In the blink of an eye, the world shifted. One moment, Xyenn stood trembling in the blood-soaked arena, paralyzed by fear, tears of blood streaming down his face. The next, he was choking. His feet dangled above the ground, his vision blurred with red, and his throat burned as King Haldrek's icy fingers closed around his neck like a vice.
Xyenn's hands instinctively shot up, grabbing at the king's wrist, but it was like trying to pry stone from the earth. He could feel his windpipe collapsing under the pressure, every ragged breath more agonizing than the last. His vision darkened at the edges, his chest heaving, but no air would come. His legs kicked weakly in the air as the snow-covered ground drifted further and further away beneath him.
Haldrek's face remained serene, his eyes glowing faintly with that same unnerving tranquility, his peaceful smile never faltering as he held Xyenn aloft like a ragdoll. His wings fluttered softly behind him, shimmering in the dim light as snowflakes began to fall more heavily around them.
"Snow falls upon all things," Haldrek murmured softly, his voice barely audible over the pounding of Xyenn's heart in his ears. "Even those unworthy of its grace."
Xyenn's vision blurred further. His head lolled, and for just a moment, he wished for death. If it meant the crushing weight of this terror would end, then maybe it would be better if Haldrek just finished him quickly. His body was limp, his mind screaming for breath, for release, for the end.
But then, something deep inside him stirred. A flicker of defiance, of the old arrogance that had once fueled his every action. He was supposed to be a warrior. He had promised Yuuna. He had promised Death himself. He had vowed never to lose again, no matter the cost.
And yet, here he was, suspended like a puppet, dying without even throwing a punch.
'I won't lose..not like this!'
But before he could gather the strength to resist, Haldrek moved.
With a single, brutal motion, the king slammed Xyenn into the ground. The impact was earth-shattering, the sound of bones cracking echoing through the arena like a thunderclap. Xyenn's body hit the ground with such force that the earth beneath him split, sending shards of rock and snow flying in all directions. His vision went black for a moment as pain exploded through his chest, his ribs shattering under the impact.
But Haldrek wasn't done.
In an instant, before Xyenn could even register the pain, the king was upon him again. His sword flashed, and Xyenn felt the cold bite of steel as it sliced through his flesh. The blade tore through his chest, his stomach, his limbs—each strike precise, brutal, and devastating. Blood sprayed across the snow, staining it crimson as Haldrek carved Xyenn apart with terrifying efficiency.
"The snow is patient," Haldrek said calmly, his voice barely a whisper, "but it is relentless. In time, it grinds even mountains to dust."
With a final, brutal slash, Haldrek decapitated him. Xyenn's head rolled across the blood-soaked ground, his body collapsing in a heap of broken bones and torn flesh. For a moment, there was silence.
And then, snow began to fall.
"Snowfall..is purity."
The snowflakes glowed faintly as they drifted down from the sky, landing softly on Xyenn's mutilated corpse. They gathered around his body, swirling in delicate patterns, seeping into his wounds, into his veins. Slowly, almost imperceptibly at first, Xyenn's body began to stitch itself back together. The snowflakes filled the gaps where his flesh had been torn, where his bones had been shattered, knitting him back together with every breath of the cold wind.
And then, with a violent gasp, Xyenn was alive again.
His body convulsed as he sucked in a breath, his lungs burning with the cold air. He rolled onto his side, coughing up a mouthful of blood, his vision spinning as he tried to make sense of what had just happened. He had died. He was sure of it.
'He's too strong—!'
But Haldrek had brought him back.
The king stood over him, his wings spread wide, his sword gleaming with fresh blood. His eyes were calm, his smile serene, as if nothing in the world could disturb his tranquility. And yet, there was a darkness in those eyes, a cold, unfeeling cruelty that sent chills down Xyenn's spine.
"Again," Haldrek said softly, raising his sword once more. "Snowfall."
The next attack was even more brutal than the first. Haldrek's blade flashed in a blur of motion, slicing through Xyenn's body with terrifying precision. Each strike was a chain of death, a series of slashes, stabs, and crushing blows that left Xyenn's body in tatters. He was thrown through the air, his limbs twisted at unnatural angles, his bones splintering with every impact.
