"My Liege?" Lord Rodrick called uncertainly when Jian said nothing more of the topic.

Lord Rodrick felt quite unsettled about Neveah, though he did not have much relations with the girl, Davina considered her to be a dear friend and so Lord Rodrick could not help his concern.

The dragon king was not one to make a decision without reason, Rodrick was not certain exactly why Jian had decided to send Neveah to Master Maloway.

It was unlike Jian to be so particular about the affairs of another and knowing Neveah’s importance to both Lord Xenon and Lord Menarx,

Lord Rodrick worried Jian was setting himself up for disapproval from his brothers.

Jian glanced over at Lord Rodrick for a moment, fixing him with a blank stare.

Realizing that was all the response Jian had to give, Lord Rodrick changed the topic.

"Ah... the dune dragons await in your study, My Liege. I believe Lord Garron has some matters to report."

"Lord Kirgan is right outside." Lord Rodrick relayed.

Jian hummed in response, as he got up to his feet and strode past Lord Rodrick who followed behind him.

Stepping out of the throne room, Kirgan who had been waiting all the while lowered his head to a bow.

"Your thoughts are settled then?" Kirgan asked.

"With you pacing outside my throne room? I think not." Jian replied with a shake of his head.

"Cassian and Imagor have tasks to see to, and yours are even greater...we cannot all leave you by yourself." Kirgan defended.

"I am deeply touched, brother." Jian replied in his characteristic monotone and Kirgan sniggered in response.

Jian continued down the hall, Kirgan at his side.

"The troll golem...how could it even get this far? It was only a little past half a month ago we received word from Kaideon and the White Dunes are at the far northern borders."

"Beside flight, how could a beast with so great a size arrive Keep Skies so quickly? Without being spotted by flight patrol?"

"A beast with neither wing nor a mind of it’s own...it just makes no sense." Kirgan said with a shake of his head

It was a concern on the mind of all the Lord Dragons, though no one had outrightly said it because there was no need to.

If one thing was clear, it was the fact that there was a greater plot and a greater power behind the troll golem.

"Perhaps the efforts of the dune dragons will shed some light." Lord Rodrick said with a sigh.

It has been weeks since the dune dragons arrived Dragon Keep, and they had dutifully scoured through the hidden archives of Dragon Keep in these days.

The hidden archives held the largest collection of records from centuries before the uprising, there were thousands of volumes to search through and so even these past weeks were not nearly enough.

"If there is more to the beast, the archives will tell. Those records of dark arts must contain something. If anything, we must know it’s source at the least...." Kirgan said with a shake of his head.

Before the uprising, dark sorcery was prevalent and it was precisely why those historic records that told of such evil were frowned upon and stored away.

"Kaideon’s judgement has never disappointed. If he insists the answers we seek will be found amongst those records, then it will." Jian murmured in response.

"Does this mean the beast is truly linked to that forbidden shadow swamp? My Liege spoke nothing of it during the council, but you also think the same?" Kirgan asked worriedly.

Jian did not respond, he was yet to come to his own conclusion but Jian did trust in the judgement of his dune lord.

A golem was a creature of dark magic, any sorcerer powerful enough could cast the spell but a troll golem was a rarity.

Though this was not enough to have it linked to that long forgotten empire, every concern raised by the dune lord could not be taken for granted.

Jian would never leave room for doubts, something was not right and he wanted to know just what it was.

"Again, Kaideon has never been wrong about anything... this we already know to be true." Jian finally replied.

Jian had granted complete access to the hidden archives but he knew the dune dragons would need time to find some useful information amongst the volumes that recorded the events of that forbidden shadow swamp.

At the same time, Jian hoped their concerns were misplaced.

"The fourth squadron?" Jian asked as he walked.

"Lodenworth has dispatched scouts ahead to seek out the adamantium mines. The fourth squadron is on standby." Kirgan replied.

"If the dwarves have begun mining the ore in secret, they will have the mines well hidden. They must make a thorough search." Jian instructed.

Kirgan nodded in response as they arrived Jian’s study.

"My Liege." The dune dragons greeted in unison.

Jian walked over to his desk and took a seat before gesturing for the dune dragons to be seated.

"Those records contain the most horrifying details... forgive the time it has taken us to bring you a report." Rodvan apologized first.

"This I know... my father had once ordered them destroyed for this very purpose." Jian replied with a nod.

"I have made a report as instructed but there are words I must say to you in person." Garron began as he placed the report before Jian.

"All records of that cursed place were stored in the hidden archives and in these weeks, I have realized a worrisome factor..." Garron said, trailing off for a moment.

"What is it?" Kirgan asked with a frown.

"Missing content, My Liege. Many if not all of these volumes are missing the most important records." Garron revealed in a grim tone.

"If My Liege will go down with us to the hidden archives, there are things that can only be shown and not said." Garron continued.

Jian passed a glance to a silent Kaideon who nodded his agreement.

"Very well, lead the way..." Jian said.