Seo Jiwoo
The blue flame burning in the middle of my palm dimmed slightly as my feet finally made contact with firm and solid ground after a few seconds of being afloat in the air.
My senses stretched far, my guard up for any unwelcomed ambush or threat. I extinguished the flame from my palm, as I witnessed the motes of different colours dancing in the air which provided a dim but good enough supply of light for minimum sight.
I slowly turned as I felt a light breeze kiss my skin, as I saw a long tunnel stretching onward into the silent darkness, which was slightly illuminated by the bright particles of mana, as I noticed a dim light emanating from a few steps away.
I saw the earth mana clinging tightly to the tunnel walls as I saw glowing vines and leaves inside, coiling around the walls and ceiling, providing dim visibility.
I kept Mind’s Eye active despite the light provided by the tunnel, as I looked around for any anomalies which might lead to any traps or ordeals later, as I cautiously surveyed the area.
After inspecting the tunnel for a good minute, only then did I start moving, even then each movement I produced was laced with utmost caution, the pungent and wet smell of mud entered my nose as I withdrew the cloak of nyx from the inventory and draped it over myself as the star-speckled cloak adorned with the dim lighting allowed the dim clusters and runes to glow faintly, making it a mysterious sight.
I continued walking for another ten minutes in the silence which creeped like a beast ready to pounce from the darkness around me, as each step echoed lightly, my feet connecting with wet mud as I reached deeper.
By now, the others must have reached Tseige. I thought as my mind seem to worry for a moment.
But it was necessary that Mordian went to Tseige, I was confident and assured that with Mordian there, Tseige would be conquered—even in his suppressed condition, he was still an impeccable martial artist, a highly skilled conjurer and most of all, he was a dragon, I'd seen first-hand just how strong a dragon was in their true form—plus I didn’t need to worry about Aurora, with her current strength and she being with Mordian, I knew Mordian would protect her if something happened.
But all of my wary thoughts were slightly alleviated as I heard Mordian’s static voice inside my mind—but for some reason it felt distant and muffled slightly.
‘We’re about to reach Tseige.’ Despite the distance between us, we were easily able to communicate with each other through telepathy as I responded back in confirmation and informed him of my own arrival, asking if they were ready to launch their attack.
Mordian responded with confirmation, we stopped communicating after a few seconds and he went to start the counterattack as I withdrew my mind back to my own task.
Alright, I better play my part well. I pumped myself as I looked forward.
Shortly afterward, I slowed down my pace as I soon realized I’d reached a dead-end in the path.
What greeted me at the end of tunnel was a wall with a cobblestone block filling the upper layer of the wall as I walked closer and touched it. The smooth yet rough texture of the block was cold and covered with dirt and moss. I was already inside the fortress's basement, with only a block separating me from the actual place.
I first tried to sense beyond the wall whether or not there was anyone present—with me being able to sense demonic energy vaguely I was able to distinguish the sinister energy in the atmosphere after gaining enough insight of the elements through Mind’s Eye's observational lens. Despite Zalar’s reassurance of this passage being the most safest secret route into the fortress through the first basement, and being well hidden, I was still cautious and didn’t allow for any carelessness.
I grasped the tightly sealed block, channelling mana as the stone block grinded quietly against the other blocks as I used wind magic to silence the jarring noise—the soft gale muffled and chocked the sound as the path slowly opened, revealing a hidden passage to the fortress's basement.
I placed both hands on the cobblestone floor, as I raised my body up and finally entered the basement of the fortress, as I was immediately met with absolute silence, the shadows dancing and flickering under the dim light of the torches lit every few corridors, as I took the block and used it to seal the passage once more.
No sound was released as the block sealed the opening in the wall.
I draped the cloak more firmly as I tried my best to hide my presence as I suppressed my mana to the best I could to avoid the detection of any artifact which might be placed around the fortress to detect any intruders.
I moved a few steps, my feet produced no sound as I went and hid in the nearby shadows, obscured from vision and detection.
