"Solar Flare."
The Solarian Art erupted in a burst of chaotic solar energy, its brilliance consuming the orange flames and striking Vaermithorh square in the face.
Velros bellowed in agony, his head snapping back as the sacred fire of the sun scoured his draconic scales, burning with a purity no darkness could withstand.
Meanwhile, I was upon him, my body no bigger than one of his teeth, yet to us Stars, size is meaningless.
My darkness-laced fingers hooked into his tongue, ripping it free from the root with a wet, tearing crunch. Blood flooded his maw in torrents, his agonized thrashing only deepening the futility of his struggle.
'I thought removing his tongue would keep him quiet, but I was wrong. His noise only amplified without meaning.'
I shook off the remaining ash, the remnants of his tongue, clinging to my palm before drifting away.
I took off again, heading straight for his horn. He caught sight of me and unleashed another breath of fire, but it was useless, nothing more than heat against something that refused to burn. His eyes tracked me for a moment, a flicker of something like disbelief crossing his features before he reacted too late. The flames died down, his attack spent, and I pressed on.
He attacked, relentless and in desperation. I had to make him pay for prolonging the prolonged and humiliating death I'm about to offer him.
I went for his lower jaw, I didn't rip it off, not yet. I merely twisted it to destroy the trajectory of his flames before going that long obsidian horn. My fingers twitch abnormally, yearning to break that horn. I sliced the horn clean at its base with surgical precision, wrenching it free before hurling it skyward.
As it arced above, I pivoted and drove my foot into it with the force of a perfect strike, sending the jagged mass hurtling straight into his left eye.
"This is too much."
Thyros murmured.
Velros let out a strange, uncontrolled cry, something between panic and fury. The result was obvious: I was playing with my lab rat. Experimenting, observing, delivering a cold and reflective lesson at the same time.
He spread his wings and attempted to flee, heading for the exit, only to slam into the barrier I had erected.
"You said 'no one is leaving', right? Well, I'm just making sure no one does."
I replied, shoving him with enough force to crack the barrier. He crashed to the ground, the impact echoing through the space.
I stood above him, materialising blades of darkness in my hands. My original intent was to sever his limbs, yet I found a more intriguing method.
Four blades of pure shadow drove into the joints where his limbs connected, sinking deep. They wouldn't simply cut, this way, the darkness would eat away from the inside, dismantling him piece by piece.
"Okay. I'm done with you."
I said, voice calm and detached.
I backflipped, landing behind him with ease. Velros cried out in agony as I grabbed his tail, ignoring the desperate, pained sound. It meant nothing to me, only the experiment remained, and its conclusion.
"Fly off."
I threw the impossible mass into the air, and he used the momentum to head for the exit.
"You seriously thought I'd let you escape?"
I asked, already catching up to him. I moved close enough that my reflection appeared in his large eye ball, a brief and unsettling reminder of how small he now seemed. I allowed him to fly a measured distance before striking.
With darkness-laced fingers, I tore off one of his wings, leaving him to fly on the other, an impossible task for someone of his size and strength. I retreated to a calculated distance and waited, watching as the consequences of my actions unfolded.
Eventually, he lost balance, as expected. His only option was to land, but he couldn't. The darkness I had seeded within him had already begun eating away at his limbs. The Ash Duke of Vaermithorh crashed to the ground before me, the impact shaking the cave and sending dust billowing through the air. When it settled, he lay motionless few feets from my immovable stature.
I looked down at the fallen, prideful royal.
"You ought to be this low in front of royalty."
I said, repeating the words he had once spoken to me.
"I am a king. An insignificant noble like you should be this low before me."
I continued, voice cold and unyielding. The Ash Duke of Vaermithorh remained sprawled before me, stripped of the authority and arrogance he once carried.
[[IMAGE]]
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"Don't take this personally."
I raised both hands in an innocent gesture.
"I'm simply utilising my Uno reverse card."
I held up my hand, as the card materialised balanced between my index and middle finger, a wicked smile crossing my face.
Both gestures faded, and I lowered my hand over him as though bestowing a blessing. What fell upon him, however, was nothing less than an inescapable and irrevocable curse.
"Actually, I don't know what to do."
I said. I never knew.
"If I use what I truly have, I'll end up killing you. If I use what I've learned, I'll be giving myself away."
I added, bathing him in darkness, corroding his scales. He sensed my intent and dissolved his draconic form, so I stopped the darkness.
Velros lay on the floor, his limbs darkened and broken, one eye destroyed and his horn shattered. The royal garments he once wore were gone, lost in the chaos.
"Good."
