August…actually wasn't as perturbed by the news as Damien originally expected him to be.
It was definitely troubling for him to realize that he had been born for a specific reason. The burden of his ancestor's dying wish was a hard one to carry.
But…
While he did respect the Azure Dragon, he wasn't willing to give up his life for his dream. His ancestor was worthy of his respect, but not his fealty.
Obviously, the fact that Damien cared about his ancestor's goal was the most important factor. That made August take it into serious consideration, and more than that, the reason why he was fine with doing as his ancestor pleased was…
'...that was my goal from the start.'
He heard tales of the Dragon Emperor when Damien took him to the town. He wanted to be that person who could stand above a million dragons, and he wanted to be the shield that protected them from harm.
The only thing Qinglong's story changed was context.
August didn't know what kind of state Arulion was in until now. The new regime, the current Dragon Emperor and the Holy Clans, was a cancer preying on the greater community.
It made reaching his final goal more difficult, but that only further motivated August to get stronger.
'Plus, I'm not alone.'
There was a definitive difference between him and his ancestor that became more pronounced as he saw more and more of those memories. His ancestor was a lone wolf. He liked doing everything on his own and would only feel satisfied if his achievements were a product of his effort alone.
August…never had that kind of ego. He wasn't afraid to ask for help or make relationships with others. And, he knew that no matter what he did, his father would always be there to support his back.
That was the fortune he had, and it was exactly because his ancestor had chosen Damien as his guardian.
'In that sense, I do need to be thankful.'
He owed his ancestor for introducing him to his father. For that, he would make sure that he not only became the Dragon Emperor and brought Arulion to its peak, but also took revenge on the enemies that led to this unfortunate present.
"Dad, when is it?"
He asked directly after Damien finished his explanation. He went into a bit more detail, which gave August an even more grounded understanding of what was expected from him.
"One month," Damien replied honestly.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})"In one month, the heir wars will begin to choose the next Dragon Emperor. You just have to participate and win. Everything else…well, just leave the boring stuff to me."
August nodded with a smile.
One month. That was enough time for him to learn more about the outside world and fully prepare himself.
In one month, his story would truly begin.
And though that meant there was a lot of trouble in store for him…
August couldn't help but anticipate it.
All of his training had been for this.
He really couldn't wait to see what level he'd truly reached.
***
That month was over before it even began. August spent all of his time digesting Qinglong's memories, training, and studying the power structures and common sense of the outside world.
The sun shone to mark the start of another day. Damien and August stood in front of the house they'd called home for the past ten years.
"This is it."
It was the moment August left the nest on his own.
"Dad, promise me you'll be safe," August said.
"You brat! I'm the one who should be saying that to you," Damien responded with a smile, ruffling his hair.
"Remember, if anything goes wrong, just call for me and I'll be there. Don't befriend suspicious people, and avoid women at all costs. They're dangerous, and with your looks, they'll pounce on you the instant they get a chance."
Damien was mostly joking.
Mostly.
Nevertheless, they kept their farewells short, since this wasn't their last time seeing each other.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})Damien pulled August into a strong hug.
"Seriously. Be careful out there."
August nodded, evaporating the tears that formed in his eyes.
"I will, Dad. I promise."
The Existence barrier that separated the district from the rest of the world slowly broke apart and drifted away with the wind. With none the wiser, the two time flows were merged into one and returned to their original state.
Damien lost any excuse he had to keep August at home. Even if he wanted to ignore everything they'd been preparing for, he couldn't ignore the genuine excitement in his son's eyes.
"Go, you brat," he said, turning away.
"The world is waiting for you."
August looked at his father's back for a long moment. There was so much more he wanted to say, but he had already said it all.
He rushed forward, gave Damien one last hug, and turned around to face the world.
That first step into the unknown…
August put all of his weight into that step, and the one after, and the one after that.
His walk turned into a run, and as he ran faster and faster, he glided across the earth, leaving the small district and his home in the dust.
Damien didn't turn around to watch him go.
Honestly, he was having a hard time keeping himself composed.
'God, when did I become such a baby?'
Damien chastised himself sarcastically.
But, it was true. He didn't think there was a time when he wanted to cry as much as he did right now.
'I know we'll probably meet again soon, and it's not like I'm going to just sit back and act unconcerned while he's fighting for his life out there.'
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})Damien was absolutely going to go watch every part of the heir wars that August was in, but that wasn't the point.
His son was going independent. His life was now being left to his own discretion.
It was a monumental moment for the both of them, and truly…
'...fuck, I need to get my shit together.'
…Damien needed to take a moment to get used to being alone again.
***
"Wow…"
It was the only thing he could say.
August had been traveling by himself for around a week now, and he'd finally reached the first destination on the map Damien had given him.
This was Arievale, the closest metropolitan district. Here, he could take a teleportation array to one of the testing centers, located relatively close to the True City Arragon, where the Holy Clans and Dragon Emperor resided.
And upon seeing such a sprawling city filled with the aura of life and the vibrance of a huge society, August's eyes immediately widened in fascination.
In no way could he be called naive anymore. He'd seen far too much to ever suffer from such a fatal affliction.
However, the world he'd seen in Qinglong's memories was eons old. It didn't resemble the current world at all.
As August stepped out of the small district he'd called home for his entire life, he was welcomed with a spectacular world filled with new things for him to see and experience.
It was only natural for him to react wildly.
Actually, while August was definitely more mature, he made sure his personality didn't completely get washed away by his ancestral memories. Everything he stood for as a child was still within him in some way. That included his innate curiosity and love for the world as a whole.
It was a great attitude to have, because right now, August felt more empowered than ever.
He was ready to take on the world.
'Let's go.'
He made his way to the teleportation array with a fiery heart and a cool mind.
If he was going to make a name for himself…
'...then I need to start with a bang.'
