vncnus Page 146
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It emitted a deep, rhythmic guttural sound, like distant thunder, resonating deeply in the chest.
Then, Casalos raised its slightly open wings like billowing sails, and stepped forward, pacing slowly around Toona in an elegant zigzag pattern. Each step was in time with the rhythm of the dragon's roar, intertwining with the low-frequency vibrations emanating from its throat, creating a dance-like movement. (The last two lines appear to be unrelated and possibly machine-generated text.)
Its head is held high, displaying the most beautiful luster of its neck scales, and its tail swings rhythmically behind it, leaving graceful trails on the beach.
The flashing electric arcs symbolize the power and passion of the dragon, while the harmonious melodies reflect its artistic talent and emotional depth.
Faced with such a thoughtful presentation, Tao Na gave a fitting response.
She lay gracefully on her side on the beach, gently rolling her body to reveal the pearly white and soft scales on her abdomen—the highest expression of trust and acceptance from a female dragon, as the abdomen is the most vulnerable part of a dragon's body.
Her wings were pressed tightly against her back, her body swaying gently to reveal the most beautiful curves, and she tilted her tail to the side, forming a forward-curving posture—a clear signal of acceptance of courtship in the body language of dragons. She slowly raised her head, gently rubbing her exquisite dragon horns against Casalos's outstretched neck, the friction between the horn sheath and scales sparking tiny sparks that shone like fireworks in the night.
55. Wedding Flight
Casaloz-Ratambirol's long neck intertwined with Toona's in an infinity symbol. His wings lowered, hooking onto Toona's wingtips. He took a half-step back, using the momentum to lift her from the ground. His tail wrapped around her waist, and he raised his left forelimb and right hind paw, stepping to the side. He landed, then raised his right forelimb and left hind paw again. He led the female dragon in this manner, moving sideways three steps in the same fashion. Then, using both wings and tail, he lifted her off the ground, swaying and spinning her half a circle. He released the wing hooks and untied her neck, relying solely on the strength of his tail to pull her apart using centrifugal force. He stretched her taut to its limit, then pulled her back, face to face. Their horns and sheaths rubbed against each other, their eyes meeting.
Two giant dragons began to dance in the light of Suren, an art whose profound meaning could only be understood by dragons ancient enough to comprehend.
Casalos's limbs, neck, and tail moved with perfect coordination, each movement as natural as flowing water and as powerful as lightning. Its wings sometimes spread wide in majestic display, and sometimes gently folded in tenderness. Its entwined companion, Toona, displayed the unique elegance of a goral dance; her body was as supple as silk, each turn and roll possessing an artistic beauty. Her wings fluttered like butterflies, tracing graceful arcs in the air, their silver scales shimmering like starlight as they danced.
The dragon's roar and the sighs of praise served as accompaniment to the dance.
The dragon's deep, guttural voice was like a hum from the depths of thunderclouds—a continuous, low-frequency fundamental tone that resonated powerfully within its chest, causing the entire island to tremble. This sound was primal and powerful, like a call from the depths of the earth, or the whisper of an ancient thunder god.
The female dragon's voice, layered with clear, high-frequency vibrato, was like a nightingale singing under the moon, or a dolphin chanting in the deep sea. Her voice was pure and lively, forming a perfect harmony with Casalos's deep fundamental tone, one high and one low, one strong and one gentle, like the most harmonious symphony in the world.
At first, the fusion of the two dragons' songs and dances was somewhat awkward, after all, this was their first time coordinating so intimately. But as time went on, a magical tacit understanding began to develop between them. Casalos learned to adjust his pitch in time with Toona's breaths, while Toona began to weave more complex melodic variations based on Casalos's low notes.
Gradually, their singing began to take on a canon-like round effect—Taona would sing a melody, then repeat the same melody in her own voice after Casaloz sang it, but with unique embellishments and emotional coloring. Then Casaloz would take over the melody, reinterpreting it with a deeper voice, and pass it on to Taona for the next round of variations.
