Guardian of Akatosh part II
Part 3
The next morning, Zal woke up feeling the cold air brushing against his face.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself covered with an animal fur blanket.
Sandro, who was reading a book across from him, put her book down and turned to him when she saw he was awake.
“We’re almost at Akatosh…
It’s going to get colder from this area upward…
Wear that outfit to keep warm…”
He looked around and noticed, besides the fur blanket, there was also a cold-weather outfit prepared by Sandro nearby, including a thick clothing, a leather jacket, boots, and an animal fur cloak.
Zal stored the outfit Sandro had prepared in a dimensional space and slowly changed into each piece.
He felt wearing the leather jacket was a bit too warm, so he took it off but kept the fur cloak outside.
As he surveyed his surroundings, he saw the vast grassland not unlike the path they had traveled the day before, but the colors were different; the grass in this area was yellow and light brown rather than the lush green of the previous day.
Far in the distance, a ring of tall mountains under a slightly hazy sky made it look like a fog was forming up a natural barrier.
Not far away, within sight, he saw a group of adventurers battling a horde of skeletal warriors near an area filled with ruins and broken stone walls, which surprised Zal.
“Huh?
Is that a dungeon area?
So close to the main road?”
“This is typical for the Zenithal region…
especially the northern part where the dragons reside.
The magical essence is so concentrated here that natural dungeons form easily…
That’s why this is another popular area for adventurers to hunt monsters, second only to the Crozis region…”
Hearing Sandro’s explanation, Zal nodded in understanding, then looked out the window again to watch the ongoing battles outside, but their carriage moved past and soon the scene was out of sight.
The carriage continued along the road as Zal watched the landscape on both sides without ever getting bored.
He often saw battles along the way; some were so close to the road that it was no surprise that the northern Zenithal was designated as a dangerous area where adventurers below 6-tier were not allowed to travel alone.
As they entered a highland area, Zal began to see more farmland and houses along the roadsides.
Most were simple homes built of stone and wood with thatched roofs.
The people in this area were mostly Nords, who were robust with blue eyes and golden hair.
The villagers wore thick cloth clothes, while adventurers were dressed in leather armors or outfits made from animal fur, which clearly differed from each other.
Zal observed the Nords with interest until his attention was caught by a group wearing thin robes, resembling those of mages, seemingly unfazed by the cold.
Additionally, they wore strange head ornaments that looked like crowns.
Upon closer inspection, he realized these were not crowns nor ornaments but horns that grown out of their heads and curved intricately like crowns, a feature he had never seen before.
“Eh?
Sandro?
Those people?”
“Um, those are Dragonkin…”
“Ah~ so those are the dragons that had human form?
This is my first time seeing a real deal.”
“Don’t stare too much…
They are mostly arrogant, looking down on humans as inferior…
In reality, their human forms could perfectly resemble humans…
but they intentionally keep their dragon horns visible to highlight their difference from humans…”
Zal continued to watch them intently.
Soon, they spread large wings from their backs and soared into the sky, disappearing from view.
“Wow~ they can even spread dragon wings in human form!
That’s so cool!”
It seemed he was not listening to Sandro, who sighed in response.
“Hey, Sandro, Dragonkin were dragons before, right?
Then why don’t they object when so many adventurers hunt dragons, which are like their kin?”
“To be correct, they are still dragons…
just more evolved…
Do you know how Dragonkin came to be?”
“Um…
If I remember correctly, Dragonkin are dragons that have lived for a very long time, eventually developing intelligence and emotions, becoming as sentient as humans.”
“That’s not entirely wrong…
just missing some details…
Dragonkin are dragons who have undergone hibernation in the ‘Eternal Dream’ for thousands of years, elevating their consciousness…
from mere beasts to intelligent beings…
Some continue using their dragon forms without disguising as humans…
Most who take human forms do so mainly for communication or to seek further knowledge…”
“Ah~ I see…
Huh?
But isn’t the world only over three hundred years old?
How can Dragonkin hibernate for thousands of years?”
“‘Eternal Dream’ is a temporal dimension separate from the real world…
Time there passes hundred times faster than in the outside world…
So ten years in the real world could equal a thousand years in the ‘Eternal Dream’…”
“Wow~ that’s amazing, kind of like the ‘Room of Space and Time’ I read about in the records of the old world.
