CHAPTER 59: CHAPTER 59: MID-TERM EXAMS(2)

After that explanation professor Seraphim cut the whole holographic projection, finishing the brief information of gates and also Gate corruption.

"Okay now it’s time for you written test." She snapped her fingers when she said that, stacks of paper hovered in the air that were being levitated by mana.

Each student received their own and this contained the questions that were being asked in this exam.

"The time you’re given is 2 hours to finish the test, if your found cheating in any way you’ll be disqualified."

Seraphim took out a cloak and an hourglass right next to it, she waited until the time hit 10:00 am and instructed them to start.

"And begin."

______________

A full 2 hours have passed and the hourglasses sands finished pouring down, and this was signaling the end of the exam.

"Times up."

Seraphim said as she lifted a single finger and all of the test sheets started to float in the air, and all the papers went back to her.

"You shall receive your results a week after all tests have been concluded,"

And with that she left the room while the papers were stored in her dimensional ring. "And I’ll see you all in the next test."

With that she left the room and that’s when the whole tension in the room was lifted.

"Phew, I’m finally done!" Duke said while stretching his arms.

"I’m sure you did fine." Adam said to him.

"He better pass or I’ll grill him again." Selena remarked.

Duke felt shivers down his body when she said that and just moved his head to the side like he didn’t hear anything.

"Well the next test should be better right?" Duke said changing the subject.

"Yeah it’s about mana application so I think we’ll do fine." Adam said while giving him a thumps up.

Selena nodded as well noting how they’ve come far with how they use their mana.

______________

(Meanwhile at Skyrend Range, the land of the dragon’s)

In the far above fractured lands of the mortals and demons, it was nestled in the mist-wreathed peaks of the Skyrend Range, this was the dominion of the dragons.

Here in these lands the skies themselves bent beneath the wings of older than nations, and also mountains were nothing than just perches for these scaled monstrosities.

There elves priding themselves in their perfection and beauty, and demons who were proud of their battle powers.

Dragons however were the embodiment of something far more older and this was supremacy.

They don’t need to flaunt their power with pointless things like armies or endless schemes and politics.

They just needed only one dragon to turn the tides and threaten the balance of the whole world.

The Council Of Elders

In the eternal roost, it was a citadel carved into the skeleton of a mountain-sized dragon that was long dead but still held faint traces of powerful mana.

There was the eldest of the dragon kind that have gathered in this space.

The council of dragon elders whose scales were shimmering like a living starlight, their eyes were carrying the weight of eons, they don’t debate with shouting but it was with silence that was so heavy that it felt like there was stone grinding against another stone.

"The competition draws near," it was an ancient dragon with obsidian like scales who rumbled, his voice felt like it was shifting glaciers, "this is just nothing but mortals striving for vanity. They are dancing for pride while the seals are weakening. And the calamities are stirring."

Another dragon, who was more regal and had golden scales, she inclined her head. "And yet still, just to withdraw will most likely arouse suspicion. If those lesser races believe we are absent, they will be able to unite without us. And we can’t allow that to happen."

And at the center of chamber, there was a dragon that had the color of stormclouds. He lower his horned head, "Then we’ll just send one dragon lie usual. Let them squabble amongst themselves. Our power isn’t for their sport, but it’s for the survival fo this world. The seals falter with each passing second, and our power is what’s keeping it from releasing sooner. We can’t waste our warriors on these petty battles."

That was an unspoken agreement that rippled through the whole chamber, their voices were reverberating until it seemed like the walls would begin to quake.

All of them decided: only one dragon would go.

--

Ardyn Veylith

The one choose to go was a dragon youth who was named Ardyn Veylith, he was barely into his third decade, which by dragon reasoning was still the dawn of life.

Yet even if he was in his so called "youth," he was like the storm itself.

With his humanoid physique, Ardyn was tall and also lean, he had long silver-black hair that was streaking like cobalt, his eyes were glowing faintly with slitted pupils.

He has scaled forearms, that shimmered when the light grazed them, and faint horns that were curved back along his head.

The mere presence he had seemed to warp the air itself, it was heavy with a suppressed dragonic might.

He was standing before the elder council without even bowing, for dragons didn’t now to anyone, not even their own kind or someone stronger.

"Your sending me," Ardyn spoke, his voice was calm, but it was sharp like forged steel. "And why should I?"

"Because," spoke the leader of the council who had golden scales, "because your aren’t wasting your pride on arrogance, or your strength with blood feuds. And you are also untested in war, but you are tempered in discipline. So you will represent us."

"And if I fail?" Ardyn’s lips curved faintly as he said that.

That’s when the storm-grey elder starts to rumbled low, his tail was scraping against the door. "Then you aren’t a dragon from Veylith. You’ll be exiled from this land."

The was a silence that hung, but Ardyn didn’t flinch even slightly. He just included his head, it wasn’t even a gesture of submission but that of acknowledgment.

"Very well then. I will succeed."

The Preparation

While other races would prepare for this with pomp and also with spectacles. Ardyn’s preparation was only simple, he didn’t bring any entourages, no extravagant feasts, and no endless lines of trainees either.

Instead of all that splendor, he was meditating on top of a cliff that was overlooking the southern seal, the one the dragons were guarding.

There were runes that were etched by the dragon god and his aides themselves and they pulsed faintly against the horizon.

The ground was trembling beneath him, as though there was something vast and hateful that was stirring below it.

He was watching the whole horizon in complete silence.

This is where their strength belonged, he always had that thought.

It wasn’t in rivalry, but it was in keeping the abyss from swallowing the whole world.

And even with that he had to go. Because it was the dragons decree that their presence mattered as much as their power.

If they abandoned this stage entirely, the mortals would think they are turning a blind eye to this and that would title the balance towards chaos.

That’s why he had to sharpen his claws, hone his breath, and it was tempered with restraint.

The dragons didn’t need to prove themselves, but if they are forced, they will remind the whole world why they were its guardian.

Message Of The Dragons.

Before Ardyn even departed, the council had already sent a single proclamation to the academy and to all of the races.

And this message was inscribed in a devine message that echoed in all the powerhouses minds.

The words they said were simple:

"We’ll send one one representative, just one dragon is enough. Our strength isn’t in numbers like you all. So let this be known: we dragons won’t play at this war. Should the calamities rise, remember who held on to the seals while other faltered."

This message would later shake the academy, the courts, and also the clans of every race. Some would sneer at it as arrogance, while others would read it as it is: a warning.

The whole word would soon see, how much dread and destruction the calamities bring.

___

Back at the academy, the Headmaster and Vice-Headmaster were sitting together busy checking things for the mid-term exams that were about to happen.

"Looks like all of them are done with their written tests." Emily said, while she was sipping on some coffee.

"Yes, things are proceeding as—!" Before be could even continue with his talk he heard the declaration from within his head.

Emily heard it as well since she briefly stopped drinking her tea and was staring at the air for a moment.

The Headmaster leaned back on his chair letting out a deep sigh while gazing at the ceiling.

"It seems like, the dragons have grown irritated with out actions," He said while gazing at his window, looking at the students who were oblivious to what’s happening, "I hope we prepared well enough."