Surviving The Fourth Calamity

The group of Half-Song Dragon Magicians did not hide their identities; the crystal window in front of their booth was opened, and each lady sitting inside had a very serious expression.

Their eyes were tightly focused on every booth that was bidding against them.

In last year's Dragon Madness calamity, the members of the Song Dragon Sisterhood, who had always lived in seclusion, rescued not only the Dragonborn; their reputation on the Ferun Great Land was now very high.

If a Metal Dragon had appeared, the effect might not have been as significant as theirs, even if the nobles wanted the Dragon Egg, they wouldn't dare to be too reckless.

The power players from the fifth level were even more silent; they had more to consider than those minor nobles from the regions.

The Chromatic Dragon Egg was ultimately auctioned off amidst this strange atmosphere, claimed by the Song Dragon Sisterhood.

However, the heavy atmosphere of the auction hall never eased; anyone with a bit of intelligence understood what a terrible harm this method of auctioning a Dragon Egg was to the relationship between giants dragons and humans.

Even before, on the territories of some lawful Chromatic Dragons, passage was possible for a certain price, but now, that was likely no longer feasible.

Even the Metal Dragons would probably no longer allow humans to enter their domains.

Human trade routes needed to be reconsidered.

After all, on the islands passed by the vessels from Sword Bay, there were more than one dragon.

The dragons that once were very willing to maintain the trade route for some easy toll money might very well turn back into bandits.

The same was true on land; the mountain ranges, forests, and ruins that could easily be traversed in the past now all required reassessment.

Perhaps for the more powerful figures, dragons had become weaker, but for the ordinary adventurers, these giants dragons had become even more frightening.

Unfortunately, once any significant event occurred, ordinary people were the last factor to be considered, or even not considered at all.

Hill furrowed his brows; he felt pressure from the powerful ones, but it seemed that nobody else felt anything.

"Your perception is very sharp! Worthy of Nature's Protector," Vila Malendith said, turning her head to look at Hill with a smile. "That just now was the deterrence of an Ancient Dragon, but it was quickly retracted. Those who are not in touch with the Source would find it difficult to perceive."

Lynn looked over curiously; he didn't feel anything at all, although a Bard's perception was already quite high.

"That's Claujeliatmata, the neutrally evil Ancient Green Dragon; she has a rather bad temper," the Silvermoon Dragon Queen pointed towards a crystal window on the right. "Just now, when those people were competing, she got angry and showed a little oppressive force. Humans might not be able to feel it, but dragons definitely can.

"The old Blue Dragon, Orosonte, who loves music, is also here; he noticed Claujeliatmata too. No wonder the people of the Song Dragon Sisterhood had the confidence to show up so boldly; they have a good relationship, and the Sisterhood members also love music," she explained.

Hill didn't hear about any dragons from Deepwater City, whether Steel Dragons or Bronze Dragons, being present.

"The dragons of Deepwater City didn't come," Vila Malendith revealed with a cold smile. "No one knows whether Black Staff's act of offending the dragons this time is to draw out the long-hidden dragons of Deepwater City to eliminate some future trouble for his offspring.

"I didn't plan on coming originally; Black Staff is more wary of me, but I was still worried. What if there was a Metal Dragon's egg? There are many Little Dragons wandering outside, and it's easy to be tricked into touching one."

Speaking honestly, it would've been better for him to be wary of Elaströ. 'Thousand-Spell Dragon,' the Steel Dragon who was saved by Elaströ last year as well—if she wanted to become the City Lord of Deepwater, at least half of the hidden dragons would be willing to help," Vila Malendith continued.

"His target is probably the city atop the Supreme Wastes; he relies on the trust of the Goddess of Magic," Hill thought for a moment before saying, "Although it's unclear who he's seeking to trouble, it's unlikely he's foolish enough to offend both Metal Dragons and Chromatic Dragons at the same time."

Vila Malendith nodded in agreement, "Actually, we also know that he wouldn't dare to auction a Metal Dragon's egg; that would be to thoroughly drive the hidden dragons of Deepwater City insane.

"But I still wanted to sneak a peek to see if there was anything else going on.

To tell the truth, I'm a bit concerned that he might collaborate with the Dragon Worship Church; the Dragon Worship Church of The North fled too quickly, and it couldn't have been done without someone's cooperation.

The most troublesome leader is already dead.

Most of the rest are Dragon Liches, and they wouldn't be as crazy as Samast; Mystra wouldn't necessarily regard them as eternal enemies."

No matter how many Dragon Eggs are appearing, they only represent the future.

"The dragons of the present seeking to become as powerful as they once were is no longer possible."

Hill, over the past many years, not all the deserted cities were truly abandoned; do you understand?"

Hill nodded in understanding; an Ancient Dragon likely resided in the apparently desolate cities, such as the city Black Staff was about to pioneer.

