Chapter 315: Aerendel
My figure soared through the expansive battlefield, deftly evading the Shade's onslaught aimed at my neck. With a swift and powerful motion, I relied on my physical strength alone to sever the monster's head, buying myself valuable moments. There was no need for me to use my cosmic mana, not yet at least.
Using this respite, I surveyed the chaotic space around me, searching for any signs of my brother. However, he was nowhere to be seen, his aura faintly lingering in the distance. He must have retreated to the platform to restore his waning strength, I am inwardly noted.
I, too, felt the strain of battle creeping upon me. Despite growing accustomed to the rigors of space combat over the past months or so, my body still had its limits when exposed to the harsh open environment for extended periods. Thus, I needed to frequently return to the platform to replenish my waning power.
This necessity held true for most dragons on the battlefield. The disparity lay in the varying degrees of resilience each dragon possessed. It appeared that age played a crucial role, as the elder dragons exhibited a greater endurance, capable of enduring prolonged periods in the fray.
The chance to unleash my newfound three-headed combat form had yet to arise, and I remained unperturbed by its absence. I knew deep down that the opportune moment would reveal itself in due time. In fact, a sense of caution restrained my eagerness to employ this powerful transformation on the current battlefield. Concealing it for now and reserving it as a trump card seemed to be the wiser course of action. The element of surprise could be a decisive advantage when the circumstances aligned, and so I waited.
Just as I was about to dive back into the heat of the battle, Dralina's figure suddenly transformed into a radiant beam of light, her energy surging and overwhelming the surrounding dragons, and forcing them to retreat. Shocked and bewildered, I watched as her usual controlled demeanor shattered, replaced by an intense aura of rage and hatred. Something had stirred within her, but I couldn't discern the cause amidst the chaos of the battlefield.
The dragoness's body kept getting brighter and brighter, her aura rising high as the pressure she emitted forced me to avert my gaze and retreat in astonishment. It was getting harder to stay near— no, it was getting dangerous. It seemed like I wasn't the only one that thought so, as all of the dragons suddenly retreated at the same time, leaving Dralina alone to face the horde of Shades. Her presence now resembled that of a blazing star amidst the darkness of space.
In a state of urgency, I swiftly turned around and headed towards the platform, my heart racing with the growing peril emanating from Dralina. The other dragons raced past me, their intentions mirroring my own.
"Damn it, I'm too far! I'll need to teleport!" I cursed inwardly, the feeling of the mounting danger pushed me to subconsciously tap into my cosmic mana. Just as I was on the verge of establishing the connection, however, a colossal blue dragon's claw gently grasped me from behind. Startled, I turned to face this unfamiliar behemoth, who was retreating alongside me. His speed outpaced my own, effortlessly carrying me with him, all without uttering a single word.
With gratitude welling up inside me, I found no time to express my thanks to the colossal dragon as he swiftly propelled us toward the platform. His sheer presence caused the ground to tremble, and with utmost care, he gently set me down before giving a subtle nod. I hastily lowered my head in a show of respect, but the dragon had already redirected his attention to the incomprehensible brilliance that now enveloped Dralina. I, too, averted my gaze, unable to withstand the intensity of the light. My heart pounded with shock as I pondered what could have unfolded to evoke such a drastic transformation in her.
A brilliant surge of light, accompanied by an astonishingly potent aura, erupted from the dragoness, shaking the very foundation of the platform's protective shield. The dragons present, however, had evidently prepared for such an eventuality, promptly channeling their mana to stabilize the shield. In that moment, my vision was consumed by the radiant glow, and a resounding, enraged roar reverberated through my mind. My eyes widened in surprise, and an instinctive understanding washed over me—I knew without a doubt that it was her voice.
After a few minutes, the light slowly dispersed and my eyes beheld an astonishing sight that caused an audible gasp to escape my lips. There before me, suspended in mid-air, was the old dragoness, surrounded by a swirling distortion of space that made it difficult to gaze directly at her. The sheer intensity of her presence was overwhelming, and I couldn't help but speculate that if any mortal who dared to behold this spectacle would surely meet a catastrophic fate, it was already hard enough for me to look at her. Yet, what truly struck me was the emptiness of the once chaotic battlefield. Not a trace of the countless Shades remained; only the solitary figure of Dralina floated there, her eyes brimming with an infinitely cold gaze.
All of the dragons around me were silent with solemn expressions as they waited for something. I nervously scanned the crowd before I turned my gaze to the ancient Dragoness. Her body didn't move, yet her voice echoed in my mind— no in the mind of all those present.
"Aerendel has fallen. The mortals have fallen, the Gods have fallen, and we have failed," she declared with a somber tone. As her words echoed through the air, the dragons encircling me displayed a surge of shock, disbelief, rage, and a thirst for vengeance. The weight of this devastating news visibly overwhelmed every being present, their emotions spiraling out of control.
The sudden intensity of the dragons' auras was suffocating, affecting me profoundly. Amidst the turmoil, I could discern that Aerendel was a world, now ravaged by the encroaching darkness of the Shades, resulting in the demise of the dragons who fought valiantly. The overwhelming surge of emotions emanating from the countless draconic beings made it challenging to maintain composure, as my own aura surged in response, reflecting the rising tide of power and determination.
"Activate the arrays! Half shall remain to uphold their maintenance, while the others shall accompany me!" Her command resounded with urgency and determination. Swiftly following her words, the auras of the assembled dragons shifted.
'What the hell happened?'