[TWS] Chapter 323 – Throne of Power

Since they had to wait for their Dracodon friend to reach the spot, Asterios only transferred them outside the town. Tina had decided to stay with the Royal Guard and join their practice since she rarely did that and felt obliged to spend more time with her subordinates. Thus, it was again just Miria and Selene by his side.

They chose to hold a little, fun contest. Moving far away into the woods, they all shifted into their alternate forms. In a flash, a big black panther, a giant white fox, and an even more massive crimson Dragon stood side by side. Asterios sent out a pulse of his senses forward to make sure that the road was clear and they lunged forward with glee.

The beastfolk girls were much smaller than him so they had no issues navigating between all the shrubs and trees. He soon realized that his bulky frame would leave too many of them damaged or even toppled, additionally plastering traces of an unknown beast everywhere around and possibly causing a small panic at the guild.

So, Asterios chose to jump over the highest crowns and spread his wings, speeding forward as close to the treetops as he physically could. He could spot his feline and vulpine mate weaving through the forest while competing with each other. Sometimes, they even bumped their bodies together in an attempt to make the other one stumble.

But, as they glanced behind pretty much at the same time, they were shocked to see nothing. Asterios released a deep chuckle and spooked them greatly, causing their heads to snap toward the sky. Letting out an amused bellow, he flapped his wings stronger and pushed ahead, leaving them behind.

It didn’t take long for Selene’s sleek figure to burst out of the leaves and begin sprinting beside him, her agile paws flashing with white energy as she raced through the empty air. She smirked at him and laughed with an adorable keening sound escaping her cute snout. He puffed a cloud of hot air at her with enough force to push her away a bit and snorted, raising his speed again.

Their competition was still on, even though the finish line was quickly coming closer. At his current pace, he had pretty decent chances of arriving there first. But, just as he thought that, something white flashed by his side and he craned his neck to find Selene again next to him.

She nipped playfully at his snout and disappeared within another flash. Something grazed his other side and he glanced over, seeing the fox lady amidst a mischievous scratch. Before he could even react, she was gone with another pulse, this time reappearing on his back and letting out a funny laugh once more. Giving the top of his head a long lick, she was gone, suddenly showing up ahead of him. One after another, Selene used her traversal ability to speed up her pace. It almost felt like cheating.

Filling his wings with as much mana as he could, Asterios shot forward with an even greater speed. The tops of the trees below him bent forcibly as he passed over them, carrying lots of stolen leaves in his trail. Selene yelped when he suddenly surged past her with all that current and momentum, losing her balance for a brief moment.

The circular meadow in the lush forest was already clearly visible to them so she didn’t have enough time to catch up to him and Asterios was the first one to touch down on the soft grass, followed by the mischievous fox, who landed with much more grace than him.

Or so they thought.

When they raised their gazes from each other and looked ahead, Miria was already lounging in the plain while licking her paws. No doubt she was actually the first person to reach the place. Still, as much as she tried to hide her obvious exhaustion, her ragged breaths that shook her entire frame completely betrayed her. She couldn’t have made it there much earlier than they had.

The two losers changed back to their humanoid forms and approached their feline friend, who lay sprawled all over the grass after also morphing down from her panther form. Asterios laughed at her silly expression and dropped to her side to caress her fluffy ears as she tried to catch her breath with her tongue hanging out of her mouth.

“This is a surprise. How did you do that?” he asked with a raised brow.

She grinned at him proudly. “Secret… I have to… Keep up… With you… Not magical enough… Master too amazing…”

Asterios and Selene laughed together at her awkward way of speaking and smiled at each other. Neither of them pressed for more information. He knew that Miria was going to share it at some point in the near future. She hated keeping information from him since the incident with the Bloodfang, wanting to always be at her best and for him to be able to consider all the options.

Then, waves of cascading thuds echoed through the air. They were already well familiar with that kind of noise and turned their heads to watch their humongous friend spare no effort to hover their way with the help of his three pairs of wings. Venuzathor’s movements might look sluggish, but they knew he could be as fast as he was deadly whenever he needed to.

The Dracodon dropped to the ground with a humongous tremor, causing their bodies to get bumped up, filling the area with another series of laughs. They stood up afterward and moved closer to him.

