"When was the last time I felt his presence?", the woman mused as she watched the blazing pillar of light and flames break through the clouds surrounding Ascalon.
She stood at the edge of a smaller floating island surrounding Cerus city. It is a small piece of land with a patch of trees in the center. But the view from this place is incredible. Many call it Gazer's Island.
The woman looks to be in her late twenties and is tall. She has waist-length black hair streaked with red, blue, and green that glittered in the moonlight. Her dark blue irises were like the night sky, dotted with glowing points like stars and her pupils were diamond-shaped.
She wore a dark blue twin tailcoat over a black full-sleeve vest, black pants, and boots. Blue scales formed a diamond shape on both her hands and her nails were painted dark blue. They contrasted beautifully against her fair skin.
Two strong gusts of wind blew behind her and two huge thumps shook the ground. "Have you two come to watch this beautiful scene too?", she asked the two dragon lords that have landed behind her without turning around.
"It seems like you beat us to it.", the dragon lord of mist, Ignis spoke in his calm tone while the dragon lord of fire, Flaria snorted before replying, "You were standing here for some time. I don't want you hogging up the good spot!"
Ignis stood beside the woman in his human form, "It is a beautiful sight.", he then looked at her, "So. What are you going to do, Andromeda?"
The dragon lord of the stars thought about it. "We should send someone over. But who will it be?"
A blast of hot air blew behind them, "I can go.", Flaria, still in her dragon form raised her scaly and clawed hand.
Andromeda looked at the fire dragon, "Is it also to meet those two?"
Flaria nodded, "It's been some time since I last saw them."
"How long?"
"About a year?"
"You are a terrible mother."
The fire dragon huffed, "Hey! I was pretty busy."
Andromeda chuckled, "Fine. You go."
"Gee. Thanks."
She looked back at the pillar of magia and flames that began to dissipate.
"First Vanessa, now this. A huge change is underway."
*******
Moments before the appearance of the pillar of magia and flames...
Arthur streamed magia into his legs and dashed into the forest.
Something must've happened to Vesta. Her presence suddenly disappeared. He just hopes she is safe.
Soon he was in the woods. It was a part that was unaffected by the previous battle and was the thickest part of the woods. The silver streaks of the moon broke through the canopy, illuminating the darkness a little.
'This seriously looks like the dark woods in my vision.', he looked around, fully alert.
He used magia to enhance his senses and that was when he heard it. The faint rustling of leaves above.
'Oh shucks! I hate seeing the future!', he jumped back just as the rogue Shadow slammed his clawed gauntlets into the ground, where Arthur stood a second ago.
"You're good.", the rogue Shadow said and went to grab the young Night's head. Using his enhanced senses and reflexes he quickly dodged, the water-imbued gauntlets brushing past his hair.
Arthur took out Ghost and no sooner had he taken out the sword when another attack came from behind.
He twisted around and blocked it but then a knee dug into his stomach, knocking the air out of him. He crumpled to his knees, coughing and trying to breathe.
The Predator came behind him, ready to deal the final blow when suddenly he saw a flash of blue. He quickly dodged to the side but it nicked his face and blood flowed from the cut. It was more painful than a normal cut.
He turned around for a moment to see what it was when he felt a kick to the stomach but due to his huge defense, the rogue Shadow was only pushed back. He sighed and looked at Arthur only to feel a wave of intense pain on his right arm.
Arthur had stabbed him in the arm with a dagger made of liquid magia, he grunted and dragged it down with all his strength.
With a sickening tear, blood splurted from the deep wound that ran along the length of his arm, showering Arthur in his opponent's blood.
The Predator screamed in pain and dealt a magia-enhanced punch with his armored left hand straight on the young man's head.
With a horrible cracking noise, Arthur staggered sideways, blood flowing out of his nose, ear, and eyes. The force was enough to burst his blood vessels and crack his skull.
'Is it finally happening?', he thought as his vision became red.
It seems like it.
He felt a presence behind him. He won't be able to do anything.
It happened fast.
Water swirled around the Predator's left gauntlet and he struck.
Arthur didn't feel the pain. Perhaps it was because his brain was damaged by the previous blow that he was unable to process the pain. He was lowkey glad to not fortify his head with magia at that moment.
Or maybe it was not a painful experience at all.
Arthur saw the same thing he witnessed: a hand sticking out of his chest, blood pouring out of the new hole in his chest, and the dark woods. The only difference is that his sight was clouded with blood, something that was not even glimpsed in the vision of his future.
'So. The future can be altered.', he realized as his life flowed out of him like the blood flowing out of his chest.
'Well. It is too late now.', he thought as the light faded. He just needs to close his eyes and it is over.
But is it?
Is this how things are ending for him?
