Chapter 588: The Dragon of Scalebounds
"But the good times didn't last. The Chromatic Dragon Queen and her wicked followers set their eyes on me. But I didn't know, an even greater calamity was waiting for me."
"That day, the sky was shrouded by the chaotic wings of the Chromatic Evil Dragons. Blood dyed the ground red. My allies, wife, and children fell before me one by one. The evil dragons sought to massacre the city, and all I could do was watch in utter despair."
"Then, a voice whispered in my ear. Black sludge rose from the ground, surrounding me in a chaotic yet overwhelming power. The voice said—accept this power, and I could have my revenge and stop the rampage of the Chromatic Dragons."
Beatrice gazed at her kin, whose face now bore grief and indignation, and asked in a low voice, "So... you accepted?"
Titus's face turned bitter. He didn't answer directly but continued. "The abyssal evil flame consumed my enemies completely, but I knew—I was now tainted. Before long, I would become no different from those I once hated."
"I know now that I have no right to face my family and friends, no right to enter Mount Celestia, and certainly no right to stand before His Majesty Bahamut. My body may appear normal, but the most wicked, chaotic Abyssal Flame surges within me."
"Ssshh—"
As he spoke, another jet of black flame burst from the gold dragon's back. Titus groaned in pain, but still forced it back down and spoke with difficulty.
"So I exiled myself to the Astral Plane, sealing my body in a place where time stands still. I don't know how long passed."
"Until one day, when the seal gradually weakened from the long years. I didn't return to my original world but came to this strange material plane—Erezaghe—to seek a new path."
At this point, Beatrice's face was filled with regret and sorrow. She now fully believed "Titus's" words.
The despair he described moved her deeply. The apocalyptic scene he painted lingered in her mind, replaying again and again.
By all logic, how could a noble, kind gold dragon willingly seek power from the Abyss?
Titus's story explained it all.
—He had no choice. He sacrificed himself to save his kin and companions. Even wielding abyssal power, his actions weren't evil.
Titus—no, Cassius—lifted his head and looked at Beatrice. With a sigh, he said, "Lady Beatrice, I've told you everything. If you're concerned for the safety of the Eternal Order Realm, you may expel me at any time. I will leave of my own will."
"I want to join the Scalebound Order only to find a way to suppress the Abyss within me. If the condition worsens, you needn't worry—I'll end myself." His tone was resolute and low, a glint of light flashing in those golden eyes.
Beatrice could hear it—in that moment, this kin might really take his own life without hesitation to rid the world of evil.
That was the dignity of a gold dragon—leader of the good dragons and child of Bahamut—untouchable and unbreakable, pure as gemstones even in death.
But she never would have imagined that the "gold dragon" before her was actually a red dragon she most hated and despised.
After a moment's hesitation, Beatrice opened her mouth almost involuntarily: "Wait, Titus... perhaps I can help you. Your conduct and deeds are worthy of becoming a Scaleboundr. The runes of the Eternal Order Realm might help suppress your condition."
"However, the abyssal force within you still poses a threat to the Eternal Order Realm. As the Guardian of Landis's Scales, I cannot allow you near the monastery. You must train in the Valley of the Damned."
"Thank you, Lady Beatrice. To be accepted with such a tainted body... I am already grateful."
"Titus" slowly rose, tendrils by his mouth swaying. Gratitude appeared on his dignified draconic face, and his voice was sincere and solemn.
Finally tricked this ancient gold dragon. Soon, I'll obtain the Scalebound Dragon legacy, Cassius thought, elated.
Even though Cassius already had the powerful trait [Demon Slayer], Karrikex's mad and chaotic will still lingered within his true body—a significant threat.
And [Scalebound Dragon], a monk-like, order-seeking dragon class, could greatly bolster a red dragon's will and resistances—covering his shortcomings.
He was impatient, but didn't show it. He merely observed the wall carvings with calm interest.
Suddenly, "Titus" groaned again, seemingly suppressing pain and desire to maintain his reason.
"Lady Beatrice, if I ever lose control, kill me. Do not hesitate." His voice was broken and hoarse. Veins bulged all over his body.
Beatrice froze. For a moment, she didn't know what to do. Would she really have to kill such a noble kin?
Only when the force was subdued did the gold dragon sigh and give a weak smile. "Forgive me, Lady Beatrice. I must have made a fool of myself."
Beatrice looked grave, her voice urgent. "There's no time to lose, Titus. I'll begin the ritual now."
She didn't notice the faint smile in "Titus's" eyes.
Perfect. Hand over the legacy willingly. The sooner, the better, Cassius thought.
Beatrice spread her vast wings and retrieved the ritual tools from the demi-plane. With a spatial ripple, several silver-blue, metallic-shining adamantine carving blades appeared beside her, floating in midair.
Adamantine—an incredibly hard metal with great magical affinity—could only be mined from the deepest, most monster-infested underground regions.
Beatrice extended her claw and grasped one of the blades, gazing at Titus's massive form.
"The power of a Scalebound Dragon comes from the runes carved upon our scales that grant supernatural might. Only blades forged from the purest adamantine can inscribe runes onto the hard scales of a gold dragon."
But she didn't know—far away from the Eternal Order Realm's material node, atop Dragonblood Mountain in the Anzeta Wasteland, a colossal red dragon exhaled a sulfurous white smoke and commanded: "Langpu, prepare one hundred pounds of adamantine for me."
