’modeus Balmeroth? Isn't that Camilo's demon name?" Akalani thinks to himself.

"Every new century, the followers of both of them clash. In the next century, it will be the Fourth Crusade between the Church of the Saints of the West and the forces of Demonlord Balmeroth. But the question is, why do you care, copper wyrmling?”

"How could I not care? Don't you?"

"Indeed, I don't. I don't care about what happens in the world. Only my mountains matter." If she could, the dragoness would shrug.

"But I do care. I'm building a kingdom, and I don't want any fanatical religious order landing on my shores and starting to kill my gobs. And that's why I need to become an adult dragon." Akalani throws a tantrum for Korath's amusement, and she begins to laugh.

"A kingdom? Haha! How greedy you are. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, indeed. Listen, copper wyrmling, there have been no adult male wyverns on this continent for almost a millennium. Your father was a golden wyvern from Midarth who migrated to Dro-Ur during a rainy summer."

"You met my father?" Akalani's eyes widen

"And your mother. Odura, the Black. We used to rule these lands, but she disappeared shortly after laying your egg. Both your parents were followers of Demonlord Balmeroth, so I assume they died in the last Crusade.”

"Now you've given me more reasons to become an adult dragon before the next Crusade begins."

Korath sighs again.

"Very well, copper wyrmling. There's a way to make you grow faster. Follow me."

§ § § § § §

The group crawls further into Korath's lair until they reach a large gallery with various mineral veins exposed. Gold and silver ores and precious gems embedded in the walls shimmer with the glow of magical crystals.

"Look at all these gems and mana crystals of different colors." Salutar's eyes sparkled. Trows are known for their fascination with magical resources.

"And here, elf-troll, is what could have been my greatest treasure."

In a nest made of feathers and crystals, an egg lies alone. Its shell was white, as if it were made of marble.

"A dragon egg…" The trow murmurs while covers his mouth to hide his surprise.

"And now, all you need to do, copper wyrmling, is eat it."

"What? You want me to eat your child?" Akalani says, startled.

"This egg has no value to me. Without a mate, it cannot be hatched. There is no offspring inside, only the yolk. But this very yolk will help you grow into an adult dragon faster."

"Why would you go to such lengths to help me?"

"Because I also have an interest in you becoming an adult dragon." Korath grins.

"Oh Goddess!" This time, it's shamaness Sarak who covers her mouth, astounded by understanding what the dragoness meant.

"Take the egg, copper wyrmling. And then return when you are an adult dragon to grant me an offspring."