Chapter 24
The sky turned gold. Not from sunlight or fire, but from wings. Hundreds of massive dragons burst through the clouds, their enormous wings beating as they descended toward the battlefield. Their scales gleamed like molten metal beneath the fractured sky, reflecting waves of golden light across the mountains. The sound of their wings rolled through the valley like thunder.
For the first time since the battle began, the hunter dragons hesitated. Their glowing red eyes flickered with uncertainty as they turned toward the approaching swarm.
Ariana stared upward. "Where did they come from?" The Dragon King's voice echoed in her mind. "They answered the call." Her heart skipped. "My call?"
"Your blood."
Beside her, the golden dragon guarding the terrace roared and spread its wings in recognition. Above the city, the sky became a storm of dragons. But these were not ordinary ones. Their eyes burned with bright gold, and ancient markings shimmered across their scales, symbols older than the city itself. Royal dragons.
Kael crossed his arms, watching the sky. "Well… that's definitely an upgrade." Despite everything, Ariana almost smiled. Then the darkness shifted again.
High above, Augustus floated in the air, watching the arriving dragons with quiet interest. He showed no fear. If anything, he looked amused.
"So," he said, his voice carrying across the mountains, "the Dragon King finally gathered his old army." His gaze lowered and locked onto Ariana.
"Impressive."
The royal dragons spread across the sky in perfect formation. Golden fire erupted from their jaws, filling the air as flames pushed back against the spreading Abyss darkness. For the first time since Augustus arrived, the shadow began to retreat. Ariana felt the pressure in her chest ease. "It's working."
Kael didn't look away from the sky. "Don't celebrate yet." A massive shadow passed over the terrace as the Dragon King descended, landing heavily on the broken stone. Marble cracked beneath his claws. Even wounded, he towered over them.
The royal legion will hold the hunters.
Ariana stepped forward. "And Augustus?" The Dragon King turned toward the figure in the sky.
"He is yours."
Ariana blinked. "Mine?" Kael stepped forward immediately. "Ours."
The Dragon King studied him, then gave a slow nod."Yes."
The bond between Ariana and Kael pulsed, golden light and white energy flickering between them, growing stronger. Something inside them had changed. Above them, the battle erupted. Royal dragons clashed with hunter dragons in a storm of fire and claws. Roars shook the sky, and one by one, the hunter dragons began to fall.
For a moment, it looked like the tide had turned. Augustus watched calmly.
Then he sighed. "I had hoped they were extinct." He raised one hand, and the Abyss energy around him twisted violently. Darkness gathered above the battlefield, forming a massive vortex. The sky bent around it.
Ariana felt it immediately. Her power flickered. "He's doing something."
The man beside her stared upward. "No…" Ariana turned. "What?"
"That's not an attack."
Her stomach tightened. "Then what is it?"
"He's opening a gate."
Cold fear ran through her. "To where?"
The Dragon King answered. The Abyss.
The vortex widened, dark lightning flashing inside it. The air trembled as even the royal dragons began to pull back, their roars filled with alarm.
Kael rubbed the back of his neck. "That's probably not good." Augustus smiled faintly. "If dragons wish to fight… then let them face the true rulers of darkness." The vortex burst open. The sky screamed. And something began to emerge. Not one creature. Hundreds of them.
Black shapes poured out of the gate, moving like living shadows. Their forms twisted unnaturally, their wings like smoke, their silver eyes cold and sharp.
Ariana stared. "What are those?"
The man beside her whispered, "Abyss beasts." The creatures shrieked as they flooded the sky, moving too fast and too sharply. They attacked instantly. The first royal dragon barely reacted before one of them tore through its wing. Blood spread across the clouds.
More followed, dozens at first, then hundreds flooding the sky. The sky that had been filled with dragons was now overrun with monsters.
Kael muttered, "That's cheating."
Ariana's chest tightened. "We can't fight all of those." Augustus' voice echoed again. "You don't have to."
His gaze locked onto Ariana. "You only have to die."
The Abyss beasts dove toward the palace as the royal dragons rushed to intercept them. Fire clashed with shadow, but there were too many.
The Dragon King roared, his voice echoing through Ariana's mind. The gate must be closed. Ariana kept her eyes on the vortex. "How?"
Destroy the one who opened it.
Kael cracked his knuckles. "Good. Ariana glanced at him. "You're smiling." He shrugged. "I like simple plans."
Above them, the sky turned into chaos, dragons, monsters, shadow, and fire colliding all at once. Augustus descended slowly toward the terrace. His feet touched the stone as dark energy twisted around him. His golden eyes fixed on Ariana and Kael.
"Shall we begin?"
Kael stepped forward, power flaring, white lightning flashing in his eyes. "Been waiting for that."
Ariana raised her glowing hand, Sovereign light surging through her veins as the dragons above roared in response.Augustus smiled.Then the vortex expanded again much wider this time.
Even Augustus frowned. "That shouldn't…" The Dragon King's voice thundered inside Ariana's mind. "No."
Ariana looked up. "What now?" The dragon's voice shook. "Something else is coming."
The darkness churned violently, and a massive shape began pushing through the gate. It was larger than the Abyss beasts, larger than the dragons—larger even than the Dragon King.
The enormous shadow forced its way into the sky, making the mountains look small in comparison. Kael stared upward, then rubbed the back of his neck again.
"Well… that's definitely worse."