I straightened my back against the hard and cool surface of the shiny crystal which was radiating with pure white light and compacted with an abundance of mana—now that I had noticed—as the fresh touch of its cold surface made me slightly comfortable, as I leaned the back of my head against it and let the cold subdue the growing pain and allowed me to distract my exhausted mind from the cobwebs of my several thoughts, questions and afflictions for the time being.

I knew I would get my fair share of time pondering over these several mysteries and questions, but for now I just wanted to rest and recuperate from my defeat. My first true defeat since I had regressed back in this new body.

After my continuous victories, I had grown arrogant of what I was capable of. Like the Guardian had said, I too might have severely overestimated my capabilities. And now that I’d crashed into a wall—which was the Guardian—, even after using every skill and spell I had at my disposal—even that ice spell I'd been working on wasn’t worth much—, I still wasn’t able to win. That adversary was yet my strongest opponent since regressing—even more so than the basilisk.

The pain my body had bared up to this point would have left any normal person crippled forever. Yet, through all my reckless actions, I had obtained the ability to regenerate my body—, even the lost parts, which was still a capacity which I didn’t fully understand, shrouded in a veil of mystery.

I closed my eyes as the sparkling and shimmering light of the stalactites caused my eyes to itch and head to squirm as I blinked several times before going into a more comfortable position. Shutting my eyes tightly as stars behind them burst in continuous intervals, I felt a sudden surge of melancholy bubble up in the pit of my stomach which sat in there like a stone, as I seethed and wailed after a series of rib shaking coughs as my brows knitted into fine frowning lines, and felt my insides constrict from a wave of heavy emotions and lump stuck inside my throat.

Why had I turned my head back so suddenly? An action so meaningless, yet having some subtle meaning. I knew it might just have been my mind playing tricks on me in my weakened state, but I couldn’t just shake off this feeling as some simple melancholy—as if I had lost something; something important. Something that was a part of me that’d been taken away from me, or...something that'd been forever lost which was mine and always have been with me.

Like a superficial feeling...which evaporated without even your conscious mind dwelling over the cause, like steam exuding from warm water as if turning it cold. My mind was the same right now, it felt cold, my thoughts and every each inch of me. Like some unnecessary piece of information which you might forget over time, but not your subconscious mind.

I was tired. I couldn’t perfectly pin point how much time had accurately passed since I’d left my world—home and came to these trials—because the time measurement might vary differently from my own world’s from the places I’d ventured to—, but it had been a few months at best, and each battle had brought some unknown adversity my way and had been far rougher than any in the past, and to survive in this harsh and unwelcoming environment, I had no choice but to bring back my old detached and calloused self to work as a front for me to protect myself from the loneliness and vulnerability which threatened to consume me on each turn and twist.

I clenched my jaw in distress as I tried to push these unnecessary emotions away for the time being, scrunching the frown away which had made way up my face as I cleared the cold sweat from over my forehead, releasing a warm breath from my lungs, as if clearing my throat and forcing that lump out to ease myself.

But suddenly I realized that something warm had ran done the side of cheek under my pessimistic pondering. I hurried to check and realized that I had wiped my own tear, still fresh and warm against my cold skin. I didn’t know if it was a result of my fatigue, the burning light of the stalactites or this melancholy I felt.

The built up fatigue inside my body felt like a heavy burden as I stirred and took another breath, pulling my body in a meditative position and breathed the ambient mana into my body.

For a moment I held the thought of channelling Ruler’s Authority and shrouding myself in its otherworldly power which made me numb and only think and view things through a calculative lens of detachment, of only right and wrong. Helping me ease my mind of the unnecessary thoughts and emotions.

I opened my eyes slowly which felt like a burden right now and once again directed my attention toward Mordian—a dragon whose acquaintance I’d just made—who looked literally lofty and slightly nonchalant, but still had this air of poise and ostentation oozing from this dragonic physique, even if he wasn’t trying to display himself as such.

“’Mordian’...That’s quite an unusual and different name...” I said changing the topic suddenly as I stirred, I said in a premeditated tone, but my voice came out slightly strained and hoarse, but the dragon didn’t seem to mind my rough tone and had a glint of understanding in its golden eyes which seem to pale even the afternoon sun in its wake.

