As I approached the gold dragon’s city, I felt curious about why both dragons chose to make their homes on islands surrounded by land. While it was true, Silver City was located in the middle of a lake fed by a river and Golden City was an island inside a bay, it did seem oddly similar. I had to wonder if there was a reason for it.
Both lands were dotted with farms and villages, but I could tell even from a distance that the docks were incomparable. Still, both people seemed to be equally prosperous and peaceful. It was a stark contrast to the rough, dangerous lands near Einvaldskonungr’s mountain.
I glanced ahead, expecting to be forced to fly in circles once again. However, something else caught my attention. A golden figure rose from the forest far ahead of me. It was enormous, and as it drew closer, sunlight reflected off its scales. The figure soared with grace and speed. I knew instantly that this was the gold dragon.
I slowed my wings and hovered in place, unsure what to expect. It didn’t take long for him to close the distance. The gold dragon was larger than Einvaldskonungr and Silfriglóa, with brilliant golden scales that shimmered like polished metal. His presence was overwhelming, like the weight of the sun pressing down on me. I almost forgot to flap my wings.
“You’re smaller than I expected,” the gold dragon said. His voice was deep and powerful, rumbling through the air like distant thunder.
I swallowed hard and dipped my head in respect. “I wasn’t expecting to meet you so soon, sir. I’m here to speak with you about something important.” I was a little embarrassed that I had said sir since I was a god, but Gullhyrndr was just too intimidating.
He hovered for a moment, his golden eyes narrowing. “I know who you are. I’ve heard whispers about the black dragon with the twilight bloodline.”
His tone made it clear he wasn’t impressed.
“I’m not here to cause trouble,” I said quickly. “I only want to talk.”
The gold dragon snorted, releasing a puff of smoke. “Talk?” he echoed, his tone doubtful. “You sound sincere, but I’ve dealt with your kind before. There’s another black dragon not far from here who’s caused enough trouble for a hundred lifetimes. You’ll forgive me if I don’t trust you.”
“I understand,” I said, keeping my voice steady. “I’m not like him. I’m trying to build something better.”
For a long moment, he simply stared at me. Finally, he nodded toward the forest below. “Come,” he said. “We will talk on the ground. I won’t allow you into my city, but I will hear you out.”
I followed him as he descended, once again feeling like a teeny, tiny ant in front of an anteater. We landed in a wide clearing surrounded by tall trees. The ground shook slightly as the gold dragon touched down, folding his enormous wings behind him. I landed carefully, my claws pressing into the soft earth.
Once on the ground, he turned to face me fully. “You came a long way to find me. Speak.”
I took a deep breath and met his gaze. “I’ve created something called the Dragon God’s System,” I began. “It allows dragons to use their bloodline essence to empower their followers. Through this, you can bind others to you and make them stronger while strengthening your rule. I came to offer you this system.”
The gold dragon tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable. “And what is the price?”
“Unity,” I said simply. “The dragons are scattered and divided. We’re weaker because of it. This system gives us the chance to unite while keeping our independence. You would have control over your people. You would just have to agree to follow my rules.
He huffed, a faint stream of golden smoke curling from his nostrils. “You want dragons to serve you?”
“Not serve,” I corrected. “Lead. I’m not here to take your power. I’m here to give you tools to protect it.”
The gold dragon stared at me for what felt like forever. His golden eyes were piercing, as if they could see straight through me. Although I didn’t want to admit it, I was starting to feel like a snake oil salesman. I could almost hear the disbelief in the gold dragon’s silence.
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Finally, he said, “Why would I trust you? You’re chaotic evil. I can feel it. Yet here you are, offering something that seems... reasonable. Explain that. What are these rules that you speak of?”
I cleared my throat, trying to sound confident as I laid out what the other two dragons had agreed to. “First, the dragons won’t attack each other. No fighting between you, your followers, or your territories. This alliance can’t work if dragons start burning each other’s cities to the ground.”
Gullhyrndr gave me a sharp look, but I kept going. “Second, if someone attacks one of you, the others will come to help. We stand together against any real threats. But,” I held up a claw, “there’s a catch. If a dragon gets attacked because they started something, such as a certain black dragon stealing something or breaking a deal, then they’re on their own.”
The gold dragon raised an eyebrow. “So, if a dragon picks a fight, they take the consequences.”
