Shuurai
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Chapter 112
🕑 Added 2025-07-02 11:42:09 +0000 UTCThe Wardens fade back into the jungle as silently as they appeared, leaving Irene and me standing on the beach.
"Well," I say, dismissing NIMO. "That was interesting."
"That was inevitable," Irene corrects.
"Irene." I turn to face her fully. "What exactly did you promise their ancestors? And when were you on this continent before?"
She's quiet for a long moment, staring at the spot where the Wardens disappeared. When she finally speaks, her voice is distant.
"It was about three hundred years ago," she begins. “Back when Acnologia was hunting dragons, and I was still trapped in that cursed form. I came here hiding from Acnologia and hoping to find a way to become human again."
Her gaze became solemn as she continued. “The Wardens' ancestors gave me sanctuary when I had nowhere else to run," she says, her expression softening with old memories. "At that time their people were struggling to survive against the monsters of this continent, barely holding small territories."
"I helped them establish their strongholds. Used my enchantment magic to create the barrier systems that let them build the safe zones they needed.
“I see.”
I look around at the pristine beach, then back toward the jungle where the Wardens disappeared. Three trials.. This is going to be interesting.
"So where do we start?" I ask.
Irene considers for a moment, then points toward the western edge of the beach where the water meets a rocky coastline.
"Let's start with the western clan," she says. "I believe their guardian is an old acquaintance."
"An old acquaintance?" I ask, following her gaze toward the rocky coastline. "Someone you knew back then?"
"Something like that,"
The rocky coastline comes into view. Massive stone formations jut out of the water as waves crash against them with enough force to send spray thirty feet into the air.
The temperature drops noticeably, and I can taste salt and something else in the air.
"She knows we're coming," Irene says with a slight smile. "She's always been a bit dramatic."
Then the water erupts.
A massive serpentine form breaks the surface, easily a hundred feet long, covered in scales that shift between deep blue and silver, her eyes focus on us with unmistakable intelligence.
A dragon.
I knew there were still dragons that are still alive in this world hiding, so seeing her was not that surprising, especially if it was here hiding for centuries.
"Irene Belserion," the creature rumbles. "My dearest friend returns to my domain at last."
But then the massive dragon form begins to shimmer and compress, water swirling around her like liquid light. In moments, the colossal sea dragon has transformed into a woman.
She's tall and elegant, with long silver-blue hair that seems to flow like water. Her skin has a faint aquatic shimmer, and her eyes are the deep blue-green of the ocean depths. She's wearing what looks like flowing robes made of sea foam and starlight.
"Tiamat," Irene says, and her whole face lights up in a way I've never seen before. "You look wonderful."
The two women embrace like old friends who haven't seen each other in decades, which I suppose is exactly what they are.
"As do you, dear friend," Tiamat replies. "Though I detect significant changes. You've found your humanity at last."
"I have," Irene says softly, glancing at me with warmth in her eyes.
Tiamat's gaze shifts to me, and I can feel the weight of wisdom studying me intently.
"Tiamat," Irene says, stepping back but keeping her hands on the sea dragon god's shoulders, "I'd like you to meet someone very important to me. This is Aiden Leonhart."
I stepped forward, I was about to introduce myself when she cut me off.
“Oberon.”
“You know me?” I was surprised
“Of course.” She circles around me slowly, like she's examining some fascinating specimen. "Your reputation precedes you, O King of the Fairies. The seas carry whispers of your deeds across all the continents."
I scratch the back of my head, a bit embarrassed.
"So," Tiamat says, her ancient gaze shifting between Irene and me, "what brings the legendary Oberon and my dear friend to my waters? Surely this isn't just a social visit after three centuries."
Irene's expression grows more serious. "You're right. We're here because we need your help, Tiamat. We need a place for people to call home."
"People?" Tiamat tilts her head, curiosity evident in her voice. "What people would require the intervention of Ishgar's strongest wizard and the Scarlet Despair?"
"The people of the Ishgar Empire," Irene says.
Tiamat's eyes widen, genuine shock crossing her divine features. "The Ishgar Empire? But that's impossible. The empire was destroyed by the gods themselves over a thousand years ago. I felt the divine retribution from across the oceans."
"It was," I confirm. "The gods cursed the entire population, transforming them into monsters and sealing them away underground."
"But we managed to save them," Irene continues. "Aiden broke the curse. All of them—hundreds of thousands of people—are free now and human again."
Tiamat stares at us in stunned silence for a long moment. When she speaks again, her voice carries the weight of centuries of knowledge.
"Remarkable," Tiamat murmurs. "And now these people—the citizens of the Ishgar Empire—they need a new homeland."
"They can't return to their original territories," Irene explains. "Too much has changed. There are established kingdoms there now, and dropping hundreds of thousands of displaced people into existing political structures would cause wars."
"So we came here," I add. "To Mu. A continent with the space they need and natural defenses to keep them safe. To start here over again."
Tiamat nods slowly, understanding dawning in her eyes. "And the Wardens require you to prove your worthiness through trials before they'll allow settlement."
"Exactly," Irene confirms. "We need to show that we can coexist with the guardians of this land, that we won't upset the balance that's been maintained here for millennia."
The sea dragon god is quiet for a long moment, her gaze distant as she processes this information. Finally, she looks back at us.
Tiamat's expression grows more serious as she considers our request. "A new homeland for the people of Ishgar... Yes, I can see why you chose Mu.”
She turns to look out at the ocean, then back at us. "You have my blessing for settlement in the western territories. The coastal regions and river deltas will serve your people well."
"Just like that?" I ask, surprised.
Tiamat laughs, the sound like gentle waves. "Dear Oberon, you've already proven your worthiness. Anyone who can break curses and restore an entire empire has clearly demonstrated both power and wisdom. Besides," she glances at Irene with obvious affection, "I trust my dear friend's judgment completely."
Relief washes over Irene's face. "Thank you, Tiamat. That means more than you know."
"However," Tiamat continues, her tone growing more cautious, "the remaining two guardians may not be as easily convinced. Thane of the Eastern Reaches and Kira of the Southern Swamps are... more traditional in their approach."
"Troublesome?" I ask.
"Perhaps a bit," Tiamat admits. "Thane values honor and adherence to ancient protocols above all else. He will likely insist on formal trials to test your character and resolve. As for Kira..." She pauses, choosing her words carefully. "The swamp guardian is... unpredictable. Cunning. She delights in challenging visitors with riddles and tests of wit rather than strength."
She looks between us with confidence in her ancient eyes. "But with your combined strength and wisdom, I have no doubt you'll succeed with both of them."
Tiamat then turns to Irene with a softer expression. "But before you rush off to face the others, surely we have time to catch up properly? It's been three centuries, dear heart."
I can see the longing in Irene's eyes—she clearly wants to spend time with her old friend. "You two should talk," I say, stepping back with a smile.
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely," I say, already walking toward a large boulder where I can sit and watch the waves. "Take all the time you need. I'll just enjoy the scenery."
As I settle onto the rock, I can hear their voices growing softer as they move closer to the water's edge, two old friends finally having the reunion they've waited centuries for.
