Chapter 628: Broken Dragon Wings
A burning meteor fell from the sky, crashing straight to the ground, making the already ravaged earth let out a mournful wail.
Under the intense elemental collisions, scorching winds swept across the land, thick smoke spreading, and many people's clothes caught fire on the spot, ash and sparks filling the air.
The mages of the Arcane Legion raised their staves together, trying to protect the allied soldiers, but in the face of these top-tier spells, their defensive magics were as fragile as paper.
Relying on excellent organization, the Ember Empire's troops assembled, with the Arcane Legion and the Empire's Tech Department working together to erect a domed barrier, enclosing the Ember army within.
"Help!"
"Amanata above!"
"God, please bless us, save me!"
The soldiers on the ground ran in all directions, fleeing from the magical assault, their cries and screams rising to the heavens.
Ten thousand meters in the air, the ancient gold dragon Titus, locked in a standoff with the red dragon, seemed to hear something and turned: "Lord Barachiel, this land has already been devastated—if we keep this up…
This place will become a zone of spatial rifts and magical turbulence." Titus looked down at the ruined earth below, deeply worried.
"I know."
Barachiel frowned slightly, his bright silver longsword still crackling with lightning, three pairs of wings gently fanning behind him.
He still held his head half up, those dark purple eyes locked on the distant red dragon, unable to hold anything else.
To Barachiel, this red dragon was a troublesome opponent—extremely fast, with exceptional regeneration, and neither in close combat nor spellcasting was he any weaker.
The Silver Lord of Heaven had unwavering confidence in victory, but for the moment, couldn't overcome his foe, and if this fight became a war of attrition, all surrounding life would suffer unimaginable disaster.
Maybe it was time to play his trump card. Barachiel finally made up his mind.
With a thought, he sent a message to the tense ancient gold dragon beside him: "Lord Titus, I need you to hold off the red dragon for a while and buy me some time."
"Alright." The gold dragon's reply was short and resolute, his eyes especially determined, as if ready to give his life.
Truly a trustworthy ally, just a little weak, thought Barachiel.
The red dragon in the distance watched hungrily, staring down from above, taunting: "If this is all you've got, your 'punish evil and promote good' plan is going to fail.
Soon, I'll send you off to meet Walter." Cassius bared his rows of fangs in a savage grin.
"So what, are you scared now?"
The ancient gold dragon couldn't hold back, eyes blazing, roaring again: "Vile dragon! Justice never bows to evil, just as clouds can't block the sun forever!
Here—the Aether Plains—will be your grave! I'll offer your blood in tribute to Duke Walter!" The gold dragon roared, flapped his wings, and flew at the red dragon with all his might.
"Just you?"
Cassius gave a mocking smile, lazily flapping his wings, still looking down at the gold dragon.
"You really think—you're worthy to be my opponent?" The next second, the red dragon became a crimson blur, with a deafening sonic boom, and shot to the gold dragon's side, gripping his neck in a massive claw.
"You deserve to die."
The gold dragon gasped, struggling desperately, beating wings and limbs, but it was useless.
Cassius tightened his grip, muscles bulging, razor claws piercing the golden scales, as if to strangle the ancient gold dragon to death.
He coolly taunted, "Honestly, I never paid you any mind. On any other day, you wouldn't even have the right to stand before me.
Trying to buy time? Fine, I'll play along." A savage grin appeared on the red dragon's face. His grip tightened like iron, claws sinking deep, blood running down his talons.
"Graaagh—"
The gold dragon gave a muffled groan, whole body trembling, using all his strength to lift his head, glaring at Cassius with hate and no fear.
Choked, his voice came out hoarse and broken: "Vile dragon… even if I die, I will never bow to you!"
In the red dragon's astonished gaze, the wounded gold dragon suddenly exploded with unimaginable power.
Mysterious runes etched into the gold dragon's scales flared, his body coated in golden light, giving off a powerful aura—even the red dragon's claw was forced aside by that force.
[Scalebound: Body of Steel!]
"Roar—"
Titus finally broke free, spread his golden wings, and let out a thunderous, earth-shaking roar.
"Light is eternal, justice will prevail—"
Cassius tilted his head in surprise: "A scaly-hide dragon? Now that's a little interesting, worth a trophy."
"Then come try me!" The gold dragon roared, taking a defensive stance, his whole body shining under the effect of the Scalebound.
"Let me show you—" Cassius flapped his wings, using superior maneuverability to rise above the gold dragon, then dove in with a roar: "—what real power is!"
His massive fifty-meter-long form came crashing down like a mountain, smashing toward the ancient gold dragon, whose body was little more than half his size and far lighter.
"Boom!"
A violent collision rocked the sky, shockwaves spreading in all directions, nearly shattering the air.
"Aaargh!"
With a howl of pain, the gold dragon was knocked flying, coughing blood, shattered scales scattering, his flesh and bones nearly crushed.
Against such overwhelming strength, even his shining Scalebound couldn't save him—he could only be driven down toward the ground.
The two dragons wrestled through the air, falling faster and faster, tearing through the sky with shrieking booms.
At last, the friction set the air around them on fire, flames flickering along the gold dragon's body. The two were like meteors, tearing through the sky, falling straight toward the earth.
The dragons smashed down on the allied camp—right where the troops were most densely packed!
"Is that a meteor? No—it's a dragon! Dragons!"
"Gods—"
"Amanata above, they're coming right at us!"
