The only window within the room illuminated the side of the youth's beauteous face. His eyes were filled with interest as he listened intently to the wise old man beside him. Despite the dusty streaks of dust on his cheek, he was as mysteriously captivating as a curious rmaid, ensnared by the wonders of humanity.
The Golden Dragon of War. Moulin had heard of it before. His studies about the Cataclysmic War ntioned the legend of the dragon. His curiosity is fueled when the subject is spoken by grandfather Hendrick. But how was the dragon involved with the Hercullio family?
Grandfather Hendrick laughed heartily when he witnessed the curious change of expression on the youth's face. He reached out a hand and spoke. "Here, let help you put the chest on the table. We shall explore it together, and I shall tell you of our family's history."
Curiosity got the better of Moulin. He agreed right away. The pair slowly deposited the heavy chest on the wide table and dusted it off as much as possible.
Lord Hendrick took out a sizeable luxurious painting, its age apparent but remarkably well-preserved. Who knows how many years it had been stored away? Lord Hendrick smiled softly.
"I presu you are familiar with the Dragon from the Cataclysmic War, am I correct?" he inquired.
Moulin nodded, staring at the painting in awe. With care, he unfurled the tapestry upon the table, allowing the light to dance upon the enchanting gold threads, rendering the artwork even more captivating in Moulin's eyes.
Lord Hendrick began to narrate in a soft tone.
Thousands of years ago, with the demon's rule and the countless wars, Corhan was on the brink of destruction. In the darkest days under demonic rule, a celestial being descended from the heavens – a manifestation of hope and benevolence for the mortal realm.
The dragon would bring thunderstorms with it to ravage demonic nests. Its holy breath purified the seas and the lands. Simultaneously, its fiery breath laid waste to territories tainted by demons. Its re presence instilled hope and turned the tide of the war.
Yet, with the eventual eradication of demons and the restoration of peace, the dragon vanished from sight.
Moulin's eyes deepened. He knew there was a hidden story behind it.
When the Golden Dragon first arrived in Corhan, it was warmly welcod by a group of benevolent maeruthans. These maeruthans were the first of their kind to interact with the Golden Dragon. And they were the last to ever hear from the dragon before its disappearance. The dragon, like any living being, endured injuries in the midst of the war, and it was the maeruthans who cared for its wounds.
Touched by their compassion and commitnt to defending the land from demonic forces, the dragon bestowed upon them its formidable power. This act of generosity brought prosperity and strength not only to them but also to their descendants in the generations to co.
"These people... could it be..." Moulin spoke thoughtfully.
Lord Hendrick smiled proudly, "Our family is the descendant of the Golden Dragon's followers."
Silver eyes are wide with surprise and interest. The discovery left him speechless.
Witnessing the youth's reaction, the lord laughed and gently caressed the tapestry. "However, the original blessings of our ancestors involve a bit of the power of the Golden Dragon. They could control the weather and summon the dragon's breath at will. Unfortunately, these abilities faded over generations. In the end, the dragon's blessing was lost... But we were mistaken."
Moulin watched as the man's eyes deepened. Lord Hendrick's fingers stroked the dragon's body in the tapestry in reverence. "When Hadrian was born, he radiated with a sacred energy. The first ti we saw his emotions influence the weather, we realized he was the last connection to our bloodline's golden blessing. The child was destined to grow endlessly powerful."
Erratic emotions surged in his heart as Moulin slowly focused on the tapestry.
"But the blessing had its flaws on him. As he gained more power, his bouts of mania beca more frequent, and it beca increasingly challenging to calm him down. Sadly, we couldn't find a cure."
A few of Hadrian's mana eruptions flashed within Moulin's mind. He recalled how turbulent energy suffocated anyone who would co near. It was a helpless sight...
Lord Hendrick smiled and suddenly held Moulin's hand. The youth looked up at him in confusion.
