Drayk still watched Varian with relief. The hut remained silent, everyone still stunned by the miracle they had just witnessed.
"Is there anything you can't do?"—Kaelon joked.
Drayk smiled awkwardly. The mood had lightened, but his mind was already drifting toward the runes.
"That's a matter for tomorrow. I need to rest a bit."—Drayk replied, closing the conversation.
The next morning, Drayk woke up early and quickly made his way to the elder's hut. Upon arriving, he found Varian already awake, wearing a shy expression.
"Orun told me what you did yesterday... Thank you for saving me. I owe you my life..."—Varian said, averting her gaze.
"You don't have to worry about that. I'm sure you would've done the same for me. I'm just glad you're okay."
"Even so..."—she murmured, but Drayk couldn't hear the rest of her sentence.
"If you're feeling better, meet me in the village center soon. We're gathering there to activate the runes."
Drayk left quickly, unable to contain his excitement. After gathering the group, they made their way to the secret chamber, standing before the Altar of the Nexum Runes.
"It's been a long time since I last saw this altar."—Orzoth commented nostalgically.
"You've been here before?"—Drayk asked.
"Depends on what you consider 'here'."—The group looked at him, confused, as Orzoth continued. "This room used to be accessible from multiple locations—at least, it was in the past. For a few years, I worked with a primordial dragon who had a doorway leading directly to this place."
"And what happened to the other entrances?"—Kaelon asked.
"Most were destroyed during the war. Only a few people had access to these doors, so to protect this location, almost all the pathways were eliminated—except for the one we used just now. The owner of this entrance must have been very confident that his home would never be discovered."
"Do you know who he was?"—Drayk questioned.
"No, but judging by how well he hid his home, he probably wasn't a very social dragon."
Everyone laughed, easing some of the tension in the air.
Drayk, shifting the conversation back on track, placed the four remaining runes on the altar. Immediately, the room's energy shifted, concentrating above the altar. A massive portal opened before them, leaving everyone in awe.
"Wow... that's huge!"—Varian exclaimed.
"The portal is exclusive to dragons, so it needs to be worthy in size."—Orzoth joked.
"There's really no way for you guys to come in with me?"—Drayk asked, uneasy.
"Unfortunately not, young one."—Orzoth replied, his gaze understanding.
Anxious about what awaited him beyond the portal, Drayk mentally revisited everything he had learned about this dimension.
"What exactly will I find in there, Orzoth?"
"It's impossible to say for sure. Every dragon has a unique experience. Nexum ensured that each dragon who trained in his dimension would have an extraordinary journey."
Taking a deep breath, Drayk stepped closer to the portal.
"Before you go in, we need to know how long you plan to stay inside."—Orzoth said.
"Hmm... I'm not sure yet. Why?"—Drayk asked, intrigued.
"You can't leave on your own. You need to set a duration so we can bring you back from this side."—Orzoth explained.
"How about a month?"—Drayk answered, still uncertain.
"A month out here or in there?"
"Out here."
"Alright. Good luck in there."—Orzoth wished him.
The group said their farewells with anticipation. For the next thirty days, Drayk would undergo an exclusive dragon training regimen. Everyone was eager to see just how strong he would become.
Drayk then stepped into the portal. To the surprise of those outside, a sixth rune was ejected from the portal the moment he entered. Orzoth caught it, watching as the altar transformed, revealing a sixth slot.
"This is the key to bringing him back. Once a month has passed, all we need to do is place this rune into the altar, and he will return."
The two young warriors nodded, understanding the simple yet crucial explanation.
Meanwhile, in another dimension, Drayk found himself in a small village inhabited by other primordial dragons. However, what caught his attention the most was a strange blue orb floating above each of their heads. Curious, he approached one of the villagers to start a conversation, but the interaction was oddly limited. No matter what he asked, the response was always the same, invariably ending with a specific request.
"What a weird guy... he's acting like an NPC giving me a quest."—Drayk thought.
Undeterred, he tried speaking to another villager, but the same thing happened.
"What the hell... so they are quests?"
The moment he uttered the word quest, a floating window appeared in front of him, displaying two active missions:
[Complete the first floor.]
[Collect 15 shadow essences.]
"Am I in an RPG? So this is what Orzoth meant by 'a unique experience'..."—Drayk smirked, feeling a familiar rush of excitement. "This is gonna be fun."
Wasting no time, he quickly explored the village in search of more quests.
[Complete the fifth floor.]
[Defeat Orghazal.]
[Find the Blood Pendant.]
"Alright, five quests to start. If this is anything like RPGs, this should be easy!"—he exclaimed confidently.
But he soon realized a problem: none of the quests had additional details, nor was there a map indicating where to begin.
Drayk found himself wandering the village, searching for clues, until he stumbled upon a trail leading out of town. After walking for a while, he came across ancient ruins. As soon as he stepped inside, he saw Aru'Mathis waiting in a central chamber.
"Welcome, young king. Are you ready to unlock your true potential?"
Drayk nodded firmly, his determination unwavering.
"Absolutely. Where do we start?"
Aru'Mathis offered a brief smile, then gestured toward an altar at the center of the chamber.
"Before we proceed, it is essential that you fully awaken the power of your draconic blood. Step forward and place your hands on the altar."
Without hesitation, Drayk followed the instructions. The moment his hands touched the altar, a powerful energy surged through his body.
Visions flooded his mind—ancient battles, forgotten knowledge, and echoes of a time long past. When he finally returned to awareness, he felt stronger, sharper, more attuned to his own power.
[Notice: Ability Awakened - Primordial Blood]
Aru'Mathis watched him calmly.
"Now, young king… your real training begins."