In the blink of an eye, Xyenn found himself blasted through the arena walls, his body hurtling into the snowy woods beyond. He crashed through trees, his body shattering branches and splintering trunks as he flew, blood trailing behind him like a comet's tail.
When he finally hit the ground, the impact left a crater in the snow, his body broken and mangled beyond recognition.
But the snow began to fall again.
"Snowfall."
It swirled around him, glowing faintly as it seeped into his broken bones, his torn muscles, his shredded skin. And once again, Xyenn gasped for breath, his body knitting itself back together as the snow restored him.
Before he could even rise to his feet, Haldrek was upon him again. The king moved with terrifying speed, his wings carrying him through the air with grace and precision. His sword flashed, and Xyenn felt the cold steel carve through his flesh once more. Haldrek didn't stop with a single strike—each blow was part of a brutal, unrelenting combos, slashing, stabbing, crushing, and tearing Xyenn apart over and over again.
"Even the fiercest fire cannot withstand the cold," Haldrek whispered as he drove his sword through Xyenn's chest, the blade emerging from his back in a spray of blood. "The snow will smother it, and all will be still."
Xyenn's body was thrown through the trees once again, crashing through the branches and landing in a village nearby. His broken form tumbled through the air before crashing down in the center of the village square, sending snow and dirt flying in all directions.
When Xyenn opened his eyes, he saw the horror around him. His body—his weakness—had destroyed the village. Dozens of villagers lay dead, their bodies crushed and mangled by his impact. Blood stained the snow, and the few who still lived crawled away, their cries of pain filling the air.
'I'm sorry…It wasn't me—!' Xyenn thought, his heart sinking with guilt.
But before he could even begin to process the weight of his actions, Haldrek descended from the sky, his wings spread wide, his sword gleaming in the moonlight. The king floated above the village, his serene smile still in place, his eyes glowing with that eerie, otherworldly light.
Xyenn clenched his fist as he stood, blood dripping from his face and body.
"You're a monster..do you even care about your own people?!" Xyenn exclaimed, in a defensive stance as King Haldrek fluttered in the sky in beauty.
"A monster is one who is on top. You are becoming one. One day, the more you kill, the more you'll realize the ones who abandoned us and kicked us around aren't but fleeting humans with draconic mana to fuel the magic the dragon gods blessed them with. We are superior. And if you're under Yuuna's wing, you will eventually succumb to darkness like she has, it's in her nature. She will be judged for her sins."
"You're not fucking touching her…"
"Hmm."
"I'll kill you.."
"The dragon god of snow Kragvyr has remained the same for hundreds of years. Whereas I reign alongside him as his vessel. Hundreds of years of battle experience and cultivation of snow and its purification. Kragvyr is older than Yuuna herself, and you're only a young whelp. What makes you think you can beat me alone with Yuuna by your side?"
"…Ehh..either way..you're not having Yuuna. She's the only one..who ever cared about me."
"Haha! You really are a naive whepling. You're still going to side with the goddess of darkness? A goddess who slaughtered thousands of people? Surrender her to me as she is, she can't beat me that way. You know dragon deities are stronger when merged with a vessel—."
"You aren't any different!"
"…We are. I am no murderer for the kingdom of darkness. I take lives and purify them, saving them
From themselves, from their sins. I draw the fear of man, so that I alongside Kragvyr can live for another 400 plus years."
"She's nothing like you..she..she kissed me!" Xyenn was flustered when he said that, but he meant it with every fiber In his being. A kiss given to him from Yuuna was something that he thought about all the time.
"You were kissed by the devil herself. She's nothing. As you are now, until you had power."
"Damn you.."
Despite the pain, despite the guilt, despite the overwhelming fear, something inside him snapped. Xyenn's blood boiled with rage, his heart pounding with the desire to fight back, to do something—anything—to stop this madness.
With a roar of defiance, Xyenn dashed forward, his body moving on instinct as he charged toward Haldrek with everything he had. His sharp hands and fingers—his weapons—extended, ready to tear through the king's flesh.
"I won't lose!" he screamed, his voice cracking with desperation. "I won't lose ever again!"