Does that mean any dragon could potentially become Dragonkin someday, right?”
“Passing through ‘Eternal Dream’ is more complex than it sounds…
Not every dragon can see ‘Eternal Dream’ during their hibernation…
Only some perceive it and choose to enter…
And that’s only the first stage of the test…”
“The first stage?”
“Yes…
seeing the path is just the first step, but whether to take it is another matter…
Most dragons ignore the call and continue their lives as beasts…
Only a few are interested and willing to enter the ‘Eternal Dream’…”
Zal’s eyes sparkled with curiosity, more so than before, as this was the first time he had heard about these matters.
“What about the second stage?”
“I’m not exactly sure of the details, but within the ‘Eternal Dream,’ it’s filled with various events…
It’s like the dreams of beasts, humans can see the images but can’t describe them accurately…
This dream slowly changes and evolves according to the mental and intellectual state of that dragon…
There are good and bad outcomes…
Some dragons die in the dream, causing them to die in the real world as well…
Some get lost in an eternal dream, never waking up…
Only a few gradually accumulate wisdom and find a way out…”
Zal was visibly impressed, not expecting the origins of the Dragonkin to be so complex and fascinating, and he eagerly continued his questioning.
“So, once they come out, they become Dragonkin?”
“Well, they actually become high-level dragons with thousands of years of intelligence…
The term ‘Dragonkin’ is just a name that humans have given them…
But they don’t mind it, as it seems they prefer not to be associated with lower-level dragons.
That’s why they don’t care if people hunt those lower-level dragons…”
“Eh?
Lower-level dragons?
Aren’t they all from the same origin?”
“In the eyes of the Dragonkin…
Dragons that haven’t passed through the ‘Eternal Dream’ are considered no different from lower beasts…
It’s like the line between humans and wild animals…
They don’t even consider lower-level dragons to be of the same species…
That’s typical dragon behavior…”
“So they don’t mind if someone hunts these lower-level dragons?”
“That’s about right…
Lower-level or wild dragons themselves attack indiscriminately, even including the Dragonkin…
So, for them, it’s beneficial if someone takes care of this nuisance…”
Zal nodded in satisfaction.
He had studied a lot about wild dragons but had never looked into Dragonkin before.
He thought that he should explore this information further when he had the time.
As they continued their conversation, the carriage neared its destination.
Ahead of the carriage lay a city nestled in a large valley, the road sloping upward towards high mountains, with homes built on the incline and embedded into the cliff face, extending upwards seemingly endlessly.
This was Skuldafn, a city where humans and Dragonkin coexisted and served as a central hub for adventurers venturing into Akatosh’s dungeons.
As the road became steeper, Sandro suggested they dismount from the carriage and continue on foot.
Skuldafn was as bustling as the city of Linz, but the atmosphere was distinctly different.
In Linz, the city had a fortified character with many soldiers maintaining order, ordinary townspeople bustling about, and adventurers seen occasionally except around the guild office.
However, in Skuldafn, almost everyone appeared to be adventurers; market folk were a rare sight, and almost everyone on the streets seemed to hold some characteristics of an adventurer.
The shops lining the streets were mostly hotels, restaurants, bars, and stores selling adventurer gear such as weapons and armor.
There were hardly any ordinary shops mingled among them, truly making it a town for adventurers. This chapter is updated first at novelping.com.
Sandro was checking various hotels to find a suitable place for them to stay.
Eventually, she stopped at one that seemed more upscale than the average and was not too crowded.
The hotel’s lobby had a small campfire set up in the center where several adventurers were gathered around, eating and drinking, entertained by musicians singing and playing music.
Surrounding the area were dozens wooden tables for dining, making it a rather large lobby.
After booking a room with the hotel manager, Sandro ordered food directly to a table in the lobby, because it was lunchtime.
She ordered almost every local specialty on the menu: meatballs with mashed potatoes and gravy, smoked herring with caviar, braised beef with horseradish sauce, tomato cheese sautéed sausage, grilled lamb ribs with pepper cream sauce, salt-roasted beef shank, and several native desserts featuring renowned ‘mammoth cheese.’ The table for four was so laden with dishes that they had to place some on the chairs as well.
