Chapter 40:
Fire and Shadows
Revenge in another world
The dragon’s roar shook the very foundations of the castle. Its dark wings spread across the sky, each beat stirring a gale of ashes and embers. The walls burned, and the air thickened with smoke and despair.
I rose unsteadily, the Veil Spear still firm in my hands. The impact of my first strike had wounded the beast, but not enough. Its left eye bled, its roar a scream of fury signaling that it still had much fire left to unleash.
“Kaoru!” Aria shouted from the wall, reaching out her hand. “Don’t go too far!”
I replied with a weak smile before charging again. I couldn’t stop now.
The dragon opened its jaws, releasing a blaze that lit up the entire night. I ran at full speed, barely dodging the fire that devoured the stone behind me. The heat seared my skin, but I pressed on. The spear glowed with an icy light, as if rebelling against the inferno.
“Now, all together!” Lysbeth ordered from above.
Rei leapt from a nearby tower, her sword slicing through one of the dragon’s wings. Nara conjured a counterfire explosion, forcing the creature to ascend to avoid being engulfed. Aria extended her hands and unleashed a beam of light that struck its chest, eliciting a roar of pain.
I seized the moment. With a desperate leap, I plunged the spear into its side. The dragon thrashed, trying to shake me off, but I gripped the spear with all my strength. The wind battered me as the beast rose.
“Let me, Kaoru… give me control, and together we will bring down even the gods.”
The voice echoed through my bones. I held on tighter, refusing to yield. “No!”
The dragon shook violently, and I was flung through the air. I fell hard on the castle rooftops, rolling until I stopped near a tower. The world spun, yet I still held the spear.
In the inner courtyard, civilians crowded together, taking shelter under the protection of exhausted knights. The dragon’s fire had already reached some houses, and screams filled the air. Cicilia descended from the wall, organizing the men and women with a firm voice.
“Do not panic! Maintain formation!”
The soldiers obeyed, though the shadow of fear was palpable.
Aria ran into the courtyard, sending flashes of light to extinguish some of the flames. “Kaoru needs our help!”
Nara appeared beside her, panting. “This lizard won’t fall to normal fire. We’ll have to overload it until it explodes from within.”
“Then we cannot fail,” Aria replied, eyes blazing.
The dragon descended again, its shadow covering the entire castle. I struggled to stand, spear ready. Rei landed beside me, bloodied but unbroken.
“We can’t keep striking at random,” she said in a hoarse voice. “We need a weak point.”
I studied the dragon closely. Its chest glowed with an incandescent light whenever it gathered fire. That was the heart of its flames.
“The chest,” I said. “We must pierce it when it charges its fire.”
Rei nodded, preparing herself.
The dragon roared, inhaling deeply. Its chest glowed red and molten, like a furnace about to explode. I ran toward it, spear raised. Time slowed; each second stretched into eternity.
“Yes… now. Use my power and you will destroy it in a single strike.”
“I don’t need it!” I shouted.
I leapt and drove the spear directly into the glowing center. A blinding flash erupted, followed by a roar that shook the walls. The dragon flapped desperately, but the spear remained lodged in its chest.
Rei took the chance to drive her sword into the beast’s neck. Aria unleashed a final beam of light, and Nara detonated a blaze that engulfed its body.
The dragon let out one last roar before collapsing onto the enemy ranks, crushing rows of devotees under its weight. The earth trembled with the impact.
The silence lasted only a few seconds. From her throne of bone, Kiseki rose. Even at a distance, her smile was sharp. She raised a hand, and the fallen dragon began to writhe. Its body blackened, its wounds closed with corrupted flesh, and its eyes burned with an even darker fire.
“No…” Aria whispered, horrified. “She’s raising it again.”
The dragon roared, reborn in shadows, larger and more ferocious than before.
The echo inside me laughed with delight. “See? Your effort is useless. Only with me can you defeat her.”
I gripped the spear tightly, trembling. Kiseki watched us like a queen enjoying a show, certain that every attempt we made was merely a play on her board.
“Kaoru…” Aria looked at me, tears in her eyes. “Don’t give up.”
