I Received System to Become Dragonborn

Erend and Eccar had decided that they will to take on this battle personally. Of course, Erend always appreciated Adrien and Billy's help, however, he felt this conflict was different.

It was a matter deeply tied to the Elf Palace and Laston, and dragging his friends further into it felt unnecessary cause this was not their fight. They had already risked enough and Erend didn't want to burden them with this new threat.

He had already spoken to them about it, explaining the situation and his decision. Adrien had been understanding. Billy, on the other hand, had been visibly reluctant, the weariness of their previous battles still fresh in his face.

Yet, Billy's resolve to help his friend had not faltered, and he'd said with a firm tone, "If you need us, just call and we'll come."

Erend had nodded, clasping Billy's shoulder in gratitude, though he hoped it wouldn't come to that.

With a final exchange of reassurances, he and Eccar returned to the Elf Palace. And now here they are.

As they entered the King's throne room, they can feel that the atmosphere was heavy with urgency.

King Gulben sat at the head of the chamber deep in conversation with his advisors. Aerchon stood nearby with his arms crossed as he listened intently with serious face.

The advisors spoke in hurried tones, their faces filled with concern. Erend and Eccar can also feel the air buzzed faintly with the hum of protective wards being reinforced throughout the palace.

Erend and Eccar sudden arrival here drew all eyes to the door. The Elves froze for a moment, surprise flashing across their faces at the sight of the two Dragonborns.

King Gulben rose slightly from his seat, his brows lifting in question.

"Erend? Eccar? What brings you here so suddenly?" the king asked.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Erend stepped forward and said, "We already know there's a problem brewing. Something big."

The advisors exchanged glances, and Aerchon's eyes narrowed as he took a step toward them. "How did you find out?"

"Let's just say we've got our ways. We're not exactly strangers to trouble," Eccar said.

Erend cut in, with his serious expression. "We know that Laston's reach goes beyond this palace, and I'm afraif that his threat affects more than just the Elves. We're here to help whether you expected us or not."

King Gulben studied them for a moment. Then he nodded, his expression softening into gratitude.

"Your assistance is always welcome, Dragonborn. As you know, Laston is no ordinary enemy, and we can use all the strength we can muster. Your experience when fighting him that time will also important."

Aerchon, though clearly still processing their sudden appearance, nodded as well.

"Erend, If you're here to fight, then you'd better be ready. I think Laston isn't stupid. He will not be the same enemy we defeated before. I believed that he's changed and had become stronger, smarter, and more dangerous. We don't know what he did on that other world he lived in."

"Yes, that's why we decided to head here as quick as possible," Erend replied. "Let's not waste time. Tell us everything you know."

With that, the room shifted from surprise to focus. The Elves quickly brought Erend and Eccar up to speed on the latest developments, detailing Laston's Magic probing of their defenses and the measures they were taking to prepare.

As plans were laid out and strategies formed, Erend couldn't help but glance at Eccar, whose grin had grown slightly sharper. Noticing that he might be waiting for this battle to face Laston after hearing all the story about him.

After a few minutes of hearing the advisors' reports, Erend and Eccar fully grasped the extent of the palace's preparations.

The defensive Magic barrier had been reinforced, the guards were on high alert, and contingency plans were already in motion.

The advisors seemed relieved, attributing much of their readyness to Saeldir who had managed to detect Laston's Magic probing the palace in time to act.

"We're lucky that Saeldir caught wind of it so soon," one of the advisors said. "Had we been caught off guard, things could've gone very differently."

Eccar leaned back against a pillar, arms crossed, clearly unimpressed. "Fortunate, maybe. But we're not out of the woods yet."

Erend, however, remained unusually quiet, his brow furrowed in thought. Finally, he broke his silence.

"Something about this doesn't sit right with me."

The room turned toward him.

Aerchon tilted his head, his expression curious. "What do you mean?"

Erend glanced at the advisors, Aerchon, then to the king. "Is Laston really the type to make such an obvious mistake? Letting Saeldir detect his Magic, was that truly an accident?"