Though some adventurers looked over with surprise, Sandro did not mind and kept eating.
Zal tried to discreetly arrange some empty plates to his side to avoid looking too conspicuous, but it hardly helped; the pile still seemed too large.
“Didn’t…
you say we shouldn’t draw too much attention?
Eating this much really stands out, though.”
Having just finished her lamb ribs, Sandro wiped her mouth and hands, then took a sip of lemon tea, wiping her mouth again before responding.
“These dishes are hard to come by…
I haven’t eaten them in a long time…
but don’t worry…
adventurers around here don’t care about such trivial things…”
Zal still felt slightly uneasy, seeing that the amount of food could indeed be eye-catching.
He tried to observe the people around, and while there were some whispers about the amount of food Sandro consumed, most people seemed amused or impressed, which reassured him a bit.
“Sigh…
Let it be then.
But where are we heading next?”
As Sandro began eating a new dish, she chewed thoroughly without immediately answering his question.
Her action made Zal remember that Sandro preferred not to talk while eating.
She would chew her food, swallow, wipe her mouth, drink some water, and then respond.
It was part of her dining etiquette, making Zal feel a bit guilty for interrupting her meal.
Once Sandro completed her ritual, she answered his question.
“We’re heading straight to Akatosh’s dungeon area…
We’ll clear the area and set up a dungeon as planned…
But given the number of adventurers we’ve seen in the town, there might be some complications…”
“Complications?”
Sandro did not elaborate further and focused on finishing her meal and dessert.
Afterwards, she paid the bill and led Zal out of the hotel towards the entrance to Akatosh’s dungeon area.
The dungeon area was slightly outside the city limits, accessible via a path that diverged from the town into a forested hill, which served as a route around to the deeper valley where the dungeon was located.
Upon their arrival, Zal and Sandro encountered a long line of adventurers, seemingly waiting for something.
The number of adventurers gathered on both sides of the path gave it the appearance of a small military camp.
Zal was puzzled by why so many adventurers were gathered like this, while Sandro had already anticipated this situation.
“Just as I thought…”
“Eh?
What do you mean?”
Sandro did not respond immediately but approached one of the adventurers standing in the area.
“An over-quota of adventurers…?”
“Yes, exactly.
It’s been like this since morning.
I…
I was thinking about switching to a lower dungeon instead…”
At first, the young adventurer responded with a frustrated tone and demeanor because of the wait, but his attitude changed upon seeing Sandro, becoming more relaxed and polite.
“I see…
Thank you very much…”
Sandro thanked him and returned to Zal with an impassive demeanor, while the young adventurer continued to watch her intently.
When she returned, she explained the situation.
“This is a problem that often occurs when a large number of adventurers gather…
there are more adventurers than the quota allowed for hunting…”
“Huh?
Over quota?
What does that mean?”
“Because there are so many people choosing to become adventurers nowadays…
there are more adventurers than the amount of monsters in some areas…
The missions given by the association aren’t enough for every group of adventurers, so many groups choose to clear dungeons independently, not caring about compensation or missions.
They’re content with just getting materials or mana stones from hunting to sell…
Especially for dungeons like Akatosh, which have high-level monsters, there are many adventurers who want to hunt for materials…
To prevent certain natural species of monsters from being hunted to extinction, the association has implemented hunting restrictions…
Only a certain number of adventurers are allowed to hunt in natural dungeon areas during each period.
If it’s not yet their turn, other groups can’t go in.
That’s why people end up waiting in such long queues like this…”
Zal turned to look at the long line of crowded adventurers again, surprised.
He was just learning that such regulations existed.
The fact that there were more adventurers than monsters was something he had never expected.
“I just found out there are rules like this…
This is kind of bad, isn’t it?”
“Don’t worry…
This actually works to our advantage in a way…
Once the dungeon is constructed, it will attract many adventurers to come and fight, and the constant rotation of new groups of adventurers will make us less noticeable…”
“But we still can’t get into the dungeon area, can we?”
“No worries…
This isn’t the only entrance to the dungeon area…”
After finishing her statement, Sandro turned around and led him back into the city.
Part 4
Once back in the city, Sandro led Zal up the city’s sloping streets.
