Paragon of Destruction

Arran and Snowcloud were both speechless as they stared at Crassus. The sight they had just witnessed was simply too shocking to handle.

Even though he had seen it with his own eyes, Arran struggled to believe that the humble man who stood at the center of the valley had been a titanic dragon only moments earlier. The difference was just too vast.

Yet he knew it was true, and as he processed the shocking display he had witnessed, his mind slowly calmed. Still, a feeling of shock lingered within him.

After some moments, Snowcloud turned to Arran with a mystified expression. "How did you even know dragons can take human form?"

Arran smiled wryly. "Remember those childhood stories I told you about?"

Snowcloud paled slightly, but she said no more.

The truth was that while there had been many signs, Arran never would have noticed them if he hadn't remembered the stories from his childhood. A few of those had mentioned dragons turning human, and those memories had helped him see through Crassus's ruse.

Yet now, with everything Arran had learned about magic, he found himself wondering just how Crassus did it.

Normal magic couldn't explain the transformation. Of that, Arran was certain. Crassus clearly didn't have any magical skill, and even if he did, he lacked the disposition to truly master it.

Moreover, Arran remembered well what Snowcloud had taught him about balance in magic: too much Body Refinement would make it far harder to control Essence-based magic, especially without Essence Crystals.

Yet the only other explanation was that Crassus's Natural Essence had reached such a level that he could reshape his body at will, and Arran could not help but wonder what else could be achieved through Body Refinement. He had thought Body Refinement merely gave physical strength, but now, he realized it might not be as simple.

He frowned briefly, but then put the matter aside.

"Let's go," he said to Snowcloud. With an uneasy smile, he added, "I'd rather not keep him waiting."

Snowcloud nodded nervously, and they quickly made their way to Crassus. While the man had shown them only kindness, after seeing his power they could not help but feel anxious at the prospect of facing him again.

Yet when they reached Crassus, the man was completely back to his old self — fat, ruddy, and dressed sloppily, every bit the drink-loving guide Arran had met at a tavern in Relgard.

Despite the man's changed appearance, Snowcloud still bowed respectfully. "Lord Crassus," she greeted him, a hint of awe in her voice.

"Lord?" Crassus raised an eyebrow, and it was clear he wasn't pleased with the title.

"Thanks for butchering the beast," Arran quickly interjected. "Did a better job than I could."

A broad grin appeared on Crassus's face. "Glad to be of help," he said, seeming gratified that Arran had recognized his gesture.

In truth, although it was a small matter for Crassus to tear apart the beast's remains, he had done Arran a big kindness. By himself, Arran would have struggled to cut the dragon's carcass into pieces small enough to move to his void bags. After all, even with the beast dead, its body still held great strength.

The favor gave Arran some trust in Crassus's benign intentions, and he quickly took out a Realm Opening Pill, then handed it to Crassus.

"My part of our deal," he said. With a thought, he added, "I can add a few more Realm Scrolls if you like. Wind, maybe?"

He had no shortage of Realm Scrolls, and he figured that apart from Fire, Wind would likely be the most interesting Realm to a flying dragon. Giving a few scrolls would be a small price to pay for the man's good will.

Crassus shook his head in response. "I already have a bunch of Realms. I just never got around to opening them." He glanced at the pill in his hand, then unceremoniously threw it in his mouth and swallowed it.

At once, Arran's eyes went wide. He had not expected Crassus to take the pill immediately.

"The pill…" he began hurriedly. "It will cause serious pain while it opens your Realms."

While he thought Crassus shouldn't be affected too badly, just the idea of the titan being enraged with pain was terrifying.

The man merely shrugged. "No worries," he said. He grinned and winked at Arran. "I'm fairly tough."

Arran sighed, then nodded. "I suppose we should collect some blood," he said, turning to Snowcloud.

"It's best if we take it immediately," she replied. "It will keep for a few days, but the sooner we've absorbed the cure, the better."

Though she didn't look at Crassus, Arran knew what she was thinking. Once they absorbed the dragon's blood, the cure would be part of their bodies, and other than dying there would be no way of losing it. As long as they managed to flee with their lives, they would be able to cure the Patriarch.

Of course, if Crassus turned against them, they would have little chance of escaping alive, but there were many other threats in the region. Arran knew that Snowcloud would only relax once they had cured her grandfather, and not a moment sooner.

For a moment, he hesitated, then finally said, "It's best if I go first. My body's tougher than yours."

He did not mention the Blood magic. Although Crassus was friendly enough, he was simply too strong, and Arran had no desire to find out if Crassus's benevolence would be tested by the hidden power within Arran's body.

"All right," Snowcloud said. From the look in her eyes, Arran suspected she'd had the same thought. "You go first."

As they approached the dragon's remains, Arran produced a big mug from his void bag, then filled it with blood from the giant pile of flesh before him.

He studied the deep crimson liquid for several moments, and although he had already Sensed the vast amount of Natural Essence within, he was still awed at its overwhelming strength.

"It will probably take me a few hours to absorb it all," he said thoughtfully.

Snowcloud nodded. "I'll watch over you," she replied.

As Arran raised the mug to his lips, he could feel a slight tremble in his body, as if it was eager to absorb the power it felt.

The feeling surprised Arran, and he quickly lowered the mug, then turned to Crassus with a questioning look in his eyes.

"It's strong," the man said with an amused grin. "But you'll be fine."

Once more, Arran brought the mug to his lips. He took a deep breath, then downed the viscous liquid in a single large gulp. The taste was both rich and revolting, and he nearly gagged as he swallowed it all.

At that moment, he heard Crassus's voice again, sounding even more amused this time. "You probably should have started with a drop or two, though."

Even as he swallowed the dragon blood, Arran felt an overwhelming power erupt within his body, and he only had time to shoot a single furious look at Crassus's laughing face before the violent power forced him to sit down and close his eyes.

While he did not worry that the blood would kill him — he didn't believe Crassus would send him to his death like that — he could already tell that he was in for a very bad time.