High above the clouds of Chaos, Indura hovered in silence.
The red sunset painted the sky in hues of blood and fire, casting long shadows across the broken southern lands far below. The wind brushed gently against his skin, tugging at his crimson hair as it swayed freely. His golden eyes were closed, hands clasped behind his back, as if he were simply admiring the view after a long day.
But inside, far deeper than flesh or bone, another conversation unfolded.
In the endless dark void — a place with no floor, no ceiling, no sound — Indura stood face to face with his True Self.
The two were mirror images, yet fundamentally different. The True Self wore deep crimson scale armor that seemed forged from ancient starfire, his posture straight and commanding, radiating the quiet weight of eons. Golden eyes met golden eyes in perfect stillness, yet the True Self's gaze carried something far older, far heavier.
Indura spoke first, voice calm but laced with quiet surprise.
"I didn't expect you to be… this."
The True Self regarded him for a long moment, his golden eyes studying Indura as though weighing centuries in a single glance. When he finally replied, his voice was deep, measured, and carried the resonance of something ancient and unyielding.
"Were you expecting a monster?"
Indura was quiet. The void around them felt heavier, as if the space itself listened.
"If you could take over this body anytime," Indura continued, "why didn't you? So much could have changed from the beginning."
The True Self's expression remained unchanging, yet he held Indura's gaze a moment longer before answering.
"If I had taken over earlier, the High Order would have hunted us without mercy. You blended in. You survived by being… insignificant. That was not weakness. It was strategy."
Indura tilted his head, a faint frown forming.
"That doesn't make sense."
The True Self allowed a small, almost weary smile, the kind of expression worn by one who had already seen the end of too many stories.
"Of course it doesn't. You have been relying on blast breaths and raw strength, drifting through life without purpose. Somehow, that very aimlessness kept you hidden from your enemies for so long."
Indura crossed his arms, golden eyes narrowing.
"I arrived in Varta as an egg. How do I have memories of another life? Why don't I remember anything before that?"
The True Self looked at him directly, his gaze piercing and patient.
"It is true you arrived as an egg. And yes… there was another life. But you are still too early to know the reason why."
Indura smiled faintly, though there was clear irritation beneath it.
"I'm really not interested in riddles or sudden floods of faint memories hitting me at the worst moments. It's annoying."
The True Self nodded slowly, as though granting a small concession.
"You will continue to have them. And it may be good that you do. They are not without purpose."
Indura sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Try to make sense of what you're telling me. It took me a while to think, but... How is it possible there are two of us? Why are we sharing the same body?"
The True Self corrected him gently, his voice carrying the quiet authority of one who had already accepted uncomfortable truths.
"We do not share the same body. We share the same soul. We are two halves — what you could be, and what you could not. Even I do not fully like it… but it is the consequence of what happened long ago."
Indura chuckled, though there was little humor in it.
"If I had a past life, then there must be a mountain of enemies out there. Ones like that sky warrior you put on his knees. Why didn't you kill it?"
The True Self met his gaze steadily, holding it for a long moment before replying.
"It was simply not possible. At our current level, with only one awakened core, we could harm the Asura… but guaranteeing victory? No. Especially when that one wasn't even using its full power. Had it summoned the others… our loss would not have been surprising."
Indura raised an eyebrow.
"So you spared it knowing it wouldn't fight back?"
The True Self nodded once, his expression unchanging.
"The Asura was not foolish enough to challenge me directly, even in this weakened state. They remember what I am capable of. But I had to remind it… thanks to the newly awakened Authority, suppressing it to its knees worked in the end."
Indura snapped his fingers lightly, curiosity sparking in his eyes.
"What Authority was that?"
The True Self's expression grew more serious, his golden eyes steady as he regarded Indura.
"Authority of Dominion. A domain that grants absolute authority over a defined space — suppressing wills, forcing even divine beings to kneel. It is powerful… but great for war. Using it too freely would attract far greater enemies."
Indura nodded slowly, absorbing the words.
"I remember you mentioned about gaining two Authorities once a core was awakened, then there must be a second one!"
The True Self smirked faintly, a rare flicker of something almost amused crossing his features.
"The second lies within your blast breath — Authority of Destruction. You have not used it yet after awakening. The new breath is far greater than anything you have unleashed before. It does not merely destroy… it unmakes."
