Following the world-shaking battle between the Cinder Emperor and the Lord of the Rotting Mire, the climate and environment of northern Seleucia underwent an earth-shattering transformation.
The dark clouds that had perpetually shrouded the sky under Erebus's influence vanished, and the toxic mists blanketing the land gradually dissipated.
Under the warm sunlight, the sodden ground slowly dried. The festering marshes where none had dared tread were evolving back into a primordial forest. Birds, woodland deer, wild boars, and other creatures returned to the woods; life and vigor were steadily returning to the land.
Meanwhile, with Erebus slain, Linying City captured, and the main force of the Green Dragon Sect utterly crushed, the Cinder Legion easily swept across and occupied all the fallen territories of northern Seleucia.
Cruelly exploited and squeezed by the Cult of the Dragon, the kingdom's populace had long suffered in an abyss of misery. They treated the imperials who had defeated the cult as saviors, eager to prostrate themselves in gratitude.
With Duoluo as commander-in-chief, the Southern Expeditionary Army of the Cinder Empire established garrisons everywhere, firmly holding one-third of the former kingdom's territory. On the surface, however, political power remained in the hands of the Faderlanders led by Duke Adrian.
Taking Linying City as the provisional capital, Adrian established the Seleucian Provisional Government, taking in rebels fleeing from across the kingdom and forming the "Anti-Dragon Cult Alliance" with the Cinder Empire's Southern Expeditionary Army.
At the same time, millions of players drawn by war quests flooded south into the Kingdom of Seleucia, becoming a formidable force within the alliance army.
To the southeast and southwest of the Kingdom of Seleucia, the Cult of the Dragon rallied vast legions of dragonborn soldiers, dragonbeasts, and chromatic dragons, forging an iron curtain stretching from east to west across the kingdom that encircled the Cinder Expeditionary Army.
Thus, an army of nearly a million soldiers, hundreds of thousands of dragonbeasts, and over a hundred true dragons converged near the Locke Great Rift, which served as the border dividing line. They formed sprawling, mottled tides of troops, standing so close that soldiers on either side could clearly see the weapons in their foes' hands and the armor on their chests.
Summoned by Tiamat's divine decree, even more chromatic dragons and cultists were rushing from all corners of Feanso, ready at any moment to fight to the death against the Cinder Empire.
Anyone could see that the stench of gunpowder at the border was growing thicker by the day, liable to erupt into fierce bloodshed at a moment's notice.
Linying City.
This city, once held by the green dragons, had countless matters awaiting reconstruction, yet it had finally regained a touch of its former prosperity, bustling with crowds and lively motion.
However, wyverns still wheeled frequently across the sky above, and countless oddly attired outsiders had appeared, rendering the local Seleucians a minority.
The place seeing the heaviest traffic was not Count Adrian's administrative residence, but the Southern Expeditionary Headquarters where Duoluo resided.
Outside the headquarters, a middle-aged man wearing a long robe and a monocle strode up, only to be stopped by the crossed spears of the half-dragon guards at the entrance. "Do you have an invitation and a pass? Marshal Duoluo has a mountain of affairs to manage. Uninvited folk had better clear out."
"I am Dionysius Upton, an envoy who has come from afar seeking cooperation."
The middle-aged man offered a gentle smile and withdrew a scale with a distinct metallic sheen from his sleeve. "I wonder if this might serve as a pass?"
The half-dragon guards exchanged glances before one took the scale and went inside. A moment later, he hurried back, stepping aside to clear the way and speaking with utmost respect: "Please come in. Marshal Duoluo has been waiting for you."
Dionysius Upton—an ancient gold dragon from Mount Celestia, an envoy of Bahamut walking the lands of Feanso, reverently known to the bards as the "Messenger of Dawn."
This time, he had come on behalf of the metallic dragons to deliver a message of goodwill to the Empire and seek military cooperation.
Not long after Dionysius entered, another lavishly decorated carriage pulled up before the headquarters entrance. From it stepped a young noblewoman of blue dragon bloodline.
Wearing a heavy, layered silk gown, she moved in haste. Presenting an invitation from the Cinder Empire directly to the guards, she gained smooth entry into the headquarters.
Soon after, an elven ranger mounted on a white horse also stopped at the entrance, dismounting and presenting a personal letter from the Queen of Serenia.
There was even a carriage bearing the holy symbol of the Sun God that openly rolled into the city, drawn by two golden pegasi, accompanied by the fluttering banners of the Kingdom of Cassander...
