(28) Purgatory!
Barren Lands.
12 Majestic warriors with differing gears and armors were tightly surrounding the incarnating Ivarage. Each of them ensuring that not even the tiniest bit of magicules of Ivarage were leaking out.
"Oi Oi Oi! They'll discover me if this continues, hide me properly." Kael said casually as he was holding down the incarnation medium of Ivarage, Vega's body.
"Even if you were discovered, it has nothing to do with us." Leo said emotionless as he stared at Kael.
"I didn't know that dwarves could be this cold." Kael muttered to himself while frowning and holding his chin as if he is deep in thought.
Swoosh!
An arrowhead flew at lightning speed, but Kael quickly tilted his head to the side and barely evaded the attack.
Black-red blood slid down his cheek.
"Oi Oi Oi! You need to calm down! I could've died there!" Kael shouted loudly but he was still firmly handling the corpse of Vega.
"The next one will be buried in your skull as I only miss intentionally." Sagittarius' cold yet childish voice resounded as he lowered 'Hell's Fury'.
"Sheesh! Even a Baki is this cold." Kael shivered as he looked towards the Baki Zodiac.
"Kael, please just focus on your task." Pisces can't stand the annoying attitude of Kael anymore and she said coldly.
Swoosh!
Kael saluted so hard that a minor earthquake occurred.
"I will listen to Mother Zodiac!" He then shouted.
Sigh!
The Zodiacs heard their Mother sighed in defeat and coldly stared at Kael.
"Alright, I was just trying to lighten the mood a little bit, you know." Kael raised both of his hands and said casually.
"Greater Void Spirits sure are terrifying." Kael whispered under his breath while scanning the Zodiacs.
Shing!
Swoosh!
As Kael was pondering about the race of the Zodiacs, the sky changed colors as 12 auras soared into the sky with unbreakable momentum!
"Oops! I fell into deep thought! It's time." Kael shook his head and regained his focus.
"Come here, lizard!" He then taunted the confused Ivarage.
"Hmmm... Time's accelerating." Ivarage muttered as he looked around the extremely gorgeous scenery created by the Zodiacs, completely ignoring Kael Blakely.
"Veldanava's mutts are also rushing towards here. I better make use of this opportunity instead of thinking about traps." Ivarage said as he eyed the powerful vessel that was prepared for him.
"Come on! If you don't incarnate now, those guys will destroy your spiritual body and seal you again!" Kael's voice was like the voice of the devil as he urged Ivarage to take advantage of the situation.
"Fine! I will just slaughter everyone hereafter." Ivarage said as he rushed towards his vessel, the body of Vega.
The Zodiacs watched sternly as Ivarage started to incarnate in the body of Vega as they maintain a legendary formation.
This formation came from Aldrich's previous world, a formation derived from the endless river of time. It was an extremely taxing formation that needed all the higher-ups of a Great Sect to work together just to get the formation running and barely maintain it for half an hour.
However, the Zodiacs were more powerful than Aldrich imagined, and they could sustain the barrier for as long as they pleased, and the time acceleration was almost comparable to a young Empyrium!
"Kuwahahahahaha! To think that mere ants could accelerate time like this!" Ivarage's pleased voice resounded as he slowly got his destructive powers through the proper channel.
Pfft!
Gemini spat out blood as he looked at Ivarage with rage-filled eyes!
"How dare a mere lizard absorb my life force?!" He shouted and prepared to attack the True Dragon, but a hand touched his shoulder that quickly calmed him down.
"Don't." Taurus' calm and aged voice penetrated the wrath of Gemini and the Pixie Zodiac quickly returned to his position.
"I was hasty." He said solemnly albeit it sounded a little childish.
Not only Gemini but all the Zodiacs' life forces were forcibly taken away!
They endured it while gritting their teeth for it was nothing but a pain in the ass for immortals like them. Even though they were not immortals, their sheer amount of faith and belief in Aldrich will cause them to endure the absorption regardless.
