Inheritance
Dragons, descendants of the Heavenly Demon Azeroth, are said to possess a human at the end of their lifespan. So far, only Ra—The Divine Sun, an EX-class adventurer also known as the Hero, has been possessed by a dragon. These beings are said to bring great calamity when angered and are often depicted as omnipotent and omniscient creatures. I never imagined that I’d meet one on my first adventure…
As the dragon’s breath started to crackle, the air particles began to shiver, and the cave glowed with vibrant cyan light. Tension gripped my chest. I was motionless, standing there under the dragon’s influence—frozen, not in fear, but in awe.
“So this… this is what a dragon is. I’m honored… I’m envious,” I uttered to myself, being careful not to disrespect the entity before me. The power that covered me was far beyond anything I could comprehend. The ice that held me in place felt as if it could tie worlds together, and the force pushing against me made my skin start peeling off. My eyes felt like they were sinking deep into my body, cowering away like a mole.
As the dragon’s flames neared, I had but a single moment to think: Why does something that looks so hot feel so cold? My body started freezing over in an instant. For some reason, this pain—this coldness—felt so comforting, just like I was once again in my mother’s arms or resting on my lover’s lap. Though my whole body had been coated in frost, I remained conscious. As I debated whether or not that was a good thing, I caught a glimpse of the dragon’s tail as it turned. My stomach dropped.
Oh, shit.
My body shattered. It felt as if I had been cast into an endless void, one that devoured time itself, leaving nothing but the faintest afterimage of my existence.
“Envy’s inheritance complete. Granting power… Error. Host body is too fragile… Error… Reconstructing, reforming.”
This feeling—it hurt. It felt like my bones were being crushed, one by one, in a frozen lake, over and over again. I felt every ounce of pain that stemmed from it. I felt it so deeply that even my cells seemed to experience absolute anguish. It was as if I were being thrown into a pool of molten lava, yet for some reason, I just wouldn’t die.
Tears poured down my face, as though the world itself had been flooded with rain. The pain consumed me, devouring me quicker and quicker with every passing moment.
“Please… make this torture stop. Is this death? Eternal agony? Someone, anyone… help me, please… I-I don’t deserve this. Please, just stop.”
“Reconstructing complete. Host body enhanced. Transferring Envy… Envy’s transfer is complete. Wrath’s inheritance is possible… Configuring host… Error… Sin factors possessing core… Core full… Inserting new core.”
My sanity began to wander. How long has it been? Days? Weeks? Months? Years? Centuries? I didn’t know anymore. Time itself felt meaningless—just an eternity of pain. At least I was somewhat used to it now.
Wait… has it finally stopped?
And what was that voice?
Thinking back, I should have expected more pain. How ignorant I was… and how infuriating it is. I always wanted to help others. Whenever they called my name, I was there. I gave everything I had to everyone. And finally, after forty years, I started my lifelong dream of adventuring—only to uncover a mythical being on my first cave dive.
Mother, I’m sorry I can’t be there to support you anymore. Dad, I’m sorry I couldn’t live up to your expectations. I’m sorry… I just wanted to be praised. I-I just wanted you to be proud of me. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to leave this world before you.
“Destroy. Kill them all. You don’t deserve this.”
The voices in my head echoed endlessly, suffocating me like thick smoke, raising my stress like a hot air balloon ascending into the sky.
“It hurts. I’m scared. Please, someone help me before… before I… before I snap. I was good! I was selfless! I did what they asked! What did I do wrong? JUST WHAT DID I DO WRONG?”
My emotions tangled together, chaotic and jumbled. The pain had stopped, so why did my heart feel like it was twisting in on itself? Why was it so cold?
“Freeze over the world. Devour their happiness. Make them repent.”
“No… No, I-I don’t want to. I’m not going to let these thoughts consume me. I’m a good person… I am, I swear.”
“I’M FUCKING DONE WITH THIS SHIT! I was kind! I was selfless! So why me? Why me?!”
You know what? If this shitty world is going to treat me like this… then I’m done.
“I’m going to make a mana oath.”
Mana oaths. By swearing upon a mana oath to Seraphel, the divine god, or in some cases Azeroth, the heavenly demon, one pledges themselves to a desire and is bound to serve that desire for the rest of their life. A mana oath can rewrite emotions—even one’s very essence. Throughout history, kings have monopolized this ancient technique to demand loyalty. But little did I know… mixing a mana oath with my newfound wrath would lead me to my greatest mistake yet. Not only would I bind myself for life, but could I endure the sacrifices required to fulfill my desire? Could I bear the inevitable solitude that would follow?
“Heaven and earth, yin and yang—may two opposing forces conjoin into one. May the divine allow me to never stray from my wrath. Please, grant me the insatiable desire to destroy, to kill, and to take. Heed my request, Azeroth, and control my future. For I, abandoned by the gods of this world, shall seek revenge and avenge myself.”
“Hahaha! You’re truly an interesting mortal. You’ve called for my grace—called for Azeroth’s Grace! You’re either entranced or hopelessly lost, mortal. Binding yourself to this cruel fate… Oh well, I accept. Never before has one of your kind possessed a sin factor, let alone two. Very well—let’s see how much damage you can do to Seraphel’s perfect little creatures.”
“Hold up… Don’t tell me… Gelidon. I never thought you’d choose someone like this to inherit your power. Hahaha! This human is far more promising than I first thought. I can’t wait to see the warrior you become.”
Ice formed an impenetrable cocoon around me as a power within me started to surge, endlessly welling up. My body could barely contain it, growing steadily colder, until—
“You, whom I have possessed… this power is too grand for your puny body to wield. If you can’t contain it… not only will you obliterate yourself, but the cosmos as well.”
“W-Who… are you?”
I had heard many voices in my time, but none as domineering as this. Chills violently shot down my spine, and I suddenly felt a familiar presence—the same one from the cave. PTSD clawed at my nerves, sending them into a frenzy.
“My name is Gelidon, commander of the ice element. Though you may know me as the Great Glacial Aegir, or one of the four sacred dragons. Ease your nerves, human. There is no need to fear me. Though I am one of the sacred dragons who has lived for millions of years, I have since perished. For now, I am you, and you are I. Let our memories interlink as we create a new world together.”