"It's too late, we can't run! God, is this the end?"
"No—"
The allied soldiers below looked up, bodies trembling, dust-covered, weary faces full of despair and terror.
The mountainous dragon forms grew ever larger in their eyes, filling their vision.
For these fragile mortals, this was the end.
"Boom!"
The earth gave a world-shaking scream, the whole Aether Plains quaking in agony. Dust soared, storms swept the land, shockwaves hurled countless people into the air.
Thousands of allied soldiers were caught in the disaster, some crushed by the wind pressure before the dragons even landed.
The shockwave, cracks in the earth, flying stones killed tens of thousands more, even distant Collins was rocked by quakes, houses falling, chaos, death everywhere.
Just this single impact cost countless lives—and that was only the aftershock of the battle. This was what power on that level meant.
Before a mighty dragon, mortals were like ants.
The Aether Plains now had a crater hundreds of meters across, over a dozen meters deep, with cracks and quake zones spreading for kilometers.
As screams and cries rang out, the smoke slowly cleared. The mountain-sized forms came into view—the red dragon stood on the gold dragon's back, spreading wings wide, roaring: "Feel it, you hypocritical gold dragon? This is the power gap! You can never beat me. It's not about justice or evil—it's just that you're too weak!"
Suddenly, the red dragon grinned slyly: "Tell you what, since you barely count as kin, I'll give you a chance, gold dragon. Bow to me and I'll spare you, even give you a place in the new order of the Ember Empire.
But if you refuse—" The red dragon paused, glancing at his blood-soaked claws, eyes fierce. "—I'll send you to join Walter!"
The gold dragon lay dying, battered and bloody, bones mangled, wings broken, the Scalebound now dull.
Even so, he raised his head with all his strength, gold eyes full of determination, a faint but steady light in them.
"Today—even if I die, I'll never bow to you! Cassius, your end is coming!"
In the distance, countless gazes focused here. Allies admired this gold dragon, fighting to the death, never surrendering.
But, afraid of the Ember Emperor's power, not one among the tens of thousands of allied troops dared approach—rescue was suicide.
"Lord Titus…"
"What a pity."
"Yes, Lord Titus gave his life for justice. He was a noble dragon."
"Truly the Wing of Dawn—even sacrificing himself, he brought us light."
They could only watch the gold dragon from afar, pity and admiration in their eyes, sighing quietly.
Afraid to attract the red dragon's attention, they didn't even dare speak aloud.
"Utterly pathetic!"
Cassius stomped on the gold dragon's back, yanked his head up, forcing him to face the crowd: "These are the people you want to protect? These cowards who don't even dare try saving you?
This is your so-called justice? Dying alone, with no one to help you—what a joke!"
Hearing Cassius's harsh words, the allied soldiers hung their heads in shame.
Titus gave a bitter laugh: "I uphold justice not for reward. It's simply my duty as a gold dragon."
Cassius laughed furiously, yanking the gold dragon up with one arm: "Duty? Fine—then die for your duty!"
His massive claw lashed out, with fierce wind, aimed straight at the ancient gold dragon's chest, about to rip out his heart.
"No!"
"Lord Titus!"
The onlookers all cried out, unable to bear what was about to happen.
But just then, the jewel pendant on the gold dragon's chest flared with silver light, protecting his body, blocking the red dragon's claws.
[Platinum Sacred Heart]
The gold dragon fell to the ground, but with sheer willpower, forced himself up on broken limbs, standing again.
Cassius tilted his head, muttering, "Bahamut's favor? That meddling old man again—but it's useless."
The red dragon moved to finish him, but a deep, urgent voice called out: "Wait, Emperor Cassius!"
The space beside Titus twisted, and a much larger, older gold dragon emerged, scepter in hand, his wise, dignified face anxious.
—It was none other than the Speaker of the Gold Dragon Council, the ancient gold dragon Crassus, revered as the "Gilded Sage" by all material plane dragons.
Instantly, Cassius and his puppet Titus were ecstatic—his gambit had worked!
From now on, who would doubt Titus was the vanguard against the red dragon? This was witnessed by thousands, with the endorsement of the most respected ancient gold dragon!
Crassus nodded to Cassius, voice heavy: "Emperor Cassius, our gold dragon kind have no wish to join this conflict. I hope you'll show mercy and spare Titus."
"Why should I?"
"We'll give you suitable compensation, in Bahamut's name."
Crassus stood before Titus, voice grave, determined to take him away.
Cassius waved a claw dismissively: "If you weren't kin, this reckless gold dragon would already be dead. Get off my land—I have an unfinished fight."
"Thank you for your mercy."
Without another word, Crassus teleported away with Titus, leaving this place of trouble.
The grand show ended. From now on, Titus would be the world-famous Ember Empire rebel, a hero revered by every 'righteous' soul.
Cassius looked up, watching the Silver Lord of Heaven—through all this, he'd actually kept an eye on him, ready to strike if needed.
The red dragon threw back his head and roared: "Only you left—are you ready for death?"
Ten thousand meters above, Barachiel had closed his eyes. He drew a gorgeously adorned, heavy holy bible from the void, opening it and chanting ancient spells.
"In Heaven's name…"
The silver horn at his waist floated, sending out a solemn, mysterious heavenly hymn.
Barachiel's face was solemn, his voice thunderous and sharp, echoing through the sky: "I grant you—final judgment!"