A bunch of lunatics.
"3 hours." Leo's cold voice resounded as she said the estimated time needed for Ivarage to properly incarnate into his medium.
The Zodiacs nodded their head in agreement and focused once again on Ivarage. However, 3 hours were like a death sentence handed to the Triskaideka and the Dragon Corps.
12 Commanders of the Triskaideka stood shoulder to shoulder with each other, weapons drawn and war ready.
"Zodiac Leo just sent a message." Chiasa, the First Feared Commander said bitterly.
"How many minutes do they need?" Takako, sensing the bitterness in Chiasa's voice, asked shakily.
Chiasa looked towards her fellow Commanders, their Lieutenants, and towards the soldiers behind them. Then he looked towards the sky, briefly admiring the majestic figures of the Dragon Corps.
"They asked for 3 hours." Chiasa said loudly enough just for the Commanders and Commanders-in-Chief to barely hear her.
"I see. 3 hours of life severing battles." Takako nodded emotionlessly but he wasn't as calm as he was poised out to be.
"Grr...." A low tiger's groan was heard as Meng was also a little bit shaken.
Swoosh!
Swoosh!
Swoosh!
Three beautiful and royal figures descended as the Commanders-in-Chief of the Dragon Corps reverted to their human form.
"We need to hold those guys for 3 hours? Just how the fuck are we going to do that?!" Viper complained loudly but no one listened to him.
"3 hours..." Ehecatl muttered softly, devoid of all the confidence and arrogance that she usually displays.
Sigh!
Doryu sighed in defeat as he lamented the hopeless situation in front of them. As a dragon born from the necromancy spell, 'Birthday', he was nothing but a puppet before meeting Aldrich which changed his draconic life forever.
The situation was extremely hopeless, however, even an ounce of doubt was nowhere near his heart.
"3 hours, I will hold them down for 3 days if that's what is needed!" He shouted using Dragon Tongue that contained magic in his every word.
Even without magic, the Dragon Corps were instantly reinvigorated upon hearing the shout of Doryu.
Even though Doryu disliked fighting and always chose to talk things through, he was considered to be in the ranks of Takako, Chiasa, Meng, and Viper and rumors had it that he could exchange blows with Chiasa on equal footing. It had to be known that Chiasa was the strongest Commander in the Triskaideka Legion and the one 'closest' to the Zodiacs and Doryu could very well possess the same level of strength.
The moment he spoke, not only the entire Dragon Corps were filled with fighting spirit, but even the Triskaideka and all the Commanders woke up.
The effect of the very first subordinate of Aldrich!
As Doryu watched the black dots in the horizon slowly swell up, an exquisite hand reached for his shoulders and a lovely voice came from behind his ears.
"Doryu, we will be in your care," Chiasa said amicably as if hinting at something.
Doryu looked towards his back and all the Triskaideka Commanders and his fellow Commanders-in-chief were looking at him expectantly and with deep respect.
Sigh!
"Well, the time to repay Lord Aldrich has finally come, huh?" He whispered in a sad tone but everyone could feel a very strong conviction.
"30 minutes. My current strength could only hold them all for 30 minutes and after that time, it will be up to the rest of you." He said towards them and looked towards the incoming enemies.
Roar!
A dragon's roar reverberated across the whole of Cardinal World as it shook the lands nearest to the Barren Lands.
Pisces, who was assisting Ivarage to incarnate, felt the Dragon's roar and looked toward the position of Doryu, and sadness and grief could be seen on her face for her fellow Dragon.
As Doryu roared at the top of his lungs, he also transformed into his Dragon Form.
A huge and majestic western dragon with violet illusory wings and pitch-black bones soared into the sky.
The one and only Ghost True Dragon King!
All the others looked at the Ghost True Dragon King with nothing but appreciation and respect as if they were sending a courageous soldier deep into ground zero!
