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On another side of the mountain in the Frostward Vale there was another cave, this one occupied by kobolds who seemed to just be sitting idly. They had been that way for decades, the kobolds merely occupying themselves as they waited for the time that their master would come back. Some had taken off, attempting to find other chromatic dragons that might take them in, while others became more proactive about their situation. The majority however just... sat there, eating whatever they could find nearby and waiting.

One of the kobolds that had been assigned the watch for their master, which had been a mostly futile gesture in an effort to try and keep up some small spark of hope, starting screeching and shouting loudly. It quickly got the attention of the others who perked their heads up and started moving towards the cave entrance. Could it be that their master had finally come home, they began to whisper to one another as they continued to migrate forward. Or had another finally taken notice of Xralix's absence and come to claim everything in the cave as their own, including potentially the kobolds themselves.

Their questions and speculations were quickly answered when a creature unlike anything they had ever seen landed in the snow a few feet away from the entrance, a humanoid that might have been an elf but was hard to tell as the snow sizzled away at his feet. The black scales had already started to cover the elf's face and the iris of his eyes glowed with an unearthly blue coloration. The rest of his body was in a similar state; the patches of black scales had almost completely grown over his chest and trailed down his abdomen as well as down his spine and his hands and feet were completely covered all the way up to his elbows and knees with his toe talons digging into the stone. It was a terrifying sight to behold as he smoothed back his increasingly black mane of hair, shifting it around his horns as all the kobolds in the cave let out a cheer.

"Master Xralix is back!" one of them proclaimed as the creature started to step forward, hindered by the growing mob surrounding him. "He's come back for us! He's here to begin his reign of terror once more!'

Xralix continued to move like this for a few feet before he waved his hands, a small arc of fire forming in the air as those that had gotten close to him quickly gave him his space. As he moved up to the lip of the cave he saw a slab of stone with all manner of runes carved into it, a font of power and place of protection for Xralix as another kobold broke from the pack and stepped near him. "We always knew that you were coming back for us," the kobold said, Ryonir tilting down his head and looking at him. "It's good that you did, we weren't sure how long your reputation was going to protect this place and our spies were starting to hear whispers that you had disappeared."

"Ah, my dear Chasin," Xralix said, his voice rumbling as the name came filtering up in his mind as his fanged maw grew into a smile. "It is so good to be back after being away for so long. If you don't mind I would like to change into something a bit more comfortable, shake the last of this elf off of me."

The others were practically hopping around him as Xralix stepped forward, the runes on the stone starting to glow with a blue light that he reached into. Almost immediately he fell forward as his hands exploded with growth, turning into huge dragon forepaws that made the rest of his body look comically tiny in comparison. His face turned up into a wicked grin as he wiggled the massive digits, his hands now almost as big as the rest of his body... but not for long. As he continued to slowly move himself to the center of the circle his feet followed suit, the partially transformed elf dwarfed by his own paws before the intense expansion started traveling up his arms and legs.

"I know that you're probably going to want to get out there as soon as you can to begin engulfing the settlements that dared defied your presence in your territory," Chasin stated as he tried to move around the greatly expanding form of his master while magical energy continued to flow into him. "But if I may recommend a target for you first... I know it's a bit of travel for you, but perhaps you should set your sights on Gildeon first."

"The city of the Dragon Knights," Xralix said, his voice growing deeper and lower with every breath as he grew beyond the size of a horse, his back arching as a thick, heavy tail stretched out and caused his still elven hindquarters to nearly fall back to the stone. "Well fortified, and many dragon knights there along with dragons... why there first?"

"Because they were the ones holding you captive for so long!" Chasin once more practically screeched, the others doing the same briefly before calming down. "You would probably still be there had we not started the rumors of your return and sent that claw to them! With your knowledge of their fortifications you could have us go in and slaughter those who hide beneath while you besiege them from the top."

"Mmmm, you always did have the most tempting ideas," Xralix replied as he started to stretch each of his legs, popping the hundreds of pounds of muscle that appeared there as blue flames licked over his body and burned away what little elf flesh was left to be replaced with black scales. Soon only his torso and head had remained humanoid, but that changed quickly as the black dragon took in a deep breath and every rib cracked and expanded with new growth like he was inflating himself. "Also bravo on sending them one of my own claws, did you know that it would start to break down the divine energy on my body?"

Chasin and the other kobolds quickly nodded, one of them attempting to climb up and hug the dragon's hind paw before it twitched and kicked it back into the wall. "When we realized the gold dragon wasn't trying to trick us we snuck into his cave," Chasin said gleefully. "You had mentioned that you wanted his Mirror of the Heavens before and when we found it smashed we realized that malevolent lizard had cursed you somehow with it. After that it was just a few years here and there before we put together what happened and several of us decided to bring you back ourselves, of which I was the mastermind."

