The coordinates were all correct. This was the place. Of course, while the rest of the soldiers remained stationed outside just in case, Cerise went on ahead inside. After all, even among the rest, she’s the only one actually capable of standing her ground long enough when a fight breaks loose. Longer than others, too.
When she had reached deep enough in the cave, she can already tell she was in the lair of the aforementioned dragon. The bones and armor of the ‘Hero; it had slain was indicator of that. But alas, she was greeted not by a hulking beast, as she had expected… but a humanoid, who had draconic traits. It… or rather, she… was sitting on a throne that seemed to be chiseled and manually made out of the natural rock forming in this place.
“I expected you to be quite bigger.” She pointed out. Technically speaking, she’s not dumb. She already knew that this woman is the dragon everybody’s talking about. That, and with the fact that dragons can learn more and more unique abilities as they grow older? She’s not too surprised. And the other had easily outed her as being part Esper, so that’s a giveaway, too.
“You’ve made quite the name for yourself, y’know?” Cerise stated. “However, since its much easier, apparently, since I can talk to you… I seek glory. Not for myself, but for the empire I’m serving.”
“Honestly, killing a dragon is too cliche of a glory, thus I think taming you to our side would be the most feasible path, no?”
The dragon’s piercing eyes were now gazing directly at the half-esper. Altair wouldn’t be surprised if the other already had lost her fighting spirit like all before her had. Still, this one was an adult in esper and human terms, that’s what her flesh reeked like. If anything, the Paladin knew what anger she was in.
“I doth desire thee issue understandeth yond glory is just another name for greed,” Would she bother talking to them in a normal tone of voice or even proper English? Proper introduction earlier shown she was talking normally after all. “Thy Empire? Has one risen from the ashes of the last one already?”
Really, how long had she been sleeping? She was alive through the rise and fall of countless Kingdoms, countries and even a couple of empires here and there. So it was mildly surprising to see one rise again after just a century gap of when the last one, the Ashen Glory empire, had been razed down by Altair.
Call it the hatred for humanity that all Fatalis shared, but for Altair it was more duty than responsibility. She lead the Great Dragon War in the very distant past, something that was only regarded as myth nowadays, so she felt like any race that got too powerful, too confident, needed a step back.
Now to hope she wouldn’t have to eradicate this empire either.
“Think of it this way, killing me means you get to wear my armor and wield my weapons too.” Hence her summoning the White Shield and the Fatalis Sword, both hovering at her side and radiating with power. “You would get to make armor out of my scales too and could call yourself a God, but I rescind. Taming me is not something my pride allows, so I hope you are prepared to die.”
