Emperor's Reckoning

The wooden door slowly opened by a light push as a beautiful woman entered the house. She had a burnished complexion and long red hair to her waist. Her face was almost the spitting image of Elize, the girl who lived inside the house but with a mature charm that made the younguns knelt to her supreme beauty. Her slim waist could be held by half of an arm of a grown man, she was definitely a piece of art carved by the goddess themselves.

With a smile on her face, she took the first step inside the room before her figure shook of a presence that was not supposed to be there. It had the body of a snake but the claws of a reptile. A mouth of a crocodile and an eye of a cat. The green scales of a fish and a pair of long whiskers that occasionally waving. Not to mention its pair of horns that brought about a divinity aura around him.

(D-dragon?!) thought the mature lady.

The true dragon looked at the mature lady with a smile, "Hmm, what a nice pair, my grandson would surely loves you hahaha."

The lady furrowed her eyebrows, however before she could say anything, a soft voice greeted her.

"Mother, welcome home, is today my birthday?"

Elize came out from the kitchen as she held a steaming hot pot before putting it on the table. She immediately leaped over and hug the woman tight as her face buried on her chest.

The woman turned soft as she stroke her hair with love, "Silly girl, of course, today is your birthday."

"Then do you have a gift for me?" asked Elize with a smile.

"Of course, but first," she glanced at the dragon resting on a carpet.

Elize let go of her hug before she timidly stepped back. She knew an explanation was needed and this was the time that everything should change.

"T-this is grandpa Long, he keeps me company from not too long ago," said Elize nervously.

The mature lady took a seat before she crossed her arm, "I thought I told you to not bring any visitor to this house, why do you break our promise?"

Elize's body was jolted by the question she threw in. She knew she broke the promise but she did so because she had no choice at the time. Her body turned rigid as words stuck on her throat. It was always this way whenever she tried to explain something to her mother.

"Well, don't be too hard on the little girl, beautiful lady," interjected Long.

The lady furrowed her eyebrows, "Why would a dragon entered my humble house, what is the reason behind your visit?"

"Hoho, you are a feisty one, but first thing first, don't lump me with those petty little snakes that proclaimed they are dragons, I'm a divine beast, a true dragon."

The lady immediately caught by surprise as he revealed his identity, his race. It was the utmost respected race that not many had seen since they live in seclusion. A powerful divine beast that ruled the sky. They say that the race was so arrogant, they looked at other races as inferior. However, they are a loyal beast to their own kin.

"A true dragon you say? I heard that your kin live in seclusion and detached from the world."

She was suspicious, why would a true dragon, a high-esteemed race, would grace them with his presence. There must be an ulterior motive behind his visit, she was sure of it.

"Those dragons follow the old teaching, but me, I'm an open-minded dragon haha."

The lady turned in disbelief. Who would believe such a blatant answer?

"Then prove to me that you are a true dragon."

"Mother!"

Elize tried to defend Long but her mother turned her gaze against her, "Why are you defending him?"

"He is my friend!" shouted Elize to both of their surprise. The meek little girl was no more. With days gone by, she grew mature by connecting to the world through grandpa Long. He would often tell her stories about how the outside world was.

"Gr! You dare to talk back to your mother now?!" reprimand the lady.

"N-no- I."

"C'mon beautiful lady, don't be so mad. Deep down in your heart, you knew this day would come sooner or later. She is a living being just like you," said Long.

"Shut up! You know nothing about us! Do you know how it feels to lose someone precious to you?!"

The true dragon slowly lifted up as his corporeal body slowly coiled. His voice turned hoarse as he said, "Oh, I know."

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His past resurfaced a young boy riding on his back.

"Grandpa, go faster, go faster, haha!" said the young boy as they pierced the clouds.

"Hohoho, then hold on tight!"

The pair coiled in the sky as if it was their own domain. The sea waved at them as they traverse through the unlimited days and nights.

Few years fleeted in an instant as the young boy had turned into a young teenager. Wearing nothing but cheap clothing and a bag on his shoulder he said, "Well, to see all of you in human forms really is making everything even better hahaha!"

The young teenager turned his back and walked away, "See you later."

The true dragon looked at his grandson's small yet firm back. His grandson had grown and wanted to venture into the vast worlds. With the knowledge he had, he was surely be living an adventurous life.

However, one couldn't predict what life had planned for him.

Thunderous lightning pricked his heart as he stood in disbelief. The young teenager from back then had turned to a fine young man full of achievements that made people envied him. Yet, he was now lying down on the ground, no breath came out from his nostrils nor his mouth. His eyes were closed as his body slowly turned cold. The echoes of his grandson filled his mind as tears couldn't stop running from his eyes.

The true dragon's eyes turned red as he and the other eleven howled then rampaged against the world, turning it into an irreversible state that not even nature could heal.

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His mind was back in the present and faced the lady, "I know it very well."