Even though David had already experienced the power of a long-distance Teleportation Circle once, the moment he stepped into it, he still felt a strong tremor.
If last time, teleporting from Elariya to Barto Hell felt like his entire body was being torn apart, this time, it was as if his body and senses were compressed into a single point. Reality around him turned into a vortex; colors, sounds, and sensations merged in an instant. The red flames of Barto Hell, the scorching heat waves, and the demons' roars quickly faded, eventually replaced by an endless void.
That was the color of the Astral Plane.
In this vibrant kaleidoscope of stellar hues, David only felt himself plummeting at high speed, as if shot from a void cannon. Time seemed to lose its meaning. He didn't know how long this experience lasted—it felt like an eternity, yet it might have been just a moment.
Then suddenly, his reconverging senses enveloped him. His body seemed to reassemble, each cell finding its new position.
Even with his extraordinary physique, rated a high 28 in the *Book of the Dragon*'s assessment, he still felt bouts of dizziness. He could hardly imagine what ordinary humans would endure in such an ordeal.
No sooner had he instinctively taken a deep breath, eager to once again feel the vibrant, fresh air of Elariya, than he smelled a nauseating stench of decay. Simultaneously, he heard Tania's somewhat muffled exclamation from beside him, "Oh no, Rosinde seems to have fainted, wedged in a rock crevice! Does he need a Healing Spell?"
Suddenly opening his eyes, David also realized something was amiss. "Wait a minute, why are we underground?" Or more accurately, buried in stone.
The space was claustrophobically narrow; the young dragoness Tania was almost entirely pressed against his head.
He, in turn, was lying on Mofei and the other dragons. It was as if someone had pre-dug a double-dragon tomb, meant for two to be buried side-by-side, but they had somehow crammed ten units in, nearly squashing them to death without warning.
No, the Barbarian, the only humanoid among them, was already half-crushed to death... If it weren't for the Endless Rage David had granted him as a safety net, he might have already perished...
Coming to his senses a bit late, David quickly grasped the most likely possibility: Yolanda, worried that their group of dragons leaving Elariya, coupled with the loss of her father Christoph's authoritative presence, might invite retaliation from the Drow, had taken precautionary measures. If any such signs appeared, she would directly dismantle the Dragon Nest, thereby concealing the existence of the long-distance Teleportation Circle.
As it turned out, Yolanda's arrangements did serve their intended purpose.
However, Yolanda herself probably never anticipated that right after Christoph had entered the Gloomy Region, the High Elves would 'bury him on the spot.' Nor did she foresee that David and his companions, who had agreed to a two-month journey, would be delayed for thirty-two years by a commission from the Dragon Queen before finally returning.
Most of them had grown several sizes larger, and the originally reserved Dragon Landings were simply no longer adequate...
In the end, David, being the largest, used Arrogance to 'phase' out first, then dug the other dragons out from the demolished Dragon Nest.
He had considered blasting their way out with a fierce Dragon Breath, just as he had on the great slope in the Sixth Hell. But creating another pool of magma would have only scorched the scales of his father, Attilicia. His retinue, however, likely didn't possess such tough hides; they might have ended up as a fragrant pot of 'ground-roasted chicken' by the time he came to his senses.
This was why, whenever people mentioned Red Dragons, they always had the stereotypical image of ill-fated loners, destined for solitude.
It couldn't be helped; their every action was terrifyingly destructive. Sometimes, an impulsive decision based on instinct could easily lead to a total party wipeout...
But David, for one, didn't want to live like his mother had in her early years—a lone champion...
Consider Pafila: strong as she was, upon encountering Tania—that clever little charmer who could act as an automatic dragon feeder, help polish her scales, and constantly find ways to cheer her up—didn't she also find it utterly wonderful?
Even though this wasn't his first visit to this valley, David still had plenty of complaints about the old dragon Christoph's choice of location. That it could turn into a water prison with a single downpour was one thing. But surrounded by rugged mountains, it might be a natural barrier for other creatures, yet for any Dragon not a Black Dragon, it was simply an eyesore. The feng shui was truly subpar.
David, of course, knew what Christoph had been thinking. He always had to be the best, his entire life. If I can't choose the highest terrain, the Katjana Mountains, then I'll find the deepest spot! After all, I'm supposedly an ancestor of David Uthos. I can't settle for second best when picking a location for the Dragon Nest, can I? Even if it's just a temporary resting spot, how disgraceful would that be for a Dragon! How would I ever hold my head high if I returned to Sed Ponga?
Fucking idiot, was David's assessment. A surge of Arrogance, and then he heard the White Dragon Mofei, that true idiot, exclaim to the heavens,
"Oh my gods! I, Mofei, in my lifetime, have finally returned alive from that accursed hell..."
Then, clutching his finally scabbed-over tail, he excitedly showed it to the other dragons, exclaiming, "Look, everyone, my tail! My tail seems to know it's home; it's showing signs of healing! My rotting tail is finally going to be saved! I, Mofei, am no longer a dragon with a rotting tail! SOB!" Immediately, two streams of icy tears trickled down his face.