The garden was still rimed with frost from Velzard's presence, its beauty preserved in an unnatural stillness. Yet laughter rippled through the silence, breaking the heavy air.
Milim lay sprawled across Rudra's lap, happily munching on a cookie, crumbs sparkling against her cheeks like sugar dust.
Veldora sat slumped against a stone pillar, arms crossed tightly, storm-like aura flickering faintly around him though carefully caged. One wrong move, and Velzard's glare would freeze him solid before his storms could rise.
Guy, leaning with his usual indolent grace against the railing, let the sun catch on his crimson hair as he smirked, sharp as a blade. Across from him, Rudra swirled his owine like a strategist contemplating a board. The air appeared calm — but beneath it, tension coiled, ready to spring.
Guy: "Quite the palace you've made into a stage, Rudra. First Veldora shows up, then his sisters, then us. Keep this up, and mortals will call it a coliseum of gods."
Rudra (chuckling): "Better a coliseum than a crater. At least my flowers still live."
He tilted his glass slightly toward Velzard, but she only lifted her chin, too regal to dignify the remark.
Sensing a chance to escape, Veldora attempted to slip away.
Veldora: "Well then, since we're all finished laughing at me — time for me to take my leave—"
A spike of ice burst from the ground before his foot, halting him in place. Velzard's voice was calm, her gaze colder than her ice.
Velzard: "Not so fast. Sit."
And so, Veldora sat.
Milim nearly toppled from Rudra's lap with laughter.
Milim: "Uncle Veldora's like a puppy! Hahaha!"
Veldora (muttering): "A puppy with storms for fangs…"
Guy: "More like a puppy pretending he's a wolf."
The others laughed, but Velzard's eyes narrowed, her thoughts wandering elsewhere. She glanced — briefly, sharply — toward Guy. With Rudra, Guy's words were casual, almost warm, as though the Demon and Emperor were old comrades. With her, however, Guy's grin sharpened, always mocking, always distant. It bit at her pride, though she would never admit as much.
So her attention returned, mercilessly, to Veldora.
Velzard: "And you. Don't slouch. It's disgraceful."
Veldora (throwing up his arms): "Why always me?!"
Velgrynd (hesitant): "Sister, maybe—"
Guy (smirking, cutting in): "Maybe your sister just likes bullying him."
Veldora groaned into his hands, while Velzard's eyes flashed with a colder resolve.
Velzard: "…Stand up. We're sparring."
The garden fell silent.
Veldora's head snapped up so fast his hair whipped.
Veldora: "Ehh?! Spar?! With you?! Are you insane?!"
Velzard (flatly): "You've been boasting of your 'Uriel' and your control. Prove it. Or admit your words are nothing but wind."
Her tone was sharp, not angry — commanding, like a queen demanding tribute.
Milim shot to her feet, clapping wildly, scattering crumbs into Rudra's lap.
Milim: "Yes! Yes! Fight, fight, fight! Uncle Veldora, show her! Show her!"
Veldora held out his hands, laughing nervously.
Veldora: "Hahaha, y-you jest, sister! A mere spar between us could—well, you know, collapse this entire palace, maybe the entire kingdom, so surely—"
Velzard's silence cut him off. Her frost-laden gaze gave him no room to slither free. His aura twitched under the pressure.
At last, he sighed and stood, golden sparks forming faint shields across his arms.
Veldora (grumbling): "…Fine. But if I end up as an ice sculpture again, I'll haunt you all for eternity."
Velzard (smirking faintly): "Try not to embarrass yourself."
The air thickened, frost curling at the edges of Velzard's fingers, stormlight dancing over Veldora's shoulders. The clash was moments from erupting.
Guy leaned forward with bright, hungry eyes.
Guy: "Oh, this I wouldn't miss for anything."
But before the first shard of ice could meet the first surge of storm, a sharp, commanding voice cut through it all.
Rudra: "Enough."
The garden itself seemed to obey. Magicules froze midair, stilled by sheer authority. Velzard's frost dissipated, Veldora's storm guttered. Even Milim blinked in surprise.
Rudra rose, his wine glass set down with a deliberate click.
Rudra: "Not here. Not in Master Veldanava's garden. Not in my kingdom."
He swept his gaze across both dragons, voice like steel.
Rudra: "If you fight here, you will not only ruin this place. The magicules you shed will give birth to countless monsters — mindless, destructive, spreading like plague. Is that what you want? To drench innocent soil in blood, simply to measure pride?"
The weight of his words pressed on all of them.
Veldora's mouth opened, then closed. He coughed awkwardly.
Veldora: "…Well, when you put it like that…"
Velzard said nothing, though frost still curled faintly at her fingertips. She turned away with a faint scoff, conceding.
Rudra let out a quiet breath and lowered his hand.
Rudra: "If you insist on proving yourselves, I'll take you both to barren land. There, your storms and your frost may rage without consequence."
Guy chuckled, crimson eyes gleaming with wicked delight.
Guy: "Now that… that I'd enjoy watching."
Milim cheered again, bouncing in excitement.
Milim: "Barren land fight! Barren land fight!"
Veldora groaned, dragging his hands down his face.
Veldora: "…Why does this always end with me suffering?"
Velzard (softly, almost amused): "Because you're easy to bully."
From his seat, Veldanava remained silent, a faint smile tugging his lips as he watched Velzard and Veldora clash in spirit alone. And beside him, Lucia's knowing smile deepened — for she already foresaw how such a battle would end.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
To be continued.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Authors Note:
Thank you for reading this chapter.
If you enjoy this story, remember to vote and leave a review if you haven't