novelraw Chapter 346: The Aged Amethyst Dragon, Garoth’s Unease
Chapter 346: The Aged Amethyst Dragon, Garoth’s Unease
The sky grew darker, heavy lead-gray clouds hanging low as a deep curtain of rain blanketed the entire wilderness.
Endless rain threads seemed to connect heaven and earth, falling and sending up uninterrupted ripples as they struck rock and puddle.
"Ennus, tell me your origins."
A deep voice sounded through the rain.
The red iron dragon stood atop the rain-slicked cliff of Echo Rift, countless droplets striking his hard scales and shattering into finer mist.
Ennus — that was the Purple Crystal Lion King’s name.
And, just as the Ignas Dragon Cluster had guessed when they first met, Ennus was not an ordinary magical beast lord.
Flowing within him was Amethyst Dragon blood, its concentration far exceeding that of the vast majority of hybrid dragon kin.
This potent lineage had granted him not only astounding physique and magical energy, but also, at a crucial point in his life, had awakened part of the Dragon Legacy buried deep in his bloodline. He was born with a high intelligence; his thinking depth and clarity of gaze far surpassed beasts that acted on instinct alone.
At the same time, the other half of his lineage — the lion blood — was no simple matter either.The lion blood gave him a primal charisma that could command thousands of prides and bring countless beasts to heel.
Roar!
The Amethyst Dragon Lion raised his scarred, majestic head and let out a low roar. An invisible wave of spiritual energy rippled outward, conveying to Garoth everything he had experienced.
The story traced back over two hundred years, to a time long before Garoth’s birth.
Ennus had already been active in this vast, dangerous yet opportunity-filled Ser Wilderness.
Back then he was young: strong, clever, ambitious, his heart blazing with a fire to build a realm ruled entirely by him, centered on powerful prides and strict order.
With his own might, the natural aura of a dragon descendant, and considerable wisdom, he gradually gathered many powerful, diverse elite lions and magical beasts.
He declared himself king over a remote area, initially realizing what had once seemed an unreachable dream.
A rising power in the wilderness was like a speck of dust. At first, his quiet ascent drew no outside attention.
The Federation focused on richer regions, and powerful native monster lords were busy with their own territories, leaving Ennus undisturbed.
However, as his power stabilized and his ambition grew uncontrollably,
the young Amethyst Dragon Lion no longer satisfied with a small domain and began to expand his borders, turning his greedy eyes toward Federation outposts and heavily laden caravans—reaching his claws toward the civilized world for the first time.
The result far exceeded his expectations and turned grim.
The Federation troops struck back swift and fierce, delivering a crushing lesson to young Ennus.
The Federation quickly organized a well-equipped, coordinated military force led by powerful professionals to launch a full-scale purge on Ennus’s prides.
Before long, the lions he had painstakingly gathered were killed, scattered, or fled.
He himself suffered unprecedented injuries in that campaign, nearly dying. Only by exhausting all his Companion Crystals did he barely carve a bloody path to escape, fleeing with his life in tatters.
After that, disheartened but unwilling to accept defeat, Ennus chose complete hiding.
He concealed himself in the most remote corners of the wilderness like a wounded beast, silently licking his wounds while, with the patience of a seasoned hunter, cautiously rebuilding his strength, reuniting scattered lions, cultivating new elites, building his pride legions.
He waited in darkness for the right moment, longing to one day return and realize his former grand design.
[You already know what happened afterwards.]
The Amethyst Dragon Lion emitted a heavy sigh, squeezing out a helpless low growl.
With the Federation’s weakening control of the wilderness in recent years, he believed the long-awaited opportunity had finally arrived and decided to reemerge, swearing to fulfill his dream.
But.
He had never imagined that just as he began to show himself and his force started to take shape, he would provoke the Molten Iron Tribe—also aggressively expanding and far stronger than his prides—and suffer a devastating blow from the red iron dragon, ultimately being routed and forced to bow his proud head.
"As expected, many of these so-called Map Kings who recently rose to prominence in the wilderness are actually old creatures like the Lion Lord, who have lain dormant for ages waiting for the chance."
"Truly young ones like me are rare—an anomaly among anomalies."
Garoth slowly spread his wings in the driving rain, letting the water wash over his scales, deep in thought.
The lich they had previously encountered, the Amethyst Lion Lord before him, and Garoth himself were similar in some respects.
They had all once hidden because of the Federation’s power, and now, taking advantage of changing circumstances, had reemerged.
"The Map Kings already entrenched in their domains, and some powerful beings still watching from the shadows, not yet revealed... I suspect many of them are like this."
"This wilderness is far deeper than it appears on the surface."
Rainwater slid from Garoth’s horns and the spikes on his faceplate as he turned his head slightly to gaze at the Amethyst Lion King.
He asked, "Your dragon-blood concentration is extremely high. Among your previous-generation direct kin, was there a true Amethyst Dragon?"