I recalled the entire structure of the fortress in my mind—the lower and upper levels combined—as I went through it for a quiet minute as I looked around me and studied the many corridors and the structure, as I immediately knew where I was in the basement.
I was in the fifth corridor of the first basement, which was precisely between the opening of the second basement and the resting room built inside the fortress for the guards, and if I wanted to reach the fortress above, I needed to cross the resting room.
I looked around me, at the shadows and the silence which persisted, precisely, as I remembered a superhero’s phrase from my world, who represented himself with shadows and darkness. I relaxed for a moment. Being too tense wouldn’t help either.
After a second, I corrected my posture and decided to venture deep into the fortress basement, as I recalled each corridor and path as I silently placed every step as I reached the resting room, along the way I found several empty storage rooms which were quite old and dilapidated.
There was a faint light produced from the inside of the room, probably from some dim artifact, the door was slightly opened as I sensed three energy signatures inside the room, as I heard loud muffled noises, they were mostly stern shouts directed at subordinates, as I focused mana into my ears and tried to make out of those shouts which echoed inside the deep corridors.
“—time have I warned you all to do your jobs probably! Didn’t I say to subdue that vile orc, and its companions? Why hasn’t it happened yet, or did I not make myself clear before? Do you want to incur His Excellency’s irk?”
I walked closer as I peeked into the room and saw three demons standing in the middle of the room. Two of them were green eyed demons, their heights similar and sharing a similar uniform type robes, but one had long black hair and the other short brown.
The one that stood in front of them was draped in a more exquisite black robe with embroidery of gold. The curves of his face were sharp, a small nose bridge, shoulder length blonde hair framing his handsome features, but his eyes were turquoise, making him a rank higher than the two.
The guard on the right spoke, but he sounded meek. “Captain, we’ve been trying our best to make him give in, but even if we torture him, or starve him or the others, or threaten them to kill their loved ones, they just don’t give in. They all are like stubborn beasts.”
The captain’s voice resounded inside the room. “And it’s your job to make them submit. Have I made myself clear?” His voice sounded condescending and sharp, as the guards flinched back, unable to utter a single word, expect for nodding their heads.
I made out of their conversation, and immediately realized they were talking about the chieftain and the other elders trapped in the dungeon below the fortress
I could’ve saved them first, making our fighting force stronger, but right now retrieving the compass held more priority, and even if I was able to rescue them, it held no meaning if I wasn’t able to find the compass.
Because, this mission leaned more on to the stealth side.
Just as their conversation ended and the turquoise eyed demon stood and reached for the door, I quickly shrank back and went to hide in the shadows.
The turquoise eyed demon stood at the door, as he glanced back with a scowl and exited as he reached deeper into the basement, probably going down to the second basement below.
I had crossed the hallway and stood at the end of the corridor, hidden in the shadows as I waited for the demon to approach.
The cloak of nyx perfectly hid my presence, the demon's steps loudly rang through the basement, as I coldly looked at him, my bloodlust completely suppressed as I waited for him like a predator ready to hunt its prey.
Just as he walked from in front of me, he moved his eyes instinctively in my direction, but with the artifact draped over me the demon wasn’t able to distinguish my presence from the darkness as he walked forward without a word.
Without a single sound, I fell in step behind him, I silently caught up to the demon captain. Pouring mana into my arms, I clamped my hand over his mouth to stifle any cries for help, dragging him into the dark, empty room I had scouted earlier.
The demon tried his best to retaliate to save himself, and escape my grasp. But I didn’t give him any time to do anything, I was able to overpower him immediately as I struck his back, using burst strike, as my arm tore through the air.
The demon tried to scream, but my hand muffled the sound completely, with a quick thrust, I drove my hand straight into his sternum, gripping at his core as blood and viscera coated my arm.
Warmth spread over my skin, but I remained cold and indifferent as I addressed him with an apathetic voice, as the demon spat blood and didn't try to fight back as he realized I held his core in my tight grip.
