The two hooded figures standing beside Atherius remained motionless at first, silent as statues beneath the endless gray sky of the Undying Valley. Neither spoke nor did they shift. Their presence alone blended strangely into the dead landscape surrounding them, as though the valley itself acknowledged them as part of its eternal stillness.
Then the figure standing on Atherius' right began trembling.
At first the movement was subtle, barely noticeable beneath the heavy cloak, but gradually the shaking worsened until the hooded individual hurried behind Atherius entirely, using the First Sage almost like a shield. A nervous whisper reached Atherius' ear, causing the man to chuckle softly beneath his breath.
Evelyn stared at the scene with visible confusion before finally stepping forward.
"I'm sorry," she said carefully, "but… is something wrong?"
Atherius turned toward her calmly.
"No," he replied. "Nothing is wrong."
A faint smile crossed his face.
"My companion here is simply uncertain whether or not your group can be trusted."
Evelyn blinked.
"And?"
Atherius' smile widened pleasantly.
"Well," he answered lightly, "if we determine that you cannot be trusted, we shall simply kill you."
The statement was delivered with such casual politeness that it took several seconds for the words themselves to truly register.
Evelyn recoiled after they did.
The atmosphere tightened.
But before tension could fully settle over the group, Yuki burst into loud laughter.
"Damn!" she shouted while grinning wildly. "He really used our own answer against us!"
She pointed accusingly at Atherius like an excited child.
"Listen here, Mister Dracronith, if you think you can kill us that easily, you're seriously underestimating who you're talking to. Every single one of us here is a Paragon or stronger."
Atherius grinned.
"Oh, I know."
There was no arrogance in his voice.
"But I too am a being of considerable power."
His serpent-like eyes narrowed slightly.
"A dragon, some might say."
The hooded woman beside him scoffed loudly.
"Please," she muttered. "You're barely a wyvern, let alone a dra-"
She never finished the sentence.
Atherius moved.
One moment he stood calmly beside her.
The next, his hand was around her throat.
He slammed her into the earth hard enough to crack the stone beneath her body before leaning down slightly.
The impact shook the ground.
"I'm sorry," he asked politely, "did you say something?"
Her hood fell backward.
The woman had pale skin with demon like eyes.
Crimson horns curving upward from her skull.
her eyes glowed with murderous fury.
"Bastard," she hissed.
A brilliant red light immediately gathered within her mouth, energy compressing violently as though she intended to vaporize him where he stood.
Beside them, the final hooded figure visibly panicked.
"Please stop!" the man shouted desperately.
The energy gathering inside the woman's mouth vanished.
She turned furiously toward him.
"Hunter!" she snapped. "How long are you going to keep getting between me and killing this bastard?!"
The nervous man recoiled slightly in fear.
Atherius chuckled softly before glancing toward him.
"Do not worry, Hunter," he said calmly. "I shall protect you."
Then he smiled slightly.
"But your wife will always be there if I fail."
Hunter swallowed nervously before slowly lowering his hood.
Unlike the others, he appeared completely ordinary.
Simple black hair.
Tired eyes.
An painfully human appearance compared to his companions.
"Thank you, Atherius," he said awkwardly. "But I really would prefer if nobody risked their lives for me."
Callum stared at the bizarre interaction for several moments before finally raising a hand.
"Uh… I have a question."
Atherius released the furious woman, who immediately launched herself toward him again only to slip on loose stone and collapse face-first into the ground beside him.
The First Sage ignored her entirely.
"What is it, Paragon?"
Callum's heartbeat quickened slightly.
"You said you were a dragon, right?"
Atherius nodded once.
"Well…" Callum grinned. "I'm a knight."
His hand moved toward his blade.
"So how about a duel before we leave?"
The valley fell quiet.
Atherius studied him carefully for several long moments before finally smiling.
"Very well."
Something in Callum's chest ignited.
"However," Atherius continued, "I should warn you that I am no ordinary dragon."
Callum's grin only widened further.
"That makes it better."
Excitement practically radiated from him now.
"The greater the dragon…"
He slowly drew his blade.
"…the greater my victory shall be."
Genuine surprise appeared in Atherius' eyes.
Then he laughed quietly.
"Very well."
He stepped backward several paces.
"Take your position. You may use your sword freely."
Callum obeyed.
The others watched carefully while the two positioned themselves across from one another.
Chrome's glowing lenses narrowed slightly as the construct turned toward Artoria.
"Should we assist him if necessary?"
Artoria never looked away from the duelists.
"Only if absolutely required."
"A Pendragon duel is sacred. Interference is unacceptable."
Chrome stared at her uneasily before turning back toward the field.
Nearby, Evelyn clasped her hands tightly near her chest while watching Callum nervously. Despite all her confidence in him, the anxiety in her expression remained impossible to hide.
Yuki noticed.
"Relax," she said while folding her arms behind her head. "He's ridiculously strong."
Her grin widened.
"Honestly? Probably stronger than me."
Evelyn glanced toward her in surprise before reluctantly sighing.
"…Thanks."
The duelists now stood face-to-face beneath the dead sky.
Atherius narrowed his gaze slightly.
"Draw your blade fully," he instructed. "I shall proceed with my transformation. Though I apologize in advance, I will only transform partially."
Callum chuckled while raising his sword.
"That's fine by me."
The blade gleamed faintly beneath the pale light above.
"I already did something impossible earlier today."
His grin intensified.
"This shouldn't be too bad."
Atherius laughed quietly.
"We shall see."
Then his transformation began.
The change was immediate.
His teeth sharpened first, becoming the fangs of a predator. From his skull erupted two massive onyx horns that curved upward toward the heavens themselves. Dark scales spread slowly across his olive skin, layering over his body like living armor forged from polished obsidian.
Yet strangely…
The transformation only made him appear more beautiful.
His features sharpened into something ancient and regal, like a king born from the bones of forgotten monsters.
And despite clearly being dragonkin…
There was no tail.
No wings.
Even as his nails lengthened into claw-like talons, those iconic draconic features remained absent.
Atherius opened his eyes once more.
Callum's expression had already transformed completely into exhilaration.
But suddenly,
Atherius' own face changed.
Concern.
Then confusion.
Then outright alarm.
His gaze snapped toward the distant canyon.
"…What?"
His voice lowered.
"I thought…"
He took a step forward.
"…why now?"
Callum blinked.
"Atherius?"
The sage's eyes widened further.
"It's coming."
His voice had lost all calmness.
"It has never approached before… but now…"
Then realization struck him.
His eyes snapped toward Callum.
"…You."
Callum frowned.
"What?"
Atherius pointed directly at him.
"You carry his scent."
A cold shiver ran through the entire group.
"And naturally…"
Atherius swallowed.
"…the Dark Mist would be drawn to that scent."
Callum's eyes widened immediately.
"Wait, whose scent?!"
Panic crept into his voice now.
"I thought you said the Goliath never came here because of Ember!"
"That is what I believed," Atherius answered grimly.
"…Apparently, I was mistaken."
Then the valley darkened.
Far in the distance, something massive moved through the canyon.
A colossal black mist swallowed everything in its path.
Mountains disappeared inside it.
Stone dissolved.
The landscape itself ceased to exist wherever the darkness passed.
The sheer scale of it defied reason.
Callum stared at the approaching horror with widening eyes.
"…Do we run?"
Atherius shook his head immediately.
"No."
His voice remained terrifyingly serious.
"It is far too fast."
Callum tightened his grip on his sword.
"Then what do we do?"
Atherius glanced briefly toward the others, measuring them carefully one final time before turning back toward the approaching abyss.
Then he answered quietly.
"…We do not make it angry."