Reincarnated As A Dragon With A Godly Inheritance

"So, since I've explained Aetheria to you, I can now go on with my explanations about candidates."

"Once upon a time there was a common enemy of all Aetherian beings, that was Voidrender. The Eater of the End. Father of monsters. He was the origin of all monsters, and any monster you see now is descended from him."

"He had one terrible power that made him a nearly invincible foe: Instant infinite Regeneration. With this, he couldn't be killed or greatly harmed."

When they asked why he was the enemy of all Aetherians, Thalso told them bluntly that Voidrender was a world eater. He devoured worlds for food, and apparently, he was the size of all Aetheria's worlds combined, but he enjoyed moving around in the form of a human male, killing all the beings with his own hands before eating their world.

"How do they fight something like that?" Taria asked in a horrified whisper.

They shuddered at each explanation from Thalso.

The armored man shrugged. "They didn't. Well, they did fight, and were killed in the thousands. Especially when Voidrender unleashed the power that made humans and animals turn into what we call monsters today."

"But then our ancestors in Highworld came together to summon the Spirit of Aetheria," Thalso said, shaking his head. "The thing is, no one knew how they did it, but they were able to summon the Incarnatios of Aetheria. And there wasn't just one Incarnatio… there were thirteen in all."

"Wait… wait… you're getting ahead. What's an Incarnatio?" Kaedros held his breath. This sounded important.

Thalso turned to Nyra, who took over without another word. "Incarnatio is the realization of your Flow—the accumulation of your skills. That is what is known as an Incarnatio, and you will start manifesting it when you get to the Lord's rank. It's the mark of a Lord."

"They are the most powerful abilities a person can possess, tailored to their life's training. An Incarnatio can take various forms and sizes—from animal-like, to weapons, to even human forms—providing a significant boost in power. They grow more powerful as you rank up from fifth rank."

Kaedros sat back and let out a slow breath. This… this was a lot to take in, and he and the others were doing everything they could not to let it overwhelm them. On a whim, he asked, "Can you show me your Incarnatio?"

Nyra went very still, and her eyes flashed like green gems. He thought she might deny him, but then a smile revealed her fangs. "I won't show you all of it. Only a brief moment."

They nodded eagerly, their eyes fixed on her with an almost predatory look. This was what she called the realization of Flow.

Then Nyra spoke the words smoothly, as if she had done so a thousand times. Her tone was both firm and fond.

"Flex yourself, Felinus Sanguineus!"

It was instant, an invisible pressure slammed into them, and an aura of deep red crawled through the room like thick smoke.

Then they saw Felinus Sanguineus.

A single red claw hung briefly above Nyra in a flash of red light. The claw was human-sized, red as blood, its tip sharp and gleaming like a freshly cut gem, and it seemed to drip blood that vanished before it touched Nyra.

Then everything disappeared, and the room was back to normal. Kaedros and the others found that they could breathe again. What they had seen sent a chill through them—an unspeakable dread at the sight of Felinus Sanguineus.

That Incarnatio could destroy them with but a thought from its master.

"That's it," Nyra said. "Do you understand now?"

They didn't understand entirely, but they understood enough, Incarnatio meant power. A very dangerous one.

"When you get to Lord rank and you start manifesting an Incarnatio, that will be when you truly appreciate the types of Flows you choose. Those who practice foul and weak Flows, or those who chase quick bursts of power now, will regret it when they reach Lord rank."

Nyra purred and continued.

Nyra's voice was steady, carrying the weight of ancient history.

"So, they summoned Aetheria's Incarnatio and forged them into crowns of power." She paused, clearly expecting a reaction, but the group didn't move. They barely breathed, caught in the gravity of a tale as old as the worlds themselves.

Nyra sighed. "You don't understand, do you? Incarnatio are powerful spells made manifest. The further you advance your Incarnatio, the more powerful it becomes."

Her tone shifted into quiet wonder, lighting a fire in their hearts. "Now, imagine Aetheria itself, a being that has existed for millennia in pure mana and power. Imagine its Incarnation."