But before he could even reach the king, Haldrek's sword flashed.
Slash.
Stab.
Crush.
In a series of brutal, lightning-fast strikes, Haldrek tore Xyenn apart once more. Blood sprayed through the air as Xyenn's body was eviscerated, his limbs sliced through, his chest crushed, his head nearly severed from his shoulders. The force of the attack sent him hurtling through the air again, crashing through the village walls and into the snowy plains beyond.
And still, the snow fell.
"Snowfall."
It gathered around Xyenn's broken body, seeping into his wounds, his veins, his bones. It **revived him**, over and over again, only for Haldrek to kill him** once more.
"Snow does not relent," Haldrek whispered softly, his voice carrying over the howling wind. "It buries all things, and in its silence, it brings peace."
High on the icy peak overlooking the battle, a dirt-rugged old man stood, his tattered robes flapping in the wind, his wild eyes fixed on the carnage below. His hair was long and unkempt, his beard scraggly and streaked with ice, and his hands waved wildly in the air as he spoke to no one in particular.
"It has begun!" he howled, his voice crackling with madness. "The prophecy is unfolding! The great Kragvyr, the Dragon God of Snow, has sent his vessel to cleanse the world!"
He gestured wildly toward the sky, his eyes wide and crazed. "See how the snow falls! How it cleanses the blood! It is the harbinger of the end! The world will be buried beneath its purity!"
The old man cackled, his voice rising into a fevered pitch as he continued his wild proclamations. "Haldrek is the chosen one! The Sword Saint of Purity! He will bring forth the final winter, the endless blizzard that will wipe the slate clean! All shall bow before the cold! ALL SHALL PERISH!"
His arms flailed as he spun in circles, his eyes rolling back in his head as he muttered to himself, making strange, unintelligible gestures as if he were casting some ancient spell. "The dragon of snow, the harbinger of death… it comes! It comes! Do you see it? Do you SEE IT?"
The fight had raged for what felt like an eternity. Dozens of times Haldrek had killed Xyenn, each death more brutal than the last. The snow had revived him over and over, only to see him torn apart again. Xyenn's body was a ragged mess, his skin torn, his bones shattered, his blood staining the snow in every direction.
And still, the snow brought him back.
"Snowfall."
Haldrek floated above the battlefield, his wings gleaming with an ethereal light, his body spotless despite the carnage he had unleashed. Every time blood touched him, the snow would cleanse him, leaving him pure, untouched, as if the violence was beneath him.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Xyenn was raised from the ground again, his body limp, barely able to stand. His mind was foggy with pain, his consciousness flickering in and out as the snow restored him once more.
Haldrek landed softly beside him, his sword still in hand, his smile serene. Without a word, he reached out, his fingers gripping Xyenn's head. He lifted him off the ground, holding him by the skull as if he were nothing more than a broken doll.
Xyenn's body hung limp in Haldrek's grasp, his arms dangling uselessly at his sides, his legs barely kicking. His face was covered in blood, his eyes glassy with exhaustion and pain.
And then, with a single, brutal motion, Haldrek twisted
and slammed Xyenn's body into the ground. The impact was thunderous, shaking the earth and sending cracks spider-webbing through the snow. Xyenn's chest caved in from the force, his breath stolen from him as blood sprayed from his mouth. He gasped for air, his lungs burning, but the pain was too much. His vision went dark, his body refusing to move.
The snow began to fall again, but this time, it was slower, as if it, too, could feel Xyenn's fading strength.
"Snowfall…"
Haldrek began to walk toward him, his steps slow, deliberate. The king's smile remained, calm and peaceful, as if nothing in the world could disturb his tranquility.
"I just need you to give Yuuna up. I will use her to kill the dragon god of war. I need you to tell me where she is, and bring her to me. If not, this will last forever."
Xyenn lay on the ground, his body broken, his mind shattered. But somehow, some way, he forced himself to move. His fingers twitched, then his hands, then his arms. He pushed himself up, his body trembling with the effort, blood dripping from every wound.
Slowly, painfully, Xyenn got to his feet.
Blood poured from his mouth, his nose, his eyes. His bones were broken, his muscles torn, but still, he stood. His fists clenched at his sides, his body swaying as he barely held himself upright.