At this moment, Cassius's will simultaneously controlled several dragons across tens of thousands of miles—even across the Aether—and memorized Beatrice's every word.
He was stealing the legacy of the Scalebound Dragons.
Meanwhile, in the Valley of the Damned within the Eternal Order Realm, Beatrice continued: "Each Scalebound Dragon bears unique runes tailored to their needs, though the original runes are mostly the same and divided into different schools."
"For example, evil blue and green dragons often carve hellish figures, tyrants, devils, even the Dragon Queen's visage and wicked spells upon themselves."
"Our carvings in the Eternal Order Realm don't depict beings, but are written in Draconic—runes of universal order and law."
"The original runes only cover 5% of the scales. The Scaleboundr must gradually follow tenets and perfect themselves. The most successful can have up to 70% of their body covered in carvings."
"This was the reward my father received from Lord Landis—never to be passed on lightly."
"Of course. Keeping secrets is a virtue every gold dragon should possess." Titus spread his wings and bowed in compliance.
Heh. Of course I won't tell anyone—except myself, Cassius chuckled inwardly.
"Alright, let's begin." Beatrice nodded slightly. After this time together, she trusted this kin's noble character and suspected nothing.
A being who sealed himself for millennia to resist evil—how could he covet their legacy?
Beatrice closed her eyes, recalling the original runes passed down from her father. The adamantine blade flew to Titus's chest.
"Clang—"
A sharp metallic sound rang out, like two metals grinding. Under Beatrice's control, the adamantine blade sliced swiftly across the gold dragon's chest, sparks flying.
Cassius felt the blade cut into his scales, etching an incredibly complex pattern.
—It was the word "Order," written in Draconic.
As it was completed, a soft glow emerged from his chest. A vast power surged in, pressing on his mind and forcing a muffled grunt from him.
Beatrice spoke: "Carving isn't just physical—it is spiritual training. The recipient's soul must endure equal pain."
"But such pain shouldn't be anything to you, Titus."
The sound of "clang, clang" echoed. The adamantine blade danced in the air, striking again and again, leaving elegant, harmonious engravings on the gold dragon's scales.
Wherever it carved, a faint light rose, making the runes especially vivid.
Cassius felt an incredibly solid fortress of order being built, its walls rising higher, gradually enveloping his body and mind.
This was the Scalebound Dragon—dedicated to perfecting body, mind, and spirit through complex carvings and long training, achieving mystical transcendence.
The ritual lasted several days. The ancient gold dragon's body was massive, and even Beatrice had to expend great effort to carve into scales hardened by the weight of years.
Titus's head, neck, chest, belly, back, limbs, even his tail, were soon etched with elegant, interconnected runes.
"What... incredible power," he whispered, feeling the rune's energy on his body and the clarity of his mind.
Now, his ancient gold dragon body resembled a perfect work of art, supernatural order power flowing from it.
"Titus, congratulations on becoming a Scaleboundr. I hope you'll suppress that power through training, and not fall into the Abyss." Beatrice looked at the runed-covered Titus and said sincerely.
Days later, in the Anzeta Wasteland, most of Cassius's will returned. Though the avatar in the Eternal Order Realm was just a soul projection, it had consumed a great deal of energy.
"Clang—"
The red dragon mimicked Beatrice's technique, guiding the blade across his scales, carving marks.
But his path to carving was not smooth. Cassius's scales were known as "Gilded Scales"—hard as adamantine.
To overcome this, he enchanted the adamantine blade with numerous enhancement spells and used his great strength just to break through.
Even so, the engraving process was arduous—far slower than Beatrice's by several days.
"Too much defense isn't always a good thing. Carving my own scales is harder than fighting," Cassius muttered, claw trembling as he held the blade.
"Clang."
After painstakingly completing the final mark, the red dragon finished his engraving.
At once, a fortress of order formed around his body and soul. The delicate, complex carvings began to glow faintly.
[You have completed the Carving Ritual and unlocked the Prestige Class: [Scalebound Dragon]]
To qualify as a Scalebound Dragon, a dragon must meet the following conditions.
Race: Any Dragon.
Alignment: Any Lawful.
Natural Armor Bonus: +20.
Base Bonus: Will +12.
[You meet all requirements for [Scalebound Dragon]. Confirm advancement?]
[Confirm.]
Cassius accepted without hesitation. The legacy he deceived from the gold dragon would now increase both his physical and mental strength.
Such opportunities were rare indeed.
[You have gained the Prestige Class: [Scalebound Dragon]]
Scalebound Dragons are members of a secretive order made of dragons and half-dragons. Their name comes from the mystical, protective runes carved into their scales.
The Eternal Order Realm is one of the oldest such orders. Six hundred years ago, the ancient gold dragon Ferdinand, covered in runes, slew an Abyssal Lord with his bare claws.
[You have gained Special Ability: [Spell Resistance]]
As a Scalebound Dragon, the mystical runes on your scales grant supernatural protection against spells, spell-like abilities, and all special powers.
[You have gained Special Ability: [Poison Resistance]]
You can resist all poisons. Even toxins that enter your body will be repelled by rune magic.
[You have gained Additional Feats: [Iron Will], [Suppress Weakness]]
Iron Will: Through long cultivation, you've forged an unbreakable fortress within your mind using mystical symbols.
Even the most chaotic demons will struggle to corrode your sanity. You gain advantage on all checks against chaos and fear.
Your will is now as tenacious and unyielding as steel.