60 Princess


    It was the size of two horses stacked on top of each other, and its proportions were much closer to those of dragons as they were depicted in art: slender limbs, long tail, a crest-like ridge that ran along its spine. Its wings, though, were different—instead of the five "fingers" forming a wing, only two did—


    the rest created a long-wed palm at the second joint. They didn''t look like they could carry the creature into the sky.


    And there was intelligence shining in its t, lizard eyes.


    In every other ount, this creature was a swamp dragon through and through. The increase in sight only made it uglier. The texture of its scales, which reminded Cael of a mud-covered tree, weird growths all over, and the inescapable stink of a swamp.


    Cael shook his head, staring at the creature in disbelief. "I don''t get it. If these overgrown lizards," he gestured somewhere into the swamp, "are swamp dragons, then what are you? And if you are a swamp dragon, then what are they?"


    The creature sneezed; at least, it sounded this way. A momentter, Cael realized it was expressing its amusement this way. "Hunter, are all others who came there as ignorant as you? Those drones you hunt are my brothers. While not alike in stature, we are of the same kind."


    Cael tensed and took a step back. "Brothers? You sound terribly se about their murder…"


    "There''s no good blood between me and them, and there''s no bad blood, either. They merely obey the will of their queen. Like those insects… worker bees, they are called, I think. They won''t dare toe near me, so you can lower your guard, hunter."


    Cael felt the strength of belief in the dragon''s words, but still stayed cautious of both the dragon and the surrounding marsh. He didn''te closer to the dragon, either. The things they were saying… they were too strange, even if the creature believed his every word.


    "Worker bees? But… Dragons are nothing like bees! You are—"


    "We all carry the blood of the First Dragon, but that doesn''t stop us from changing. Evolving." The dragon tilted its head up to stare Cael down. "Like you, hunter. I sense the power within you… It''s so much like that of Queen. Maybe your arrival was a work of Fate—because I think you may actually free this marsh from her oppression."


    Now, this was the most shocking revtion Cael heard yet. Chill spread within him.


    "You can''t mean that Queen can use blood magic too?"


    "She can''t use any magic; but her size and strength grew immensely since the day she got the cursed power."


    The dragon lowered her head to the ground and let out a long, sorrowful breath.


    "It was a year ago—I was still a hatchling back then. Yes, we dragons age much faster than humans. The power fell to the ground like aet that glowed in colors that have no names in human tongue, for you can''t see them. It also glowed with mana that was, inly put, not out of this world. It scared me. But Queen was enraptured. She took theet and kept it on her person until her body absorbed its power."


    The description was hauntingly familiar. Cael saw nothing like this himself—but this sounded exactly like things ryed to him by his predecessor by System.


    ''It was a Starspawn Shard!''


    ording to System''s words, "shards" of Starspawn power would sometimes fall from their transportation devices. It wasn''t malicious by its nature, but the very presence of it indicated that the first invaders have alreadye down to Cael''s world.


    And were probably much closer than he thought—while still hiding out of reach. Their ability to mask themselves was unprecedented. ''Damn!''


    By System''s ount, Cael''s predecessor first met with Starspawn personally about three years after meeting his previous version—and it was nowhere near Oliveirands. But then again, Cael''s present history was as different as his predecessor''s differed from his own predecessor''s. He knew that much


    —minor alterations in history lead to significant changes in it down the way.


    In the meantime, the dragon continued its story.


    "By my kind''s way, I could only live in my mother''s nest until adulthood, after which I had to challenge her for the nest or to leave. Thetter was what I originally nned to do, but after watching Queen''s rule, I knew I had to kill her for the good of both humans and dragons. She keptying more and more eggs, without care for where her children would feed, or on whom. She tried to kill me while I was an adolescent, but I escaped. And now, here I am. An exiled princess, asking for your help, hunter. Join my side and fight Queen together with me."


    Cael frowned, thinking it over. A huge and powerful dragon meant a lot of potent blood and a ton of Blood Points. Or it could spell his death. The Princess, at least, was honest in her words.


    Her. Hah. He''d never guess this was a girl dragon if she didn''t tell him. For Cael, all swamp dragons were equally ugly in their own unique ways.


    "I will reward you for help, too, hunter. You seek the blood of my brethren, am I right? When I be a queen, the males would obey my everymand. I could supply you with blood for a lifetime, and nobody would have to be harmed without need."


    "What a bargain you make," Cael muttered.


    It really was a great deal. Dragon blood could steadily supply him with BP, or with money… And he wouldn''t have to lift a finger. Or to put a toe in this muck.


    Besides…


    ''A giant swamp dragon head? Now that would make a fine trophy. Father would get a stroke from the sight. Though, for that the Princess'' head would fit just as well…''


    Cael measured the dragon in front of him. Could he take her on? Could he take a bigger version of her on?


    I picked up Elden Ring now. It gives me inspiration... the results of which you may notice.