Chapter 84: Chapter 79: The Weight of Wings

Morning returned to Greenwood Forest slowly.

The dawn light crept through the ancient canopy like liquid gold, spilling across the massive platforms of the elven village and illuminating drifting streams of mist that curled around the towering trees.

Normally the village would already be alive with activity.

Hunters leaving the gates.

Scouts returning from night patrol.

Children running across the rope bridges.

But today, things were quieter.

Because something had changed.

The elves couldn’t quite explain it.

But they could feel it.

Mana across the forest had grown heavier.

Denser.

Stronger.

Commander Aerion stood once again on the eastern observation platform, his silver cloak stirring gently in the morning wind.

His eyes scanned the forest below.

Beside him stood two scouts.

One of them finally spoke.

"...Commander."

Aerion didn’t turn.

"Yes?"

"Have you noticed it?"

Aerion nodded slowly.

"The mana pressure."

The second scout frowned.

"It started last night."

Aerion’s gaze moved toward the distant mountains far beyond Greenwood.

"...Yes."

The forest wasn’t the only thing reacting.

Creatures across Greenwood had been restless during the night.

Wolves had howled.

Several monster packs had moved territories.

Even the river spirits had become unusually active.

One of the scouts spoke again.

"...Do you think it’s because of him?"

Aerion finally turned.

The scout quickly clarified.

"I mean... the dragon."

Aerion considered the question.

"...Possibly."

The second scout frowned.

"But he’s been here for weeks now."

"That’s true."

"So why now?"

Aerion’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Because power attracts attention."

---

## A Quiet Morning

Not far away—

John stretched his wings lazily as sunlight spilled across the outer platform where he liked to rest.

The reinforced structure creaked slightly beneath his enormous weight.

But the elves had already reinforced this area several times.

They had learned quickly.

Lythriel sat nearby with her legs hanging over the edge of the platform.

She was sharpening one of her short blades with slow, practiced movements.

For a while neither of them spoke.

The forest below rustled quietly.

Birds flew between the branches.

Eventually Lythriel glanced sideways at him.

"You know the forest animals didn’t sleep last night."

John blinked. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"...Really?"

"Yes."

"How do you know?"

"I patrol."

"Ah."

She narrowed her eyes slightly.

"You also didn’t sleep."

John tilted his head.

"...Dragons don’t really need much sleep."

"That’s not what I meant."

She tapped the blade against the whetstone.

"You were awake because you felt something."

John didn’t answer immediately.

Lythriel smirked.

"I’ll take that silence as confirmation."

John finally chuckled.

"...You’re getting good at reading me."

"That’s because you’re terrible at hiding things."

"That’s a rude accusation."

"It’s accurate."

John shifted slightly.

"...Something did change."

Lythriel raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

He looked toward the mountains in the distance.

"...The world just got bigger."

She frowned.

"That’s vague."

"It’s also true."

Lythriel set the blade aside.

"You’re talking about Tier 10 again."

John blinked.

"...Did I say that out loud?"

"No."

"But I remember you mentioning it before."

She leaned back against the railing.

"You said Tier 10 was the beginning of the ’real league.’"

John nodded slowly.

"That’s what the ancient dragon memory suggested."

She studied him carefully.

"And you’re Tier 9."

"Yes."

"How far away are you?"

John thought about it.

"...Very."

Lythriel stared at him.

"That sounds discouraging."

"It’s not."

"Why not?"

John smiled faintly.

"Because the journey will be interesting."

She rolled her eyes.

"You say that about everything."

"That’s because everything *is* interesting."

---

## Sylvara’s Concerns

Later that morning—

Sylvara arrived carrying several bundles of herbs and small crystal vials.

She placed them on the nearby table and looked up at John.

"...Hold still."

John blinked.

"...Why?"

"Because I’m checking your wounds."

"They’re healed."

"That’s not the point."

She stepped closer and inspected the faint scars across his scales.

Sylvara ran a finger across one of them.

