I Received System to Become Dragonborn

Elena led Erend through the winding tunnels of the underground stronghold, the faint glow of the crystalline minerals on the walls illuminating their path. As they walked, Erend feel that the air grew cooler and the spaces around them widened.

Finally, they arrived at the largest structure Erend had seen since stepping into this hidden world.

The building was carved directly into the rocky expanse, its towering facade adorned with intricate engravings that glimmered faintly. A pair of guards flanked the heavy stone doors and they stepped aside at Elena's approach.

Elena rapped sharply on the door a few times. A low, echoing creak filled the air as the doors slowly swung inward and revealing a vast chamber lit by large, softly glowing crystals hanging from the ceiling like chandeliers.

The room was sparse but commanding. Seated behind in the dais were five elders, their expressions hard and scrutinizing. They wore long brown robes, their hoods pulled back to reveal faces etched with the lines of age and wisdom.

Elena stepped forward and bowed slightly. "Elders, this is Lord Erend, the Lord Dragonborn's friend," she said with her tone sounds formal and respectful.

The elders exchanged glances, their gazes lingering on Erend. Their expressions is mixture of wariness and restrained surprise. One of them, a woman with piercing eyes and a silver streak through her dark hair, leaned forward slightly.

"Elena," she said, her voice firm but calm, "leave us. We must speak with him alone."

"As you wish."

Without another word, Elena turned and exited the chamber, the heavy doors closing behind her with a resonant thud.

Now alone, Erend stood before the semicircle of elders, their collective gaze bearing down on him.

The silver-haired elder spoke first. "Lord Erend. You are not what we expected."

Erend tilted his head slightly. "I don't know what that means," he replied.

Another elder, a balding man with deep-set eyes, frowned. " You claim to be the Lord Dragonborn's ally, please explain yourself."

"Eccar just send message to us. I came because I need to help him and know more about what is actually happening. So I need to understand what's happening here," Erend said.

The elders exchanged another glance, their expressions unreadable. Finally, the silver-haired woman nodded.

Your journey continues at empire

"Very well. If you are truly here to aid us, then you deserve to know the truth. I already knew about the invaders, but I need to know about the something regarding the dead gods, cause that is the last thing Eccar send to us," Erend said.

She gestured to one of the other elders, a wiry man with sharp features who sat at her left. He rose slowly and began to speak. His voice was measured, carrying the weight of a truth long hidden.

"There are secrets in this world, Lord Erend, that even the strongest among us fear to utter. The story of the dead gods is one such truth, a burden we have carried for generations."

Erend's gaze narrowed. "I don't have time for caution, elders. If I'm going to save Eccar and stop whatever's happening in this world, I need to know everything now."

The elders exchanged uneasy glances, their reluctance plain on their faces. The silver-haired woman sighed heavily, folding her hands atop the table.

"Very well. We'll tell you, but this is a truth not meant for the ears of our people. If it spreads, it could bring panic that could be worse than the invasion."

Erend crossed his arms but nodded. "I'll do what I can. Talk now, please."

The wiry elder resumed his explanation.

"Long ago, even longer before the invaders arrived, our world was home to many gods and goddesses. They shaped the land, blessed its people, and safeguarded life. But something happened, something even we do not fully understand. Fear overtook them, a fear so profound that they turned against themselves."

"What kind of fear?" Erend asked sharply. "What could possibly terrify your gods?"

The elder hesitated, his eyes darkening.

"We do not know exactly. The records speak only of a shadow, a force that crept into their minds and hearts. One by one, they fell. Some destroyed each other, some succumbed to despair and ended their own lives. The result was the same: their presence is gone. They ceased to be gods and instead became the world itself – air, water, earth, and flame. Most of them were absorbed into nature and their divine forms dissolving into the fabric of existence in this world. Except their leader, the strongest among them."

Erend frowned. The weight of their words pressed on him, but he sensed they hadn't revealed everything.

"What happened to strongest among them?" Erend asked.

The silver-haired woman's face grew graver. She said, "The leader of the gods was different. She did not fade into nature like the others. Her physical form, her skeleton, remains. For ages, it lay buried, hidden from sight. Until recently…"

Erend's fists tightened at his sides. "What happened?"

The elder's voice grew heavier with each word.

"Her remains were unearthed in the Blackrock Pass, deep beneath the surface. Her skeleton exudes a power that should not exist, a power that defies reason. It does not feel like hers alone but carries echoes of something darker, as though the fear that consumed her still lingers. We can feel it but the other people in this land can not."

Erend's eyes narrowed. "And now her remains are here?"

The elders nodded solemnly. The balding man added, "Our soldiers brought it here after the raid. We didn't even know it exist there. It turned out that the invaders seek something more than our resources and we believe this skeleton is key to their plans."

A cold dread settled over Erend as the pieces of the puzzle began to align. The message from Eccar that said that there are gods that want to take revenge on them, and now this — the skeleton of a dead goddess that still pulsing with power. He need to know more. Maybe seeing the skeleton will help.

Erend took a deep breath, steadying himself. "I need to see it for myself."

The silver-haired elder rose from her seat, her expression cautious. "We will show you."

Erend nodded resolutely. "Alright. Take me to it."

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