A thoughtful frown creased past Mordian’s face, as if pondering inward over my question, after a second's delay he answered. “I was named by my Father—the previous leader of the Astrionyx clan and the dragons, ‘Anthirix Astrionyx’—, he named me after my great forefather, the progenitor of the Astrionyx clan—Mordain Astrionyx.” Mordian said respectfully, as if reminiscing of some distant past which was no longer, as his eyes displayed some subtle sorrow which was barely perceivable after experiencing years of solitude.

“I see.” I returned with a smile as I eased and looked at the dragon with awaiting eyes.

“Then what about your third question?” Mordian asked immediately as he leaned gracefully against a towering crystal and corrected the position of his chain scattered around, restraining him, making it look as if he was leaning against a throne.

I pondered for a moment, trying to think which of the many questions to ask the dragon.

“I want to know what this ‘compass’ is?” You mentioned earlier in our conversation that perhaps I’d used this ‘compass’ thing when escaping to this location?” I asked as the dragon gave me a thoughtful stare, as if searching through the archives of his mind on my question. “But I’m not aware what this thing actually is?”

Mordian looked at me with a thoughtful hum as his iridescent eyes shimmered. “Are you aware what portal daises are?”

I nodded back immediately as I mulled over the question for a few seconds, then decided to speak. “Well, as far as I know, the portal dais are a complete panel like gate which are connected to a preprogramed location which cannot be altered after the panel which hold the entire device together is created in all its entirety, with rune like markings surrounding the panel which empower it as a conduit, which are then imbued with magic and in turn connects two separate locations together, creating a gate like phenomenon. But their entire workability is alien to me.”

Mordian took a breath and looked at me with an understanding nod. But his gaze shifted subtlety, as if he had found some point which I had missed.

“Correct. But portal daises can only sync with specific locations—in accordance to how they are made—and their imbued magic can’t be altered after their creation, unless if such a feature is preinstalled into the device itself for flexibility and convenience sake. You can say, that the extension of their accessibility is only through a determined location where the portal is set up.”

I carefully listened to the dragon explain as my brows rose an inch in curiosity. “But that accessibility is only for the portal platforms which are constructed to act as gates for two specific spots, aren’t they?” I chimed in as Mordian nodded back.

“Yes. Unlike a dais—or warp apparatus, which it was referred to in the past—, the compass is a simple device like any portal dais, but its use of application is different because its a remote device which anyone can carry around unlike a portal dais, after its use.” Mordian gave me a side glance as he shifted the weight from his hind legs and then sat on all fours as he rested his snout over his arms. “Which of course, links two specific locations in two different worlds together—yes, worlds—, and creates a gate like connection, and is imbued with the preprogramed location which only needs mana to activate.” Mordian said honestly without omitting any information. “There isn’t much difference between the two devices, but there is only one flaw of the compass unlike a complete gate.”

“And that is?” I asked with an incline of my head.

“That flaw is in its durability and how many uses it can provide with the amount of mana imbued in its creation and the materials associated, before alas until the mana imbued into the device runs dry and finally making the compass useless, leaving it a scrap. But that isn’t too big of an issue. A single compass can be used for at least a few decades with its engineered technology and how its programmed to work, if used in the proper way. But there creation is a complex methodology, which so far only the titans understand—and only a fee handful of dwarves—with there sharp knack for crafting—whom created these portal devices.”

But so far I knew, humans had only learned to exploit the use of simple portal daises—but that was also through replication and reverse engineering of the technology copied from the demons and the organisation of Evil Eye—but having a device such as this compass would have allowed us to move through worlds at any given moment.

It was like a magically device to leap from the bounds of one world to another.

So that's how demons started their incursion in our world. And if they have such devices at their disposal they can easily invade the human world at any given moment. Which arouses the question as to why they weren’t? If the demons had launched a full-scale attack with their strongest forces in their legions than by now our world would have ceased to exist like the falling and scattering debris and turned to ash.

A frown hung on my brows as I mulled over the question with the new found information I had just obtained minutes ago thanks to Mordian.