Indura smiled, though his eyes remained thoughtful.
"That much is fine."
Silence settled between them once more. The True Self turned slightly, gazing into the endless void as if seeing memories long buried, his armored form radiating the quiet patience of one who had waited through ages.
Indura studied him for a long moment, then spoke again.
"So… what now?"
The True Self broke the silence first, his voice deep and measured, carrying the calm certainty of someone who had watched ages rise and fall.
"What do you think of this world?"
Indura glanced into the endless darkness surrounding them. For a moment, memories drifted through his mind. Waking within Chaos. Taking his first hunting quest. The Hollow Sanctum. The Grand Bout. The war. The destruction of the South. Everything felt strangely distant, as though it had happened years ago rather than days.
"I honestly do not know enough to judge it," he admitted. "It is different from Varta. There are more races, more histories, and far more conflict than I expected. The mana feels different, too. It is stronger. Wilder. Less controlled. I have barely explored any of it. Most of the time, I have simply been watching events unfold around me."
The True Self regarded him quietly, his golden eyes reflecting a depth that seemed to stretch beyond time itself.
"And what do you intend to do now?"
Indura raised an eyebrow.
"About what?"
"There are others of our kind still alive."
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Indura's mouth.
"I do not feel particularly eager to meet them. Although I admit I am curious about how they would react if they saw me."
The True Self remained silent for several moments. When he finally spoke, his voice carried a weight that seemed to press against the darkness itself.
"There is far more waiting for you than old dragons."
His gaze drifted into the void.
"The destruction of the South is only the beginning. Greater storms are coming. The world you see now stands at the edge of something far larger than a regional war. Forces that have remained hidden for millennia will soon begin to move once more."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"This world has been occupied by invaders from another world. Long ago, I warned them never to reveal themselves within my domain. They ignored that warning. What you see today is..."
The air around them seemed to grow colder.
"They are powerful beings. Powerful enough to threaten realms far beyond this one."
A faint pause followed.
"Although none of them ever posed a threat to me."
Indura folded his arms across his chest.
"I have heard a little about the Dark Haven from the vampires."
"The vampires know fragments," the True Self replied. "Fragments are not understanding."
He took a slow step forward.
"What matters now is something else."
His presence seemed to fill the endless void.
"Your entire life has led you to this moment. Every choice. Every battle."
Indura's expression shifted slightly.
"What are you getting at?"
The True Self's gaze sharpened.
"From the destruction of your mountain to the annihilation of the dwarves. From the collapse of the castle you spent your free time watching, to your arrival in Chaos. Every event has pushed you forward along a very specific path."
His voice lowered.
"Tell me honestly. Have you ever felt as though someone was guiding your life?"
Indura stared at him for a long moment before looking away.
"For six hundred years, nothing happened."
His voice carried a rare note of reflection.
"I lived however I wanted. I hunted. I slept. I had no grand ambitions. Then my mountain was destroyed. After that, everything changed."
He frowned slightly.
"One event led to another. One decision led to the next. Looking back now... it almost feels as though I stopped choosing my direction a long time ago."
The True Self watched him carefully.
"Exactly."
Indura looked back at him.
"You think someone is behind all of this?"
"I think coincidence has limits."
The answer came immediately.
The True Self folded his hands behind his back.
"Do you truly believe the Sky Palace destroyed your mountain?"
Indura shrugged.
"That is one possibility. An old man suggested it."
At the mention of the old man, something almost resembling amusement appeared in the True Self's eyes.
"That old man was peculiar, was he not?"
Indura smirked faintly.
"That is one way of describing him."
The amusement vanished.
"If the Sky Palace had known what was hidden within that mountain, they would not have destroyed it."
Indura's expression hardened slightly.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean exactly what I said."
The True Self's voice remained calm.
"If the Sky Palace had discovered your existence a few years ago, they would have mobilized far greater forces. They would not have simply erased a mountain and walked away."
His golden eyes locked onto Indura's.
"You would not have survived."
Silence settled between them.
The statement carried no mockery. No arrogance. Only certainty.
The True Self continued.
"Everything that followed feels deliberate. The destruction of your home. Your encounters with certain individuals. The timing of the Grand Bout. The sudden outbreak of war. The appearance of the Artifact."
One by one, the pieces fell into place.