"Where is the compass?" My icy gaze bore into him, cutting through the air like daggers.
He flinched as he heard me, but glared back. He tried to move his hands, but I tightened my grip around his core as I felt cracks forming on its surface.
The demon’s scowl twisted, realizing the gravity of his situation. Every situation and possibility crashed down to his imminent end.
As blood trickled from his lips he spoke, utterly defeated. "It's in the throne room—His Excellency has kept it there for months.”
I thought for a second and asked. “What is current positioning of the guards in the upper levels of the fortress?” I urged, and the demons grimaced in my grip.
I tightened my grip, as I vividly heard the sound of cracking reverberated inside the old room. The demon immediately answered.
He told me about every demon's position inside the fortress, either basement or the fortress above, he properly told me where everyone was situated on duty.
“Anything else?” I asked coldly, my voice as cold as ice, firming my grip over his core.
“His Excellency and the battlegroup under him circulates around the treasuries and the throne room, and also between Tseige and Esparossa, with the other locations sometimes. But I suggest you give up on whatever you are thinking about. You can’t possibly hope to defeat them all—even the weakest of them is close to the enlightenment stage, no less, His Excellency who is already an Amber eyed demon, equal to a mystic stage.”
“I didn’t ask for your opinion.” I said, as they became the last words the demon heard, as I tightened my grip and the core immediately succumbed to the pressure and shattered inside my palm.
The demon’s face twisted, as his body crumbled and disintegrated, not even the ash remaining.
I cleared the blood from my hand as I took a breath and rethought my plan, but I couldn’t be sure just how much information the demon had given me was genuine. He could’ve obscured several important parts and altered the information to mislead me.
But I was still going to consider the information I'd received from him, it might as well have been true to some extent.
Without any delay, I walked out of the old storage room and quietly made way past the resting room where the grumbling noises of the demons entered my ears, they were complaining about their working environment and how poorly they were treated.
Only a second later, I found the stairs leading up to the fortress, and just like the demon captain had said, there were no guards on patrol near the stairs.
I remained cautious, beside the turn of events, as I walked the flight of stairs and reached to the upper level.
The demon captain had said that around this time at night, the guards either took a break or change their shifts with other demons. So, it was the perfect time to infiltrate the fortress without being detected.
I slowly reached to the floor above, and similarly didn’t seen any guards at the time, as I immediately took a right turn, in the old cobblestone fortress, the long hallways looked eerie, as the limited torches provided dim lighting at night, making it an advantageous environment for me to sneak in.
Cautiously making my way through the halls, I hid in the blind spots as I sensed or heard the guards approaching my way. I skilfully avoided several guards without getting caught, as I followed the map inside my mind, and changed corridor after corridor, and soon reached the location of the throne room.
It was true that the normal guards weren’t allowed to approach near the throne room from the lack of guards outside. The demon captain had mentioned that this 'excellency' of theirs, had made this decision for some reason. I had actually quite easily made it here which made me kind of worried for some reason.
But perhaps, it was as easy as it seemed. But my intuition warned me several times along the way.
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
I guess, I'd grown paranoid from the way things allows developed rashly for me from the start.
I sighed silently, as I soon reached two sealed doors which were tightly shut closed. I reached for leap and the skill bloomed to life, producing a lukewarm sensation around my body as I searched the paths and without any hesitation stepped into the interconnecting web as lightning was left crackling in my wake as I appeared inside the throne room.
I hid behind a pillar inside the throne room as I searched the entire chamber for any activity or presence. After confirming, I walked out of the shadows and gazed at the throne room in it’s entirety.
It wasn’t anything special, perhaps any decorations inside the room had been removed already, giving the chamber a dark and eerie vibe, as the cobblestone floor was adorned with a red carpet with gold at its edges.
The moonlight illuminated the inside of the dark and eerie environment inside the throne room, the bright light filtering through the oriel windows as it slightly brightened the darkness.