The Amethyst Lion King shook his head, a hint of bewilderment flashing in his eyes.
[I do not know.]
He responded through spiritual energy.
He had not awakened the legacy at birth; rather, one day during his maturation he suddenly had an opening and naturally acquired part of the dragon knowledge.
Since he could remember, he had only seen his own mother, a powerful and beautiful great lion.
He had grown under the care and protection of the pride.
Of his father, or rather the source of that other potent half of his bloodline, he knew very little.
"Ennus is now just over three hundred ro."
"If the Amethyst Dragon that birthed him still wanders somewhere in the wilderness, then it is most likely an aged dragon over four hundred years old."
At that thought, Garoth felt a chill in his heart.
"Aged"—a word that, for most species, implied decline, sluggishness, and approaching end—meant something very different for dragons: it meant deeper accumulation of power, more terrifying magical potency, more refined combat technique, and greater, craftier wisdom.
An Amethyst Dragon older than four hundred ro would have a life level of at least 20.
If among Amethyst Dragons there were individuals with exceptional talent and fortunate circumstances, they might even break that difficult threshold and undergo a dramatic qualitative transformation in life level, reaching 21 or higher.
The possibility that such a powerful, elderly kin could be lurking somewhere in this vast wilderness,
and that its scattered offspring had just been defeated and subjugated by Garoth himself, inevitably stirred a trace of unease deep within him.
It was not fear, but an instinctive caution toward an unknown powerful existence.
However, he immediately recalled that Amethyst Dragons generally belonged to an absolute neutral alignment.
Unlike the Five-colored Dragons who delighted in wanton evil and sowed terror, or Metal Dragons who zealously punished wrongdoers and upheld order,
the Amethyst Dragon, as the head of the Gemstone Dragons, tended to remain detached and aloof.
They often nested in remote places, even outside the Material Plane, quietly watching the passage of time and the rise and fall of civilizations, maintaining a detached stance and rarely engaging in worldly conflicts.
Individual dragons differed, of course.
But overall, neutral Amethyst Dragons were certainly easier to deal with than evil wyrms; in some ways they were even more pragmatic to negotiate with than some stubborn Metal Dragons.
"There's no need to worry excessively."
"Worrying too much about those distant uncertainties is not foresight, it's fighting with the air—an exhausting, pointless fantasy."
Garoth exhaled slowly to steady his mind, his gaze returning to a steady, sharp focus.
"I understand your ambition and I know the dream you once had."
The red iron dragon turned his massive head as light fell on the Amethyst Lion King. "I know you now submit out of helplessness."
"But I can tell you this."
"Under my dragon wings, the chances of realizing that blueprint in your heart will increase, not decrease."
His voice was calm and low, yet carried a persuasive power.
If charisma could be quantified, Garoth’s number would surely rank impressively high, matching the authority of his massive form.
"Ennus, you will remain the ruler of this land."
"Your pride will still be led and commanded by you. The Molten Iron Tribe needs loyal warriors and lords, not soulless slaves."
At those words, the Amethyst Lion King’s formerly dim eyes suddenly brightened, the entire lion visibly reinvigorated.
[Truly?!]
He emitted a low roar that mixed surprise with disbelief.
"The Molten Iron Tribe knows how to let each follower realize their maximum value and put them in the most suitable positions, and you are the most suitable to govern and garrison this plain."
Garoth said, "So long as you meet several necessary prerequisites and uphold loyalty and duty."
"Whether you wish to gradually develop this place into a prosperous land of order and civilization, or keep its wild character, that remains your freedom; I will not interfere excessively."
"My concern is only the results—prosperity, flourishing, and warriors and resources ready to be requisitioned at any time."
Meanwhile,
iron dragon Sorog, listening to the conversation between the red iron dragon and the Amethyst Lion King, flicked his gaze and quietly trained his ear.
"First, you will continue to serve as the lord of this place, enjoying governance rights and most autonomy, but you shall no longer use the title of king; there is only one king of this land."
"Second, the tribe will station a number of Molten Iron elite warriors here as needed, led by trusted commanders, to garrison strategic passes, resource nodes, and the area around your lair."
"They will be responsible for joint defense, overseeing resource flows, and maintaining the tribe’s basic order here; you must cooperate and not obstruct."
"Third, the pride must be integrated into the tribe’s military system, periodically supplying qualified warriors and accepting conscription..."
Garoth laid out several conditions. They were not generous, but neither were they harsh, and they largely preserved Ennus’s autonomy.
After a moment’s thought, the great Amethyst Lion happily accepted.
[You are so powerful, wise, and sagacious. Surrendering under you will be the wisest choice of my life.]
He continued to emit low roars expressing submission and respect.
Garoth gently touched foreheads, then as if remembering something, added, "Next time when expressing flattery and loyalty, you can speak it directly in Draconic. In that regard, I prefer to hear actual voices."