“Exactly,” I said, nodding. “It keeps things fair. If a dragon breaks trust, the others don’t have to clean up their mess. It’ll stop anyone from using the alliance as an excuse to act like a tyrant.”
Gullhyrndr’s expression softened a little, but he didn’t say anything. I took that as a good sign and pushed forward.
I then continued with some of the other rules, such as forbidding actions that will harm or destroy the reputation of the entire pantheon of dragons. I had no intention of allowing one bad apple to spoil the whole bunch. Now, this didn’t mean that the dragon’s couldn’t do things they normally did. They just couldn’t drag down the others with them.
It took a while, but the gold dragon actually nodded a few times. However, he obviously still didn’t trust me completely. “And what about new dragons or those who don’t join this… alliance of yours?”
“Fair question,” I said. “Any dragon who wants to join can, but they have to follow the same rules. No special treatment. If they refuse, that is fine. They’ll just have to live without the alliance’s protection. But if they threaten or attack the dragons in the alliance, they’ll have all of us to deal with.”
Gullhyrndr nodded slowly, thinking it over. I could tell he liked the sound of it, even if he didn’t trust me fully yet. The idea that he would be able to rein in some of the actions from the “evil” dragons because of the deal was obviously more important to him than strengthening his followers. I did find that odd, but didn’t really care enough to say anything.
“And who enforces these rules?” He finally asked, “You?”
I quickly answered “Not me alone. If there’s a problem, the dragons in the alliance will come together to decide what to do. It’s about balance. No one dragon should have all the power. Not even me.” I didn’t even mention that I wanted him to follow my rules yet. While the silver dragon might be willing to listen to me as long as it didn’t break her moral beliefs, I wasn’t about to ask the gold dragon that, at least initially.
For a moment, the clearing was silent except for the wind rustling through the trees. Finally, Gullhyrndr let out a low hum, almost approving. “Those rules sound fair, twilight dragon. If they are followed, it might just work.”
“We can’t change our nature,” I said. “but we can choose how we act. So far, my actions speak for themselves. I’ve created something that empowers others instead of destroying them. That’s not the work of someone bent on chaos and ruin. As for the black dragon and anyone else, if they are not able to reign in their nature in order to follow the rules, they won’t be allowed to join us.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Perhaps. But I still have my doubts.” The gold dragon was silent for a long time. Then he said, “I hold the divine spark of Sannligr, the god of justice. I am already worshipped here as both a leader and protector. I will not bow to anyone. However, if I do join, it would only be because I believe it is in the best interest of everyone, including those who are not dragons.”
“And I am not asking you to bow before anyway,” I said carefully. “One of the reasons I came to you and Silfriglóa before the other dragons was because I wanted us to have a solid foundation on which we can build something greater. You would still rule your people, and you would have more power to protect them.”
He considered this, his golden eyes searching mine. “If I agree, it will be on my terms,” he said firmly. “I will not follow any command that goes against justice or my principles. That is my condition.”
“I can accept that,” I said. “I wouldn’t ask you to betray your values.”
The gold dragon nodded slowly. “Then I will swear an oath to you. I will give this system a chance. If you betray me or my people, there will be consequences.”
“Understood,” I said.
He stepped forward, towering over me as he spoke the words of his oath. His voice carried power, echoing through the clearing like rolling thunder. By the time he finished, I could feel the weight of his words settle in the air. “It is done,” he said.
Of course, I obviously knew that. And I also knew enough not to point that out to him. I let out a quiet breath and nodded. “Thank you. I’ll teach you the ritual now.”
He tilted his head, the faintest hint of a smile on his massive face. “Do not thank me yet, little dragon. Prove to me that this is worth it.”
“I will,” I said, handing over another scroll I had created earlier with the Ritual of Apotheosis on it. I was still amazed that I was able to get the strongest dragons on the continent to agree so easily. I guess becoming a god is extremely attractive even for such powerful beings.
The gold dragon stepped back, his massive wings unfurling as he prepared to leave. I waited for him to say something more, but he just leapt into the sky and flew toward his city. I stood there awkwardly for a few seconds before waving a clawed hand in goodbye. Then I sighed because I knew now that I had dealt with the reasonable dragons, it was time to seek out the “other” dragons who would probably attack me on sight.