I met her gaze, and though terror consumed me, I nodded. The real battle was just beginning.
I rose unsteadily, the Veil Spear still firm in my hands. The impact of my first strike had wounded the beast, but not enough. Its left eye bled, its roar a scream of fury signaling that it still had much fire left to unleash.
“Kaoru!” Aria shouted from the wall, reaching out her hand. “Don’t go too far!”
I replied with a weak smile before charging again. I couldn’t stop now.
The dragon opened its jaws, releasing a blaze that lit up the entire night. I ran at full speed, barely dodging the fire that devoured the stone behind me. The heat seared my skin, but I pressed on. The spear glowed with an icy light, as if rebelling against the inferno.
“Now, all together!” Lysbeth ordered from above.
Rei leapt from a nearby tower, her sword slicing through one of the dragon’s wings. Nara conjured a counterfire explosion, forcing the creature to ascend to avoid being engulfed. Aria extended her hands and unleashed a beam of light that struck its chest, eliciting a roar of pain.
I seized the moment. With a desperate leap, I plunged the spear into its side. The dragon thrashed, trying to shake me off, but I gripped the spear with all my strength. The wind battered me as the beast rose.
“Let me, Kaoru… give me control, and together we will bring down even the gods.”
The voice echoed through my bones. I held on tighter, refusing to yield. “No!”
The dragon shook violently, and I was flung through the air. I fell hard on the castle rooftops, rolling until I stopped near a tower. The world spun, yet I still held the spear.
In the inner courtyard, civilians crowded together, taking shelter under the protection of exhausted knights. The dragon’s fire had already reached some houses, and screams filled the air. Cicilia descended from the wall, organizing the men and women with a firm voice.
“Do not panic! Maintain formation!”
The soldiers obeyed, though the shadow of fear was palpable.
Aria ran into the courtyard, sending flashes of light to extinguish some of the flames. “Kaoru needs our help!”
Nara appeared beside her, panting. “This lizard won’t fall to normal fire. We’ll have to overload it until it explodes from within.”
“Then we cannot fail,” Aria replied, eyes blazing.
The dragon descended again, its shadow covering the entire castle. I struggled to stand, spear ready. Rei landed beside me, bloodied but unbroken.
“We can’t keep striking at random,” she said in a hoarse voice. “We need a weak point.”
I studied the dragon closely. Its chest glowed with an incandescent light whenever it gathered fire. That was the heart of its flames.
“The chest,” I said. “We must pierce it when it charges its fire.”
Rei nodded, preparing herself.
The dragon roared, inhaling deeply. Its chest glowed red and molten, like a furnace about to explode. I ran toward it, spear raised. Time slowed; each second stretched into eternity.
“Yes… now. Use my power and you will destroy it in a single strike.”
“I don’t need it!” I shouted.
I leapt and drove the spear directly into the glowing center. A blinding flash erupted, followed by a roar that shook the walls. The dragon flapped desperately, but the spear remained lodged in its chest.
Rei took the chance to drive her sword into the beast’s neck. Aria unleashed a final beam of light, and Nara detonated a blaze that engulfed its body.
The dragon let out one last roar before collapsing onto the enemy ranks, crushing rows of devotees under its weight. The earth trembled with the impact.
The silence lasted only a few seconds. From her throne of bone, Kiseki rose. Even at a distance, her smile was sharp. She raised a hand, and the fallen dragon began to writhe. Its body blackened, its wounds closed with corrupted flesh, and its eyes burned with an even darker fire.
“No…” Aria whispered, horrified. “She’s raising it again.”
The dragon roared, reborn in shadows, larger and more ferocious than before.
The echo inside me laughed with delight. “See? Your effort is useless. Only with me can you defeat her.”
I gripped the spear tightly, trembling. Kiseki watched us like a queen enjoying a show, certain that every attempt we made was merely a play on her board.
“Kaoru…” Aria looked at me, tears in her eyes. “Don’t give up.”
I met her gaze, and though terror consumed me, I nodded. The real battle was just beginning.
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