Chương 39: Dragon's hoard

Xian was still slowly going down deeper into the dark bottomless space. In truth, he didn't really know what kind of place it was, but it definitely didn't feel like the Great Marsh anymore, once he fell into the hole leading here. No white rabbit in there, nor any other visible creature, monster or plant, as if desolation and death were lurking everywhere.

Although he was young, unfortunate or clumsy as he was, it was not his first time being caught in a magic trap or going through a magic portal but never before had he felt such dread coming from only stepping in an eerie place like this. It almost felt as if everything had been swallowed by an unknown gigantic being. It was pitch-black inside, hot and stuffy too. But most of all, the bleakness was insufferable. It even crept into the mind, making people feel depressed and gloomy. Moreover, Xian was a bit dizzy due to the heavy and overwhelming stench. If this was a beast's lair, he didn't want to meet the owner !

The black legendary dragon, on the other hand, didn't seem bothered in the least, as if it was just taking a stroll or visiting an interesting spot and chancing upon a curiosity. It was, nonetheless, tightly holding Xian's slim waist, but it was not hugging him from behind anymore. Only one strong arm was securely wrapped around the boy. It was less embarrassing, albeit a little uncomfortable because it was a bit hard to breathe. Xian's arms and legs were uselessly dangling, like a rag doll. He didn't dare to shake the arm holding him as he was not sure he could use the flying spell in order to escape. He was reluctant to rely on magic and felt inadequate and insecure.

Truth be told, Xian's prospects did not look good as he had just been caught by both the black dragon chasing him and the unknown foe laying traps everywhere in the Great Marsh. Being prey was certainly exhausting, but even in his desperate situation, he knew he should be wary of another ambush and not let his guard down.

The most convenient solution would be to set up one powerful enemy against the other but they had yet to see the latter in this vast and empty place. Xian didn't want to think of the worst outcome despite the heavy and dreary atmosphere weighing on his mind, now was not the time to feel disheartened or flustered. And right now, his best chance to stay alive might be with the legendary and powerful dragon. At least, he hoped that was the right choice.

At some point, the human-shaped dragon had stopped using flight magic and had two wings grow out of its back, leisurely descending – while holding Xian - toward the spot with the highest concentration of magic elements. It seemed like the old dragon had some wisdom left and didn't want to waste the high-quality magic elements coming from Xian, a rare Absolute source, any more than necessary. Flying with wings was certainly more efficient and less-consuming compared to magic spells, saving more magic elements for other defensive or offensive spells. Being relaxed and self-confident didn't mean it could afford to be careless and unprepared when exploring an unknown territory. It might have a self-centered and childish personality, it did gain some wisdom from its long life and experience.

As for Xian, he was trying his hardest to remain level-headed in this unpredictable and unfavorable situation, as Soon-Yi had hammered into him from early childhood. With his ill luck, he always managed to be unwittingly embroiled in sticky circumstances. However, in this unexpected and absurd situation, his short experience didn't help him much and even though he tried so hard to concentrate, the solution still eluded his mind.

The persistent unstable magic in his body was also troubling him time and time again and he was barely able, with sheer willpower, to restrain himself from panicking. Ever since he broke Soon-Yi's medallion, he kept on being unsettled or even afraid of the magic coursing through his body toward his core. To clear his mind, he tried, mostly half-heartedly, to look around him for a way to escape. Ideas might emerge, even though he had a hunch that scanning his surroundings was a waste of energy. He was unable to perceive anything. The descent seemed to drag on and Xian lost track of time.

The place was boundless in every directions and the darkness seemed to swallow everything, even the sounds. Even though Xian's body was shining, he couldn't make anything out, despite his enhanced eyesight. There was no light except for himself and his own usually bright radiance was unexpectedly dim, as if a strange fog was surrounding them. They seemed to be drowning in nothingness the deeper they went.

From the moment they entered, Xian could only see the annoyingly cheerful dragon next to him. It was smiling happily, without a care in the world now that it had managed to lay its hands on the much sought-after Absolute source and Xian felt peeved. Moreover, the high concentration of magic elements a little further away was so appetizing that the dragon was almost drooling. It was barely holding onto sanity; its crazed smile, like a starved guy in front of a banquet, was a bit disturbing.