‘At first my theory was merely just a hypothetical guess for the circumstances and my lack of information, but after learning about these so called ash’ari and other races, the theory of some third party involved in this war was a far more plausible theory than before and solidified by the fact that these ancient race and others such as; the elves, orcs and dwarves existed.’

I felt conflicted suddenly that if these races had not been engaged with the demons of the Exciduim race than by now the human race would have been wiped out long ago. But that did happen, given enough time.

'But in the end, I was right about a third party having intervened with the demons—now theoretically that they might as well be engaged in a war against the demons just like us humans—that’s why the Exciduims weren’t able to lead their military might with their strongest officers into our home land.’

I broke away from my train of thoughts and lifted my head up to look at Mordian. “Thank you for answering my questions, Mordian. Thanks to you I have precious information which has helped me answer the questions I have been mulling over since long.” I said with a respectful smile as I slightly bowed my head to show my sincerity.

Then after a few seconds a veil of silence descended over the cavern until the point of awkwardness as I looked for any subjects to talk with the dragon.

But there was this awkward feeling I got when I spoke with him. It was more akin to being both comfortable and awkward with someone.

It was weird. But I didn’t hate this feeling.

Honestly I had a lot of things I wanted to speak about and ask Mordian, but I was afraid it might annoy him, making him frustrated that I’d already asked too much from him. And I wouldn’t want to enrage a dragon in my current condition.

But still, after our conversation, I’d come to realize that Mordian wasn’t an irrational dragon. He thought logically and was calculative in his way of speaking while keeping me at arm’s length, whether it was mental acuity or emotional maturity, he lacked nothing in his demeanour, and I wasn’t eager enough to antagonise him in any way, and any action I might take out of pure curiosity might as well come to bite me later.

He spoke carefully, and each word wisely without preamble, placidly and with caution which was subtle yet giving off a sense of threat to not cross a certain line he placed through his words alone.

But pushing him a little wouldn’t be an issue. Even if Mordian decided to attack me, I still had the element of surprise on my side. But we both didn’t knew about each others true strengths, even he was proceeding cautiously.

But I think I liked someone like Mordian better than a person who wore his emotions on his shoulders. Because better to be inconspicuous than a fool dancing in the palm of someone’s hand.

I felt a smirk pull as my lips as I continued to look up at the towering dragon.

But I guess, even if he seemed inconspicuous, his giant form was contradictory to that.

It may be because I was the same as him—in behaviour that was—, or had been like him—or a part of me still was—, untrusting and cold at times due to the circumstances and unfamiliarity.

But ever since I had received this system my life has been turned around, better or for the worst, I wasn’t sure.

I felt my smirk widen into a grin which didn’t quite reach my eyes. Well if I thought about it, it could be the latter than the former in my case. Just how much crap I’ve been through in the last year, my misfortune really was diabolic. From dying to regressing into the past, fighting a demon when I entered a low-ranked dungeon and then there was that incident in the academy, following the trip and battle with the basilisk which initiated the start of these trials.

My life had really been turned upside-down, even more so then I could've asked for.

“Why are you grinning all of a sudden?” Mordian asked sounding perplexed but there wasn’t much emotion in his words either way, as I realized that I had been constantly staring at him.

“No, it’s just...” I said as my expression relaxed further and I rested my head back, taking a breath and channelling the mana inside me to subdue the pain coursing through me akin to a mogwart’s bite. “I just thought you would’ve been some grumpy dragon who wouldn’t be rational and coherent enough to speak and hold a civil conversation with. Well the way we humans interpreted you mythical beasts wasn’t good neither bad—well there were variations to the stories the people told in folklore. And I guess from the stories I read as a child, I was expecting to see a dragon sitting atop their gargantuan stash of gold and precious items. But I mean, after the crap I’ve seen and been through since starting these trials, even meeting a dragon doesn’t give much lasting shock, after I’d calm down and looked at it rationally—I mean, I myself have faced a basilisk and met a ghost.” I said honestly as I prickled my cheek awkwardly with my finger.

