Chapter 31: The Kobolds' Worldview
That evening.
The sun had completely sunk behind the distant mountains. Nightfall descended like a vast black cloth, slowly enveloping the entire volcano. The scorching rocks of the day gradually shed their intense heat, retaining only a lingering warmth. The cool night wind blew through the valley, carrying the volcano's unique scent of sulfur, yet it was overpowered by another, intensely mouth-watering aroma.
At the mouth of the rocky canyon at the foot of the volcano, on an open stretch of flat ground, a massive bonfire blazed fiercely. Orange-red flames leapt skyward, crackling and spitting, sending sparks dancing into the night sky on the evening breeze like a shower of falling stars. A crude spit, fashioned from thick branches, was erected over the fire. Three large wild boars, meticulously cleaned and stripped of their hair, were firmly skewered on the wooden frame, slowly rotating over the flames.
Golden fat dripped continuously from the boars' crispy, browned skin. Each drop that fell into the fire sizzled softly, releasing a small puff of fragrant smoke. The rich aroma of roasting meat permeated the entire canyon entrance, carrying for miles, even reaching the caves deep within the volcano, a scent guaranteed to stir a dragon's appetite.
Forty-seven Kobolds, having recently pledged allegiance, sat in neat rows around the bonfire. Their eyes gleamed, their tails wagged with barely contained excitement, yet none dared make a sound without permission. Only when allowed did they carefully reach out to tear a steaming piece of meat from the thoroughly roasted boars.
Each Kobold ate with greasy mouths, brown scales speckled with droplets of oil, too engrossed to wipe them away. They wolfed down their food, emitting low, satisfied whimpers. The tension born of their fear of the dragonkind had completely melted away under the soothing influence of the feast.
The three Kobolds who had been accidentally injured and scorched black by Aetheriel on the training ground during the day were specially placed by the Chieftain in the most honored front row, closest to the bonfire. Each was given an entire large, thick, and most tender hind leg of boar. Clutching their greasy legs, they gnawed away with immense relish, occasionally exchanging silly grins. A hiccup would sometimes escape, accompanied by a few thin wisps of black smoke from their mouths. The sight was both comical and endearing, yet no one dared laugh at them.
Above this gathering of Kobolds, on a high, flat outcropping of rock, the three dragon whelps occupied their own spots, each with a distinct demeanor.
Kalendir strove to maintain the elegant poise befitting the eldest son of a True Dragon. He sat upright, his small chest puffed out, his tail placed neatly at his side, attempting to project an air of aloof disdain for mundane food. Yet, his bright draconic eyes never strayed from the roasting boars on the spit below. His nostrils twitched subtly, saliva pooling discreetly in his mouth. The longing in his gaze was utterly transparent, impossible to conceal.
Valerion lay on the other side, completely ignoring the mouth-watering aroma of roast boar wafting up from below. He cradled a specially selected chunk of iron-bearing black ore, chewing away with gusto. The crisp crunch of rock being ground into grit between his teeth was clearly audible. He occasionally cast a lazy glance downward, his eyes lingering on the meat and the Kobolds for less than half a second before turning back to focus intently on his stone, as if the most delicious thing in the entire world resided solely in his maw.
Aetheriel crouched at the very edge, quiet and still. His left eye flickered with tiny golden sparks, his right eye shimmered with pale blue arcs of electricity. Occasional, almost imperceptible flashes of light danced across his small frame. He wasn't coveting the roast meat like Kalendir, nor was he obsessed with stones like Valerion. Instead, his gaze was fixed intently, unblinking, on the three scorched-black Kobolds below. His eyes held a thoughtfulness belying his age, as if studying some novel phenomenon he'd never seen before, or perhaps silently reviewing the day's 'training accident.'
Livia lay at the highest point, her body stretched out languidly on the rock. Her newly evolved molten-gold scales shimmered under the bonfire's glow, radiant, majestic, and awe-inspiring. She looked down upon the lively, harmonious scene below, a rare sense of peace settling in her heart.
