Reborn as the Last van Ambrose-Chapter 137: Axem and The Dragon Emperor

Grim found himself observing a vast chamber carved from what appeared to be living coral, its walls pulsed with bioluminescent veins that cast blue and gold light into the chamber every time it pulsed.

At the center stood two figures—a man who looked remarkably like Grim but younger, with the same dark hair and strong jawline. Across from him loomed a dragon, its scales shimmering between blue to silver to gold.

"The preparations are nearly complete, Axem," the dragon spoke, its voice resonating through the chamber like distant thunder. "The four keys have been forged from my crown’s essence. Each will carry a fragment of what I am." fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

The young man—Axem—nodded solemnly. "And you’re certain this is the only way, Emperor? The sacrifice required..."

"Is necessary," the dragon replied, lowering its massive head closer to the human. "The corruption spreads too quickly. If I do not act now, all the sea realms will fall to shadow. My essence, properly distributed, will create barriers that can hold for millennia."

"But the cost to you—"

"The cost would be far greater," the Emperor interrupted gently. "Your bloodline will remember, Axem. When the keys are needed again, when the seals weaken, your descendants will know. The dragon blood I have shared with your line will guide them."

Axem’s hand moved unconsciously to his face, tracing what appeared to be a fresh scar along his right cheek. "The others don’t understand why you trust humans. They think it’s a weakness."

"Let them think as they will," the Emperor replied with what might have been amusement. "You have proven that courage and wisdom are not limited by species. The bond between our kinds will be crucial in the times to come."

The dream began to fragment, images blurring and shifting, but the Emperor’s final words echoed clearly: "Remember, child. When the time is right, you must answer." Grim realized what made this dream feel so reel was the dragon’s last words. He no longer saw Axem. Just the dragon who was staring right into his soul.

Grim stirred, slowly beginning to wake up. He felt something warm against his cheek, the gentle touch of fingertips tracing along his skin. His eyes opened to find Lin sitting beside him on the bed, she was smiling as she watched Grim sleep.

"You were dreaming," she said softly, her finger following the line of the scar that ran from his right temple to his jaw. "You spoke a name—Axem."

Grim jerked upright, suddenly fully awake. "Lin? How did you—what are you doing here?"

She didn’t move away, her hand still on his face. "Your scar," she whispered, almost reverently. "It’s beautiful. It looks similar to my mother’s paintings."

"What paintings?" Grim asked.

"The ones my mother kept hidden," Lin replied, her eyes were glued to Grim’s face. "Portraits of the human who worked with the Emperor. We don’t know his true name. Just that he was called Axem."

She leaned closer, her fascination with Grim was very obvious. "May I?" she asked, gesturing toward his scar.

Before he could respond, her fingertips were tracing the mark again, her touch cool, but at the same time felt electric.

"Lin," Grim began, trying to process what she was telling him."You can’t be in here. If your father finds out—"

"My father doesn’t know about the paintings," she interrupted, her other hand now resting against his chest. "He doesn’t know about what my mother told me before she died. About the promise our family made to yours."

Her eyes held an intensity that was both compelling and unsettling. "You’re not just human, Grim. You never were. The blood of the Dragon Emperor flows in your veins, diluted over generations but still present. Still calling to those of us who remember."

Grim caught her wrist gently, trying to create some distance. "This is a lot to take in. And you shouldn’t be here—"

"Where else should I be?" Lin asked, her voice taking on an almost desperate edge. "I’ve waited my entire life to meet someone like you. Do you know how lonely it’s been, knowing secrets that I could never share?"

She shifted closer, her free hand now touching his face as well. "You feel it too, don’t you? The connection?"

"I need to understand what this means," he said carefully. "About my family, about these keys you mentioned."

"The keys," Lin breathed, her eyes lighting up. "Yes, you need to see. You need to understand why Jiaolong wants them so badly, and why your bloodline is the key to stopping him."

A sound from the corridor outside made them both freeze. Footsteps approached, accompanied by the sound of crystalline chiming.

