We made hast for our destination. Keeping the grand patriarch waiting was not a wise choice of action. I had seen many things in my life and had experienced just as many. Yet, the idea of facing the man responsible for the glory of the lizardfolk had me restless.

This was a man as old as dirt and mightier than empires. Capable of crushing mountains and upheaving rivers. Where he strode, landscapes changed.

He was the reason the Flaxian monkey watched where they stepped and the reason we could live within the Void Mist. Emperor Klathis Matikos the grand patriarch and the first and the only true ruler of the lizardfolk empires.

Outside the rumbling carriage, the mist-enshrouded the surroundings and hid them from view. Yet, it could not obscure the glorious capital. The holy city that birthed some of the greatest legends and housed the empire's greatest minds.

There were many lizard empires with various leaders and their own capitals. Yet they all answered to this man who lived in this city, and they all bowed at his feet. None could deny that this was the true home of the lizardfolk.

My anxiousness only continued to rise as these thoughts flitted through my mind. Even the entrancing song of the mist could not squash it away.

I shook my head as I breathed in and out. It didn't take me long to regain my calm. Yet, the underlying tension was never solved. A quick glance outside the carriage window showed me that the capital which now loomed over us.

Its towering building reached almost as high the sky-piercing trees within the city, the very last of their kind. The golden and gleaming white towers of ivory and gold shone like a beacon across the lands. The fields, despite being blanketed by the mist. Held the most colorful and luscious grass.

The roar of the Ignis river only added to the holy feel of the city.

The carriage pushed onwards towards the city, whose towers seemed only to grow in size as we approached. Only after another 20 minutes of riding did we finally reach the gates.

I glanced at the skull adorned gate. Like the rest of the city, it was made of gold and white glass. Hardened to be worthy of being a gate but nonetheless fitting the aesthetic of the capital.

The skulls that adorned it were the skulls of thunderbirds. Each one was a testament to the power of the grand patriarch. The Thunderbirds were perhaps the most powerful race in existence, yet the patriarch could stand up and best members of that race.

They awed me every time I saw them. I had faced a thunderbird once. It had been a little hatchling of perhaps only a few years, but nonetheless, I had lost the entirety of my 40 cohorts against it.

The most devasting and humiliating thing was that we didn't even manage to kill it. It had simply grown tired and left the battlefield. The lands drunk their fill of blood on that day.

We passed through the pearly gates with little fanfare. The guards had known about our arrival long ahead of time. If they hadn't known, we would be dead by now. None were allowed within 100 miles of the city without permission. Going against that meant a rule breaker would be confronted by thousands of high-level cultivators.

I stood vastly above most of them, but the sheer numerical advantage would have put me in the dirt. The cities streets were pristine. Not a singular piece of filth could be seen. Those that walked these streets were nobles and notable members of the clans.

We continued onwards past them and deeper into the capital, towards the center where the patriarch resided. As we dug deeper, the buildings became sparser, and their heights continued to decrease.

There reached a point in which there were no houses, and there were simply open fields, statues, and small trees.

My heart picked up its pace.

In the center of it all was a hole. Vast enough to fit thousands within. It was decorated with gold or white glass. There were no carvings around it nor any trees, only sand and an aura of silence.

The carriage stopped long before the hole. I had to walk the rest of the way. As I hoped out, the driver said no words and simply turned to leave.

There was no mist here. The sky was clear, and the sun above could be seen, a blessing of the void mist.

As I approached closer towards the hole. The heat around me continued to increase. The air turned dry, and my throat thirsted for water. Every step felt like a thousand miles within a desert. When my feet landed on the sand, it felt as if I stood on fire. The heat from the sand washed over me and, I felt my blood begin to boil.

The movement of my qi was barely enough to stop it.

Step by step, I continued to walk towards the chasm. Step by step, my qi began to heat up.

Water.

I had never been so desperate for water before in my life. The hole seemed only to draw further and further away from me. The waves of heat were visible. My tongue and cracked from the lack of water. My scales began to peel off as my body tried to cool down.

Why had I not specialized in water and ice pathways?

Step.

Blood began to drip out my pours.

Step.

I could feel my organs drying up.

Step.

I should lay down for just a little. A tiny bit of sleep never hurt anyone. A small rest and I would be in condition to finish the wa...

No!

Keep moving. I jolted as I realized that I had fallen to my knees. I couldn't feel my face. A touch by my claws left me feeling bloated and fry skin that was now uncovered.

I struggled to my feet, only to immediately crash on my legs. The sun hadn't moved at all. It never moved.

Every second I waited only left me feeling more drowsy.

I think...

I think...

I..huh.

What do I think?

