CHAPTER 14
AUTHOR COLLINS COLLEX
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As Darius and his son left the room, they started walking into a corridor on the right side of the mansion. Kai asked his father, "Dad, why aren't you using the Lightning Breaker? It's so powerful, it could instantly turn a sunny day into a stormy one."
Darius replied, "Like I said, the Lightning Breaker, our family heirloom, isn't just an ordinary magic weapon or artifact. It's as significant to our family as the ring I wear, passed down through generations of our lineage." Gazing at the golden ring on his father's finger, Kai asked, "Dad, have you ever tried using the power of the ring?"
Darius replied, "Yes, I have. I tapped into its power for a brief moment after my father passed, and it sucked away my life force at a very fast rate that I felt dead at a close rage."
"Perhaps it was because I was still at lower rank when I tried it," Darius explained. "I haven't attempted it since, and it's quite dangerous."
Kai laughed nervously, "Don't try it again, Dad. I don't want you to become old or worse, die!"
Darius laughed heartily, "Nothing in this kingdom can kill me, boy."
After a few minutes of walking, they reached a door made of solid ore. It was clear that the door was devoid of mana and couldn't be manipulated with any elemental magic.
Darius approached the colossal, imposing door and touched its surface. A surge of his mana coursed through the door, illuminating it with a brilliant flash of lightning. With a resounding groan, the door swung open, revealing a sweltering interior. They had entered the crypt. Feeling the intense heat, Kai asked, "Dad, why is it so hot in here?"
Darius replied, "It's because of the Dragon Queen."
Peering into the crypt, they were met with an impenetrable darkness. The interior was vast and cavernous, stretching as far as the eye could see.
Darius and Kai each summoned a blue flame to illuminate their path as they ventured deeper into the crypt.
They turned into a small corridor on the left side of the crypt, leading to a room filled with an assortment of armor, weapons, and other enchanted items. At the front of the room, a golden staff rested against the wall, emanating a powerful aura.
Darius, addressing his son's earlier question, explained, "This is why I don't wield the staff..."
"This is the Lightning Breaker," Darius explained. "It chooses its wielder, and that wielder uses it until death. It never chose me, perhaps because I don't possess all four elements. The last two wielders were Arclight the Great, the creator, and Gafa Arclight, who possessed all four elements. Since then, no one in our family has wielded all four elements. Go ahead, son, touch it. It will choose you, if it desires."
Looking at his father, Kai walked towards the staff and said, "Please, Lightning Breaker, choose me. Let's create some history." He reached out and touched the staff, but nothing happened. After a few moments, he turned to his father, disappointment etched on his face. "I failed, Dad."
Darius looked at his son with understanding. "You are meant for greatness, I know that. You are still my genius child."
Kai left the staff and walked out. His father asked him to select some weapons for himself, which he did. After choosing a pair of air boots and a golden garment with pants and a belt to hold his twin knives swords, he left with his father.
As they ventured deeper into the crypt, the heat grew more intense. They eventually reached a massive chamber, larger than any they had seen before. Darius cast a spell, illuminating the vast space.
A monstrous fire dragon, its scales glowing a fiery black, crouched low to the ground. Its massive, muscular body rippled with power, and its golden eyes, filled with malice, were fixed on Darius and Kai. A thick plume of smoke curled from its nostrils, and its forked tongue flickered hungrily as it prepared to unleash a fiery attack.
Kai, initially frightened, gazed at the Dragon Queen and boldly declared, "You look beautiful." Darius, chuckling at his son's audacity, thought to himself about the recklessness of the younger generation.
Before Darius could react, Kai charged towards the dragon, provoking its fury. The Dragon Queen unleashed a colossal burst of flame, engulfing Kai in a fiery inferno. Darius, filled with worry and anger, shouted, "No!" as he watched his son disappear into the sea of flames. Darius, consumed by anger and helplessness, watched as the flames subsided. Just when he thought it was over, he saw a naked six-year-old boy standing there, unscathed and smiling. The boy turned to his father and said, "The fire wasn't hot, but it had a lot of energy."
Kai, undeterred, looked at the Dragon Queen and said, "I apologize for what my ancestor, Arclight, did to you and your kind. He imprisoned you and destroyed your race. Today, I offer a different path. Let us unite our families, the Dragon and the Arclight. I and my descendants will be your eternal riders, until the end of time."
Darius, furious at his son's reckless behavior, yelled, "Kai, stop this madness! Get away from her before she kills you!"
But Kai, undeterred, replied, "I've got this, Dad."
The Dragon Queen, hearing Kai's words, mused, "You look just like him. Why should I trust you? Why shouldn't I seek revenge on the entire human race once I'm free?"
Kai responded swiftly, "Because you don't have the strength. As long as the Arclight lives, you cannot escape, unless we choose to free you. And even if you do escape, we will find you and destroy you. Remember, the longer you remain imprisoned in this crypt, your power diminishes. Currently, you're only at Full Moon rank."
The Dragon Queen was astonished that a boy of such a low rank could perceive her power. She pondered, "This family still carries the bloodline of the Dragon Celestial from the God Realm. I still don't understand... Perhaps this is the right path to rebuild my race and family."