"Come!" He shouted and dashed towards Guy and the others with a speed exceeding that of light.
"Someone's here!" Veldora shouted as he sensed the extremely familiar aura of a dragon.
Swoosh!
Before any of them could react to his words, a majestic dragon spread its huge illusory wings and stared at them like a King staring at capital offenders.
"Leave." He only said one thing coldly, in a different voice than he usually speaks.
'Dragon Tongue!' Veldora and Velgrynd thought to themselves with shock!
Dragon Tongue is the ability unique only to the True Dragons.
'How can he use Dragon Tongue so freely!?' Velgrynd's eyes narrowed and stared intently at Doryu.
"Hohoho... A True Dragon King exerting pressure almost at the level of a True Dragon and on top of that, the usage of Dragon Tongue." Guy held his chin in wonder and muttered amusingly.
"Please, I ask you to turn around and leave this place." Doryu's calm voice once again resounded.
"Hoooohh. Not using Dragon Tongue this time around?" Guy asked casually.
"I expected this since you guys will not be swayed by mere words," Doryu said as he prepared himself to fight all of them.
1 True Dragon King against 33 beings with the weakest power level of an Awakened Demon Lord.
Ultimate Skill, Lord of Nightmares, Melinoe.
A curtain of darkness quickly spread and enveloped a portion of the Barren Lands.
"Darkness' Embrace," Doryu whispered as the entire surroundings were dyed in pitch black.
Everyone looked around but saw nothing but darkness.
"Oi! Oi! Oi! Come on, are you expecting to fight us with just this?" Veldora asked in disappointment. His expectations shot high up after Doryu used Dragon Tongue but he was left dismayed at this simple skill.
Thud!
Veldora launched a powerful punch with the full intention of breaking 'Darkness' Embrace'.
However, even a full-powered punch from a True Dragon could not break the skill of a mere True Dragon King.
All of them narrowed their eyes and their expressions turned solemn. Little did they know, Doryu's body was crumbling down that even a wisp of the wind was capable of destroying him currently, the only thing holding him together was his tenacious willpower and unyielding loyalty.
'I can't die yet! I need to cast my strongest spell before perishing!' Doryu shouted in his mind to encourage him further.
After Veldora attacked, no other attacks succeeded be it magic or physical attack, none of them managed to even make a dent in the Barrier.
Doryu's body was slowly crumbling after every attack until Velgrynd pointed it out.
"In the end, you can't transcend the very limits of your body." She said while shaking her head.
"What's your name? I want to remember the Dragon that could cast a True Dragon-level magic with a mortal body." She asked tenderly, sincerity laced in her voice.
Doryu snorted and sneered as he still tried his best to keep his body intact while glaring coldly at everyone, even in the face of death, he refused to yield.
"My name is not something that likes of you should remember." He said coldly as his entire body finally crumbled down with the wind and his very existence disappeared like a fleeting wind.
"Divine Whispering of the Dead." His tranquil voice echoed as the wind carried his ashes.
With his final struggle for life, Doryu cast the most powerful spell in his arsenal.
"Be careful, inferior beings like you will get affected by that skill." Feldway's cold voice resounded as he warned his companions.
Swoosh!
Swoosh!
Swoosh!
The wind changed directions as an ominous and dark atmosphere permeated!
"This is... 'Birthday'?" Luminous Valentine blurted out as she witnessed the Necromancy.
"No. This is not 'Birthday', it's the same essence but this spell is on another dimension." Guy Crimson said solemnly.
"As expected of my real body! You saw right through it at a glance!" As they were feeling their surroundings, an extremely haughty voice resounded from behind them.
Another Guy Crimson appeared out of the void with the exact demeanor of the Lord of Darkness, even his weapon and haughty attitude. However, one striking difference between them was the pitch-black eyes and snake-like veins all over the body!
Swoosh!
Swoosh!
Swoosh!
Several more figures walked out from the void with the same pitch-black eyes and snake-like veins coursing through their bodies.
