"The Primordial Dragon King... wishes to speak with us?"
Rossweise's voice was a mixture of disbelief and profound awe. As the Queen of the Silver Dragons, she held the same deep, inherent reverence for Noah as any dragon. To their kind, Noah was an unparalleled, sacred figure—a legend whose very name was spoken with solemnity. The thought that this ancestral hero was actively seeking to converse with them left her feeling both intensely honored and slightly nervous.
She exchanged a glance with Leon, who gave a slight, reassuring nod. Rossweise turned back to Noah. "Very well. What must we do?"
Noah shook her head gently. "You don't need to do anything, Mom. She will temporarily borrow my body to speak. I'll still be able to hear everything you say."
Leon's brow furrowed, his voice turning serious. "Borrow your body... You mean she can control you at will?" His concern was immediate and visceral. Even after Noah's explanation, his first instinct was to protect his daughter.
"No, Dad, it's not like that," Noah quickly reassured him. "She always asks for my permission first. She would never do anything I don't agree with or anything that would hurt me."
Leon's tense expression softened a fraction. "Alright. If you're certain."
"Good. Then I'll let her speak with you now," Noah said, slowly closing her eyes.
Leon and Rossweise watched with rapt attention. Despite Noah's assurances, the sight of their daughter's body being temporarily inhabited by a millennia-old soul was unnerving. At the same time, they were about to commune with the Primordial Dragon King, a figure from myth and history made real.
A soft, white aura began to swirl around Noah, lifting the hem of her dress and gently ruffling her hair. Rossweise recognized it instantly—it was the Primordial Force, but of a purity and intensity far beyond what she herself could muster.
The aura faded as quickly as it appeared. Noah's body stilled, and then her eyes opened. Faint, intricate white markings now adorned her eyelids, and her entire presence radiated an overwhelming, regal authority. Her small frame was unchanged, but she carried the undeniable demeanor of a dragon sovereign. Leon's gaze dropped to her tail, where the very tip now glowed with a soft, white light.
"The Primordial Dragon King... Noah..." Rossweise whispered, truly overwhelmed.
To any dragon, Noah was a living monument, the pinnacle of power and wisdom, a guiding star for their entire race.
"In the old days," Noah began, her voice calm yet commanding, "any Dragon King who stood before me would kneel in reverence."
Leon and Rossweise exchanged an uneasy look.
"I'm afraid my wife won't be doing that... Kneeling is a bit much to ask," Leon ventured cautiously.
"I'm joking," Noah said, a wry smile touching her lips. "I'm actually a rather easygoing dragon."
Rossweise let out a quiet breath of relief but remained uncertain of how to proceed, looking to Leon for guidance.
Leon studied the transformed Noah carefully. After a moment, he asked, "Primordial Dragon King, what is it you wish to discuss with us?" His tone was steady—respectful but not subservient. It was the demeanor of a family head addressing a distinguished, yet potentially complicating, guest. His priority was his daughter's well-being.
"Well, well," Noah chuckled. "You're the third person to speak to me so casually."
Leon blinked. "The third? Who were the first two?"
Noah held up her thumb, pointing to herself. "The first is your eldest daughter here."
"And the second?"
"Your pink-haired daughter and Second younger daughter."
Leon & Rossweise: ...
"So," Leon said dryly, "to be clear, everyone in this house except for me and my wife already knew about you?"
"Pretty much," Noah replied breezily. "That little pink-haired menace was so persistent I decided it was easier to tell her. And the little tuft-haired one found out because she wouldn't stop snooping."
"Muse doesn't know?" Rossweise asked, surprised.
"No, not yet."
If the situation weren't so grave, the couple might have shared a triumphant look: Yes! For once, we aren't the last to know a family secret!
"Anyway," Noah continued, her tone shifting to seriousness, "I can't maintain this connection for long—it drains her. So I'll be direct."
The couple nodded, giving her their full attention.
"First," Noah began, "that crystal your father used to find me—where did it come from?"
"It was given to me by the Tower Master of Sky City," Leon answered.
"Tower Master? Who is that?"
Rossweise provided a brief explanation of the Tower Master's history and his motivations for founding the neutral Sky City.
"I see," Noah said thoughtfully. "A rare soul, driven by compassion. If he knows this much about me, he must also be aware of the Ultimate Fear, correct?"
"Yes. He provided most of the intelligence we have on it," Leon confirmed.
"Good," Noah said. "Thousands of years ago, I expended nearly all my power to seal the Ultimate Fear away. But the chaos and strife in the world now generate the negative emotions it feeds on. Its followers are actively spreading this corruption, accelerating their master's return."
"I was meant to awaken several years from now, but Constantine's interference forced my soul to seek refuge in your daughter's consciousness. I am using her body as a vessel to gather the strength I need to recover."
"Fortunately, we still have a window of time to prepare," Noah added. "The Ultimate Fear's return is not immediate, but it is inevitable."
She turned her gaze to Rossweise.
"Queen of the Silver Dragons."
"Yes, Ancestor?" Rossweise replied, her voice steady and respectful.
"Your clan did not exist in my time. You are a relatively new lineage, are you not?"
"Yes. Our founder established the Silver Dragon tribe roughly a thousand years ago."
"And you are its second ruler?"
"I am."
"You seem young—barely three hundred years old?"
"Just over two hundred," Rossweise corrected.
Noah smiled, a genuine expression of approval. "To have achieved so much, mastering even a fraction of the Primordial Force at such an age... you are an exceptional successor."
"Thank you, Ancestor," Rossweise said with a modest dip of her head.
"However," Noah's tone sharpened, "your Primordial Force is impure. When I manifested through this body, I allowed a wisp of my own force to emanate. You felt the difference, did you not?"
Rossweise hesitated, then nodded. "Yes, Ancestor. The difference is... profound."
"I will teach you how to refine a purer form of the Primordial Force. I will also introduce you to other Primordial spells beyond Soul Judgement. We will need every advantage we can muster against what is to come."
"Thank you, Ancestor," Rossweise said, bowing her head deeply.
Noah then turned to Leon.
"Leon Cosmodeous. I have observed many of your battles through this child's consciousness. You are formidable, arguably without equal among the current Dragon Kings. But even you possess critical weaknesses."
Leon raised an eyebrow. "Weaknesses? Enlighten me."
"You rely excessively on overwhelming, destructive power," Noah explained. "Your techniques are brilliant in their brutality, but they lack nuance. This leaves you vulnerable against an enemy like the Ultimate Fear, which feeds on such raw, unrefined energy."
"What would you have me do?"
"You must learn to temper your strength, to internalize it," Noah said, demonstrating by slowly interlocking her fingers. "Make it denser, more controlled. You must refine the power you already possess, condense it into something sharper and more focused. Only then will you stand a chance."
Leon stared at his own hand, the words settling deep within him. "Internalize my power..." he repeated softly, a new understanding beginning to dawn.