Chapter 607
At that mont, a quest completion window popped up in front of Ian. The quest that he had received upon failing the previous summoning was finally complete. Fighting back a wave of nausea, he barely closed the window before doubling over again.
"Please understand why I have brought you here. It was an unavoidable choice. Had I descended to the mortal realm myself, the heavens would have noticed at once," Archeas explained gently, approaching and settling beside him.
Ian then felt a hand patting his back. It seed even a dragon could do little to help with these aftereffects.
The sympathetic voice continued, "The punishnt would’ve been imdiate. It wouldn’t be strange if even Tir En or Karha’s avatars descended."
So not just a punishnt, but a divine retribution.
Ian heaved and coughed. He had, of course, expected the gods’ anger, but it seed the sentence handed down was far more severe than he had imagined. Then again, the Platinum Dragon had always been a thorn in the gods’ side.
"Of course, I would be able to evade it sohow. With the help of you and your friends, I might even be able to win, once," Archeas said softly, its hand continuing to rub Ian’s back. "But either way, the surroundings would be laid to waste, and lives would be lost. I could not allow such a situation to occur, could I?"
"Absolutely… not…" Ian replied between shallow breaths. The retching had subsided, though the coughing hadn’t.
Archeas’s hand gently across his back. "I knew you were not in the middle of a battle, but it seems you were resting comfortably. I was worried the Great Church or the Empire might be chasing you. I’m relieved that’s not the case."
"How did you… know I wasn’t fighting?" Ian asked, suppressing another cough. Though he felt drained, the dizziness was at last beginning to fade.
"My spell circuits are engraved upon you, are they not? And you have kindly kept the talisman on yourself. Through that resonance, I can sense fragnts of your state."
Nodding at Archeas’s answer, Ian spat a thick glob of saliva onto the floor. His mouth and nose felt foul, a result of having thrown up all the wine. A puddle of vomit stained the smooth, marble-like stone floor.
"I tried to slow the spell’s activation to give you a sign, but it must have startled you anyway. I apologize again, Ian. For causing you such distress."
"Save that apology… for my friends later," Ian said, pushing himself up. He swayed for a mont, his limbs still lacking strength. "They were probably more surprised than I was."
He finally found his balance and looked up at the impossibly beautiful face beneath the voluminous platinum-blond hair.
"You can relay it to them for , then," Archeas said with a gentle smile, offering a pristine white cloth.
The dragon looked ready to wipe Ian’s mouth himself, so Ian quickly snatched the cloth with a weak hand.
Archeas released it easily and whispered, "I am sorry I could not answer your call right away. I was in no state to summon you at that ti."
"It’s fine. I figured as much." Ian wiped his lips and looked up again. "In any case, I’m glad you’re safe. It seems you weren’t in the worst state I imagined."
"And what was the worst you imagined?" Archeas asked with a slight crinkle in its eyes.
Ian, now cleaning his sticky hands, answered, "That you might have to sleep for years, or even longer, or that you were already suffering the heavens’ punishnt."
"Ah, I see. Those are rational assumptions." Archeas smiled.
"I also thought you might be dealing with so unexpected side effects. After all, you couldn’t finish your preparations properly—because of ."
Archeas gave a slight shrug. "I will not deny that I hurried the ritual. What I had worried about for so long had beco a reality, so I had no choice. Not that I didn’t trust you. Old age simply makes one prone to worry and fear."
"I wasn’t trying to make you feel guilty. Quite the opposite." Ian looked at Archeas and bowed his head. "I apologize. I am sorry for ruining your plans and putting you in this position."
Archeas blinked in response, looking as if it had heard sothing completely unexpected.
Ian added, his head still bowed. "I will do anything I can to help."
"I never thought I would hear such words from my agent…" A faint, wistful sigh escaped Archeas. Its head tilted slightly. "It seems my efforts weren’t wasted after all."
"I also didn’t think you’d tease right away," Ian said sheepishly, resuming the task of wiping between his fingers.
Archeas smiled faintly. "I am not teasing you, and there is no need to bla yourself so much. Even if I had completed all my preparations, things would not have been much different. The burden I had to bear would have only been slightly lessened. Experiencing it firsthand made certain of that."
It swept back the platinum-blond hair that had fallen over its simple white robe and shrugged. "Besides, I would have incurred the wrath of the heavens eventually. It was only a matter of when and to what extent."
It was impossible to tell from its tone or expression whether it was offering comfort or speaking the truth.
A smile spread across Archeas’s face as it watched Ian smack his lips. "However, I am glad you said so. Thank you, Ian."
"So, how did you destroy the Wall, anyway?" Ian asked, averting his gaze to change the subject. His neck was itching.
The Platinum Dragon’s smile beca cryptic. "Well, I do not wish to tell you. Not only is it a long and difficult story, but it also includes knowledge that you are better off not knowing."
"Ah…"
So it reached for the forbidden after all.
Ian nodded to himself. The process didn’t really matter. The fact remained that the Platinum Dragon had destroyed the Black Wall.
"For now, it seems the proper order would be to hear your story first," Archeas added, lowering its voice. "I am very curious about what you experienced beyond the Wall."
"That might take quite a while," Ian murmured with a groan.
Archeas’s face brightened, and it nodded. "That is exactly what I wish for. Tell everything in great detail. If you are tired…" It raised its right arm and gestured to the side. "Shall you rest first? I can wait."
Ian finally turned his gaze. The full view of a spacious room with smooth stone slabs covering the ceiling and walls was revealed. The ceiling was at least five ters high, and a series of large windows lined one wall. They weren’t real windows, of course, but more like sculptures carved in an ornate, classical style.
"Since I was certain you would lose consciousness, I summoned you to the guest room."
