Chapter 290: The siblings

"Are you sure about this, little one?" Ynos's mother asked, looking at him with a rare look of concern etched across her dragon face.

"Yes, Mother! I cannot be left behind," Ynos replied, determination glinting in his eyes as he met his mother's gaze.

"They have departed together, but you will be sent alone. It could be perilous," his mother warned, trying to dissuade him. "You should at least wait for your sister to return."

"Immy has always been fascinated by the mortals," Ynos sneered. "I doubt she will leave her little playground anytime soon. Little Essie, on the other hand..." Ynos trailed off, lost in thought before shaking his head.

"I must go, mother. If it is my destiny to perish, then so be it! But I cannot remain idle while my older brother Aether and Sidus grow in strength and leave me behind," Ynos declared, his voice ringing with determination.

His mother looked at him with a mix of concern and pride. She knew he was stubborn, just like she and his father had been. But she also knew that he was brave and had a heart full of courage, one befitting a true dragon. With a heavy sigh, she finally relented.

"Very well, Ynos," she said. "I will respect your decision, and not stand in the way of your determination. Show me what you are capable of achieving."

Ynos nodded his head, his eyes full of gratitude. "Thank you, Mother. I promise you, I will bring pride to the family! I won't fall behind, brother Aether!" He muttered the last part to himself.

His mother patted his head gently with her tail before speaking; "You'll leave tomorrow, prepare yourself."

****

"Grandma, when can I go back? I miss big brother Aether and the others," The little girl that spoke had a charming and delicate appearance that captured the heart at first sight. Her short green hair was neatly trimmed, and its soft hue brought to mind the lush greenery of a forest. Her large doe eyes were the centerpiece of her face, round and shining with curiosity and innocence, twinkling like stars in the night sky. The rest of her features were petite and well-proportioned, with a button nose and rosy cheeks that added to her adorable appearance. She had a sweet but sad smile that spread across her face, making her seem even more enchanting.

Despite her young age, there was a certain grace and poise about her that suggested a natural elegance beyond her years. The aura surrounding her, was shocking, as the wind elements kept dancing about around her. A second vague element could be seen faintly around her small body.

The short grandmother's silver hair shimmered in the sunlight as she spoke to the little girl. Her sharp eyes were framed by wrinkles, and she tapped at the large rock by her side, motioning for Essie to sit. "What did I tell you, child? Aether and Sidus have already left this plane to join the war efforts. What good would it do, even if you were to leave? Ynos, that stubborn lizard, has left as well," she said.

Essie complied with the request, seating herself on the rock, her cheeks puffed in annoyance. She raised her head to the sky and grumbled, "I could have joined the war and helped too."

"All in the due time, little one. You still need to work on your control," the old dragoness replied with a hint of amusement in her voice.

Essie rolled her eyes and muttered, "I've been practicing, Grandma. I'm not a child anymore."

"Practice is good, but it's not everything," the old dragoness said, placing a comforting hand on Essie's shoulder. "Remember, control is key."

Essie sighed, she knew her grandma was right, but her 'exercises' were truly hard, and she still struggled with controlling the new element her grandmother had introduced to her.

"Fine, I'll keep practicing," Essie said, standing up from the rock. "But when I'm ready, I'm going to join the war effort."

The old dragoness smiled at Essie's determination. "I have no doubt you will, my dear. But until then, let's focus on honing your skills."

Essie nodded and lifted off the ground, her human form began to morph and transform into a familiar small, adorable green dragoness. Her grandma watched her take to the sky with a fond smile, before turning to survey the scene of destruction behind her. A massive portion of the forest had been uprooted, and the ground itself had been flipped over by a tremendous force.

The silver-haired woman let out a soft chuckle. "Another little monster," she murmured, her sharp eyes glinting with amusement. Despite the devastation around her, the grandmother seemed to take the destruction in stride, almost as if it were a natural occurrence in the world of dragons.

****

Back in the northern lands in Valtariel battlefield stretched out as far as the eye could see, a chaotic scene of bloodshed and destruction. The sky was shrouded in a dark cloud of smoke, the ground littered with the corpses of fallen warriors. The Shades, vile creatures of all shapes and sizes, swarmed the battlefield like a plague of locusts, their twisted forms casting an eerie shadow across the desolate wasteland.

The humans, outnumbered and outmatched, fought with desperate fervor, wielding swords, spears, and bows in a futile attempt to push back the relentless tide of darkness. The air was thick with the stench of death and decay, and the sounds of screams and battle cries echoed through the air.

Amidst the chaos, a massive black dragon loomed at the frontlines, his body radiating an aura of dark magic that repelled the Shades in droves. Sidus, roared with savage fury as he tore through the horde of enemies, his claws and jaws ripping apart the Shades with merciless efficiency. Blood stained his scales, his eyes burning with a fierce determination as he fought with all his might to defend the people.

Despite the overwhelming odds, Sidus stood tall and defiant, a symbol of hope for the humans who rallied behind him. His powerful wings beat furiously, sending gusts of wind that knocked the Shades off their feet, and his breath unleashed a torrent of dark flames that incinerated everything in his path. A new spell he had just recently mastered.

Tentacles made out of pure darkness swapped across the Shades, pushing, and crushing them with ease. Occasionally, Sidus's figure would seemingly disappear behind a large dome of darkness, along with a large part of the battlefield. Once the dome disappeared, all that was left was a big empty patch with the annihilated remains of the Shades.

"Good, come!"