The Untold Story of Tiberias

Decisions

Nick finds Calada in the reading room near his cave library. The dragon seemed to be there to wait for Nick. The figure of the long black haired woman stood on her back to the entrance while carrying a thick leather-bound book.

“Mother, you're here,” said Nick half-stiffly. He ran all over the cave to find Calada.

The woman turned her head, smiling at Nick as she led him to sit in the middle of the room. “Come, Nick,” take Calada with you while sitting first on the soft maroon sofa.

Nick said he was sitting in front of his mother. A low table separated the two of them. “Mother, I've decided. I'm going back to the human world,” Nick's cerocos without being able to hold back.

Calada was still smiling, watching Nick closely. “I'm glad you finally made your own decision. That's good, Nick. I'm sure you can definitely do your best,” her mother commented softly. “But, before that, I want to give you a small gift. Think of it as a provision so that you can successfully tread your steps and become a wise human king in the future,” continued Calada turned serious.

Nick closed his eyes. According to his experience, Calada always turned serious whenever he wanted to test Nick do something. Either the first time he had to fight monsters at the age of seven, or the first time he learned to forge at the age of ten. The current atmosphere is exactly like that.

“Mommy wants to test me?” ask Nick to guess correctly.

“Life itself is a test every day. Think of this as one of those tests,” Calada said with a meaningful smile. “Meet me in the practice room tonight. Tell your friends not to worry and let them wait until you are really ready,” Calada concluded later.

Nick obeyed his mother's orders. After talking to Neil and Aerin, they both agree not to bother Nick during his training, whatever it may be. At nightfall, Nick finally goes to the practice room as per Calada's instructions. It was on the deepest side of the dragon dwelling cave, right next to the treasure room.

The room was empty and only walled and cold stone floor. Several lit torches surrounded the room as lighting. The torch used a magic fire that never extinguished and did not need to consume too much oxygen as its fuel.

“I've come, Mom,” greet Nick as soon as he gets to the room.

Calada was already waiting while carrying the same book as he had brought before in the reading room. However, this time Calada also carried a piece of perfectly round crystal stone of light blue as big as a coconut.

“You've arrived?” welcome Calada softly. “Stand in front of me. These are dragon pearls, a pair of my own jewels. This pearl once belonged to a dragon that was once my partner, Ladon. Unfortunately he died in a five-nation war that finally triggered the oath of the dragons not to interfere in the lives of other races,” he said began the story.

Nick had never heard of his mother's past before. Calada rarely talks about himself. But now he suddenly told me about his experience in a very long time ago. Nick also watched his mother's story.

“But after a long life of drudgery, I met you, Nick. A little human baby full of vitality energy. From the first moment I saw you, I knew that your destiny was never simple. And the reason I stay in this world is because I have to fulfill my destiny to help you,” Calada said at length.

Nick gasp. He never thought his mother would think that. For some reason Calada's words agitated him, as if he would never meet again with the dragon after deciding to become the ruler of Tiberias.

“Mother, don't tell me that mom will help me fight the humans. I know mom's bound to the dragon's oath. If you do, bad things will happen to you, and I don't want that to happen. You may never be able to go to the light dimension,” persuaded Nick to start looking anxious.

Calada smiled gently. “Is that what your friends say? They are good kids,” he said calmly.

“Don't worry, Nick. My actions won't be that extreme. I'll only help you by giving you a small gift. Right now, I'm carrying a dragon magic book. There is one mantra that only our nation can pronounce. A special spell to cast a dragon jewel, the result of the compression of magic energy for thousands of years, stored in our souls.

“Dragon jewels are priceless treasures that can only be taken when the dragon himself is willing to give them away. Like this pearl Ladon has given me, I also want to give you the same gem.

“Although so, to get it is not easy. You have to go through various tests formed by my protective magic automatically. That exam will dig into the darkest side of your life, and you should be able to pass it until it's considered worthy enough to get my gem.

“With that jewel, you will later gain my wisdom, as well as all the magic power I have compressed. You will be a wise and invincible king. Your descendants will be blessed by the power of dragons, and no one can shake your kingdom as long as you or your descendants can rule justly and wisely.” Calada explained his long enough request.

Once again Nick was stunned. It is not a simple gift. The dragon jewel is the greatest treasure in the world. A dragon could indeed make a jewel many times, if his previous possession was taken away. Yet still, the result of dragon cultivation was condensed within the gem. A dragon's life span can be thousands of years. Nick can't imagine how strong Calada's gem will be.

“How, Nick? Will you accept my gift?” tanya Calada broke Nick's daydream.

This is a truly amazing gift. Nick might not be able to repay Calada's kindness afterwards. Even so, he realized that the jewel would definitely help him to be a good king and rule the people fairly. Nick therefore decided to accept it.

While bowing respectfully, Nick receives a test from Calada. “Thank you for mom's trust in me,” he said later.