Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 1156 - 1155 - Broken Heart

Crescent City had been resurrected. It was not at its former glory since only a handful of buildings had been rebuilt to their specifications, but the walls were protecting it once more and profound grade 7 formations were flowing with Qi to protect them all.

Merchants, guilds, and other business trade had risen astronomically in the wake of the bloodline array being broken. The many wars and bloody attacks had made trade outside of Gates very difficult.

Gates had been immensely expensive so that had not been very feasible until the new gateways had been created by Amberscale City.

The current Duke was a member of the Imperial family. His leadership had made many praise him despite the dark rumors about the fallen Prince Nest.

The fortress looking down at the sprawling city had several towers reaching into the sky made of white stone. The powerful materials and formations made it shimmer at times but the inner walls were just as powerful as the outer ones despite being shorter.

Gorgeous gardens lined the main path as soldiers marched smartly on their patrols. The main entrance had places for animals and carriages to drop off personnel.

The stairwell was elegant and covered in a surface to keep traction even if it started to rain. Rather than deflect all weather, which was far more resource intensive, it was a solution a recent Maester had suggested.

Normally, individual cultivators protected themselves but guests had already commented on the simple feature being wonderful as it did not waste their own Qi.

The various servants and functionaries were going about their business with swift efficiency. Normally, smiles or small chatter would fill the halls but everything was subdued.

There were no smiles and total silence reigned supreme.

Even the kitchen, normally a place of laughter and excellent scents, was simply the silence between the clink of pans and tools as the sweaty cooks worked to prepare the morning meal.

Far up one of the towers, a gorgeous woman in fine amber robes walked slowly up the stairs to a set of quarters she called home. Her eyes were vertical slits of golden amber. Her face was a healthy glow of life but there was a shadow over her features.

She came to a sunlit hall as a wooden door with fine inscriptions was sealed before her. It had been some months since the news reached them but somehow, he had known before the official notice.

It had been like any other day but her husband suddenly went still. He looked to the west in confusion but slowly tears fell from his eyes.

Teegan was not sure how such a bond was formed without ever meeting but cultivators never underestimated the bonds of family and loved ones. They could inspire levels of strength normally impossible to reach but they could also be dangerous weak points.

It all depended on the mental strength of the cultivator in question.

She paused before the doors before reaching up to pet a scaly figure on her shoulders.

"Shea, we are going to see your father. Please try to help cheer him up." The small dragon was covered in golden scales more profound than when Teegan was that age but the truly shocking thing was after she opened her eyes lazily she began to glow with Qi!

Her tiny form of a winged dragon with four limbs seemed to melt until a tiny human child with a head full of golden amber hair and eyes with cream skin looked sadly at the door.

Teegan had expected her child to be in the latter stages of the Body Refining Realm certainly but she was shocked she was born in the Soul Realm! There had been signs as the birth grew near but the true awe was after the breakthrough was done.

Her daughter had been born a dragon but was able to transform already into a human before the Heaven Realm! Even Divine Dragons could not do that!

Further, her elements were hidden from her senses for some reason. No matter how many Immortals were consulted, none could see the truth of her daughter.

It was only when a message arrived from the True Lord that a suspicion was confirmed. The blessing of his seemed to have given her daughter an opportunity the Heavens were guarding.

All of that, however, was now pushed to the background. News had come that the hope that had bloomed over 20 years ago was now burned to ashes.

Princess Delenn Fionan was dead.

Further, she was murdered according to her soul slate. The Empire offered a stunning bounty but her husband had no care about it. His heart was broken. He had been looking for his sister, betrayed by his brother, and when things seemed like it might be salvaged, the same sister was now killed.

She watched as her little girl carefully walked up to the door and put her palm on the door. The Qi flared before a large thunk was heard as the door began to swing inward.

A luxurious room was revealed with a massive balcony looking out over the city. Teegan smiled as she saw a steaming set of tea on a table near the outer wall. The servants still tried to help in their own way as she smelled the pungent odor of Starling Tea.

