Chapter 276: The lord of sorrow

The desolate landscape stretched out before me, a haunting reminder of the destruction that had ravaged what must have been a once-beautiful world. My massive dragon form soared through the sky, my powerful wings beating against the air as I scanned the surrounding area and slowly followed behind the small army that trudged along the broken earth below.

Beside me flew Sidus, his own dragon form smaller than my own in size. His sharp eyes scanned the terrain below, ever vigilant for any threats that might lurk in the shadows.

Breta kept pace with behind us. Her calming aura emanated around her, casting a sense of tranquility over the harsh landscape, and eased the mortals' minds.

The first few kilometers of our journey this day, took us through a dense forest, its once-lush foliage now reduced to a mass of blackened trees and scorched earth. I could sense the various presences lurking in the shadows, but their auras were too low for me to be bothered. The air was thick with the smell of smoke and decay, and the silence was broken only by the sound of our footsteps and the occasional rustle of leaves.

Due to our presence, however, the army moved unhindered. As we emerged from the forest, we came upon another small village, only this one had been completely destroyed. The remains of once-beautiful homes lay scattered across the ground, their walls reduced to rubble and their roofs burned to ash. The streets were filled with debris, and the air was filled with the stench of death.

Further along the road, we came across the ruins of a grand castle. Its walls had been breached, and the once-grand halls lay in ruins. My eyes were drawn to the twisted metal and charred wood that lay scattered across the ground before I glanced at the castle. I turned my gaze to Sidus, who seemed to understand what I wanted to say.

"I shall handle it, brother," Sidus proclaimed, his eyes gleaming with anticipation as he licked his lips. I simply nodded in agreement.

The army appeared to be attempting to avoid the ruined castle, but their pace slowed as Sidus's colossal form soared above them. The commander's eyes sparkled with excitement as he realized where Sidus was headed.

He made his way straight to the center of the castle and landed with a land bang, destroying what remained of the ancient structure. A loud screech soon followed right after as a strange creature emerged from the rubble aiming for his neck.

Sidus was already prepared for that, the second the figure appeared he quickly used his magic to summon a tentacle of darkness and hold it in place. This gave us enough time to study the figure's features.

A humanoid shadowy monster, standing tall at eight feet, with skin as dark as the night sky. Its eyes, were bright, piercing yellow, glinting in the darkness. Its fingers were long and spindly, ending in razor-sharp claws. The monster seemed to be made of pure darkness, with its edges flickering and shifting like a flame. It has no discernible features on its face, but its presence alone exudes a sense of fear and unease to the army as they began to whisper amongst themselves.

"The lord of sorrow!"

"Hmm?" I turned my gaze toward the commander with a curious glint in my eyes. He quickly lowered his head and briefly explained.

"It's like this great Dragon," he motioned to the monster and spoke, "He was once a lord, a just and kind one. But that changed when his wife fell ill and died, leaving him heartbroken and full of sorrow. He became withdrawn and isolated, rarely leaving his chambers or attending court. People say he was visited by the shadows promising to bring his wife back from the dead if he pledged his loyalty to them."

The commander shook his head and continued, "He agreed, but the shadows never intended to keep their side of the promise. The power he gained corrupted him and twisted his mind, and he eventually destroyed everything."

"Hmm? Then aren't you concerned about taking this road back home, or is it because of our presence?" I questioned.

The commander shook his head, "Great Dragon, the lord of sorrow is a tragic figure, although his mind is lost, he still seems to retain a fragment of his memories. After he realized what he had done, he retreated back to his castle, never to leave again. We have tried to kill him numerous times before, but failed. He, however, never retaliated or bothered us unless we directly stepped inside the castle. His corruption, however, was one of the catalysts for the fall of our world, as the shadows used him along with many others to invade."

'Hmm, so they corrupt, maybe possess the mortals first before launching their full-blown invasion?' I inwardly wondered.

While thinking about everything the commander had just told me, Sidus tried to squeeze the lord of sorrow into a paste, only for his body to suddenly turn into a puff of smoke that disappeared from his palm and retreated back to the ruins of the castle.

The lord of sorrow howled sorrowfully as he began to clear the rubble with his long limbs. Sidus frowned and was about to attack again when I stopped him.

"Wait," I spoke.

His frown deepened but he still heeded my command. I moved closer with inquisitiveness, while Breta remained behind. The corrupted lord appeared agitated as he cleared a particular spot, and soon enough, I caught sight of it: a shattered tomb. His yellow eyes flickered with grief as he tenderly caressed it, emitting a mournful howl from deep within his being.

I let out a heavy sigh as I watched the fallen lord's mournful display. Despite his monstrous appearance, it was clear that he still held onto some remnants of his humanity. Suddenly, a flash of light flew past me, striking the lord from behind and pinning him to the ground beside the grave. I spun around to face Breta, who had just thrown her spear.

"He has been corrupted for too long," she said matter-of-factly. "It's better to end his suffering. Besides, he was one of the first to succumb to the invasion. He must die."

"I know," I clicked my tongue in annoyance. I turned to the fallen lord, his shadowy body burned under Breta's flaming spear, but his gaze remained fixed on the grave. He didn't spare us another glance until his body disappeared completely.

Shaking my head, I turned to Sidus and spoke, "Let's go."