"I… won't lose," he whispered, his voice hoarse and ragged. He raised his fists into a weak fighting stance, his body trembling with the effort. "I said I won't lose… ever again."
For the first time, Haldrek's eyes widened.
A soft gasp escaped the king's lips, his tranquil smile faltering for the briefest of moments as he stared at the broken warrior before him.
"Very well. I will allow you to feel what the draconic deities feel, the Cycle of Rebirth; until you submit to the authority of snow."
Haldrek's movements were deliberate, graceful, and filled with an ancient power. Magic flowed from him like a river of purity, the air around him shimmering with a cold, ethereal light. His eyes never left Xyenn, whose broken body lay slumped in the snow. Each step Haldrek took seemed to drain the life from the world around them, as if the very essence of the earth was bending to his will. A spirit-like shape of a large snow covered dragon roared above him, and his pupils went thin.
Xyenn's body trembled, his breaths labored, blood dripping from his many wounds. He could barely raise his head. He felt small, weak, and utterly insignificant in the face of Haldrek's overwhelming presence. His heart pounded, not just from the pain, but from the deep sense of shame that flooded him. He had promised Yuuna he would protect her, that he would never fail again—but here he was, broken, defeated, and powerless.
'I was reckless…I got overwhelmed with this power, I forgot to stay focused on what was important. Why am I so damn flawed? If I'm not a monster, then what am I? A reckless kid..? Is that it then? Do I want to be perfect that bad?'
Just as Haldrek closed the distance, a scream tore through the sky.
"XYENN!"
The voice was filled with anger and desperation, so powerful that it echoed across the heavens. Haldrek stopped mid-stride, his cold gaze snapping toward the sky.
Suddenly, the wind picked up, and the world seemed to tremble as Yuuna descended. Her form, a massive dragon, swooped down from the clouds, her dark pink halo glowing ominously above her head. Her roar shook the trees and sent snow cascading from the branches. Her jagged, imposing figure cut through the night like a blade, the sheer power radiating from her form enough to make the air itself tremble.
But she was not alone.
Upon her back were her Tyrants, the seven that served her with absolute loyalty. They stood, their forms towering and powerful, each one unique in their terrifying strength.
The Other Six Tyrants:
Kivorn the Sigil-Bearer
The first Tyrant stood tall at the edge of Yuuna's back, his elven ears sharp and his pale hair flowing in the wind, which was braided in 2 ponytails and red highlights in the ends. His face was marked by glowing red sigil—ancient symbols of power etched deep into his skin, pulsing faintly with arcane energy. His cold, blue eyes glowed with an unnatural intensity, and his clothing, though tattered and worn, carried the weight of forgotten magic. His hands, covered in the same red sigils, exuded a power that warped the air around him, and every movement he made seemed to disturb the very fabric of reality.
Zyphira the Gilded Serpent
Coiled beside Yuuna's massive form was Zyphira, a golden-scaled dragonkin woman, her body sleek and shimmering in the moonlight. Her serpentine figure moved with a grace that belied the deadly power she possessed. Her golden eyes and golden hair gleamed with intelligence, but there was something cold and calculating in her gaze, as if she measured every situation with ruthless efficiency. Her golden horns curved elegantly, framing her head as she kept an unwavering watch on the battlefield below.
Sethrak the Warbringer
Beside Zyphira stood Sethrak, her twin brother, his golden armor gleaming with an ethereal radiance. His muscular form was clad in intricately designed scales of gold, each piece seeming to shimmer with an inner fire. His golden eyes burned with a fierce intensity, his lips curled in a snarl as he gripped his massive warhammer, which crackled with the energy of lightning. His horns were larger, more jagged than Zyphira's, and his presence was that of a battle-hardened warlord.
Ilyana the Priestess
Clad in the dark robes of a priestess, Ilyana exuded an eerie calm. Her shoulder length thick black hair framed her pale face, and her eyes, dark yellow, glimmered with a cold light. A large cross adorned her chest, though its presence felt less like a symbol of faith and more like a reminder of death. Her movements were measured, almost graceful, as if she moved between the realms of life and death with ease.