As they ascended to the higher parts of the city, the population thinned out, and Zal began to see members of the Dragonkin, who were seldom seen in the lower city areas.
The architecture of this part of the city started to look peculiar, with buildings and structures all fused together like a big rock.
It looked as if the town was carved out of stone cliffs, giving a solid, imposing, and chilling atmosphere.
“North from here is Lower Akatosh, a city that is separate from Skuldafn…
Actually, it’s more like Skuldafn was separated from it…”
Sandro explained, noticing Zal’s curious glances around.
“Huh?
So this is actually the main city?”
“This is the city of the Dragonkin…
Previously, Akatosh Adventurers’ Association headquarters was located here…
But as you know, the values of the Dragonkin are generally not very friendly towards humans, leading to frequent conflicts with adventurers…
Eventually, the Association moved its office down below, so people started gathering there.
Over time, that area expanded and eventually became a city…”
“Um…
you said this is the lower part of the city, so there’s an upper part too?”
“The lower city is where Dragonkin who prefer living in human form reside…
Those who prefer their dragon forms usually live in the upper part of the city, which has more caves and cliffs than constructed buildings…
That’s why the city is divided into these two parts…”
After finishing her explanation, Sandro grasped his hand, and a light mist began to surround them both, making Zal curious.
“What is this?”
“The western side of the city has a pathway that leads to the dungeon area…
Normally, the Dragonkin don’t allow humans to use it for passage…
Adventurers don’t usually want to come this way either because it can get complicated if they are stopped…
Still, it’s not a heavily guarded route.
If we disguise ourselves a bit, we should be able to get through…”
Sandro led Zal through an unguarded city gate of Lower Akatosh.
Inside the city, the streets were relatively empty.
Zal saw only a few Dragonkin walking outside the buildings.
Even though some buildings had full-formed dragons resting on their roofs, the number of visible dragons was surprisingly low.
It seems that the fog made them invisible to outsiders, as no one paid any attention to them or even glanced their way.
Nevertheless, Sandro chose the most deserted path to avoid encountering anyone.
The two walked through the city and reached the western city gate without being noticed by anyone.
This city gate, too, was unguarded.
Once they passed through the gate, Zal found that the area outside was a plain surrounded by forests on both sides of the road.
“Are there no soldiers or guards at all?”
“There are…
it’s just that they don’t see the need to guard the city gates…
They are confident that there won’t be any problems…
or if there are any, they can be dealt with later…”
Typical of dragons, Zal felt a slight disdain for the Dragonkin, but he did not express his opinion out loud.
The two continued walking along the forest edge until they could hear the sound of flowing water, indicating that a stream was not far ahead.
When they reached it, Sandro immediately halted, and Zal, noticing her unusual behavior, whispered softly,
“What’s wrong?”
Sandro paused as if focusing to sense the area ahead, then while still scrutinizing the tree line intently, she responded,
“It seems there are people ahead…
likely Dragonkin who are outside…
It’s alright, we’ll just disguise ourselves and sneak past…”
Sandro created a fog again to conceal themselves before taking Zal by the hand and moving forward.
They managed to emerge from the trees onto a wide clearing beside the stream, where they encountered a young woman.
The woman, dressed in a long, pristine white skirt topped with a light blue long-sleeved shirt, had a proportionately beautiful face and soft blue hair that fluttered like silk in the breeze.
A pair of blue horns adorned her head, indicating her Dragonkin heritage.
She hummed and twirled about as if dancing, seemingly lost in her own world and oblivious to her surroundings.
Seeing this, Sandro felt assured that the woman would hardly notice anything, so she led Zal quietly from the woods to a bridge crossing the stream some distance away.
However, suddenly the woman stopped, as if aware of their presence,
“Who’s there!?”
The woman turned towards them and shouted.
Immediately, a gust of wind swept through, dispersing Sandro’s fog entirely.
The force of the wind was so strong that Zal was nearly lifted from the ground; had Sandro not held onto him, he might have been blown away several meters.
Sandro stood protectively in front of Zal, ready for action, while the woman slowly approached them.
Zal could feel Sandro gathering her magical power, ready to strike at any moment.
“Huh?
Is that…
a child?
Oh…
I’m sorry!
I was just startled, I didn’t expect anyone to come up so quietly, so…”
Suddenly, the young woman’s demeanor changed when she saw Zal, apparently feeling guilty for almost harming a child.
