They say memories are like flowers—beautiful, gentle to the eyes, and soothing to the heart. Their fragrance seeps deep into the soul, lingering far longer than the petals themselves ever could. Flowers may wither with time, but the memories they leave behind… they never truly fade. They bloom again and again, no matter how much time passes.
Perhaps that is the last refuge of a drowning soul—the desperate act of clinging to the most beautiful moments it once lived.
Within a soft, golden haze of memories, a small garden slowly takes shape.
Sunlight filters gently through the leaves, painting everything in a warm glow. The air is calm, almost sacred. Among rows of blooming flowers sits a little girl, her small figure bathed in light. A cute hat rests on her head, shielding her from the sun as she carefully runs her tiny fingers over delicate petals, as if afraid they might break.
Her movements are slow, gentle… full of care.
To her, this world is everything.
Every flower… every leaf… every tiny detail holds meaning.
Everything matters.
Then—
A voice drifts through the air behind her. Soft. Warm. Familiar. It carries a strange comfort, as if it belongs to a place her heart has never left.
"Lyra… Lyra… that's enough, little one. How much more will you take care of your flowers?"
The voice chuckles lightly before continuing,
"Aren't you coming to hear the magic stories today? I've prepared so many, just for you."
Lyra turns.
The moment she does, her face lights up with a smile so bright it almost outshines the flowers around her. It feels as if the sky itself has bloomed through her happiness.
"Brother! Mom!"
She runs—fast, clumsy, full of excitement—her small legs barely able to keep up with her eagerness. As she reaches her brother, she stretches her arms upward, trying to climb into his embrace. But she's too small. Her hands don't quite reach.
The soil on her fingers smears against his clean clothes.
She freezes.
Her smile fades into panic as she looks down at her hands.
"Brother… I'm sorry…"
Her voice trembles as she holds them out, ashamed.
Lucian only laughs softly.
"It's alright, little fairy."
Without hesitation, he lifts her into his arms.
Her dirt-stained hands press against him, leaving marks all over his clothes—but he doesn't care. None of them do. A quiet, unspoken happiness fills the air, wrapping around them like warmth.
It's the kind of happiness that cannot be explained.
Only felt.
For those two siblings, that moment… that simple exchange… was their entire world.
They looked only at each other.
And in that gaze, their whole universe existed.
But now—
That golden memory shattered.
The warmth vanished.
The light dimmed.
And what remained… was reality.
The innocence that once lived in their eyes had long disappeared. In its place, there was only rage… pain… and something far darker. Those once-beautiful memories now pierced through their hearts like poison, each one more painful than the last.
Lyra slowly spread her arms, trembling, as if she wanted to pull all of her brother's suffering… all of that darkness… into herself.
But standing before her was no longer the brother she knew.
Lucian stood there—
his body controlled by something else.
A twisted, unnatural smile stretched across his face. It didn't belong to him. It belonged to something far more monstrous… something that had already destroyed everything she loved.
Then—
Time stopped.
The wind froze mid-motion.
Even the air seemed to hold its breath.
For a single, fragile moment… the entire world fell into silence.
And then—
A streak of energy, sharp and blinding like a divine spear, tore through the stillness and slammed into Lucian's body from the side.
The impact was catastrophic.
His body jerked violently as blood burst from his mouth, scattering into the air like crimson mist. The immense force shattered the energy surrounding him, breaking it apart like fragile glass. His body was hurled across the battlefield, crashing through the air before disappearing into a violent explosion of dust and debris.
The ground trembled.
The sky roared.
Everything vanished into a thick cloud.
For a few seconds… nothing could be seen.
Then slowly—
the dust began to settle.
And from within that fading haze, a massive figure emerged.
The rainbow dragon stood beside Lyra.
Still.
Unshaken.
Its presence alone distorted the air around it, radiating overwhelming power. Its scales shimmered with shifting colors, reflecting light in a way that felt almost divine.
Its voice echoed directly inside Lyra's mind.
