As the last echoes of the Dracolich's final, desperate curse faded into the twilight of the demiplane, a profound silence fell over the graveyard of dragons. The ground was scarred from the epic battle, a mixture of scorched earth from Kalis's flames and patches of unnatural frost from Gedo's domain. Su Cheng walked forward from the portal, his two powerful Saints, Gedo and Kalis, falling in respectfully behind him.
His gaze first fell upon the pulsating green crystal floating where the Dracolich had been vanquished. It was the creature's soul fire, a unique treasure filled with the ancient power and necromantic energy of a dragon that had cheated death for millennia.
---[Soul Fire of the Ancient Dracolich]---
* Rank: High Sanctuary
* Description: The soul essence of a powerful, ancient dragon that has been steeped in necrotic energies for eons. It contains immense power, but also a potent curse of undeath.
* Effects:
* Can be absorbed by a high-tier Sanctuary-rank creature for a significant boost to its bloodline power.
* Has a high chance of granting the absorber a powerful necromantic or curse-based ability.
* Carries a risk of corrupting the absorber's soul with the curse of undeath.
"A powerful, but flawed, prize," Su Cheng noted. The curse of undeath would be a serious problem for any of his living believers, a corruption that could stunt their future potential. But for him, flaws were merely opportunities for perfection.
"Infinite Evolution!"
A brilliant pillar of divine light descended, enveloping the malevolent green soul fire. The necrotic energy within the crystal shrieked and hissed as it was violently purified and reforged by the rules of Su Cheng's mythical talent. The green light was burned away, replaced by a deep, mesmerizing obsidian black, shot through with veins of pure, shining gold. The transformation was so profound that a 1% probability was triggered, a truly rare event.
[Log]: You have used infinite evolution on the High Sanctuary-rank [Soul Fire of the Ancient Dracolich]!
[Log]: A rare 1% probability for a three-rank upgrade has been triggered!
[Log]: You have obtained the Two-Star God-rank treasure, the [Soul Fire of Eternal Dominion]!
Su Cheng's eyes widened slightly. A two-rank leap from a High Sanctuary item would have resulted in a Demigod-rank treasure. A three-rank leap had pushed it past Demigod, past One-Star, all the way to a Two-Star God-rank treasure. This was a prize worthy of a True God.
---[Soul Fire of Eternal Dominion]---
* Rank: Two-Star God
* Description: The perfected soul essence of an ancient dragon, elevated to a divine state. It no longer contains the curse of undeath, but the absolute laws of Dominion over life and death.
* Effects:
* Can be absorbed by a Quasi-Divine (Peak Sanctuary) creature, allowing them to perfect their divinity and gain the battle power of a Demigod-rank creature.
* Grants the absorber the innate ability [Soul Dominion], allowing them to command the souls of slain enemies, raising them as powerful spectral warriors.
* Permanently increases the absorber's resistance to all forms of soul-based and necrotic magic.
This was a treasure that could create another demigod-level combatant for his forces. He looked at his two Saints. Gedo had already reached that state. Kalis and Sophia were next in line. He made a mental note.
For now, he turned his attention to the true objective of their quest. He walked over to the colossal skeleton of the dragon-slayer, stepping into the massive rib cage that felt like the hall of a forgotten cathedral. There, nestled between two giant vertebrae, was a small, dark object that pulsed with a familiar, evil light. It was a key, identical in form to the one he had looted from Ocaso, but this one was carved from what looked like petrified dragon bone.
He reached out and took it. The moment his fingers touched the key, a torrent of information flooded his mind.
[Log]: You have obtained the [Key of the Dragon-Slayer (2/15)]!
[Log]: You have absorbed a fragment of Cyric's scattered will! Your Slaughter authority has increased slightly!
[Log]: The whispers of the fallen god guide you. A clue to the location of the third key has been revealed: Where the mountains weep stone and the earth bleeds fire, the third sentinel sleeps.
"The mountains weep stone... the earth bleeds fire," Su Cheng repeated the cryptic clue. "A volcano. Likely one with a powerful guardian."
His new quest was set. But there was one last piece of business. He turned to the Red Dragon Kalis, who was looking at the [Soul Fire of Eternal Dominion] with unconcealed longing.
"Kalis," Su Cheng said. "You fought well against the Dracolich. You have proven the superiority of a true, living dragon. This is your reward."
The obsidian and gold soul fire floated towards the Red Dragon. Kalis's eyes widened in disbelief and then shone with absolute, fervent loyalty. He had expected such a treasure to be reserved for the Lord himself, or perhaps Gedo. To be granted this opportunity was a grace beyond measure.
"My life and soul belong to you, my Lord!" Kalis roared, before opening his mighty jaws and swallowing the God-rank Soul Fire in one gulp.
An explosion of golden-black energy erupted from the Red Dragon. His already colossal form began to grow once more. His crimson scales darkened to a deeper, more menacing shade of ruby, and golden, runic patterns began to form on their surface. His horns took on the appearance of polished obsidian, and a crown of pure, black-gold energy flickered into existence above his head. He was no longer just a dragon; he was becoming a true draconic sovereign.
[Log]: Your believer Kalis has absorbed a Two-Star God-rank Soul Fire! His divinity has been perfected! He has broken through the Quasi-Divine state and now possesses the battle power of a Demigod-rank creature!
Su Cheng now had two believers with the power of demigods. He opened a portal back to Chaos God City, his mission a complete and overwhelming success.