Empire

For a moment, the entire Great Anzetta Waste fell dead silent. From mortal men and monsters upon the earth to the divine beings in the sky, every gaze turned toward the newly crowned dragon. Cassius's expression did not waver. He felt the crown resting upon his brow and sensed the countless eyes converging upon him from every direction. Then, he delivered his imperial proclamation: "I, Cassius Claudew Norixius, do hereby declare—" "The Cinder Empire is founded." His tone was not impassioned, yet it resonated with immense power, weighing heavily upon the heart of everyone present. "Good. Very good..." "You are craftier than I anticipated. I had thought... you would be an obedient child." Tiamat fixed her many slit pupils upon the red dragon on the altar, her gaze seething with boundless wrath and greed. Slowly, she unfurled wings massive enough to blot out the sky. Instantly, an insurmountable pressure descended as darkness swallowed the earth. The near-tangible aura bore down upon Cassius's shoulders like a colossal mountain. Yet he was no longer what he once was. Mustering every ounce of strength in his body against the terrifying weight, Cassius raised his head and locked his pale gold vertical pupils directly with Tiamat's greedy eyes. "You flatter me..." "Your Majesty Tiamat." Cassius gritted his teeth, the words tearing almost from the depths of his throat. At this moment, the atavistic red dragon presented a fearsome and hideous sight. His muscles bulged, thick veins stood out across his frame, the osseous spines along his back bristled upright, billowing white steam plumed from the vents along his neck, and molten ripples surged beneath the surface of his scales. In the next instant, the crushing aura vanished without a trace. Cassius breathed an inward sigh of relief. When it came to Tiamat, he truly had nothing to fear. If Tiamat were to openly strike down a rising red dragon under these circumstances, it would only chill the hearts of the chromatic dragons across the continent, grieving for their fallen kin and causing her faith to wither. The calculating Dragon Queen would never make a move that cost her so dearly for so little gain. What Tiamat truly wanted was to use Cassius's coronation to expand her own influence and proclaim her divine majesty without offering a single scrap of genuine benefit. Evidently, her scheme to reap something for nothing had fallen through. With the oppressive aura dissipating into thin air, Tiamat's phantom in the high heavens withdrew all her power. Her expression turned indifferent as she spoke: "Cassius, you ought to know full well... what becomes of those rebels who dare make an enemy of me." "I hope you will not tread down that path." No sooner had the words left her mouths than the form of the five-headed dragon dissolved into the void. Cassius merely inclined his head slightly toward where the Dragon Queen had vanished, replying with measured courtesy, "I shall heed your counsel and keep it as a cautionary tale." He then turned his gaze toward the other side of the sky, where the platinum dragon wore a faintly mocking smile. "Quite an entertaining spectacle indeed." The grievances and enmity between the two dragon deities spanned tens of thousands of years, running far too deep to measure. They stopped at nothing to thwart each other, a feud that had even brought about the cataclysmic Dragonfall War. Bahamut turned to look at Cassius, his countenance growing solemn. "The scent of the Abyss, just as I sensed..." "You possess the makings of a dragon king. Do not stray into ruin." Having imparted these words for Cassius's ears alone, a brilliant azure radiance flared once more, and the platinum dragon's phantom gradually dispersed. The roiling storm and bizarre celestial phenomena faded, leaving the wide sky open and clear once again. The hundreds of thousands gathered below remained utterly speechless, merely gazing up at the new emperor upon the altar in reverent awe. None dared meddle in the disputes of gods. "Dragon deities, is it..." Cassius looked up into the cerulean sky, watching the platinum dragon depart. His expression was thoroughly composed, the golden crown gleaming brightly atop his brow. He harbored no affection toward either of these dragon gods; whether chromatic or metallic, evil or good, he had no intention of following any of them. If he were compelled to believe in anything, it could only be himself. At that moment, the long-dormant system interface flickered to life before his eyes. Notification after notification updated in rapid succession, accompanied by the appearance of a shimmering trophy of reddish gold. [You have established an empire of your own. You have earned the Legendary Achievement: Emperor] [Emperor] "Over the territory of the Empire, the sun shall never set." —Aragorn I, Emperor of Holy Fadlan [Your trait 'Kingdom Domain' has evolved into the advanced trait: 'Imperial Domain'] [Charisma +5] [Governance Mastery +18] [Imperial Supremacy: Within the borders of your empire, you possess supreme authority comparable to that of a deity. Your will can transform any designated region into a dead magic zone, incite spell surges, permanently alter climate and environment, and reshape terrain.] [Emperor Paramount: Within the territory of your empire, you possess a singular, peerless status. You are completely immune to all forms of control targeting your body, mind, and soul.] [Imperial Grace: At a negligible cost, you may bestow portions of your power upon your subjects. Subjects who accept your grace will become bound to you on physical, mental, and spiritual levels, augmenting your soul strength.] "Roar—!" Cassius tilted his head back and let out an exhilarating roar, feeling an invisible, majestic might surge through his being. Dusk had already fallen, and the sun was dipping below the horizon. The lingering glow of the setting sun plated the red dragon's scales in a faint golden sheen, causing the crown upon his head to emanate flickering spiritual luminescence. The multitude gathered throughout the plaza gazed up at the apex of the altar. For some inexplicable reason, they instinctively felt that this red dragon had grown far more noble and sublime. Several among them even fell trembling to their knees, shaking uncontrollably from head to toe. If the red dragon had previously inspired awe as a sovereign looking down upon mortals from above, he now evoked an entirely different sensation—one akin to a god. Such was the power of the Imperial Domain. "This strength..." "Even if an avatar of Tiamat were to descend in person, I would have nothing to fear." Sensing that absolute mastery, a smile crept onto Cassius's face—a smile of pure satisfaction born of overwhelming power. 'I originally planned to give them a little surprise with Bloodline Boon, but now, this is the perfect chance to test this new ability.' He looked down upon the hushed sea of people across the grounds, thoughts turning swiftly. This had always been part of his initial design. The red dragon spread his broad wings and beat them against the air. Accompanied by howling gales, he lifted himself slowly a hundred meters into the sky. As the moments slipped by, the sun sank almost completely below the earth. The velvet curtain of night drew across the heavens, dimming the sky until only a slender orange-red ribbon traced the horizon. Suddenly, gasps of astonishment erupted from the square. "Look! What is that?" "How could there be light at this hour?" "How is this possible?" "That... that is—by the gods!" Hundreds of thousands of onlookers craned their necks in unison. Half of the sky was ablaze with radiance, the encroaching pitch-black expanse dyed a fiery orange-red. Dawn had broken anew. A second sun had risen in the sky. —It was Cassius.