Back in the Dire Sovereign Beast's village.
Darian knelt so low his forehead nearly sank into the earth itself.
Kael, still in his towering dragon form, exhaled once—smoke swirling from his nostrils as he stared down at the man worshipping him like a miracle descended from the heavens.
Then—
FWOOOM—
Black shadows curled around his scales.
His body shrank.
Bones rearranged.
Wings dissolved like molten black.
In seconds, the monstrous dragon turned into the tall, black-clad man with sharp golden eyes and a lazy sort of grace.
Kael dusted his sleeves, as if the transformation itself had been mildly inconvenient.
Then he looked down at Darian.
Who was still kneeling.
Head pressed to the dirt.
Not moving so much as a finger.
"...First of all," Kael said, voice dry, "my name is Kael. Not 'Lord of Night Sun.' Not 'Radiant Sovereign.' Definitely not 'my god.' Just Kael."
He folded his arms.
"Second—why exactly am I your god?"
Darian's shoulders trembled.
Not with fear.