Once, her lair had contained only herself—vast, cold, accompanied only by lava and rock. Now, the caves housed three constantly bickering whelps, and at the mountain's foot resided a noisy yet exceptionally loyal band of Kobolds. Her once solitary draconic life had, without her quite noticing, been infused with so much more vitality.
Just as Livia was quietly savoring this rare moment of tranquility, the sound of careful, light footsteps approached from below.
The Kobold Chieftain, hands cupped reverently around a perfectly roasted, crispy-skinned, succulent boar hind leg, bowed low, his movements filled with utmost respect as he slowly climbed the rock where Livia rested. Not daring to get too close, he stopped several paces away, respectfully raising the offering high above his head in a gesture of pure devotion.
"Great Dragon Queen, this is the freshest, most delicious piece of meat tonight. Please, partake."
Livia glanced down.
The leg was indeed roasted to perfection. The skin was a tempting golden-brown, glistening with oil, steaming hot. The rich aroma of meat wafted straight to her nostrils. Even she, not particularly picky about food, felt a stirring of appetite. She extended a sharp yet gentle claw, taking the leg steadily. She lowered her head slightly and took a large bite.
Crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, cooked to perfection with not a hint of gaminess, only the pure flavor of meat spreading across her palate.
Livia chewed slowly, giving a slight nod. Her tone was even but carried approval. "Not bad. Well roasted."
Upon hearing this praise, the Chieftain seemed bathed in holy light. His eyes instantly shone brilliantly, his tail involuntarily wagging twice in rapid succession before he forcibly stilled it, not daring to show the slightest impropriety before the esteemed Dragon Queen. He cautiously knelt nearby, lowering his voice as if about to share the tribe's most sacred secret, his tone mysterious and devout.
"Great Dragon Queen, you may not know, but our Kobold tribe has always upheld an ancient and sacred tradition."
Livia slowly swallowed the meat in her mouth, lifting an eyelid. Her tone was calm. "What tradition?"
The Chieftain immediately pointed down at the three still happily munching and grinning scorched-black Kobolds, his expression turning supremely solemn. "In our belief, whoever can withstand divine power—even if accidentally inflicted—and still survive without perishing from the injury, it signifies they are divinely chosen, blessed by the gods!"
Livia's chewing paused slightly.
She looked down, her gaze falling upon the three Kobolds, still blackened, hair standing on end, giggling and roughhousing after eating their fill. She observed the lingering scorch marks on their bodies and the occasional wisp of black smoke. She fell silent for a full second.
She suddenly grew curious. Before encountering her, just what had these Kobolds, whose minds seemed to work rather differently, been worshipping?
"Before I came, who did you worship?" Livia asked casually.
The Chieftain answered without the slightest hesitation, respectfully. "In reply, Dragon Queen, we previously worshipped a great bear at the foot of the mountain."
Livia was taken aback for a moment, a trace of surprise coloring her tone. "A bear?"
"Yes, Dragon Queen." The Chieftain nodded emphatically, his eyes filled with utmost piety. "It was a very powerful great bear. Unfortunately, last year, it was struck by lightning from the sky and died on the spot."
Livia was silent for a beat, then continued, "Struck dead by lightning, and you still worshipped it?"
The Chieftain looked utterly matter-of-fact, his tone serious as if reciting the holiest scripture. "Dragon Queen, you may not understand. Lightning descends from the heavens; it is the power of the gods! That great bear being struck dead by lightning wasn't misfortune, but being chosen by the gods, directly summoned to ascend to the heavens! We originally wanted to worship the lightning that delivered the divine punishment, but lightning has no form, no physical body. We had no way to make offerings, so we chose to venerate the great bear who was called away by the gods."
He grew more animated as he spoke, his voice brimming with longing. "Outside that bear's den, we worshipped devoutly for a full half-year, offering food and ore every single day without interruption, hoping the gods would notice us too."
Livia silently took another bite of the leg. For a moment, she found herself at a loss for words to comment on this bizarre, utterly illogical reasoning.
In all her years, she had seen worship of great dragons, demon gods, ancient elves... but this was the first time she'd encountered worship of a bear struck dead by lightning.