Soon, more and more figures gathered at the headquarters: humans, elves, dragonborn, chromatic dragons, metallic dragons...
Every race and faction across the Feanso Continent was keeping a close eye on this war. Most of them had no desire to see Tiamat descend upon the world, for to them, the advent of any deity spelled a catastrophe that would engulf the entire continent.
...
Inside the Expeditionary Headquarters.
Heavily armored guards stood at the doors, while inside the spacious hall sat a handful of envoys from across Feanso. Their expressions varied, tinged with tension and unease.
Duoluo, Duke of the Empire and Marshal of the Expeditionary Army, sat composed and at ease in the high seat.
Count Adrian—or rather, Duke Adrian now—the head of the Seleucian Provisional Government, could only sit beside him, clearly overshadowed.
Very few envoys were permitted into the council, virtually all personally dispatched by the heads of their respective factions. Furthermore, numerous enchantments for soundproofing and warding against divination were carved into the walls, virtually guaranteeing the secrecy of the meeting.
Dionysius was the first to stand. Nodding slightly toward the hobgoblin marshal, he said, "Greetings, Marshal Duoluo. The war presses close, so I will cut straight to the chase. I am Dionysius, envoy of Lord Bahamut. We metallic dragons have been battling the Cult of the Dragon in western Taliro for years. We are willing to unite with your esteemed side to utterly eradicate the Blue Dragon Sect and wipe out Clan Faria in one fell swoop."
"Shameless metallic dragon!"
The blue dragonborn noblewoman slammed her hands onto the table and rose, her willow-leaf brows raised in fury and sparks of lightning crackling in her eyes. It was none other than Christina in human form.
She snapped fiercely, "It was you who provoked Clan Faria first, shamelessly raiding our lair and slaughtering my kin, which sparked this war in the first place!"
Dionysius stared at the blue dragon in human form, his voice frigid: "A spawn of Tiamat dares show her face here? Your Clan Faria is already an enemy to everyone in this room!"
"Typical of evil chromatic dragons—doing nothing but slinging mud at others. Who was the first to brutally murder our fellow kind? Was it not your Elder Golazdla?"
Forcing down her fury, Christina countered with a sullen expression, "Bloodline does not determine everything. His Majesty Cassius was also born a red dragon, one of the chromatics. Do you dare consider him an enemy as well?"
Dionysius remained unflustered, sneering, "His Majesty Cassius never threw away his life to be Tiamat's lapdog like your Clan Faria!"
"You—"
Christina slammed the table again, but she quickly reined herself in, retorting with hostility, "Gold dragon, your intent is far too obvious. What you speak of was Golazdla's doing alone. She has gone mad, and it has nothing to do with Clan Faria."
*Clap, clap, clap...*
Dionysius clapped in mockery, remarking coldly, "Look at that—truly a blue dragon, utterly shameless! Not a peep while profiting from Golazdla's power, and now you rush to wash your hands of her. Do you take everyone here for fools?"
The ancient gold dragon's words struck a chord, stoking the wrath of several races bearing grudges against chromatic dragons. Envoys of brass dragons, dwarves, and elves—peoples long at odds with chromatic kin—cast hostile glares toward the blue dragon.
Even Duoluo, seated at the head of the table, turned an amused gaze upon Christina, curious to see how she would react.
Duoluo held no clear bias regarding the feud between chromatic and metallic dragons. His sole objective was to fulfill the task assigned by the Emperor: maximize the Empire's interests and claim the entire Kingdom of Seleucia with minimal losses.
Facing the stares converging from all sides, Christina stood fearlessly. Looking toward Duoluo in the high seat, she said in a low, steady voice, "Duke Duoluo, you understand well that worldly moral codes mean nothing to the Empire."
Clenching her fists, she declared clearly, "Clan Faria is situated deep within the Taliro Desert. We control substantial forces of the Blue Dragon Sect and possess a wealth of top-secret intelligence. We can deliver the greatest benefits to the Empire."
"Sounds fair," Duoluo nodded slightly.
Yet soon, the dragonblood hobgoblin fixed Christina with a scrutinizing gaze. "However—how is the Empire to trust you? How do we ensure you will not turn your blades against us?"
Dionysius chimed in, "Utterly ridiculous. You are the biggest beneficiaries of the Blue Dragon Sect's rampages. An enemy leader defecting to us? Truly unheard of."