Improvisational musical creation requires the two dragons to achieve complete emotional synchronization, not only understanding each other's musical intentions but also feeling the emotional fluctuations deep within their hearts. When their voices finally intertwine perfectly, forming an unprecedented love song and a dance of soul resonance, the wedding flight ceremony reaches its takeoff moment.
The two colossal dragons simultaneously flapped their wings and soared into the air, the sheer force of their strikes causing their wing membranes to catch the air and produce a deep, rumbling roar. They didn't rush to ascend, but maintained level flight at an altitude of about ten meters, continuing their aerial dance. At the climax of their symphony, the two dragons began their spiral ascent at a steep 60-degree angle, their flight paths resembling the fleeting shadows of scissors, sometimes separating, sometimes approaching, weaving dazzling geometric patterns in three-dimensional space.
Casalos abandoned his unique flying skills and simply maintained a perfect clockwise ascent around the central axis. Just as he was about to make contact with Toona, who was ascending counterclockwise in sync, he brushed past her. The wind pressure from the dragon wings allowed both dragons to feel each other's temperature and breath.
Tona responded to the pursuit with a melodious dragon song, her dance fluid and graceful, her wings tumbling and swirling with the trajectory. When she crossed paths with Casalos, she would gracefully turn to the side, then suddenly ascend vertically, flipping her body above Casalos's head and gently stroking its back with her abdomen.
At their furthest points, the two dragons simultaneously unleashed their breath toward the central axis. The electric arcs met in mid-air, bursting forth with dazzling light. The flashing lightning, like fireworks blooming in the sky, erected an instantaneous "electric bridge" between their flight paths, connecting the two dragons' routes together.
As they reached their maximum altitude, the two dragons entered level flight. They began a single-loop chase—Cassaloz would first make a perfect circular flight, with Toona following closely behind along the same trajectory, then the roles would switch, with Toona leading and Casalos following.
Next came the intertwined movements of the two dragons, flying in opposite directions in symmetrical circles. The two circles crossed at the starting point in three-dimensional space, their eight claws briefly touching, then their tails gently brushing each other's bellies before they swooped down together, leveling off and merging into parallel flight, their wingtips touching. Their flight paths were perfectly synchronized, like the left and right wings of a single dragon. In this close flight, they could clearly feel each other's body temperature and heartbeat from their touching wingtips, and hear the "sound" of the dragon magic flowing in each other's veins. (The last two lines appear to be unrelated and possibly machine-generated text.)
Throughout the entire process, the two dragons' harmonious chant, resembling a whale's song yet possessing a wider range and more profound timbre, never ceased. The songs of the male and female dragons echoed high in the sky, mingling with the sound of the wind to create the most primal and pure love song in the world. Due to the continuous release of electric dragon breath, the surrounding clouds began to ionize, displaying a dazzling neon halo.
A magnificent thundercloud gradually gathered in the sky, with silvery-blue lightning churning and surging within the dark, heavy clouds, as beautiful as the aurora borealis. The unnatural thundercloud seemed to be the physical manifestation of the power of love between two dragons, projecting their emotional resonance into the real world.
The figures of two dragons appeared and disappeared in the clouds, with lightning dancing wildly around them, as if the air elements were holding a sacred wedding for them in the clouds.
Afterwards, Casalos and Toona began their final joint dive, until the sea surface was barely leveled, the swirling currents splitting the surface before pulling them straight up back to the core of the thundercloud, bringing the wedding flight ceremony to its final climax.
Deep within the thunderclouds, surrounded by lightning and mist, the bodies of the two dragons finally intertwined tightly. Their four wings circled each other, and the vortex of air lifted their bodies, temporarily freeing them from the constraints of gravity. Their bodies merged, and their dragon souls also merged.