Mordian frowned as his brows furrowed for a moment before he closed his eyes and snorted dismissively. “Be glad that you came across me. Because not everyone from the ash’ari are kind to lesser races. There are many who hold prejudice against your kind to this day."

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“What? Why?” I asked with a questioning tone. “The way you described them—the ash’ari—they seem pretty benevolent and kind people?”

A hint of a wry smile pulled at Mordian’s hardened face as his eyes opened slightly, revealing two which radiated liquid gold. “That is merely blissful thinking, even among the other ash’ari and their several clans. Not everyone is as kind enough to provide help to the weaker races—even when we decided to help the humans or any other race, the decision was taken with great difficulty, there was quite a bit of opposition from the other races and clans which didn’t see fit helping the lesser races. Sure, we might be benevolent, but that is only for a few among us, opposition is everywhere despite how broadminded one becomes—that is a mind-set. Their old ways had made them rudimentary and stuck in the past where they reigned over all. That mind-set of theirs was the cause of their downfall. Because they refused to evolve and let go of their pride which blinded them."

“But that’s exactly what happens to someone who sits atop an iron throne for long enough. They grew too prideful and arrogant."

Mordian said, as his last words sounded like they were directed to no one, his eyes growing old and detached, but there was a scoffing nature to his tone as he snickered in depreciation.

“And since a peace treaty was made between all the ash’ari, the dragons alone mended the conflicts which arose from time to time, with the help of the pantheons whom have been our closest allies since a very long time ago."

"I see.” I said, my voice slightly above a whisper.

I shifted in my position and rested my left arm over my knee. My body was almost completely healed but the more fatal wounds taking more time.

“Mordian?” I said as I leaned my back against the crystal.

“What?” He said without bating an eye.

“There is something that Indra mentioned which I was hoping to share with you.” I said, caution lacing my tone as I carefully considered the ramifications of the information. “I heard from Arudecarus that there was a race among the ancients whom studied and understood the edict of time better than any and were able to manipulate and influence time,” I added, trying to see how far I could go now from extracting information out of the dragon. It was a bet, but each time I shared some information Mordian would look intrigued, subtly showing it, but the hints were there. And I guess if he was willing to answer then that would be better.

“But he also said that time was rigid and it only flowed in a constant path without any compromise or regard to anything around it. It just flowed regardless of the changes occurring and stayed stuck unless some external, but equal force acted upon it to influence it somehow."

“That is true,” Mordian said placidly, his voice growing intrigued on the subject mentioned on the edict of time. “I don’t know why Indra didn’t tell you, but it was the dragons whom studied and understood the aspect of time—my ancestors that was.” Mordian answered as his demeanour shifted into a more serious one.

“We dragons studied one too many things for our natural thirst for more knowledge and to understand how the world around us worked. And time was one such subject amongst the many which my people showed quite a bit of interest in. But unfortunately, due some unforsaken reason, the information and materials which were considered priceless which my ancestors saved and worked on were lost in a war fought long ago against the demons. It was a great loss for my people."

“Then is it possible that if someone gains enough insight into this aspect of reality, then can they stop, slowdown and reverse the flow of time? Like leaping from the future into the past? Like regression?" I said, my voice came out rushed and strained as I looked at Mordian with awaiting eyes, as I held on to my sides as a rush of pain seared at my insides.

If the dragons were the ones who understood time better than any race, then perhaps Mordian could answer the reason and mystery behind my regression. And help me better understand this phenomenon, plus the reason why I was also able to influence time myself.

But I couldn’t get my hopes up just yet. Because Indra had very clearly said that not even the race who understood time—which were the dragons—could give a coherent answer to my unnatural act of defying the laws of time.

"What we had deciphered from the left over products of our ancestors research, we dragon were indeed able to influence time in the past—an ability and power which had made the dragons a very fearsome existence amongst all the ash’ari—but it is unknown and a mystery in this day and age how they were able to do so. The techniques or method necessary to learn how to influence time were forever lost in the falling ashes of the lasting war and weren't preserved.” Mordian said sounding slightly disappointed.

