I Received System to Become Dragonborn

Chapter 576: Summoned

The following morning, as sunlight seeped through the ancient arches of the palace, Erend and Eccar received an unexpected summons to the throne room. They exchanged uneasy glances, sensing that whatever news awaited them might shatter the fragile calm they had until this moment.

Erend and Eccar thought that this is might be the time. Though, they didn't say anything to each other.

Walking through the vast halls, they felt a somber weight pressing down on them. As they approached the towering doors of the throne room, Erend clenched his jaw and Eccar's expression grew steely. What could be serious enough for the king to call them so suddenly?

They entered the room and saw King Gulben on his throne, his face solemn, framed by the quiet shadows of the palace. Beside him, Saeldir stood with his arms crossed, a pensive look in his eyes. Erend and Eccar bowed in greeting.

"Your Majesty," Erend began. "You sent for us?"

King Gulben nodded. "Yes. I wish the circumstances were different, but this matter could not wait." He glanced at Saeldir who stepped forward, his eyes meeting their eyes with a grave intensity.

"Last night," Saeldir began, his voice low, "I observed something unusual within the protective Magical fields surrounding the palace. It was brief ripple that almost invisible, but it formed into a small vortex. This… disturbance was unlike any natural anomaly we've seen. I believe it may be the precursor to something larger."

The air in the throne room grew thick with silence as Erend and Eccar absorbed his words. Both felt their hearts sink, their expressions hardening as they looked at each other. Though neither said it aloud, a quiet understanding passed between them. They had both sensed deep within that this peace was only a lull, a prelude to whatever came next.

Erend took a breath, steeling himself.

"Do we know where the disturbance came from?" he asked.

"No," Saeldir replied, his tone cautious. "But it felt foreign and chaotic. It vanished as soon as it appeared, but I fear it's a warning. Given what we've seen from the Great Calamity and the Chaos Realm before, it's not unreasonable to suspect that forces from other worlds may be attempting to breach our defenses."

King Gulben's face tightened as he listened, his gaze heavy with the weight of unspoken thoughts.

"We've barely had a moment's rest since the last attack," he said, frustration lacing his words. "This lands and our people… are they never to see peace?"

Eccar felt the familiar burn of determination surge within him, his fists clenching slightly.

"Whatever it is, we'll face it, Your Majesty," he said firmly. "We fought back the last threat, and we'll do it again if necessary."

Erend nodded in agreement, his expression resolute. "We'll protect this realm with all that we have, just as we did before. If this is a gateway, then we'll find it. And we'll stop whatever tries to come through."

The king studied them, and though worry shadowed his eyes, a glimmer of confidence emerged in his gaze.

"You've proven your loyalty and strength time and again. The people look to you both as protectors. But… this is not even your world," king Gulben said. "Can we even keep asking for you two to fight for us? I know the weight of this fight bears heavily on both of you. Our realm owes you a great debt, one we may never be able to repay."

His voice wavered slightly, as though the admission cost him more than he would willingly let on.

Eccar and Erend nodded in silent agreement. Though he didn't speak, the resolve in his eyes made his commitment clear.

Erend and Eccar had already made peace with the knowledge that their fight was bigger than borders or allegiances. They were bound by the responsibility to prevent the chaos from spilling into Erend's world as well. And Eccar is willing to help him.

King Gulben looked between them, a touch of melancholy in his expression.

"Very well," he said. "I will see to it that you both have every resource at your disposal. This threat must be extinguished."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Erend replied, his voice steady.

Eccar glanced at Erend, a flicker of shared understanding passing between them. They had faced the Great Calamity, wrestled with the depths of their own fears, and felt the vulnerability that came with fighting an enemy from the shadows.

This will just become another battle.

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As they stepped out of the throne room and into the quiet sunlit corridors, Erend and Eccar walked side by side, their expressions somber. The heavy news weighed on them both.

Erend exhaled, his shoulders tense.

"Looks like we don't get any time to catch our breath after all," he muttered, glancing at Eccar with a wry smile.

Eccar chuckled, though there was a weariness in his eyes.

"What did we expect, really?" he replied, the hint of humor softening his features. "But I'd be lying if I said I didn't wish for at least a year or more where we could just sit around."

They continued down the corridor, passing by ornate carvings. Despite the beautiful surroundings, the looming sense of threat was unmistakable. Eccar sighed, a smile tugging at his lips as he turned to Erend.

"If we're going to stay sharp anyway, maybe we should hit the Dungeon World again," Eccar said.

"You want to go back to the Dungeon World so soon?"

Eccar grinned. "Why not? If we're facing another threat soon, we might as well be ready for anything. And besides, I kind of miss those strange creatures."

Erend nodded, understanding the truth in Eccar's words. "It's a solid plan. But the Dungeon World always has a way of testing us in unexpected ways. But its our only choice to get the strength we needed."

As they made their way toward their quarters, the gravity of their situation remained with them, but they already knew what they need to do.

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