"Kaah!...Watch out!"
AWWOO!
"Tsk, they just keep coming." A single sweep of his Ebony greataxe tore through the approaching wolves.
Aron raced through the heart of the forest, making his way back to the village. After destroying the dungeon core, the dungeon was forced to close, expelling both Aron and Raum at the cave entrance.
As soon as Aron emerged, his connection to Freya was reestablished, pinpointing her location in the village. Wasting no time, Aron hurried back.
However, midnight had unleashed a horde of creatures prowling the land, seeking prey. And Aron and Raum were unfortunate to stumble upon a pack of giant wolves.
The wolves were relentless in their pursuit, collaborating as a pack. They encircled Aron from three directions, maintaining a fixed distance and trying to manipulate Aron into a specific path.
Noticing the strategic maneuver, Aron, aided by Raum from above, forced his way onto the village path, dispatching any wolf daring to attack.
"Ugh!...This is heavy." He paused, adjusting the weighty tube on his shoulders.
It was the same glass tube containing the purple substance and a child within. The moment the girl addressed him as 'Father,' Aron's emotions spiraled into chaos.
'Is this my daughter? Impossible, how?' Aron pondered, stealing a quick glance at her. The girl beamed at him, genuinely happy, intensifying the tightness in Aron's chest.
'She looks no older than five or six. She can't be my daughter. According to the girls, no dragon has been seen for over 800 years. So, at least, I was sleeping in that cave for 800 years.'
Another thought crossed his mind. 'They mentioned dragons, but I don't resemble a dragon. Perhaps I roamed the land in human form? And during that time, I had a… Ugh! It doesn't make any sense—'
"ARON!" Raum's urgent shout snapped him out of his thoughts. A wolf leaped from the side, jaws wide open.
Aron had no time to react. The wolf clamped down on his thigh, teeth sinking deep into his flesh.
"Ugh!..Die..DOG!" Aron winced in pain, but he didn't falter. He brought his greataxe down on the wolf, dispatching it quickly.
"Father…Hurt?" the little girl inside the glass tube asked, her voice innocent and concerned.
Aron, uncertain how to reply, just smiled warmly. Mixed emotions swirled within him, but Aron postponed the matter. He vowed to protect the girl and uncover the truth behind her identity and why she called him Father.
AWWOO!
The howls of pursuing wolves echoed through the night. Aron's senses heightened as he navigated the forest, evading the relentless pack. Unfortunately, Raum observed from above that the pack had surrounded them, with wolves now approaching from the front.
"More from the front."
"Fuuu….I don't have time for this" Surprisingly Aron refrained from cursing, If this little girl turned out to be his daughter, he didn't want to teach her bad words.
'Damn! Why do I suddenly have these Father thoughts'
ROAR!
Two wolves jumped at him from the left side, taking the fact that Aron's left side was a blind spot for him. He employed his left arm to support the glass tube on his shoulder.
Surprisingly, the glass was resilient, not excessively sturdy to be indestructible, but it would certainly demand more time to free the little girl, a time Aron lacked inside the dungeon. He also didn't want to risk carelessly opening the tube and letting that purple substance leak out.
Clink!
Fortunately, Nightfall blocked one wolf. Aron released his grip on the axe, allowing Nightfall to act on her own as a shield.
As for the other one, the poor wolf found himself being grabbed in midair by a strong hand like steel, and with ample strength…
Squelch!
His head was effortlessly crushed like a rotten fruit meeting an unyielding brick wall.
"Woo!...Father…Squechh!" The little girl exclaimed, mimicking with her petite hands how Aron crushed the wolf's head.
"Heheh~did you like it?"
"Mm!..Mm" The girl nodded happily.
Aron chuckled at the girl's response to blood; it was as if she harbored no fear. Yet, deep down, Aron sensed that her fearless demeanor was a reflection of him—she felt secure in his presence.
"!!!" Aron abruptly halted his advance.
The giant wolf pack had cunningly directed Aron's trajectory into a vast clearing in the heart of the forest, encircling him from all directions, leaving no escape route.
"Grr... We must combat this," Aron growled in frustration. It wasn't that he couldn't combat and vanquish these wolves; it was merely a waste of time. A time that Freya and Pethra didn't have. He gently placed the glass tube on the ground.
With Python in his right hand and Nightfall in his left, Aron assumed a fighting stance, activating his [Ancient Dominance] and spreading fear throughout the pack.
Clink! Clink!
Clashing his weapons together, Aron exclaimed, "COME! And meet your end"
The wolves, affected by Aron's Ancient Dominance, hesitated for a moment, their predatory instincts conflicting with the fear instilled by the dragon's aura. Nevertheless, their alpha, a large black and gray wolf, howled, releasing an energy that snapped the pack out of the fear-induced stupor. Under the alpha's command, the pack charged with renewed aggression.
But suddenly…
Rumble!
The earth beneath them started to tremble, inexplicably causing the wolves to halt and turn their heads in a specific direction. Aron followed their gaze, observing the wolves staring in the direction of the village. Before he could inquire why…
BOOM!
WEIII!
A massive explosion ensued as a result of a colossal entity erupting from beneath the ground.
The explosion was accompanied by a hideous, disorienting ear-piercing, high-pitched cry. it was a weird blend of a baby's wail and a beast's howl. Few could maintain their composure upon hearing this cry, as negativity and sorrowful emotions permeated their hearts.
The wolf pack swiftly retreated, feeling the incoming danger; they didn't care about the prey; survival was much more important.
WEIII!
