Chapter 117 The Magic Circle!

The landscape they now found themselves in was a vast, flat expanse of land, with a modest mountain looming not too far ahead. Much of the terrain was cloaked in soil and grass, yet patches of bare, greyish-white rock punctuated the scenery. At the summit, two adjacent peaks stood proudly, almost like nature's own twin landmarks.

Vetter, who was already privy to the truth, recognized those rocks as nothing less than exposed bones and the peaks as dragon horns. Upon beholding this sight, Vetter was left utterly astounded. "He's passed!" he exclaimed, his heart gripped by a peculiar sensation.

Bone dragons emerged from the carcasses of deceased giant dragons. Under special circumstances, they regained consciousness devoid of their past lives' memories. Yet, they retained intelligence and were far from idiotic, fully aware of their reborn state. To fill the void left by their lost memories, these bone dragons wandered the Dragon Realm in search of their origins.

However, dragons, even those in dragon city-states, were generally solitary beings, with the exception of those deeply bonded within the Dragon's Nest. And it was rare for a giant dragon from the Nest to perish outside its sacred grounds. Typically, they expired either defending the Nest or returned to it to await their final moments. Such formidable creatures were seldom troubled by others, ensuring they could usually return home. Unless, of course, they couldn't find the Nest anymore!

Hence, a bone dragon's quest for reclaimed memories was fraught with challenges, perhaps even doomed to failure. Reborn from death, they burned the flames of their souls in solitude—this was the fate of a bone dragon.

Of course, there were exceptions, but such personalities were exceedingly rare. In comparison, Vetter felt fortunate. Although unaware of his dragon's Nest, he knew that as he grew, he'd have ample time to seek it out. Desedro must be awaiting him somewhere.

Antawana, standing beside Vetter, felt less impacted by the revelations. Her inherited memories told her all about bone dragons, so she had known of its demise upon discovering this place. Unlike Vetter, who had left his home, Antawana had never had one. Thus, she didn't dwell on it much, preferring practicality over sentimental musings.

"So, we're staying here for the time being?" Antawana inquired, her tone revealing a hint of reluctance under the pressing circumstances. "I confess, I don't enjoy the weight pressing down on me, but if you insist..."

Antawana's words brought Vetter back to the present. With a wistful smile, he replied helplessly, "But it's this pressure that ensures our safety. I know it's uncomfortable, but compared to safety, a bit of discomfort is negligible!"

Antawana nodded in understanding. She had endured much to survive and wouldn't complain unduly. "Since we've decided, let's find a place to settle!" Vetter agreed and led the way towards the nearby mountain. Antawana followed closely behind.

Halfway up the mountain, after navigating through a dense forest, a vast cave came into view, its entrance adorned with vines. "This is it," Vetter said with satisfaction, scanning the sheltering cave. "The Soul Flame once burned deep within, and this is where the pressure is strongest!"

Incidentally, this cave was the bone dragon's eye socket, which had confirmed its demise to Vetter and his companions. A soul fire that went out meant only one thing—death.

Antawana flicked her tail nervously and, after surveying her surroundings, made her way to a corner outside the eye socket. Vetter glanced at the spot, which offered minimal shelter, but remained silent. 

Antawana would adjust.

After bidding Antawana farewell, Vetter ventured deeper into the eye socket. Not to explore, of course. 

The remains of a bone dragon held no such appeal. Reverse scales, though present, collapsed upon the dragon's death, their contents scattered by spatial turbulence.

This explained why some dragons were avid travelers. The demise of a giant dragon often led to treasures appearing in various parts of the world! Others buried their treasures with elaborate traps, deeming it sacred. Some more powerful dragons transformed their reverse scales into fixed spaces, carrying them until their final breath. Giant dragons were undeniably greedy!

Treasure was the last thing on Vetter's mind. What had initially intrigued him, the possibility of high-grade dragon crystals, was dashed upon realizing their adversary was a bone dragon. The soul fire that ignited those crystals was now extinguished.

Descending into the eye socket, Vetter sought a flat spot to prepare for their next move. What move, you ask? The slaughter of that Elgin Dragon Beast!

His inability to confront the beast previously stemmed from their unexpected encounter and his lack of preparation. A fourth-level magic array was required to match the gold-level threat. Although Vetter's success rate in engraving such arrays wasn't high, with sufficient funds and materials, he could still muster a few.

Their lives were in danger, so Vetter spared no expense in his preparations.

Dragon scales, level 4 magical solutions, level 5 liquid magic cores, enchantment pens, and, above all, the invaluable "Complete Explanation of Magic Formations" bestowed by his teacher! As Vetter gazed upon these materials laid out before him, his heart ached, yet a chilling smile played upon his lips.

"Let's see if you can escape this time," he muttered under his breath. With that, he flicked open the Comprehensive Guide to Magic Arrays and embarked on a meticulous search.

Level 4 magic formations were still relatively alien to him. Given the limited resources at hand, he had to make a prudent choice about which magic formation to employ against the formidable Elgin Dragon Beast. Power could take a back seat; control was paramount. The fewer nodes, the easier the inscription process. Moreover, attributes mattered too. The level 5 liquid magic core he had brought lacked a comprehensive range of attributes, while the level 4 one, though available, might result in a lower tolerance rate during the hunt.

As time crept by, Vetter finally set to carving a magic formation. Perhaps due to a lapse in concentration or unfamiliarity with the magic formation, an explosion soon rocked the air.

Outside, Antawana's attention was drawn to the commotion within. Upon entering the cavernous eye socket, she found Vetter struggling to inscribe the magic array. Just as she pondered that it wasn't the right moment to interrupt him and prepared to depart, Vetter expertly tossed a dragon scale, which promptly exploded!

Antawana's face darkened instantaneously, as if she had grasped the situation...

"Antawana, let me share something incredible with you," Vetter exclaimed excitedly, emerging from the depths of the cave and soaring towards her. He placed five dragon scales, each half the size of Antawana's body, before her. "These are the five rank-four magic formations I painstakingly drew over three days. With these, we can..." He hesitated, noticing Antawana's odd gaze.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" he asked, puzzled.

Antawana rolled her eyes. "You've got some nerve! Was that little stunt about testing the stability of the magic circuits, huh?"

Vetter's face stiffened at her sudden accusation. Before he could retort, he realized that, given Antawana's sharp nature, she must have caught him red-handed. Recalling his three-day dedication to drawing magic arrays, he suspected Antawana had witnessed something.

Embarrassed, Vetter scratched his head awkwardly, his sharp claws scraping against his scales, causing sparks to fly. "So, you knew all along?" he stammered. "But it's not my fault. I was so focused on drawing the magic circuits that I didn't even notice you watching from the sidelines. So..."

Antawana waved her paw dismissively, her gaze shifting to the dragon scales before her. "You should have told me earlier. I'm not some unreasonable dragon," she remarked casually.