~Greetings, Master.~ The impressive entity huffed at them some spicy, electrically charged air.

“And good day to you too.” Asterios nodded respectfully. “The issue originates from here once more?”

~Indeed. The suspicious spiritual activity has its source beneath the earth, just like in the past,~ Venuzathor replied.

~The land here is so… scarred,~ Tia commented with a pitiful voice. ~It pains me to just feel it. A huge chunk of it was forcefully ripped out and a big share of the rest is contaminated.~

“You aren’t that far off. And you must have seen our memories from that period.” Asterios sighed sadly.

~Your friends did a lot to fix the energy of this plot but it still remains very hurt. And as much as I would love to offer my help in mending it, there’s not much that can be done now that this area is under the influence of different energy,~ the Dryad continued.

“Then, something is really going on here?” Miria tilted her head as she stared into the grass.

~A dungeon, in my opinion,~ Venuzathor offered. ~I’m not sure if it's rising on its own or with some entity as its master. All the signs do point at its slow creation, though.~

“Is there anything we can check from up here? Or do we need to dig down again?” Selene asked thoughtfully.

~It would be better not to disturb a forming dungeon’s structure,~ Tia advised them. ~I can feel the contaminated energy and essence moving. It matches the patterns from my past. I’m almost certain it’s a dungeon. And one that still needs a week or two to breach the surface. Which is definitely its current goal.~

A crimson portal opened next to them and Grea jumped out of it with a pile of trinkets in her arms. “Let me give it a try.”

She grinned at them and requested Ast’s help in setting everything down before she dropped something and damaged her precious resources. Under their demon companion’s guidance, they scattered various enchanted devices and plates or crystals with intricate arrays all over the circular meadow.

Fifteen minutes later, Grea was strolling from place to place and taking notes. Asterios and the girls weren’t really in on the knowledge of what those weird pieces of magical equipment were doing so they left their friend in peace, waiting for her professional opinion on the current matters. Another ten minutes after that, she finally approached them while scratching her head with a pencil.

“Well, my readings seem to confirm that we are dealing with a spooky, underground adventurer trap too,” she began. “It’s not super recent but it definitely is fresh. And it’s developing quickly. It’s hard to pinpoint due to all the contaminated mana which was still left in this place after the spiritual explosion from the past, but it must have started forming no more than two weeks after we sealed the Abyssal Anus.”

“We are not using that name for that rift in the Void.” Asterios snorted. “Abyss will not be happy about it.”

“Fine.” She smirked teasingly. “Anyway, I agree with the sexy tree that it will remain dormant for a while longer. We should keep an eye on it to see if nothing unexpected happens, but until the grand reveal, let’s not interfere. Who knows what shit it’s cooking up for us down there after everything this place experienced? It’s still extremely fast. And that’s what’s bothering me the most.”

“We’ll listen to your advice, then. As soon as it opens, we have to delve in and see what’s going on inside. Maybe we’ll even have to fully clear it. That could provide us with valuable information we could share with Suanori and the others,” he mused.

“So, our trip here ended up rather uneventful.” Miria’s ears dropped a bit.

He quickly showered those rounded triangles with lots of affection. “We learned and confirmed something, which is great. Plus, we had fun, and that counts too. We can race back home if you want.”

“And what’s next?” she asked in between her lovely purrs.

“Don’t know.” Asterios shrugged.

~Perhaps we could start our lessons, then,~ Althea suggested, contacting them through their link.

“I think that’s a great idea.” Selene smiled at them softly. “Where should we meet?”

~Your chambers should be fine for our first class. I’ll wait for you there. Take your time,~ the Dragon lady replied.

“Let’s go! I’m gonna be first again!” Miria bounced around with a beaming smile.

“First, we have to tidy this place up and collect all of Grea’s trinkets.” Asterios chuckled. “Then, she can join us if she wishes to.”

“To miss a chance to ride a Dragon? Never in my life.” Grea winked at him while nibbling on her bottom lip.

Just as he had said, they worked together to gather all the things and their demon friend shoved everything into her spatial storage. Venuzathor wasn’t really of much help with his massive claws and jaws so he excused himself early to return to his post. He wasn’t going to participate in the race anyway.