"Sleep would be nice."

"But I said that already."

"Yeah, but the sand is so soft and cozy, like pillows made from the fur of the Bather. Warm like a cup of tea."

"Cozy, like a mother's hug. We should sleep."

"Why?"

"I think I have to do something."

"Do what?"

"I don't remember."

"If you don't remember, then it's probably not all that important.Sleep, child. The sun will kiss you to sleep."

"That sounds nice."

"Then why don't you sleep."

"We're supposed to be doing something."

"Are we?"

"I think so."

"But I'm so tired?

"So am I."

"Then we should sleep."

"Who's we?"

"Me and you, of course."

There was a silence.

"It's only me."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm the only one here."

"But I'm talking to you, right?"

"You are?"

"Who would you be talking to then?"

"...You?"

"Exactly."

"Oh, okay."

"Let's go to bed."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, look, the sand is all read like the velvet cakes mama makes."

"Yeah, you're right. It looks so nice."

"Oh, look at those green sparkles. They're so beautiful."

"The way the light shined on them is so wonderful."

"Told you so."

"Should we sleep then?"

"Too late."

"What? Why."

"Watch out for the hole."

"The what?"

I screamed as my hand failed to find footing, and I tumbled down. My skin screamed in pain as the wind bit into my wounds and burned my flesh.

I couldn't see the bottom. My qi roared back to life as I used it and blasted myself to the wall sides. I stabbed my claws into the wall. Only to grimace in pain as several ripped out and took bits of my flesh.

My hold on the wall was weak.

Something was pulling me down. I grimaced in pain as my claws screeched down the side. Every second required more effort.

My fingers screamed in pain as the rest of my claws threatened to pull out. My muscles gushed out blood as they strained to keep me on the wall.

The force only grew. I had to go down somehow. A quick glance down with my bloated vision showed only an endless void beneath. There was no end in sight.

A screamed itself from my throat as two more of my claws ripped out from my fingers. I smashed against the wall as I went tumbling down.

Why hadn't I brought my spear?

My body was too weak to move even as my qi braced me for the impact. The winds howled in my ear as I slipped in and out of the void.

"Do something, little lizard."

My eyes snapped open at the sight of the jagged crystal floor quickly approaching. I couldn't die like this.

With an effort that left my muscles screaming, I once again blasted my way to the wall. Qi raced through my body and into my tail.

With a flick, my tail stabbed into the wall only 10 feet away from the ground.

I came to a jolting stop that ripped the flesh of my tail and nearly tore it off.

For a couple seconds, I hung above the ground before my tail could no longer support me and, I slammed into the ground. I slammed back first and winced as various crystals dug into my back.

"You've done well. Don't stop now."

Groaning in pain as I opened my eyes, hope filled me as I saw the fabled entrance. With the last of my remaining willpower, I continued onwards past the field of crystals.

Eventually, my back fell on cold soothing stone.

I lay there for several minutes as I attempted to recuperate. My qi slithered through my body and closed the wounds to the best of its ability. Yet, I still felt as if I'd met death. With a resounding effort, I managed to stand up and stay up.

Push onwards. Every step was pure hell, yet I did not stop. I couldn't have come this far only to give up at the entrance. Reaching the wooden doors that led to the patriarch's throne room, I couldn't help but rest my head upon the door.

Only after I regained my breath did I open the door. A gasp escaped my mouth as I stared at the throne. I nearly fell over in fear.

"Do not fear, child. Come closer."

My instinct told me, no, but I was too weak to return the way I came. So, I had no option but to move forwards. Every step filled me with dread.

Who else knew about this?

As I walked deeper into the golden room, I continued to stare at the visage of the emperor.

"You seem a little shocked, child. Is this not what you expected?"

Words refused to escape my mouth, so all I could do was shake my head. As I reached the foot of the massive thrown, I fell to the floor and knelt.

How long had this been a thing?

"Quite a while now, child. Perhaps a couple thousand years. I remember it like it was yesterday, but time had begun to lose meaning. So, I'm not quite sure what time yesterday it happened."

I could only gulp in shock.I hadn't meant to speak aloud.

"You didn't"

There was a silence as I felt the gaze of the patriarch upon me.

"The world is much harsher than you think, child. There are forces that would crush this empire that I've fought so hard to build. You're shock and fear show only your naivety despite your experience." The emperor's voice was filled with a disappointment that seemed to dig into my soul.

"I only feared because I did not understand." I was surprised as the words spilled out of my mouth.

"Oh really?" I heard the shuffling as the patriarch rose from his throne and descended.

"Then take my hand."

I froze in indecision and worry before steeling myself and taking the undead hand of the patriarch.