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But this is not enough.
In the breath that blended the four elements, Casalos quietly added another power—blazing flames.
This was also obtained from the Bejuri Gem Dragon, but it was reborn in the Dragon Treasury and grew into a completely new power path independent of the Dragon's Origin Power and the Dragon God's Divine Endowment Power. In the battle of Elena's re-creation, it was stacked to the terrifying level that it could kill an ancient red dragon in three bites. How could an ordinary demon resist it?
Accompanied by the howling of the elements remaining in the prime material world, a huge fan-shaped mixed breath erupted from Casalos's mouth.
What a magnificent sight it was!
Crimson flames flowed like lava, yet carried an icy blue chill; heavy earth elemental energy transformed into countless sharp stone blades, howling past in the howling wind. The four colors intertwined and swirled, forming a wall of destruction over two hundred meters wide that swept across the ground.
This is merely the surface. What is truly terrifying is the blazing flame hidden within—those primordial flames, dimmed beneath the brilliant flow of elements, waiting to devour everything that touches them.
The first to be hit by the breath were the lower-level flying demons, who were completely annihilated before they could even scream.
The chaotic elements destroyed their defenses, and the power of the flames scorched their very essence, plundering something deeper and more fundamental, causing these originally immortal demons, who could be reborn in the abyss, to perish completely.
Even more terrifying is that demons killed by the blazing flames will explode into secondary flames like fireworks. These smaller sparks are harder to detect and easier to ignore, yet they carry the same destructive properties, spreading like a plague among the demon horde. Each contact accumulates, and when they reach their limit, they trigger a new explosion.
"No! This is impossible!" A Balor Balrog commander watched in horror as its subordinates turned to ashes one after another. As a high demon, it could feel that kind of utter death—true, eternal annihilation, no different from being killed by that lost dragon shrouded in the power of the Styx.
It attempted to form a barrier of hellfire to block the breath attack, but against the chaotic power of the four elements, a single fire defense was futile. The mixed breath easily tore through the wall of fire, engulfing the already legendary fire demon within it.
"Aaaaaah!"
A piercing scream echoed through the air. The Balrog's body began to disintegrate, first its limbs, then its torso, and finally even its burning head turned to ash. The secondary flames erupting from its corpse ignited more than a dozen demons around it.
A chain reaction has begun.
Explosions erupted one after another among the demons, like blooming flowers of death. The demons, who had been so arrogant, finally realized the fear and began to scatter and flee, but it was too late.
Casalos controlled its breath, slowly sweeping across the entire battlefield. It deliberately slowed its gliding speed, not to show off, but simply to ensure that its breath could cover the maximum area. A fan-shaped coverage of two hundred meters meant that each sweep could clear a large area.
Of course, it also carefully avoided the area where Cyrek was. The lost dragon was feasting on the other side of the battlefield, its aura of death growing stronger. Casalos didn't want to provoke that madman at this time—getting bogged down in a stalemate would be very disadvantageous for its stamina dragon, whose magic was limited. Before reinforcements and the main force arrived, eliminating as many demons as possible was its priority.
His breath finally reached its limit. Casalos gasped for air as he climbed higher along the other side of the barrier, the depletion of his dragon magic leaving him feeling weak. But the result was glorious—a massive trench had been carved into the western side of the entire Hellgate Fortress, and thousands of demons had perished in this wave of attacks.
Behind it, the enraged demons were regrouping, but in the wise eyes of these chaotic fools, there was now a hint of fear that only material beings possess.
Even demons that feed on fear will feel fear when faced with real death.
Casalos needs some time to reignite its severely depleted dragon magic. Although the blessing of the four elemental lords temporarily grants it power surpassing that of the ancient dragons, its essence remains that of a teenage iron dragon, with very limited dragon magic and physical strength.
Just then, intense magical fluctuations emanated from outside the barrier.
Casalos looked back and saw Razor hovering in mid-air, its exaggerated spiky horns unleashing arcane beams of light towards the barrier. Beside it, the Thinker and the Chanter stood on either side, one suppressing a demon that dared to retaliate by venturing beyond the barrier with lightning breath, and the other disrupting the demon's flight with beautiful harp music.
"Finally here." Casalos smiled with satisfaction.
