Chapter 122 The Great Icefield Mutation!
Antawana, who had remained silent on the sidelines, couldn't resist asking, "What about me?"
Vetter paused momentarily. "You want to join Desedro too?"
Antawana nodded initially, then hesitated slightly. "I don't believe the Dragon Nest restricts freedom!"
Unlike Linstar, Antawana had already spent over thirty years surviving on her own. Though it was tough and exhausting, she had to admit that this life was quite liberating.
Vetter acknowledged, "The Dragon's Nest doesn't restrict freedom, of course, as long as one is a mature dragon."
Upon hearing this, Antawana sighed in relief. "Then I'll join too!"
After making her decision, Antawana felt a sense of ease wash over her. Honestly, when she saw Vetter preparing to allow Linstar to join the Dragon Nest, she couldn't help but feel an extra surge of anxiety in her heart. She was afraid that Vetter might not include her anymore.
Freedom and loneliness are two distinct concepts that shouldn't be confused. While Antawana cherished her freedom, the past few days spent with Vetter had given her a sense of comfort and ease she had never experienced before. So, she decided to join them as well.
Vetter naturally came to Linstar's rescue, pointing out that Linstar was born under Antawana's watchful eye, and Antawana's condition also indicated that she was a wild-born dragon. If Winters were here, she would have welcomed them too.
To show his welcome to the two dragons, Vetter brought out the cherished red tasseled fruits he treasured. Of course, they weren't for eating directly but to be served with meat. Vetter realized after leaving the Dragon's Nest that there were no red tasseled fruit trees outside, making the Red Tassel Fruit in his Dragon Scale Space even more precious.
After the celebration, Vetter went to the place where Linstar was born, a secluded cave. The cave was deep, and the dragon's egg had been placed in the bone dragon's abdominal cavity. It was no surprise that Linstar had successfully hatched.
The dragon's power remaining in the bone dragon's abdominal cavity wasn't as strong as the skull side, but it was still formidable, and dragon beasts usually wouldn't dare approach. Such a safe haven was indeed suitable for dragon eggs to hatch.
...
White plains, white mountain ranges, a white sky, and drifting snowflakes that fell onto the equally white earth created a monotonous world of coldness and desolation. This was the Great Ice Plain!
Few dragon beasts inhabited such harsh environments like the Great Ice Plain, and most of them were concentrated on its outskirts. Accordingly, the dragon races that preferred such environments also resided there, albeit in smaller numbers.
Once dragon stomachs matured, they no longer needed to eat, but young dragons couldn't do without food. Therefore, they chose to live in places abundant with food. Only some adult dragons with introverted personalities and immense strength would settle deep within the Great Ice Plain!
Ace was one such dragon. As a solitary and powerful frost dragon, he slept alone in the depths of the Great Ice Plain.
One day, a violent vibration shook the silent Great Ice Plain. The vibration triggered a massive avalanche in the Delhi Mountain Range, the highest mountain range in the depths of the plain. The enormous amount of snow, like a tsunami wave, swept everything in its path.
Perhaps it was coincidence, perhaps it was fate! Ace, who was sleeping in the Delhi Mountains, was directly engulfed by the avalanche.
Introverted gargoyles had a common trait: they didn't like to be disturbed. And this time, Ace was more than just disturbed. Forcibly dragged out of his slumber by the great avalanche, he awoke in a rage.
With a spread of his wings, his two-kilometer-long dragon body soared above the rushing snow waves. Ace's bright golden eyes were like piercing suns. He then opened his mouth, exhaling an indescribable stream of extremely cold air.
The snow waves, which seemed indestructible and invulnerable, were instantly frozen. Gazing at his masterpiece, Ace let out a long roar, venting the remaining anger in his heart. His anger triggered the power of the Laws, and a blizzard that covered the sky formed around him, affecting the temperature of the entire Great Ice Plain.
At that moment, another tremor shook the entire Delhi Mountain Range. Ace instantly realized that this was the culprit that had awakened him.
Looking in the direction of the sound, his dazzling golden eyes revealed an endless coldness. With fury, he flew towards that direction, and the blizzard enveloping his body moved with him. At this moment, Ace was a moving natural disaster!
A few moments later, a dragon's roar of shock and anger echoed throughout the entire Great Ice Plain. Then, a blizzard began to blanket the plain.
The creatures dwelling in the vast Great Ice Plain, whether dragon beasts or full-fledged dragons, retreated into their hiding spots, shivering in anticipation as they awaited the tempestuous wrath of the tyrant lurking beneath the icy surface to subside.
Little did any dragon or dragon beast realize that the very one they feared as a tyrant, who had unleashed the blizzard across the Great Ice Plain, had limped back to his abode with a broken arm and a grave countenance.
Yet, the blizzard seemed relentless, whispering tales of an unsettled heart...
Linstar spoke the truth when he chose to join the Dragon Nest. One compelling reason was his innate understanding, passed down through his bloodline, of what the Dragon Nest meant to dragons – a sense of belonging he craved.
Of course, that was just one of the reasons. There was another.
Quite simply, the second reason was his desire for a better life under Vetter's guidance.
Now, as comrades, bullying was out of the question. Instead, the realities of camaraderie and accountability quickly became apparent.
After a night of tranquility, Linstar's trials began in earnest.
The next morning, Linstar faced the Athulf Dragon Beast before him with a blank expression, while Vetter offered words of encouragement.
"Do it. This is the initial rite of passage for all newborn dragons in Desedro's Dragon Nest. Ideally, I'd find a larger one, but controlling an adult Athulf Dragon Beast is beyond my capabilities. So, a sub-adult will have to do.
By the way, this is your breakfast today. If you don't want to go hungry, you'll have to do it!"
In the end, Linstar circumvented the Athulf Dragon Beast's daunting double horns, raised his sharp claws, and pierced its throat.
Unlike the Booth Dragon Beast or the Capron Beast, Athulfs weren't giants in size, but they possessed origin magic. Vetter had exerted considerable effort to restrain this particular Athulf.
Seeing Linstar complete the first task, Vetter nodded with a sense of relief.
The second lesson followed swiftly – Spitting!
It was Antawana, rather than Vetter, who guided Linstar through his first elemental exchange. Vetter stayed out of sight the entire time, as his presence could interfere with Linstar's ability to sense the free elements in the air.
After completing the elemental exchange, Vetter instructed Linstar on how to cast Spit, his tone echoing that of Winters. However, he was no Winters and had no intention of enduring Linstar's spit physically.
Though a newborn dragon's spit couldn't pierce his scales, it was far from ineffective. Especially natural spit, which Vetter had learned to dread from experience with Dinnet. The feeling of having one's life force forcibly extracted was intolerable, akin to the agony of being perpetually sleepy yet unable to rest.
Indeed, falling asleep in such a state meant one's life force had been completely drained, never to awaken again.
Natural Spit was a domineering force that belied its benign-sounding name.
Even though Linstar's natural elemental affinity didn't necessarily predestine him to possess natural spit – the mere three surviving Ancient Forest Dragons provided too little data for certainty. However, another green dragon of similar affinity had exhibited two different types of spit: one poisonous, the other natural.
Vetter wisely chose not to gamble. And his instincts proved correct; Linstar possessed natural spit.
Exhausted from his spitting exertions, Linstar drifted into sleep.
Meanwhile, Vetter had prepared Linstar for his next task – potion brewing!
Antawana had already gathered all the materials needed to cure the Dragon Plague. Though the environment here paled in comparison to the Dragon's Nest, Vetter was ready to make the best of it.