"You are brave… but never let your emotions become your shield in battle. Even a moment's hesitation… could have cost you your life."
Lyra's breathing was uneven. Her hands trembled as she wiped her tears away with her torn sleeve, trying to steady herself.
"What… was that?" she asked, her voice shaking. "For a moment… it felt like everything stopped…"
"That was a Time Spell," the dragon replied calmly.
Lyra's eyes widened in disbelief, frustration mixing with confusion.
"If you had something like that… then why didn't you use it earlier? Before I came, you were losing!"
For a brief moment, the dragon said nothing.
"Because of you, Lyra…"
Its gaze shifted upward, toward the dark sky forming once again.
"There are ancient rules… things that even most beings in this world don't understand."
Its voice grew heavier.
"I will explain… if we survive."
Then suddenly—
its tone sharpened.
"Be ready. He's coming back."
Moments later, the rubble exploded outward.
Lucian burst through the debris with terrifying force, shards of stone and dust flying in all directions as he rose again. His body was damaged, stained with blood… but his presence had only grown more violent.
This time, there was no trace of restraint.
Only pure, primal rage.
Without hesitation, Lyra moved. She climbed onto the dragon's back, gripping tightly as the dragon spread its massive wings.
With a single, powerful beat—
they shot upward.
The force of that movement alone scattered the remaining dust like a storm, and within seconds, they disappeared into the sky.
Lucian followed instantly.
He didn't summon any monstrous form.
No shadow titan.
No external transformation.
He chased them with his own body alone—his speed tearing through the air, leaving trails of dark energy behind him like cracks in space itself.
The dragon and Lyra pierced through layers of thick clouds, climbing higher and higher until the world below disappeared beneath them.
And then—
they emerged above.
An endless ocean of white clouds stretched beneath them, glowing softly under the sunlight. Above, the sky was vast, open, almost peaceful… a stark contrast to the chaos below.
For a brief moment—
everything was still.
Then Lucian arrived.
He hovered in the air, his eyes scanning everything around him. Silence greeted him. Nothing but clouds… endless and empty.
And then—
From below the cloud layer, the dragon surged upward like a missile.
The air split apart as it broke through, its speed distorting the space around it. In one fluid motion, it twisted its massive body midair and lunged toward Lucian, its claws extended, aiming to seize him in a single decisive strike.
Lucian reacted instantly.
His body shifted in midair, stabilizing with unnatural precision as he raised his arm and blocked the attack. The collision sent a violent shockwave rippling through the clouds, tearing them apart in spirals.
"How long do you plan to run?" his voice echoed, distorted and layered with something inhuman.
Lyra tightened her grip around the dragon's neck, her heart pounding as realization struck her.
This wasn't random.
The dragon had brought them here… on purpose.
Inside her mind, she asked,
"Why here?"
The dragon's voice answered calmly, unwavering even in the middle of battle.
"Dark energy is weaker at this altitude. The purity of the air… the presence of sunlight… it strengthens my Divine Energy."
There was a pause.
And then—
"This is where we will separate him from that body."
But Lucian had already begun to act.
He raised his hand slowly.
The clouds around them trembled.
What was once soft and harmless began to twist, darken… and change.
The white clouds lost their purity, turning gray… then black… then something far worse.
Sharp edges formed.
Jagged structures emerged.
Within seconds, the sky itself transformed—
The calm, serene sky above the clouds turned into a battlefield of hell in a single moment. What had once been an endless sea of white clouds was now consumed by darkness. With just a slight movement of his hand, Lucian twisted the entire sky to his will. Black, jagged clouds spread rapidly, covering everything, and from within them, countless sharp spikes shot forward like a storm of blades, tearing through the air straight toward the dragon.
The dragon reacted instantly. Its massive wings beat with force, generating violent gusts that shattered many of the incoming spikes mid-air. But it wasn't enough. There were too many—far too many—and they came too fast. Some of them managed to break through the defense and crash against its body. At that moment, the dragon's golden scales hardened even further, glowing faintly as they absorbed the impact. The spikes shattered on contact like fragile glass, but the sheer pressure of the attack continued to build, making the air itself feel heavy and suffocating.