Immediately afterwards, more familiar magical fluctuations appeared. The brilliance of silver flames, the pulse of natural forces, and the radiance of various high-level spells—the elite warriors of Faerûn had finally arrived on the battlefield.
Through the translucent blasphemous barrier, Casalos could see Ilminster stroking his spark-scorched white beard, solemnly flipping through a spellbook whose contents were unknown, while analyzing the barrier's structure; Elasdra elegantly waved his staff, his long silver hair dancing in the magic; Kelburn and Lyra worked in perfect harmony, one attacking and the other supporting, backing up Shaving Tooth.
Behind them, the army of Deepwater Territory had already charged onto the chaotic demon army outside the barrier. The steel golems roared, dragons circled in the air, and astral constructs streaked through the air like silver meteors.
"Looks like the show's about to end," Casalos muttered to himself, as he began preparing for his second dive. Although reinforcements had arrived, it had to continue this "solo dragon show" until the barrier was broken.
The demons were clearly aware of the danger. Under the command of several high-ranking demons, they began to construct a defensive formation. The Balrogs, wielding decapitation swords, stood at the forefront, while the six-armed serpent demons prepared spells behind them, and a large number of Florids formed an interception net in the air.
"Interesting, they even know how to organize a defense." Casalos sneered, "However..."
It took a deep breath, and its dragon magic surged once more. Although it hadn't fully recovered, it was enough for another round of firing.
"It would be great to get together."
The second dive began. This time, Casalos chose a different angle—cutting in from the northeast, slicing through the defenses the demons had just erected.
Faced with the charging elemental dragon, the demons began their counterattack. Hellfireballs, abyssal spells, various curses, and rays of negative energy rained down like a storm.
But these attacks were easily neutralized when they touched the elemental armor, which was infused with fragmentation. It was as if flames were absorbed by the fire armor, ice was neutralized by the ice armor, physical attacks were blocked by the earth armor, and spells that attempted to affect the mind were crushed by the lightning within the wind armor. Mei, are you free? Lin, are you free?
Casalos shook his head dismissively, and his chaotic breath gathered again in his throat.
23. Bystander
"The structure of this broken barrier is absolutely disgusting!" Shaving Tooth's voice echoed in the dragon language, carrying his usual sarcasm and disdain.
Beneath the somber sky, the blasphemous barrier of Hellgate Fortress resembled a solidified chaos, exuding a suffocating stench of decay and dread. Dark purple energy surged across its surface, like tentacles of the abyss stretching wildly through the material world, seemingly capable of directly corroding the soul. From each crack emanated the whispers of the bottomless abyss, hoarse and twisted, like the roars of countless vengeful spirits, or the mockery of an abyss lord. This power was not only terrifyingly strong, but also possessed a corrupting quality that instinctively drove people away, as if anyone with a weaker will would be dragged into endless madness and despair simply by approaching.
The fanged dragon mage's thorns, covered in arcane light, trembled slightly. Its sharp dragon claws drew complex runes in the air, attempting to decipher the chaotic magical structure. "A magical framework based on the chaotic power of the abyss is simply a tangled mess! Using the arcane magic of order to dismantle it is just asking for trouble... What on earth is this?"
Shaving Tooth's complaints were not without merit. The essence of the Desecration Barrier was to forcibly weave the chaotic power of the abyss into a protective barrier, a counterintuitive construction that would be torture for any orthodox spellcaster. Every time the arcane probe touched the barrier's surface, it returned a filthy feeling that made the dragon soul tremble—like stirring a rotten swamp with clean hands, the nausea rising from the depths of the soul almost made Shaving Tooth vomit on the spot.
Every wisp of energy within the barrier seemed to mock the analyzer's efforts; the magical nodes within constantly reorganized and twisted like living things, refusing any touch of order. The colossal portal leading directly to the abyss continuously injected chaotic power into the barrier, the abyssal aura spreading like poisonous fog, corroding the surrounding magical network, and even giving the air a pungent sulfurous smell.
Breaking this barrier requires not only superb arcane skills, but also constant resistance to the blasphemous power that tries to penetrate the soul. If one is not careful, the caster's mind will be dragged into the chaotic vortex of the abyss.