But my gaze was attracted to the throne sitting silently at the end of the chamber, the massive chair, made of wood and bones, three sharp bones protruding out from the right, left and the middle, sat there, a simple tapestry qas behind it, showing a hill with the sun rising and extinguishing the darkness, as if creating a semblance of hope, while a small table stood beside the throne, over it was a shiny wooden box, and I could feel the pulse of mana emanating from the inside.
I walked closer to the throne, standing three steps higher as I took the wooden box in my hand and opened it immediately, inside was the item I'd been looking for a since I'd arrived here—or for the last two weeks here in his world.
I took the square device in my hand which had a half dome shape on one side, making it look like an anchor, as I felt the artifact, gripping it tightly to not let it fleet away. This was the item everyone was risking their lives for.
A silent smirk pulled on my lips for a second.
But now, the tide of this war will change, I just need to take this compass and somehow reach Tseige. But first, I needed to inform the others that I've retrieved the compass.
“So, it’s true that a rat was sneaking around the fortress.” I heard a deep voice reverberate through the empty throne room, chilling and sharp, sending a spike of panic through me despite its lack of overt hostility.
My body reacted instinctively, cold sweat beading on my neck and sliding down my back as I turned to face where the voice had come from. The presence that loomed behind me was like the shadow of the moon on a foggy night, creeping in and suffocating the air, wrapping everything in a dreadful, haunting stillness.
I took a breath to calm myself, knowing fully well that I’d finally been caught by the enemy, and now a frontal confrontation was inevitable from this point onward—but a scenario I had already prepared myself for in my many simulations.
I took off the hood of the cape of nyx, my eyes fully focused as I looked at the individual standing leisurely behind me, his arms crossed and back leaning against one of the massive doors which stood at the other end of the throne room, he stood so comfortably as if he was sure that I wouldn’t be able to escape from this place—like I was standing in the heart of a tiger’s den.
My eyes stayed fixed on the demon before me, his dark amber gaze burning with a mix of nonchalance and pity. His face was framed by mahogany hair that just brushed his shoulders, a single onyx horn protruding from his forehead like a unicorn, every feature sharp and flawless, his skin so pale it was almost luminous. He regarded me with the cold curiosity of someone who had all the answers, making my unease grow with each passing second of silence.
So, he was the descendent of the Noros clan among the exciduim race. And from the pigment of his eyes, he was the mystic stage demon, and the leader of the battlegroup I'd been warned about.
“So, you are the human I’ve heard about,” he said, his voice like ice scraping against stone, sending a shiver down my spine. The words hung in the air, sharp and deadly. I could tell he was toying with me, which obviously struck a nerve in me.
“If you mean the guy who killed one of your Generals and made a pathetic display of your attack force, then yes, I’m ‘him’. “I said, the tension released me as I relaxed and tried to think of a way to ensure victory.
For a moment, the demon looked taken aback by my words. A slow, dangerous smile spread across his face, and he straightened up, taking a step closer. The distance between us was closing, and I could feel the pressure building.
I could feel other demonic energies closing in, strong ones, plus a mana signature beside them and I knew they would be here soon. One of them was on equal terms with an enlightenment stage mage, and the others weren’t far behind. The odds were getting worse by the second.
I maintained eye contact with the amber-eyed demon for one more second as I tired to simulate the battle which would ensue here any second. This demon was stronger than me, he was someone equal to a mage who had only recently broken through to the mystic stage—the
“It seems like your friends will be here any minute,” I said, channelling my mana subtly. “I’m not a big fan of violence, but four against one—that’s kind of unfair, don’t you think?” I kept my tone calm, my expression cool, trying not to betray the tension building inside me.
“So, you can tell,” he said, his voice measured, calm. “It isn’t unfair at all. We’re simply using our utmost military might to crush our enemies and fulfil the mission bestowed upon us by His Majesty—without any unnecessary mistakes.”
“Let’s begin. I can’t just let you escape after you have stolen the compass, or else my pride as the appointed commander would be hurt.”