Draeven the Assassin
Concealed in layers of shadowy wrappings, Draeven was a figure born of nightmares. His glowing red eyes pierced through the darkness, and his entire form seemed to shift like a living shadow, constantly in flux. Red lines of energy pulsed beneath his wrappings, and dark smoke billowed from his body, as if he were barely contained by the physical world. His movements were silent, his presence almost imperceptible, a whisper of death in the night.
Gorran the Bloodhound
The last Tyrant was Gorran, a rugged, battle-worn man who carried the weight of a thousand battles in his scarred eyes. His long, matted hair blew in the wind, and his fur-lined cloak barely concealed the many weapons he carried. His face was a mask of grim determination, and his sharp gaze never wavered from the enemy. A jagged scar ran across his face, a testament to the countless wars he had survived.
As Yuuna landed, her massive form towering over the battlefield, her Tyrants dismounted, each one taking their place in front of her, forming a barrier of power and intimidation. Xyenn, still slumped over, dared to look up at his mistress, but the moment his eyes met the sight of Yuuna's form and her Tyrants, he looked away, ashamed.
'I look so pathetic,'
Xyenn thought, his heart sinking deeper into despair. His body trembled, not from pain, but from the overwhelming humiliation of being seen like this—broken, defeated, and useless. He had promised to protect Yuuna, to be her strength, and now, in his most desperate moment, he was nothing more than a broken vessel. His fists clenched weakly at his sides, but no strength remained in them.
Yuuna's eyes focused on Xyenn, and the sight of him in such a state ignited a fury within her that burned hotter than any flame. Her body trembled with rage, her massive claws digging into the snow as she let out a roar that shook the very heavens. Her eyes, once filled with cold calculation, now burned with uncontrollable wrath.
Yuuna's voice boomed, her anger palpable in every syllable. The sky seemed to darken as her fury grew, and the air around her crackled with energy. "How dare you touch what is mine?!"
Her wings flared out, casting a shadow over the entire battlefield, and the ground trembled beneath her. Her dark jagged edged pink halo glowed with a menacing intensity, spinning faster as her power surged, the very air bending to her will.
Haldrek, for the first time since the fight began, paused. His serene expression faltered as he gazed up at the raging dragon before him. Even the pure magic that flowed from him seemed to waver in the presence of Yuuna's overwhelming power.
Yuuna's voice was like a blade, sharp and filled with murderous intent. "You will die for this, Haldrek. I will tear you apart with my own power!"
Her rage was a storm, her power a torrent ready to be unleashed. The six Tyrants stood ready, their eyes locked on the king, their weapons drawn, prepared to strike at a moment's notice. But it was Yuuna who was the true threat. Her fury was a force of nature—one that could not be stopped. But Mertha was feeling even more guilt, she allowed Xyenn to go out by himself to scope out the land, thinking it was the best way to increase his survival. But now, she felt as if this is all her doing, she couldn't bear to lay eyes on Xyenn.
Xyenn, still slumped over, couldn't bear to meet her gaze. His heart ached with guilt, knowing he had failed her. The weight of his shame crushed him, but even in his broken state, he could feel the fury radiating from Yuuna, a fury that was far beyond anything he had ever known.
Yuuna's eyes burned with hatred as she glared at Haldrek. Her voice, low and filled with venom, echoed across the battlefield.
"I will end you."
Xyenn tried to mutter out the words, "Yuuna..don't.."
But the pain was overbearing.
The air itself seemed to shudder as Yuuna's anger surged. Her form, already massive and imposing, began to shift—twisting, warping into something far more terrifying. Her once dark pink halo above her head flared violently, jagged edges growing more pronounced, spinning uncontrollably, casting a vicious light across the battlefield. Her deep roar turned into a snarl, thick with malice and rage, shaking the ground beneath her.
Yuuna's eyes, once sharp and focused, now glowed with an unholy crimson, her pupils slitting further, betraying the demonic fury building inside her. Black veins of dark energy raced across her scales, spreading like cracks in stone, and her claws, already deadly, elongated into jagged, bone-like talons, dripping with raw, chaotic power. Her wings, now torn and jagged, beat the air as if the very skies would tear apart from her fury.