“But as far as stopping it, slowing it down—or might as well predicting the future through experiencing something akin to visions and peeking into the past, present and future through a seer’s eye which was considered a feat more impossible than being able to influence time—what my ancestors found out might have been similar, but the ability may or may not be possible, but from how my people viewed time and how it associates and share a compatibility with the other edicts—such as space and life—it could very much be possible. That’s the decision we came to after years of research.” Mordian added after a breath. “But as far as reversing time, such a thing is considered an anomaly—an impossible task which is absurdly ridiculous and impudent. It goes against the laws of time and such an act defies the very concept on which the edict is built upon. Because time separates events and actions happened, happening and yet to happen—we view time for our convenience as ‘past, present and future’. And everything is linked and started from the past. If someone were to trifle with the thin and delicate fabric of time then it might as well bring forth a catastrophe which could bring the end of all the worlds.”

I think Laurena warned me about something similar. But then just what does it make my regression if time can’t be reversed? How does one explain this concept? Then how did I regress back in time if this act is considered an impossibility from all means?

I breathed in frustration as I looked up at Mordian as my expression grew impatient and filled with anger.

“But what if—” I cut him off and spoke as I urged for answers or any plausible theory which the dragon might have, as it understand the power which governed the time-lines and worlds.

But I felt my insides churn and mind split as I felt my face twist in horror as an oppressive wave released by Mordian made me bite back on my words, similar to being pressed down by a mountain as if rods were being thrust into my head, as I groaned under the thick pressure exuding from Mordian’s body as an aura of golden-white exuded from his body—the pressure was similar to the Guardian’s, but lacked the strength and thickness as it was bearable to some extent.’

His face took a darker shade as his eyes turned emotionless and hostile, as I flinched back and took a stance. “That ‘what if’ is the line which separates the facts and the falsehood. The possibility of something like this is less than zero. You can’t hope for something which is impossible—a false hope. Even if it was possible, all my forefathers who might have understood the edict—better than me, or anyone else—are all dead.“ Mordian’s perfect and poise demeanour grew cracks as his heavy voice strained and turned hoarse as he stirred in anger, his fangs beared in hostility, suddenly the chains restraining him tightened around his body, as he slowly withdraw his mana, frowning, and the pressure shrouding the cavern slowly receded as the air settled and calmed around me.

“If such a thing was possible..." Mordain said with a subtle sombreness around him as he clenched his jaw, “I would very much want to reverse time and go back and save my race and prevent their destruction at the hands of those filthy cowards. But having such wishful thinking doesn’t mean a miracle like that would happen whenever you want it to. There is no such thinks as miracles in this world.” His voice slowly turned cold and sombre as his eyes displayed some great lose and hatred which made some pang of guilt to rise in my chest.

“If you are done with your questioners, then don’t disturb me any further. You can find a different corner of this cavern to recuperate and get comfortable there and leave when you can access your system.” The dragon said placidly, his voice holding no semblance of emotion or care, it was more a order, rather than request with a subtle calculative hostility laced in his tone.

I felt a little annoyed that he hadn’t fully explained what he was talking about, but I didn’t wanted to push him any further than I already had, but so far, what he’d told me was good enough. I guess I had struck a topic which was sensitive for him to talk about.

And about his race...

“Alright,” I said, standing up slowly as I jerked my arm and took a feel for it. My arm had regenerated up to the wrist and only a stump was left from where a hand was growing out of as the bones reconstructed and veins coiled around it.

“Thank you, Mordian.” I added with a slight bow as I looked around for another corner of this cavern.

***

A few hours have passed since my acquaintance with the dragon lord—which turned hostile after my persistent questioning and pestering—, but he was like an antisocial teenager. He spoke when he was spoken to, and ignored everything for whatever that was worth.

But I couldn’t blame him for it. Who knows how long he'd been trapped in his place for and for how long, knowing that he was the last remaining member left of his race—knowing he can't bring back his loved ones. He was all alone and from how I saw it, he was imprisoned here after some massacre of his race through the hollow information I’d received from him. The guilt and harshness in his voice kind of...reminded me of myself.

Or how I was in the past. Detached and calloused from the pain.