I couldn’t let the inclination go as I thought he had allowed me to take the compass on purpose, confident that I wouldn’t be able to escape the fortress under his watch.
The compass vanished from my hand, as I stood straight, eyes peering down at the demon from the Noros clan.
Without hesitation, I activated my skill and vanished from my spot, appearing right behind the demon in a flash. His composure faltered, his expression shifting to one of surprise as my sword materialized in my hands and pressed against his right breast. The blade’s tip dug into his flesh, and I didn’t hesitate, the sound of flesh tearing resounded. I reinforced my weapon with mana, wind, and ice attributes of mana merging to enhance the edge, the blade erupting with a blinding streak of light as it thrust deeper.
The demon barely had time to react as I began converging a spell of fire, adding more force and momentum to the sword. The sound of flesh being sliced echoed through the throne room as my blade grazed the core embedded in his right breast, closer to his sternum.
The demon twisted his body at the last second, avoiding the blade from completely destroying his core, as my sword sliced through his right breast as a cascade of blood and flesh flew into the air.
He twisted his body and launched his left elbow at my head, but with a flash of lightning I vanished from my spot and reappeared near the throne again, as the demon struck the empty air behind him, charged with the residual lightning.
His hand went to his right breast, blood leaking out and soaking his robes, as I saw a dim glow emanate from the exposed flesh. The demon’s expression now twisted and full of malicious intent as he glared back at me, his body already recovering, the wound stitching itself, but his recovery was delayed, through Mind’s Eye I observed that most of the demonic energy inside his body was coalesced near the core, and not fully focused on healing the wound itself.
The corrupted energy tried to consume the core which had an open crack, making an anomaly, as the demon grimaced from my sudden attack.
But this quick action, and his underestimation had allowed me to catch him off guard and use leap to give him a fatal blow.
The core kept trying to mend itself, but failed miserably each time as the demonic energy went in an almost rampant state, which was barely contained by the demon's active concentration, making the grimace on his face to twist further.
From the looks of it, the core that a demon has is something more than I'd expected it to be. If it was a part of his body, then why wasn’t it healing as naturally as his limbs or other parts when lost. Something was wrong...
I already knew that without their core, a demon would simply come apart, in another sense, it was the vital part of their body keeping them alive.
It seems I've learned something new today about the exciduim race.
“You pathetic, human scum.” He barked, the voice ringing balefully inside the throne room, as I fully felt the malice and anger behind it.
“You said it yourself, ‘use your utmost might to crush your enemies’. It’s your fault for not paying attention and being caught off guard.” I snickered as a wry smirk played on my lips, taunting the Noros demon.
His eyes were bloodshot, as the doors boomed open and three individuals entered from the outside.
One stood with a red spear in his hand, his brown hair framing a ferocious and hardened face with a scar tracing from his forehead down his left cheek, his frame was well-built, draped in simple navy robes and simple armor, with a dark pair of turquoise eyes, his strength on the borderline of the profound mastery stage.
Beside him was a female demon, her figure was slightly petite, but the harrowing look in her eyes made anyone afraid of the dark hazel burning and looking forward, as she held two short swords in her hands, her demonic energy working as she moved her gaze from me to their leader, who kneeled on the floor, surrounded by his own blood.
But my gaze broke into a surprised frown, no...I was utterly shocked by the last member. It was an orc and not just any, Huŕum’s companion, Surter, the orc I'd met when first having arrived here.
But I found it odd...there were supposed to be five demons in this battlegroup, I’d confirmed this fact with the demon captain previously. Could it be the remaining two are not here but at a different location.
“Ankewelt,” the female demon shouted as she rushed over to her leader's side, but he waved her away as he stood, the wound on his right side almost fully healed, but Ankewelt's core remained scarred, not willing to heal no matter how much time or demonic energy taken, which made it less likely for him to fight on his full strength, aiding in my advantage.
“I'm fine, Apphia.” Ankewelt said, and Apphia shrank back as she straightened.