I landed and crouched so I was level with his gaze.
"P… plse… klll mii,"
He whispered, voice barely audible. I released the suppression on his regenerative ability, allowing him to grow a tongue again.
"According to the Uno reverse rule, I should."
I replied, pausing deliberately, looking down at his 'sorry state', even though I didn't feel any sympathy towards him.
"Because all I was doing was follow your code."
I continued.
"The atrocity you planned to inflict and has inflicted on me. The humiliation in the hall, your talk about making me beg for death. This was all your doing. Like I said, none of this was personal."
"What do you want?"
He managed to make some understandable words.
"Your elders may come looking for me. If they do, tell them I'll be waiting in Parvak."
I turned and pointed at the Gate behind me.
"For the time being, I'll let you keep your life, influence, job and power over Pyrral."
I stated the terms.
"But..."
I raised my index finger, adding a condition to it.
"You should report to the queen. You might be a Royal from the highest Family, but in Pyrral, Lady Silverhair holds authority, and Silverwing is the first due to her authority."
Actually, I didn't know why I'm making these demands. Maybe there just exuces proved to keep him alive.
"As you wish."
"As long as a queen or king isn't here, all Vaermithorh Family are under the Lady. Got it?"
"Yes. I'll simply do as I'm told."
"Good. Don't get merciful on the dragons you've captured, though."
I healed him, and he stood before lowering himself to a bow.
'I did something here, but I'm not a peacemaker. Hunting the dragons will continue. I can't change that just because I've dealt with the arrogant nobel.'
"Your wishes are my request. In Pyrral, I'll listen to you and the queen."
He replied. I looked up at him, still in my crouch position.
"Just the queen. I'm heading to Parvak for something personal. I didn't ask you to disobey your elders, though. Family comes first. Take note of that."
I stood up and motioned for the little dragon to approach. But she wasn't the only one, Vera too, was heading in my direction.
"Looks like the queen intervened.'
"Wait for me by the Gate."
I pointed in its direction and headed towards the Queen. The Marquis went to his superior.
"Two birds with one stone."
"It's a shame to have someone like you leave."
"A traveller doesn't have a home."
I stood at arm's length apart.
"That's if you chose to become a traveller. You can stay here and start a new life. As one of us, as a Silverwing."
'If only we have timelines, I'd sacrifice one and park in Pyrral.'
"No apologies. I must advance."
I replied firmly, sticking to my journey.
"A bitter reality I have to accept."
She said with a saddened face, her hands resting on her heart.
'I wonder what she's feeling.'
"Who knows if I might come back after reaching the top."
I added.
"You would?"
Her face lightened up, her mood just changed. She's hoping, she's happy.
"The chances are low."
"As long as it's not zero, I'll hold onto it."
She replied.
'...feelings...how weird.'
"Before you go, can I see your complete face without a mask?"
"It stings."
I replied, even though Aphanon was a one time skill Enta developed.
"Make it not."
'If this is what she wants, then it's a small price to pay. Wait, since when did I care about making it to something?'
I shook my head, discarding Entares's invasion. He's like the devil, whispering thoughts to prevent me from attachments.
"Sure."
I raised the eyepatch, revealing nothing but my ordinary crimson eyes.
"Just for show."
I winked and smiled. For a glimpse, I gave up Antares's presence in Nyxon. I didn't know why, but I just did.
"It's time to go."
I turned to leave, but something caught my hand and pulled me back. I spun around, but it was too late, her lips collided with mine. I didn't have time to process what was happening. She leaned in and whispered, the words brushing against my ear.
"You're a Star, aren't you, Nyxon?"
The question lingered in the air.
I blinked, reassessing where I might have gone wrong. The moment felt wrong, like something had shifted beneath my understanding. I pulled back slightly, trying to figure out where I'd revealed myself.
"Solar Flare is a Mega Art. And only Stars can use Mega Arts."
"I..."
"Don't worry. I'll keep your secret safe with me."
I smiled, and I was relieved. Relieved I won't go void shit and kill her to conceal my identity that is.
"It's the least I can do to take care of the Cannibal and Velros."
"Are we squared?"
"I'll tell you when you come next."
She let me go, and I headed to the Gate without turning.
'How do you know she's not gonna rat on you?'
Enta questioned with a pointing finger.
'I don't. If worse comes to worst, I'll come down and end Pyrral.'
I gave Entares a warm smile because resuming my Nyxon personality, eyepatch locked in.
"Let's go. Parvak awaits."
I made my way into the Gate without turning back. I'm ready to clear the challenges Parvak throws at me.
To be continued...