Thirteen Incarnations of Aetheria were summoned. They were forged into crowns that sought out the finest among the finest, those worthy to wield them. These chosen warriors fought among themselves, and the seven who emerged victorious wore the crowns until their deaths. They became known as Eldritch, protectors, legends, and the most powerful beings alive.

"Seven?" Kaedros frowned. "I thought thirteen were summoned?"

Nyra nodded. "Yes. But of the thirteen, only seven were considered true Incarnations of Aetheria. The rest, while still powerful, paled in comparison. They were like high-grade artifacts compared to the true crowns."

"So, the remaining six were woven into a single crown, one that only the leader of the Eldritch could wield."

"Talk about power," Rauk muttered.

Nyra's nod was sharp. "Indeed. The leader of the Eldritch is unmatched—not only because of those six artifacts, but also because of the rumor that their crown holds the most powerful Incarnatio of all."

Kaedros's gaze sharpened, pieces falling into place. "Who is the leader of the Eldritch now?"

An invisible tension passed between the three instructors. Nyra's expression became unreadable. "There is no leader. The last one died years ago, leaving the crown without a head."

Something, excitement, adrenaline, flared in Kaedros's blood, sharpening his senses as though preparing for a battle. "Where is the Eldritch leader's crown?" His voice was just shy of a command.

Nyra laughed sharply, the sound bouncing off the walls like blades. "That's exactly the kind of question I expected from you. The crown is right here in Ruinlight."

Before they could even gasp, she continued. "In fact, there are three crowns here. Three Eldritch crowns. Three Incarnatio."

Kaedros leaned back, the truth clicking into place. "The candidate's trials."

Nyra nodded, letting the silence stretch.

Taria's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Why don't you challenge the trials? You're all powerful, you'd probably win. What about Gold? Or the others in this castle?"

Thalso answered. "You're forgetting something. The crowns choose who they deem worthy."

Kaedros's eyes narrowed. "You mean…the crowns brought us here?"

"No," Thalso said flatly. "Don't flatter yourself, Kael. The crowns didn't consider anyone in the castle as candidates. They usually choose people well below the fifth rank so they can grow into their power. And since Ruinlight was sealed, they couldn't call across Aetheria for candidates. You were simply the first outsiders to arrive in years, so the crowns had no choice."

Kaedros disliked the thought that his presence here was decided by the castle's convenience rather than his own merit. "The Castle is the crowns?"

"The Castle and the crowns are connected," Thalso explained. "When an Eldritch dies, their crown returns here, waiting for the next trials. Only the leader of the Eldritch can fully operate this place."

"Then…the last leader was your master," Kaedros guessed.

Thalso's armor darkened, the air trembling faintly before he regained control. "Yes."

"But why? If the Eldritch were made to fight Voidrender, why does it sound like your master was more of a warlord than a savior?"

Thalso's voice was patient. "Let me finish the story. The seven Eldritch, wielding Aetheria's Incarnatio, fought Voidrender evenly, though the gap in power remained. They battled for thousands of years. The original Eldritch fell, replaced by new ones, and so the cycle continued, always against the same enemy."

"Until, at last, the team known as the Eldritch of Fear killed Voidrender, ending the war forever."

He paused, the weight of that moment hanging in the air. "But the crowns couldn't be destroyed. Their power was too great. And the Eldritch, despite their might were not immune to betrayal. Over time, the crowns became tools of ambition. Power for politics. Even the Eldritch fought one another. This castle's halls once rang with the dying cries of those who sought them."

Taria shuddered. "Can't the crowns be sealed forever?"

"That was the plan…before you three arrived," Thalso said, his gaze unreadable beneath his helmet. "Unironically, there are three Crowns of Aetheria left unclaimed."

Kaedros felt a cold shiver crawl up his spine. Three crowns. One for the leader. He already knew which one he wanted.

"Is your question answered now?" Thalso asked, his voice turning into a shadowed growl. "Good. The Eldritch's power now serves politics. Three of the four living Eldritch have forged Great Houses in Highworld." He leaned forward, looming over them. "The fourth is a wanderer."

His words grew heavier. "Do you understand why I'm telling you this? Because before all of this, you made a promise—to do a task for us when you leave here."