"...Hmm."

Lythriel leaned forward curiously.

"What?"

Sylvara frowned slightly.

"The mana residue is strange."

John raised his head.

"...Strange how?"

"This wasn’t normal magic."

Lythriel tilted her head.

"You mean the guardian?"

Sylvara nodded slowly.

"The enchantments embedded in those ruins are extremely old."

"How old?"

Sylvara looked thoughtful.

"...Possibly older than Greenwood itself."

Lythriel whistled.

"That’s ancient."

John didn’t look surprised.

"The dragon civilization built them."

Both elves looked at him.

"You’re certain?"

"Yes."

"How?"

John shrugged slightly.

"...Instinct."

Sylvara frowned again.

"That worries me."

John chuckled.

"You worry about everything."

"That’s because I’m responsible for keeping people alive."

"That’s a fair point."

Lythriel leaned forward.

"So what exactly are you worried about?"

Sylvara sighed.

"If ancient dragon ruins exist beneath Greenwood..."

"...Then they might not be the only ones."

The three of them fell silent.

John spoke first.

"That’s very likely."

Lythriel groaned.

"Fantastic."

Sylvara crossed her arms.

"If there are more ruins... there could be more guardians."

John shrugged.

"That’s also possible."

Lythriel glared at him.

"You’re enjoying this."

"Yes."

"You’re terrible."

---

## The Arrival of a Stranger

Near midday—

A scout suddenly sprinted across the upper bridges.

"Commander Aerion!"

The urgency in his voice drew immediate attention.

Aerion stepped forward.

"What happened?"

The scout stopped to catch his breath.

"We have a visitor."

Lythriel frowned.

"A visitor?"

The scout nodded.

"Human."

That immediately raised tension across the platform.

Sylvara asked carefully,

"...Alone?"

"Yes."

"Armed?"

"...Yes."

Lythriel looked toward John.

"Another hunter?"

The scout shook his head.

"No."

Aerion spoke calmly.

"Explain."

The scout swallowed.

"He claims he’s not here to hunt the dragon."

Everyone slowly turned toward John.

John blinked.

"...That’s suspiciously considerate of him."

Aerion continued.

"He asked to speak with the dragon."

Lythriel groaned.

"Of course he did."

John stretched his wings slightly.

"Well."

"That sounds interesting."

Sylvara looked worried.

"You shouldn’t meet unknown humans alone."

John chuckled.

"...I think I’ll survive."

---

## The Stranger

The meeting took place near the outer clearing beyond the village.

The elves remained hidden among the trees.

Watching.

Waiting.

John stood in the center of the clearing.

Moments later—

A lone figure emerged from the forest.

He walked calmly.

Unarmed hands visible.

But his equipment revealed a great deal.

Dark traveling cloak.

Sword at his side.

Several enchanted rings.

And an aura...

That immediately caught John’s attention.

Tier 9.

High.

The man stopped about twenty meters away.

He looked up at John without fear.

"...So the rumors were true."

John tilted his head.

"You’re very calm."

The man smiled slightly.

"I’ve seen dragons before."

"That explains it."

Lythriel whispered quietly from the trees.

"...You’ve seen dragons before?"

The man introduced himself.

"My name is **Kaelen Dravik**."

John studied him carefully.

"You’re not a hunter."

Kaelen nodded.

"No."

"Then why are you here?"

Kaelen looked up at him thoughtfully.

"...Because you’re going to change the world."

The forest went completely silent.

Even Lythriel froze.

John blinked slowly.

"That’s an ambitious statement."

Kaelen shrugged slightly.

"I deal in predictions."

"Oh?"

"Yes."

"And what exactly are you predicting?"

Kaelen looked directly into his golden eyes.

"...War."

The word hung heavily in the air.

John didn’t react immediately.

Instead he asked calmly,

"Between who?"

Kaelen answered quietly.

"Dragons."

---

## A Dangerous Truth

The tension in the clearing increased instantly.

