The Extra's Rise

Radiant Dragon Tiamat, Guardian of the Viserion Family.

The knowledge hit me like a revelation as I stared up at the massive form descending from the star-filled sky. In this world, the four mythical beasts held dominion over their respective regions—phoenixes of the North, dragons of the South, basilisks of the West, and qilins of the Center and East.

And now, I was witnessing one of these legendary beings in the flesh. Not just any dragon, but one at the absolute peak of her power—Radiant rank, the same level Luna had possessed before her sealing.

Tiamat.

'Tiamat,' Luna's voice whispered in my mind, and I was struck by the unprecedented complexity of emotions flooding through our bond. Reverence that bordered on worship. Respect that acknowledged absolute supremacy. And beneath it all, a confusion that surpassed my own.

The torrent of feelings from Luna was overwhelming in its intensity. In all our time together, I had never felt her this emotionally affected by anything. It was as if seeing Tiamat had awakened something fundamental within her—memories or instincts that transcended her current sealed state.

The massive dragon began to descend more rapidly, her obsidian scales catching and reflecting the moonlight like liquid shadow. As she approached the palace's main courtyard, her form began to shimmer and contract, the impossible bulk of her true shape condensing into something more manageable.

By the time she touched down on the stones, Tiamat had assumed her human form.

She stood perhaps six feet tall, with midnight-black hair that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it, and eyes that held the deep crimson of dragon fire. Her features were sharp and elegant, ageless in the way that only truly ancient beings could achieve. She wore a simple dress of dark silk that somehow managed to convey more majesty than any royal regalia could have accomplished.

But it was the aura of power surrounding her that truly marked her as something beyond mortal comprehension. The very air seemed to bend around her presence, and I could feel the weight of centuries pressing down on the courtyard like a physical force.

Every guard in sight immediately dropped to one knee, their heads bowed in absolute deference. The silence was profound, broken only by the distant sound of more footsteps approaching rapidly.

Prince Ian burst through the courtyard entrance, his flame-red hair disheveled. Beside him came a woman I immediately recognized as Queen Lyralei Viserion—Ian's mother, whose 9-star Nyx Tiger bloodline was evident in the predatory grace of her movements and the subtle golden striping that marked her auburn hair.

Both mother and son were clearly dressed in haste. Yet neither hesitated for even a moment before dropping into deep, respectful bows.

"Great Guardian," Queen Lyralei said, her voice carrying the formal cadence of protocol. "You honor us with your presence. How may the House of Viserion serve you?"

I found myself studying the dynamics at play with growing understanding. Tiamat's influence clearly superseded even that of King Marcus himself—Ian's father and ruler of the Southern continent. For over a thousand years, she had served as protector and guide to the beast bloodline families and the Southern continent, her wisdom and power ensuring their survival through countless crises and conflicts, especially against the Abyssal Kin.

This wasn't just respect for a powerful ally. This was the reverence owed to a being who had literally shaped the history of their civilization.

What confused me, however, was the sensation I was picking up from Tiamat herself. Despite her awesome power and the fearful deference she commanded, there was something about her presence that felt... warm. Maternal, even. Like being in the presence of a protective mother rather than an ancient force of destruction.

The contradiction between her overwhelming authority and this underlying gentleness left me uncertain how to interpret her sudden appearance.

Tiamat's crimson eyes swept across the assembled figures before settling on me with an intensity that made my breath catch. When she spoke, her voice carried the same warmth I had sensed in her aura, though it was underlaid with power that could have shattered mountains.

"Arthur Nightingale," she said, and my name on her lips sounded like both blessing and judgment. "I wish to speak with you privately."

The courtyard fell into even deeper silence as everyone present processed the implications of her words. Even in human form, Tiamat commanded attention like a force of nature, and her specific interest in me was clearly significant beyond anything the Viserions had anticipated.

Luna's emotional turbulence intensified through our bond, and I could feel her struggling with recognition and longing that she couldn't quite articulate. Whatever connection existed between qilins and dragons, it ran deeper than simple mythical beast kinship.

"Of course, Great Guardian," I replied, offering the respectful bow that protocol demanded while trying to project calm confidence. "I am at your disposal."

