CHAPTER 142 – DAYBREAK ETERNITY
HIRAYA MISTELTEIN
As my eyelids fluttered open, my gaze met a figure standing before me, a beacon of hope amidst the chaos. His armor, sleek and obsidian, bore intricate patterns of pulsating blue circuits, while a billowing cape trailed behind him, stirred by the gentle breeze. Strands of silver hair swayed gracefully, framing a face illuminated by piercing blue eyes that seemed to hold the weight of a thousand battles. In his grasp, a futuristic katana gleamed with a promise of protection.
"I have come to save you... Hiraya," he spoke, his voice a soft echo in the tumultuous air.
"Lysander..." Emotion surged within me, tears welling in my eyes as a smile tugged at my lips, unable to be contained. The ache of separation dissolved in his presence, replaced by a sense of overwhelming relief and joy.
A longing to embrace him, to feel his reassuring presence enveloping me, pulsed through my veins. The years of yearning, of solitary nights spent dreaming of his return, converged into this moment of reunion. His words washed over me, a balm to the wounds of solitude.
"I'm sorry I was late," Lysander murmured, his gaze unwavering. "Johnny and Meike had to transport me here without alerting the Republic's forces."
With a shake of my head, I brushed aside any notion of resentment or impatience. "No, it's okay. I never lost hope. I will always wait for you."
Beneath our feet lay the twisted remnants of the Magitech Dragon's tentacle cannon, severed by Lysander's blade. A testament to his prowess, it pulsed with latent energy, a silent witness to the clash between ancient powers and modern technology.
"Impossible! How are you able to wound me?" The Magitech Dragon's telepathic roar reverberated through the air, tinged with disbelief and fury.
"I know the barrier you're using—the Reverse Causality Protection," Lysander explained calmly, his tone laced with resolve. "It causes you to reverse the cause and effect of any attacks, physical or magical. None of the offensive attacks would work on you."
With a steady hand extended towards me, Lysander beckoned, offering a lifeline amidst the chaos, a vow to stand by my side against whatever trials lay ahead.
I grasped his outstretched hand eagerly, feeling the warmth radiating from his fingertips as he helped me to my feet. A gentle glow emanated from his touch, a soothing current that flowed through my veins, knitting together fractured bones and mending the myriad scratches adorning my weary frame. Healing magic, a revelation that left me stunned in its wake.
"Lysander..." I whispered, awe coloring my voice. Never would I have imagined that he possessed such a gift.
His gaze remained fixed on the looming figure of the Magitech Dragon, his expression determined. "However, we have devised a simple countermeasure against that magic in the future. Since you reverse the cause and effect, the same should be applicable to healing spells. If attacks restore your health, then healing will likely injure you."
The golden dragon, undeterred by its wounds, infused its severed limb with arcane energy, watching with baleful intent as it regenerated before our eyes.
"You filthy Regressor! I should have killed you when we had the chance!" Its voice crackled like static, a chorus of rage amplified by the pulsating halo of rainbow light that adorned its form.
A surge of power coursed through me, igniting a golden radiance that enveloped my being. "Activating Vesryn Pulse!" I declared, my voice resonating with newfound strength.
In an instant, Lysander transformed into the majestic Trailblazer Dragon, towering above me with scales as resplendent as ever. I ascended to his forehead, a familiar perch that had been absent from my life for far too long.
As the Magitech Dragon prepared to unleash its devastating assault, the Trailblazer Dragon gathered its mana, channeling it into a torrent of azure flames that gathered in its gaping maw.
"Galaxy Extinction Ray!" the Magitech Dragon roared, a sickly green beam of energy hurtling towards us.
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"Baryon Hellblaze!" I cried out, my voice carrying the weight of determination as the Trailblazer Dragon unleashed its own torrent of blue nuclear fire in retaliation.
The clash between the Galaxy Extinction Ray and the Baryon Hellblaze rent the fabric of reality itself, fracturing the very essence of existence. A cataclysmic shockwave erupted from the point of impact, obliterating clouds from the sky and disturbing the equilibrium of gravity, causing debris to dance weightlessly through the air.
As cracks spiderwebbed across the space-time continuum, the world plunged into darkness, the shattered remnants of reality casting an ominous pall over the battlefield. Yet amidst the chaos, the indomitable form of the Magitech Dragon remained, a harbinger of destruction.