"What kind of spell is this?!" Treyni shouted as she stared at the eerie 'Treyni'
The others also looked towards their counterpart with wariness and vigilance for these monsters possessed similar levels of strength, at least their auras did not have any difference.
Boom!
Veldora decisively attacked the other 'Veldora'!
"Tsk!" 'Veldora' clicked his tongue as the mushroom cloud of dust settled down. The fist of Veldora was caught by a single hand!
"Too weak. I can't believe my owner based my great self on you." 'Veldora' lamented and dissed casually.
Pfft!!
Veldora was punched mercilessly by the other 'Veldora' and spat out a mouthful of blood, an extremely rare instance for a True Dragon.
"What!?" Velgrynd said as she was shocked that her younger brother was physically damaged from a simple punch.
Roar!!
Veldora's furious roar shook the dome of darkness but it still failed to destroy it.
"Mere imitation has the guts to blurt such nonsense in front of me, the Great Veldora?!" Veldora shouted as he finally transformed into his dragon form.
Roar!!
An indistinguishable dragon's roar echoed as the other 'Veldora' also transformed into the same dragon form!
"Come! Let me witness the strength of an original!" 'Veldora' taunted as he dashed towards Veldora.
"Kufufufufu! It seems like he also inherited the attitude of that lizard." A mocking voice suddenly resounded as 'Diablo' walked towards the real Diablo.
Soon, terrifying fluctuations reverberated that shook the entire world!
Pisces, who was busy dealing with Ivarage, gazed towards the other end of the Barren Lands with sadness and muttered softly.
"You really are a fool."
The pride of a Dragon cannot be tarnished and she once again witnessed the stubbornness of a Dragon.
On the other side.
Viper and Ehactl looked at each other with neither hatred nor loathe, only melancholy and grief were swirling around.
Their companion that accompanied them the longest has vanished as if he didn't exist in the first place. They were already prepared for what was to come the moment Doryu proclaimed that he would hold them off on his own. It was a brutal part of the plan.
Roar!
Roar!
Roar!
Roars of grief and hatred shook the skies as Dragon Lords cried their hearts out, even Viper and Ehecatl were visibly shaken as they both stood motionlessly.
"I feel the same but we don't have the luxury right now. If we miss this chance, Doryu's death will be wasted." Odette's soothing voice came from behind as it woke the 2 Commanders-in-chief.
Viper just continued to look down at the ground while Ehecatl nodded her head and started to bark out orders for the Dragon Corps.
Although one of the Commander-in-Chief has died, the Dragon Corps still operated like a well-oiled machine under the command of Ehecatl. She may be lacking in individual strength compared to Viper and Doryu, but her management skills are second to none.
"Viper, your disgusting appearance is a stain to all members of the Dragon Corps! Pick yourself up for fucks sake!" Ehecatl shouted in her Dragon form as she angrily rebuked her fellow Commander-in-chief.
"The Nether True Dragon King that I know will not succumb to his inner demons like that!" She continued to roar as she was also suffering from within but witnessing a being she regarded as her older brother failing to contain his emotions was destroying her even more!
From the very moment she opened her eyes, she was sheltered by both Viper and Doryu, and protected her from the dangers of the Empyrium. Viper taught her how to fight and Doryu taught her magic.
Viper and Doryu never mentioned it but they pampered Ehecatl like a princess and even if her attitude became a little twisted due to that, they turned a blind eye.
On the other hand, only Ehecatl knew how devastated Viper was after witnessing the death of Doryu that mere words were beyond useless. Although she wanted to console Viper, she was at also at a loss.
A grieving soul does not need words but time.
Roar!!
Viper transformed into his dragon form wordlessly and roared to the sky, his furious roar made all the members of the Dragon Corps kneel!
Viper's extreme misery caused his 'Ultimate Skill' to evolve further!
