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In the midst of an infinite starry expanse, whose depths were unfathomable, stood a pyramid of gold within the ruins of an ancient palace.

Time had etched its relentless passage across this place, bearing witness to epochs and wars. The palace’s roof had long vanished, leaving behind only colossal pillars in the void. Its once intricately carved reliefs and murals narrating tales of formidable races had been reduced to dust, surrendered to the annals of time.

Gazing upward, the debris of buildings, akin to asteroids, mingled with fragments of shattered stars, orbited chaotically around the pillars. The tumultuous forces at play rendered this a realm of desolation, where dead stars collided in cosmic demise every few years, tearing open spatial rifts that could devour nearly everything and persisted for millennia. Hence, even the most seasoned deities tread lightly, avoiding this forsaken land.

Yet, amidst this desolation stood the pyramid, seemingly untouched by the ravages of time, its splendor undimmed, a testament to a once supreme reign.

At the pyramid’s summit was a platform, as smooth as the surface of a mirror, adorned with nothing but a throne of unparalleled elegance.

Seated upon this throne was a figure in crimson. The hem of her beautiful flowing dress cascaded like a river of flames down the pyramid’s steps.

Her beauty was such that it could eclipse the stars themselves. She lounged there, eyes closed and hand to cheek, in a state of repose that suggested a short respite.

Time’s relentless flow seemed to bypass her, as if she and the ruined palace shared an agelessness, entwined in an eternal rest that could go undisturbed for eons.

BOOM!

The silence was abruptly shattered. The wind howled like the wails heard on judgment day as debris collided with celestial bodies, their obliteration marked by flashes of golden thunder.

A golden dragon that traversed countless dead lands descended into the hall of the ruined palace.

The size of his body was capable of rivaling that of a celestial body in the void. He shook his colossal body, removing dust that might once have been whole stars.

The dragon lifted his fierce head, his gaze meeting the woman atop the pyramid. In his eyes, memories spanning millennia flashed through.

“It’s been a long time, Regalis,” the dragon said, his voice as thunderous as countless ancient bells tolling in unison.

The woman’s eyes fluttered open.

Her gaze serene, as if she had been expecting the dragon’s arrival.

“Gerald… You’re still alive huh?”

The dragon, taken aback by her informal address, bristled slightly, though it masked its ire swiftly.

“Should you not bow in reverence before your queen?” she asked, barely stifling a yawn.

The dragon reared up, positioning itself to loom over the throne.

“It’s been nine million years, Regalis. You still haven’t changed one bit. Still as haughty and arrogant as ever, utterly disregarding the Lord Ancestor before you,” he retorted in a deep voice.

The woman removed her hand from her cheek and straightened up. Yet, she showed no intention of sparing a glance at the dragon.

She hated lifting her head.

“My dear Lord Ancestor, don’t you think that I am doing you the greatest honor by letting you live?”

The woman extended her right hand which was previously hidden in her wide-sleeved robe, revealing it to be a skeletal white bone that seemed as though it had been rotting for countless years.

Using that skeletal hand, she made a gentle pressing motion in the air.

ROAR!

The golden dragon immediately let out a roar of anger and frustration, feeling as if the weight of an entire world was bearing down on his body.

The woman stood up, moving gracefully with light steps as she descended down the stair.

Tap.
Tap.
Tap.

The sole of her shoes clacked along the golden stair. With each step she took, the weight bearing down on the dragon’s body seemed to increase, forcing him to prostrate himself lower and lower.

“After all these years, you still haven’t remembered that the only thing you can flaunt in front of me is your age.”

“You ungrateful child, I am the ancestor of the Dragon Race, the Origin Dragon. According to seniority, I am considered to be your great great-great-great grandfather. How could you disrespect me?!”

“But after so many years, you still can’t defeat my hand.” The woman sneered as she examined her skeletal hand and added softly, “And it’s not even a complete hand. You’ve really lived all those years in vain.”

“YOU!” The dragon wanted to retort, but paused as he sensed the true killing intent in the woman’s eyes.

“Since that incident nine million years ago, you were able to still be alive only because of my cowardice,” the woman said expressionlessly. “So, please don’t try to challenge my boundaries. The rule of the Dragon Race is that the weak obey the strong, it has nothing to do with age or seniority. Understand?” the woman asked.

The dragon bared its fangs, but ultimately yielded in the face of the woman’s might. “I… understand.”

“So?”

“…Greetings from Aterlieum Niger Gerald, the Origin Dragon, Your Majesty.” The golden dragon prostrated himself completely before the crimson figure.

“Rise,” the woman commanded indifferently. “So, what gave you the audacity to suddenly turn up before me after nine million years?”

Gerald lifted his gaze and replied, “I came here solely to pose a question to Your Majesty.”

“Go ahead.”

“Why have you eased the control over the Ancestral Star?”

“Ease?” The woman glanced upward, where above the peak of the pyramid, an azure planet hovered silently in the heart of the hall. “Never once have I eased in the past nine million years.”

“Then why are there insignificant worms on the Ancestral Star?” Gerald pressed.

“Mayflies obscure their presence, and their movements are elusive. If there were only one or two larger entities, I could easily obliterate them. When faced with a group of lesser beings, it’s natural that one or two might slip through, no?”

“Why, after nine million years without incident, do things suddenly change as I near my goal?”

“It’s not so much a change, but perhaps you’ve underestimated the old geezers in the Great World.” The woman fixed a penetrating gaze on the angry dragon and continued, “As the time draws near, those old geezers must have sensed something. Their increased activity, sending scouts to probe, suggests they might already know some part of the truth.”

“What?!” A flash of concern crossed the dragon’s features but was quickly masked. “Those old geezers… they’re really all a bunch of sly foxes! … This won’t do. I must monitor them vigilantly.”

Gerald looked at the woman, as though he had momentarily forgotten what had just happened moments ago and asserted fiercely, “I expect you to fulfill your duties, and never forget that it’s all for the Dragon Race!”

With those final words, he soared into the sky, transforming into a bolt of golden thunder that vanished over the desolate landscape.

The woman was once again left alone in the desolate world.

“For… the Dragon Race, huh?” Her gaze returned to the azure planet, her expression softening. The austere aura around her dissolved as if it were merely an illusion perceived by others.

A turmoil of emotions was evident in her eyes.

“Nine million years of preparation is finally coming to an end. Between past and future, reality and fantasy, how shall I decide?”