Ancient Dragon Form

"Master, you... you have finally returned." In front of the portal leading to the Underdark, Trump waited apprehensively. He bowed his head. His ugly nose sharply caught the scent of blood lingering on the red dragon, yet he did not dare utter another word. "Mortifer—that gutter rat is dead," Cassius said flatly, as though stating a matter of utter triviality. Trump suddenly recalled Dragonshadow City, ruled by Mortifer. The city occupied an advantageous location and bustled with commerce; perhaps it could serve as a forward base for the Kingdom of Cinders's advance into the Underdark. Yet the ogre mage covertly observed the red dragon's expression. Seeing that his master seemed disinclined to speak further, looking even slightly impatient, he immediately abandoned any thought of asking. "Your mighty power is enough to make the gods tremble." "From this day forth, no existence shall ever threaten Northwind Keep again." Trump flattered deferentially, kneeling on the ground, his bloated, massive bulk resembling a mountain of flesh. Cassius, however, appeared rather absentminded. Giving merely a slight nod, he flapped his wings and took flight toward the Steel Dragonwing Palace on the city's outskirts. Only after a long while did Trump, kneeling on the ground, cautiously lift his head. Confirming that the red dragon's silhouette had vanished, he pulled out a gold-threaded handkerchief to wipe the sweat trickling down his forehead. "Master... he has grown even stronger, but his temperament has changed as well." "I know not whether this bodes well or ill." The ogre mage muttered under his breath, looking up at the sunset glowing like fire across the horizon with an expression full of trepidation. ... Meanwhile, inside the palace. Cassius exhaled a plume of sulfurous fumes. White smoke curled around his entire body, sparks sputtered from his pupils, and scorching streams of fire welled from the gaps between his scales. He gazed coldly at the interface. [You have slain Lion Guard - Oakland. Gained 1,800 XP] [You have slain Sword of the Guardian - Tyrande. Gained 1,600 XP] [You have slain Human Soldier. Gained 400 XP] ... [You have slain Human Stablehand. Gained 5 XP] [You have slain Human Merchant. Gained 1 XP] On the way from Northwind Keep to the palace, he had casually obliterated a human merchant caravan traveling from Stravburg to trade. The caravan had possessed considerable wealth, guarded by several high-ranking classers. They were more than capable of handling highwaymen and bandits along the road, and were even sufficient to deal with yetis in the deep mountains. Before a red dragon, however, all of that was utterly futile. The unfortunate humans had only just realized they were engulfed in a colossal shadow. Looking up in sheer horror, before they could even scream "Danger!" or "Guards!", scorching dark-red fire rained from above like divine retribution. The flames consumed them entirely, reducing them to nothingness without leaving behind even a trace of struggle. No one would notice the caravan's disappearance; perhaps it would merely become an inconspicuous line in an account book. And this caravan had provided Cassius with the final bit of meager experience he needed. After hesitating for a moment between the two classes of "Bloodscaled Fury" and "True Dragon Sorcerer," he made his final choice. [Your total character level has reached 17] [You have chosen to advance True Dragon Sorcerer to Level 14] [Due to innate draconic spellcasting, your current caster level is: 19] [You are now among the foremost sorcerers in this world. You have gained an ability granted by your Sorcerous Origin] In the memories of his past life, this level marked a new leap for all classers, and sorcerers would obtain a Sorcerous Origin feature to become true high-level classers—masters of kingdom rank. This was why, after a moment's hesitation, he had ultimately chosen not to continue leveling Bloodscaled Fury. [You have obtained a Sorcerous Origin feature: Ancient Dragon Form] Ancient Dragon Form [True Dragon Sorcerers often consult older draconic elders or trace their lineage back to the ancient beings who served as their bloodline source. To better comprehend this power, they may even transform into ancient dragons themselves. You may choose any type from standard true dragons, such as chromatic dragons, metallic dragons, or gem dragons, and expend a drop of draconic true blood to take their form. During the transformation, you are treated as a true ancient dragon, possessing all of its base attributes and spell-like abilities. However, these abilities are primarily for comprehension; their duration for actual combat use is relatively short and will gradually fade upon entering battle.] "A fine ability," Cassius assessed. That was an ancient dragon—an existence at the pinnacle of power across the entire Material Plane. Even briefly experiencing it would yield immense benefits, let alone having a "short duration for actual use." After all, the Challenge Rating of an ancient red dragon was 22, and an ancient gold dragon was a terrifying 23. That was enough to walk unchallenged across Elezerg. Even Cassius would find it difficult to defeat an ancient gold dragon without resorting to the Breath of Chaos. [You have obtained an additional draconic spell: Primal Hunter] Primal Hunter 2nd-level Transmutation Your muscles bulge with the remembered strength of your ancestors, tensing for swift action. This spell causes your body to recall the power of your ancestors and the ages when they constantly fought for survival. You gain a +5 competence bonus on Climb, Jump, and Swim checks. "Useless trash." Cassius's expression darkened slightly. For a dragon of his caliber, such a spell was barely better than nothing. [You have obtained an additional draconic spell: Draconic Justice] Draconic Justice 6th-level Transmutation Bright yellow rays project outward from your body, making it appear as if you were covered in glowing spikes. You create an arcane field of force surrounding yourself that inflicts retaliatory damage upon those who attack you. For the duration of the spell, any creature that attacks you with a weapon is pierced by the force field. "This, at least, might be of some use." Cassius gave his head a casual toss, letting wisps of sparks spill from the corners of his mouth as he felt the thermal energy coursing through his throat. Yet he was still pondering that tempting thought from before. "Kill all living beings on the Material Plane." "Continue ruling the Kingdom of Cinders... or destroy this world and pursue supreme, absolute power." "Perhaps this truly is a kind of purification." The red dragon mused in feverish excitement. The Heart of Garyx beat in tandem with his powerful heart, supplying a steady stream of energy through his fundus vessels. Never had he felt the energy in his body so abundant, as though an infinite vitality awaited his release. "Power." "It is everything required to exist in this world." Cassius extended a claw. Dark-red flames erupted from his palm, and he clenched it shut with a sudden snap. Instantly, a tremendous surge of energy erupted, sending a hot gale sweeping across miles around. He felt unprecedented power surging within his draconic frame. Even if a deity were to descend in an avatar, he felt confident he could engulf it with the fire of chaos—or perhaps that was merely his soaring ambition. "Heheheh..." The red dragon parted his jaws and bared a savage grin once more, his wings trembling continuously along with it. It seemed he had already made his choice.