I Received System to Become Dragonborn

Erend narrowed his glowing blue eyes. He knew without a doubt that all of this was an illusion. A vision that was drawn from Thar'Zul-Vekar's memories and projected into the world like a dream made real with his Magic power. None of it could see him or effecting him and Eccar. Especially not the Fire Dragon.

"This is the past," he muttered through the bond. "That Dragon named Maelric can't see us. None of this is real."

"I figured," Eccar replied, still standing with wings slightly flared. "I'm not dropping my form, though. Not until I'm sure we're not about to be eaten by the forest itself."

Erend gave a slight nod. "Fair. But I'll change back to my human form. I want a closer look."

With a flicker of lightning his form shrank. Muscles folded inward, scales drew tight, and light danced around him before revealing his human body.

He took a slow step forward with eyes locked on Maelric.

"He was a Dragonborn that lives long before us," Erend thought, almost in awe. "Another one like Kaelor. But where did he come from? Were there more of them back then? Was their number greater than ours now?"

His mind flooded with questions that might never be answered. Where do they reside now? What happened to them? Are they hiding? Watching? Or gone?

It was like he was thirsty, and only got a little bit of water. It didn't quench his thirst.

But he forced himself to exhale, grounding the thoughts before they could spiral.

"This is just an illusion," he reminded himself, clenching his jaw. "A dream of a god broken by betrayal. I can't talk to Maelric. I can't touch him. And I sure as hell can't stop what's about to happen."

Still, he couldn't pull his gaze away.

Maelric stood with that easy confidence, radiating power. And Thar'Zul-Vekar was suddenly looks so different now when they were in this illusion. They looks calm and steady. They seemed completely drawn into the moment. Their madness muted by memory.

"I've been thinking," Maelric said, glancing up toward the forest canopy. "This land and the forest you protect deserves better than silence and stagnation."

"It does not stagnate," Thar'Zul-Vekar replied. "It grows and endures a lot of calamity."

Maelric smiled faintly. "Of course. But even trees can be burned. You said there are enemies, didn't you? Those enemies who are already moving against you?"

Thar'Zul-Vekar's expression tightened, but they nodded. "yes. They were mortals. Sorcerers from beyond the hills. They drain the life from the land and bind beasts with poisoned iron."

"Then let me help you," Maelric said. "Let me stand beside you and burn them to the roots. That way we can let the forest breathe again. This forest and world can become strong and unchallenged."

There was a silence. And then slowly, as if relenting to the promise, Thar'Zul-Vekar said, "You would do this? You, a Dragon, would fight for the wilds and me?"

"For the wilds," Maelric echoed with a hand placed to his chest. "For you, old friend."

Erend watched that moment hang in the air like mist before dawn. It was filled with warm and trusting feelings.

And it made his skin crawl because he already knew that whatever came next would not be salvation for the god. It would be betrayal.

Thar'Zul-Vekar smiled widely and purely with a kind of joy that made Erend's chest ache.

In this moment, they were not the wrathful god he had fought. They looked like a real guardian and caretaker, a being full of hope and benevolent. A being who had believed with their whole soul that they had found an ally, or a friend.

Erend swallowed hard.

"They were just trying to protect what they loved. They trusted him and he shattered that trust!"

Eccar shifted behind him. Even in his enormous Dragon form there was a hesitante to his movement now. His claws curled into the earth and he said nothing but Erend could sense that he felt it too.

"Then help me, my friend," Thar'Zul-Vekar said softly.

Maelric smiled again. "Yes. Now… open the door to your sanctuary," he said, stepping forward with arms slightly raised. "Let me offer you my Magic to help you protect all of this forest."

Without hesitation, without suspicion, Thar'Zul-Vekar nodded. They turned and with a wave of their claw, the ground shifted, roots parted, and a passage opened at the base of a great tree, glowing with Magic energy. It looks like a sacred path that was hidden deep within the forest's soul.

Maelric walked forward and the roots closed behind him.

Erend's heart sank.

"This is it," he murmured. "This was how it started."

Then, the scene shattered.

It was like a curtain tearing from top to bottom. The forest around them flickered, faded, and then twisted into something else.

The green turned black. The sky cracked into red and the earth screamed.

Massive trees that once proud titans burned with roaring fire. Ash filled the air. Flames climbing, licking, and devouring around Erend.

But he felt no heat.

He spread his arms and let his Dragon wings burst forth. Lightning surged through him and he lifted into the air.

Eccar also float beside him, neither of them speaking. Just sharing one heavy glance of sorrow.

Above the trees, they saw him.

Maelric that was now in his Dragon form soared through the sky. His body glowed with crimson. Fire coiled from his mouth in spirals of golden red flame.

The fire were merciless and tronger than anything Erend had ever conjured himself.

With each roar, he bathed the forest in destruction. This was not a fight but a purge.

Then Thar'Zul-Vekar appeared rising from the trees like a mountain in agony. Their form was battered, their vines charred, but their roar shook the sky.

They hurled roots and storms and wild green Magic but it wasn't enough.

Maelric crashed into them and the battle turned brutal. It wasn't a duel but domination.

Maelric burned through vines, shattered stone with his claws, and hit Thar'Zul-Vekar down with savage attack.

The god screamed and falling to the earth in a broken heap. The forest burned and turned to ash while Thar'Zul-Vekar lay still.

Erend hovered above it all, his fists clenched.

This… this was the betrayal. This was the moment that shattered a benevolent god.

He turned to Eccar. "Now we know what happened to them."

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