Fortunately, Shaving Teeth was not fighting alone; the chosen ones of the goddess of magic also joined the effort to break the spell.
Elminster, Mistra's most trusted elector and "lover," was the first to "fly" forward. His white beard trembled slightly in the gale, and his aged yet still nimble fingers turned a page of yellowed parchment from his spellbook, densely covered with ancient arcane runes. He chanted softly, his voice echoing like a bell within the magical network. The pages of his spellbook turned on their own, and beams of silver light spilled from them, transforming into the power of order that clashed head-on with the chaotic energy of the barrier.
"found it."
A glint of light flashed in the old sage's eyes. The magical mastery bestowed upon him by Mystra allowed him to manipulate the warp and weft of the magic net with a single, free movement, without the need for cumbersome rituals, revealing any magical effect he knew. He raised his hand, and a pure silver flame burst forth from his fingertips, striking a core node that had abruptly appeared amidst the chaos of the blasphemous barrier.
The node trembled violently under the impact of the silver fire, emitting a piercing shriek, as if the abyss itself was roaring in anger. Beads of sweat appeared on Elminster's forehead, and the exhaustion from casting the spell made him slightly panting, but he immediately took out an inconspicuous ring from his waist. The gem set in the ring flashed with a faint light, and the exhaustion instantly dissipated.
Lyra Silverhand stood beside him, her silver eyes shining like stars. She didn't directly participate in breaking the spell, but rather acted as Elminster's "eyes." Her affinity for magical objects allowed her to sense the hidden magical pathways within the barrier with just a touch.
Her finger traced across a floating runestone, a glint of light flashing in her eyes: "Here, the third node, will disappear in two seconds at most—it's absorbing the chaotic energy of the abyss, attempting to repair itself."
Her voice was calm and precise. With a gentle tap of her staff, she released a "analysis spell"—a special ability bestowed upon her by Mystra, allowing her to perceive the essence of magical objects with mere touch. In her perception, the blasphemous barrier was no longer a chaotic mass, but a three-dimensional structure woven from countless twisted runes. Each rune represented a concept from the abyss: corruption, depravity, despair, madness...
Kelburn the Black Staff cast spells on the other side, his hands wreathed in deep blue arcane light, constantly weakening the barrier's localized strength. Whenever the barrier attempted to retaliate, unleashing blackish-purple energy tentacles, Kelburn would sever them with a precise chain lightning bolt. His movements were steady and efficient; although the special abilities Mystra had bestowed upon him were of little use in this situation, as the Black Staff Archmage of Waterdeep, his arcane prowess was sufficient to handle any unexpected situation.
Storm Silverhand and Elasdra were tasked with fending off the demons bursting forth from the breach in the barrier. These demons, empowered by blasphemous forces from the abyss, their eyes flashing with chaotic red light, roared as they lunged at those trying to break the barrier in mid-air. Storm wielded his silver longsword, each strike imbued with the heat of silver fire, slicing the demons to pieces. Elasdra's response was far more elegant. As the High Lady of Silvermoon City, she elevated spellcasting to an art form. With a mere wave of her hand, dozens of silver mirror shields materialized in the air. The abyssal tentacles struck the shields, unable to break through, and were instead burned by the divine power reflected from the mirrors, emitting piercing screams.
Time ticked by, and under the combined attack of everyone, the blasphemous barrier finally showed signs of weakening. The once deep, abyss-like black light curtain dimmed slightly. The power of the abyss attempted to repair the damage, but under the dual suppression of silver fire and arcane magic, the repair speed was far slower than the destruction speed.
However, the atmosphere among those involved in solving the problem became subtle and complex as the pressure suddenly decreased.
Elminster, Kelburn, and Lyra Silverhand, the three archmages closely connected to Waterdeep, had the energy to watch the iron dragon with its shimmering silver scales unleash its power within the barrier, their hearts filled with a complex mix of emotions that were difficult to describe.
"This guy is much stronger than when he fought the Northern Dragon last time."
Elminster stroked his white beard, which was scorched by sparks, and said in a complicated tone. At first glance, it seemed to be somewhat relieved, but it could not hide the worry under the mage's hat: "Back then, it still needed to rely on strategy and guerrilla tactics to deal with the Northern Dragons, but now it can crush the demon army head-on."
