Chapter 241: A Ripened Fruit

Late Evening - Early Winter : Northeastern Bahamut

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*RUMBLEEE* The violent rumble of my thrusters filled the air as I blasted them in front of me, hoping to slow down some.

But slowing down from nearly Mach 60 was no simple feat. Even with thrusters large enough to easily sustain me at my usual Mach 15, I was only barely slowing down. -It's working well enough, at least...-

Looking up at the horizon, nearly 500 kilometers away, I saw a town full of lights and countless colossal buildings, with one, in particular, standing out. -That must be it...- The light was so warped by the atmosphere that it was a bit hard to tell exactly what the town and structure were, but it lined up with my mental map perfectly. -500 kilometers to the Elder Hall...-

Glancing back at Myles, who was still awestruck, I decided to ask how and where he wanted me to land. "Myles, where do you want me to-"

But I couldn't even finish before the horizon lit up. *flash*

-Huh?- At first, it was only two small, bright dots, but in a matter of seconds, those dots turned into massive beams that eventually collided to form what could only be described as a portal to hell.

The wall of fire and molten rock stretched well over a kilometer in every direction, with massive chunks of molten material being flung over five kilometers like sparks from a stoked flame, quickly spreading the destruction to the town around the Elder Hall.

But that was when I noticed that the wall of fire wasn't outside of the town, to begin with. -Wait a minute...- The area around the wall of fire, now well-lit and easily visible, showed the complete and utter destruction of everything down to rubble, with only a handful of buildings remaining.

"What..." Myles spoke as he looked toward the horizon with wide eyes. But his shock only lasted an instant. "Kid, how fast can you get us there?!"

"30 seconds!"

"Make it 15!" Almost instantly, I felt his aura wrap around my whole body, clinging to each scale individually before he started frantically activating his countless artifacts.

-He's actually serious...- Quickly crunching numbers to figure out the speed I needed, I dissipated the thruster magic again and resorted to antimatter. *FLASH-FWOOOOOSH*

The sun-like light from the antimatter illuminated the ground beneath us again as we darted toward the horizon.

It was only an instant later that Myles yelled out again. "Alright kid, I need you to do me a favor! When we get within 100 kilometers, I want you to drop me and go to the Elder Hall!" *vwooom*

-Are you insane?! You want me to drop you when we're going this fast?!-

"If it's someone you can't fight, just run, but I need you to check on the Elder Hall members and try to make sure they are safe!"

"Ah..." -Shit...- Feeling like refusing wasn't an option, and hoping he actually understood how fast we were going, I reluctantly nodded and turned downward slightly. "After I drop you, don't spread your wings or you could break them."

"Duly noted."

Turning back to the wall of fire, I noticed a huge hole had suddenly appeared in it, and it had begun changing shape, morphing as if the beam on the side away from us had ceased.

But before I could shift gears to get ready to drop Myles, the beam of fire closest to us turned to the ground."

In less than a second, the beam of fire spread out well over a kilometer and leveled everything still standing and turning the huge piles of rubble into flat ground.

"They must have lost their minds..." Myles spoke under his breath while oozing a palpable bloodlust. "Vasilias, drop me."

-I'll try to shield him while he changes forms...- *tap* Immediately opening my paw and letting him fall out, I threw him behind me where he promptly changed to his dragon form while being protected in my slipstream.

His form quickly got too big for me to protect though. -I hope you can slow down, Myles; otherwise, you're about to hit the ground really f*cking hard...- Pulling away, I watched as Myles slammed through the wall of air so fast that plasma formed around his body like a blanket.

But he looked completely unphased. His cold eyes were locked on the source of the fire, still some 80 kilometers away, without the slightest care for the blazing air that surrounded him. -What a monster...-

But at the same time, I could have said the same thing about myself. *crackle-sizzle* The air around me sizzled as I released my vacuum magic. -I guess I should trust him for now...- Spreading my wings slightly, I instantly changed direction and went hurtling toward the Elder Hall that was now easily visible.

"Haah..." Although I knew this would be troublesome, a part of me was a bit excited. -I hope I can stretch my legs a bit...- *Zip*

Quickly scanning over the empty and damaged courtyard in front of the Hall, I noticed several dragons trying to control a crowd, with many flying away from the fight Myles was headed to. -But it doesn't look like there is any conflict here...-

*zip-crackle-RUUUMBLE* My thrusters stretched across the sky in an instant as I blasted them to slow down.

*pop-tsss* The humid air sizzled as I slowed down enough to release the magic and fell out of the cloud it left behind.

*Fwoosh-fwoosh* *THUMP* As I landed, I was immediately met with the stares of everyone nearby, including an elder and an ancient that were speaking with each other.

Surprisingly though, the ancient was the flustered one. "S-sir you cannot be here!" She sounded extremely stressed.

-I guess I should just use Myles' authority...- "I'm here with-"

"How are you here?" The elder cut me off with a puzzled expression.

-What?- A bad feeling came to my stomach the moment I heard the elder's voice. "And what could you mean by that?"

"Oh, nothing. You simply reminded me of someone I believed to be dead."

I squinted my eyes slightly as suppressed anger came to my face. "Are you Holcyon Aetos by any chance?"

But as if not caring about me, he smiled. "I am indeed."

-I reminded you of someone who should be dead, huh...- *crunch* The ground cracked as I started walking toward him. "Could I hear more about how the person you mistook me for died?"

His smile faded in an instant as he noticed my intent. "Young man, I'm not sure how you are involved in this, but since you helped me out quite a bit, I will spare you. However, I suggest you get running before I change my mind."

But I didn't budge. "Unfortunately, that won't be happening." -No one touches those close to me...-

"Haah..." He let out a sigh as he relaxed his body. "Youngsters these days really are quite arrogant, aren't they..." As he lowered his head, he awkwardly shifted his wing.

-A signal?- *CRUNCH* Hearing the ground shatter behind me, I glanced over to see another mid-size ancient that was a similar size to the woman.

His face oozed aggression and killing intent, causing the woman next to me to tense up. "Erpo.. don't do this..." She looked incredibly stressed.

"Agatha, I apologize since my hatred isn't aimed toward you, but I don't expect you to forgive me in the afterlife. Please just accept your fate." *CRACK* Vanishing from where he was, he appeared next to the woman with his jaws about to clamp on her neck.

*CRACKLE* The noise of scales shattering echoed through the courtyard, and as if signaled by it, innumerable bright orange glows arose within the surrounding crowd. -Huh?-

"Everyone," Holcyon's voice filled the air like a devil's whisper. "It's time we reach for the fruit."

-Wha..- *FWOOOOOOSH* In an instant, countless flames filled the air, engulfing the dragons controlling the crowd.

As I watched the scene with wide eyes as Holcyon's paw raised over my head.

But instead of wearing a smile, a look of anger, or even spite, he gave me a look of pity. "Your prayers will fall on deaf ears." It was the look that finally made me snap. "Maybe in your next life, you will have the pleasure of worshiping a god that will respond..."

My pupils dilated the moment I locked eyes with him. "What good would praying do..."

*CRUNCH* The ground shattered beneath my feet as he slammed his paw down onto my head, but my head didn't lower at all.

His eyes slowly widened with fear.

"What reason does a god have to pray..."