Completely oblivious to the complexity of Livia's inner thoughts, the Chieftain continued enthusiastically. "But not long after, the remaining bones of that bear were carried off by wild wolves from the mountains. We suddenly lost our object of veneration. The entire tribe fell into confusion, not knowing where to turn. Right at our most helpless moment, when we were praying most devoutly for divine guidance, you, Great Dragon Queen, descended!"
He suddenly looked up, his gaze toward Livia filled with adoration and awe, his eyes shining like two small, burning flames. "Just think! You are such a mighty True Dragon! Your form is so majestic, you can breathe fire of boundless power! And your son, Lord Aetheriel, commands lightning power just like the gods! Isn't it obvious? You are infinitely more powerful than that bear. You are closer to the God of Thunder than that bear ever was. You are our true deity!"
Livia listened quietly, taking another bite of meat.
It had to be said, this logic, however absurd, was internally consistent and self-contained, leaving her no room for rebuttal.
The Chieftain once again pointed at the three scorched Kobolds below, his tone growing even more reverent. "Look, Dragon Queen! These three tribesmen were struck by Lord Aetheriel's divine lightning power, endured such immense force, yet they still live, completely unharmed! This is the clearest divine miracle! According to our Kobold traditions passed down for tens of thousands of years, from this day forth, they are our tribe's High Priests, the gods' spokespersons among us!"
Livia looked at the three still roughhousing, silly-grinning Kobolds and asked calmly, "Being electrocuted like that qualifies them to be priests?"
"Of course it does!" The Chieftain declared resolutely, his tone unwavering. "Surviving under divine power is the greatest honor! They are the divinely favored, those under your protection. This is an indisputable, ironclad law!"
Livia was silent for a moment, then softly uttered, "Your traditions are... rather unique."
The Chieftain hastily bowed his head modestly. "It is merely the wisdom left to us by our ancestors. We simply follow it faithfully."
Livia slowly chewed the roast meat in her mouth, then suddenly recalled another question that had particularly puzzled her. She asked casually, "You said earlier you worshipped that bear for over half a year. But that bear was dead when it was struck by lightning. Did it even know you were worshipping it?"
The Chieftain tilted his head, thinking earnestly for a good while before replying honestly, "Probably... not. After all, the moment it was struck, it ascended to the heavens. It never came back."
Livia was silent for three seconds. "Since it didn't know, then what exactly were you worshipping?"
"Its spirit!" The Chieftain stated with conviction, not finding anything amiss. "The fact it was chosen by the gods proves it possessed an extraordinary soul. We worshipped it to learn from it, hoping the gods would one day see our devotion and call us up to the heavens too."
Livia looked at the simple, devout, and uniquely logical Kobold Chieftain before her, a complex mix of emotions stirring within.
After a few seconds of silence, she slowly spoke, posing her final question. "And now, who do you plan to worship?"
Almost instantly, the Chieftain straightened his back, lifted his head, and gazed at Livia with fervent, unwavering eyes. His voice rang out loud and clear, filled with heartfelt reverence.
"Of course, we worship you, Great Dragon Queen!"
He pointed down at all the Kobolds peacefully eating and living below, his tone brimming with satisfaction and aspiration. "Rest assured, we are obedient. We will patrol diligently, guarding your territory. We will mine tirelessly, building the sturdiest, most magnificent lair for you. We will dedicate everything to protecting you and the safety of the three young dragon lords."
"You need do nothing. Just occasionally emerge from your lair, allowing us to glimpse your majestic form, to pay our respects. Occasionally display your mighty flames, letting us witness divine power. Occasionally have Lord Aetheriel give us a few light shocks—the kind that don't kill us—so we too can feel the divine favor. That would satisfy us completely; we ask for nothing more!"
Livia lowered her head, taking the final bite of tender pork, chewing it slowly in her mouth.
A few shocks. The kind that don't kill.
That request was indeed straightforward, specific, and rather hard to refuse.
She looked up, gazing toward the dark night sky in the distance, at the faces of the Kobolds, content and devout in the firelight, and at the three noisy yet endearing whelps beside her. For the first time, that once cold and lonely place within her heart was being slowly filled by a strange, warm emotion.
So, this was how it felt to be a dragon who was no longer alone.