The Amethyst Lion’s expression turned serious; he nodded solemnly and noted the remark.
After giving simple instructions about subsequent matters and leaving behind an advanced communication device usable at long range, Garoth led his dragons skyward, tearing through the heavy rain curtain and setting off for home.
"Garoth, it seems you have finally made your decision."
"From now on we will widely adopt this feudal-lord-style strategy to govern new territories?"
On their return, iron dragon Sorog flew steadily beside Garoth. He did not speak aloud; his low voice resonated directly in Garoth’s mind through telepathic link.
With the Molten Iron Tribe’s rapid growth and swift expansion, the number of territories under its control had increased and spread out.
How to effectively defend, govern, and consolidate these newly acquired lands had become a critical practical issue.
Long before the Tempering Heights reconquest, the core members of the Ignas Dragon Cluster had discussed long-term planning in their mental network and had debated this very topic.
They proposed various governance strategies, from centralization to loose federations.
Now, judging by how Garoth handled Ennus and his pride’s lands, he clearly favored a traditional but efficient feudal-style enfeoffment system.
"Yes, Sorog. This appears to be the optimal solution for now."
Garoth replied, "The tribe is in an unprecedented period of rapid expansion; the window of opportunity is fleeting."
"Enfeoffment can maximize the initiative of the conquered, stabilize newly acquired lands fastest, ensure effective rule, and free us from tedious local governance so we can focus on more important directions."
Enfeoffing powerful subjugated creatures as lords,
letting them manage lands and peoples they know while pledging loyalty and obligations to the Molten Iron Tribe, was undoubtedly the most efficient, lowest-cost, and least resistant approach.
But this method had an obvious drawback.
It placed extremely high demands on the supreme ruler.
The leader at the top must possess unrivaled strength and prestige to deter any thoughts of betrayal among subordinate lords.
Otherwise, large forces could easily fracture from within, descending into endless rebellion and strife.
However, for long-lived, ever-growing dragons, this drawback was minimized.
Great wyrms did not age and weaken as mortals did; they grew stronger with time.
So long as Garoth remained alive and continued to gain power,
his vassals would naturally remain loyal and might even benefit from serving an ever-stronger dragon king.
In short,
so long as Garoth stayed strong, his realm would be rock-solid; if a day ever came when he fell, what became of the territories would no longer matter to him.
"The name 'tribe' may soon be something we can discard."
Sorog gave a low, pleased laugh.
To personally witness and deeply participate in an organization’s rise from nothing to a terrifyingly powerful force was itself a source of immense satisfaction for the iron dragon.
Time quietly flowed under the rain curtain.
Since the battle where the Lord of Molten Iron defeated the Amethyst Lion Lord, one famed Map King no longer held sway over the Ser Wilderness’s northwest.
And the Molten Iron Tribe gained a lion lord with Amethyst Dragon blood and a huge host made up of many fierce lions and magical beasts.
However, Amethyst Dragon Lion Ennus and his pride suffered heavy injuries in the battle.
They would need a long period of recuperation to recover their vigor.
In the short term, this new addition could not provide much substantive help for the Molten Iron Tribe’s further expansion.
For now, they remained garrisoned in the broad territory centered on Echo Rift. That previously unnamed expanse of beasts and monsters was formally designated Lionheart Plain and added to the Molten Iron Tribe’s continuously updated military maps.
Unlike before, the highest ownership of this plain had passed to the Molten Iron Tribe.
Ennus and his pride now served as garrisoned guardians and governors acting on behalf of the tribe, no longer independent sovereigns.
The Molten Iron Tribe planned to build sturdy forward outposts, watchtowers, and small fortresses at the new territory’s strategic points and rich resource zones, leaving a lean, loyal core corps of Molten Iron troops to garrison and assist.
These would serve as both deterrents and conduits for connection and supervision.
Furthermore,
as Garoth had required, as the price and duty of submission, the pride must provide soldiers for the tribe.
Those powerful lions, besides forming an independent characteristic corps, would also have elite individuals selected for transfer into other Molten Iron units to be mixed with warriors of other races for combined operations.
Various mineral resources, magical plants, special hunting grounds discovered on the plain—
their extraction and primary profits would be centrally allocated by the Molten Iron Tribe.
When the tribe needed it, Amethyst Dragon Lion Lord Ennus must fulfill his duty, answer the call, and fight for the tribe.
Soon after,
new intelligence arrived via scouts to the Molten Iron Tribe and reached Garoth’s ears.
"Yesterday’s Map King could be a corpse by today."
"This wilderness is getting wilder and wilder."
Garoth murmured quietly to himself as he continued his training.
A king located in the Labyrinthine Swamps had been attacked.
An overwhelming flock of raptor-like flying beasts and magical creatures, led by a powerful fire bird, struck the Python King. After a fierce battle, the Python King was killed, the bird flock occupied the Labyrinthine Swamps, and the serpent hosts scattered and fled.