Duke Pendragon

“Great Aunt Attia!”

Raven called out with an anxious voice.

Attia nodded in response as if she had something in mind as well.

“There is only one being who could transmit such a feeling to us souls. It’s…”

Attia continued while looking at the two fleeting lights. In an instant, they had crossed an incredible distance and were now flying towards the top of the mountain, where the mausoleum was located.

“Gods…”

“…..!”

Raven became wide-eyed.

But soon, he let out a sigh. He was already dead. His soul was currently inside the mausoleum of the Pendragon Duchy. Even if a couple of gods appeared, it did not seem like a huge deal.

“Let us go. I think they are here for the duke.”

Raven followed her to the mausoleum’s square.

Fwoosh!

Two beings slowly passed through the walls of the mausoleum and descended. They were surrounded by a black light, which was even darker than the night, and a crimson flame, which burnt bright as if to burn down the world.

As they descended to the square, their gazes were fixated at a certain place. The statues of the previous dukes proudly lined the sides, but the eyes of the gods were focused on Raven and Attia. Or rather, their gaze was unmoving from Raven.

“…..”

Raven felt all the fine hairs on his body rise just by facing the two beings. They conveyed an overwhelming presence with just their gazes.

Fear? Anxiety? Awe?

No, the feelings conveyed by the two beings went beyond simple emotions. Raven remembered how he felt when he first met Soldrake. It felt as if she saw through his soul. However, this was still different.  

Moreover, it was even stranger that…

‘I definitely… encountered it before.’

He himself could not explain the feeling, but Raven felt as if he had previously experienced the overwhelming, yet strange presence of the two gods. Their gazes felt familiar.

One of the two gods carried a chamado on his back and his body blazed with flames. He beckoned forward.

“Hmm!”

Then, Raven’s body was pulled forward by an invisible force.

In an instant, Raven came to face the two gods.

“…..”

It was strange.

He felt extremely nervous when he saw them from a distance, but when he came face-to-face with the two beings, he felt more comfortable. The eyes of the two gods contained a transcendent light.

Eventually, a rare, calm smile appeared on Raven’s lips.

“Hmm?”

Dragon God Drian, the figure of the red armor, expressed interest at Raven’s reaction.

“Human, are you aware of the current circumstance?”

“I am. I died, did I not? That is why I am meeting the two of you here.”

“Hooh!”

Drian smiled. He seemed to find the situation interesting.

“What do you think?”

The gaze of the Dragon God turned to the Demon God. The expression of Langaro was hidden because of his obsidian helmet, but he nodded.

“He is certainly unique. Well, the one who defied causality on behalf of the dragon’s flagbearer could not have been a normal human.”

“…..!”

Raven’s shoulders trembled with shock.

“Why? Are you surprised? Who did you think was responsible for returning you to the past? For twisting causality, especially when you should have already died.”

Drian spoke with a smirk.

Raven was overcome with shock. He could not respond.

Drian continued.

“That was us. It was because of our pledge with Soldrake. We accepted her will to give up her time on the ground.”

“Soldrake attempted to return the dragon’s flagbearer, Alan Pendragon, to the past with her own life as collateral. She wanted him to once again establish a contract with herself to prepare for the inevitable catastrophe.”

“Catastrophe…?”

Langaro explained, and Raven muttered with a dazed expression. Drian continued the story.

“The time when you originally existed, not as the dragon’s flagbearer, but as yourself.  At that time, all of the dragons died except Soldrake. It was the work of the one who calls himself the servant of Çarcas.”

“How could that be…? The Nameless Necromancer…”

Raven’s shock grew even larger as he heard the series of unbelievable stories.

“That is correct. That is what you call him. But even if the dragons died, it was of no concern to us. The dragons would return to the heavenly realm once their time in this world was over. As semi gods, they would occupy positions equivalent to the archangels. However, the servant of Çarcas did a horrible thing.”

Drian paused for a moment. His eyes fluttered with flames of anger as he continued.

“He took control of the dragons he killed, then sent all of their souls to Çarcas. As a result, the heavenly realm was thrown into a frenzy. The balance between the eight gods of the heavenly realm collapsed.”

“Hmph!”

The Demon God Langaro snorted and crossed his arms. Perhaps he was recalling the events of that time.

“As such, we made a proposal to the last remaining dragon, the Dragon Queen, Soldrake. We are unable to exercise our powers in this world unless we are summoned by a being with the power of a god, or someone possessing mana comparable to the gods… Moreover, in order to complete the summoning, the summoner would have to sacrifice their life, and the only being capable of it at the time was Soldrake.”

“As such… At the time, Soldrake…”

“Yes. You were one of the humans who fought in Robstein at the time.”

“To be exact, you were the one standing right next to Soldrake the moment the fake flagbearer, the one created by Soldrake, stopped functioning.

“…..”

The sights from his past life passed by Raven’s mind like a flash. He remembered. The Alan Pendragon at the time always adorned his armor and helmet, and his voice was too inhuman. Even on the battlefield, he never fought properly.

Moreover, Soldrake did not return the attacks of the monsters on the Robstein Plains. It was as if she had been deliberately choosing to die. Raven muttered quietly.

“I see. That is why it sounds familiar. The last voice I heard before I died in that place was…”

“Probably ours.”

The two gods responded, and Raven looked up to with a blank expression.

Drian shrugged while returning the gaze.

“But there was a small mistake. At that time, we thought both your soul and the soul of the dragon’s flagbearer were returned. But it turned out only you were sent against the flow of causality.”