Thunder roared like drumbeats across the sky, and lightning flashed like fireworks in the clouds. Ships sailing in the northern part of the Sea of Light and at the southernmost tip of Sword Bay could see the unnatural thundercloud in the sky and the strange light flashing within it. Some experienced old sailors would kneel down and pray upon seeing this sight, taking it as a symbol of the capricious sea god's whims.
After the climax of the ceremony, the two dragons slowly flew out of the thunderclouds and gently landed back on the original beach.
The two dragons, though somewhat weary upon landing, exuded contentment and happiness through their expressions and vibrant dragon magic, remaining intimately entwined. They continued to rub their not-so-sharp horns against each other, a seemingly bull-wrestling act that was actually an expression of affection between the horned dragons. The friction of their horns created a unique resonance, directly transmitted through the nerve endings beneath the horn sheaths to the depths of their brains, awakening a powerful sense of pleasure.
Then, the base of the two dragons' long tails intertwined tightly, using this most sensitive part of their bodies to symbolize the complete fusion of their souls, so as to feel each other's subtle emotional changes and the most minute psychological fluctuations.
The gentlest part is grooming each other's scales.
Taona gently combed through the gaps between Casalos's scales on its neck with her nimble tongue and the tiny shovel-like barbs on its chin, cleaning away the dust and moisture it had picked up during its flight. Casalos reciprocated Taona's tenderness in the same way, carefully combing through the plate-like silver scales on its back, restoring each scale to its perfect condition. In this mutual care, an unprecedented sense of intimacy and security filled Liang Xiaolong's dragon soul.
"Now, we need to exchange tokens and complete the final contract ceremony," Tao Na said softly, her voice sacred and solemn.
The exchange of treasures is an important part of the wedding ceremony, representing the couple's willingness to share their most precious wealth. Casalos selected the luminous pearl from Evergrande Island from the pile of treasure obtained from the pirates.
"This pearl comes from the most dangerous area of the deep sea. According to the legend of the Pointy-Eared creatures, it only shines its most beautiful light when witnessed by true love." Casalos gently placed the pearl before Toona. "Now, it belongs to you, my most precious Toona."
Tao Na took out an exquisite purple-gold ring from her storage bag. The ring was inlaid with a rare star gemstone, which emitted a light as deep as the night sky.
"I obtained this ring during an adventure three hundred years ago; it once belonged to a legendary Elf King. Now, it bears witness to our love." Tona enlarged the ring and gently slipped it onto the end of Casalos's dragon horn. "May it protect you, just as my love will forever guard you."
The instant the two dragons exchanged their tokens, a soft golden light appeared in the sky. This light, like silk, descended and coalesced into seven stars over the black plains beside the dragons. Then, a wisp of a wingless dragon, with elegant and beautiful platinum-gold scales, appeared beneath the holy emblem. She possessed a dignified face with long, bright yellow eyes and gracefully curled horns. She radiated maternal care and love; it was the incarnation of the guardian of the dragon's lair, the benevolent lady Tarama—unfortunately, after the reshaping of the rules of the gods in AoE, her appearance in Faerûn was now an empty, mindless form; otherwise, she might have even greeted Casalorse…
"My children," Taramar's voice was as warm as a mother's, "your love has been recognized. In my name, by the authority of the dragon family, I declare your union sacred and inviolable, I bless your union, and I promise to guard the dragon eggs and chicks you will produce in the future, ensuring their health and safety."
A silver light enveloped the two dragons, imprinting a sacred covenant deep within their souls. From this moment on, Casalos and Toona were officially bound together as a divine couple, their lives forever intertwined until one of them died or both agreed to dissolve the covenant.
"May your love be as eternal as Asgrath, as profound as the Most High." Tarama's figure faded, but her blessing echoed on the sea breeze. "May your descendants inherit the benevolent blood of dragons and write new legends on the continent of Faerûn."
When the divine light completely faded, the two dragons silently embraced each other with their wings, feeling the resonance of their covenant deep within their souls. They had now truly become the most important people in each other's lives, and would face any difficulties and challenges together.
