The Sinner's Tale

"Oh?" Cassius showed no panic. He merely kept his head held high, meeting Beatrice's gaze without flinching. His powerful wing claws lifted as his sleek, lustrous wings spread wide. "Is this how the Realm of Eternal Order treats its guests? My unfamiliar kin, did you invite me here only to make an enemy of me?" Beatrice beat her wings, whipping up fierce gusts of wind. Her voice was cold and stern. "Before the sacred relic of Lord Lendys, there is only justice and order. Any who conceal and deceive become our enemies!" Reflected in those two pairs of eyes, like molten pools of gold, were each other's equally majestic visages. Two immense draconic auras surged outward in an instant, clashing and pressing against each other until the air seemed on the verge of freezing solid. Under the impact of this confrontation, the gold dragons throughout the hall opened their eyes, rousing from their respective meditations. They took flight and gathered behind their familiar mentor, Beatrice, regarding the unfamiliar ancient gold dragon with solemn expressions. Aurora flapped her wings, wobbling as she flew between the two ancient dragons. She first looked up, casting a pleading glance at Beatrice. "Master, there must be a misunderstanding! Senior Titus is the benefactor who saved the Mountain Kingdom, revered by mortals as the Dragon of Dawn! How could he be an enemy?" Yet Beatrice paid no heed to her defense, issuing a ruthless command: "Stand down, Aurora! This does not concern you!" "Master, it is truly not what you think—" "Enough! This is too dangerous. You have studied the secret histories of our kind. Evil dragons constantly covet our power. Who can guarantee that this creature behind you is not a blue or green dragon adept at deceit and disguise?" "But—" "There are no buts! Stop this foolishness, Aurora. You are far too young and lack the ability to discern good from evil." Beatrice's icy gaze swept past Aurora, fixing straight onto "Titus." "Yet I have already—" Seeing that she could not sway her mentor, the young gold dragon turned around, looking with guilt at the Dragon of Dawn whom she had invited. "Senior Titus, I am sorry. I never wanted this to happen. Master is just mistaken; she doesn't truly consider you an enemy." Aurora turned her head back and forth, looking up and down. Her voice was fraught with anxiety, as though she had swallowed a mouthful of molten rock. Neither side was swayed by her, however. Caught in the clash between two ancient dragons, Aurora felt so dizzy she nearly tumbled from the air. "So it is... As expected of the Bestower of the Realm of Eternal Order, nothing escapes your eyes." Cassius lowered his head and spoke softly. The indignant expression on his face gradually smoothed into an easy, relaxed look, tinted with helpless resignation. Finally, he slowly drew in his wings, folding them against his back like a giant golden moth. The potent draconic aura dissipated along with the gesture. Sensing the tension vanish from the air, Aurora let out a sigh of relief. She wiped away the sweat beading on her forehead with a claw and obediently touched down onto the floor. Yet Beatrice remained suspended in midair, studying the unfamiliar ancient gold dragon with scrutiny. She parted her jaws slightly, the ten-odd slender barbels beside her mouth drifting in the air. "Titus, what are you hiding? Whatever it may be, forbidding any suspicious individual from approaching is my duty as Guardian of the Scale of Lendys." Her voice rang through the monastery hall like that of an austere magistrate upon a tribunal bench. Cassius offered a self-deprecating smile, hesitating briefly before lowering his voice. "Concealment and deception are not always born of malice. Sometimes they are merely habitual self-defense, and... a means to protect those around oneself." He raised his head again to meet the gaze of the formidable ancient female gold dragon inscribed with intricate runes. "Lady Beatrice, I have no desire to make an enemy of you. It is just... we may need to find a more private place to talk." "Very well. Follow me." Beatrice's reply was brisk and curt. Seeing this, the other gold dragons withdrew one by one, returning to their positions to resume their cultivation. Aurora cast a worried glance in their direction before reluctantly slinking away. Even so, she remained convinced that the "Senior Titus" she had invited could never be a villain. Perhaps it was instinct, but she felt this mysterious elder was extraordinarily dependable, inspiring an inexplicable sense of security. Beatrice beat her wings, flying out of the monastery with swift elegance toward a secluded canyon deep within the mountains. Cassius, in