The portal roared to life with a deep, resonating hum that reverberated through the ancient stone chamber. The five elders stood immovable, towering in their dragon forms, the light from the inscriptions on the ground swirling upward, coiling around them like living tendrils of energy. Their massive figures shuddered, not from fear, but from the overwhelming power that flowed through them—ancient magic, older than any of their clans, channeling their very life force into the portal.

With a final, blinding flash of light, the portal flared to full power, and the air crackled with electricity. The inscriptions beneath the elders burned white-hot, and their dragon forms began to dissolve. Scales, claws, and wings crumbled into ethereal ash, pulled upward into the swirling vortex of energy. One by one, their towering bodies were absorbed by the portal, their lives given in sacrifice for the survival of the clans.

As the last of the elders was consumed by the portal’s power, a sudden stillness filled the chamber. The ground no longer shook, and the eerie glow of the inscriptions faded. For a brief moment, all was silent—until, from the heart of the portal, a figure began to materialize.

It was an apparition, a hazy, translucent form, glowing faintly against the swirling energy of the portal. Slowly, the figure took shape—a tall woman, regal and graceful, her features sharp yet soft, as though carved from the finest marble. Her hair cascaded down in waves, shimmering with an ethereal light, and her eyes, though ghostly and pale, held a quiet, ancient wisdom.

This was Nira, the legendary Dragon Lord of ten thousand years past, though she appeared not as the fearsome dragon she once was, but in her mortal form. Her robes were adorned with intricate designs, flowing elegantly around her like the wind itself. The faint shimmer of her scales was still visible beneath her human guise, a reminder of her true nature. Yet something about her presence seemed... incomplete. Almost mechanical.

She opened her mouth to speak, and though her voice was soft and melodic, it held a strange, hollow quality, as though the words had been recorded and were now being played back, devoid of emotion.

"A new world awaits you," she began, her tone distant, almost cold. "An uncertain future lies ahead, shaped by your hands. What you make of it will depend on your strength, your unity."

Her words, though profound, lacked warmth. She did not speak of hope, nor did she acknowledge the challenges that might await them. There was no mention of the Celestials of Light, the ancient enemies of their kind. No warnings of what might still lurk in the shadows of their future. Instead, she ushered them forward, her voice growing fainter with each passing moment.

"Step through the portal, and forge your destiny."

And with that, Nira's apparition began to fade. Her form shimmered one last time before dissolving into the air, leaving behind only the soft glow of the portal and the hum of ancient magic still thrumming beneath the surface.

The clan leaders exchanged glances, smiles of relief and anticipation spreading across their faces. For the first time in years, perhaps centuries, there was a glimmer of hope. Ragna, the Iron claw leader, stepped forward first, her expression resolute.

"Finally," she murmured, her voice filled with conviction. "We leave this dying world behind."

Valdran of Ember heart followed, his fiery gaze burning with excitement. "A new world awaits us. It’s time to reclaim our legacy."

Tomo and Serena, Viserion’s sister, exchanged excited looks, their steps quickening as they followed the clan leaders toward the portal. There was a palpable eagerness in the air—a desire to escape the barren wasteland that Eos had become and to embrace the unknown, whatever it might hold.

Viserion lingered at the back, watching as his people—his family, his friends—passed through the glowing doorway, leaving the world of Eos behind forever. His mother, Selena, paused briefly as she reached the threshold, turning back to meet his eyes. She gave him a small, sad smile, as though she, too, understood the weight of the moment. She nodded once, then stepped through the portal, disappearing into the swirling light.

Viserion stood alone, his heart heavy with the responsibility that now rested squarely on his shoulders. He had made his decision, but the burden of leadership, of guiding his people into an uncertain future, weighed heavily on him.

He took a deep breath and stepped forward, his boots echoing against the stone floor as he approached the portal. Just as he was about to pass through the threshold, a voice echoed in his mind—clear and sharp, cutting through the hum of the portal’s energy.

"Be warned, descendant of mine," the voice whispered, low and filled with a sense of ancient urgency. "If you ever see a Celestial of Light, slay them on sight. They are our eternal enemies—never to be trusted."

Viserion froze, his breath catching in his throat. This voice was not Nira’s. It was deeper, older—filled with a weight of authority and truth. He instinctively knew this was not part of the portal’s magic, nor was it a mere apparition. This was something more... something real.

He glanced back over his shoulder, but there was no one there. The hall was empty, save for the faint remnants of the energy still lingering from the elders' sacrifice.

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"The Celestials of Light..." Viserion whispered to himself, the words chilling him to his core. The warning echoed again in his mind, and he felt the weight of the past—of his ancestors—pressing down on him.

But there was no time to dwell on it now. The portal shimmered before him, waiting. Whatever truth lay behind the warning would have to be uncovered later. For now, the survival of his people depended on him moving forward.

He took a deep breath, steeled himself, and stepped through the portal.

As the light engulfed him, Viserion couldn’t shake the feeling that their new beginning, far from being a simple escape, would come with even greater challenges—ones that might stretch far beyond the desolate world they were leaving behind.

…..