Even the hidden elves could feel it.

John’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"...Explain."

Kaelen clasped his hands behind his back.

"You’re young."

"That’s rude."

"It’s accurate."

John allowed the comment.

Kaelen continued.

"Your kind once ruled Terraxos."

"I know."

"But you also nearly destroyed it."

John tilted his head slightly.

"...That part wasn’t included in the memory."

Kaelen sighed.

"Of course not."

"Why?"

"Because history is written by survivors."

Lythriel whispered from the trees,

"...I don’t like where this is going."

Kaelen continued speaking calmly.

"Long ago, dragons fought each other for supremacy."

John’s golden eyes glowed faintly.

"...A dragon civil war."

"Yes."

"And the result?"

Kaelen gestured toward the forest.

"This."

"A world where dragons hide."

"Or sleep."

"Or wait."

John thought about the memory fragments he had seen earlier.

Ancient dragons.

Massive beyond imagination.

Creatures capable of shaping continents.

"...How many are left?"

Kaelen answered quietly.

"More than you think."

John slowly smiled.

"...Good."

Kaelen frowned slightly.

"That’s not the reaction I expected."

"Why not?"

"Most people would be concerned."

John stretched his wings slowly.

"...Most people aren’t dragons."

Kaelen studied him carefully.

"You’re different."

"So I’ve been told."

Kaelen nodded once.

"That’s why I came."

John raised an eyebrow.

"You still haven’t explained that part."

Kaelen smiled faintly.

"...Because if the dragon war begins again..."

"...I want to be on the winning side."

From the trees—

Lythriel whispered,

"...I definitely don’t trust him."

Sylvara nodded.

"...Neither do I."

But John simply chuckled.

"...You’re honest."

Kaelen shrugged.

"I prefer efficiency."

John leaned forward slightly.

"And you think that’s me."

Kaelen met his gaze calmly.

"I think you’re going to reach Tier 10."

The forest went silent again.

Even the wind stopped.

John asked quietly,

"...And what happens then?"

Kaelen answered in a low voice.

"Then the old dragons will wake up."

---

## The Beginning of Something Bigger

The conversation lasted another hour.

The elves eventually joined them.

Cautiously.

Carefully.

Lythriel questioned Kaelen relentlessly.

Sylvara studied him for lies.

Aerion analyzed every word.

But one thing became clear.

Kaelen knew things.

Ancient things.

Before leaving, he turned back toward John.

"One last warning."

John tilted his head.

"I’m listening."

Kaelen’s expression grew serious.

"When dragons reach Tier 9... they become visible."

"...Visible to who?"

Kaelen answered quietly.

"Everything."

He looked toward the mountains.

"Ancient dragons."

"Dragon hunters."

"Kingdoms."

"And things even older than that."

Lythriel frowned.

"...Older than dragons?"

Kaelen smiled faintly.

"You’ll learn soon enough."

He began walking away.

Then paused.

"Oh... and one more thing."

John blinked.

"Yes?"

Kaelen glanced back.

"If you ever reach Tier 10..."

"...don’t stay in Greenwood."

"Why not?"

Kaelen’s voice carried a quiet certainty.

"Because Tier 10 dragons don’t hide."

"And when one appears..."

"...the entire world notices."

Then he disappeared into the forest.

Leaving behind silence.

Lythriel looked at John slowly.

"...You attract the strangest people."

John chuckled.

"That’s a compliment."

Aerion spoke quietly.

"...Everything he said makes sense."

Sylvara looked worried.

"This world is about to become much more dangerous."

John spread his wings slightly.

"...It already is."

Lythriel sighed.

"Please don’t tell me you’re excited."

John grinned.

"...I’m extremely excited."

High above the forest—

Clouds drifted slowly across the sky.

Far beyond the mountains—

Ancient creatures stirred in their sleep.

Because somewhere in the world...

A young dragon had begun climbing toward **Tier 10**.

And sooner or later—

Every power on Terraxos would notice.

---

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