his ancient gold dragon guise, followed close behind in silence. He was weighing his options. Within the Realm of Eternal Order, a demiplane forged specifically for hidecarved dragons, the power of Cassius's avatar alone was likely no match for Beatrice, an ancient guardian. And when dealing with an ancient dragon of such high intellect, vague riddles would hardly suffice. A half-truth was far deadlier than pure deception. Perhaps he could work with that, Cassius mused. Not that he was genuinely worried; even if he fell here, he would only lose an avatar. At most, he would sacrifice this power, his connections in the Mountain Kingdom, and the reputation he had forged. *Awooo—* The moment he entered the deep gorge, mournful wails and shrieks echoed in his ears—a chaotic cacophony of sound, kept from escaping outside by an invisible barrier. Cassius peered into the canyon depths. Claw marks and fissures riddled the terrain, marred by old bloodstains like an ancient, decrepit prison. Chilly gusts blew across the gorge from time to time, completely out of harmony with the serene, orderly ambiance of the Realm of Eternal Order. Densely packed runes were carved across the cliff faces on both sides, their forms radiating an overwhelming sense of oppression, like an inescapable cage. At the same time, an intense pressure descended, weighing down on Cassius's shoulders. Even beating his wings to sustain flight became taxing, let alone casting spells. Beatrice, however, remained unaffected, soaring briskly ahead. Cassius surveyed his surroundings and could not help remarking, "Heh. To think that beneath the peaceful, magnificent facade of the Realm of Eternal Order, there lies a place like this. It is almost like the Screaming Tunnels. Is this your prison?" "This is the Unforgiven Valley, the only place in the Realm of Eternal Order untouched by sunlight." Beatrice's voice remained frigid, ringing out distinctly even against the howling winds and shrieking cries. "In a sense, you are correct. This is the place my father, Ferdinand, used to imprison the most heinous offenders—sinners, if you will." She gently flapped her wings and touched down lightly on a jutting precipice, then folded her wings neatly against her back. "Sinners?" Cassius instinctively dipped his head, a helpless, wry smile appearing on his face, the barbels at the corners of his mouth twitching faintly. "Sinners... It has been a long time since I heard that familiar title. Perhaps... you are right." Beatrice gave him a searching look but said nothing more. Stepping along the cliff, she led the way into a cavern. Deep within the cave, glowing stones illuminated the path ahead. The walls were still covered in elaborate runes, giving off a stifling pressure. Cassius observed those oppressive patterns, reminiscent of iron bars, and asked quietly, "Is this a dead magic zone?" Drawing her wings tighter against her back, Beatrice strode forward without looking back. "Yes. Father used masterfully carved runes to establish vast dead magic zones and wards against good and evil. This is the detention ward he meticulously constructed, specifically to contain clever wizards." Feeling the force pressing in from all directions, suppressing the primal magic in his body, Cassius let out a quiet chuckle. "To employ such an extravagance... you truly flatter me." "Suspicious outsider, this is merely a necessary precaution. The power of the runes allows me to see through to the essence of all things. Though you are veiled in mist, I can sense that you are far more powerful than you appear." "Thank you for the compliment, though I would rather not receive it within your prison." "It is not a compliment, Titus," Beatrice said sternly. "Until your purpose and allegiance are clear, greater strength only makes you a greater threat to the Realm of Eternal Order." Under the crushing pressure, Cassius flexed his claws to ease the strain, seizing the chance to question her reasoning. "That defies logic. If I truly possessed the power to shatter the Realm of Eternal Order, I would have thrown off all pretense long ago. Why would I follow you here? Lady Beatrice, you are being overly paranoid." "It is merely a necessary precaution." Beatrice gave a noncommittal response, shaking her head as she continued deeper into the cavern. "We have arrived. Follow me." *Rumble—* With a resounding boom, a heavy stone door ahead slowly ground open. The patterns on its surface flashed with light, clearly brimming with numerous supernatural enchantments. They entered the opening one after the other, stepping into a spherical chamber. The surrounding walls were covered in an unbroken blanket of elaborate runes, and suspended at the center