The silvery light of the moons bathed the Free City of Davos.
High above the city, countless griffins circled through the night sky. Upon their backs rode the soldiers of the City Guard, ever vigilant as they patrolled the skies above the great city.
The moonlight also illuminated the majestic Lords' Castle atop Mount Davos.
Grand and imposing, it served as the seat of government, where the Unknown Lords and the Known Lord gathered to rule the city.
Yet few knew of what lay beneath the castle.
Hidden deep below the mountain was an ancient vault, its existence known only to a select handful.
And within that vault rested a creature spoken only in legends.
A hooded figure walked silently through the ancient vault beneath the Lords' Castle.
The vault had been carved directly into the heart of Mount Davos. Vast did not even begin to describe it. Giant stone pillars rose from the darkness, supporting arched ceilings so high that their upper reaches were lost in shadow.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Each footstep echoed through the vault, lingering for several seconds before fading into darkness.
The air was cool and still. Ancient runes glowed faintly along the walls, casting pools of light across the stone floor. Between those islands of illumination lay endless stretches of darkness.
The figure continued forward calmly.
Past colossal pillars.
Past sealed gates covered in forgotten inscriptions.
Deeper and deeper into the mountain.
The echoes of their footsteps grew softer and softer as another sound gradually emerged from the darkness ahead.
It was a slow and rhythmic sound.
The sound of something breathing.
The mysterious figure stared ahead into the darkness, then said in an even voice:
"Once could be written off as a coincidence, but twice?"
There was no response. Just the steady rhythm of breathing.
The mysterious figure spoke once more. This time, his voice was colder than before.
"Ajax, what are you scheming?"
Suddenly, two giant silver orbs appeared in the darkness. Black vertical slits constricted at the center of those silver orbs.
Pupils…
In the next moment, a faint light spread through the vault. The darkness retreated, revealing the mythical creature.
Its scales were silver. Its body was so vast that only portions of it could be seen at once. Its ancient form stretched across the chamber. Massive claws rested upon the floor, each one larger than a carriage.
The very air seemed heavier in its presence. Yet despite the oppressive aura surrounding its humongous form, its silver eyes displayed warmth.
Ajax was his name.
And he was known in these lands as…
The Dragon of Davos.
"Hello, old friend."
Ajax lowered his giant draconic head and rested it near the tiny human.
The mysterious figure wasn't intimidated in the least by the presence of this mighty dragon. Instead, he took a step forward and pressed for answers.
"What is a wyrmling doing in the city, Ajax?"
The two Unknown Lords silently stared at one another for a long time.
At last, Ajax heaved a long, heavy sigh, whipping up violent winds throughout the cavern.
"You needn't know, old friend," said the dragon. "I can assure you, however, that nothing will happen to our city or its people."
"That is not what this is about!" The mysterious figure's voice rose a notch.
"You allowed a dragon into the city! You broke your word! There had better be a good explanation for this!"
Ajax sighed again. He had indeed gone against his word.
The silver dragon was the reason why no other dragons dared set foot inside the Free City of Davos. His strength was the primary deterrent, but he also wielded an ancient artifact that literally prevented other dragons from approaching the city.
The fact that a dragon, no matter how young and harmless, had entered the city and even resided there for months was a clear violation of Ajax's duties.
"I cannot disclose the full matter to you, but…" the silver dragon began.
"There is a very powerful faction operating in the shadows. They mean no harm to Davos or its residents, of that I assure you. Otherwise, I would never have agreed to their conditions. This partnership benefits the city. You must trust me."
The hooded figure fell silent.
For someone even as powerful as Ajax to withhold the details could only mean one thing: he had sworn a mana oath.
And for Ajax to describe this faction as powerful must mean that they were truly powerful.
"This faction," he said. "Are they after that young dragon?"
Ajax remained silent. Though that itself was an answer.
"Then what about the boy?" The hooded figure asked.
"That… I am not certain." The dragon's eyes narrowed. "Is the boy of interest to you?"
"…Perhaps."
Once again, the two Unknown Lords fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts.
The mysterious figure spoke again, "What about the benefits to the city?"
A chuckle escaped the dragon's maw, reverberating thunderously across the vault.
"For one, we can finally get rid of that thieving Known Lord," the dragon said with mirth. "Weren't we looking for ways to remove him from office? Well, an opportunity has presented itself."
"We cannot be seen getting aid from a third party!" the hooded figure snapped. "If that were an option, we would have done so long ago."
For beings as powerful and influential as they were, openly fighting one another was out of the question. Any such conflict would inevitably bee public knowledge, damaging not only the reputation of the Lords but also that of Davos itself.
Instead, they relied on schemes, negotiations, and subtle political maneuvering to achieve their goals.
"No one will know, my friend," the dragon said with certainty. "Their methods are… highly secretive. They leave behind no clues."
His eyes narrowed, and his voice turned solemn. "Even now, only you and I are aware of this mysterious faction. They are truly capable, and they wield great power."
"Is it an Emperor-level faction?" the hooded figure couldn't help but ask.
After all, in all the years he had known Ajax, he had never heard the old and wise dragon speak so highly of anyone other than factions backed by Emperors.
But the dragon's reply truly stunned him.
"Beyond Emperor-level."
The mysterious figure fell silent once again. This time, the silence seemed to stretch on forever.
At last, he couldn't help but ask, "What is the identity of that wyrmling?"
Ajax sighed again.
"I cannot say, my friend…"
The dragon paused for a few moments. Then his eyes gleamed with a sharp light.
"Now then," he said. "Shall we discuss a new candidate for the position of Known Lord?"
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