Even in its current state, this imposing man - said legendary dragon - looked like a powerful godlike being, albeit a crazy one, or one of the winged demons from the books in Soon-Yi's tower. Nevertheless, this sight was far from terrifying right now. Its constant goofy grin was definitely ruining it all and the boy couldn't help but sigh, definitely annoyed. Meeting a real dragon, at least this one, had been somewhat anti-climatic and disappointing. Compared to an unknown threat, being captive and used by such a seemingly happy-go-lucky dragon might be manageable as it was willing to keep its newfound treasure safe.

In any case, Xian instinctively knew he should remain wary of any kind of dangerous creatures, friendly ones as well, even more so as it was his first time dealing with such foreign and mighty beings. Somehow, he felt that they were less terrifying than an angry Soon-Yi. However, he couldn't help but wonder if his instincts had been biased due to years of bullying and abuse at Soon-Yi's hand.

Little by little, Xian's determination was caving in. He was inclined to accept and give in, it seemed so much easier to exchange his freedom for the dragon's protection. He was wondering for an instant if he had ever been totally free. At least, he felt that, should the need arise, he wouldn't be overly loyal to Soon-Yi, his guardian and the Great Mage of the Selnan Empire. Surely, the powerful but easy-going dragon would be a kinder master than Soon-Yi, and easier to please as well.

In the vast emptiness, Xian kept pondering over who to trust, who to choose, who to believe or who to betray. This introspection was giving him a headache. His emotions were all over the place, he was a teenager, after all. Even in the dragon's strong arms, he felt insecure, lonesome and dejected. He didn't get along well with his foster mother Soon-Yi, cold and harsh as always, nevertheless, he missed her dearly whenever he needed help.

Unfortunately, he had lost the ancient medallion she had entrusted to him. He often gripped it tightly to gather strength and courage. It was such a childish, cowardly and shameful gesture. How he wished he could be a brave hero instead of his weak self ! He tried so hard to live up to Soon-Yi's expectations. He never wanted to admit it, even in his heart, but the power and influence a mother figure had over a child was tremendous. This love-hate feeling had his mind constantly unsettled and brittle, his sanity could crumble at any time. His lack of self-confidence often impaired his thinking. He could only rely on his instincts, just like an animal.

In this strange, dark and gloomy place which reflected his mood, he had been the only light just a moment ago, flying in the arms and at the mercy of the black dragon like a slow shooting star in a moonless and starless sky. However, in the blink of the eye, small lights started to appear almost everywhere. There were some clusters looking like constellations converging just below. Even in the dim and empty space, the sparkling lights, although cold, seemed full of life and hope and the radiance increased to a blinding level.

However, this seemingly peaceful and celestial picture was only an illusion. Soon enough, once the eyes were able to adjust to the unexpected brilliance, they could make out the countless minute sources of light. Each so-called star was in fact a person, from young children to elderly people, enclosed in a kind of spherical prison that drifted slowly in this barren space. They were Absolute sources, no doubt, and a multitude of them were gathered here. Like Xian, their cores radiated magic elements and light as well. Their number alone created this glaring brightness. This crowd seemed to be the remnants of the Absolute source people and Xian was shaken and frightened upon meeting them for the first time.

On closer inspection, even the young ones had emaciated bodies and scary skeleton-like starving faces. Most looked on the verge of death, the hopelessness in their eyes was heart-wrenching. Living in this wretched place would surely drive anyone to despair. The weakest ones, with the tiniest flickering twinkles from their cores like a candle in the wind, were looking at the newcomers with intense curiosity, greed and madness. Their bodies were the most pitiful, barely looking like a human being's, with strange white threads, as fine and soft as silk, sprouting from their joints with only a handful still faintly shining, straight but brittle-looking, and slowly absorbing magic elements from the air.

Xian shuddered at this sight. The people staring at him looked like experimental guinea pigs of a mad sorcerer, with a level of cruelty far beyond anything he could imagine. These prisoners were treated like slaves or things, instead of real people. But somehow, he felt that this might have been his fate. Has Soon-Yi's protection shielded him from such an horrendous destiny ? He wanted nothing else but escape from this place and return to the Great Marsh, even if he ended up physically and mentally exhausted in the process. This was worse than a death row, something like an extermination camp for the genocide of Absolute sources.

The dragon's expression also changed at the sight of the Absolute sources. Its eyes were full of hunger as the extend and worth of the treasure it had just found sinked in. Of course, Xian on his own was an Absolute source far more powerful and pure than any of the others but nonetheless, the black dragon felt it had just stumbled upon an invaluable treasure trove deserving the name of dragon's hoard. The sheer number of people was dizzying, making this old and mighty dragon wonder if it had seen this many Absolute sources in its entire long life.