Kelburn nodded slightly, a cryptic glint in his deep eyes: "Indeed, its growth rate is rare even among dragons. Especially its understanding and application of power, it may have surpassed most ancient dragons."
His voice was calm, but it was hard to say what he was thinking.
As the guardian of Waterdeep, he witnessed firsthand how Casaloz, through methods such as wooing secret lords and taking advantage of the situation, brought Waterdeep and Baldur's Gate under his rule.
The iron dragon's ambition and capabilities filled him with both admiration and unease.
Lyra chuckled, trying to ease the tension: "Hmph, that's because you gave it too many opportunities." Her fingers lightly traced her staff, her tone laced with sarcasm. "Don't forget about Waterdeep. If we had truly opposed it with all our might back then, how would it have had a chance to gain a foothold?"
“That was a wise choice.” Kelburn grasped his wife’s hand, his voice becoming deep and firm. “It has proven that it is better to befriend than to make enemies. No one can deny that Casaloz’s Deepwater Territory is now one of the most prosperous city-states in Faerûn.”
Beneath his seemingly relaxed conversation lay a deep and irreconcilable conflict.
As chosen ones of the goddess of magic, Ilminster, Kelburn, and Lyra share a common principle with Casalos—to maintain the stability of the magic network and resist the corruption of the abyss and evil. Casalos has even lent a helping hand on several occasions, and in a sense, saved their lives.
It also shared some of the Nether Scrolls unearthed from the ruins of Netheril, whose long-lost arcane knowledge has revitalized their stagnant magical path.
However, Casalos is, after all, a dragon, an iron dragon whose creed is order!
Its rule was harsh, centralized, and emphasized obedience and order, which clashed with the free-spirited harp masters.
Elminster's feelings were particularly complex. As a chosen one of Mystra, he knew that Casalos was irreplaceable as the new goddess of magic, but as a human whose thinking had become rigid after living for thousands of years, he simply could not fully accept the rule of a dragon over a human city-state.
The rapid prosperity of Waterdeep and Baldur's Gate after the cataclysm was astonishing, but behind that prosperity lay an order established by Casalos through "dishonorable" means. The betrayal of the secret lords, their massacres, and the compromises of nobles under duress all unsettled this millennium-old sage. He had attempted to communicate with Casalos, hoping it would listen more to the will of humanity, but the iron dragon's stubborn adherence to its own order and its relentless chatter always led to a stalemate in the dialogue.
Kelburn, on the other hand, leaned more towards pragmatism. He acknowledged that Casalos's rule brought unprecedented stability and development, but also worried whether this stability would come at the expense of something more valuable.
The citizens of Waterdeep now live under the protection of the Iron Dragons and enjoy the benefits of magical industrialization, but Kelburn always feels that the city is losing a certain spirit that belongs to the people of the North—that soul that pursues freedom and adventure.
Lyra's conflict was more direct. Her feelings towards Casalos were complex and subtle. On one hand, she was grateful to the Iron Dragons for protecting Waterdeep during the turbulent years and for their subsequent reconstruction, a period when she was at her most vulnerable. On the other hand, she could not accept or agree with Casalos's ideology—she was not a fool; regardless of the current outcome, Casalos's starting point was that he viewed every person and every item in Waterdeep as the property of his private dragons.
As a harpist, she championed freedom and equality. In her eyes, Casalos's mode of rule was entirely based on possessive dictatorship, and the motivation for establishing order stemmed from the expansion of his own wealth. If she had read some books and had a certain understanding, she might have pointed out that Casalos was simply a carefully packaged form of capital.
Of course, if she could understand more deeply, she would discover that the root of Casalos's "capital" lies in the fact that the existing production relations in Faerûn were no longer able to accommodate the social productive forces; it was merely that a higher level of coercion was forcibly restraining the backward production relations. Casalos was simply attempting to break free from this constraint.
At least for now, Lyra is just a magician, not a sociologist.
She had tried to probe Casalos's true intentions using the affinity of magical artifacts, but the iron dragon's heart was as hard as steel, impossible to fathom. The fear of the unknown gripped the ancient witch's mind.
At the same time, Elasdra's reaction was quite different.
