Blacksmith of the Apocalypse

Gazing into the tainted dragon core, Tatzel could feel his instinct drawing him to it. It was no conscious knowledge that had him ask Seth for the core, but an instinct that came from his very blood and potential.

The Imugi knew that he needed the core, but not what he was supposed to do with it. he was sure this was the way to break past the level cap he hist after helping to kill Diromold. Winding his body around the dark yellow core the size of a boulder, he mused how it would enable him to break down the wall in his way.

Spending a whole night, staring at the core and exploring its power with magic had left the small quasi-dragon tired. For some reason, the core felt really warm and comfortable. Suddenly, Tatzel had a hard time keeping his eyes open as the realm of dreams called for him.

Mom said he would call him when the party started, there was nothing wrong with a small nap until then, right? There was no need to resist a good sleep, not when it felt sooo comfy... His eyes finally fell shut and Tatzel found himself soaring in the skies.

He could feel the mighty wind blow under his wings, as he traversed the skies as if he owned them. The refreshing cool when he charged through mountains of clouds and the warm touch of the sun when he rose above them.

The landscape of clouds kissed by the god of sunlight was as breathtaking as ever. Flying several loops, just for the fun of it, he dove back below the clouds where he gazed at the world that belonged just to him. Laid out like a game board he knew every nook and cranny of it.

Fresh Spring belonged to him, he was its uncontested ruler. This was how it had been for millennia... ages started flashing through his memory. He defended against dragons, demons, and other monsters. At some point, a Koor Worm claimed the seas from him, but he didn't mind.

At this point he felt old and it was good to share the load of protecting the world. At this point, Tatzel felt like reminiscing the past, looking back at a good live until, yeah, until humans appeared in his world. The little apes were not problem at first. <they seemed to blend in, but soon they started multiplying like vermin and disrupted everything....

Still, it was also part of nature, was what he thought at the time. A deep rage began boiling from deep in his stomach, he could feel it like magma, making its way to the surface. He should have killed these backstabbing maggots when he still had the power to do so.

He should have nipped the problem at the bu. undeserving, disgusting creatures. Hatred clouded his mind as pain filled his body. He was no longer soaring in the sky, feeling the freedom of the wind, but he was tied to the ground, his body weak and before him, they stood.

The traitorous humans. he had protected this world and them in extension, yet they betrayed him the moment he showed weakness. but they would not gain anything from this. never. He would only leave them a curse and a curse that would ruin their whole bloodline.

Tatzel had already realized that this wasn't him, but that he was seeing the memories of the original Kalzemir from an ego perspective. But now, he finally left the ego perspective. Before him towered the massive ancient dragon Kalzemir, a being so old... it was literally a dragon that managed to experience the weakness of his own old age.

"I'm actually a female, young one." the dragon spoke with a soft and calm voice. It stood in such stark contrast to the hatred and anger he just shared with Kalzemir, that he couldn't process what she said for a moment.

"Sex makes no big difference to true dragons," she spoke as if she read his thoughts as she lay down before him. The Imugi had no idea what was going on, was this part of finding the solution to grow stronger?

"Ara? You don't even know what you are doing here, right now? " Kalzemir chuckled amused. "A true talent indeed, despite not being an actual dragon. You are currently trying to absorb my core. We are supposed to have an epic battle of wills right now, as you are trying to wrestle away what is left of my being," she explained freely.

"I'm supposed to fight you?" Tatzel looked up at the giant dragon several hundred times his size. he was just a small guy. Even with all his magic, how was a wee lad like him supposed to slay this huge lady dragon? Kalzemir grinned, exposing the rows of massive teeth.

"Right, I could wrestle away the control of your body in a wink, " she said sinisterly. "But that is something for the petty and lower ranks. I lived my life, even if I died with regrets. I also have to thank you and your people that you stopped that monkey from randomly desecrating my corpse and abusing it as a battle puppet. What a hateful little wench..." she spoke, reminiscing her time as a bone dragon.

"S-So what now?" Tatzel asked carefully. Kalzemir lowered her head, bringing her eyes to the height of Tatzel. The Imugi could see his reflection in the giant eyes as if they were a mirror.

"What else? I actually took a liking to you. I never had a hatchling of my own, so I'm giving you my power freely if you accept me as your mom," the ancient dragon suggested friendly, her big, golden focusing on the small dragon snake.

"I already have a mom;" Tatzel blurted without thinking. "Two in fact! One is a powerful blacksmith and the other a goddess!" he suddenly bragged about his heritage. " I can't have a third mom. that would be weird."

The golden eyes widened in surprise and curiosity when the little quasi-dragon blurted some incoherent arguments to refuse her offer. the gears in her mind turned, trying to deal with the logic of a weird child.

"heh, then I will be your dad. It's not weird to have a dad, right?" the female dragon suddenly applied for the vacant role in the family. Tatzel looked at her bamboozled. He had never thought about who his dad was and now, suddenly, she appeared before him in a dream.

"Okay, Dad." the Imugi accepted the adoption without a second thought. It was always good to have more family. He remembered that Mom once mentioned that there was nothing stronger than family. So having more family just meant being even stronger! That was only logical.

<Ding! Title: "Child of Kalzemir" gained. "You have accepted Kalzemir, the ancient Dragon, as your Father(?????)" You have gained the Trait: Dragon Essence.>

" Good, now you can start absorbing the core and slowly incorporating my power into your body, however..." the ancient dragon hesitated a little, as she observed Tatzel closer after she became his father.

"Your body won't be able to handle all of it at once, in the state it currently his.´," She revealed her worries to him.
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"What do you mean? I'm really strong, you know?" Tatzel argued. Although he wasn't as strong as Python, or Puffles, or Al'zalsar, or Ceres, or the riding golems, or Evee... Although he wasn't the strongest in Minas Mar he was still pretty powerful!

"I know that you have great strength, but you are still no dragon. Your current body will not be able to carry the weight of this legacy. We will need to strengthen your body with the physical essence of a dragon before you can inherit my true essence. Oh, I know. Are my remains still in the vicinity?"

"Yes?" Tatzel answered a little unsure where this question was going.

"Great! You should wake up and consume them before you come back here." Kalzemir suggested happily. Tatzel stared at her, crestfallen. His father wanted him to eat his father's bones. But those bones belonged to Mom! Mom wanted to make great things out of the bones. Tatzel couldn't just eat those. They were also cursed and looked disgusting.

"Medicine isn't supposed to taste good. I will help you with the curse. As for your mom, didn't she allow you to take my core? I'm sure she won't mind if you take a few to make sure you stay healthy, right?" the female dragon after blatantly reading his mind.

"Mom is a man."

"..."

"Just wake up and eat my bones, you brat!" the ancient dragon bellowed and kicked him out of the dream. Tatzel woke up in the valley, coiled around the core. Thoughtfully, he looked at the hill of bones, left of the skeleton dragon.

They were darkened by the curse, exuding an evil aura. It didn't look tasty or healthy at all, but... Would mom really not mind if he ate some?