"And they say kobolds aren't smart," Xralix said with a chuckle, though it was punctuating with a sharp gasp as his limbs buckled when his wings pushed their way out of his back, flapping once in the air as his he looked back at them with the only part of him not yet completely draconic, his head. As Chasin was about to say more Xralix raised a paw to stop him, then looked like he was yawning before his skull began to push out with incredible speed. A long blue tongue snaked out of his stretched out maw as his deadly fangs grew in, the last vestiges of the elf known as Ryonir completely disappearing under the wave of jagged spikes and growing horns.

"Mmmm, that's so much better," Xralix stated as he brought up a forepaw and cracked his jaw, readjusting it into place before he looked back down at Chasin while blinking a few times from the glowing blue spreading over his eyes. "So, it sounds like you had things well in hand in my absence. I'm curious though, were the goblins originally part of the plan or did that come later?"

"We're actually rather proud of that one," Chasin said with a grin. "When your spies found out that the traitor dragon Jalru was traveling with you we knew he was up to something, especially when he started delaying your trip any way he could. Once nice thing about him manipulating the weather is it gave us more time to maneuver into position and when we found out he was going to try and get a werewolf archivist to tell you your own history in such a negative light we took out the entire pack!"

"Devious," Xralix said, tilting his head as he enjoyed his booming draconic voice once more as he laid down his transformed body and lowered his head to get a better look at his minions. "A little sloppy though, as you left one alive, and why did you later capture Jalru instead of just killing him?"

There was a bit of hesitation, Xralix glancing around to see nervous looks being exchanged among the kobolds. "Well... forgive us master, but..." Chasin started to say. "We didn't know which elf was... actually you. We didn't even realize that Jalru had taken the disguise of an elf, had we known that we would have killed him right then and there while he was vulnerable!"

The others echoed a similar statement until Xralix motioned with a paw to stop them, then extended it out and motioned for Chasin to hop on it which he immediately did. "I certainly can't blame you for what has happened," the dragon stated as he took his other forepaw and rubbed the kobold's head while sitting on his hind quarters. "You did your best with what you had, of course I'm sure you know that I had a soft spot for the gold dragon."

"W-we know," Chasin replied. "But master, he was such a bad influence on you! How many times were you here in your cave, pacing around because you could almost hear the sounds of the creatures below taunting you with their existence? No matter how many times we tried to warn you about him you didn't listen to us, so now that he's out of the picture we can finally go back to the way things were!"

"Oh Chasin," Xralix said as he took his paws and cupped them so the kobold sat in the middle of it, the dragon looking down at the creature who was positively beaming with pride. "My dear, sweet, manipulative Chasin, you do not know how wrong you really are..."

The words caused the joy to drop from his face as he looked up and saw the evil grin on the black dragon's muzzle turn into a sneer. "You see, I did actually listen to you when you told me to let loose after bothering me about it for so, so long..." as the kobold started to look in panic blue flames appeared on the edges of the dragon's paws, Xralix's face shifting to rage as he cupped his paws together before they were engulfed entirely in bright blue, almost white fire. "It was YOUR suggestion to go and just... indulge a little bit to my cravings, knowing I would go overboard and destroy those settlements, which caused me to get into the fight with Jarlu in the first place, which led me to become an elf for FORTY YEARS!"

The other kobolds watched in horror as the seething hatred quickly boiled away and the flames died down, Xralix opening his paws once again to reveal a small pile of fine ash. "So I guess I lied before," the dragon said before breathing out and blowing the dust off of them and creating a small cloud of it in the air. "I really do blame you for what has happened Chasin, in fact I blame all of you... so now it's time for a change."

The kobolds in the cave found themselves backing against the wall as the one they called master was completely engulfed in bright blue flames, the primal power of the creature creating a pool of blue liquid fire that dripped from the magically enchanted plateau. "My last act as the black death, the destroyer of Aborrna, as Xralix... is to create a truly fresh start." The stone itself began to melt around him as the flames spread, a wall of fire appearing at the cave entrance as the only thing that became visible through the growing smoke was the face of the grinning black dragon. "As such I will not require any of the services of you murderous little shrews anymore. You... are all... DISMISSED."

A few hours later Zefrit and Samiel arrived at the lair of Xralix, black smoke still filtering out of the cave. "Well... that's not good," the werewolf said as he slid off of the silver dragon. "What do you think caused that?"

"My guess?" a third voice said, the two putting their hands to their faces to shield themselves from the cloud of snow that was kicked up by the landing of the huge golden dragon. "A blue fireball. Xralix is definitely in there... best to approach carefully and let me take the lead."

