The Amnesiac Sovereign

Chapter 23: The Dragon's Test

The battlefield remained frozen.

The ancient dragon's words echoed endlessly across the Shattered Expanse.

"You smell like the Celestial Emperor."

Nobody spoke.

Nobody moved.

The revelation was too shocking.

Too sudden.

Too dangerous.

Thousands of soldiers stared at Darius.

Even many of his own followers looked uncertain.

Suspicious.

Because the accusation hadn't come from an enemy.

It had come from a being older than most civilizations.

A creature that had served the Sovereign himself.

Darius slowly recovered.

His fear vanished.

His expression became calm once more.

Dangerously calm.

Then he laughed.

A soft laugh.

Almost disappointed.

"So that's what you remember."

The dragon's golden eyes narrowed.

Mountains cracked beneath its gaze.

"Answer the accusation."

Darius shrugged.

"I have nothing to explain."

The battlefield immediately erupted into whispers.

Not a denial.

Not even an attempt to defend himself.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Ethan watched carefully.

The Seventh General wasn't acting like a guilty man.

But he wasn't acting innocent either.

It was as though the truth didn't matter to him.

Only the outcome.

The dragon stared at Darius for several seconds.

Then unexpectedly looked away.

Toward Ethan.

The pressure immediately shifted.

The gigantic creature lowered its massive head.

Its eyes softened.

"My Sovereign."

The title still felt strange.

Even now.

Especially now.

Because Ethan remembered so little.

The dragon studied him carefully.

Then sighed.

A sound powerful enough to create storms.

"You truly returned."

A memory flickered.

A young dragon no larger than a horse.

Following him through an ancient palace.

The vision vanished instantly.

The dragon noticed his reaction.

And smiled.

The expression looked surprisingly gentle for a creature capable of swallowing mountains.

"You remember pieces."

Ethan nodded.

"Not enough."

"No."

The dragon's gaze darkened.

"Not yet."

Silence followed.

Then Ethan asked the question lingering in his mind.

"Who are you?"

The dragon blinked.

Then laughed.

A deep rumbling sound.

"Five thousand years."

"And I still expected you to recognize me."

The creature slowly sat down.

Entire sections of the battlefield trembled.

Then it answered.

"I am Azrael."

The name exploded inside Ethan's mind.

Instantly.

A flood of fragmented memories appeared.

A dragon soaring across endless stars.

Ancient wars.

Burning heavens.

Laughter.

Conversations.

Trust.

Then darkness.

The visions disappeared.

Leaving Ethan breathless.

Azrael.

The Sovereign Dragon.

A companion.

Not a servant.

Not a subordinate.

A companion.

The realization surprised him.

Because most powerful beings served the Sovereign.

Yet the emotions connected to Azrael felt different.

Equal.

Respected.

Valued.

The dragon noticed.

A warm expression appeared in its eyes.

"There you are."

The words carried unexpected emotion.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then Darius interrupted.

"Touching."

The battlefield's tension immediately returned.

The Seventh General stood atop the fortress wall.

Completely unconcerned despite facing an ancient dragon.

That confidence worried Ethan.

A lot.

Because confident enemies were rarely foolish.

Azrael's gaze shifted toward Darius.

The temperature dropped.

"You should leave."

Darius laughed.

"Or what?"

The dragon's eyes narrowed.

Several stars appeared within its pupils.

Ancient power surged throughout the region.

"Or I remind you why dragons once ruled heaven."

Silence.

Then unexpectedly—

Darius smiled.

A real smile.

One filled with certainty.

"No."

The answer surprised everyone.

The Seventh General slowly raised his hand.

Then snapped his fingers.

The world changed.

Instantly.

BOOM!

A massive formation activated beneath the fortress.

Golden chains erupted from the ground.

Thousands of them.

Millions.

The chains shot toward Azrael.

The dragon roared.

The sound shattered mountains.

Several chains exploded.

Yet countless more continued emerging.

The battlefield descended into chaos.

Aurelius immediately drew his sword.

Selene released crimson energy.

The Shadow Queen's silver eyes glowed.

They moved simultaneously.

Attacking the formation.

Trying to stop it.

But they were too late.

The chains wrapped around Azrael.

One.

Ten.

A hundred.

Thousands.

Ancient runes ignited across every link.

The dragon's movements slowed.

Then stopped entirely.

The impossible had happened.

Darius had prepared for this.

Five thousand years.

Five thousand years of preparation.

The realization struck everyone at once.

The fortress was never built to protect the fragment.

It was built to imprison Azrael.

The dragon growled.

The sound shook reality.

Yet the chains held.

Darius smiled.

"I told you."

His golden eyes gleamed.

"I don't make the same mistake twice."

Azrael's expression darkened.

For the first time, genuine anger appeared.

Not irritation.

Not annoyance.

True rage.

Ancient rage.

Then Ethan noticed something.

The dragon wasn't looking at the chains.

It was looking at him.

Waiting.

Expecting.

The fragments inside Ethan's soul reacted.

The Sovereign Flame appeared automatically.

Golden fire danced around his body.

Azrael nodded slowly.

"Good."

The dragon's voice echoed through the battlefield.

Then it spoke words that stunned everyone.

Including Ethan.

"The Third Fragment was never hidden beneath this fortress."

Silence.

Darius froze.

Azrael smiled.

A very dangerous smile.

"The fragment was hidden inside me."

The battlefield erupted.

Shock spread across every face.

Even Darius looked stunned.

For the first time since arriving.

The Seventh General had been deceived.

For five thousand years.

Azrael laughed.

A proud laugh.

"A dragon protects its treasure."

The chains rattled violently.

Golden light began leaking from between Azrael's scales.

The Third Fragment.

It had been inside him the entire time.

Darius' expression darkened instantly.

"Stop him!"

He roared the command.

Thousands of soldiers charged.

The fortress unleashed countless attacks.

The battlefield exploded into war.

Yet Azrael ignored all of it.

His attention remained fixed solely on Ethan.

Then the dragon spoke.

"My Sovereign."

The golden light intensified.

The Third Fragment slowly emerged from his chest.

A crystal.

Radiant.

Ancient.

Beautiful.

But it did not fly toward Ethan.

Instead, it stopped midway.

Hovering between them.

Azrael's expression became serious.

"The fragment remembers everything."

A pause.

Then:

"And it does not trust you."

Silence.

Ethan frowned.

"What?"

Azrael's gaze deepened.

"The fragment must choose."

Another pause.

Then the dragon delivered the challenge.

"The Sovereign died five thousand years ago."

The crystal pulsed.

Ancient authority flooded the battlefield.

Then Azrael finished.

"Prove that you are worthy of becoming him again."

The fragment exploded with light.

And Ethan vanished.