“But we could not interfere anymore, since we already fulfilled the pledge. Moreover, after gauging the situation, it appeared that it would be more helpful for you to have gone. Only Biskra died at the hands of Çarcas’ servant, according to his original fate, but the other dragons were safe.”

Langaro spoke with folded arms. His voice was softer compared to before.

He was a being who oversaw all the evil in the world. As the power of Çarcas, who could be considered his nemesis, grew stronger in the heavenly realm, he felt greatly threatened.

At the time when Raven died on the Robstein Plains, Çarcas possessed the souls of as many as seven dragons. His first show of strength had been directed towards Langaro, the Demon God.

However, a repetition of the events was avoided due to the human in front of him. He could not help but have favor towards Raven.

“But now, everything is over. You are dead, and Soldrake also finished her time in this world.”

“…..!”

Raven remained silent for a while. He was still trying to digest the stories he heard from the two gods. The days he spent as Alan Pendragon after crossing back in time felt like a long dream.

He could not believe that his fate was created and shifted by the quarrel of the gods. It wasn’t only his fate either, but the fate of those he loved and cherished.

Then for what reason did he sacrifice? Why had he fought with all his might?

Moreover, all that was left for him was death.

It was in vain.

Raven closed his eyes. He felt hopelessly helpless in front of the cold, cruel truth.

But when he shut his eyes, someone came to mind.

‘No…!’

“No…!”

Raven shouted his thoughts and opened his eyes. The Demon God was arrogantly crossing his arms, and the Dragon God was staring at him with slight astonishment. Raven raised his voice.

“I came all this way! I fought over and over to reach this place! You may have given me the beginning of my changed fate, but the one who continued was me, and Soldrake!”

Her delicate touch and piercing gaze that penetrated the soul.

Deep solitude of centuries and the overwhelming sense of loss she felt with every death of her companion.

Nevertheless, he clearly recalled the moments when she conveyed her trust and affection for him. A wave of calm washed over him, and it felt as if she was standing next to him.

That was right.

The memories he had of his soulmate could not be separated, and they were neither in vain nor helpless.

“Hmm.”

Drian squinted.

The human was already dead and possessed no body. In addition, even Soldrake was gone. It was impossible for him to emit any spirit.

Nevertheless, a strong will to overcome anything was conveyed in the eyes of the human being.

“What do you think? Interesting, right?”

“Definitely.”

The two gods nodded while sharing a gaze.

The Dragon God and the Demon God were powerful, transcendental beings that could be counted as two of the five strongest beings in the heavenly realm. It was the first time they witnessed a human clearly expressing their will in front of their presence.

“I definitely understand why Soldrake would have made that choice.”

Drian spoke. Langaro nodded, then turned his head towards Raven.

“This marks the end of the test, oh human chosen by the Dragon’s Queen.”

Langaro continued, emitting two streams of red light from the narrow slit on his helmet.

“The desire of the Dragon Queen at the expense of her life – it was for us to grant you one thing you desired. So speak your wish, human. We will grant your will by the power of the Dragon God and the Demon God.”

“…..!”

Raven became wide-eyed.

He had held a vague suspicion ever since the two gods visited the mausoleum, that perhaps Soldrake had called them to this place.

But to trust him with everything?

‘What on earth…’

Numerous thoughts came to mind.

Those who fought fearlessly and valiantly by his side. Killian, Vincent and the warriors of Pendragon, including Karuta. Lindsay’s shy, happy smile, and the two unborn children inside her womb. Elena and his two sisters.

Above all else, he thought of Soldrake, who died for himself and the world.

“Speak. What is it that you want? You resurrection? The resurrection of Soldrake? Anything is fine. We will grant you a single wish by the power of us two gods.”

A quiet, but irresistible voice of the Demon God resonated. Raven clenched his eyes shut. On one hand, he desired to live a full life as a human, to enjoy the fruits of life. He carried the responsibility as a monarch carrying the name of Pendragon, but at the same time, he could not abandon his companion of the soul. He could not forego his pledge.

Countless thoughts crowded Raven’s mind.

But then...

[Ray, die for me and Ray.]

Was he hearing things?

It was as if Soldrake spoke right by his side. After a while, Raven opened his eyes.

“Hmm.”

Drian’s eyes contained curiosity once again.

Raven was standing at a crossroad. It was difficult for him to make a choice because he was a human, but at the same time, it was the easiest choice for him to make as a human. However, his expression was extremely calm.

“I…”

Raven slowly parted his lips.

“…Is what I want.”

He finished his words.

“…..”

The Dragon God and the Demon God shared an astonished gaze. Then, the eyes of the two gods gathered at the human. Even though they were great, absolute beings, they had never guessed the choice that the human would make.

“I allow it.”

Fwoooosh!

A light rose from the two gods. It was a swirl of crimson and dark blue, blazing brighter than anything else in the world. The brilliance wrapped around Raven.

Surrounded by the dazzling light, Raven turned his head. Attia was the only other being who heard his choice. She was looking at him with a smile.

“You are truly the Duke of Pendragon. Pendragon’s Duke of the White Dragon…”

As Raven slowly disappeared in the waves of light, Attia knelt on one knee and bowed her head. Sincerity and respect could be found in her expression.

Paaaaaaa!

The light seemed to erase himself, time, and even the two gods. In the particle of light, Raven headed towards the place he longed for, the place he could spend an eternity.

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