Casalos's displayed power didn't particularly impress her; it wasn't her focus—Alasdra was more than just an archmage. As the High Lady of Silvermoon City, she was also an accomplished politician and social scientist. In fact, due to her immersion in the affairs of Silvermoon City and the Silvermoon Federation, Alasdra's arcane power had declined considerably, making her quite unique among the chosen ones of the goddess of magic.
That's why she performed so poorly when Samass attacked Silvermoon City—in a sense, Samass could be considered her apprentice, although the two later became lovers... Well, the messy relationships between the Goddess of Magic and her chosen ones are a Mystra specialty, and mortals dare not discuss them too much.
24. Love, hate, entanglements, grudges, and feuds
Elasro watched as Casaloz swept past the demon army within the barrier, his elegant movements pausing for a moment as he revealed a thoughtful expression.
She took a small booklet with a red cover from her dimensional bag and gently touched the cover. These booklets were unpublished publications from Waterdeep, said to contain Iron Dragon's philosophical reflections on order and the coexistence of multiple races.
As an idealist, Elasdra has always dreamed of restoring the glory of Mysdrano, the City of Song, and envisioning the re-creation of the legendary city of Silvermoon, where multiple races coexist harmoniously, in the Northlands—a vision upon which Silvermoon City and the Silvermoon Federation were founded. In untold history, Elasdra has struggled for this ideal for centuries, yet with little success, and the Elasdra priesthood has begun to doubt itself.
However, Casalos's experiences in Deepwater Horizon and Baldur's Gate seem to prove that her ideals were not mere fantasies. (The remaining text appears to be gibberish and unrelated to the preceding sentences.)
Deepwater is now home to humans, elves, dwarves, drow, grey dwarves, and even dragons and some evil wild creatures. As long as they abide by the order of Casalos, they can live openly and legally under the Iron Dragons' rule. At the same time, rapid development in politics, military, economy, education, and other areas has allowed this once glorious city, which was almost destroyed during the turbulent years, to regain its status as the crown of the North in just a few years.
Elasdra began to believe that Casaloz's concept of order—using rules to restrain conflict between different races—might be more suitable for this diverse and chaotic world than the concept of freedom. She even began to consider whether this concept could be introduced to the Silvermoon Federation, although she was well aware of the controversy and even conflict it would cause.
But... the High Lady of Silvermoon City is no soft-hearted woman.
On the other side, the old treant Tulang and the golden dragon druid Eros Krujipala also had different reactions to the power displayed by Casalos.
Tulang's wooden body creaked incessantly, as if talking to itself or someone else, its tone filled with deep worry: "A remarkable young dragon. Its power must have touched the very essence of the world. How old is it now? A teenager, a young adult... Ah, I can hardly remember the age classification of Qinglong."
As a voter of Sylvanas, Tulang was actually deeply concerned about Casaloz's magical industrialization reforms. The reforms in Deepwater Territory had already begun to spread to the Silvermoon Federation, and Iron Dragon had also befriended another guardian of the High Forest, the Golden Dragon Vera Marandes, making it a foregone conclusion that they would spread to the High Forest as well.
Will the natural environment of the High Forest be damaged as a result? Will the traditions of the Druids be impacted? These questions left Tulang feeling powerless. Because neither the power Casalos was currently displaying, nor the diplomatic influence it had previously demonstrated, were something the closed-off Druids could easily contend with.
The old treant had originally placed its hopes on the Lord of the Mist and the future Archdruid of the North, the golden dragon Eros Krujipala, but now it seemed neither could help it. The Lord of the Mist, needless to say, had retreated at this crucial moment. Not only would the narrow-minded dragons, the fiercely loyal chosen ones of the Goddess of Magic, and the stubborn dwarves not hold him accountable, but even the good-natured Tulang treant would not let him off easily in the aftermath. And the golden dragon druid…
"Spectacular! This is the true wrath of a dragon! If those red dragons who only know how to fight recklessly were to see this, they would probably be so ashamed that they would burrow into the lava."
As voters of Melikie, the Golden Dragon Druids were far less concerned about the industrialization of magic than Tulang. In fact, the Melikie druids in the High Forest were already enjoying the marginal benefits of the railroad.
But besides being a druid, Errock also has the identity of a golden dragon, and it has another unknown concern about Casalos's power.