"Viewed separately, each event can be explained."
His eyes narrowed.
"Viewed together, they form a pattern."
Indura remained silent.
For the first time, genuine unease stirred within him.
The True Self stepped closer.
"I believe someone has known about our existence from the very beginning."
The words hung heavily between them.
Indura frowned.
"How would you know that?"
The True Self tilted his head slightly.
"Because they are careless."
The answer caught him off guard.
"What?"
"They watch."
The void seemed to darken.
"Have you never noticed it?"
Indura said nothing.
"Certain days feel different. Certain moments feel heavier. Sometimes the sensation is distant. Sometimes it is close enough to make the air feel strange. It happened during the Grand Bout. It happened before the war. It happened several times long before you ever arrived in Chaos."
The True Self's gaze swept across the endless darkness.
"There has always been someone watching."
A chill crept through the void.
"The problem is that they are very good at hiding."
Indura instinctively extended his senses. He closed his eyes for a moment, scanning the area, but felt only the cool breeze of the sky far above. When he opened them again, the True Self was watching him.
"You will not find them that way."
Indura lowered his gaze slightly.
"And you know who it is?"
For the first time, the True Self hesitated. Not because of uncertainty. Because of caution.
"I have a suspicion."
His voice became quieter.
"The Artifact appearing in Chaos was not random. The war was not random. Your awakening was not random."
The ancient dragon king looked into the darkness as though staring at something hidden beyond reality itself.
"There is a hand moving pieces across the board."
The void felt impossibly still.
"And for the first time in a very long time..." A faint smile touched the True Self's lips. "I believe I am beginning to understand the game."
Indura sighed and scratched his chin thoughtfully.
"This Artifact you keep mentioning… you talk about it as though it belongs to another age. What exactly can it do?"
The True Self remained silent for several moments. His golden eyes seemed distant, as though they were looking far beyond the void itself. When he finally spoke, his voice was calm and measured.
"At the moment, the Artifact is not your concern. You can reclaim it whenever you wish. The warrior carrying it is no threat to you."
Indura raised an eyebrow.
"Then why leave it with him?"
"Because taking it now gains us nothing."
The True Self folded his arms across his chest, his posture straight and commanding.
"Watching gains us far more. The one carrying it may understand things that we do not. They may uncover secrets that have been forgotten for thousands of years. Sometimes the fastest path to an answer is allowing others to search for it first."
A faint smile touched Indura's face.
"That sounds suspiciously clever."
The True Self ignored the comment and continued, his expression hardening slightly.
"The road ahead will not be simple. You were born to conquer. You were born to destroy. That is what you understand best."
The endless darkness seemed to stir around him, as though the void itself responded to his words.
"But if there truly is another force moving pieces behind the curtain… if someone has been guiding events from the beginning… then reclaiming this world can no longer wait."
Indura's smile slowly faded.
"What exactly are you saying?"
The True Self turned toward him fully. For a moment, he no longer looked like an ancient dragon. He looked like a king — a ruler staring upon a kingdom that had been stolen from him.
"We take back what belongs to us."
The words echoed through the void with quiet finality.
"We reclaim Chaos."
Silence followed.
Indura felt something stir deep within his soul. Not excitement. Not anger. Something older. Something buried. The faint memory of ownership. The feeling that the skies, the oceans, the mountains, and every dragon born beneath them had once answered to his will.
The True Self's gaze remained unwavering.
"The Dark Haven sits upon a throne that was never theirs."
His voice grew colder.
"They have occupied this world long enough."
Indura stood quietly. For perhaps the first time in centuries, he found himself genuinely considering the future.
The True Self took another step forward.
"For six hundred years, you wandered without purpose."
There was no mockery in his voice. Only fact.
"You slept when you wished. Fought when you were bored. Waited for a home because it amused you. Destroyed enemies because they annoyed you."
A faint smile appeared.
"You have lived exactly as you pleased."
Indura chuckled softly.
"When you put it like that, it sounds irresponsible."
"It was."
The answer came immediately.
Indura laughed. The True Self did not.
Then his expression softened slightly.
"But it is over."
The words carried surprising weight.
"You have searched for purpose without realizing it."
His golden eyes locked onto Indura's.
"So I will give you one."
The void seemed to fall completely silent.
"This world is yours."
