Dungeon of Pride, Laplace

Chapter 40: Wind of Change

The Draconic continent was the second largest continent after the Central continent. Its landmass was only a little bit smaller than the latter. It was mostly populated by dragonkin, demi-humans, and humans nonetheless the true rulers of the continent were not them but the five ancient Dragon Lords. These Dragon Lords have survived since ancient times and were the ancestor of all the dragons that currently roamed the world. Although in the present timeline, nobody had seen them, bu their reputation and might which shook the continents in the ancient times was clearly written in the annals of history.

The Draconic continent was a peaceful continent where most of the kingdoms and empires live in harmony. Many races lived and intermingled with each other, even the races that have gone extinct in other continents could be seen roaming in these lands. The inhabitants here build shrines and monuments of the Dragon Lords and revere them just like gods. A utopia for all the species balanced and overseen by them. One could even say that they were the guardians of the draconic continent.

These Dragon Lords that have lived since the primordial times, were one of the strongest species alive. They mostly lived a life of seclusion and hardly bothered with the affairs of the world unless a calamity that could threaten the harmony of the world arises, they wouldn’t willingly show their faces easily. Although there are a few people alive who can sense their presence, the knowledgable ones were tactful enough not to earn the ire of these behemoths of history.

In one of the tallest mountains in the entire Draconic continent, the Clouds Meet Mountain which was hundreds of thousands meters tall. The peak of the mountain couldn’t be seen as it was hidden by the clouds above and the most amazing thing about the mountain was the bottommost part was levitating above the ground. The mountain was not connected and was hovering a few meters above the ground. A marveling sight that could make the onlooker’s jaw drop.

Anyone that looked at the mountain would be amazed by its grandeur and mighty presence. However, that was if anybody could see it. The entire Clouds Meet Mountian was hidden by a powerful magical array inlaid at the base of the mountain. The array generated a thin film over the entire mountain that made it invisible to the onlookers.

High above at the peak that pierced the clouds was a grand castle that was carved into the very mountain itself giving off an imposing and impenetrable aura. The castle was gigantic to say no less and its craftsmanship spoke volumes of its splendor and might. The castle gave of the presence of indestructibility and was a relic from the ancient times. In one of the rooms of the castle which was hundreds of meters wide, supported by the tall pillars that reached up till the ceiling, an old man with a muscular build was seated in the center of the room.

The man had a head full of silver-white hair and wrinkles reminiscent of old age was in his otherwise sharp face, his eyebrows were like two unsheathed swords. Dragon scales releasing divine light dotted the corners of his closed eyelids looking just as menacing and when he breathed the air in the entire room trembled. The old man was wearing a simple gray robe and his body was uncharacteristically tall, sharp, and unmoving. The air trembled as the man breathed in and out and it seemed that he was in deep meditation and not even the slightest presence or aura of his leaked out.

Suddenly the eyebrows of the man twitched a little before his closed eyelids slowly opened, WOOOSH… the clouds suddenly darkened as they continuously churned around the mountain and at that moment the entire Clouds Meet Mountain trembled. Thunder rumbled as his two silvery-white eyes filled with a mystical light scanned the entire area, his might encompassing the entire mountain and the surrounding lands. After a few moments the man abruptly stood up “My granddaughter Lucine, I cant sense her presence here anymore!?”. The old man made a confused face and said “That can’t be I could sense her presence a few moments ago. What’s going on?..did she use [Imitate Presence] to fool my senses to sneak out of here again!?”.

No longer able to contain his anxiousness, he stormed out of his room and roared “DRAKE WHERE ARE YOU?.. COME OUT HERE THIS INSTANT”. His voice like a soundwave spread onto the whole mountain and even shook a few kilometers of land. Immediately after his thundering voice sounded, many people with extremely strong presences appeared out of thin air and kneeled before the man. Surprisingly each of their presence was no less powerful than a Demon Duke. After what felt like a few minutes, a fat man with a round belly wearing a well-designed cloth and luxurious coat that reached till his plump knees appeared using a spatial gate and hurriedly tied to kneel. But before he could, he was grabbed by the collar and lifted by the man. “Drake you worthless fool…didn’t I tell you to notify me whenever Lucine sneaks out of the place huhh?” ?” he roared as he questioned the man named Drake.

“L-L-Lord Morax please calm your anger…I-I was told that she already got your permission and since you were in seclusion I did not dare to barge inside….I-I’m sorry” Drake hurriedly pleaded with a pale face that was devoid of any blood as his whole body shuddered intensely.