Drawing upon Lyra's Divine Energy, the dragon took a deep, controlled breath. A golden aura surged through its body before erupting outward as a powerful shockwave. The wave expanded in all directions, cutting through the darkness like light through water. Wherever it passed, the black clouds dissolved instantly, unable to withstand the purity of that energy. Within seconds, the sky was cleared again—leaving only two overwhelming presences facing each other.
On one side, the radiant dragon, glowing with a multicolored divine aura.
On the other, Lucian—his body engulfed in hellish flames, standing like a living embodiment of destruction.
Lucian's eyes were cold… lifeless… like death itself. When he spoke, his voice carried the echo of countless souls layered together, creating an unsettling, distorted resonance.
"So you really think height will save you?"
A faint, cruel smile appeared on his face as darkness began to gather once again.
"There's nowhere to hide up here… and you won't be lucky every time, fool."
The sunlight was swallowed once more as black energy spread across the sky, suffocating everything in its path. For a brief moment, Lucian muttered under his breath, his voice low but filled with intent.
"I won't let you do what you're planning…"
In contrast, the dragon remained completely still. It hovered in the air, its gaze fixed on Lucian without a hint of panic. But the multicolored aura surrounding its body was slowly expanding, growing denser, more intense with each passing second. Its breathing was steady and controlled, as if it was patiently waiting… for the perfect moment to strike.
Lucian's body suddenly erupted with dozens of black, jagged Hell Chains, bursting out like something alive—twisting, hissing, and writhing with a hunger of their own. They didn't just move… they hunted. Each chain lunged forward like a starving serpent, tearing through the air as they rushed toward the dragon sprite, their sharp edges leaving behind trails of distorted dark energy.
The dragon reacted instantly.
Its radiant golden aura contracted inward, compressing into a dense, impenetrable barrier that wrapped tightly around its massive body. The moment the chains collided—
'THUD! THUD! THUD!'
The entire sky echoed with violent impacts.
The Hell Chains struck relentlessly, their attacks shifting with terrifying adaptability. Some spun rapidly like drills, grinding against the barrier in an attempt to pierce through it, while others lashed down like whips, smashing against the surface with brute force. Each impact sent ripples across the golden barrier, causing visible cracks to flicker into existence before spreading outward like fractures in glass.
Golden sparks burst into the air with every collision, scattering like fragments of light against the surrounding darkness. The sound of metal grinding against metal filled the battlefield—harsh, violent, and suffocating.
Yet the dragon did not falter.
The moment a crack appeared, its multicolored divine energy surged forward, sealing the damage instantly. The barrier pulsed, alive, constantly repairing itself as if refusing to yield even a single inch.
But Lucian didn't slow down.
The Hell Chains multiplied, extending further, wrapping around from every direction until the dragon was completely surrounded. Above, below, behind—there was no escape. The chains coiled and tightened, forming a deadly cage, like a predator closing in on its prey, waiting for the perfect moment to crush it completely.
Then—
The dragon roared.
A deep, thunderous sound that shook the air itself.
In response, the energy within its barrier spiked violently. The golden light intensified, expanding outward in a sudden burst of overwhelming force. For a split second, the entire sky was drowned in radiant brilliance.
And then—
The chains touching the barrier ignited.
One after another, the Hell Chains burned away, disintegrating into ash as if they had been thrown into divine fire. Black fragments scattered and dissolved midair, unable to withstand the purity of that energy.
But Lucian… didn't stop.
Not even for a moment.
His attacks continued without pause, as if he felt no exhaustion, no restraint. The chains kept forming, kept striking, again and again—endless, merciless.
A twisted smile spread across his face.
It wasn't human.
It was cold… cruel… and filled with a quiet, terrifying certainty.