The words struck harder than any attack.
"It was yours before you hatched. It was yours before the Dark Haven arrived. It was yours before the Sky Palace surrendered it."
The True Self's voice remained calm.
"Take it back."
A slow smile spread across Indura's face. Not the playful grin he usually wore. Something deeper. Something sharper.
"To think…"
He laughed quietly.
"To think I spent six hundred years trying to figure out what I wanted to do."
His golden eyes gleamed.
"And now you're telling me I own an entire world."
The True Self said nothing.
Indura's smile widened.
"That is actually ridiculous."
A pause.
"Ridiculous enough that I like it."
The True Self finally allowed himself a faint smile.
"It will not be easy."
His gaze darkened.
"The moment you begin moving openly, attention will follow."
"From whom?"
"Everyone."
The answer was immediate.
"Other realms. Ancient powers. Survivors of forgotten wars. Enemies who remember our name."
The smile slowly disappeared from Indura's face.
The True Self continued.
"You are strong. But you are not yet what you once were. You will need allies. You will need knowledge. And most importantly…"
His eyes narrowed.
"You will need the legion."
At that word, something ancient seemed to shift in the darkness.
Indura raised an eyebrow.
"The dragon army?"
The True Self nodded.
"They still exist."
His voice carried absolute certainty.
"Somewhere in this world, they remain. Hidden. Sealed. Sleeping. Waiting."
A spark ignited in Indura's eyes.
"You make them sound like lost treasure."
"They are."
The answer came without hesitation.
A quiet laugh escaped Indura.
"To think I'm apparently a Dragon King with an army I have never met."
His grin returned.
"This keeps getting better."
The True Self studied him for a moment.
"You will not face everything alone."
Indura tilted his head.
"What does that mean?"
The True Self's expression became strangely thoughtful.
"You have already met your sister."
Indura blinked. For the first time during the entire conversation, genuine surprise appeared on his face.
"My what?"
"Your sister... The white dragon."
Indura stared at him. For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then he pointed at himself.
"We have a sister?"
The True Self nodded.
"Yes."
Indura pointed at the darkness.
"And you somehow forgot to mention this earlier?"
"I did not forget."
"You absolutely forgot."
The True Self ignored him.
"Her strength will be important."
Indura shook his head.
"I cannot believe this."
A laugh escaped him.
"I spent six hundred years thinking I was alone."
His smile slowly returned.
"And now I find out I have family."
The True Self remained silent. The expression on Indura's face softened slightly.
"That is… unexpected."
The True Self gave a single nod.
"There is another who will be important."
"Shadow?"
"Yes."
Indura smiled.
"He's not bad."
The True Self looked genuinely puzzled.
"That entity should have tried to kill you several times by now."
"Yet he didn't."
"Which is exactly why I find it concerning."
Indura laughed.
The True Self sighed.
"Regardless, keep him close."
His gaze drifted into the darkness.
"The fragment known as Shadow is far older than you realize."
The amusement faded from Indura's face.
"Noted."
The True Self nodded.
"Good."
Silence settled between them.
Finally, he spoke again.
"There is nothing left for you in the South."
Indura thought for a moment.
"Actually… there is one thing."
The True Self raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
Indura grinned.
"If an area is suppressed by the Authority of Dominion… can I always sense where everyone is?"
The True Self stared at him. Then, surprisingly, a faint smile appeared.
"Of all the questions you could ask…"
"Can I?"
"Yes."
Indura's grin widened.
The True Self shook his head slightly.
"Think of the domain as your home."
His voice remained calm.
"When something enters your home, you know where it is. When something leaves, you know that as well. You do not need to search. You simply know."
"That is enough for me."
Indura's form began fading into particles of light. The void slowly reclaimed him.
The True Self watched in silence as the younger half of his soul disappeared.
Soon, he stood alone once more.
The endless darkness stretched in every direction.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
Then a quiet smile touched his lips. A rare thing. A dangerous thing.
"Since when did I become so talkative?"
His voice echoed softly through the void.
"It does not suit me."
The silence returned.
Then his eyes narrowed slightly.
A faint trace of amusement lingered in his gaze.
"You seem rather interested in finding the Blood Queen."
The smile deepened.
"How interesting."
The darkness swallowed his words, as only silence remained.
And somewhere beyond that silence, the future waited.