Casalos has now been recognized by the Athelonians as the new Supreme Dragon, and the power he has displayed has already surpassed that of Lares, the nominal sovereign of the Faerûn metal dragons.
Does this signify a dramatic shift in the dragon hierarchy of Faerûn? Is Lares prepared to cope with future changes? And is the old dragon king, Parotanser, part of this power structure?
These questions churned in the golden dragon's mind, but it ultimately chose to remain silent. As a lone golden dragon who had already detached itself from the metal dragon society, Erosk preferred to observe rather than intervene. Although it still respected Lares, what it pursued was the way of nature and balance. Participating in the struggles of these mortal forces would only interfere with its progress in cultivating natural powers, so it was best to leave it alone.
Helm the Dwarf stared wide-eyed, his rough hands gripping his warhammer tightly, and exclaimed, "Gombur's beard! Is this really just a juvenile dragon? This is far more powerful than any adult red dragon I've ever killed..."
As a pillar of Sandaba, he may have been filled with awe for Casaloz's power, but the dwarf's boastful nature would never change.
"You've killed an adult red dragon? I've never heard of that." Forel Blackhammer, lord of the Three Piglands under Deepwater Territory, couldn't stand the dwarf's tone: "You dwarves, whose knowledge is as limited as your stature, wouldn't dare charge a demon army alone, even an ancient red dragon!"
Of all the reactions, Storm Silverhand's was the most intense. She stared intently at Casalos, who was sweeping through the barrier, her eyes burning with resentment and jealousy. The hilt of her sword creaked as she gripped it, her knuckles turning white from the force.
“Why…” she muttered through gritted teeth, “Why does an evil dragon possess such power?” Her voice was low but filled with anger, unable to accept Casaloz’s rise—in her eyes, the iron dragon’s rule of order was an absolute desecration of freedom.
“Enough, Shiny,” Elasdra’s stern voice interrupted her. “Focus on your task. And who told you Casalos was evil?”
The High Lady's tone was reproachful, but even more so, it was filled with concern for her sister. She was well aware of the storm's obsession—because she was the same—but at this moment, she hoped her sister could see Casalos's achievements rather than simply be hostile.
"What I have with it is none of your business!"
Elasdra was not Shinb after all; the storm paid her no heed. She roared, channeling her pent-up rage into even fiercer silver flames that slammed into the barrier. The harp master's heart churned like a storm, torn between jealousy of Casalos's power and a wavering of her own convictions. She could see the prosperity of the Deepwaters as a fleeting illusion, but she could not accept that her goddess had become Casalos's apprentice.
"Almost there! Just three more nodes to destroy, and I'll be able to open a breach!" Razor's roar drew everyone's attention back to the battlefield. Under the combined attack, the blasphemous barrier finally showed signs of localized weakness. Cracks spread like a spider web over a hundred meters away, and dark purple negative energy began to leak out, seeping into the air and rain, emitting a piercing wail.
"Now!" the Fang Dragon Archmage roared, all the thorns on his body standing on end, his dragon magic surging like a tsunami. His long-prepared spell was finally complete. "Open it for me!"
"Wait!" Ilminster suddenly realized something, but it was too late.
The moment the hazy, gray magical rays struck the weak point in the barrier that the arcane masters had worked together to create, the exposed area of the blasphemous barrier contracted violently like a punctured balloon. The next instant, a terrifying explosion engulfed everything within a hundred meters. If it weren't for the fact that everyone was experienced in combat and reacted quickly, deploying effective defenses and covering each other, many would likely have perished on the spot.
As the smoke and dust cleared, a corner of the once impenetrable blasphemous barrier shattered, revealing a massive breach large enough for an army to pass through. Connecting heaven and earth, the path to the interior of Hellgate Fortress was now open.
"Success!" Shaving Tooth swished its tail triumphantly, completely unaware that it had almost killed its teammates—or perhaps it had, but the aftershocks were nothing to the dragon, and the safety of the two-legged sheep was none of its concern.
"Success my ass!" Storm Silverhand glared fiercely at the dragon, his silver hair still dripping with writhing abyssal power. "You want to blow us up?"
Ignoring the madwoman's accusations, he tilted his head back and transmitted a message with a dragon's roar: "The barrier has been broken!"