The other two nodded and went behind Jalru as he went forward, carefully making his way inside. Even with the cold coming in from outside the rock of the cave walls dripped with molten stone. In the middle of it all was the black dragon, laying down on his stomach with his claws playing with the golden dragon tooth necklace around his neck. Surprisingly he also had on a pair of silver gauntlets, his claws scratching against the metal as he took a forepaw and waved Jalru in.

"Come on in Jalru," Xralix replied, sliding his body to the side and patting the bare rock beneath him. "I was really, really hoping that you would be stopping by, did you sense that I had changed back or did the magic surrounding your shapechanging ability just revert you after I had broken the divine magic."

"The latter," the gold dragon replied, glancing over to the side of the cave where there were kobold-shaped impressions in the otherwise scorched stone. "I see that you've redecorated the place."

"Mmmm yes," the black dragon said with a smug grin. "I just recently fired all my kobold servants and I have to say they left this place an absolute mess when they left. You just can't find good help these days... though I think you were right when you said they were a bad influence."

Jalru sighed and shook his head, though a small grin did cross his muzzle. "Well I can't say I approve of the methods," he stated. "But I'm glad you got rid of them Xralix, I think you're right that they weren't good whispering in your ears all the time like that."

"Xralix..." the grin that had been on the black dragon's muzzle left as he looked down. "I think Xralix is just as dead as Ryonir, and I don't know who the dragon is that sits here now. I sit in the ashes of my old life and wonder what to do now that the dread dragon is gone."

When Xralix looked up again he found the gold dragon had closed the distance between the two of them and kissed him deep on the muzzle, filling the black dragon with a sensation of contentment he had not felt in a very long time. "You might not be the dread dragon or the black death or even the dragon knight anymore," Jalru said as he put a forepaw against Xralix's chest where the gold dragon tooth was. "But you are still Xralix, and you are Ryonir, and as far as I'm concerned you are the best of both of them."

The two held each other once more before Jalru informed the black dragon that there are two others looking to see him that can't wade through molten rock to do so. Xralix nodded and followed his lover out back out into the snow where he saw the shocked faces of the two other creatures when they saw him. Jalru quickly put their minds at ease, saying that the dread dragon would rise no more and that as far as they should be concerned their mission was complete. The werewolf and dragon seemed to relax at that, though they could see Zefrit's eyes narrow when they saw the two larger dragons wrapping their tails around one another.

"Yes Zefrit, Jalru and I are mated," Xralix informed the disappointed silver dragon, looking over at Jalru. "At least, if he still wants me."

"I just spent forty years as an elf and almost froze to death in the hopes that you would be by my side," Jalru shot back. "Of course I still want to be with you."

"But that doesn't mean that we can't still be friends," Xralix replied quickly. "I'm... sorry that I led you on like that, it turns out that the feelings I had for you were actually... meant for someone else. What I mean to say is-"

"Man, you're really bad at this," Zefrit replied as a smile formed on his face. "I understand Ryo-, er, Xralix, and I'm really happy that you found love with Jalru. Plus after our last encounter I think you might be a little too much for me to handle, I think I might try to find someone a little more my speed. But I'm still happy to call you my friend and I can certainly stick around if you'll have me."

"Of course," Xralix said before turning his attention to the shivering werewolf. "How about you, Samiel?"

"You know I will follow you wherever you go," the lupine creature said. "There are not many werewolves out there whose alpha is an actual dragon, and if you'll allow me I think I could gather a pack of my own to serve you far better than those kobolds of yours did. Though if I could follow you to someplace that's a little bit warmer, that would be great."

"I don't know about needing more followers..." Xralix stated, looking over at Jalru. "I'm trying to anchor myself to what I learned as Ryonir, and I'm not sure if having another group willing to serve me is such a good idea. I don't know how strong the urges are going to get to revert back to my old nature, but I know that I have to resist them if I want to keep my promise."

"Actually..." Jalru said as it was his turn to grin. "I've had... a lot of time to think about things and I realized that it was cruel of me to make you completely stop doing what comes to your instinctually, and I think I may have worked out quite the compromise. Did that explosion in your cave happen to wipe out your hoard too?"

"Of course not," Xralix replied quickly. "You know I always protect the important things."

"Of course," Jalru said, rolling his eyes. "If you remember back when you were an elf I didn't come into Gildeon for quite some time after you and Zefrit had settled in. Seeing how you weren't going anywhere I explored a bit myself and found a wonderful place that we could settle in near some relatively unspoiled ruins. I could sense there's an artifact or two in there as well, and on the other side of the jungle is a relatively large trading post where one might hear rumors of such powerful artifacts and great riches, particularly those of nefarious intent."