Tiamat's lips curved in what might have been a smile, though it held depths I couldn't fathom. Her gaze shifted momentarily to encompass Seraphina and Reika, and then toward the palace wing where Luna slept.

"Come with me," she said as mana moved around her like excited servants attending their queen. I felt myself lifted effortlessly by invisible forces, but instead of the crushing grip I might have expected, it felt like being wrapped in the softest blanket imaginable.

It was a profoundly strange sensation—being completely at the mercy of overwhelming power that somehow felt protective rather than threatening.

"Let's go," Tiamat said as she launched into the sky in her human form with me floating beside her. After reaching a certain altitude, reality began to warp around us, space folding like origami until the familiar sensation of teleportation swept through my senses.

I blinked and opened my eyes to find myself standing in what could only be described as a cathedral carved from living stone.

Tiamat's Dragon Lair stretched before me in impossible grandeur. The cavern was vast enough to house several city blocks, its ceiling lost in shadows that seemed to move with their own inner light. Crystalline formations jutted from every surface, their faceted edges catching and amplifying light from sources I couldn't identify. Rivers of what appeared to be liquid starlight flowed through channels carved into the floor, their gentle babbling the only sound in the profound silence.

Ancient tapestries hung from natural stone pillars, each one depicting scenes of historical significance that I recognized from legends and myths. Treasure didn't fill the space as dragon lairs were often portrayed—instead, the lair felt more like a sanctuary, a place of meditation and ancient wisdom.

At the center of it all stood a simple throne carved from a single massive crystal, its surface reflecting light in patterns that hurt to look at directly.

"Welcome to my Lair, Arthur Nightingale," Tiamat said, her voice echoing softly off the crystalline walls. "Only four humans have come here before you: Thalandris Viserion, Julius Slatemark, Liam Kagu... and Arthur Nightingale."

The names hit me like physical blows. Thalandris Viserion, the founder of the Viserion family and first person to successfully integrate the blood of a mythical creature, allowing him to dominate the Southern continent's beast bloodline families. Julius Slatemark, the founder of the Slatemark Empire in the Central continent who had bonded with Luna a thousand years ago. And Liam Kagu, the First Hero who had slain the Heavenly Demon and committed genocide against vampires almost two hundred years ago.

But wait—she had said Arthur Nightingale was the fourth person, not that I was the fourth. The distinction sent chills down my spine.

I felt Luna's overwhelming desire to manifest, so I allowed her to take physical form. She appeared in her familiar five-year-old shape, her power constrained by my current Ascendant-rank limitations, her golden eyes wide with wonder as she took in the magnificent surroundings.

"Dear, you have grown so much," Tiamat smiled warmly as she approached Luna and gently patted her head like she was greeting a beloved child.

Luna typically despised being treated like a child—her ancient pride rebelled against such casual contact. But instead of her usual indignant protests, Luna simply tilted her head down, her cheeks reddening as she accepted Tiamat's affectionate gesture with something approaching shy pleasure.

'I get it now,' I thought, the pieces clicking into place. Tiamat was clearly a maternal figure to Luna, someone who had cared for her in ages past. But if Luna was over a thousand years old, exactly how ancient was Tiamat?

"It's rude to think about a lady's age," Tiamat said with gentle amusement, causing me to look away and scratch my cheek in embarrassment.

"How do you find my lair?" she asked as I took in the breathtaking surroundings.

"It's... magnificent," I said honestly, my voice carrying genuine awe. "Nothing like the treasure hoards depicted in stories. This feels more like a temple than a dragon's den."

"Wisdom is the greatest treasure," Tiamat replied, moving to stand beside her crystal throne. "Material wealth is fleeting, but knowledge endures across the ages."

She gestured for me to approach, her crimson eyes holding depths that seemed to contain the weight of millennia. Luna remained close to my side, still basking in the warm maternal presence that Tiamat projected.

She moved closer, her presence both comforting and overwhelming. "You see, Arthur Nightingale, you are not the first person to bear that name and walk this path. The fourth visitor to my lair was another Arthur Nightingale—one who came here seeking answers in what you might call... the previous timeline."