Ashen Dragon

The final catastrophe has yet to arrive; the current Erezer remains in the Third Era, and the barriers between the Material Plane and the Outer Planes are still indestructible.

Divine beings cannot descend to the mortal realm and can only project their image or send followers to carry their will.

Yet, Tiamat claims that She will descend in Her true form to the Material Plane, ruling over the Fianso Continent and even establishing Her own terrestrial god kingdom.

This seems very suspicious.

The emergence of the Ashen Empire has changed so much.

The fame of the Emperor of the Crimson Dragon reverberates across the land. Due to this influence, as the God of the evil dragons, Tiamat has probably gained quite a bit of extra divine power.

Upon hearing Cassius's question, Dracalis pondered for a moment, then tentatively said, "Your Majesty Cassius, are you looking to know... the descent of that entity?"

"Of course," Cassius smiled and replied, "After all, you've seen that my relationship with this so-called 'Mother Goddess' is not harmonious, so it's necessary to make some preparations in advance."

"I'm just curious as to how, as a divine being, She could descend in Her true form onto this world?"

Dracalis responded, "You should know that She is also known as the 'Thousand-Change Queen,' possessing almost infinitely many faces, mysterious and unpredictable."

"But many of these faces were not created by Her personally, but She personally occupied the bodies of the Chromatic Dragons' offspring, using the power of the God of the evil dragons to transform them into Her own avatars."

Upon hearing this, despite having some guesses, Cassius was still shocked.

Being a follower of Tiamat not only costs money but also one's life!

Fortunately, he always remained cautious and did not become the so-called "Dragon Prince," otherwise, his fate would undoubtedly have been dire.

However, he still had some doubts, so he directly asked, "Dracalis, you are just a mature Red Dragon, how do you know such secrets?"

"True gods cannot descend in their true form to the Material Plane, but the Dragon Queen dispersed Her divine essence into the strongest three giant dragons in the Seleucid region—the Faria family's ancient Blue Dragon, the ancient Green Dragon of the Emerald Forest, and a noble-blooded ancient Red Dragon."

"They received a part of the Dragon Queen's body that bore divine power, specifically the horns, eyes, and heart, and thus are also referred to as the 'Divine Body.'

Dracalis stated gravely, "And my father, 'Deep Red Embers' Kazuul, was one of the chosen divine favored of the Dragon Queen, also the most powerful among the giant dragons."

"He longed to become a god for a long time and disguised himself as a human, becoming a war hero in the eyes of the Seleucid people, and meticulously established a cult that revered him within the country."

"But I can see that my father is no longer his former self; after obtaining that piece of the divine body, his mind has been twisted by divine power, becoming a zealot determined to bring the Dragon Queen into the world at all costs."

Cassius narrowed his eyes and asked, "Is this why you refuse to accept the divine favor?"

"Yes, I crave strength, but I don't want to unknowingly become an avatar of some deity," Dracalis replied coldly.

But then, her tone shifted, "Your Majesty Cassius, I have told you everything I know, now... do you have any plans to unite with me and have offspring?"

Cassius was inwardly resigned, his mouth twitching, "I'm not yet at the point where I desperately need offspring, go ahead, I will consider what you have told me."

Dracalis nodded, licking her lips, then displaying a polite smile, "Very well, Your Majesty, I await your gracious presence at any time."

She gave the Red Dragon a deep look before finally turning to leave, and that undisguised look of desire sent chills down Cassius's spine.

...

"What a lunatic."

Watching the back of the female Red Dragon, Cassius shook his head, expressing genuine sentiment.

Even among Red Dragons, Dracalis could be considered insane.

Although her lineage is noble and her strength not weak, Cassius would never consider her as a mate, much less make her the future empress of the empire.

Dracalis's ambition is boundless, her unpredictability too high; if she were to ascend to a high position, it could destabilize the empire's order, something Cassius could not tolerate.

However, the information Dracalis provided was crucial.

"The Body of Tiamat..."

Cassius's expression was rather severe; he truly did not expect the God of the evil dragons to go to such lengths.

To descend onto the Material Plane, Tiamat had actually split a part of Her divine essence and bestowed it to three powerful Ancient Evil Dragons.

Of the three ancient dragons, aside from Kazuul, Cassius had heard of the Blue Dragon from the Faria family—after all, Christina once visited the empire as the representative of the Faria family.

"There's an opportunity to have a discussion with that Blue Dragon..."

"To prevent Tiamat's descent, it's time to start planning the offensive against the Kingdom of Seleucis."

Soon, under Cassius's decree, Ramp, Dolores, and Mezulash, the three most prominent dukes, all entered the imperial palace, kneeling respectfully at the steps before the throne.

"Rise."

Cassius looked at the Tiefling and asked calmly, "What is the current situation in the Kingdom of Seleucis?"

Mezulash rose and took a step forward, his voice stable and strong.

"Your Majesty, according to our intelligence, a bloody purge has occurred within the Kingdom of Seleucis, with many former nobles being slaughtered, and even some Divine Descendant Nobles being assassinated."

"Now, the Dragon Worship Cult controls most areas of the Kingdom of Seleucis, with numerous Chromatic Dragons appearing within its territory, and even the King has become a fervent follower of Tiamat."