Chapter 1489: Begun

All the preparations were finally complete. Once again the four Dragonborn gathered inside the ancient cave that once was Krono’s home.

This time the atmosphere felt different. There was anticipation. Eccar, Aesa, and Sylven looked eager to go. But Erend stood apart from the others.

His gaze lingered on the cave floor, his thoughts drifting elsewhere.

Unlike his companions, he could not simply leave one world behind without looking back. Eccar, Aesa, and Sylven had already lost most of the people precious to them long ago. They had little tying them to any particular place anymore.

Erend was different. There was his family and Aurdis.

Each departure meant leaving them behind once again without knowing when he would return.

He slowly exhaled before giving his head a small shake, forcing those thoughts away. "No... I can’t let this distract me. Everything I’m doing... I’m doing it for them."

If discovering the ancient Dragonborn legacies could reveal a way to master the Black Rage, then one day he would no longer have to leave with the fear that he might never return.

That thought strengthened his resolve.

"You okay, Erend?" Sylven’s voice pulled him back to reality.

Erend blinked and looked toward the young Dragonborn. "Was it really that obvious?" he wondered.

He smiled faintly before nodding.

"I’m fine," he replied. "It’s just..." He let out a quiet sigh. "Leaving my family again always makes me feel... sad."

There was no reason to hide those feelings anymore.

These three understood him better than anyone else alive.

Silence filled the cave.

Eccar, Aesa, and Sylven exchanged brief glances without saying anything.

Each of them understood exactly what Erend meant. Eccar remembered his wife. Aesa remembered her husband and the people she had sworn to protect. Sylven remembered his mother.

None of them needed to ask further questions. They all knew how painful it was to leave behind the people they loved.

Eccar eventually stepped forward and placed a hand on Erend’s shoulder.

"You’ll come back," he said calmly. "That’s why we’re doing this."

Aesa nodded in agreement and said, "If these legacies really contain the answers we’re looking for, then every step we take brings us closer to protecting them."

Sylven folded his arms before giving Erend a small smile. "And besides... you’ve got three Dragonborn making sure you don’t die before you get home."

That earned a quiet chuckle from everyone.

The heavy atmosphere finally lifted.

Erend smiled more naturally this time. "Thanks."

He looked around at the three of them before taking a deep breath.

"Let’s go."

As they had discussed beforehand, Erend, Eccar, and Aesa simultaneously reached toward the fragments of Krono’s soul residing within them.

Golden light erupted from each of their bodies.

The three streams of radiant energy floated into the air before converging together at the center of the cave. The lights intertwined gracefully until they slowly formed the familiar figure of a tall man dressed in elegant black-and-gold robes.

Krono stood before them once again. For a moment, it looked as though there were five Dragonborn gathered inside the cave.

The Time Dragon smiled as he looked around the familiar surroundings.

"It seems this place is becoming rather crowded," he said with quiet amusement.

His gaze eventually settled on the only face he had never met in person.

"So," Krono said while smiling warmly, "you’re Sylven."

Sylven studied the translucent figure silently for several moments.

This was the Time Dragon. Until now, he had only heard stories about Krono from Erend, Eccar, and Aesa. The being who had guided them, sacrificed himself, and entrusted his power to the Dragonborn now stood before him, even if only as a soul reconstructed through their shared power.

"So you’re really Krono," Sylven finally said.

"I was," Krono corrected with a gentle laugh. "Now I’m merely a lingering soul held together by the three friends standing beside you."

Sylven stepped forward before bowing his head slightly and respectfully. "It’s an honor to finally meet you."

"The honor is mine," Krono replied. "I’ve heard quite a bit about you. Welcome to the family... even if our family happens to attract catastrophes on a regular basis."

Sylven almost smiled. "Sounds about right."

A quiet laugh spread through the cave before Krono’s expression gradually became more serious.

"Now then," he said, raising one hand.

Golden threads of light spread across the empty air before weaving themselves into an intricate three-dimensional map unlike any world map any of them had ever seen.

Countless stars appeared. Worlds floated like glowing spheres suspended within an endless cosmic sea.

One of those lights slowly brightened.

"This," Krono said, "will be your first destination."

A brilliant stream of golden light shot outward from the map before splitting into four smaller rays.

Each ray flew directly toward one of the Dragonborns.

The moment the light touched their foreheads, countless spatial coordinates flooded into their minds.

None of them understood the impossible calculations behind those numbers. Yet somehow, every Dragonborn instinctively knew exactly where that location existed.

The coordinates had become part of their memories.

Krono lowered his hand.

"Our first stop..." Erend murmured.

"Elyndor," Krono replied. "Assuming Erend’s power is correct, it is the world with the highest probability of preserving an authentic Dragonborn legacy. Whatever answers you’re seeking, that is where your journey should begin."

The four Dragonborn exchanged determined glances.

Without another word, they raised their hands simultaneously and one spatial portal opened before them.

Brilliant lights swirled inside each gateway and an unfamiliar Magic from another world seeped into the cave through the dimensional rifts.

Krono smiled one last time. "I’ll leave the rest to you."

His body dissolved into countless golden particles before separating into three streams of light once more.

One entered Erend. Another returned to Eccar. The latter merged with Aesa.

The four Dragonborn stood before the shimmering portals for only a heartbeat. Then they stepped forward together.

Their figures disappeared into the dimensional light one after another as the portals quietly swallowed them.

A new journey had begun.

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