"What the hell is that?" Aron exclaimed, gazing wide-eyed at the creature that emerged.
What came was a colossal light-gray eldritch-looking creature towering well over 30 meters with a FAAT! Body.
In fact, the body itself was just a head, a deformed and twisted baby's head with big purple bulging eyes. Another opening slightly above his eyes gives the illusion of a third eye, yet if someone got a closer look, he would see that instead of an eye, the inside was the remains of Darion's son.
"I don't like this… We need to find the girls," Aron said, turning around and grabbing the glass tube. He could sense something bad was about to happen and he was right.
The eldritch creature made a move; the flesh where its ears would have been split open, long thin tentacles shot out slithering toward the village, hunting down its inhabitants.
"Kaah!... A-Aron… that thing is BAD news," Raum was hovering nervously in the air; with his eyes, he could see a thick black cloud of negativity surrounding the creature, the density of the cloud was much bigger than the one he saw above the village when he arrived.
"I know!" Aron wasted no time. He scooped up the glass tube and turned around ready to head back to the village. However, the moment Aron faced the village's direction, a small purple portal opened inches away from his face.
BOOF!
A fist emerged, propelling Aron meters away, slamming his back against a tree trunk.
"Huh?" Raum tilted his head in confusion; one moment Aron was standing holding the tube, and the next he was on the ground several meters away. Then the small portal grew, catching his and Aron's attention.
"A lowly life form like YOU!..." from within emerged, a VERY angry Demon "...Dare to destroy my WORK!" Clad in gleaming purple, gold armor Xenodrake stood tall. "Do you have any Idea how hard it was to claim that core for myself?"
Spikes adorned his shoulder guards, each bearing a humanoid skull. His chest piece, purple with embedded golden moaning faces, matched the rest of his armor, adorned with flesh, bones, and horrifying countenances.
WEIII!
The eldritch cry attracted the demon's attention. When Xenodrake beheld the creature, his anger meter skyrocketed, exploding with rage.
"AAAAAH!.... Why did The Unwanted emerge… I was planning to control it first then release it."
Aron groaned, pushing himself up from the ground, his eyes fixed on the demon.
"Father… me… Hurt," the little girl spoke, pointing at Xenodrake.
Aron understood the meaning behind her words. The demon had subjected the little girl to some painful experiments. This realization stoked Aron's anger; he tightened his grip on Python and Nightfall, activating his [Fire Legacy].
FUSHHHH
Instantaneously, dark-red flames danced along the edges of Python and Nightfall, casting an ominous glow. Aron's eyes burned with intensity as he leaped in the air, launching an assault on the demon.
Xenodrake sighted, shifting his attention to Aron. "I'll have to wait for The Unwanted to finish his feast then calm him down, but first…" He opened a small portal with his right hand.
Clink!
He pulled out a long ebony trident, blocking Aron's attack. The trident was simple in design and made from black metal similar to Python and Nightfall.
"Tsk"
Aron tilted his head back slightly utilizing [Scale Armor], hard scales appeared on his forehead.
"UGHAA!"
BAAM!
Aron headbutted the demon forcefully, causing him to tumble backward onto his buttocks.
Xenodrake lay there stunned, not because the headbutt was particularly powerful, but the fact that a 'Human', a lowly life form in his eyes, managed to land a hit forcing him to slam the ground.
Drip! Drip!
"!!!" Small droplets of black blood fell on Xenodrake's armor. The demon touched his forehead and discovered a bleeding wound.
"T-This…" His hand visibly trembled as his body reacted. "...You DARE! To hurt my perfect face!"
Two bat wings sprouted from his back, and using the pointed bones at the wings' ends, Xenodrake impaled both of Aron's thighs.
"AHH! Bastard!" Aron winced in pain; momentarily, his body ceased responding. Seizing this opportunity, the demon aimed his trident at Aron's heart.
Aron braced himself for the thrust, intending to activate his [Pride] skill at the opportune moment to become invulnerable for a duration. Fortunately…
KAAAHH!
Raum suddenly appeared between them; he opened his beak, releasing a wave of energy at the demon.
Xenodrake was hurled back, swiftly, he opened a portal, passing through it in midair. The portal reopened close to the ground, where Xenodrake emerged, slamming face-first to the dirt.
The demon used his portals to absorb the force of the Raven's attack, glancing quickly at his right hand. The skin on his hand gradually transitioned from gray to black.
"I-Impossible!... This… This," Recognizing what was happening, Xenodrake shifted his shocked gaze at Raum.
"...S-Secrets?"
"Don't you dare hurt my brother," Raum screeched, his wings flapping with fury.
Xenodrake shook his head, regaining his composure; he pressed his fingers together.
'The raven must die.'
Snap!
A dome of purple energy enclosed the area, trapping Aron, Raum, and the little girl inside with the demon.
Snap!
With another snap, three small portals appeared around Raum.
"Watch out!" Aron yelled, reaching with his hand to grab the little raven.
Unfortunately…
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Three elongated spikes pierced various parts of the raven's body.
"RAUM!"
Aron watched in shock as Raum's feathered body hit the ground. Time itself froze as Aron kept his gaze on Raum; at that moment, something inside him… Snapped.
Badump!
'Brother!..dead?'
Badump! Badump!
'AGAIN!"
Badump! Badump! Badump!
He slowly raised his head, staring at the demon.
Crack.
Two black and red curved horns burst from his skull.
FUSHHH.
Dark-red flames enveloped his body, and from his back emerged two massive dark-scaled wings.
"All will Burn beneath my wings"
ROAAAR!
The chains of Wrath were shattered.