A Chronometric Defect

Evacuation day. I knew something like this might happen after I witnessed the absurdity of that dragon in Haitos.

I knew it, but never imagined it would happen under the direction of the dragon itself. Rather than fighting Pure Evil, Shridenia has announced its appointment of the 'Chronometric Dragon God' as Shridenia's new official god and supreme leader— above the king.

This is NOT what I had in mind when I fled to the capital. Not at all. First and foremost, why does it call itself 'Chronometric Dragon God?' Is it lying about its name? Not like any of us could possibly question it, but... Is it capitalizing on the fame of the former Dragon God?

I got chills when I heard its new title from the King himself. I knew this dragon was smart; I saw it firsthand. I never expected it to be smart enough to manipulate the minds of men through such a delicate yet effective ruse.

Its claims can be ignored by knowing its real name, but so what? How might I disagree with its swathes of faithful believers? There's already thousands.

Including King Shridenia. Should I disagree with my king?

And there will be more. Many more. More than the Dragon God, too, who was merely a somewhat smarter dragon. That dragon was not nearly smart enough to create a crisis, then use said crisis to gain control of an entire nation.

A nation, I've been told, that's an amalgamation of Pure Evil's holdings. Not long after it conquered Haitos, one region after another fell, until Fridellia was surrounded on all sides by the dragon's territory. After all, its holdings include the entire nation of Eritromi.

That too was chilling. Finding out an entire nation had ceased to exist. Even The Purified Heavens tends to vassalize its holdings and normalize their military practices for decades before making the land their own.

Pure Evil doesn't need to do that; it's too powerful to be stopped. Which is why I think King Shridenia capitulated.

I'm not sure why the dragon didn't depose him, or why it didn't kill former president Harani, but perhaps it's again because there's no need. Pure Evil is simply too powerful.

I look up at the sky. There's a glinting orange light glowing irregularly up there. I could probably barely see it under normal conditions, but with the morning sun still not over the distant horizon, only the sky is lit. The ground remains dark. And so, my eyes can clearly see the object which is casting off such brilliant morning sunlight.

It's the dragon, of course. The reason we had to evacuate. It claims there's a monster underneath the entire kingdom, so we must leave. Hogwash, I say, but it'd be crazy for me to argue with the dragon's faithful. Who's going to argue with the giant dragon itself? Certainly not me!

I imagine everyone across the entirety of this new nation is looking up at the dragon at this moment. It's smack dab in the center of its merged country, getting ready to attack this supposed monster. At least it decided to let us live?

Or so I hope.

One surprising benefit of all this chaos was its release of a new magic carriage. It's a brilliant piece of engineering; one the dragon somehow appears to have mass-produced.

All citizens will be given a chance to buy these carriages at a very low price after the crisis is over. Apparently, they'll continue to be produced and sold at cost by state inscriptionists, too. The king told me he sees fast travel as a key economic boon. He wants to encourage their use.

It was surprisingly heartwarming to hear that the dragon did such an amazing thing for the common person. At least, he's putting his immense power to one good use.

In my case, I was given one of these new magic carts along with a state-owned evacuation property as repayment for my flight to the capital.

Though, I'm the King's guard. I already have nothing to want for. Yet, I've been told the dragon personally instructed that I should get a bonus stipend for as long as I remain a guard.

Why?

Did I carry out his intentions all along? Did I carry word of his endless prowess directly to the King's ear, specifically so the King would submit? I can't fathom he's that smart. But when I recall his conversations with Aitos...

I'm forced to admit; it seems I got played. Why else would a dragon personally pay me?

To be nice? Hah! He's a dragon. Then again, the carts...

And the Token of Audience.

Is it possible he's rewarding me for carrying out my guard duty loyally? Like... The prince?

I don't want to consider things from this angle. He's just a dragon. But, is he 'just' a dragon? Am I overcomplicating things when I imagine him as evil, while oversimplifying them when I think of him as good?

If there's one thing I've learned in my time a guard; it's that evil people behave poorly. The results of their actions ultimately show their true character.

Not their words.

As I watch, the scintillating upon the dragon's body dramatically intensifies. I focus my eyes onto him. He's doing something. He's so far away, I can't tell what.

Suddenly—

‡‡‡‡‡‡SHRAAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRR‡‡‡‡‡‡

‡‡‡‡SHMKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE‡‡‡‡

— a massive black beam emits from his form. It goes down at a steep angle and impacts the ground. A black bubble rises from the center of Shridenia, eating all light.

It's as though the world itself is coming to an end.

I watch as the enormous bubble expands. It's approaching me; approaching everyone.

I feel nothing.

My heart. My mind. They both feel as empty as the bubble.

Is this the end? It looks like the end. It looks— like it's my end. All of our ends.

I can't even be upset. At least it'll be painless.

The bubble abruptly stops expanding. Then, it vanishes.

The dragon is still up there. The ground, however, is not down here. Much of the ground is gone. I feel the ground begin trembling under my feet. It's not that the land feels fear.

There's no point in fearing him, anyway. Nope.

This entire stretch of land is shifting in response to an immense loss of landmass, which, the dragon has eaten.

He can... Do that.

I drop to my knees.

Dragon? False god? I don't care. Lord Chronometric Dragon God, please.

I clasp my hands and pray with all my might.

Please spare me. Spare us all.

The morning sunlight suddenly peeks over the horizon— its cleansing light sweeping across the entire plains of the southern wastelands.

All is bright upon Shridenia once more.

The dragon's body then scintillates.

....

It scintillates, ever so cleanly.

...

As he falls from heaven.