On the distant seas, the pirates of the Nalanse Islands were still arguing endlessly about the identities of the mysterious thieves, completely unaware that their beloved was experiencing the most beautiful moment of his life. And the treasure they had lost, in a way they could never have imagined, became a testament to this sacred love.
56. Bad things happen.
Pleasant times are always short-lived. After enjoying a short honeymoon, Ratambirol resumed his journey through the other world, while Casalos also completed his brief "slumber" and returned to the grand stage of Faerûn.
The arrival and departure of the otherworldly merchant, along with Casalos's slumber and awakening, were so coincidentally timed that they easily aroused suspicion. Casalos's original plan was to change into a golden dragon's skin and take a stroll, allowing "itself" to slumber for a while longer. But alas, business had come knocking.
Casalos returned to the dragon's lair in Waterdeep, replacing the pre-reserved illusion that had awakened from its "slumber" and closed the barrier.
"My lord!" Piergelen practically charged into the dragon's lair, emphasizing the word "lord." This paladin, who was always meticulous about his appearance, looked somewhat disheveled. Although his magnificent and thick magical armor was still gleaming, the bloodshot eyes and weary expression betrayed that he had not had a good time recently.
"What happened?" Casalos shook his head, dispelling any non-existent sleepiness and fully "wake up," asking the question he already knew the answer to in a drawn-out tone.
Pilgrim took a deep breath: "My lord, something terrible has happened in Waterdeep. Half a month ago, two ancient iron dragons arrived in Waterdeep with more than twenty old dragons."
"Ancient Dragon?" Casaroz's tail unconsciously swept back and forth across the ground, like a restless big cat, the scraping sound of it rubbing against the ground making the paladin's head buzz.
"Yes, the Primitive Chromium Dragon Vicaritura and the Primitive Nickel Dragon Ksiltevis." Piergalen's voice carried a clear worry. "They claim to be the overlords of the Atheros, saying they've come to correct mistakes and demand to take over the rule of the Deepwater Territory."
Casalos clicked its iron beak. Those two names were familiar to it—there were only a handful of ancient dragon overlords among the Aetherian race, and even fewer who successfully evacuated after the Holy War under the orders of the old Supreme Dragon. But afterwards, all the surviving ancient dragon overlords vanished without a trace, leaving a group of young Aetherian dragons adrift and lost on the continent of Faerûn. And now, seeing Casalos managing Waterdeep so successfully, these two were trying to reap the benefits.
Where are they now?
"Vikaritura has taken over the Earl Mansur's mansion in the noble district, while Khiltev has moved into the headquarters of the Golden Merchant Guild in the commercial district," Piergelen continued, "What's worse, they've been courting the city's nobles and merchants for the past two weeks. Those conservatives whose privileges you confiscated are now treating them like saviors."
"As expected," Casalos sneered. "Those guys are just hoping someone will overthrow my rule. What about our dragons?"
“Cassaloz…” Piergalen sighed, his expression growing even more grave: “This is exactly what I was worried about. Most of the young azelfedal dragons you’ve gathered, except for the tungsten dragons, have already sided with the ancient dragons. Your azelfedal class system is far too deeply entrenched, even more stubborn than our human aristocratic class. The young dragons dare not disobey the orders of the ancient dragons.”
Where is Fiona Milon?
"Lady Tungsten Dragon did her best, but she is, after all, just a young dragon, and has no say in front of two ancient dragons." Piergelen shook his head. "Now the entire Waterdeep City is watching and waiting to see how you will deal with it."
Casalos stood up, his silvery-white iron scales gleaming in the cave's dim light.
“Let’s keep my awakening a secret for now,” Casalos decided, starting with the dragons he trusted most. “Have Fiona hold those two off while I go see Loris and Azumaces.”
