I Received System to Become Dragonborn

The hall was eerily quiet now, except for the faint hum of energy radiating from the goddess's bones. Erend stood at the far side of the room with his back partially turned to the group. His expression was a storm of contemplation, his frown deepening as he stared at the fragments of bone.

Varok exchanged uneasy glances with the squad leaders. Most of them had gathered near the center of the room and their restlessness was so clear.

Brogar shifted his weight, his massive arms crossed over his chest, while Lira kept glancing between Erend and the shimmering bones.

"Are we just going to wait?" Brogar finally rumbled. "Just waiting here doesn't feel right to me, commander."

Lira nodded in agreement, "Shouldn't we be doing something? Preparing? Anything?" She said. Her tone quieter but just as questioning.

Varok raised a hand, signaling for calm. Though he shared their unease, he maintained his commanding composure.

"We will wait," he said firmly. "Lord Erend has his reasons, and until he says otherwise, we hold our position. Maybe he is preparing some kind of plan that we don't know for now. You see how Lord Eccar acting, right?"

The squad leaders murmured their reluctant agreement, though their gazes continued to stray toward Erend.

What unsettled them most wasn't just the waiting. It was Erend's demeanor. He didn't appear worried about Eccar, despite the Dragonborn's capture being a dire situation. His calm unnerved them.

Find exclusive stories on empire

"Maybe he knows something we don't,"

Varok thought, his eyes narrowing as he studied Erend. "

Or perhaps he's concealing his fear. Either way, we'll see where this leads."

Erend's mind, however, was far from the hall.

"Eccar is strong,"

he thought, his brow furrowed.

"I know I don't need to worry about him so its better to think about something else. He'll hold on until I can make a move."

But that wasn't what weighed on him now. His thoughts spiraled back to the Dungeon World and Sahura, the enigmatic figure who had spoken of the Great Calamity.

She said that the Great Calamoty was once a Dragonborn like himself and her words had proven true before, and Erend couldn't shake the feeling that she might hold answers to this new mystery.

"Does she know more? Could she have foreseen this as well?"

The faint hum of energy from the bones seemed to grow louder in his ears, almost like a whisper urging him to act.

Varok stepped closer, his voice breaking the silence.

"My Lord," he said cautiously, "if I may ask, what's on your mind? If there's something we need to know, it would help to share it."

Erend turned to face the group, his expression steady, though his eyes carried a flicker of something unspoken.

"I'm considering our next move," he said simply.

Brogar frowned. "And what is that? Sitting here feels like wasting time."

"We're not wasting time," Erend replied, his voice firm but calm. "Your kind survival depends on precision, not recklessness. If we move without knowing more, your army will just be diving into the unknown."

The room fell silent again, though tension lingered. They agree with Erend's words.

Erend's gaze shifted back to the bones. He couldn't afford to make a rash decision. The thought of returning to Sahura gnawed at him.

"Do I really need to go back there now?"

The storm of thoughts swirling in his mind was interrupted by a sudden sensation. A message came through the unmistakable pulse of telepathic connection.

It was Eccar.

Erend's shoulders relaxed as a quiet sigh of relief escaped his lips. The subtle shift in his demeanor was seen by the squad leaders and Commander Varok. They exchanged glances and their curiosity added by the sudden change in the Erend's expression.

"What just happened?" Lira murmured.

Varok shook his head slightly. "Let him be. We'll find out when it's time."

"Erend, I've got news. Krevak — you know, the guy who captured me? — he's preparing to leave. He mentioned something about heading to the High Council.

"The High Council? Any idea what it is?" Erend asked.

"Not really,"

Eccar admitted.

"But it seems like they will got answers about these gods. Saeldir's mentioned them before, hasn't he?"

"Yeah, I know about them. I'm just glad you're all right."

A dry chuckle echoed through the telepathic link.

"Don't worry about me. These so-called gods and their warrior might be strong, but they're not that strong. I'm just playing along for now, pretending to be weaker than I am."

Erend couldn't help but snort softly,

"So, what's the plan?"

"Here's the thing,"

Eccar said, his tone growing more serious.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Krevak's taking me to the High Council. I'll be going as their captive and it's a chance to learn more about their plans."

Erend's mind raced with possibilities, but he kept his tone even.

"All right. I'll wait for your next update. Stay sharp."

"Always,"

Eccar replied with a smirk audible in his voice.

The connection faded as suddenly as it had come, leaving Erend in silence once more.

Erend exhaled quietly, his expression returning to its stoic calm. The squad leaders, however, had clearly noticed the change in him and were watching.

Varok finally spoke, his voice cautious. "My Lord, is everything all right?"

Erend turned to face them. "Everything is fine," he replied simply. "But there's more happening than any of us realize."

Brogar frowned, clearly not satisfied with the vague response. "You looked like you heard something important just now. Care to share with us?"

Erend glanced at the hulking vanguard leader.

"I've just confirmed something," he said at last, his voice low but firm. "There's movement among the enemy. Krevak, the one who captured Eccar, is heading to the High Council."

Varok's eyes narrowed. "The High Council? What do we know about them?"

"Not enough," Erend admitted. "But Eccar's being taken there. He'll gather information and report back when he can."

The squad leaders exchanged uneasy glances. Lira was the first to speak. "We're just going to let him go deeper into enemy territory?"

Erend's gaze hardened as he turned to face them. "He's already in the enemy territory right now so, yes. Cause we need more information to act. Rushing in without knowing what we're dealing with will only make things worse. Eccar can handle himself — trust me."

The quiet authority in his voice silenced further objections, though the tension in the room remained.

Varok finally nodded, his tone resigned but respectful. "If that's your decision, my Lord, we'll follow it."

Erend inclined his head slightly. "Good. Prepare your squads, but remain here for the moment. We'll move when the time is right."

As the squad leaders dispersed slightly, murmuring amongst themselves, Erend's focus drifted back to the bones. The faint hum seemed almost alive, whispering secrets just out of reach.

"Yeah… Sahura might know more,"

he thought, his hand still resting on the cold surface.

"If Eccar's going to the High Council, then I'll need every advantage I can get before making my move."

His jaw tightened. The Dungeon World and Sahura's cryptic words were calling to him. He have to return to her immediately. Even though he need to fight his way again through the horde of desert monster, and it will certainly be annoying.

---