was a black gemstone. A heavier pressure bore down upon them. The instant he laid eyes on the black gem, Cassius even felt an impulse to confess everything, to lay his secrets bare. A Greater Sphere of Truth. In such an environment, even a great wyrm red dragon could not exert half of its full strength. Yet Beatrice remained wholly unaffected. Turning around, she fixed the ancient gold dragon before her with a piercing gaze and spoke once more. "This was Father's interrogation room. Not even a great wyrm blue dragon could easily escape it. This chamber bars all sound, scrying, and divination. It should meet your requirement for a 'private place.'" "Indeed." The ancient gold dragon stepped forward aggressively, her eyes burning like torches. "Then tell me: what are you hiding? What is your true objective?" "Could you give me a moment? At the very least, I am still your guest, not your enemy." Prepared for this, Cassius closed his eyes, appearing as if he were reminiscing about the past, or perhaps wavering in hesitation. Instantly, a heavy, despondent aura enveloped him. The air seemed to congeal, and even his golden scales lost much of their luster. After a long silence, he opened his eyes and slowly extended his left front claw. *Hiss...* The crackle of burning flames sounded as mottled, black-red fire abruptly flared in his palm. "Chaos Fire?! How dare you seek out such power? It will drag you into the Abyss!" Beatrice's voice trembled, her expression altering drastically as she stared fixedly at the seemingly insignificant flame in Titus's grip. An imperceptible glint of amusement flickered through Cassius's eyes. As expected, presenting a sufficiently shocking reality—such as the Abyss—would cause the other party to overlook any other deception. *Boom!* In an instant, the runes on the walls flashed frantically, unleashing waves of lawful power. Hundreds of silver-white chains surged forth from all directions, seeking to imprison this foul, chaotic force. Yet the wild, turbulent tongues of flame danced in midair like tendrils reaching from the Abyss, stubbornly resisting the runic power. Rolling black mist filled the chamber, accompanied by the metallic stench of blood. Cassius clenched his claws, forcing the fire under control, though stray sparks still leaked out and scorched his own scales. "I did not seek the power of the Abyss. I... had no choice." Cassius's body trembled, agony written across his face. Forcibly suppressing the raging flame, he looked up with a frail smile. "Beatrice, would you be willing to listen to a long-buried... sinner's tale?" Beatrice's gaze grew grave, but she gave a hesitant nod. She sensed that the gold dragon before her was not one who had willingly fallen into depravity with the Abyss, but one desperately resisting that repulsive chaotic power. There must be some unspeakable hardship; she could even feel the sorrow radiating from him. Such an ancient gold dragon surely bore a tragic past. With that, Cassius lay wearily upon the chamber floor, his voice raspy and low. "I cannot say how long ago it was... Perhaps three thousand years? Perhaps four thousand? "In any case, back then, I was still a mature dragon, eager to uphold justice and order throughout the world by my own strength. So I gathered many of our kin and forged a close alliance..." For some reason, though Titus had barely begun, waves of pity, regret, and sorrow welled in Beatrice's heart, lingering without fading. Following Cassius's words, she could almost picture an ambitious gold dragon determined to change the world, just like her father, Ferdinand. She could almost see hundreds of gold dragons soaring through the skies, patrolling far and wide, purging evil across the lands. Beatrice had no idea that this was the full effect of Cassius's Silver Tongue feature, amplified by an extraordinary Charisma score of 36. If this were a Deception or Persuasion check in a game, Cassius's Charisma and skill bonuses would reach at least +20. Even an ancient gold dragon hidecarver with a will of iron would be swayed without realizing it. "My companions galloped across the earth and soared through the heavens. Whether it was wicked red dragons slaughtering villages, giants plundering cities, devils tricking mortal souls, or liches reaping spirits... none escaped our judgment..." Cassius's voice flowed on. He spoke steadily and eloquently, gradually painting for Beatrice an epic tale that resonated deeply with the core values of gold dragons. Under the influence of Silver Tongue, the ancient female gold dragon, having lived secluded in the Realm of Eternal Order away from worldly affairs, was thoroughly drawn in, believing his words without a shred of doubt.