It took a moment before realization dawned on Xralix, a huge grin forming on his muzzle as he realized what the gold dragon was saying. "A legend of treasure and power with just enough of a journey to make sure only the truly greedy wish to take the risk to get it," Xralix said, the gold dragon nudging his body against him as the black dragon chuckled. "You know, all this time I kept thinking that you were being a good influence on me, I wonder if at the same time I've been a bad influence on you. But I like it, and I could certainly use a new lair and change of scenery..."

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A year later on almost the other side of the continent a group of people slowly walked through the catacombs beneath the ancient ruins, their torches flickering in the air as they looked around for any possible sign of danger. Their journey to this place had been filled with all sorts of perils, from the time they had left the city and entered into the forbidden jungle they had faced deadly animals, treacherous environmental hazards, and even a pack of roaming werewolves that had nearly chased them all the way to the ocean itself. But none of the group had been deterred, not with the promise of treasure that lay beneath the ancient ruins they found or the rumor of an ancient staff that their mage leader wished to possess. They knew they were close, the mage in front of them looking down at the map they had found on the body of a merchant the group had killed along with a small carved statue of a gold dragon.

Eventually the adventuring party no longer needed the torches, which was good as they had dropped them to the ground when they saw the piles of gold, silver, gemstones, and other such valuables that were stacked higher than their heads. It was true, they whispered to one another, they had found the vault of the ancients. Stories they had heard said the people of these ruins had created a horde so their dragon god would come down and protect them, though as the mage pointed out from their absence it hadn't benefited him as much as they liked. As the others began to fill their backpacks and satchels the mage ordered them to stop, and that no one was going to get a single coin until they had found the staff.

The others grumbled and sneered, taking the current handful they had picked up and tossed it back before continuing to follow their leader deeper into the cave. It didn't take long until they found one of the largest piles in the middle of the cavern with the staff sticking out of the top... and the gold dragon that began to unfurl from where he had been laying. "Who dares disturb the horde of the ancient dragon god?" the voice boomed, causing coins and gems to rattle to the floor as the mage stood resolute.

"All of you stop what you're doing and don't move an inch," the mage said quickly, causing the rest of them to freeze. "It's a metallic dragon, which means that unless we provoke it in some way it won't attack, so just stand there and keep your mouths shut while I deal with it." The others managed to give him a small nod and the mage stepped forward, putting his hands in the air. "Oh great dragon, to whom do I speak with that guards this place?"

"I am Jalru," the gold dragon said as he continued his descent until he was at the bottom of the pile of gold, laying down on all fours as he looked at the group intently. "What is your purpose here, why do you disturb the vault of the ancients?"

"My men seek to grow richer as part of their payment to bring me here," the mage replied honestly before gesturing up at the staff. "But I wish only to claim the staff they left behind, to use it in order to bring order back into the world. I know that this is not my treasure, oh great guardian, but neither is it yours, and there is so much of it, what harm will come from us taking some? You may think us thieves, but who out there can lay claim to these riches and mark us so?"

"That would be him," Jalru said in a matter-of-fact tone as he pointed to the side, the mage turning and immediately going pale as he saw the even bigger black-scaled dragon coming towards him. "You see, this is actually all his horde, and he does not like the fact that you're touching it with your grubby human fingers. Plus we have a dragon who recently learned to shapeshift who told us your brand of order is to use the staff to raise an undead army, so... I don't feel the need to hold him back on what he has planned for you."

The mage froze as he began to back away from the chromatic dragon, seeing the evil grin on its muzzle as it advanced towards him. "No..." the mage said, turning back around to the group as he began to stumble towards them. "Don't just stand there, attack the-"

The mage's words were cut short as Xralix pounced forward, snapping up the mage in his maw and snapping him about before throwing him in the air and swallowing him whole. The others quickly started running after seeing their leader get eaten, both the black and gold dragon looking at each other with a grin as they watched them scramble. "I do love it when they take the treasure before they get to you," Xralix stated after letting out a small burp of magical blue flame. "They don't even realize that it weighs them down and makes them easier to catch, I might even give them a little bit of head start this time."

The other dragon chuckled at that and after waiting for a few seconds Xralix gave chase, only to stop and turn back to look at his mate. "You know what Jalru," he said, giving Jalru a fanged smile. "I think I might have finally found my happiness."

"You deserve it," Jalru smiled back, motioning for him to go on. "You better hurry, if they manage to get into the jungle you're going to need Samiel and his pack to find them for you again and Zefrit is coming back to the city with other possible leads on those who dare to disturb the vault of the ancients." Xralix nodded and continued his pursuit, the chromatic dragon more than happy to unleash his terror on those who deserve it as he could hear the screams of the wicked continue to echo through the ruins...

...who says that one can't enjoy their atonement, the dread dragon thought to himself as he let out a loud, powerful roar.