The ground trembled beneath their ferocious struggle, the sheer force of their movements sending shockwaves through the battlefield. The White Dragon's talons tore deep into the Golden Scale's armor, its jaws snapping dangerously close to its foe's neck. The Golden Scale retaliated, its tail lashing out with savage strength, sending debris flying with every impact.
From atop the Golden Scale, the king's voice thundered, his golden sword blazing with unearthly light. "Rise, Helios! Do not falter!" He swung his blade downward, unleashing a radiant wave of energy that slammed into the White Dragon's side.
The White Dragon roared, a sound of raw defiance. Though it faltered, it refused to yield, using its immense weight to drive the Golden Scale back to the ground. Their cries echoed like thunder, each clash more violent, their auras igniting the battlefield in chaos.
I stood frozen, torn between awe and terror. Around me, my companions struggled against the aftermath of the king's decree. Henry wheezed, his breaths labored, while Abel clutched his chest, pale and trembling. Ivy, bloodied but resolute, staggered upright, her gaze fixed on the battle above.
Then chaos unfolded further. The demon creatures began to swarm toward the castle tower, using the distraction of the dragons' battle to their advantage. The king, relentless in his fight, shielded the Golden Scale's neck from the White Dragon's snapping jaws.
"We can't just stand here," Ivy rasped, her voice cutting through the chaos. "We need to help the Golden Scale get to the tower, or else it's all over."
I clenched my fists, my heart pounding in my chest. "Then we must go to the tower!" I said, determination overriding my fear.
The White Dragon suddenly let loose a vile mist from its maw, the air around us growing thick and toxic.
"Run! Run!" one of the mages shouted, her voice laced with panic. "The mist is poisonous!"
"Then create a barrier around the king and the dragon!" a knight bellowed in return.
"Yes!" The king's command boomed across the battlefield. "By my decree, protect my children! Head to the tower now! Knight mages, stay and form the barrier!" His words carried the weight of finality, as though this was his last stand.
The mist thickened, curling around the battlefield like a living entity. "Let's go!" Abel urged, his voice breaking through the haze. We ran, leaving behind the mages and a few knight-fighters to assist the king. Killian hesitated, refusing to follow, his gaze locked on the unfolding battle. It seems he had one of the mage to make him a barrier to withstand the poison mist.
As we reached the castle hall, a chilling sight awaited us—bodies littered the floor, lifeless and cold. "Felix!" Abel shouted, rushing ahead. My stomach churned as I saw Felix sprawled on the ground, a crystal knife buried in his abdomen.
"No! Felix!" Ivy's scream tore through the air, echoing painfully in the desolate hall. She fell to her knees, cradling his limp body.
"Gunther!" Abel bellowed, his voice raw with desperation. His gem shifted into a rod, and he struck it on the ground three times. The earth trembled in response.
Moments later, footsteps pounded toward us. Gunther appeared, breathless and wide-eyed. "Yes, Lord Abel!" he said urgently.
"Heal him! Now!" Abel commanded.
"Yes, my lord." Gunther moved swiftly, kneeling beside Felix. "Ivy, your hands."
Ivy, trembling, reluctantly released her grip, shifting Felix to Gunther. As Gunther began his work, I stood paralyzed, overwhelmed by the scene unfolding around me.
"You can heal people?" Henry asked, his tone incredulous despite the chaos.
"Yes, but I'm no match for the healers. I learned it to protect Lord Abel," Gunther replied, focused as he channeled his energy into Felix.
"You go ahead and find the princess," Abel said to us, his tone steady despite the turmoil.
"But I've never even seen the princess!" Henry protested, confused.
"…." Yesterday's memories flashed before my eyes. Henry look at me with a frown trying to decipher the look on my face.
"You'll know her when you see her," Abel replied cryptically.
With no other choice, Henry and I ascended the stairs. At the top, a figure cloaked in white awaited us. Her face was obscured by a mask, but her aura was impossible to ignore—dark, oppressive, and hauntingly familiar.
My breath caught as memories of the arena flooded back. This presence… she was the one taunting me.
Without hesitation, I shifted my gem into a bow and fired. But the woman moved with terrifying speed, yanking the princess into her arms as a shield.
"No!" I screamed, my voice raw with desperation.
In a flash of radiant light, Henry moved, faster than I'd ever seen, deflecting my arrow and launching an attack of his own. Yet the masked woman evaded him with an almost unnatural grace. The mist began to swirl again, enveloping us in its suffocating embrace.
"You will not stop me," she said, her voice low and chillingly familiar. "This bloodline must end."
"What are you trying to achieve murderer?!" I demanded, my voice trembling as fear and rage warred within me.
" Hahahah" she let out a wicked laughed echoing through the hall. "I am the savior of this world," she declared coldly, her voice void of empathy. Henry stood behind her, breathing heavily, his stance steady but strained. The truth was undeniable—this woman is beyond our capabilities.
The princess, still conscious, trembled in her captor's arms. Her tear-filled eyes reflected fear and defiance, begging to be saved though her mouth was sealed shut. Her dress hung in tatters, evidence of a desperate fight.
"The king is dead," came a voice from behind Henry. I shift my gaze sharply, and my breath caught—it was Duke Fyre.
"How was his end, Fyre?" the woman asked, her tone disturbingly calm. "Let his daughter hear of her father's final moments."
"Tch… traitor!" Henry spat, his voice laced with fury and disbelief.
I couldn't process it. My mind reeled as I gripped my gem tightly. Duke Fyre, the man entrusted with protecting this kingdom, had turned against it. Was this what Princess Ignis had tried to warn me about?
"The Golden Dragon consumed its lord," Fyre said, his words carrying an ominous weight that sent a chill down my spine.
I froze. Consumed? My chest tightened as the realization sank in. The room grew heavier, the air thick with despair. Henry's eyes widened in terror, and Princess Ignis struggled harder in the woman's grip. Her tears flowed freely now, her glowing eyes a brilliant mixture of red and gold, flickering like flames on the verge of engulfing everything.
"You see," the woman continued, her tone maddeningly composed, "Helios seeks a new vessel the king cannot access Helios true powers. It must be her or Felix. Now that's left is Firel. Now that both are gone, my work here is done."
"Firel is safe in his fortress," Duke Fyre interjected, his tone almost dismissive.
"We'll deal with him later," she replied coolly.
Before I could react, she moved with blinding speed. The crystal knife in her hand gleamed as she plunged it into the princess's skull.
"No! Princess" I screamed, my hand reaching out too late.
Henry hesitated, torn between attacking Fyre and stopping the woman. The demon creature begin to assist distracting Henry. That moment of indecision cost us dearly. She turned to me, her expression unreadable, and drove the blade into my chest. Pain exploded through my body as the knife pierced my heart. Our eyes met, there is no doubt, she has the same aura as my mother.
The world spun into chaos. Darkness crept at the edges of my vision as she dragged my body across the room, her grip like iron.
"Vesper!" Henry's anguished cry echoed in my ears as my consciousness slipped away.
Everything blurred into nothingness.
Somewhere in Abyssal Land.
In the depths of the abyss, a dragon stirred. Its eyes snapped open, blazing with ancient power. The air around it crackled with energy as it rose, the earth trembling in response. A deafening roar shattered the silence, heralding its awakening.