And before the wall stood a large, ornate bed that also seed to be made of marble. Unfamiliar symbols were carved into its side, and the posts at each corner were tall and pointed. If not for the thick blankets, he would have mistaken it for an altar. Ian narrowed his eyes slightly.
"So this is your nest I’ve heard so much about."
"My old nest. The nest known to the world was half-destroyed in the ritual's aftermath. And it was too exposed to the heavens’ gaze. I had to abandon it in a hurry," Archeas replied calmly, surveying the room.
"This place is the very first nest I ever built. Now, no one knows of it but . The gods’ eyes cannot reach here either, of course. You’d be amazed if you knew just how far underground we are."
"I am already amazed. I didn’t know you had a taste for such luxury," Ian said, looking up at the ceiling.
It was densely engraved with spell circuits that shimred with golden magic, which undoubtedly explained why the room was bright despite the complete lack of light sources.
"When one is young, one tends to favor the luxurious and the grand over the practical, does one not? That is why I left this place. It was too large and ornate, making it rather uncomfortable to live in."
Ian t its gaze. Surprisingly, Archeas was smiling sheepishly.
"My tastes are completely different now, so please do not misunderstand. If I’d known it would co to this, I’d have shown you my nest long ago."
One corner of Ian’s mouth curled up slightly. "If you insist, I’ll ask Elie about it later."
"I would be very grateful if you did. Now then, let’s get you to bed. I’ll help you."
"No, it’s fine. I’m not that tired," Ian said, shaking his head.
He let out a low groan and pushed himself to his feet. He was still weak, but he stood without much difficulty.
After a quick sigh, he said, "Let’s talk now. Should I sit at that… overly magnificent table?" Ian gestured with his head toward a table on the opposite side.
It was an excessively luxurious marble table for a bedroom, and how it had been carved was a mystery. Six high-backed chairs of the sa stone faced each other across it.
"Still so mischievous, Ian. And that impatient temper of yours." Archeas said, standing and looking down at him. "But that reassures . I can see that my agent has not changed. Yes. Let us go. I have prepared a gift for you as well."
"A gift?"
Archeas smiled and turned. Ian tilted his head but followed without protest.
His gaze lingered on Archeas’s back. Its posture was as straight as ever, moving with the sa effortless grace, each step silent. Yet the long hair cascading down its back seed even whiter than before.
I don’t think it’s my imagination.
Just as Ian’s eyes narrowed slightly, Archeas approached the table and flicked a finger. With a faint wave of magic, the rightmost chair slid back.
"Sit down. I’ll sit beside you," Archeas added, flicking its finger again.
The chair opposite slid sideways, naturally making it the head of the table. But sothing else caught Ian’s eye.
"Wait… is that—" In the center of the table, nestled among intricately engraved pewter cups, was a glass bottle of a familiar shape. "The Divine Droplet?"
"Yes. You rember," Archeas said, the corners of its mouth lifting as it leaned over and picked up the bottle and two cups. "It is one of the few things I brought with when I left my nest. I very much wanted to drink it with you again."
"Then I’m glad I threw up everything I drank last ti," Ian muttered under his breath.
It was, without question, the finest drink of his life. And it even had the bonus effect of increasing ntal Fortitude and Recovery for a certain period.
Passing by Ian’s side, Archeas added lightly, "I’m afraid there’s nothing to eat with it. There’s nothing in this place but liquor and groundwater."
"I don’t need food," Ian replied simply.
Archeas, who had placed the cups side-by-side on the table, nodded. "Then have a seat."
Ian promptly took a seat, pulling the heavy armrests to draw the chair closer to the table. Watching him, Archeas chuckled softly and uncorked the bottle. A refreshing, sweet aroma, a mixture of wood and flowers, filled the air. It was exactly as Ian rembered.
"And so… I drink the last bottle…" murmured Archeas.
It poured the amber liquid into both cups and gently pushed one toward Ian. Unlike before, it didn't feel ominous at all.
"My friends would be very jealous if they knew."
"Is that so? Then take what is left with you. You have a spatial spell, do you not?" Archeas said, setting the bottle down and taking a seat diagonally across from him.
"I don’t know if there will be any left. As I said, it’s going to be a long story." Ian said, picking up his cup and looking at it.
"Actually, I was hoping for that. Now then, let us have a toast," Archeas said, leaning forward and holding out its cup.
As Ian brought his cup forward, it said, "Thank you for returning safely, Ian."
"And I’m glad to see you’re safe as well."
Archeas smiled, clinked its cup, and brought it to its lips. Ian did the sa.
The taste was still as magnificent as ever, a flavor that could startle one awake. Not only did it instantly wash away the unpleasantness in his mouth and nose, but his entire body seed to fill with the refreshing, sweet aroma.
"The taste is all the more special, knowing I can never drink it again," said Archeas, who had finished its cup before Ian, picking up the bottle. "Now, tell your story. What did you experience beyond the Wall?"
Ian tilted the cup to his lips and paused in thought. Certain stories flickered through his mind—stories perhaps better left untold. Like Yog, for instance.
The conflict didn't last long.
"As you now know, the land beyond the Wall was, as expected, a vast demonic realm," Ian began, setting down his cup.
He looked at Archeas, who was reaching over to refill it, and added in a low voice, "But before that, I should tell you about the illusion I saw while crossing the Wall."
"An illusion?" Archeas asked.
Ian nodded. "I t soone there. I don’t know its na, but it must have been one of the ancient gods of the void."
Archeas’s eyes twitched. It set the bottle down, straightened its posture, and said, "I believe I will need to hear that story in more detail as well."
Ian nodded, picked up his cup, and began his tale. "That was not the first ti I had t that being. It had visited often before, through my dreams. It was likely because of the chaos I harbor…"
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