The weight of his words seemed to hang in the air and the advisors exchanged uneasy glances. King Gulben's eyes narrowed as he considered the question.

Aerchon's voice cut through the silence full with skepticism. "You're suggesting it was deliberate?"

Erend shrugged slightly. "I don't know. But if Laston has spent years preparing in another world to learning new power and growing stronger, you think he'd be sloppy enough to let us catch him this easily? It doesn't add up."

King Gulben leaned forward, his fingers tapping the arm of his throne in thought.

"You might be right, Erend. We never considered the possibility that this was intentional. What if Laston wanted us to detect his Magic?"

Aerchon frowned, his arms dropping to his sides. "But why, Father? What could he gain from it? Surely he knows it would put us on alert."

"That's just it," King Gulben said, his voice heavy with unease. "With Laston, we can't rely on conventional logic. Remember that he's always been a step ahead, even in his defeat. If he's letting his presence be known, it's likely part of a larger plan. Something we haven't seen yet."

The room fell into a tense silence as everyone processed the possibility. The realization that Laston might be manipulating them sent a ripple of anxiety through them.

"So what do we do?" one of the advisors asked, breaking the silence. "If this is a trap, how do we avoid walking straight into it?"

"I think we shouldn't overreact. Maybe this is what he's counting on. Panic and confusion, that will lead to mistake. We keep preparing but we also need to start thinking the way he does. Anticipate his moves, not just react to them."

King Gulben nodded, his face hardening. "You're right. We'll proceed cautiously and reinforce our defenses further. But we must also start considering what his true objective might be. If this is a game, we'll need to play it carefully."

Aerchon turned to Erend. "And you? You've fought him before. What do you think he wants?"

Erend's gaze was steady, his voice quiet but firm. "He definitely want revenge, right? And he's not going to stop until he gets it or until we stop him. Now that the king is here, we can expect that he didn't see it coming and give him surprise. Hopefully."

The unknown nature of Laston's plan gnawed at them, each of them keenly aware that they were dealing with a dangerous foe, who was one of their kind.

And so, with the stakes higher than ever.

Suddenly, Eccar broke the silence with a surprising suggestion.

"What if we take the fight to them?" he said with almost casual tone.

Every head in the room snapped toward him with mixture of disbelief and shock etched across their faces. It was as if he had just uttered the most absurd idea imaginable.

"Are you insane?" Aerchon said with disbelief. "You want to bring the fight to an unknown world? To a place where Laston has been preparing for years?"

Eccar leaned casually against the pillar, shrugging with a faint smirk. "Relax. I'm not saying we waltz in there swinging swords. I'm just saying all this planning and second-guessing is a headache. Wouldn't it be simpler to take the initiative?"

Aerchon's face hardened as if he were about to argue further, but before he could, Erend's voice cut through it.

"Wait," Erend said, his tone thoughtful. His brow furrowed. "It's not completely crazy."

The room fell silent again, but this time it was a silence of curiosity and intrigue. King Gulben's eyes narrowed as he studied Erend.

"What do you mean?" the king asked. "Are you really considering we attack him first?"

"No," Erend replied. "Not an attack. That would be reckless, especially when we don't know the full extent of his power or the terrain of the world he's in. But... what if we scout?"

Aerchon looked skeptical. "And how exactly do you propose we do that? We don't even know how to reach his world, let alone what's waiting for us on the other side."

Erend turned to King Gulben. "You've mentioned before that Saeldir detected Laston's Magic. If he's capable of sensing the connection, maybe he can trace it back to its source. Use that as a way to create a temporary portal. Just like how he did with the underground people before this."

King Gulben glanced at one of the advisors, who nodded slowly.

"It's possible, Your Majesty," the advisor said. "But it would be dangerous."

Eccar chuckled, clearly unfazed. "What's life without a little risk? Besides, who's better equipped to handle unpredictable than a pair of Dragonborn?"

Erend nodded at his words.

--­-