What about the things he did until now? His training? His clever plans?
What about his wish to be a Cardinal Knight? To show everyone that someone like him can become powerful?
What about his revenge against the ones that killed his parents and shattered his life on that fateful night?
Are they all to waste?
He coughed up blood and gritted his teeth, 'No way I am dying here and like this!', he thought as he grabbed the hand of the rogue Shadow.
His sister and the others will know that something is wrong. If he can hold the enemy in his cold grasp of death, they'll be able to capture his assassin.
But is it already too late?
"Damnit. I'm sorry, everyone. Looks like I will be leaving much earlier.", Arthur muttered before his world faded to black.
"Well well. This doesn't look good at all."
A mysterious voice suddenly spoke in his mind. Arthur suddenly felt a strange feeling in him, like something had awakened in his final moments. Something ancient and uncontrollable.
"I can't have you dying.", the voice spoke, "Let's start by fixing that good body of yours."
"What the?", the rogue Shadow said before a bright light enveloped him.
And then all hell broke loose.
*******
Back at the present...
Seventeen almost tripped and fell flat on his face on the ground when the immense presence hit him like a giant sledgehammer.
"What in Arkenstein's name is that?", Jade actually tripped and was getting up from the ground. The primal roar was deafening and making her body scream to her to get away. The pillar of magia and blue flames rose high up in the sky.
"The presence is similar to Arthur's but.", Seventeen said as he analyzed the magia pressing down on them, "The readings are off the charts! This could be on par with a founder dragon!"
They suddenly heard a rustling around them and three figures whipped past them toward the bright pillar.
They were too fast for him to notice but Seventeen saw a flash of red hair. "Flare?", he was really confused.
"There you are!", a familiar voice said behind them.
"Popsicle!", Seventeen exclaimed as Ruth came to the two of them. "What is happening?", Jade asked her friend.
Ruth took some deep breaths before answering, "Alice and the Dragnia twins suddenly collapsed on the ground screaming in pain as soon as that beam of power lit up the sky."
"According to Alice, her head was hurting really badly and after a minute she said she has to go there.", she pointed at the epicenter of whatever the heck is happening right now.
"And she along with Flare and Claire suddenly just up and left for the pillar."
Seventeen is having a vague feeling about this situation.
"Did you notice anything different about Alice and the twins?", he asked Ruth.
She thought about it for a minute, "Well, Alice's eyes were glowing, and her pupils-", she stopped as she realized something, her eyes widened, "Her pupils were like a dragon's."
Seventeen nodded. The pieces are starting to come together. There is only one missing piece left of the puzzle.
"We must go there now.", he faced the pillar that is starting to fade, "And get ready for a battle."
With a sonic boom, the three warlocks dashed toward the epicenter.
"Holy Akenstein.", Ruth said when they reached the place.
Alice, Flare, and Claie stood in front of them, their weapons out and eyes transfixed on the incredible and terrifying sight before them. The roaring has stopped and the pillar of magia has completely dissipated.
"Alice?", Jade asked as they came up to the trio.
The head of the Night Family looked back at them, "So you guys are here."
"I thought you had a severe headache.", Seventeen noted. The three in front of them nodded. "We had but it is now gone.", Claire replied.
"Uh, guys? You should see this. It's freaky.", Flare interrupted, her scythe ready to slice whatever is standing before them.
All of them couldn't believe their eyes, a huge portion of the forest has been totally cleared out and a ring of blue flames surrounded the freshly made clearing.
The six of them were standing right at the edge of the flames but they didn't feel any heat. In the middle of the clearing stood Arthur.
But he was different.
The first thing that caught their attention was the four wings sprouting from his back. They were draconian and jet black in color with flames around the edges of the wings.
His hands were covered in black scales with blue streaks and black claws sprouted from his dragon-like fingers. Blue flames burned along his claws and his ears were elongated like an elf's with the tips covered by black scales.
Black scales surrounded each of his eyes and extended to his ears. His long hair has become pure white and a long black jagged tail wrapped around the struggling rogue Shadow who was burning all over and screaming.
Arthur's eyes were like a dragon's, with diamond pupils and they glowed like the blue flames of Purity. When those fell on the group standing at the edge, he snarled, showing sharp fangs and teeth.
Seventeen immediately recognized the being standing in front of him. Not only he, but the others also realized what they were facing, "Just as I thought."
He looked at Alice who was staring at her brother's terrifying yet majestic form. "Did you know?", he asked.
She shook her head, "I didn't, and I can't believe it."
Arthur Night is a dragon half-blood, one of the rarest and strongest groups of half-bloods in the entire world.
Ruth took out her daggers and coated them with ice.
"Looks like your brother had awakened his true form.", she said with a serious expression