It was popular among Immortals as it let them comprehend Laws of the abstract very well. Space, time, and others of the like were the most difficult but the tea seemed to help clear their minds along those lines.

It also was good for settling a chaotic heart. Comprehending the more esoteric Laws made a heart and mind able to look at the bigger picture.

The tea, of course, was untouched. The main room had several doors going off of it. The open door to the left was a bedroom that both saw was well made and peaceful. It was also empty.

The other door that was open led to the bath but the final door was sealed shut once more.

The cultivation room was set up with arrays not only for gathering Qi at a higher density but to help comprehend Laws as well. The formation of the door was peak mid grade 7 but the interior was made of weavings.

The True Lord had graciously created them at her request.

Petryn had not left the room in some time. She had allowed it for a time but no longer.

Shea walked carefully across the room. In her dragon form, she was sure and swift, but a human body had terrible balance at such a tiny size. Still, it brought a smile to her face.

She put her tiny hand against the door and once more it lit up before it actually vanished! The formation did not do that but a weaving on the interior. She did not totally understand how it worked but the door could appear and disappear entirely.

There was no fluctuation in space, but the True Lord had said it was simply shifted slightly out of phase.

The tiny girl frowned as a smell came out of the room that did not usually occur with a cultivator focused on their cultivation. It was the smell of filth.

A sigh left Teegan as she pushed her child back and looked into the simple room. The arrays were covered in a little dust as they had clearly not been used. Instead, she saw a rough looking human man in soiled clothes.

As an Immortal, he had no need of food or drink but both were present as refuse in the room. The strong stale scent of alcohol was clear but she waved her hand as amber flames purified it all.

The dust and refuse were gone in an instant. Even the man was cleaned up but his scraggly beard and unkempt hair remained.

"Shea is here. Are you really going to keep wallowing like this?" Her voice was gentle but firm. She had indulged him enough.

"I tried to understand why it hurts and I realized I was looking forward to meeting her. The instant she died, a geass on my mind was shattered. I had met her. She was why I met you and had Shea. She was why I was so happy and I never knew!" A brief surprise bloomed on her face.

When had Delenn returned to her city? She knew the True Lord had gone into a Ruin but not that the Master Forger had returned!

She heard how there was that short lived shop owner and many things became clear. The former slaves had been frequent customers to that shop but even they likely did not know. It was very like Delenn to not drag people into her business but not to abandon those she cared for as she met them.

She felt sad she had not gone to the shop herself but regret had no medicine.

"So she had to put a stronger protection on you or you would have recognized her?" He nodded. Clearly the Fionan Empire had many methods to find their family when they wanted to.

It was also clear Delenn did not want to be found so easily.

Now it was all too late.

"My question stands. Our daughter misses you. She wants to hear stories at bedtime from you." She knelt down to see his pale gray eyes look at her with no soul in them. There was no sign of a heart demon.

One would need a heart to form one, after all. His was shattered.

"A new message came. The last student of Princess Delenn will be giving an account in 3 years to the Emperor. Father-in-Law has demanded answers now. He is sending troops to the Rubyfire Kingdom." A flicker showed up in his eyes before he became grim.

"That will not end well. A Triple Maester is not a being to be offended. Worse, his power is not trifling in battle either." Petryn knew about the relationship between his sister and Triple Maester Taren Cord.

He slowly stood up as he looked down at his unkempt appearance.

"Sigh, I suppose I need to get cleaned up and then take my punishment before we leave?" A smile graced her face as she nodded. The sadness was still in his eyes but a spark had returned.

A goal had been given to him. The last person to know his sister and it was a friend. She let him pass and the sound of a small foot kicking a shin followed but an exaggerated response from Petryn.

Laughter followed, real laughter that made tears fall down her cheeks.

"True Lord, please be merciful to the fools. My husband has suffered enough." She left the room and joined her family. They had much to do and little time to head out. The Empire was on the move!