CHAPTER 304: EX 304. RACIAL COUNCIL

The echo of Eragon’s boots rang through the obsidian corridors of the Dragon Palace, sharp and deliberate, each step carrying the weight of his thoughts. His expression was carved from stone, but the gold in his eyes flickered with something darker, irritation mixed with curiosity.

He had received the message not long ago. Not a written scroll, not a messenger, it had come directly into his mind, spoken in the voice of power that none could ignore.

"By right of dominion, I, Emperor of Arman, call for the Racial Council."

The words still echoed faintly in his mind, carrying that familiar tinge of arrogance only humans could manage.

The Racial Council.

A gathering that only occurred once in a century. A meeting where the four rulers of Pandora’s sentient races, the Humans, Dragons, Elves, and Beastkin, would convene to decide matters that affected all existence. Each race could summon it only once every hundred years.

And now, the humans had done it.

Eragon’s lips curved in a faint smirk. "The Human Emperor... using his one chance in a hundred years," he murmured to himself. "Could it be because of the recent happenings in his domain?"

The answer was obvious.

He paused by a tall crystal window, staring out at the volcanic horizon beyond. "What a foolish question," he said under his breath. "Of course it is. The destruction of twelve clusters in mere days... it can only be that."

His voice was calm, but his aura rippled faintly, a restrained pressure that made the molten rivers below the mountain quiver.

A soft chuckle escaped him. "I wonder how that thousand-year-old virgin of the elf race will react," he mused, his tone laced with amusement. "And those brutes from the Beast Tribe, ah, they’ll be howling in outrage before the council even begins."

For a fleeting moment, he seemed entertained by the image. But then, the smile vanished. His expression hardened, his mind returning to the thought that had been gnawing at him since he left the dungeon.

The Draconian.

Elizabeth.

Her existence had already upset the delicate balance of his world. He had spared her only because she was useful, to study, to observe, and to understand how a race that should have gone extinct had reappeared. But now... now she was something more.

He could still see those three glowing cores in her body, the impossible manifestation of the legendary Three Core Physique.

Eragon stopped walking, his claws tapping lightly against the black stone as his lips twisted into a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

"If I can seize that power," he whispered, voice low, almost reverent. "If I can claim it for the dragons..."

His pupils narrowed into slits, the faint red glow in his irises brightening with greed.

"No one will ever stand against us again."

The smirk deepened, stretching into a crazed grin. The thought alone sent a thrill through his blood, the hunger for dominance that defined his kind roaring back to life.

The Dragon Lord continued his walk through the grand hallway, molten light spilling through the glass, his shadow long and sharp against the floor.

Each step was slower, measured and more deliberate.

The world was changing again, and this time, Eragon intended to make sure it changed in his favor.

****

Back in the Human Domain, within the towering heart of the Imperial Palace, the air shimmered faintly with traces of fading magic.

Alexander stood motionless in the center of the marble hall, the faint light of dawn spilling through the high windows and glinting off his golden armor. In his hands, a torn parchment slowly disintegrated, its two halves turning into drifting motes of light that vanished into the air like dust under sunlight.

That parchment had carried the Emperor’s call, a relic only to be used once in a hundred years, to summon the Racial Council.

Now it was gone, its purpose fulfilled.

Alexander’s brows furrowed, a rare uncertainty lingering on his face. "Did I do the right thing?" he muttered under his breath, watching the last flicker of light fade away.

Behind him, a soft voice answered. "You did."

Genevieve stepped forward from the shadows of the hall, her snow-white hair glowing faintly in the morning light. Her regal poise carried the weight of her title, but her tone was warm and comforting in a way only a sister’s could be.

"Brother," she said, her voice calm but firm, "you made the right decision."

Alexander turned toward her, his golden eyes heavy with doubt. "Did I?" he asked quietly. "What if what I did inadvertently paints a mark on his head?"

Genevieve didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she closed the distance between them, wrapping her arms around him in a firm embrace. Her soft wolf ears brushed against his cheek, the familiar gesture grounding him in the moment.

"Don’t forget why we’re doing this," she whispered. "It’s for Mother. To save her. The Human Domain won’t be enough on its own. To succeed, we need the strength of all Pandora."

Alexander let out a quiet breath, his hands falling to his sides. He wanted to believe her but the thought of the boy, of what this meant for him, gnawed at his conscience.

Pulling back slightly from the hug, Alexander’s expression hardened again. "But depending on him to rally the other races..." he said, frowning. "Isn’t that asking too much?"

Genevieve smiled faintly, her amber eyes gleaming with confidence. "Sometimes," she said, "you can be so dense, brother."

Alexander blinked. "Dense?"

She nodded, stepping past him to stand at his side, her tone teasing but edged with truth. "Think about what you’ve seen him do so far. Everything he’s accomplished. Do you honestly believe this will be too much for him?"

Her gaze turned toward the light streaming through the hall, her voice softening. "If anything, I doubt it will even make him sweat."

Alexander stared at her, momentarily speechless. She was right and he knew it. The boy had already defied logic more times than he could count.

A quiet chuckle escaped him. "Why are you always so smart, sister?"

Genevieve’s lips curled into a playful smile. "I’m not. You’re just dumb."

Alexander laughed at that, the tension in his chest finally easing. "Fair enough," he said, stepping forward and pulling her into another embrace.

He held her close, his hand resting gently against the back of her head before pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Thank you," he whispered.