CHAPTER 89 – WARFLAME DRAGON

KATE ZEPHYRUS

After the battle's echoes faded, I stepped out of the kaleidoscopic temple, its shattered colors reflecting the chaos within. At the gate, Mariko stood, her presence a silent testament to the regained strength within her. Her eyes betrayed a lingering worry, fingers pressing against her chest.

"Kate, is it over?" Mariko's voice held a tremor, a subtle quiver in her gaze.

With a triumphant grin, I faced her, fist clenched in accomplishment. "It is done."

Yet, the victory celebration was abruptly interrupted. A mere four kilometers away, the bell tower stood like a distant matchstick. The once-steady crimson pillar of light emanating from it now flickered, and the bell tolled mournfully, as if in lamentation for the fallen.

"What’s happening?" Mariko gasped, her voice laced with concern. "That bell tower has never rung before. And the pattern… it’s quite haunting."

A sudden realization gripped me as Lysander's earlier explanation echoed in my mind. He had mentioned the bell towers and their ominous power—a Dragon Lord's ability to ring it, an act that would resurrect all dragonoids within a five-kilometer radius.

"Shit!" I exclaimed, the weight of impending calamity settling over me. Gritting my teeth, I turned my gaze toward the temple of mirrors, its reflective surface holding secrets yet to unfold.

Abruptly and without any precursor, the temple of mirrors erupted into shards, unveiling the imposing figure of a colossal dragon standing at an awe-inspiring ten meters in height. The creature was draped in ominous, dark scales that exuded an air of foreboding. Its wings, stretched out like emaciated fins, displayed a skeletal structure that added to its eerie presence. A spiky spine ran along the length of its tail, culminating in a skull-shaped head, where two sinister crimson eyes glowed ominously—introducing itself as the formidable entity known only as the Death Dragon.

"Raaaaaaah!" The Death Dragon's roar echoed through the night, sending shivers across the skies. Anyone within earshot would be gripped by an all-encompassing fear of impending doom.

In response to the menacing presence, I tightly clasped Mariko’s hand, feeling the reciprocal grip of assurance. Together, we faced the imposing figure of the Death Dragon, anxiety etched on our faces. Yet, with Mariko by my side, a silent understanding passed between us, an unspoken assurance that we could conquer whatever lay ahead.

The synchronized rhythm of our hearts echoed the strength of our connection, a blend of thrill and the warmth of love. Even without the aid of Mariko’s Dragon Lord Commandment, I was confident that we could confront any foe together.

As Mariko held her chest, her heartbeat harmonizing with mine, I gazed at her and gently fixed her bangs, revealing her kind expression.

"Kate…" she whispered.

"Mariko, let’s fight together," I said with a reassuring smile.

"Yeah!" Mariko affirmed, her hand now radiating with a golden light. "Activating Vesryn Pulse!"

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In the blink of an eye, my entire being was immersed in a resplendent golden radiance, a surge of magical energy coursing through my veins. As the brilliance subsided, I found myself reborn—a majestic nine-meter-tall dragon, draped in incandescent red scales that seemed to flicker with internal flames.

My right arm boasted talons honed to the sharpness of swords, while my left brandished a colossal mechanical claw, a formidable fusion of magic and machinery. Wings of fire unfurled, casting a crimson hue across the battlefield. In that transformative moment, I had become the formidable incarnation known as the Warflame Dragon.

Perched atop my majestic form was Mariko Septem, my Dragon Lord, exuding determination to vanquish our adversary. A silent prayer escaped her lips, and the Mark of Vesryn on her chest began to emit a radiant glow.

The Death Dragon, finally taking notice, unleashed its formidable power. Its eyes gleamed with a bright crimson as it invoked instant-kill magic. A potent sonar-like pulse erupted, withering the surrounding trees in the blink of an eye.

Instinctively, I prepared to flee, realizing the futility in attempting to outrun such swift magic. However, to my surprise, the devastating spell had no effect on me. Glancing above my forehead, I witnessed Mariko channeling a glass-like barrier magic engulfing us both, utilizing the Mark of Vesryn as a catalyst.

"Mariko?" I inquired through telepathy.

“It’s okay, Kate,” Mariko reassured with a smile. “I used a thin glass barrier shield to protect us from his death magic. Your captain- Hiraya's tactics never cease to amaze me.”

I curled my lips into a triumphant smirk, fixing a determined glare upon the frustrated Death Dragon. With its instant-kill magic rendered useless, I felt no restraint—no holding back.

"Raaaaah!" The Death Dragon bellowed, venting its frustration on all fours, charging a dark purple flame from its gaping maw. Seizing the moment, I propelled myself forward at breakneck speed, my fire wings slicing through the air. My left mechanical claw morphed into a colossal cybernetic sword with glowing red circuits, engulfed in magical flames, poised for a decisive strike.

The Death Dragon retaliated with a death ray from its mouth. Undeterred, I surged forward, my flaming sword cleaving through the deadly beam. The roar echoed as I carved my path toward the colossal foe.

"Raaaaaah!" I roared in defiance.

As I split the death ray, my mechanically enhanced dragon chest revealed powerful fans that whirred with intense force. Mariko's voice pierced the air, shouting, "Fire Tornado!" Flames engulfed the winds created by the fans, forming a blazing hurricane that struck the Death Dragon's face and wings, sending it off balance and crashing to the ground.

"This is for my family, for my friends, and for everyone you killed!" Mariko's cry resonated as she channeled her mana towards me. "Warflame Barrel!"

In an instant, my mechanical arm transformed from a sword into a formidable cannon. Mana swirled around it, and a magical red circle manifested at the tip. A surge of powerful mana flowed from Mariko, coursing through me—from forehead to shoulder and finally into the cannon-shaped arm.

A surge of strength coursed through Mariko as she unleashed a potent kick that sent the cannon into action. The resulting flame, shaped like a missile, sliced through the air with unparalleled precision. It homed in on its target—the heart of the Death Dragon—just as the colossal creature began to stir. The ensuing explosion ripped through the air, obliterating the formidable foe into minuscule fragments drenched in a mixture of red and black ooze.

As the remnants of the Death Dragon cascaded down like morbid confetti, Mariko, overwhelmed by the gravity of the moment, dropped to her knees, offering a heartfelt prayer amidst the echoes of destruction.

“Mother, Father. I have finally… avenged you,” Mariko sobbed, tears streaming down her face.

"Good work, Mariko," I conveyed telepathically, a subtle attempt to console her. Enduring Dennis's tyranny for so long, Mariko had now secured her freedom, and nothing would impede our path. She has finally liberated her island and all the onis in it.

I began to flap my wings, ascending into the sky. With our mission accomplished, the next step was to regroup and dismantle the ominous bell tower. My course was set for the far north, where the crimson pillar marked the exact location of the tower. Yet, in those northern skies, dark clouds loomed, unleashing orange-colored thunder and lightning.

A foreboding sensation gripped me, an instinct warning of impending danger.