The ground beneath her feet began to crack, and the snow that once blanketed the land started to melt, twisted by the heat of her demonic transformation. Even the Tyrants, her loyal subordinates, stood back, fear flickering in their eyes. They had never seen her like this.
Yuuna's voice roared through the sky, now guttural, distorted, as if two voices spoke at once—one her own and the other a dark, demonic force that threatened to overwhelm her.
"I will rip you apart!" she screamed at Haldrek, her voice booming with the promise of carnage. The power radiating from her was so intense that the air around her crackled with dark energy, and even the stars above seemed to dim in fear of her wrath.
Suddenly, a calm voice echoed in Haldrek's mind, cutting through the chaos like a whisper of winter wind.
"Haldrek… you must leave." It was Kragvyr, the ancient dragon god of snow, his voice as cold and distant as the frozen peaks. "Her power in this state is beyond even your control. You cannot face her now."
Haldrek's eyes narrowed, his gaze still fixed on the now-demonic form of Yuuna. He clenched his fists, feeling the weight of Kragvyr's warning—but something within him refused to retreat.
"Wait, Kragvyr," Haldrek muttered under his breath, his voice low but firm. He wasn't ready to leave. Not yet. His eyes flickered momentarily with the icy glow of his magic, but he held his ground, watching, waiting.
As Yuuna's rage threatened to tear the very world apart, Xyenn—broken, bloody, but somehow still standing—lifted his head.
'Get up! Get the hell up!' Xyenn motivated himself in his thoughts. His body moved with slow, deliberate purpose, as though each step cost him everything he had left. But he kept moving, his eyes locked on Yuuna's monstrous form
'She's out of control….'
The battlefield fell eerily quiet as all eyes turned to him.
Xyenn approached her, his legs unsteady, his breaths shallow. Despite his obvious pain, there was a softness in his expression—a deep, unshakable recognition. He stopped just before her, staring up at the beast she had become, and reached out his hand.
His fingers, bruised and trembling, gently touched the side of Yuuna's massive head. The touch was small, almost insignificant against her towering form, but it was enough.
"I missed you, Yuuna," Xyenn whispered, his voice barely audible, but it cut through the storm of her fury like a blade, clear and undeniable.
---
For a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath.
Yuuna's glowing red eyes, still filled with rage, blinked once—twice. Her snarl faltered. The dark energy that had been spiraling around her body slowed. Her jagged claws, which had been poised to tear Haldrek apart, slowly lowered. The cracking, demonic growl in her throat turned into a whimper.
"Xy…enn?" Her voice, though still warped by her transformation, was filled with shock—and something else, something softer, vulnerability.
Her massive form began to shrink, the demonic energy receding, her monstrous wings folding back, her claws retracting. The dark veins of chaos faded, and soon, she was no longer the towering, terrifying dragon, but herself again—in her human form, and standing before Xyenn. Her breaths were shaky, and her eyes, still wide with disbelief, looked up at him.
Yuuna stood there, unsure, her hands trembling slightly at her sides.
'He actually..calmed me down? A human..?'
Xyenn, despite his pain, smiled faintly. He reached out, pulling her close, his arms encircling her in a gentle embrace. His voice, though weak, held a warmth that melted away the last remnants of her demonic fury.
"I'm glad to see you... damn she-devil."
Yuuna's body stiffened, her eyes wide with shock. She had expected anger, fear, or even disappointment from him—but not this. Not the warmth of his embrace. She stood there, frozen, her mind racing to catch up to what was happening. Xyenn—her Xyenn—was holding her, something she hadn't expected in her wildest thoughts.
Her hands hovered awkwardly at her sides for a moment, unsure of what to do, until slowly, hesitantly, she wrapped her arms around him in return. The tension in her shoulders melted away, and the storm that had been raging in her heart for so long began to calm.
The Tyrants, watching the scene unfold, said nothing. They stood quietly in the background, their eyes trained on their Queen and her vessel, understanding the significance of this moment. None dared to interrupt.
Yuuna's voice, much softer now, barely a whisper, escaped her lips as she rested her head against Xyenn's chest.
"Xyenn..."