Lin moved swiftly, pressing something into Grim’s hand before stepping back from the bed. "Hide this," she whispered urgently. "And meet me in the Archive Chamber after the morning meal. There’s so much more you need to know."

The object she’d given him was small and smooth. As he concealed it within his robe, the footsteps passed by his door without stopping.

"You have to go," Grim said quietly. "Before someone sees you."

Lin nodded, but hesitated at the chamber’s wall. "Grim," she said, turning back to him. "What you dreamed—it was more than just a dream, wasn’t it? You saw him. You saw Axem with the Emperor."

"How do you know that?" Grim asked.

"Because the dragon blood calls to you," she replied. "The closer you get to understanding your heritage, the stronger the visions will become."

She touched the wall, and a section of ice dissolved, revealing a hidden passage. "Until morning," she said, and disappeared into the darkness beyond.

Grim sat in the silence that followed, his mind reeling from everything Lin had revealed.

He examined the amulet more closely, noting the intricate designs on the amulet. At its center was an indentation, circular and precise, as if something had once been set there.

The crystalline chiming that served as the palace’s morning bell began to sound, signaling the start of a new day. As Grim prepared for what was to come, he found himself touching the scar on his face.

When Bi’an and Suanni arrived to escort him to the morning meal, they found him already dressed and waiting.

"You look troubled," Bi’an observed. "Did you sleep poorly?"

"Something like that," Grim replied, concealing the amulet more securely within his robes. "I had some very interesting dreams."

"Dreams in the sea realm can be more than they appear," Suanni warned.

"So I’m learning," Grim replied, thinking of Lin’s words about the visions growing stronger.

As they made their way through the palace corridors toward the dining hall, Grim noticed subtle changes in how the staff and guards treated him.

The morning meal was a smaller affair than the previous night’s feast, served in a more intimate chamber with only the immediate members of Ao Shun’s court present. Lin sat at her father’s right hand, but avoided meeting Grim’s eyes directly.

"I trust you all slept well," Ao Shun addressed the table generally, though his gaze lingered on Grim.

"My lord," Grim said, "may I ask about the original separation of the keys? Who decided how they would be divided?"

Ao Shun’s eyes were fixed on him. "An interesting question, human. The decision was made by the Emperor himself, in consultation with his most trusted advisor—a human who had earned his complete confidence."

"And this human’s name?" Grim pressed, though he suspected he already knew the answer.

"Axem," Ao Shun replied, watching Grim’s reaction carefully.

Xu Wu cleared his throat diplomatically. "Perhaps we should focus on the immediate crisis. If Jiaolong possesses multiple keys, we need to determine his next move."

"He’ll need all four to access the tomb," Lin said, speaking for the first time during the meal.

"How do you know this?" Ao Shun asked his daughter sharply.

Lin hesitated for just a moment. "I’ve been studying the old texts. The one’s mother left in her private collection."

"I told you those were not for casual reading," Ao Shun said, his voice carrying a warning.

"Nothing about this situation is casual, father," Lin replied with quiet determination. "If Jiaolong is trying to get access to the Emperor’s Tomb, we need every piece of information available."

Ao Shun studied her for a long moment. "Very well. After this meal, you will share what you know. All of it."

"Of course, father."

The meal concluded shortly after, with most of the court members departing to attend to their various duties. As Grim prepared to leave, Lin caught his eye briefly and gestured almost imperceptibly toward the Archive Chamber.

"Grim," Ao Shun called as he reached the chamber’s entrance. "A word, if you please."

Grim approached the Dragon King, who had remained seated at the head of the table. Xu Wu stood beside him.

"Your presence here is not coincidental," Ao Shun stated.

"I’m beginning to understand that," Grim replied carefully.

"Are you?" Ao Shun’s eyes seemed to look through him.

"The dreams started when I arrived here. They seem... unusually vivid."

"Because these dreams you experience, tap into your blood. The mana here is different than the other seas."