But my gaze remained on the orc, draped in leather armour with a broad sword in his hand.
I clenched my jaw in anger, my fists clenched tightly as the whites of my knuckles were exposed as I spat through gritted teeth, my voice was calm, yet sounded malicious. “What happened to the others?”
“They are all dead.” Surter said simply, as if it was something trivial and not worth his attention.
I took a breath, as if it was to calm myself, or perhaps taking a second to make up and clear my mind.
Then there’s nothing left to say anymore. I thought as I grabbed the cape from my left shoulder and took it off as it vanished from my hand and so did the sword as the relic armour slowly draped my entire body, the onyx scales shining and reflecting the dim light as I looked down at the demons, and the traitor.
My mana worked slowly, as I activated Ruler's Authority, no longer suppressing my aura as I felt a surge of warmth and power within me, as I saw the demons’ eyes waver for a second, as the lavender was reflected in their burning gazes. My hands began to blaze with the fiery tendrils of lightning as a mist enveloped my other hand as a layer of ice coalesced as I took a breath, and my mind cleared up.
“Let’s get this over with.” I said as the battle ensued.
***
Mordian Astrionyx
We moved along a path between two mountains with all the troops behind us, the night breeze felt haunted as the moonlight spilled below, marking everything. After a few more minutes on foot, Tseige came within eye level. I saw a dark and tall fortress standing at the very end of the town, its outward appearance imposing and silent, surrounded by numerous houses and huts, as the dark environment made the town appear haunted and possessed.
I focused mana into my eyes and noticed a few flames burning atop the fortress, there was visible movement.
Everyone stopped suddenly as we were only half a mile away from the town and the fortress at the edge of the town itself, surrounded by vegetation.
“Our attack will be a frontal confrontation with the demonic forces, keep in mind at all times, our main focus is releasing the prisoners held below the fortress in the dungeon. We need to reach below at all costs.” Huŕum said, his deep voice reverberated through the area as everyone heard him and nodded.
The orc turned to look at me, he paused and respectfully nodded his head.
I knew what I needed to do, it was to attract and keep the stronger demons in the fortress occupied while the others performed what we had planned.
Then we continued on our journey silently until we reach the periphery of the town, our presence was masked by the darkness and cliffs which enveloped our surroundings. Aurora walked beside me, a slender bone white bow in her hand as I saw the shape looked special, it had three mana crystals embedded which allowed the bow to create its own arrows upon activation. It had groove like designs on both ends. It was an item she had requested from Grimnir the dwarf.
We all stepped foot into the abandoned and dilapidated town, as we scattered into four teams—with the handful amount we had, it was easier to break into four groups and attack from different locations, having each team balanced. Making the enemy confused of our true numbers and spreading a wave of panic.
Aurora and I, with the other soldiers made way deeper into the town, our figures obscured by the darkness and stacked buildings.
But suddenly I felt a distant cascade of panic, surprise, shock and anger flare into my mind as I continued making way forward without pause, these emotions weren’t my own, they were Jiwoo’s, and through the vague images I was able to see from his mind and the situation, I understood what had happened. I reached out to Jiwoo and he said he’d been caught by the leader—the demon rumoured to a descendent of the Noros clan—and was about to engage in a fight with three demons, and Surter.
So, he turned out to be the traitor. But Jiwoo suddenly warned me about the presence of the two missing demons of their team, who weren’t present in Esparossa.
Then it could mean that they might be here in Tseige, or maybe not. Perhaps it was for the better that Jiwoo wouldn’t have to fight an entire battlegroup of demons on his own. I was confident that with his current strength and abilities, he would be able to win, but he would have to push himself extremely. He was close to achieving the mystic stage, but he was still held at a numerical disadvantage, while his other team members had been disposed off.
Then we needed to win as fast as possible, to conquer Tseige, so that I can rush over to assist Jiwoo, if he were to fail, in the worse case scenario.
My gaze went to Aurora, running alongside me, her gaze seemed complicated as if she wanted to speak, but held her tongue.