The winged human-shape dragon inhaled deeply, tasting each and every flavors of magic elements from these sources and feeling elated, even a little drunk. It obviously didn't care if this much emptied the reserves of the weakest ones, making them faint and creating tiny crack in their small cores. It selfishly just felt like feasting in the pantry of a competitor.

Obviously, this concentration of Absolute sources did not belong to someone living in the Infinite Forest, the black dragon was the Lord over there and had control over the resources, so this probably belonged to the despicable Lysanian dragons, plundering and gathering all the available Absolute sources leaving the mighty ones in the Infinite forest to make do with dead cores. The intruder wasn't sure if it could claim the pantry for itself : might as well deplete this miraculous hoard, it was just too tempting.

Grunts and screams could be heard as the spheres frantically, albeit in a frustratingly slow motion, fled to a distance, bringing the Absolute sources, at least the conscious ones, to a safer place out of range of the cruel draining of their magic elements. The dragon just laughed and swiftly went on an absorbing spree, a mere flutter of its wings bringing the crazed dragon and Xian from one fleeing Absolute source to another. The place quickly turned into a frenzy, the preys desperate to escape from the mad predator but unable to move fast enough.

Moreover, the dragon was not the only one eager to absorb the magic elements. Xian was still trapped in the black dragon's arms, almost forgotten, and his own core was draining the magic elements from everywhere, and from the other Absolute sources nearby, against his will, this second refinement making them purer and brighter like never before. Xian was once more blindingly radiant, but the eyes of the others were full of grudge and resentment. Not only was Xian caught by the trap and his strong core was able to drain every magic element in his surroundings, but he also unwittingly allowed entry to the rampaging dragon.

Xian was naturally aware of the hateful stares from the dragon's victims but he couldn't do anything and couldn't even free himself as he was tossed around mercilessly all over the place. Wasn't he also a victim ?

When their surroundings returned to their bleak and mostly empty previous state, the dragon paused for a while. Its acute senses reaching far and wide to locate other escaping Absolute sources. Its gaze suddenly focused in one direction and it frowned slightly, its handsome mature face stiff and serious. Xian raised his head and stared in the distance, trying to see with his enhanced eyesight what could elicit such a guarded reaction.

Sure enough, they could easily make out a shining spot coming closer at high speed. However, before Xian could see the threat coming for them, the dragon unexpectedly hurled him aside just before transforming into his dragon form and being engulfed in fire. Another dragon, probably the owner of the place, was mercilessly attacking, however, the legendary dragon was huge and powerful and it had just absorbed a significant amount of magic elements. There was no way it wouldn't fight back and even gain the upper hand.

Xian was only able to witness the battle from afar as he couldn't stop his flight. With no obstacle in sight, the momentum given by the dragon's powerful throw seemed unending. When the flames of dragon breaths became barely visible, Xian heard an hair-raising screech and a cold draft instantly gave him goosebumps. He then caught a glimpse of an old woman in a sphere waving him goodbye with a horrendous toothless smile.

Unfortunately, the old hag wasn't bidding him farewell. She was just hauling him in after catching him with an almost invisible net. Xian's momentum somewhat dragged the frail woman and her cage but she was nonetheless coming closer to him ever so slowly. Next to her, Xian saw a younger woman in the center of another spherical prison cell tied together with the first one. She seemed unconscious, was barely clothed and was slumping in an unsightly position with antennas protruding from every joint. It looked so painful that Xian winced. Then he recognized her face, without a doubt it was his lady Wei.

Xian was so shocked his limbs started shaking uncontrollably and tears flowed down his cheeks silently. His heart sank as he felt overwhelmed by guilt. He had left Lady Wei to investigate and find the mastermind that ordered the assault on her carriage and had not reunited with her since. Both had even felt relieved to be temporarily separated as Lady Wei had kind of resented Xian for his suffocating protectiveness.

Truthfully, even though he was always thinking about her, Xian had been happy and very busy going on adventures outside the palace. He felt free and had a lot of fun even in dangerous situations. It never occurred to him that Lady Wei might suffer such hardship. Why wasn't Soon-Yi protecting her in his stead ? This encounter with Lady Wei truly hit Xian hard. Deep down, he swore to stay by her side and protect her even against her will.