Trapped in Another World With No Magic

Chapter 34: The Mighty Dragons

Zadarralomme awakens in unfamiliar surroundings. It appears to be a small, confined room with a door too small for her to enter or exit in her true form. She looks around. She's alone in the room, and she inspects herself. She has no apparent injuries. Every one of her pearlescent white scales is intact.

Her heart aches for the other dragons. She's not foolish enough to believe she had a dream. It was far too real, and she knows instinctively that she's a prisoner right now, not least of the reasons being that she can't detect any magic around herself or the world at large. She's isolated.

That is, until a presence appears at the door.

She recoils a little. As before, she can't detect a single trace of mana from him as he enters the room. He's carrying his strange staff, held horizontally towards her. She recoils towards the back of her room a little on instinct. She, along with the other dragons, had lived for hundreds of years with no reason to fear. The only way humans and humankin have ever possessed to kill them requires armies and devastating amounts of offensive magic to try to harm them. Two dragons together would be undefeatable.

...

Normally.

Zadarralomme doesn't understand, and that lack of understanding has instilled fear in her heart. He commands the Citadel, which means they had already lost when they arrived. The Dragon Lord was too quick to act because he believed the word of the little slave he sent to conquer the ancient Feldrok castle. And, entering just behind the Feldrok sorcerer is that very same little former slave girl, as well as a golem with a Feldrok's natural head-shape. The fact that all three of them are entering means that Zadarralomme is completely helpless, or they would take more caution.

The human greets her in the Eastern language, "Good evening, majestic White Queen. Apologies if that's not your actual title, but the only way Hekate knew to describe you was as a Queen. And, since, I've met the alleged Demon Queen, Vaergraes, I've had some suspicions confirmed. Before that, though, I'm Daniel. The girl you know is now known as Hekate. Show her due respect. And, this is our friend, Xyreko. For the time being, you're our captive. I hoped we could talk."

Zadarralomme hesitates, studying the three of them for a moment. She murmurs, "Well met, human. Forgive me, but we dragons do not give out our true names to non-dragons. You may refer to me as White or Pearl, and I will respond."

"I see. You may change your mind after you hear what I have to offer."

The dragon raises her head, holding her tongue. It's rare for such a small being to speak so disrespectfully and directly to a dragon, but then, this tiny being is the first and only person in the world to slay the dragons single-handedly.

Daniel lifts his strange staff, and Zadarralomme flinches slightly, regretting showing such fear. Fortunately, he simply lays it over his shoulder, freeing up his left hand. "I have it on extremely good authority that no dragon eggs have been laid in decades. And, the last handful of dragons born over the last few centuries perished due to their own biology."

Again, the Pearlescent Dragon can't help but twitch. He knows more than he should somehow.

Is this the wisdom of the Citadel's magic? Or, did one of the others confess? The girl... Hekate, should not have known...

"Were that true, hu-... Lord Daniel, what offer do you make?"

Daniel gestures at Xyreko, the golem, stating confidently, "My companion knows how to break the curse that was placed on all who came in physical contact with the traitor."

As soon as she recoils, Daniel's gaze narrows on the dragon. He has her completely cornered. He knows everything. He nods as if reading her mind. "That's right, your Majesty. It was one last desperate grasp for life by a race yours tried to exterminate. A curse that he carried with him and passed on to all dragons he came in contact with. Including children. Now, lemme just take a stab in the dark at who that could have been... Hmmm... Big Red, the Dragon Lord."