Horizon fell to his knees, clutching his chest as the agony intensified. His back ripped open with a gruesome crack, and he let out an ear-splitting roar as skeletal wings burst forth from his flesh. His entire body trembled, cold sweat pouring down his skin even as his muscles burned with ice-cold power.
The wings stretched out behind him, skeletal yet pulsating with sinew, raw and newborn. Horizon panted, staring at his reflection in the murky waters on the ground as the pain began to subside, his breath shallow but steady. He flexed the new wings, already able to control them with ease, despite their strange, newly-formed nature.
"Y-you . . . You've grown wings?" Von said in amazement as he watched Horizon's new form.
In an instant, Horizon felt the surge of power coursing through his body. His stats had skyrocketed by a hundred points. Along with the transformation came an array of dark, incredible spells and skills — abilities that could only come from the ancient power of an Azhurma.
Horizon stood, taller, more powerful, his skeletal wings casting dark shadows across the ground as he gazed at them in awe.
[All stats increased!]
[ACQUIRED! New Skill and Spell!]
[ACQUIRED! FLY! You gained the ability to fly!]
[ACQUIRED! New Spell, Catastrophe]
|| Catastrophe LV.1 ||
You've gained access to a fraction of Nixis' immense power, unlocking one of her most devastating abilities.
You can now summon a colossal sphere of pure necrotic energy, hurling it across the battlefield. Upon impact, the sphere detonates in a hundred-meter radius, engulfing everything in its path.
Those caught within the blast will suffer grievous wounds as the necrotic energy ravages their bodies, draining their life force. Their HP will rapidly deteriorate, and any attempts to heal will be futile until the necrotic affliction is cured, leaving them vulnerable and weakened.
Mana: 1000 / cast
Duration: 1 hr.
Scales with level.
|| E N D||
Horizon didn't have time to marvel at his newfound powers before his skeletal wings began to dissolve. The bones twisted and reformed, shaping themselves into a small skeletal dragon that perched on his shoulder.
"From now on, it will serve as my eyes," Nixis said, grinning at the little creature now resting on Horizon's shoulder, its hollow eyes glowing faintly.
"Are you okay, Horizon?" Von asked, concern lacing his voice.
Horizon took a deep breath, the remnants of pain still ebbing through him. "Y-yeah . . . my strength is slowly coming back."
"Good. I thought you were going to pass out, especially now that the Red Moon has appeared. I was afraid that I have to carry you unconscious back to Eternia."
Above them, the Red Moon shone brilliantly, casting an eerie crimson glow over the landscape. It was the harbinger of their passage, signaling the time when the portal between Drakha and Eternia could finally open.
Horizon glanced at Nixis. "Wait — aren't you going to share some of your treasure with me before we go?"
Nixis gave him a disgusted look. "Get your own treasure."
Horizon snorted. "So stingy." One decent artifact could change everything for him but his Azhurma couldn't even give him one amongst his many artifacts.
"There is no word for 'sharing' in Draconic language," Nixis replied. "And for good reason. Now go! The Red Moon is at its peak!" She looked up, her eyes gleaming at the hundreds of dragons already swarming the sky, racing toward the portal to Eternia.
The Red Moon would remain open for only an hour, and every dragon in Drakha took advantage of this rare opportunity to reach Eternia, a land rich in mana and treasures — just ripe for the taking. Chaos and greed fueled their ascent, but they were united by one purpose at this moment: crossing through the portal.
Horizon and Von exchanged a glance, then leaped onto the Dracolich's back. With a powerful beat of its massive skeletal wings, the Dracolich took to the skies, cutting through the wind with terrifying speed.
Von, Cappy clutched at his side, waved a quick goodbye to Nixis, while Horizon glanced back, catching a glimpse of Nixis waving with her tiny, dinosaur-like hands, her tail wagging in barely concealed excitement.
The wind whipped around them as the Dracolich soared higher, the rush of air cool against their faces. The sky was alive with the shapes of hundreds of dragons — each of different shapes and sizes, hailing from different broods — but for now, there was no fighting, no hostility. Every dragon was focused on one thing: reaching the Red Moon and crossing into Eternia.
"This is it! We're finally going home!" Von shouted, his voice brimming with excitement. He had dreamed of this moment a thousand times, and now, after everything what had happened, they were finally on their way back to their world.
Horizon felt the same thrill pulsing through him. As they swept closer to the Red Moon, the sight of so many dragons flying alongside them was breathtaking. It was a moment of sheer awe — a mass exodus of Drakha's mightiest creatures, all converging on the same point of destination.
The Red Moon loomed larger and larger until, in the blink of an eye, Horizon felt his body pass through the portal. Time seemed to stretch, pulling at his very being as he and Von were transported in a flash of energy. The sensation was electrifying, like every cell in his body was vibrating at once.
And then, just as quickly, it was over.
Horizon and Von's eyes widened as they emerged on the other side. The landscape spread out before them — vast, lush, and untamed. From their vantage point, they could see the rolling hills and dense forests of Eternia stretching far into the horizon, illuminated by a light that was warm and welcoming.
Horizon's heart raced. This was it.
They were finally back in Eternia!