I Received System to Become Dragonborn

Erend turned to Arty and their mother with a smile but also firm expression.

"Mom, Arty. There's something Eccar and I need to discuss privately. It's nothing for you to worry about, but it's better if the two of us handle it alone."

Arty's lively demeanor softened and their mother's warm smile never changed. They exchanged a quick glance and nodded almost simultaneously.

"Alright," Arty said with a small shrug, though her eyes lingered on him. She was curious but also understanding. "Just don't take too long. And no secrets forever. I hope."

Their mother placed a reassuring hand on Arty's shoulder. "We'll be here if you need us."

Erend offered them a grateful smile before motioning for Eccar to follow him out to the backyard.

---

A few minutes later, the two sat across from each other in the backyard chairs, the gentle breeze ruffling the leaves and the scent of coffee mingling with the cool night air.

Eccar leaned back with seemingly relaxed manner, his hands wrapped around his coffee cup.

But his sharp eyes didn't miss the tension in Erend's posture. The way his shoulders were slightly stiff, and the faint crease on his brow despite the calm setting.

"So, what is it?" Eccar asked with casual voice but his eyes looking sharp at Erend.

Erend took a slow sip of his coffee, as if delaying the moment to gather his thoughts. Finally, he set the cup down and leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees.

"I got a notification from the Power," he began, his voice low and serious.

Eccar's relaxed demeanor instantly shifted. His grin faded, replaced by an expression of sharp focus. "Go on," he said, his tone equally serious now.

Erend's gaze turned distant for a moment, as though recalling the exact words burned into his mind.

"It's about Laston. Remember the Elf who had betrayed the Elf palace I told you before? He's alive, Eccar. And not just alive, he's dangerous.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"Somehow, He found a way to combine Magic and technology in another world. The Power calling him the Cyber-Mage now, and he's planning to attack the Elf Palace again."

Eccar's eyes widened briefly before narrowing.

"Laston, I remember him. I thought he was finished after everything you've done to him back at the palace. How the hell did he survive that? And how did he manage to pull something like this off?"

Erend shook his head with grim expression. "I don't have those answers yet. But the Power made one thing clear, he's a threat, and it's up to us to stop him. If we don't, the Elf Palace could really be destroyed this time. Laston is not someone who came without proper planning and that's what terrifying about him."

Eccar let out a low whistle, setting his coffee aside.

"Great. Just when things were starting to feel normal around here." He rubbed the back of his neck, a wry smirk forming. "So, what's the plan? You've got one, right?"

Erend looked at him, his calmness looked unwavering despite the weight of the news.

"Not yet. First, I needed to tell you. We're going to tell Saeldir and Aurdis for this, but I didn't want to drop this on them the second they stepped back through the portal. They deserve to know, but I wanted to get your input first."

Eccar leaned forward, his smirk fading into a more serious expression. "Alright, I'm in. Whatever we need to do, let's figure it out. But Erend… based on your story, this isn't just any threat. If Laston's really fused Magic and technology, we're going to need to be smarter about this. He's playing a whole different game now."

Erend nodded, his eyes hardening. "I know. And we'll be ready for him."

The night air seemed heavier now, the weight of the conversation settling between them.

---

A humanoid figure stood atop a towering skyscraper, the city's sprawling expanse laid out before him like a masterpiece he had crafted with his own hands.

His pointed ears marked his Elven heritage, but everything else about him seemed far removed from the grace and elegance associated with his kin. Except their excellence in Magic.

The city was alive with an artificial pulse. Neon lights in every conceivable color flickered and danced illuminating the streets below. However, those vibrant color was a lie, masking the darker truths hidden in the alleys and shadowed corners.

Starving figures scavenged for scraps, their gaunt faces lit intermittently by the glow of holographic advertisements.

Wounded bodies leaned against rusting metal walls and some if them were too weak to move. Corpses lay abandoned and unnoticed by the endless stream of drones patrolling above.

The man surveyed it all with an expression of triumph and grinning face. His long dark red coat that lined with pulsating lights matched the rhythm of the city. It flared slightly in the wind.

Beneath it, a thin layer of metal armor hugged his lean frame, seamlessly integrated into his being like a second skin.

His pale and youthful face bore a faint smirk, a testament to the centuries he had lived and the power he had claimed.

This was his city now, his dominion. A world he had conquered with a cunning blend of ancient Magic and cutting-edge technology.

Here, he was untouchable. He was the Cyber-Mage himself.

Laston clasped his hands behind his back and tilted his head slightly, his sharp eyes scanning the skyline.

The towering buildings, the chaotic streets, the ceaseless hum of machinery, it all belonged to him. Every light and every shadow. Also every life and death within this sprawling metropolis was under his control.

He had turned this world into his stronghold to achive his vision and his vengeance. The failures of his past no longer haunted him, they fueled him.

"Soon," he murmured, his voice barely audible over the wind. "Soon, the Elf Palace will kneel before me. Aerchon… Aurdis… even that damned Dragonborn. They will understand what true power is."

A holographic interface appeared before him as he flicked his wrist, displaying streams of data and surveillance feeds from his city.

He skimmed through them with his mind, ensuring that everything was in place.

His army was growing and become relentless force of cyber-enhanced soldiers and drones, each programmed with precision and infused with his Magic.

Laston's smirk deepened as he closed the interface. The time was nearing. His creations were ready and his plans were meticulously crafted.

The Elf Palace and the Dragonborn had mocked him and cast him aside, and left him to rot.

But now, he would return, not as the disgraced uncle, but as a force they could not stop.

"They will think that they're safe," he whispered with tone laced with cold amusement. "I will let them believe their fragile peace will last. Then, I'll show them what I got now."

He turned from the edge of the tower, the faint hum of his coat's energy lights accompanying him as he descended into the shadows of his fortress.

Below, his city continued to thrum with life and despair like a fitting reflection of the chaos he intended to unleash not long after this.

---

The morning sun bathed the Elf Palace in a golden glow, the soft light reflecting off its pristine marble walls and ornate spires.

It was a peaceful sight. Saeldir stirred from his slumber cause his sharp ears catching the faint hum of his detection orb. The sound was subtle yet insistent. He knows it was a signal that something was amiss.

Quickly donning his robes, Saeldir strode to one of his table where the detection orb hovered in midair. His brow furrowed as he channeling his Magic energy into the orb. The soft glow brightened then expanding outward until a holographic scene materialized before him.

The image depicted the entirety of the Elf Palace. Surrounding the palace was the protective barrier, a translucent dome of Magic designed to shield against any outside intrusion. But something was wrong.

Sparks of foreign Magic flickered around the barrier. It looks erratic and out of place. They danced like fireflies.

His frown deepened as he studied the anomaly. The Magic was woven in a way that felt unnatura and it that didn't belong to this world.

He focused his energy further, trying to analyze the strange Magic. Its patterns were complex and layered, unlike anything he'd encountered before.

It was not a pure Magic like what they have. His mind spinning as he recalled the last time he had detected something similar when Elena, Darek, and Tovan had arrived from the underground homeworld.

Their presence had been marked by the same foreign signature, though far less aggressive than what he was seeing now.

The sparks of Magic were probing the barrier, testing it in subtle but deliberate ways. It was as if someone or something was searching for weaknesses.

He straightened, his sharp gaze fixed on the holographic scene. "Someone is watching us and preparing their act."

The orb flickered, its light dimming momentarily before stabilizing.

Saeldir's unease grew. He couldn't determine the source of the disturbance. All he knew was that it didn't belong here, and it was growing stronger by the moment.

---