He is now in possession of the 'Ultimate Skill, Lord of Misery, Akhlys'!
"Ehecatl, eldest said that he will hold them down for 30 minutes, right?" Viper asked with a shaking voice, but only Ehecatl knew that Viper was trying his very best to reign in his anger.
"Y-yes, that's right!" Ehecatl stuttered as she answered immediately.
"As usual, he always acts strong in front of us. But his 'Divine Whispering of the Dead' is only capable of holding them down for 5 minutes!" Viper revealed truthfully and it visibly shook not only Ehecatl but all others present.
"However, his 'Darkness' Embrace' can still hold them for another 5 minutes. During those times, I will lay out a poison fog to delay them further.
He then looked towards the dome of black and smiled slightly.
"Viper! Don't you dare fucking leave me as well!" Ehecatl shouted like a little girl as tears were falling from her exquisite eyes.
Viper chuckled to himself and looked at Ehecatl with approving eyes.
"Ehecatl, we won't leave you. We are always here." Viper said sagely as he failed to control his smile.
"Chiasa, can you leave this battlefield to me and intercept them the other way?" Viper then turned towards the Elven Commander and requested.
Chiasa frowned at the request and was about to deny it when Odette's voice echoed, "You're failing to contain the poison, are you?"
"Ohhh! I can't deceive the eyes of an Elemental, huh?" Instead of admitting, Viper just said casually.
Ehecatl clutched her fists tightly and blood was already pouring down. The poison in Viper's body is the final trump card of her older brother, the poison made from the blood of Aldrich and the poison that killed Huang before he was turned into an undead.
"With the combination of 2 True Dragon Kings, 15 minutes is all that we can offer." Viper chuckled softly then added.
"Consider my request as a last wish of a dying Dragon."
Swoosh!
Without waiting for a response, Viper took to the air and dashed towards the cracking Dome of Darkness.
Ehecatl's reddened eyes stared fixatedly at the black dot on the horizon, frustration and helplessness plastered unto her face.
"Dragon Corps, listen up! Retreat from the battlefield and prepare to give up your life after 15 minutes!" She roared at the top of her lungs to quell the guilt within her heart.
Majestic dragons tacitly flew away after the command and steeled themselves to wait for the longest 15 minutes of their lives.
Viper reached the dome of darkness swiftly and he levitated above it and watched silently.
After several seconds of contemplating, Viper spat out the most basic attack of a Dragon.
Poison Breath.
A pale green mist quickly enveloped the dome and slowly seeped inside. Viper just watched this calmly as this mere attack would not do any kind of damage to the beings inside. He just wanted to test the durability of the dome.
"Just as I thought, it's on the verge of breaking down." He said in a soft voice.
"It doesn't matter, I just have to utilize it further." Viper grinned as his pale green draconic body started to swell and glow.
"I'll create a Purgatory!"
Boom!
Viper exploded into a pale green mist that quickly enveloped the dome of darkness.
"Contaminate them! 'Bane of the Underworld'!"
Boom!
The dome of darkness shook slightly as cracks started appearing, however, it was quickly replaced by a pale green substance.
"What's this?!" Veldora shouted angrily.
He had just successfully broken the barrier when an unknown pale green substance latched itself onto his fist and no matter how forceful he shook his hand, it wouldn't come off.
"Strange, 2 different smells are lingering in the air but only 1 dragon appeared in front us," Guy said intriguingly.
"Another appeared just before we broke free." Luminous said as he pointed towards a certain direction.
"And it seems like he was prepared to hold us back, just like the first one." She continued.
"We can't be wasting time like this!! We need to intercept Ivarage before its too late" Feldway said agitatedly, one of the rare times his emotions flared up.
"Feldway, I've been feeling this since the beginning but why are you so obsessed in saving Ivarage, the very creature that you should've destroyed?" Milim asked solemnly, devoid of the playfulness of a child.
"Master's Child. They will subdue that monster and make it one of them!"