It used to belong to a Red Dragon, which common people were unaware of, but he had died in the Dragon Madness.

In the past, even if Black Staff lusted after it, he wouldn't have started pioneering as carelessly as he was now.

Giant dragons would definitely appear to claim the newly vacated territory, but the current dragons, including the dragonborn, no longer had the willpower.

It was already good if they could keep their original domains.

As for the dragon liches, if they inherited the temperament they had as giant dragons and did not initiate attacks on humans, even if the current Goddess of Magic belonged to the Kind Alignment, she would not continue to view them as enemies.

She had to observe neutrality in her actions. Otherwise, the source of magic might directly abandon her.

The dragon liches were necromancers; they only had entangled interests with the living giant dragons and could no longer have any kinship.

Now, things were different from the time when the gods of Toril and the Platinum Dragon King Bahamut had cooperated.

The appearance of this tentative Chromatic Dragon Egg made the giant dragons understand what it meant for the tides to have turned. Whether it was the green or the blue dragons, they all held back their breath, didn't they?

No matter how nonchalant the Silvermoon Dragon Queen appeared, the fact that the dragon egg showed up at a public auction and they could not prevent it beforehand was already indicative of the underlying power shifts in the Ferun Great Land.

At least for now, it seemed as though humans had trampled both giant dragons and elves under their feet; Ferun for a time appeared to have become the world of humans.

Hill was beginning to understand why the Silvermoon Dragon Queen had come out to meet him; she needed more help to ensure the integrity of the territory in The North, and his son's friend was naturally her ally.

As for Lynn, belonging to the Gold Elves.

He wouldn't say anything. No matter how good his relationships with humans were, if he found out that humans wanted to trample on the heads of the elves, Lynn would only maintain silence towards everything before him.

Even if he wouldn't act against humans, he certainly would not choose to betray his family and aid humans.

Suddenly, Hill understood why Ferun Great Land had never been at peace ever since, as every city that now seemed overwhelmingly powerful encountered an almost besieged plight.

The allies who had once worked together to fight against demons and devils were now on the verge of collapsing. In the years to come, humans must carry the burden on their own.

Giant dragons would likely only hide deeper, while elves, probably would start returning to the forests or begin to build cities that were truly their own.

"My place will likely be permanently neutral," Hill thought for a moment before speaking, "I don't want to get involved in these things. Magic is my eternal pursuit."

Velara Malendith laughed, "Neutrality is good. I also hope that Terry can stay in a safe place. As long as Elaströ stands at the pinnacle of the Silvermoon Alliance, there won't be any problems.

But without Elaströ's summoning, it's unlikely that any other dragons would go to assist. If Deepwater City faces any crisis again, the dragons hiding here would probably only choose to move, the same goes for the Metal Dragons."

She glanced at Lynn and added, "I think the elves won't help humans as they did in the past, either. Melike's subordinates also seem to have started a significant mobilization. Those Elf Priests who previously said they would come out are now waiting for the battle situation in Mistral."

Lynn turned his head back with a strange expression.

"If the fairies occupy the land, Melike won't be unhappy," the Silvermoon Dragon Queen said frankly, "She is the Forest Goddess, and her elven followers will refuse to go to humans' places but will never turn down an invitation to go to the territory of fairies."

It seemed that everyone had an understanding that the Elf Crusade would inevitably lose to the fairies.

Only they were still struggling.

Hill sighed softly. Fortunately, he had always been well aware of his capabilities. Maybe he had sufficient martial power, but when it came to political wisdom, Hill did not think he could compare with those who had been playing the game for centuries.

The same goes for fairies. Such long-lived races would never have naive and simple leaders.

"Speaking of which, Coron seems to have some other reliance?" Velara Malendith suddenly said, "If it were in the past, his reaction, along with that of the Elven Pantheon, would not be so calm, just quarreling in the Stellar Realm.

They would surely descend to the Prime Material Plane to give a Heavy Hit to those who dare look down on elves and prevent the Black Staff from having the chance to insult Chromatic Dragons."

Hill glanced at the Silvermoon Dragon Queen frowning, pacing as she muttered to herself, clearly not intending to ask Hill for his opinion.

She probably thought that Hill, who came from another world, surely would not know these things.

But Hill felt he might actually have an inkling.

If human offenses against elves accumulated to a point where not even the world of Toril could prevent the Elven Pantheon from seeking vengeance, Coron might choose to reason with the world's source of Toril...

Those cities for which elves now would have to pay a heavy price to reclaim were merely another's game.

Hill decided to wait and see the outcome for Black Staff Kaelborn.

Whether he would end like those in the stories, unable to resurrect for hundreds of years after death, or if without resistance, he would be quickly resurrected by his biased patron Mystra to become the resplendent new City Lord.

Hill hadn't cared about that man's fate at all, but it seemed they now shared a slight connection.