an unfortunate change in genre

Part 47

Eruhaben had a long and eventful life full of meaningful relationships, trials, adventures, and lived until his old age feeling as though he'd really accomplished in his life. He was ready to move on and pass away.

He was quite looking forward to the peacefulness of it. Life wasn't terribly exciting after a thousand years and a dirt nap sounded quite peaceful to him.

He wasn't suicidal, he was just satisfied with his life and ready to rejoin nature as all dragons would one day.

It was really obnoxious that his very simple plan for a respectable death was disrupted.

Eruhaben, like many dragons, viewed returning to nature as not just the ideal death for any dragon but the only good way for a dragon to die.

Having to sacrifice his death for the greater good was certainly a blow.

But Eruhanben wasn't the sort of person to place aesthetics above the survival of all living beings.

When it became clear that he would not be able to handle the situation on his own, Eruhaben chose craftiness over brute strength. It was another blow to his damaged pride but it had to be done.

The bastards had waited until he was at death's door, nearly all of his vitality and strength gone from his aging body, and then they'd struck.

Even still, with his mana he ought to have been able to hold his own and at least take one of the bastards out with him.

But then he just had to learn that this wasn't just some random assault by a foolhardy adventurer or devious villain.

No, they'd targeted him for a very specific reason.

"Sealed god?"

Eruhaben had no intention of explaining the dire situation to a group of humans, especially after his experience being murdered but the young dragon was a different case.

He nodded, frowning deeply as he continued.

"They're borrowing powers from that side." He said with contempt. "And they intend on releasing the sealed god."

Uncomprehending blue eyes tilted to one side as Raon tried to grasp the severity of the situation.

"So we have to beat up those guys and that sealed god, right? To seal the tear and stop the demonic race from invading?" He surmised cheerfully.

Eruhaben cringed at the explanation. It wasn't wrong but that didn't mean he liked the situation that he'd sacrificed his very life to explain being treated so flippantly.

Proper credit where it was due, the humans at least seemed to understand the severity of what he was explaining. The swordmaster looked grim upon hearing the news and the scrawny but gutsy human who'd approached him... well, it was hard to tell how serious he was taking it. He wore a stoic pensive expression and listened carefully to his every word but every so once in a while he could swear that he saw the man's lips twitch upwards, as though he had something to smile about.

He was a gutsy and shady human, that was for sure. Eruhaben had also noticed how everyone looked to him for cues. The swordsman looked at him before sitting, as though confirming it would be advisable to do so. The dragon looked to him for approval before and after most of his statements. The beast children watched his reactions after every revelation, as though using his reaction to judge how severe the situation truly was.

"But how come you're still here then, goldy gramps? If you died out there, how are you alive right now?"

This child was incorrigible. Eruhaben sighed. "The situation is far too dire. I needed a way to convey the situation to other dragons. I used the remainder of my mana to create a copy of myself within my lair."