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The night was calm as Pyris stood alone in Emberly's study, the weight of their conversation still hanging in the air. He had just learned of Silas' release, and though the mention of the vampire stirred old memories, Pyris was no longer the boy who lived in fear.
He had grown far beyond his past, stronger and more determined than ever. But before he could fully process the news, his mother suddenly moved swiftly back towards him.
"Pyris," Emberly said, her voice suddenly sharp with a sense of urgency as if she just remembered something so important, something that couldn't wait. "There's something else you need to see."
Before Pyris could respond, Emberly waved her hand, and in an instant, the world around them shifted. The warm glow of her study vanished, replaced by the cool, grand halls of the main family mansion—the ancestral home of House Obsidian. Pyris blinked as the familiar stone walls and arched ceilings came into focus.
It had been years since he had set foot here, but the place still felt alive with the magic of generations past.
"Mother?" Pyris asked, slightly disoriented. "Why are we here?"
Emberly smiled, a glint of pride in her eyes. "There are things about our family you need to understand—things you've never seen before."
Pyris's heart raced as memories from his childhood surfaced. He remembered this mansion well. It was here, in one of its many chambers, that he had first felt the surge of power deep within him, the spark of the magic that would shape his future. But the place had always felt dark, shadowed by the weight of House Obsidian's history.
Tonight, though, it was different. The mansion seemed brighter, its halls illuminated with an ancient energy that made the very air hum with power.
Emberly led him through the grand corridors, her pace steady and confident. They passed towering shelves filled with magical artifacts—ancient relics that had been collected over centuries. Old paintings lined the walls, each one depicting a different figure from the Obsidian bloodline.
As they walked, Emberly gestured to the paintings. "These are the founders of our house," she said, her voice taking on a reverent tone. "Dragons who took build something that would last through the ages. Our bloodline carries their strength, their will, and their magic."
Pyris's eyes wandered across the portraits. Each figure was imposing, their draconic heritage evident in their piercing eyes and commanding presence. But it was the painting at the end of the hall that caught his attention.
A woman sat upon a grand throne, her long, obsidian-black hair cascading down her back like a river of shadows. Her face was flawless, her beauty striking in a way that felt otherworldly. She exuded both grace and danger, a presence that seemed to reach out from the painting itself.
Pyris couldn't take his eyes off her, he held his breathe for a moment.
[Her beauty could perhaps be compared to the Goddess's!] Pyris nodded mentally, in agreement with Lia.
"That's Lucy Obsidian," Emberly explained. "The greatest of our ancestors. She was both feared and admired, her power rivaling even the gods themselves. Her beauty… well, no one could surpass her."
Pyris's mind briefly flashed to the goddess he had encountered—the one whose power had been beyond comprehension. But Lucy's presence, even in this painting, felt palpable, almost alive. Her eyes seemed to follow him, as though they held secrets yet to be revealed.
"She built much of what we stand on today," Emberly continued, her voice softer now. "And though her reign was long ago, her legacy still shapes the future of our house."
Pyris nodded, taking in the weight of his mother's words. He felt a deeper connection to his bloodline now, understanding that he wasn't just inheriting power—he was inheriting a legacy built on the strength and will of dragons.
As they continued down the hall, Emberly finally stopped before a large glass case. Inside, on a raised pedestal, sat what appeared to be an ordinary glass vial. It was small, about the size of a glass of water, but sealed tightly with intricate runes etched along its surface. Inside the vial, floating in suspended animation, was a thumb-sized golden dragon scale.
"This," Emberly said, her voice dropping to a whisper, "is the most powerful relic in our family's possession. It has been here for generations, and no one truly knows what it is. But its power..."
Pyris felt his breath catch in his throat as he looked closer at the scale. Even through the thick glass, he could feel the raw, pulsating energy radiating from it. The scale seemed to glow faintly, an ethereal light shimmering across its surface.
"It's been sealed for centuries," Emberly continued, "because no one in our family has been able to harness its power. The scale belongs to an ancient dragon—one whose name has been lost to time. The magic it holds… if unleashed, it could obliterate this entire mansion."
Pyris stepped closer, his eyes locked on the scale. The power inside called to him, beckoning him forward. He had felt powerful before, but this was different. This was a force beyond anything he had ever encountered.
Just as he reached out to touch the glass, a sudden ringing echoed in his mind.
[Ding! The treasure of Beyond has been discovered!]
[Mission generated: Make a contract with the treasure!]
[Rewards: One Million LPs, Lust Dragon ability unlock!]
Pyris froze as the system's voice rang out in his head. He had grown used to the notifications by now, but this was different. The system was recognizing the scale as something more—something that could change everything.
"Pyris, wait," Emberly warned, sensing the shift in the air. "The scale's power—"
But Pyris had already touched the glass.
The moment his fingertips grazed the surface, the golden scale reacted violently. The protective runes that had sealed the vial for centuries shattered, and the glass broke apart with a sound like cracking thunder. The golden dragon scale shot forward with blinding speed, piercing straight through Pyris's chest before he had time to react.
A searing pain exploded through Pyris's body as the scale embedded itself deep within him. He gasped, his knees buckling as waves of energy surged through him. His vision blurred, and he felt his consciousness slipping away.
"Pyris!" Emberly's voice called out, distant and frantic, but Pyris couldn't respond. His body convulsed as the scale's power merged with his own, the golden energy wrapping around him like a cocoon.
The last thing he saw before the darkness claimed him was the look of shock and terror on his mother's face.
____
When Pyris opened his eyes again, he was no longer in the mansion. He was floating in a vast, endless void, the darkness stretching out in every direction. Yet, in the distance, he could see a faint golden light, flickering like a distant star.
He drifted toward it, his body weightless, until the light grew brighter and brighter. Finally, he found himself standing before a colossal golden dragon, its scales shimmering with a radiant, divine light. The dragon's eyes were ancient, filled with knowledge and power that transcended time.
"You…" the dragon's voice boomed, echoing through the void. "You are the one who has awakened my legacy."
Pyris's heart pounded in his chest. "Who… who are you?"
The dragon's gaze fixed on him, and for a moment, Pyris felt as though the creature was looking directly into his soul. "I am the last of my kind. The one who founded your bloodline. And now, you will carry my power."
Before Pyris could respond, the dragon's form dissolved into light, and the golden energy surged toward him, enveloping him in a blinding flash. The power flowed into his body, filling every fiber of his being with strength beyond anything he had ever imagined.
___
Back in the mansion, Emberly knelt beside her son's unconscious form, her heart racing as she watched the golden energy flicker around him.
"Pyris," she whispered, her voice trembling. "What have you done?"
As the light faded, Pyris lay still, the golden dragon scale now fully absorbed into his body. He was unconscious, but alive—his chest rising and falling steadily as the power within him began to settle.
Emberly stood slowly, her eyes wide with a mixture of awe and fear. She had always known that her son was destined for greatness, but this… this was something far beyond what she had ever anticipated.
"The golden scale…" she murmured, her voice barely a whisper. "It's chosen him."