Then, everyone shifted into their beast forms once more and Grea climbed up on Ast’s back. Making sure she was ready, they rushed forward in a similar way to the last time. Though, Selene chose to move through the forest in an attempt to discover Miria’s trick so it was just Asterios soaring above the canopies.

About halfway there, he took a peek over his shoulder to check on his passenger, even though he could hear Grea’s excited laugh, and his eyes widened in surprise.

“Why are you naked?” he asked in mild confusion.

She threw her head to the back and laughed even louder. “Don’t tell me you’ve never fantasized about flying on the back of a Dragon like nature intended! Ah, to feel the ferocious wind in every nook and cranny of your body... Just pure bliss, hahahaha!”

He rolled his eyes and tried not to focus on the delicious sight before him as Grea made an obvious effort to display everything while not falling off. Giving her a playful lick with his big tongue, he turned to the front again and raised their speed to catch up with the girls, making sure to remember to stop early since they now had two reasons not to burst into the town just like that.

When they arrived at the edge of the woods, Miria and Selene were already waiting for them and it looked like the panthergirl scored herself another win, judging by her proud grin. Though, it turned into slight confusion as Grea slid off Ast’s back with nothing covering her feminine bits. The demon lady giggled at them mischievously and jumped back into her clothes.

They walked through the streets together, stopping by one of the food booths to grab something to snack on. It always felt nice to just slowly stroll towards their destination while observing the busy town. But, since Althea was waiting for them, they didn’t delay their arrival too much.

Miria and Selene split from Asterios after they reached the castle, deciding to escort Grea to her underground workshop. He exchanged a few chaste pecks with everyone and headed for the master bedroom alone, sensing their draconic friend meditating on their bed. After a light knock, he entered the chamber and sat on its edge, waiting for her to finish.

After opening her eyes, Althea graced him with a warm smile. “Are you ready to begin your journey into dragonhood?”

“I thought I had already begun.” He chuckled lightly.

“You’ve been waddling forward, yes, but it’s comparable to a newborn trying to crawl ahead and stumbling on something nice once in a while,” she explained. “We need to start from the very beginning. And there’s much you have to learn. These won’t be just practical exercises that grow your strength. I hope you understand that.”

“I do.” Asterios nodded. “Knowledge is the area in which I lack the most and you know that. To be better than all those other Dragons, I first need to be aware of what not to do.”

“Good. Today, though, we will go with a more hands-on approach.” Althea patted the mattress to invite him closer. “I’m sure you are aware of your Ancestral Domain or Inner Sanctum as some call it.”

“The weird wastes with plenty of volcanoes, yes. Which now hosts a giant tree in the middle too,” he confirmed. “I always knew there was something more to it. What of it?”

“You can say that it’s the key to unlocking more of your bloodline abilities,” she replied.

“That’s what I felt. Each time I got in, there was some change after returning to the outside world.” Asterios stroked his chin.

“Please, tell me everything you currently know or suspect about it,” Althea requested.

So, Asterios recounted his experiences with that weird realm from the very first visit, supporting his story with the images provided by his memories. Since they were bonded as master and an aide, the connection came in quite useful. Althea nodded alongside his words, attentively listening to all the details and taking mental notes of the crucial parts.

“Alright. As you have figured out, the volcanoes represent other Dragons in your lineage. There are so many of them because you come straight from the greatest ancestor of the Crimson Dragons. It’s truly a great privilege to share a direct connection with him,” she said after he was done. “The empty, broken ones belong to the deceased. The active ones symbolize the living individuals. The thrones are the centers of everyone’s strength. You are very high in the ancestral hierarchy but you can still only access your own without forcefully taking over the other ones.”

“Is it possible to meet the other owners in that land?” Asterios asked curiously.

“No, not exactly. The volcanoes seem to exist in the same space but they are actually their own soulspace pockets. You can temporarily merge them by trying to invade one of the thrones. But, it’s something I would advise against. It’s not easy and puts the invader at a huge disadvantage,” Althea answered. “It’s better to focus on your own throne. Or thrones, in your case.”

“But, there’s always a chance that someone will randomly try to take me over through my volcano, right?” He glanced at her anxiously.