To him, this wasn't a battle.
It was a game.
A slow, deliberate hunt.
He wasn't trying to end it quickly—he was waiting. Watching. Pushing the dragon, testing its limits, waiting for the exact moment its strength would falter… so he could crush it completely.
Each of Lucian's strikes carried such immense force that the very sky began to fracture under the pressure. Shockwaves rippled outward with every collision, distorting the clouds and tearing through the air like invisible blades. The space around them trembled, unable to withstand the intensity of their clash.
The dragon was being pushed back.
Its massive body slid through the air under the constant pressure, its wings struggling against the violent currents created by those shockwaves. Each movement became heavier, each defense more demanding.
And yet—
It held its ground.
Barely.
Waiting.
Enduring.
For the moment that had yet to come.
Lyra, who looked no more than a fragile little figure against the vast body of the dragon, clung tightly to its shimmering scales with all the strength her small hands could muster.
The surface beneath her palms felt warm yet trembling with power, constantly shifting as the dragon twisted, turned, and resisted the relentless assault.
Every sudden movement, every violent jolt sent through the dragon's body made her own small frame shake uncontrollably, as if she could be thrown off at any moment.
The wind howled past her ears, sharp and deafening, mixing with the echoes of explosions and the metallic clashes of Hell Chains striking against divine energy.
Her breathing had become uneven, quick and shallow, each breath feeling heavier than the last. Fear was there—clear in her eyes, undeniable—but it wasn't just the battlefield that terrified her.
It was him.
Her gaze remained locked on Lucian.
On that face.
On that smile.
That twisted, merciless expression that no longer belonged to the brother she once knew. It crawled under her skin, shaking her from the inside, as if every instinct within her was screaming that something was terribly wrong… that the person in front of her was no longer human.
Then—
The dragon's voice echoed inside her mind once again.
Deep.
Heavy.
Filled with urgency.
"Lyra… listen to me carefully."
Even in the middle of the chaos, its tone carried a strange steadiness, like an anchor in a storm.
"I thought bringing him here would give us the advantage… that we could separate your brother from that evil spirit. But this is far more difficult than I anticipated."
Another violent impact shook the barrier around them as more Hell Chains slammed against it, sending ripples of golden light across its surface.
"That thing's dark energy isn't weakening… not even here," the dragon continued, its voice growing more serious. "It's drawing directly from the source of Hell itself."
Lyra's fingers tightened instinctively around the scales.
She swallowed.
Then slowly nodded, even though the dragon could already feel her thoughts.
"I… understand," she whispered, her voice trembling despite her effort to stay steady. "Then… what do I need to do?"
There was fear in her voice.
But not fear of Lucian.
It was something deeper.
A fear of failing.
A fear that she might not be strong enough… that she might not be able to save him.
That she might lose him… forever.
Even as the battle raged around them, the dragon could feel everything within her—the hesitation, the doubt, the pain she was trying so hard to suppress. It didn't interrupt her feelings. It didn't rush her.
Instead, it spoke again, more clearly this time.
"Lyra… if we want to pull Lucian out of that monster's grasp, we can't just attack from the outside."
Another shockwave passed through the air as Lucian launched yet another barrage, forcing the dragon to shift midair, its wings cutting sharply through the wind to avoid direct impact.
"We need to wake him… from within."
For a brief moment, the words seemed to freeze Lyra's thoughts.
The dragon continued, its voice firm, certain.
"I'm sure of it. That evil spirit hasn't completely erased his Divine Energy. It couldn't. Not entirely."
Its aura flickered slightly as it reinforced its defenses again, holding back the incoming chains.
"Lucian's soul is still there… trapped somewhere deep inside his own body. Buried… suppressed… but not gone."
Lyra's heartbeat grew louder in her ears.
The chaos around her seemed distant for a second.
"Then we have to reach him," the dragon said.
Its voice softened just a little—but the weight of its words remained.
"We have to call out to that part of him… awaken it… pull him back before it's too late."