Valerian

I led the dragon far from the others, up into the clouds where no one could see us—though I doubt even the thickest clouds could hide a beast of this size. Silas and the rest need to keep moving west, to free my ember and Kaela. And as for me... I just need to survive.

If death taught me anything, it’s never to underestimate it. My whole life, I felt like I needed to prove myself, to show the world that I mattered. I wanted them to see me, to know I was here. Often, I did that through power—a power that some envied but many feared. It was the one constant in my life, and I clung to it, abused it, because it made me feel significant. That led to arrogance, a belief that I was invincible. And that arrogance got me killed.

Death also taught me to choose my battles carefully. Not every fight is worth fighting, and this is one I can’t win. I just need to buy enough time for Silas and the others to escape, to lure this dragon far away from them, and then survive. But that’s easier said than done, because right now, I’m barely hanging on.

I either overestimated my speed or underestimated the dragons. No matter where I go, it’s always right there behind me, its hot breath searing the back of my neck, sending shivers through my entire body. I’m lucky it doesn’t seem to have a fire-breathing attack—or so I thought.

But I spoke too soon. The heat of its breath is growing more intense by the second. I glance back just in time to see its massive maw opening wide, close enough to swallow me whole if it catches up. But that’s not what terrifies me the most. No, it’s the blue searing flames gathering in its throat, ready to be unleashed at any given moment.

A deafening whistle emanated from the dragon’s throat, and the blue flames within its maw began to twist and churn violently. The beast’s throat glowed an ominous blue one last time before the flames erupted, surging towards me with terrifying speed. I barely had time to react before the fire struck me head-on.

For a moment, a void engulfed me, rendering me deaf, blind, and numb. A high-pitched ringing filled my ears as a blinding white light engulfed my vision. Then, a tingling sensation crept down my spine, pulling me back to reality as I plummeted from the sky. The tingling quickly transformed into a sharp, searing pain that radiated from my lower back to my neck.

As my vision cleared, I saw the dragon slicing through the clouds with its four massive wings, aligning itself with my descent. Once more, I watched in horror as it began charging up another attack, descending in tandem with me.

I have to move. A direct hit will kill me. Come on, Valerian, move those wings!

But... I can’t. My wings—they’re gone!

A quick glance back confirmed my worst fear: my wings were reduced to charred stumps of flesh and bone, with only a few blackened feathers clinging to them. They must have taken the brunt of the dragon’s attack, sparing my life but leaving me crippled. The Void Veil was slowly wrapping around the remnants, healing them far too slowly. I’ll hit the ground long before they’re fully restored.

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Think, Valerian, think!

And then, an idea struck me.

As the dragon prepared to unleash its attack, I focused on gathering the Void Veil at my fingertips. Ever since I returned from the dead and reconnected with my past self, the power that once controlled me was now mine to command. I planned to use the Void Veil as a shield, hoping it could absorb the dragon’s flames. If I could wrap myself with darkness before I hit the ground, I might stay afloat, protected from further assaults, until my body fully healed. In theory, anything that touched the darkness would cease to exist—but that was just a theory. I didn’t know if it would actually work, but I had to try. Not just for the hope of reuniting with my family, but for the first time, for the sake of my survival. I want to live.

The darkness coated my arm, mending the charred flesh. Just as the dragon unleashed another blast of blue flame, I swung my arm forward, casting the Void Veil as a shield. To my relief, it devoured the flames, saving me from what would have been certain death.

Now, I needed to enshroud myself in the darkness, but the process was agonizingly slow, and the dragon was already preparing its next attack. I wasn’t sure how much more of this I could endure.

As the reanimated dragon roared and prepared to unleash another devastating attack, a second, equally deafening roar echoed from the west, growing louder with every passing moment. My eyes snapped toward the sound, and just before the undead beast could unleash its torrent of blue flames upon me, a new presence exploded onto the battlefield.

From the clear blue sky, a second dragon—smaller but no less formidable—crashed into the four-winged monstrosity with staggering force. Its gleaming fangs sank deep into the rotting flesh of the much larger dragon, sending the blue flames veering off course, scorching the air beside me. Did it just save me?

This newcomer was at least half the size of the undead colossus, but its power was undeniable. Its scales were a pristine white, gleaming like polished ivory under the sunlight that filtered through the thin clouds. Unlike the decaying abomination, this dragon was very much alive. Its wide, thin, membrane wings shimmered as they caught the sunlight, each one tipped with a sharp talon.

Its eyes blazed with a bright, piercing blue light, full of vitality and fierce intelligence. Twin horns slightly curved upward, crowned its head, accompanied by a series of smaller, jagged horns. A row of white fins bristled along the back of its long, serpentine neck, twitching with every movement it made.

Thick, stone-like scales extended from its neck down to its tail, forming an impenetrable barrier that protected the dragon’s chest. Its muscular arms ended in razor-sharp claws that tore into the four-winged dragon’s decaying flesh, sending chunks of rotten meat flying. As the two dragons clashed, sparks of lightning crackled across the white dragon’s wings, surging with raw power. Most of the energy seemed to concentrate on its tail, which whipped and lashed with devastating precision, tearing into the back of the undead dragon.

I didn’t know where this white dragon had come from, but I was grateful it had. Now, with the abomination distracted, I had the precious time I needed to deploy the Void Veil around me and survive long enough to reunite with the rest of the crew and tell of this tale.