Having left the dragon's lair in a completely new human form, Casalos keenly sensed the change in the atmosphere of Waterdeep. The once bustling and orderly streets were now filled with whispers and occasional glances up at the sky, seemingly searching for dragons. The young iron dragons and their mates, who should have been patrolling alongside the half-dragons, were nowhere to be seen; only the iron-dragon half-dragons remained, steadfastly holding their posts.
The temporary dragon's nest at the foot of Deepwater Mountain was built in a spacious cave, which was originally a gathering place for young sub-dragons. But now, there are only a few dragons in the huge cave.
The chrome dragon Loris was scratching the ground irritably with her claws, leaving deep scratches on the hard rock. Her dark green scales stood up slightly due to her agitation, and the metallic horns on her head trembled slightly.
"Casaros!" Receiving the telepathic connection, Loris stared at the tiny two-legged figure before her, her voice filled with anger and grievance. "You're finally awake! That old bastard Vicariturar comes to me every day, saying things like 'Chrome dragons should stick together, how can you follow a young iron dragon' and stuff like that. I'm sick of hearing it!"
"What did you say?" Casalos asked with interest.
"I told you it ran faster than a rabbit when we needed it most, and now it has the nerve to point fingers." Loris snorted, exhaling two breaths that seemed to freeze the air. "And guess what? It started telling me about the glorious traditions of the Chromium Dragons, saying that they are the pillars of the Iron Dragon race, and that with Iron Dragons nearly extinct, the Chromium Dragons should lead the other subspecies. Pah! If it weren't for the fact that it's an Ancient Dragon, I'd have breathed on it!"
The cobalt dragon Azukmizes, who was standing nearby, also came closer. This dragon, its body shimmering with a deep blue metallic sheen, seemed calmer than the usually aloof Loris, but its eyes also held worry: "Kasa, the situation isn't looking good. I've been secretly observing for the past few days, and most of the younger dragons are intimidated by the ancient dragons' reputation. This is a level etched deep within our dragon souls..."
"How many dragons exactly sided with them?" Casalos needed accurate information.
Azukmizes thought for a moment: "Apart from Loris, all twelve chrome dragons have sided with Vicaritura. The nickel dragons are in a worse situation; of the fifteen, only Lanmuloyk is still hesitant, the rest have been recruited by Ksiltevis. The cobalt dragons are slightly better, since the one that emerged isn't a cobalt dragon overlord, but half of them have also defected, and the rest are still wavering. Only the tungsten dragons are relatively steadfast, but their numbers are already small."
"As expected." Casalos wasn't surprised. "Those two old guys shouldn't be working together, right? Do they have some kind of conflict?"
"Of course, and quite a few." Azukmizes's thin face broke into a cunning smile that only a cobalt dragon could pull. "I specifically went to check out the area around the residences of those two ancient dragons. Vicaritura and Ksiltevis are ostensibly allied against you, but secretly they're vying for dominance. Their subordinates have already clashed several times."
"Oh? Tell me about it." Mei, Mei Yongmei, no time. Lin Zaizai, no time...
"The day before yesterday in the commercial district, an elderly chrome dragon who followed Vicaritulal got into a fight with one of Ksiltevis's men over the ownership of a batch of magical materials. Yesterday at the banquet in the noble district, the two factions almost came to blows over seating arrangements." Azukmizes' eyes flashed with excitement. "The most interesting thing is that I heard Vicaritulal privately told his confidants that after dealing with you, the first thing he would do is drive Ksiltevis out of Waterdeep."
Casaloz nodded: "Very good, this is the breakthrough. Loris, go find those young chromium dragons who follow Vicaritulal, and casually mention that you heard Ksiltevis say in private that chromium dragons are all muscle-bound, simple-minded idiots—you're very good at drawing aggro, aren't you…?"
Lorice's eyes lit up: "Leave it to me!"
