Transmigrated With A Thrifty System

3 – What's happening tonight?

The voice coming from the computer-like system sounds monotonous yet soothing enough to calm even the most anxious person. It speaks with an accent that Aiden can't quite place, but it's not important right now. Aiden looks around the room, trying to get his bearings, but everything feels surreal.

"You're a system...a program…an AI…" Aiden stammers, recalling all the fictional stories he had been told by his father while growing up. His father used to tell him tales of magical creatures living among humans disguised as ordinary people. He always claimed that every human being could potentially become part fairy tale creature given their willingness to believe.

"'Dragon companion', huh?" Aiden asks with a smirk, quickly responding to the question he was asked. "Please tell me more..."

[Transportation to Azeroth via teleportation gate. Please wait ten seconds before departure. Have fun exploring the land of the supernatural]

"What? Wait, hold on now—" Aiden yells, but then he notices something strange happening outside his window. The sky suddenly turns dark purple; clouds begin forming overhead causing raindrops to fall upon everything and from the looks of it, it seemed only he could see it. Thunder rumbles loudly followed shortly thereafter by lightning striking through his roof sending sparks everywhere. A portal opens directly in front of him, blowing away the debris caused by the storm.

"…I'm not going anywhere near that thing!" Aiden hisses, holding onto whatever furniture he can find nearby.

[Would you like to know the true source of your inherited wealth?]

Lyris' words spark a chain of curiosity inside Aiden's mind. "What do you mean 'true source'?"

[Your questions will be answered by living through the various clues, host]

Understanding Lyris' words, he eases his grip on the furniture, walks toward the portal opening, and stares straight ahead at its glowing blue surface. With trembling hands, he reaches forward and touches the cool metal wall surrounding the entrance. In an instant, he feels a tugging sensation pull him forward, he lets himself drift gently over the edge and falls headfirst into the light.

Zwp!

The portal closes above, cutting short his ascent back to reality.

–––––––––––

Aiden found himself standing in a grassy field, surrounded by trees that lined both sides of a road leading towards a bustling street. As he took in his surroundings, he noticed people walking ahead, dressed in a variety of clothing, ranging from formal suits and gowns to casual wear. Some carried weapons on their backs, while others carried bags filled with items purchased earlier in the day.

Feeling a sense of unease, Aiden ducked behind a boulder to observe the area more carefully. He peered through the gaps between two large stones, watching as people continued to pass by.

"What part of Azeroth is this? What is happening here?" Aiden whispered to himself, trying to make sense of his surroundings.

Suddenly, a message appeared before him.

[The capital city is known simply as Draenor. It is located northeast of the continent of Azeroth. Once ruled by King Varian Wrynn, whose reign ended abruptly following the death of Queen Arthas.]

Aiden was taken aback by the information. He had never heard of Draenor before, and he had certainly never encountered anything like this in his previous travels.

[Would you like to d******d the memory of the general events stored up until your arrival?] Lyris asked.

Aiden nodded, and with a chime, another screen popped up, displaying images that flashed before his eyes.

[Uploading memory complete,] the screen read.

As Aiden stood up, the memories flooded his mind, and he struggled to keep his balance. The pain was unbearable as the bright flashes of light overwhelmed him. When the pain finally subsided, Aiden found himself staring at the rows of towering buildings that lined the streets, running parallel to the river flowing beside it.

The buildings were taller than any skyscraper he had ever seen. Some were made entirely of glass, allowing people to peer within as they walked past. Others featured balconies hanging high atop tall towers that reached hundreds, if not thousands, of feet into the air.

Aiden walked along the cobblestone streets, mesmerized by the sights and sounds of the bustling city. He had never seen anything like it before. The shops were filled with people buying all sorts of goods, from spices to textiles, and everything in between. The air was thick with the scent of exotic foods cooking and the sounds of merchants haggling with customers.

As he continued down the street, he spotted something that caught his eye. Several dragons were flying around the city, their scales shimmering in the sunlight. Aiden had always been fascinated by dragons, and he couldn't believe that he was seeing them in real life.

The dragons flew low against the wind currents, effortlessly gliding through the spaces between the buildings. Each one carried passengers riding comfortably aboard their broad wings. Aiden watched in awe as they soared above him, their wings beating gracefully against the air.

There must have been tens of millions of citizens living among these structures alone. Aiden looked up as a dragon glided across, its yellow eyes fixated on him before it twirled and joined the others. 'How many dragons could possibly live amongst these people?!' he thought to himself with a smile.

As he continued to walk, he noticed that the dragons were not just flying around for the sake of it. They were actually a part of everyday life in the city. People were using them as a means of transportation, much like a taxi or a bus. Aiden saw families with young children climbing aboard the dragons, their faces filled with excitement.

He couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to ride on the back of a dragon himself.

As he continued wandering, he could hear the sound of music playing in the distance, signaling some sort of festival taking place. The sound carried well even though he couldn't make out much else besides drums pounding away rhythmically.

Aiden's curiosity led him towards the center of town, where he noticed a strange gathering of people dressed in black robes. They had gathered around a large altar in the center of the plaza, chanting in a language he couldn't understand. Their faces were painted in intricate designs, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.

Inside the square, people are gathered together, their faces painted white, and they are all gazing upward.

"Excuse me, sir, what is happening here?" Aiden asked a man standing nearby.

He is informed that "It's going to happen tonight."

'Tonight? What's going on tonight?' Aiden ponders.