“Yes and no. You only see so many of them because you are a direct descendant of Red and somehow Black. For anyone else, the central point will most likely belong to one of their ancestors below Red, depending on how far down their line runs. The further you go, the harder it is to see the beginning. And the majority of other descendants will be way below you.” She tried to reassure him. “But, let’s drop this topic for now and focus on something else. Are you able to get inside on your own?”

Asterios shook his head. “No. Except for the very first time, it’s always been either an accident or an unexpected turn of events. I tried but nothing seemed to work.”

“Then we are going to start with that.” She nodded to herself. “I’ll guide you through the process, then you have to locate your throne and really bind yourself to it. Don’t be afraid and just let it fill you up entirely. I know it might be somewhat counterintuitive to allow such an invasive force to enter you, but I swear that’s a necessary step and has no downsides. By opposing it, you locked yourself out of many boons. Rather than reject the throne’s power, embrace it, then make it obey you. You are its master. It’s your blood and inheritance.”

“What about the bits of power that I did manage to unlock even without doing that?” He raised a brow at her.

“I would say blind luck.” Althea let out a soft chuckle. “And your special circumstances. The locked source. First contact with the throne. The retrieval of the other heart. Some quite accurate guidance from others. All of that managed to pierce the veil you set yourself. You possess great power and it wants to be let out. But, of course, the throne isn’t the only way for you to further unlock your potential.”

“And what’s that other method?” Asterios asked.

“Taking another True Dragon as your mate, of course.” She smiled at him knowingly.

He snorted at her. “I’ll need to court one of those guys? Sounds impossible.”

“Court?” Althea laughed charmingly. “Oh, no, that will never work. You will have to dominate one.”

“What?” He stared at her with a wry smile.

“You know how True Dragons function, regardless of gender. The female will never accept a male that’s weaker than her. It’s a fight for dominance, with only one victor. You’ll need to completely overpower her and show her that the only option is submission. Only then will she even consider following you and becoming yours. The females need to pride themselves in the ones that dominated them so that everyone knows they themselves haven’t gotten bested by some weakling. You either want to be at the top of the chain, or right under a true alpha,” she explained.

Asterios recalled their encounter with the Dragon lady he had summoned through the Blood Summoning and remembered how quickly she had switched her attitude after learning the difference between them. To be completely correct, it had been his father’s aura that dominated her, but it still belonged to him, to some extent.

“You know that doesn’t sit too well with me.” He sighed softly.

“Yes, I do, and that’s admirable. And nothing says that you can’t treat your mate with kindness after making her aware of your might. Nothing says that she will hate you for it, perhaps as long as you don’t belittle her too much in public. Don’t forget that they are used to their abusive ways so she would most likely expect to be treated like a slave or a servant. Just imagine her reaction to your quite different approach. The violence and ferocity might be ingrained in their very being, but deep down, everyone yearns for true love and affection. It’s just unbelievably rare amongst their kin.” She placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently. “And well, you have a smart way of meeting potential candidates one-on-one without any dangerous interruptions.”

“How to summon your Dragon wife…” Asterios snickered under his nose. “What about Lesser Dragons, though? Does it benefit me only when I accept a True one as my mate?”

“Well… It certainly won’t serve as a boon of a similar level, but there definitely is something to gain from such an arrangement, or else we would have been hunted to extinction rather than captured and enslaved…” Althea’s fair cheeks tinged with the faintest trace of rosiness. “But such a thing would not lie with the True Dragon mate you would take after or before. To be on equal ground as us, it’s an ultimate insult to them. It’s almost impossible for us to be sister-mates with that much hate.”

“But you aren’t one hundred percent sure about that, right? There might be a way to convince them otherwise just as you suggested turning their demeanor around with kindness after the initial submission?” he prodded.

“There’s only one way to tell.” She glanced away, towards the window. “You would have to try.”

He followed her gaze. “Perhaps I will. But only when everyone is comfortable with that.”

They continued to stare at the calming view outside of the chamber for a while before refocusing on each other once more.

“That’s a topic for a different time, though. I would gladly have you teach me how to consciously enter the depths of my soul.” Asterios smiled at her appreciatively.

Althea reciprocated the gesture and offered him her palms. “It would be my pleasure. Now, close your eyes and follow my instructions.”