Christina replied, "You need pay nothing. This is simply an equivalent exchange. Clan Faria will do everything possible to avoid clashing with the Empire and assist the Empire in securing better control over the Taliro region after the war. All the Empire needs to do is ensure the safety of my clan's lives."
Hearing this, Duoluo smiled. "The friendship between the Empire and Clan Faria goes back a long way. Such a matter naturally presents no problem. I hope our cooperation continues smoothly."
The hobgoblin turned toward the other envoys. "And where does your sincerity lie, ladies and gentlemen?"
Dionysius answered with supreme confidence, "For years, our metallic dragonkind has done its utmost to halt the atrocities of the Cult of the Dragon, leading the people of Seleucia in continuous resistance. We are willing to cooperate with the Empire, coordinating a pincer offensive from both the northwest and northeast of Taliro to utterly eradicate the Blue Dragon Sect."
The dwarf from the south rose as well, rumbling gruffly, "We dwarves have been oppressed by those damned dragonborn for far too long! They forced us to mine ore, forge steel, and craft weapons at the cost of our lives. It's beyond intolerable!"
The elven envoy from Serenia also stood, stating coldly, "Her Majesty Catherine supports all actions that prevent deities of the evil alignment from descending upon the world. We are willing to dispatch an elite detachment of the Silvermoon Guard."
"My thanks to you all for your generous aid. I believe the people of Seleucia will never submit to those wicked dragonborn," Duke Adrian said solemnly.
"Splendid. With everyone's help, I trust the allied forces will continue to swell, and the Cult of the Dragon will ultimately be crushed," Duoluo concluded, smiling at the assembly.
Thus, a loose alliance of humans, dwarves, elves, and even true dragons was born. Swarms of motley troops from diverse factions would march to the front lines to contest the legions of the Cult of the Dragon.
Yet the might of the Cult of the Dragon was not to be underestimated. Spurred by Tiamat's divine decree, chromatic dragons and evil dragonkin from all regions flooded onto the battlefield, seeking the favor of the Mother of Evil Dragons.
The forces of both sides continued to grow.
Meanwhile, on a carriage heading out of the city, a blue dragon disguised as the coachman turned back and lowered his voice: "Milady, are we truly going to betray the Cult of the Dragon completely? Elder Golazdla's fury... we couldn't possibly..."
Christina gave a cold laugh and waved her hand dismissively. "Who said we were staking everything on a single path? Hedging bets has always been a fine tradition of Clan Faria. Once the fighting begins, we only need to lie low in the rear and watch how things unfold—especially keeping our eyes on the clash between Cassius and Golazdla. Whichever of them wins, that's who we side with."
The blue dragon still hesitated. "But if the Dragon Queen grows wrathful and visits punishment upon us..."
Christina's expression turned chilly, her voice dropping low: "For thousands of years, Clan Faria has run errands and bled for Her. Have we ever received any substantive reward? In this war alone, we've lost over twenty kin, yet Her Majesty remains utterly indifferent, turning a blind eye. If the Cult of the Dragon loses this time, defecting to the Cinder Empire is unquestionably a better path."
A hint of terror crept into the blue dragon's voice: "B-but... Milady, Her Majesty is a true deity! She is the progenitor of all chromatic dragons!"
Christina pinched a strand of hair with her slender fingers, twirling it around several times. "So what if She is a true deity? In the end, She cannot descend to the Material Plane. If I can successfully become His Majesty Cassius's consort... what would there be to fear, even if a true god walked the earth?"
Soon, the carriage rolled out of the city and pushed toward the distant desert. Right before they entered Taliro, the carriage horse let out a terrified whinny, its legs going weak until it nearly collapsed to the ground.
The carriage violently burst apart. The figure within the billowing dust expanded rapidly, and a massive blue dragon crashed onto the sand, her four talons sinking deep into the dunes as she released a long-suppressed roar.
"This polymorph spell was suffocating me to death..."
The horse struggled desperately, snapping its reins and fleeing in panic. But the blue dragon pounced, extending a massive talon and stuffing the sturdy steed straight into her jaws. A sickening crunch echoed as she chewed, blood and gore splattering in every direction.
"Come. Let's return to the lair." Christina wiped her bloodstained muzzle with a claw, beating her wings as she soared into the sky, kicking up a fierce storm laden with swirling sand.
Chapter 807