"Azukmizes, go spread rumors among the Nickel Dragons that Vicaritur looks down on them. Say that Vicaritur considers Nickel Dragons to be cowardly creatures who only hide in the water and ambush, just like those rotten black lizards, and that real combat relies on Chromium Dragons." Casalos continued, "Losley can help you develop a detailed plan on how to do this..."
The two dragons understood and left. Casaloz changed his appearance and headed to another dragon's lair in the east of the city, where the nickel dragon Lanmuloyk lived. This somewhat dim-witted fellow had temporarily set up his lair in an abandoned warehouse. When Casaloz entered, the nickel dragon, whose scales were almost smooth, was pacing back and forth restlessly, trampling the lair floor into a field that had been plowed several times.
"Casaros!" Lanmuloik visibly breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the iron dragon reveal its true form. "You're finally back. I was driven crazy!"
What happened?
"What else could it be!" Lanmuloyek's voice was full of annoyance. "Lord Khiltevis insists that I call him that. He sends dragons every day to persuade me to publicly express my support. Yesterday, he even came in person, and his condescending attitude made him treat me like a newly hatched dragon!"
"So what do you think?" Casalos asked deliberately.
Lanmuloyk was silent for a moment, his tail twitching uneasily: "To be honest, I'm conflicted. On one hand, Ksiltevis is, after all, the overlord of our race, and according to the traditions of our Atheros, I should indeed obey him. But on the other hand..."
"But on the other hand, you remember Damara," Casalos continued, "you remember facing the invaders together, you remember the days we fought side by side, and you remember where the ancient dragons were."
"That's right!" Lanmuloyk exclaimed excitedly, "That's it! If it weren't for you organizing our joint operation, most of the young dragons would probably have died in Damara. And what about those ancient dragons? They're hiding in some corner, trembling with fear, and now they have the nerve to show off!" "Tradition," Casaloz sneered, "They keep talking about tradition, but is tradition just about the strong running away and the weak dying? Lanmuloyk, you've seen my strength with your own eyes, and you've seen what I've done for the Atheros. The era of the ancient dragons is over. What we need is a leader who can lead the Atheros into a new future, not some old fogies who just put on airs."
Lanmuloyk nodded thoughtfully: "You're right. But the problem is, the other dragons don't think so. They're all intimidated by the prestige of the Primordial Dragons and dare not put up any resistance."
"That will take time and strategy." Casalos narrowed his eyes. "Lanmuroik, I need you to do something for me." "What is it?"
"Stay neutral, but make sure both sides feel you might be siding with them," Casalos said in a low voice. "If necessary, reveal some of the other side's plans to them. Of course, these plans are what I've already told you."
Lanmuloyk paused for a moment, then smiled knowingly: "I understand. Sowing discord, is that it? I'm good at that!"
After leaving Lanmuloyk's lair, Casalos traveled to several other places, meeting with other young dragons who were still hesitant. At each meeting, it adopted different strategies based on the other party's personality and stance. For those who valued honor, it emphasized the achievements of the Battle of Damara; for those who prioritized profit, it discussed the future prospects of Deepwater; and for those who feared the retaliation of the ancient dragons, it hinted that conflict between the two ancient dragons would inevitably erupt sooner or later.
The first week's operations were showing initial success. Rumors spread by Loris and Azukmizes began to circulate among both factions. Some young chromium dragons started complaining about the arrogant attitude of the nickel dragons on Ksiltevis's side, while the nickel dragons were quite critical of the rude behavior of the chromium dragons under Vicaritura's command.
But that's far from enough. Casalos needs to create even greater conflict.
In the second week, Casalos orchestrated its first "accident." It spread the word through Pilgrim to the merchants of Waterdeep that an auction would be held for a batch of rare magical materials transported from Tindor. The news quickly reached the two ancient dragons.
On the day of the auction, both Vicaritulal and Khiltevsky sent their men to participate. Both were determined to win, and the bidding grew increasingly fierce. Just as the atmosphere reached its climax, one of Casalos's men "accidentally" let slip: "I heard that Lord Vicaritulal specifically instructed that we must outbid Khiltevsky no matter what..."
