CHAPTER 163 – BLOOD HILLS
HIRAYA MISTELTEIN – PREVIOUS TIMELINE
"My name is Gazelle Lockwood, the First Dragon Lord. To all of humanity, we have a message for each and every one of you. This planet is on the verge of a rebirth, transforming into an old yet entirely new world. The existence of humanity, in our view, was a mistake. The Empire of Alterra's actions have deviated from the correct path as they killed Goddess Exceria. Therefore, We have made the decision to rebel against humanity. The Daybreaker is poised to employ her Dragon Lord Commandment across the entire globe, unlocking the mystic powers inherent in all dragonoids. We will usher in the restoration of the Age of Dragons. Vesryn has bestowed upon me her mark, granting authorization for the planet's evolution, a salvation against the perceived malevolence of the human empire. Our dragons will reshape this world as they see fit, reinstating their supremacy, reminiscent of the age that reigned millennia ago. I hereby declare the Purge of Humanity."
As soon as Gazelle ended the broadcast, chaos erupted. With the power of my Dragon Lord Commandment, I activated bell towers scattered across the globe. These towers radiated a brilliant green light that pierced the skies, bestowing upon all dragonoids the ability to transform into dragons without the need for the Vesryn Pulse. Moreover, I granted them the gift of my immortality.
With overwhelming force, Gazelle Lockwood led the charge, capturing human empire cities one by one, tirelessly hunting for any trace of the King of Humanity. My immortal army of dragons became an unstoppable force, laying waste to the empires of humanity with ferocious efficiency.
Velissa Petrova commanded her mermaids to seize the western part of Alterra, mercilessly slaughtering every human in their path. Mariko Septem directed her onis to hunt humans, using them as sacrifices in their dark rituals. Earvin Lancaster led his vampires in capturing humans, transforming them into an unending supply of blood to quench their insatiable thirst. Darlix McTavish commanded his dwarves to capture male humans, exploiting them as worker slaves until they were worked to death.
The Dragon Lords' wrath against humanity became palpable as soon as I revealed the vision from the New Yggdrasil. Our actions may seem merciless, but this was the only path revealed to us. To save everyone else, we had to annihilate humanity. It was a stark choice of survival: them or us.
It took nearly a year of relentless, sweeping operations to capture the Guardian’s Haven. Gazelle's formidable Alientech Dragon form and Eva’s intricate sleeper cell tactics against the Empire of Alterra led to the deaths of Duchess Marieflorine Corasell and Empress Serenity Elkyria. Despite these victories, Arthur remained elusive, and even Deo's shadow could not be found in our Purge of Humanity operation. We had decimated the human population to a mere 10%, yet each battle ended in effortless victory for us.
Something felt amiss. Arthur was undoubtedly plotting something beyond my comprehension. The ominous summoning of the Foreign God loomed on the horizon, hinting at an even more sinister plan.
In the second year of the Purge of Humanity, a glimmer of hope appeared. During the fierce War in the Blood Hills, I glimpsed a figure who could potentially be the key to ending this senseless slaughter.
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The skies were a deep, ominous red, mirroring the blood-soaked hills below. The landscape was strewn with the bodies of both humans and dragonoids, creating a gruesome tableau of war. The Blood Hills, a neutral ground devoid of bell towers, rendered all dragonoids vulnerable. The human empire, having engineered new soldiers capable of wielding Wings of Light, held a distinct advantage in this battle.
"Skysoldiers, rule the heavens!" the flying humans bellowed as they charged at my dragon armies. They unleashed a barrage of bullets from their rifles and cast spells of fire, wind, and lightning, wreaking havoc on my forces.
Despite their fierce assault, they were vastly outnumbered. My dragons outnumbered them ten to one, and each dragon was formidable enough to slay five humans. Only the most adept mages, such as the Erudites Twelve, could stand against my dragons, but even they struggled against our superior numbers and tactics.
As I arrived at the battlefield, only ten skysoldiers remained, their faces etched with terror and their minds consumed by trauma.
"Shall I give them a quick death, milady?" Alris inquired.
"Please do," I nodded, sealing their fate.
Alris, his horns, wings, and draconic limbs fully deployed, leaped into the battlefield wielding his massive buster sword. Flames erupted from the blade as he slashed through the remaining skysoldiers one by one with relentless precision.
Yet, one skysoldier refused to surrender. With fearless determination, he charged through the dragon army, managing to slay one of my Pure Dragons. Alris, ever the predator, stealthily approached from behind. The skysoldier noticed him too late; with a swift motion, Alris plunged his sword into the skysoldier’s chest. The man crumpled to the ground, his silver hair and blue eyes filled with a haunting mix of hopelessness and regret.
As the skysoldier lay dying, his blood mingling with the crimson-soaked earth, I caught sight of his familiar face. "Wait, is that..." I muttered, rushing to Alris' side to confirm my suspicion.
Alris glanced at me, confusion flickering in his eyes. "Do you recognize this man?"
I nodded, my gaze fixed on the dying skysoldier who was coughing up blood. Gently, I wiped the blood from his cheek with my fingers.
"Lysander," I whispered, uttering his name with a mix of sorrow and recognition.
I recognized this man. He was the innocent boy I remembered from Tasty Town’s Magic High. Our last interaction was during a field trip when I took care of him as he struggled with diarrhea. The memory of protecting and caring for someone stirred a long-forgotten tenderness within me.
Tears welled up in my eyes, falling onto Lysander’s face as he lay before me. My heart skipped a beat, and for a fleeting moment, I felt a heartbeat more powerful than the Vesryn Pulse I shared with Alris. In that instant, a vision overwhelmed me.
I saw Exceria baptizing the very first dragonoid, the Trailblazer Dragon, a piece of long-forgotten history that felt as vivid as if it had occurred moments ago.
With a surge of resolve, I removed my white glove and plunged my hand into Lysander’s chest, extracting his ruptured heart and casting it aside. Focusing my mana, I magically summoned the Heart of Exceria from within my past incarnation and replaced his failing heart with it.
As I did, I felt the heartbeat of my previous incarnation resonate within me. Using my healing spell, I meticulously mended the arteries and veins in Lysander’s damaged chest, ensuring his survival.
"You will be my hope, Lysander. You will be the savior," I declared, my voice resolute. "And you will be my bridge to reach Arthur once more. After that, I will discard your life like a used rag."
I pressed my hand to my chest, activating Alris' Vesryn Pulse. In an instant, he transformed into a gargantuan Nova Dragon, his scales shimmering with an ethereal light. I climbed onto his massive form, feeling the power thrumming beneath me.
As we ascended into the sky, I glanced back at the lone figure of Lysander, now lying in the Blood Hills. His silver hair fluttered in the wind, a stark contrast against the crimson-stained earth.
"Till we meet again," I muttered, my words carried away by the wind as Alris and I soared away from the battlefield, leaving Lysander to his fate.