Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 575 - 574 - Old Monsters

The areas of the trade paths were relatively peaceful compared to the depths of the Hinterlands.  The paths had been carefully forged and maintained over epochs.

It was said they pre-dated the 6 empires but no one knew for sure.  There were also beasts that none dared touch in the Hinterlands.  Earth drakes were terrifying but relatively weak compared to others.

Any caravan master that heard that would be terrified but most never touched on such dangers.  They took the care and caution to extremes to protect themselves and harvest healthy profits.

Also, being a caravan member decreased the odds of being chosen as a sacrifice for the Soulmancers.  Death was still a common occurrence but dying to a beast was far less terrifying than having a soul extracted.

The Two Rivers was only a month away from one of those routes so it was technically with a weaker area but not even a day from them was the start of the ancient beasts areas.

They were always shifting but all knew not to blithely waltz into them.

Lind did so then.  He knew Glenda was moving towards others but there was one nearby she was reluctant to bother.  He had no such compunction.

The moment he passed a ridgeline of giant pine trees that sparkled like each blade was made of metal.  He felt an aura zero in on him but Lind made no move to cry out for battle.

He stopped and waited for any sign of permission to proceed.

[You have been a noisy neighbor, but I enjoy you killing those dark ones.  Yet, do not take my silence for open arms.  Go away.]  A rough voice shook Lind but he felt he was in the same tier.  Still, beasts were stronger than cultivators in the same tier.

"I beg pardon but I was informed of something I cannot stand, nor should anyone.  The roc with me called them Soulless."  Lind spoke out loud.  At his cultivation level, his intent would translate to everyone in earshot.

The moment he said the last word the entire forest and small ridges shook with rage from all corners.

[SILENCE!]

A stillness came to the land instantly.

[That child was not alive for those monstrosities.  The power that made them was wiped from the world.  Do not lie to me about your arrival.]

Lind bowed but did not retreat.

"She may not have been alive but it does not change the fact that corpses were found but they are not corpses.  Beasts will not go near them and they have barely any soul in them.  Does that description sound familiar?"  Lind was suddenly slammed into the ground!

He had thought he was fairly powerful as a Moon Tier but that beast had swatted him from a distance while being in the same Tier!  He clearly had to focus on his cultivation soon!

[WHERE?!]  The voice boomed and that time the various beasts around Lind were not quiet.

He concentrated on the area the Soulless were found.  A golden streak shot out from hundreds of kilometers away.  Lind was unable to even register it as he was busy dusting himself off.

It seemed like only a few moments had passed when a roar shook the world.

Even if someone was only human, they would know something ancient had been angered when it should not have been.

[What do you want from me?]

An anger filled voice shook Lind's bones just from his mind!

"I seek to wipe such things from all worlds.  I want to know if they can be saved as well."  His first statement was met with such fervor that most missed the last part, but his intended target did not.

[You are a weaver?  Yes, you are but you are not like them.  You are clean.]  Lind bowed but did not get a chance to speak before the voice continued.  [I will help you and also lend you some of my best trackers.  We will burn the ones who brought them here but know we will likely kill them all in the end.  It would be a mercy.]

Lind bowed low and suddenly a massive shadow appeared above him.  He looked up to see a golden light flying on pristine white wings with a black tail tipped with a stinger.

A gryphon!

"You are a progenitor and dragon soul.  If nothing else, that speaks highly of you.  Do not betray us or you will not know how you died."  Lind bowed as he felt the peak of the Moon Tier from the beast in the air.  Lind was not quite half way but such a vast difference in power was clear.

As he got ready to go, 10 stone dral appeared!  He was stunned to see so many but compared to Tal they felt a little lacking somehow.

Further, Tal had dark gray skin in her natural form but he noted the stone on these varied.  One had a similar gray but it was mixed with granite.  Others had obsidian or other variations and one even had crystals!

The largest one, covered in black, gray, and golden stone came in front of him.

"We will obey Orbas and he say follow you.  Answer one thing, why do you smell like family?"  Lind smirked and summoned a shard of dark gray stone.  It had a rune carved into it and when all 10 saw it they knelt instantly.

"A heart stone?  How could an ascender possibly marry a stone dral in a mortal realm?"  Orbas, the gryphon was actually curious but Lind then summoned 2 more.  A roc heart feather and a scale from Ethry.

If had made Orbas curious before, the beast was flummoxed then.  He instantly transformed and was a human with glowing dark skin and bald head.  His robes were deep gold with white sleeves and a black belt.

His pale golden eyes carefully looked Lind over before a bright smile crossed his face.

"True bonds!  All 3 are true bonds!"  The 10 stone drals became excited that the sound of grinding stone actually became a little painful as they hopped around on their paws.  The angular heads did not show smiles easily but Tal had made so Lind could see they were very happy.

"I will be happy to talk about my family but the Soulless take precedence."  The happy atmosphere was dispelled but all agreed.

"Follow him as you would me!  Return once we are done!"  The 10 stone drals bayed before heading for the Two Rivers.  He sent a message to expect them which Sheena took without a single question.

"The little roc will be able to get the lazy turtle and maybe the Fire Hawk to come help but you should reach out to the old monster in the south."  Lind frowned.

"Who is in the south?"  More bog lay to the south and he had a bad experience the last time.  As if reading his mind, Orbas only smirked but then pointed at him.

"One of you is in the south.  Not your mate, she is far older, but she has not shown up since before the Law Binding was placed.  Even I was born after it and she was a legend then.  She would not listen to anyone, even an Immortal, but she would listen to you."  Lind was curious but why get her?

"Do you know what cultivation she is at?"  Orbas became solemn at that question.

"She is a Sliver Tier the last I knew, which is the highest that can be reached in the Heaven Realm."  Lind nodded but then paused.  Even if she was Immortal Realm, more than a million years had passed since the Law Binding was established.

Orbas smirked at him as if reading his mind once more.

"She is a flood dragon."  Lind's eyes went wide!  It was one of the closest descendents to a true dragon!

In fact, if he offered his blood or Ethry's she could transform into a true dragon!  He was far too weak but Ethry was a bonafide Divine Bloodline dragon!

Still, the benefits of long life extended to them.  She could live for almost 800 million years as a simple Silver Tier!

Dragons, phoenix, black shelled tortoise, and white tigers had incredibly long lives as they cultivated.  They could get stuck or trapped in their journey but afford to lose a million years like it was nothing.

The closer a descendant or variant race was to the origin, the more benefit they could derive.

A flood dragon had many similar features but maybe half to a third of the strength of a true dragon.  Still, a human would be hard pressed to tell the difference.

There was one thing that confused Lind.

"If she was an Immortal, why has she allowed a human Law Binding to hold her here?"  He found it very difficult to believe a proud aether beast would accept their fate.

Orbas frowned a bit but then seemed to decide something.

"I only know rumors, but apparently there were Lords that asked for her help.  None of them returned alive.  She warned that anyone else that came uninvited would die."  Lind narrowed his eyes but Orbas held up his large hands.

"The drakes are one thing, but you are a dragon progenitor and dragon soul.  Just suppress her with your bloodline and there will be no problem!"  Lind's eyes narrowed further.  He looked down as the leaves and pine needles currently stuck to his robes and back up at Orbas.

The gryphon scratched the side of his cheek and seemed to nod at the unspoken question.

"Maybe later."  Lind nodded but filed it away.  It was possible he would need an Immortal's help to leave the binding but it was good to know she existed.  He hoped she still existed.

The 2 of them flew up and towards the Two Rivers.  The hunting parties needed to be set and likely battle to be joined.