With the lingering echoes of their devastating clash fading into silence, the Trailblazer Dragon's voice echoed in my mind, a silent plea for unity in the face of annihilation. "Hiraya... Let's end this. I have saved you, so please save the world for me."
Tears of gratitude mingled with the joyous resolve swelling within me as I placed a hand over my heart, nodding in solemn agreement. The synchronicity of our hearts ignited a warm glow, an affirmation of our shared purpose.
With a surge of divine energy, I ascended on Wings of Light, my right hand wielding a pistol with purpose. The Trailblazer Dragon unfurled its majestic wings, summoning forth a torrent of bluish-green flames that coalesced around me, spiraling into a fusion of power.
In a breathtaking display of unity, the Trailblazer Dragon merged with my weapon, transforming it into a colossal white bow adorned with blades of ethereal flame. Charging healing energy into the Trailblazer Bow, a radiant magical circle materialized beneath us, pulsating with boundless potential.
With hearts intertwined and spirits aflame, I unleashed a spell known only to us, a testament to the unbreakable bond forged in the crucible of battle. "Dracaryx! Activate Daybreak Eternity!"
A miniature universe blossomed within the magical circle, its celestial wonders stretching beyond the confines of space and time. With unparalleled velocity, the marble universe hurtled towards the Magitech Dragon, an unstoppable force of cosmic fury that left no room for resistance.
The anguished cry of the Magitech Dragon pierced the air as it dissolved into oblivion, its form unraveling from intricate spider legs to delicate fairy wings, then to shimmering golden scales, until finally, its faceless visage vanished without a trace.
As the remnants of the marble universe scattered into the ether, reality folded back upon itself, returning us to the desolate landscape of the crash site of the Empire's Sanctuary. In the heart of the colossal crater wrought by destruction, the Daybreaker Squad stood united, their smiles radiant beacons amidst the rubble.
Kate, Mariko, Gaeun, Earvin, Charlotte, and Darlix stood tall, their injuries miraculously healed, while the Tachyon Dragon and Johnny landed nearby, their presence a testament to our shared victory. With a sense of relief washing over me, I offered a bright smile to my comrades.
"Ladies and gentlemen... We got them," I declared, my voice ringing with a mixture of triumph and exhaustion.
The crowd erupted into cheers and jubilation, the weight of years of conflict lifted from their shoulders in an instant.
"Does that mean the war is over?" Gaeun's hopeful inquiry hung in the air, echoed by Darlix's cry for freedom from the specter of genocide.
"No more bloodshed. No more suffering," Mariko whispered, her words a prayer for a future unmarred by strife.
"We can finally build a world where peace reigns," Johnny declared, his voice filled with quiet determination.
Amidst the revelry, I turned away, my gaze drawn to the figure of Lysander standing in the morning light. His presence, once lost to the ravages of war, now stood before me, a beacon of hope and renewal.
His silver hair danced in the breeze, his eyes sparkling with life anew. It was a sight I thought I'd never see again, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
Yet, despite the overwhelming joy coursing through me, a twinge of disbelief lingered in the depths of my soul. After all we had endured, all we had sacrificed, it was difficult to accept that this moment of peace was truly ours to savor.
"Lysander... is that really you?" I muttered.
But as I looked into Lysander's eyes, I knew that together, we could face whatever challenges the future held, secure in the knowledge that love would always prevail.
"Yes, it's really me," Lysander affirmed, a hint of amusement in his tone. "Though I admit, it's been quite the journey."
A soft chuckle escaped my lips, the tension of the moment momentarily eased by his familiar presence.
Then, with a sudden gravity, Lysander knelt before me, his cape billowing in the breeze as he tenderly took my hand in his, pressing a gentle kiss against my skin.
"I am the last of the Erudites, the Regressor of Time, and the spearhead of the Daybreaker Squad," he declared solemnly, his words carrying the weight of countless battles fought and victories won. "And as the dragonoid of the Reincarnation of Exceria, I have finally returned to you, my goddess."
Emotions long suppressed surged forth like a tidal wave, tears streaming down my cheeks unchecked. I clenched my fists in a futile attempt to regain composure, but the floodgates had been opened, and there was no turning back.
"Lysander..." I whispered, his name a prayer on my lips, a beacon of hope in the darkness.
In his eyes, I saw a reflection of my own turmoil, a shared vulnerability laid bare beneath the vast expanse of the daybreak sky. And as the heavens erupted in a cascade of shooting stars, each one a testament to the wishes we dared to dream, I knew that our reunion was more than just chance—it was destiny fulfilled.