The ninth-level spell [True Polymorph] was exceptionally useful. It could transform any creature or object within thirty feet, turning an inanimate object into a living creature, a living creature into an object, or one species into virtually any other.
Although this was Skyl's first time casting it, his movements showed no hesitation.
The form he had chosen was that of a dragon from The Elder Scrolls. For the first time, a dragon possessing a divine soul appeared in the skies of Faerûn. Neither Bahamut, the benevolent Platinum Dragon, nor Tiamat, the evil five-headed Dragon Queen, had ever encountered such a foreign breed of dragon.
Their attention was drawn toward the skies above the Sea of Swords by the unfamiliar draconic presence. Both attempted to exert their influence upon this strange dragon, only to discover in surprise that it possessed a divine soul and was therefore immune to their influence.
At that moment, Skyl spread his wings wide, catching the gentle sea breeze blowing toward him.
Transforming into a dragon was an extremely unusual experience. In the world of The Elder Scrolls, dragons embodied the temporal nature of the universe. Every dragon was a fragment of Akatosh, the Dragon God of Time, and was therefore born with a measure of divinity.
Their souls overflowed with dark instincts such as domination, destruction, and violence. Their language resonated with the Earthbones, and every word in the Dragon Tongue possessed real, tangible power. Their lives were endless. Even when their flesh decayed, their dragon souls endured and could eventually return from death.
Ao had permitted Skyl to transform into a dragon from another world and had even thoughtfully preserved all those traits.
Skyl could now sense that every word he spoke in the Dragon Tongue could resonate with the Weave. This language was entirely different from the draconic language of Faerûn. At the very least, dragons native to this plane could not reshape reality simply by speaking.
Ultimately, the dragons of The Elder Scrolls were divine descendants. D&D dragons, aside from the perpetually embarrassing white dragons, were also powerful creatures that generally reached legendary status after reaching adulthood, but they were not truly divine beings.
Skyl roughly estimated his current combat strength. He was considerably weaker than he was in human form, and probably comparable to an ordinary adult dragon native to Faerûn. He was also unfamiliar with fighting in a dragon's body.
Otherwise, remaining a dragon forever might not have been such a bad idea.
The Tower of Tomes still housed four dragons. They had originally been Miraak's captives, and Skyl had brought them along when he devoured Hermaeus Mora's realm. Although he had saved their lives, the Tower of Tomes was far too cramped and stifling for dragons.
Since he was about to construct a flying enclave, it was nearly time to release them and let them stretch their wings. They could also guard the Silver Tree.
Skyl truly had considered every detail.
That was the advantage of possessing a well-stocked treasury.
Stan and the others sat upon the dragon's back, occasionally letting out exhilarated shouts. This was also Doric's first time riding a dragon. For a druid, obtaining a dragon companion represented one of the greatest achievements imaginable, and the experience left the young woman beside herself with excitement.
Skyl held one packhorse in each claw and carried a third between his jaws. Even though he restrained his draconic aura, the ordinary animals were still nearly frightened to death.
Fortunately, Stan cast Calm Animals upon them. Otherwise, they would certainly have relieved themselves in terror, and Skyl might have gotten an unpleasant taste of fresh horse manure.
To prevent the horses from dying of fright, Skyl beat his wings for all he was worth, driving the wind behind him. With the aid of a dragon's natural ability to remain aloft, he shot through the atmosphere like a shuttle.
After less than fifteen minutes of flight, the Cimarine Isles appeared in the distance.
The archipelago consisted of four large islands and more than a dozen smaller ones scattered around them. Besides the more civilized humanoid peoples, the islands were mostly inhabited by kuo-toa, goblins, kobolds, and other savage races.
There were very few towns or villages. Most of the land remained undeveloped, covered in thick natural vegetation that made the islands resemble emeralds resting upon the sea.
The dragon swept across the islands, and the shadow it cast left the inhabitants below staring in astonishment.
The vicious and dim-witted kuo-toa shrieked curses and hurled spears and fishing forks at the sky. Their weapons inevitably fell back down and killed several of their own companions.
The goblins panicked like startled ostriches. They ran for their lives, wishing their mothers had given them two additional legs, then shoved their heads into any hole they could find and trembled.
Harpies screamed from their nests along the cliffs, circling like flocks of terrified birds.
The kobold tribes hurriedly threw themselves flat against the ground and worshiped the passing dragon with elaborate bows. Several shamans even began performing enthusiastic dances, attempting to invite the dragon to descend among them.
Whenever Skyl flew over a town, the people in the streets immediately descended into chaos. They reacted as though a hurricane had arrived or a volcano had erupted, desperately rushing back toward their homes.
Several people were injured or killed in the resulting stampedes.
Soon afterward, horns and bells began ringing throughout the towns. Prominent local figures gathered to discuss how they should respond to the potential draconic catastrophe.
Skyl remained completely unaware of the chaos he had accidentally caused.
He was merely examining possible locations for his future flying enclave, like a careful shopper comparing products at a grocery store.
Powerful beings could alter their surroundings merely by passing through. Within any established social order, they were walking natural disasters.
Skyl ultimately landed in the southern part of the Cimarine Isles.
He selected a relatively small island with an area of nearly two hundred square kilometers, roughly equivalent to two and a half Manhattans.
A kuo-toa outpost occupied the island. Sheer cliffs surrounded it on three sides, while a narrow harbor lay along its southern coast.
The scenery was remarkable. The seawater was clear and emerald green, while the beach was covered in pristine white sand.
The island's terrain gradually rose from south to north. A solitary peak stood at its northern end, its cliffs formed from hard volcanic stone. The entire mountainside was barren and black as iron.
Skyl landed upon the island's highest peak and gently set the horses down. He then allowed Stan, Doric, and Mia to slide from his back along his wings.
After transforming back into human form, he discovered that his companions were looking at him differently.
Doric's cheeks were flushed with excitement.
"You have to transform again sometime!"
Stan immediately agreed. "Exactly. From now on, whenever we travel long distances, we should forget about horses."
Skyl had no intention of satisfying their request, but he did not reject the idea outright either.
"Once the Silver Tree has been planted, I'll summon four dragons here. You can negotiate with them yourselves. Perhaps they'll agree to let you ride them."
Skyl smiled maliciously.
Given the prideful nature of dragons, only a natural-born badass like a Dragonborn would have much hope of subduing one and using it as a mount.
Skyl took the flowerpot from Mia and gently shattered it. He placed the Silver Tree and the soil surrounding its roots upon the hard stone at the summit.
The Silver Tree's roots appeared fragile, but they easily pierced the volcanic rock. The tree firmly rooted itself upon the stony peak, remaining completely unmoved despite the powerful sea winds.
However, surviving between cracks in the stone would still be difficult. If this continued for too long, the Silver Tree would eventually suffer from malnutrition.
The young druid closed her eyes and reached out to the surrounding natural world. A moment later, she sighed.
"There is almost no power from nature spirits on this island."
"Then we'll summon them here. I paid them, after all. The devil's contract has already been signed, so they don't get to refuse to work."
Skyl removed a scroll from inside his robe and solemnly raised it with both hands.
"Spirits of all things throughout the Sword Coast, in my name as the holder of our contract, I summon you upon the Sea of Swords. Answer my call at once and pour your strength into the Silver Tree. Let it thrive upon these barren cliffs as though fertile soil supported its roots and rain and morning dew nourished its branches."
The instant Skyl finished speaking, the wind rose and the sky changed.
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