I clenched my arm as I felt a stinging pang run up to my right shoulder. But the pain wasn’t the problem right now. I performed a few sets of precise martial art as I flowed the mana in short and fast intervals, and checked to see if my mana channels were working properly, but there wasn’t any problems with my arm. It was as if it'd never been cut off, the fluid movement it provided and feel was the same as my old one.

After several hours of meditation and self training I was finally able to perfectly recover from all the damage I’d underwent from my battle.

From the side I peeked from a gap in a crystal inclined in the ground which showed the area Mordian was sitting in. He was sitting up straight, his obsidian scales shimmering under the bright light of the stalactites as he wore a sharp frown of contemplation.

I guess what I’d asked him last must have made him remember some memories which were hard for him to remember and digest even now.

Some scars were left on a person’s heart from experiencing loss and regret which weren't visible to the naked eye—unless someone experiences them on their own, they can’t understand someone’s pain or what they’ve been through.

But we can try to understand. I perfectly understood what it felt like to lose the people you cared about. To keep living while the others left one by one. It was painful.

I looked down at my fisted hand as I felt anger rise from inside me. I was angry, this angry was directed at no one but myself.

I felt pathetic on having shown such impudent behavior when I didn't even try to understand Mordian’s side of the story.

After I made the decision and determined myself I walked over to Mordian’s side of the cavern once again and stood only a few meters away from where he was.

His slender scaly neck lifted and he looked down at me with a nonchalant demeanour. No longer angry or looking like it at least.

“What do you want now?” He asked dismissively with the raise of his head.

“I wanted to apologize, I’m sorry.” I said sincerely. “I’m sorry for pushing you to answer one question after another and not being considerate of your standing. I apologize if I offended you any way, Mordian.” My face took on an emotional expression as I looked up at him.

“Its fine. You needn’t worry. It was unbecoming of me to act in the way I did. I acted too emotionally and on the spur of the moment.” Mordian said with a wave of his hand, but this time his tone was remorseful and calm, slightly less annoyed.

“But..” I added right after he finished. “I know it might sound rude and presumptuous—I’m not trying to be disrespectful in any possible way to you or any of the deceased dragons—, but I truly want to know what happened to the dragons? What happened to your race? Not out of disrespect or any animosity but because, I might have been through a similar experience. And when I was at my lowest, there no one left. No one, I couldn’t save anyone, I lost every last person I cared about to that loathsome war.” I said, as a sorrowful edge grew at the tip of my tongue making my words to come out strained and slight quivering as my face turned solemn.

I felt weird saying all this to a dragon who might have lived hundred times my age both lives combined, but I just felt like I needed to say this, for Mordian and as much as for myself.

But ever since I had met Mordian, I just felt this nostalgic feeling from him which made me comfortable around him for some reason and drop my guard, as if he was someone I knew from somewhere. But he wasn’t. This was the first time I had properly met him and made his acquaintance. And who knows how long he’s been trapped in here. But this feeling of déjà vu was making me think otherwise.

Because when I’d looked into those golden eyes, they reminded me of someone from somewhere.

“I know its not easy to lose something precious, let alone the people you care about and can do anything for. The guilt and self-deprecation becomes a slow poison which slowly but eventually makes you vulnerable to all the pain."

Mordian frowned as his demeanour shifted, but I stood firm and unwilling to back off an inch. I wasn’t going to get intimidated just because he was a dragon. I’d faced the demon king, and even he couldn’t intimidate me easily.

I knew I was being pushy and it was unlike me to do something like this, but even I didn’t fully understand my current actions. I just wanted to do this.

“Its alright if you don’t feel comfortable enough to talk about your past, but if you do I’m willing to listen and lent an ear. Because the person who took care of me and raised me since I was young told me that, sometimes sharing your afflictions with others can lessen it and make you feel relieved, even if slightly, but it does. Its hard to take a step forward with all that regret and sorrow weighing you down."

And it did for me, when I had shared mine with Laurena. She knew what I’d been through and accepted me. She was a seer, but it couldn't meann she was able to peek into a person's heart completely.