"But when he is with you, his attacks have dwindled significantly." He sighed. "They resurfaced when you were lost a few years back. We all feared the worst, thinking you were gone. I thought I'd witness my grandson perish amid the surge of his magical energy. Thankfully, the gods were rciful and reunited you with him. With this...
I can be at peace."
Moulin released a saddened breath, "I'll take care of him and do my best to break this curse. I promise to make it happen."
The words were spoken like an oath, imprinting into the youth's mind.
Lord Hendrick smiled. He squeezed Moulin's hand briefly before he let go. Moulin's comforting words had alleviated the long-standing burden that weighed on his heart. The relief was sudden and almost made an old man like him tear up. However, before the face of his grandson's future wife, he must uphold an elegant image and not embarrass himself or Hadrian.
Lord Hendrick nodded and continued to guide Moulin in packing the rest of the clutter.
Moulin glanced at the tapestry occasionally while he worked. He couldn't believe a heavenly being was associated with Hadrian's bloodline for thousands of years. But since Moulin's interaction with Galadin, he didn't feel surprised to hear about the holy creature. Nevertheless, it was startlingly intriguing.
Moulin felt like Hadrian should take after the golden dragon a bit. Aside from the ability to alter the weather and his mighty power, perhaps the dragon was as cold and gentle as the High Lord.
An amused expression filled the youth's face while he made himself busy. A few hours passed, and his thoughts grew wild. Moulin didn't realize that they were almost done with the work.
Not long after, a knock sounded from the door, making the busy pair pause. The door creaked open and revealed Lady Tessley's serious countenance. The woman greeted the two respectfully.
"Young master, it is ti to return." She reminded.
Moulin and Lord Hendrick exchanged gazes and smiled helplessly.
...
"Sit here and don't go anywhere, okay? I allowed you to join instead of staying in my office as you wished. I would appreciated it if you could just take a mont to listen to what I have to say, do you understand?"
Under Colahn's earnest gaze, Erthyl nodded woefully. His adorable face morphed into a pitiful frown, and Colahn did his best not to be swayed. He sighed and reached out. When the boy did not flinch away from his touch, Colahn proceeded to pat his head gently.
Along with a handful of assistants, the pair was inside Lord Dontae's bedroom. Colahn could not disappoint Lady Maxiel and hurried to his research and examinations to determine the cause of Lord Dontae's deteriorating state. When the news reached the ears of others, they thought it was an exchange of life. In order for Lady Maxiel to live, the lord had given his life.
It was a terrible rumor and had almost made Lady Maxiel burst out and cut off the tongues of whoever ntioned it. Her only reassurance was Colahn's comforting words. Colahn must make sure not to let her down.
"We can hardly sense the lord's presence. Sothing is draining his energy rapidly. If we don't figure out what's happening soon, it might be too late." One of Colahn's assistants spoke worriedly. The three had gathered around the bed, taking out artifacts to assess the slumbering lord.
"Yet, his inner soul endures. Though fragile, ti is on our side. What if we investigate Lady Maxiel to uncover the factors behind her awakening? Surely, there must be sothing that can guide us."
"The Lady is still weak. Perhaps we can thoroughly examine his mind and inner soul at the sa ti?"
Colahn rubbed the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache pounding into his head. It's been two hours, and they couldn't find anything useful. The lord's physical body remained undisturbed and well. However, his mana was disintegrating, and his inner soul could barely flicker anymore.
The seers continued to debate, fueling Colahn's irritation. The hopeless feeling began to grow inside him.
In the end, he took a break and sat on the vacant seat beside the curious half-blind child he was babysitting.
Erthyl did not look at him. His whole attention was on the slumbering man on the large bed. While he stared, his exposed pupil trembled slightly.
"..." Colahn furrowed his brows at him. Why was he staring so intently? There wasn't anything to be scared of before them.
"Are you alright, Erthyl?"
The boy flinched, startled. He glanced at Colahn with a worried gaze and slowly pointed at the body on the bed. His hand was trembling slightly.