I noticed there was the slightest of crease over my brows which the elf had noticed.
“Jiwoo was caught.” I admitted, whispering, my tone nonchalant and dry, but she seem to pause for a step as she continued running beside me.
“Is he already?” She whispered back, worry and trepidation laced her words as she tried her best to control her facial features. She knew Jiwoo had decided to take up this assignment, knowing full well the risks it involved.
“For now, yes. He’s in possession of the compass and is currently engaged in a fight with the battlegroup.” I said solemnly as I phased out of the darkness and appeared on the southern side of the fortress wall, by now the rest must have reached their positions around the fortress.
The only thing that stood between us was the entrance of the fortress which was sealed shut.
But my brows knitted slightly as my eyes moved upward, as I felt a slight surge of energy. A suffocating aura.
“Heh...who do we have here.”
I identified two individuals afloat in the air, black jagged wings protruding out of their backs, as I saw pairs of horns jutting from either sides of their head or forehead of the demons above.
Just from a glance, I could tell they were enlightenment stage from their aura, and perhaps the two whom Jiwoo had warned me about.
“Aurora, take the others and go on ahead.” I said as I matched eyes with the demons above.
I slowly left the ground, my feet suspended in the air as I flew higher and reached just as high at the two demons.
“I felt a strong presence in the distance, and rushed over, and it looks like I wouldn’t be disappointed for coming on round to Tseige.” The leaner demon with horns jutting from the sides of his head said. His face pulled with a nasty smile.
“You don’t seem like those elves or dwarfs.” He crossed his arms and scoffed. “Y’know, the height difference...But seriously, who are you?”
“Wait...I think I can make a guess...” He inclined his head with eyes closed for a second, as if in deep thought. He snapped his fingers as he spoke. “You must be the dragon we've heard about. Am I right on the money?”
I remained silent as I sized up the two. My gaze went to the other demon, who stood beside his leaner companion, he had a more buff stature, dark hazel eyes, and draped in a murky black robe with horns jutting from his forehead.
“But if the rumours are true, then the dragons should be an extinct race. But its seems unlikely, you being a dragon and being alive.” He said with a smirk. “I’m quite curious to know what your true form looks like, heh."
I glared at him silently as I felt my expression darken. I tried to control my anger, which flared out in the form of a golden aura leaving out and stiffening the air.
The demons straightened as their demonic energy surged, fighting against my mana.
“Which clan of the dragons are you from? As far as I know, every single one of them were slaughtered, tortured or made into a slave and later disposed off.” He laughed menacingly, as if finding pleasure in taunting me.
I felt my nose wrinkle as the distant and almost forgotten cries of help echoed in my ears. My people, my brethren, dying in front of me, and there was nothing I could do...I couldn’t save anyone, not them, not my family.
They were slaughtered like animals...
“I am the lost prince of the dragon race, the last heir to the Astrionyx clan...” I said, my voice remained calm, but my glare betrayed my clam act.
The both seem to open their eyes wide suddenly, as their expressions changed to surprise and shock.
“Heh heh...its going to be fun killing a living dragon, so far only Lord Ashmedai has been the only one bestowed the title of dragon slayer, but perhaps its been too long and we need a new dragon slayer, so would I also get that title if I kill you...its not like you see a dragon everyday after the broken oath.”
Broken oath...is that the title they use for the massacre of the dragons.
“Stop fooling around, Kirche. The opponent is a dragon, he is to not be underestimated, knowing he’s the lost prince and is from the Astrionyx clan of the dragons, who once ruled over all the ash’ari races as their leader.”
“Calm down, Digo.It's two against one.”
Digo looked at his companion and the other shrugged his looks away as they got ready for battle.
I didn’t hold back, as I prepared for the fight, as I swiped my hand and with a jarring screech, the mana moved and took form as multiple projectiles took form in the air and encompassed the entire area surrounding us.
image [https://i.imgur.com/Vrz5kWB.jpeg]