“You humans sure are bold,” Mordian said witha scoff as the smallest hint of a wry smile pulled on his solemn face. “My mother, Sylvie Astrionyx, was a kind queen and mother, she was known to be kind to anyone. Someone who had no prejudice against anyone and treated everyone equally, everyone loved and admired her, and I was proud to have her as my parent and queen, and she used to say similar things.” Mordian said as I couldn’t begin to put into words the amount of hiraeth which was perfectly felt in his tone as his eyes softened and face slacked from emotion.

“Well, there isn’t much to tell anyways but I guess sharing my side of the story after you told me yours is only fair.”

“Dragons sure are fair in their ways,” I added with a friendly smirk, but Mordian didn’t respond.

After a few seconds, Mordian started telling me how the demons and dragons were also on bad terms since long ago.

He went on to tell me that his ancestors had deemed the demons unnecessary and useless which they needn’t waste their attention on. The more he spoke the more my frown deepened in thought.

His story continued as he told me that the demons of the exciduim race and the other races had been waging wars against one another since the time of his ancestors era—due to which a formal peace treaty was made between all the leaders of the leading clans present, of each race of the ash’ari which decreed against any hostile actions against one another, and form a treaty to battle the dominating and overwhelming forces of the exciduim race. Mordian frowned slightly as if he considering something then continued.

Then he slowly explained to me that after several millennials had passed and due to the ash’aris combined strength and military might, the demons didn’t dare attack carelessly unlike in the past. But as times went on, visible cracks started to grow in the treaty amongst the ash’aris, which the exciduim race took advantage of and then suddenly one day they appeared and launched a full scale war against all the ash’ari and the other lesser races, when the peace among the ash’ari was at the most risk, when everyone was wary and distrustful of one another, but the dragons had tried to mend the broken trust of the other races, but by then it was too late as the incursion and battles were already underway. They blew their horns of war first on the dragons homes.

“You said something about downfall earlier? What did you mean by that?” I asked after a moment of consideration.

“Yes. Even the dragons were no good when it came to their pride. The exciduim race's strength wasn't much to boast about, but their strategic might far surpassed any other race and rivalled those of the basilisks'. But due to that simple miscalculation they grew arrogant of their simple strength in numbers and mediated military might for centuries. They became full of themselves and what they were capable of—so was the case with the other races—which amounted to their defeat at the hands of those filthy demons, because they were hiding their true forces and waiting for the others to drop their guards.” Suddenly Mordian's voice blazed with anger as if he had remembered some past memory as the pressure around his body increased.

“Then the demons used every single combatant available to initiate their attack on the dragons first. When the demons attacked, their sudden ambush over the dragons a millennial ago, was sudden and swift. We were caught of guard, but still retaliated against them, but for some unforeseen reason their forces overwhelmed ours—their once weaker strength had grown to rival the ash’ari, somehow they were no longer the shadows of their past selves—as they marched and trampled our home land, leaving no stone unturned, no village unburned. Their goal was simple, to exterminate the dragon race first as we stood between the other races as menders as we always had, I don’t why they attacked my race first and decided on that—but there has to be some deeper meaning which I'm unaware of. After the entire attack was over and we were defeated, I saw my people imprisoned and being executed in fornt of me, among them were my parents as well, that's the last thing I remember before I’d woken up and found myself here, chained and trapped with no hopes of escape with my ability to use my mana sealed with the curse placed on me by a loathsome demon.”

“But the curse was placed prematurely over me, so it can’t fully seal my powers, I can exercise my strength, but a big portion of it has been sealed."

Just as Mordian said, I channelled Mind’s Eye as the bright cavern was drowned by a mirage of cascading colours as I focused on his physique.

There was a golden-white aura shrouding his entire body and the mana inside him so pure, as if something concentrated for several centuries which was tightly tied to each muscle and tendon of his body. As if the mana itself constructed his body, working as a conduit for his existence.

But upon closer examination, I saw something sinister having lurched itself around the area where Mordian’s heart was.

The demonic energy had enveloped his heart in a seal, which had cracks and fissures around it and throbbed with a dark pulsation through which his mana was leaking out of.

“This curse was put on me by a demon named, Ashmedai. The leader of the Seraphims.”