These words ignited a powder keg. Khiltev's men immediately retaliated, accusing Vicaritular's dragon of maliciously inflating the price. The exchange quickly escalated from verbal sparring to shoving. Had the auction house guards not intervened in time, a full-blown fight would likely have broken out.
Afterwards, both ancient dragons blamed each other for breaking the rules, further deepening the conflict.
Several such gatherings were held, and more and more young dragons began to recall the changes Casaloz had brought them. Not empty class distinctions and traditions, but real survival skills and combat experience.
In the second month, the situation took a turn for the better. Vicaritura and Khiltev finally couldn't hold back and started arguing openly. The cause was a seemingly trivial detail: at a noble banquet, the two ancient dragons fought over who should sit in the head seat.
"Foolish chrome dragon!" Ksiltevis's human form, though thin, was filled with rage. "You think you can rule by brute force?"
"You treacherous Nickel Dragon!" Vicariturar retorted without backing down. "Your petty tricks are worthless before absolute power!"
The argument between the two ancient dragons quickly escalated into a conflict between their supporters. The alliance that had originally united against Casalos began to crack.
Casalos seized the opportunity and began to approach the young dragons on both sides separately. Instead of directly persuading them to defect, it posed a question: "If Vicaritura (or Ksiltevis) truly rules Deepwater, will you dragons who follow the other ancient dragon have a good end?"
This question hit the nail on the head. The young dragons began to realize that whichever ancient dragon won, the other faction of dragons would be suppressed. In contrast, Casaloz's rule was much fairer.
At the beginning of the third month, Casalos orchestrated an "accident." He had people spread the word that an ancient treasure vault had been discovered beneath Waterdeep. Vicaritura and the minions of Khiltevils fought fiercely for the right to explore it, which eventually escalated into a direct confrontation between the two ancient dragons.
"Enough!" Casalos appeared at the height of the conflict. "Look at you all, fighting like this over a non-existent treasure vault. Is this what you call the majesty of the Ancient Dragons?"
The two ancient dragons then realized they had been tricked, but it was too late to undo the damage; their conflict had become public.
What's even more interesting is that this farce has caused many nobles who originally supported the Ancient Dragons to waver. They discovered that these two dragons didn't seem much better than Casalos, and were actually easier to sway.
57.Challenge
Casalos stood atop Deepwater Mountain, overlooking the city he had ruled for nearly two years. The morning sun shone through the clouds, bathing the entire city in a golden glow. In just three months, the winds of change in Deepwater City had subtly shifted. Many nobles, initially blindly worshipping the ancient dragons, had turned to cautious observation.
"Things are going according to plan." Casalos's tail lightly slapped against the mountainside, leaving shallow marks on the hard rock. "But not enough. To completely resolve these two problems, we must let them fight each other first."
The tungsten dragon Fionamiron stood beside it, its yellow-green and striking purplish-red scales gleaming warningly in the sunlight: "A message from Azukmizes says that Vicaritura has bought three adjacent mansions in the noble district, intending to combine them as its temporary lair. This may be a sign that it plans to stay long-term."
"A temporary nest?" Casalos's eyes gleamed. "It seems Vicaritura isn't stupid; he knows that a showdown between him and Khiltevsky is inevitable. In that case, why don't we give them a push?"
"What are your plans?" Fiona Milon moved closer, her dragon tongue filled with curiosity and anticipation.
Casalos spread his wings, his silvery-white scales shimmering in the sunlight: "I obtained an interesting piece of information from the underground grey dwarves: on the seventeenth level of the leyline labyrinth beneath Waterdeep, there exists a complete 'replica' of Waterdeep, said to contain vast treasures and riches."
"A replica of Waterdeep?" Fiona Milon's eyes widened in astonishment. "How is that possible?"