Chapter 72: Arrival at the ceremony
The dragon princess reappeared shortly afterwards, opening the door with undeniable grace but instantly imposing an overwhelming presence. Her violet gaze fell on Mordred, quickly appraising his appearance with a coldly satisfied look.
- Good," she said in a calm but imperious voice. Let’s go, my dear toy. It’s time for you to discover the true extent of dragon power and glory.
She beckoned him to follow her, and Mordred complied silently, carefully masking his emotions beneath a cold, impenetrable façade. As they strolled through the palace’s sumptuous corridors, he was immediately struck by the luxurious excess of the premises.
The walls, built of black marble veined with gold, seemed to pulsate subtly with an almost tangible magic, lit by spectral blue torches, floating in the air without any visible support. High windows of pure crystal diffused a soft golden glow, accentuating the magnificence of intricate frescoes depicting the glory and warlike history of dragons. Scenes of battles, magical triumphs and tributes to royal lineages stretched as far as the eye could see, proudly recounting their crushing domination over subjugated peoples.
Huge crystal candlesticks engraved with ancient runes hung from the high vaulted ceilings, diffusing a light that made the precious armors and weapons displayed on the walls glow with an eerie brilliance. Mordred even noticed a few suits of armor that had belonged to other defeated species, displayed like macabre trophies. The sight reinforced his bitterness and profound disgust towards those he now had to deal with.
- It’s impressive, isn’t it?" the princess murmured softly with a hint of pride in her voice, noticing his observant gaze. This is the power of dragons, my dear toy. All this is the direct manifestation of our magic, of our unquestionable superiority over other species.
- Impressive, certainly," Mordred replied coldly, without looking at her. But all this wealth doesn’t disguise the cruelty on which it’s built.
The princess smiled coldly, almost amused by his reply:
- Cruelty, greatness... it all depends on your point of view. For us, it’s simply the natural order of the world.
They finally arrived at an immense door carved in dark wood, decorated with intertwined dragons spitting flames of pure gold. The door slowly opened before them, revealing a gigantic, resplendent hall. Immediately, a trumpet sounded solemnly, attracting the attention of all present.
A herald, dressed in a crimson and gold tunic, raised his voice with force and authority: