Reaper's Resurgence - Book 3 - Chapter 31 - The Ancient Wyrm (Patreon)

Alexia

The cavern turns out to be a rather large one, with a tunnel at the back of the cavern. Meanwhile it has lava filling pretty much the entire place. With molten rock on the walls, and quite a bit of gold just kinda thrown about everywhere.

Gold that has me kind of wondering where it came from. Considering that we’re post Reset.

After entering the tunnel though, the dragonborn all stop and wave for me to continue, telling me that they’re not allowed past that point. That most of them aren’t even allowed in the cavern itself due to it being her lair.

But since they were waiting for me, they were given permission to enter up till that point.

And so I continue on alone, traveling through the rather hot tunnel.

Good thing my adaptation to fire makes this a regular walk.

Probably one of the best things about that skill in my opinion. Since it gives me immunity to the environment if I have enough adaptation to a magical or otherwise attack of that type.

Anyways, the tunnel stretches on for a little while until I find another cavern. This one having Isabella playing cards with someone I recognize as the Ancient Wyrm.

Ethan’s father.

The man resembles Ethan in some ways, with blue eyes, a similar face, and a set of pale blue and white armor. But he also has pale blue highlights in his white hair, unlike Ethan. And his blue eyes glow.

I quickly identify the man.

{Sartori Silva – Hellfrost Dragon – Level 500}

Surprisingly, he doesn’t even look my way, instead playing another card down and then crossing his arms with a grin on his face as he says, “Looks like I win.”

My eyes widen at that declaration.

He actually beat her?! That monster of a card game player?!

Holy shit.

Also, this wasn’t really what I was expecting after walking through a cavern and tunnel filled with lava and being escorted to the tunnel by dragonborn in a serious manner.

Although it probably should’ve been what I should’ve expected. Considering Ethan’s comments before about Isabella playing cards with her husband.

And, well, any tabletop game, really.

My eyes narrow as I see Isabella suddenly breathing in rather heavily while aiming her head at the cards, only for her eyes to glance at me before she slowly breathes out again.

Excuse me, was she about to pull the ‘flip the board’ game like her son? Please tell me she wasn’t. I don’t think my image of the Ancestral Dragon can take another hit like this.

“Welcome, Lady Reaper,” the Ancestral Dragon says with a nod of her head, finally making the Ancient Wyrm turn his head to look at me. And after doing so, I quickly find his eyes scanning me from head to toe before eventually ending up meeting my eyes as he nods his head.

“Hello,” I tell them with a nod. “Thought I’d drop by while passing through.”

Didn’t really expect the Ancient Wyrm to be here though.

Considering that they’re both from different Clans and all.

Then again, they are still married, or I guess mated is the term they use, so it makes sense in a way. Just that, from what I’ve heard, dragon romances are… different from human ones.

Different in that they mate forever, never fall in love with anyone else even if the one they loved died, and they don’t need to be near each other. In fact, I’ve heard that some dragons can go decades or even centuries without seeing their mate and then just return to acting as usual when they do see them next.

I don’t very much understand romance myself though. Mostly the whole idea of attaching yourself to someone else just feels really foreign to me.

Even Astrid. We aren’t attached to the hip or anything. We care a lot about each other but go our own ways and do our own things.

But the idea of attaching yourself to someone else, making sure spend time with them, give gifts, and the lot? That just sounds… I don’t know… I just don’t know why others would find that interesting.

Then again, I have no interest in romance in general. So it doesn’t really matter.

“So you’re the one my son is interested in,” the Ancient Wyrm states, almost making me wince.

Right. Yeah, that could’ve been a problem, if I’m being honest with myself.

What with the whole mating for life thing.

But from what I can see, he at least seems to be losing that interest. That he didn’t fully fall in love or anything.

Something about particulars being important. At least if my lessons on dragons is correct.

And I’m not just remembering incorrectly.

“And you’re the Ancient Wyrm,” I respond to the man while crossing my arms. Then I tilt my head and as, “You planning on visiting your son soon?”

The man answers rather lethargically, “Yeah, probably in a few decades.”

That’s… not really soon, but whatever.

I glance at Isabella to find her nudging her cards with her tail. But the moment I spot her doing it, she stops, playing it off as if she was just stretching her tail. Meanwhile her mate turns to narrow his eyes at her before gathering up the cards, apparently deciding to start the next game and clear the board before she can try cheating out the outcome of the last round.

Somehow I find it rather amusing how they’re acting. With her trying to cheat without being noticed, and him not saying anything but still trying to stop her.

It is a rather adorable relationship they have.

“Heard you’ve been hunting the Cataclysm Class monsters on your way here,” Isabella says as the cards are all swapped out for what looks like a set of dominos.

I nod my head while watching the Ancient Wyrm set up the dominos.

“Well, you should head straight to the fortieth Dimensional Block if you want to find more,” she says with a light shrug of her shoulders, her legs crossed, and her hands just held in her lap as she refocuses on the dominos. But she then briefly glances at me and asks, “Wanna join us?”

As long as you don’t cheat.

“Sure,” I tell her, obviously not stating my real thoughts out loud.

At least the Ancient Wyrm doesn’t cheat.

Otherwise I would start to wonder if all dragon’s prides are just a false claim or something.

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