"Him?" Colahn glanced at lord Dontae's body. "He's just sleeping. There's nothing scary about it. Calm down."
When the boy turned to look at the bed once more, he looked even more frightened. In the end, he closed his eyes and covered his face. Colahn could not understand why he was acting like this. In the end, he could only excuse himself and escort Erthyl outside the room.
"Colahn?"
The Head Seer's eyes widened slightly. "My Lady..."
Lady Maxiel smiled. The Lady wore light-colored clothes, and an air of sophistication surrounded her.
She glanced at Erthyl, who was sitting quietly on the couch. "Is the boy alright?"
"He had a bit of a scare. But he will be fine..." Colahn sighed. He turned to say a few comofrting words to Erthyl before he excused himself to return to the bedroom.
Lady Maxiel cast a look of sympathy towards the boy. She was reminded of how when Moulin was a child. Erthyl had the sa terrified expression as his sons when they found sothing terrifying.
What could terrify this little boy in here?
"Mother..."
Lady Maxiel turned and witnessed his second son enter the room. Emlen Fraunces had a weary look on his face despite having dressed elegantly before his mother.
"My son..." Lady Maxiel welcod him with open arms. She looked behind him. "Where is Moulin?"
"..." Emlen blinked and scratched the back of his head. He could not look at his mother in the eye properly.
Suspicion grew inside Lady Maxiel. She had been inquiring about Moulin for the past couple of days but none of his sons could tell. Instead, they only brought excuses with them, which angered her. Even her servants and the warriors did not know where he was.
Her sons were obviously keeping a secret from her. However, if there was one skill she excelled at, it was coaxing them into revealing their secrets.
...
With just one day remaining before his departure, Moulin felt a growing sense of restlessness. He stood nervously on the balcony, gripping the balustrade tightly. The breeze tousled his long, wavy hair as his expression turned more serious.
Ordan had assured him that all preparations for the journey were complete. Everything was packed, and the following day, he would be guided to a secluded courtyard where a special teleportation portal awaited. Unlike the others, Moulin wouldn't be participating in the grand farewell in front of the Towers to maintain a discreet departure.
This will be his last stay here and then he is sent to the hidden domain prison the alliance have prepared.
"Young master..."
A crease appeared on the youth's forehead as he raised his head to the sky. "What is it?"
"Prince Vascilicus is here, requesting an audience," Ordan announced. His eyes stared at the youth intently. The lonely youth looked as though he would disappear with the wind.
Moulin turned around with a raised brow. "Do you even need my permission to send him in?"
Lord Ordan nodded and guided the prince inside. As Prince Vascilicus caught sight of the youth standing pensively on the balcony, a faint smile graced his face.
Moulin maintained a neutral expression as he respectfully nodded his head. "Your Highness, what brings you here today?"
Prince Vascilicus could determine the unfriendly tone in his voice. He only sighed, "I am here to deliver a gift from my older brother."
Older brother?
The only other prince Moulin knew that was involve with his circumstance was the Crown Prince of Aurona.
"Fear not. High Lord Hercullio has confird its effectiveness. The Crown Prince, in his wisdom, would never endanger you."
Observing the scene from afar, Ordan and Tessley narrowed their eyes at Prince Vascilicus.
The dark-haired prince pulled an item from his pocket. Monts later, he handed a black leather box to the cautious maeruthan in front of him. Moulin squinted, detecting unfamiliar magical energy within the box.
As the box opened, a radiant purple gem, shaped like a diamond, ca into view, resting at the center of a cushioned bed. The magic emanating from the gem felt oddly recognizable.
"What is it?" Moulin questioned suspiciously.
Prince Vascilicus smiled and hesitantly answered. "It is a new invention from the imperial seers and mages. It is cast to protect you and guide your mana if necessary and-"
"A tracker." Moulin raised his gaze at Vascilicus.
Silver eyes deepened, "I thought we agreed that my mana was not to be restricted?"
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