She quickly bowed deeply to apologize, causing Sandro to relax as well.
“It’s okay…
it was our fault for approaching so quietly…
We were hoping to use this path to reach the dungeon area…”
“Huh?
But entering the dungeon from this upper side is dangerous.
The monsters and dragons in this northern area are much stronger than those in the south, and it’s not safe to bring a child like this.”
“Don’t worry…
though he’s young, this one is a skilled adventurer…
Don’t underestimate him…”
“Really~?
He’s still so young, that’s impressive.”
The Dragonkin woman stooped down to Zal and affectionately stroked his head, easily believing Sandro’s words without any suspicion.
Both Zal and Sandro noticed something unusual about the young woman; from the beginning till now, she had not opened her eyes even once.
Curious, Zal waved his hand in front of the woman’s face, but it seemed she knew what he was doing, even though her eyes remained closed.
“Huh?
What’s wrong?”
“Sister, you haven’t opened your eyes at all.
How can you see?”
“Um…
I don’t have eyes actually, but I can sense spirits and see vague shapes.”
Despite wondering about her claim of having no eyes, Zal felt it was inappropriate to inquire further, so he did not pursue the topic.
Sandro, not wanting to waste more time, quickly tried to wrap up the conversation.
“…If it’s alright for you…
may we pass through here?…”
“Um…
Normally, they wouldn’t allow passage this way.
Did you guys just walk through the town with a cloaking spell just now?
Didn’t anyone see you?
Oh…
kids these days…
Oh, no, I mean, that was rude of me.
I should say it’s a brilliant cloaking spell that let you get through.”
The young woman continued to talk nonstop as if she had not spoken to anyone in a long time.
Sandro had to interrupt her to bring her back to the topic.
“…Um…
about passing through?”
“Oh!
That?
Um…
If you’re sure you won’t have problems with the high-level monsters, I don’t mind at all.
Normally, passing through isn’t a big deal.”
“…Then…
we’ll be on our way now…”
“Yes..
Oh!
Right, I forgot to mention one more thing.
This path is often used by high-level wild dragons as a passageway to attack the city.
So, if you hear thunder, you should quickly find a place to hide and try to stay away from the path for your safety.
Oh!
By the way, what are your names?”
“My name is Zalaras Halcyon.”
As soon as Zal finished speaking, Sandro thumped him on the head, causing him to fall to the ground.
As he turned back to complain, he remembered that it was not wise to reveal his real name and surname to just anyone.
“I’m…
Sandra Deathwhisper…
Nice to meet you…”
Sandro responded leisurely, her face expressing frustration.
Aware of his mistake, Zal tried to divert the conversation by talking to the young woman.
“Ah…
and what is your name?”
The young woman hesitated slightly upon hearing the question.
“Call me…
‘Aerthemil.'”
She seemed reluctant before finally saying the name, and her previously cheerful demeanor noticeably dimmed.
Sandro, upon hearing the name, also showed a subtle change in expression, but she did not elaborate further and quickly changed the subject.
“Then…
we should be going now…”
“Safe travels!”
The young woman bid them farewell with a smile.
Zal and Sandro crossed the bridge and left.
After walking away for a while, Zal, particularly intrigued by the young woman, could not help but speak up.
“That Dragonkin woman was really nice, wasn’t she?
She didn’t seem like the Dragonkin that Sandro described.”
“Hmm…”
Sandro listened in silence, her expression suggesting she was deep in thought, which made Zal curious.
“Huh?
What’s up?”
Sandro pondered for a moment longer before responding to his question.
“‘Aerthemil’ isn’t really a name…”
Zal raised his eyebrows in surprise at the revelation.
“What?
Then what is it?”
“It’s a derogatory term used by the Dragonkin…
it means a nexus of evil, or an origin of malevolence…
It’s one of the harshest insults that can be used among the Dragonkin…”
Sandro’s explanation only heightened Zal’s astonishment, as it sounded highly unreasonable.
“So why would that woman tell us to call her ‘Aerthemil’?”
“If I’m not mistaken…
that Dragonkin woman might be a pariah of the Ice Dragonkin…
a woman who caused the arrival of the third Doombringer…”
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