As Viserion emerged from the portal, the brilliance of its light gradually dimmed behind him, and the air around him shifted, carrying with it the unfamiliar scent of life. He blinked as his vision adjusted, and the first thing that met his gaze was an expanse of endless green. Rolling hills of lush grass stretched out before him, vibrant and alive, shimmering in the light of a sun that hung high in a cloudless sky. The sheer vastness of it took his breath away—he had never seen so much life, so much vitality. Not in Eos. Not in centuries.

To his right, the terrain sloped sharply down into a cliff, and beyond it, the ocean stretched infinitely. The water glittered under the sunlight, an endless expanse of blue and green waves rolling lazily toward the horizon. He could almost hear it breathing, the rhythm of the tide a strange, yet comforting contrast to the barren silence of Eos.

His heart swelled with a flicker of hope. Was this their new home?

Suddenly, a voice called out behind him, breaking the serene moment. “Viserion!” It was his sister, Serena, her tone urgent.

He turned quickly, expecting her to be excited, maybe even in awe of the new world. But as his eyes followed her gaze, he froze.

Behind them, the landscape had transformed into chaos. Where once there had been rolling plains, a city now burned—massive flames consuming the skyline. Black smoke billowed into the air, painting the skies with soot and ash. Towers crumbled under the weight of the destruction, collapsing in on themselves as explosions rocked the earth. The sound of devastation grew louder and louder, each second dragging out into an eternity.

And then came the rumbling.

The air above them vibrated violently as strange, mechanical objects tore through the sky. They moved fast, screeching overhead with a fury that caused the ground to tremble. Viserion’s sharp eyes caught the gleam of metal and fire beneath their wings, and before he could react, the machines dropped their payloads.

BOOM!

The earth quaked as the bombs hit the city, fiery explosions rippling through the buildings. Entire streets were obliterated in seconds, the force of the blasts sending shockwaves outward.

Viserion’s pulse quickened as he watched, horror slowly filling him. "What... what is this?" he muttered under his breath, struggling to process the nightmare unfolding before him.

To his left, Serena gasped, her eyes wide with disbelief. "This is madness... we just got here!"

Off to the side, movement caught his attention. Armies were marching—vast hordes of beings, some humanoid and others far stranger, were storming toward the beleaguered city. Some bore the appearance of mortals, while others had elongated ears, and still others appeared as if they were children, small and yet fully armored for battle. They wielded swords, spears, and strange magical artifacts that crackled with energy. Some marched-on foot, while others flew through the air, propelled by magic or riding on creatures Viserion had never seen before.

Among the chaos, more mechanical monstrosities rolled forward, launching projectiles—missiles, their warheads trailing smoke before slamming into the city with brutal precision. Each impact shattered the ground, sending chunks of stone and metal spiraling through the air.

Viserion felt a shudder run down his spine. This world—they had stepped into the middle of something far beyond anything he had ever encountered.

Just as his mind reeled, a group of long-eared warriors approached. Their leader, tall and regal, his face sharp and angular, stepped forward cautiously. His wide eyes flickered between Viserion and the clans behind him, as if trying to make sense of their sudden appearance.

“Who... who are you?” the man stammered, his voice tinged with both confusion and disbelief. “What is your purpose here?”

Before Viserion could respond, a deep, thunderous roar echoed from the ocean. The waters churned violently, rising up like a living thing, and from the depths emerged a towering giant—a behemoth of impossible size. Its eyes gleamed with primal fury as it surged toward the shore, each step causing the ground to quake beneath its weight.

“Viserion, watch out!” Tomo shouted from behind him.

Viserion had already sensed the danger. He spun just in time to see the giant rear back, its massive fist swinging toward him with the force of a falling mountain. Without hesitation, Viserion reacted. His own fist shot forward, colliding with the giant’s in a devastating crash of power.

The instant their fists met, the air exploded with energy. The force of Viserion's punch tore through the giant’s arm, disintegrating it into nothingness. The behemoth roared in agony, its entire form staggering backward, the remaining stump of its arm spewing dark ichor into the air.

Before it could recover, Tomo leapt forward, his blade gleaming in the sunlight. “How dare you attack our Lord!” he roared, his voice filled with fury. With one clean strike, his sword sliced through the giant’s neck, severing its head from its body. The creature’s eyes widened in shock before its massive form collapsed into the sea with a thunderous splash.

For a moment, the battlefield grew quiet, and Viserion stood amidst the chaos, his mind spinning with questions. What had just happened? What was this world? His gaze swept over the burning city, the warring armies, and the bizarre creatures. None of this made any sense.

“Just... where the hell are we?” he thought, trying to grasp the scope of what they had walked into.

And then, as if in response to his question, a calm, measured voice of a woman echoed in his mind—alien, yet familiar.

“This planet is called Earth... who are you all?”

Viserion’s breath caught in his throat. Earth? Was this the new world that Nira had promised them? Or had they walked straight into another war, one just as devastating as the one they left behind?

Tomo, still seething with bloodlust, stepped beside him, eyes scanning the horizon. “Viserion, what do we do?”

But Viserion remained silent, his thoughts racing. Whoever had spoken to him wasn’t one of the mortals or creatures on the battlefield. There was something far more ancient, more powerful at play here.

Earth. The name echoed in his mind again. What was this place? And why did it feel like the danger had only just begun?