The floating empire hung suspended in the sky like a miracle made real, golden aura shimmering around its edges as it hovered above the massive crater where it once stood.
Below, on the shattered battlefield, Juriel and Duriel faced Asterdolf and Indura.
Juriel's usual composed expression had completely shattered. His white eyes widened in genuine shock as he stared at the old emperor standing calmly beside the crimson-haired dragon.
"Asterdolf…" Juriel breathed, voice laced with disbelief. "To think we would meet again...here in Varta, of all places?"
Asterdolf stood with quiet dignity, hands clasped behind his back, grey beard swaying slightly in the wind. "Well, I was born here. This has always been my home."
Juriel's wings flared slightly, his tone shifting between surprise and calculation. "I see. If I remember correctly, we offered you everything. A seat among the heavens. You declined our recruitment, our offer, and clashed with several of our warriors… alongside that cursed Dark Mage comrade of yours. You threw away a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
Asterdolf's expression remained calm, almost paternal. "Opportunities are only opportunities if they align with one's path. Mine never did."
Juriel laughed bitterly, but the sound held no warmth. "And look where that path has led you. Standing beside a dragon of even greater power."
Indura stood silently beside Asterdolf, arms folded, golden eyes observing the exchange with cool detachment. This old man… he's far more than he lets on.
Asterdolf cut Juriel off smoothly. "Let's stop pretending. You didn't come to Varta for sightseeing. You discovered a dragon living freely here and decided to bind him, just like you've done to the others in Chaos."
Juriel's smile faded. His expression turned cold, the reasonable mask slipping away to reveal something sharper and more dangerous.
"Well...I see why the sky palace tried to keep an eye on you. You know too much for a mere human," Juriel said, voice dropping. "Yes. The dragons of Chaos are bound by the Sky Palace, as you know. We give them regions to rule, feed their egos and pride, and they obey without question. That is how we maintain order. The Red Dragon will be no different. With his power under our control, we can bring true stability to all realms."
Indura's eyes narrowed slightly. Binding dragons… using them like tools. Ah, no wonder I felt proud of his words earlier
Asterdolf's voice grew heavier. "The Sky Palace...you lot have become corrupted by the darkness of the Middle Realm. You fools who had everything and protected everything, no longer serve balance. That's right...You serve a new order, a higher order — the 'Dark Haven'."
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
Juriel's face twisted with barely contained rage. Divine pressure surged outward from him and Duriel, heavy and oppressive, making the air itself feel thicker.
"You should never speak that name, Asterdolf. Despite your achievements, such words should never cross your mouth." Juriel hissed, voice no longer melodic but edged with threat. "Never."
Asterdolf's gaze never wavered. "The truth doesn't care about your warnings."
Indura finally spoke, voice low and serious. "What exactly are you two talking about?"
Neither answered him directly. The tension between Asterdolf and Juriel had become a living thing, crackling in the space between them.
Asterdolf turned his head slightly toward Indura without breaking eye contact with Juriel.
"Stand ready," he said quietly. "From here on, things will not be the same."
Indura felt the shift in the air. His golden eyes sharpened as he clenched his fists.
What's this? It seems there is more to what I'm dealing with. More than that, why would the Sky Palace desperately want my power? Now I really must ascend to them.
The ash clouds above continued to part as the eclipse slowly took shape, casting an eerie half-light over the floating empire and the shattered battlefield below.
Asterdolf stood unmoved, hands still clasped behind his back, his aged frame radiating quiet, unshakable resolve. Indura stood beside him, arms folded, golden eyes sharp and calculating as he observed the growing hostility.
Juriel's voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "You speak of things you should not know, old man. The Dark Haven is not a name for mortals to utter."
Indura's brow furrowed slightly. Dark Haven? He remained silent, but his mind turned quickly. Chaos...now I'm more intrigued to find out.
Juriel's wings flared, light crackling along the edges. " You could have stood among the highest ranks. Instead, you chose this… this tiny world, and for that, you will die for it."
Asterdolf's voice stayed steady, but a quiet power bled into it. "Before that happens… I have one question left for you."
He slowly raised his right hand.
The air around him began to hum.
"Will you still try to bind this dragon… knowing I stand with him?"
Juriel's expression twisted into open fury. "You are nothing but a relic!"
Asterdolf smiled faintly — a small, knowing smile.
"Then let this relic remind you why it was never recruited."
"You're holding the entire empire in the sky right now," Indura said, brow furrowed. "Will you even be alright fighting like this?"
Asterdolf paused for a beat, then chuckled — a dry, almost mischievous sound that felt completely out of place in the tension-filled moment.
"Actually…" he admitted casually, still smiling, "All my mana is holding up my empire...haha...Well...it's floating due to a mechanism the empire was built on. It's powered by my mana."
A short, awkward silence fell between them.
Indura stared at him, visibly confused. "Wait… you're joking, right? Don't play around at a time like this."
Asterdolf's smile widened, eyes twinkling with dry humor. "Easy down there, lad, an old man like me can still defend himself, you know. Besides, I won't need mana for this fight. I'll use a different power."
Indura blinked, then asked cautiously, "Power?"
Asterdolf chuckled again. "Yes. And it's really far away… right about there." He pointed lazily toward the moon.
Indura looked puzzled, golden eyes narrowing. "On the moon?"
The divine pressure from Juriel and Duriel continued to build, the air growing heavier by the second. Asterdolf raised his hand toward the sky and whispered, calling out to something from space.
"We haven't seen each other in a while. Come down and fight with me once more, old friend."
He whispered toward the sky.
"Come, Drake."
Far above the planet, on the dark side of the moon, a single spark of golden light ignited in the blackness.
The spark exploded outward.
A large, great sword — ancient, radiant, and pulsing with golden energy — erupted from the lunar surface. It bounced once, twice, gaining impossible speed as it launched itself toward the planet like a falling star.
The sword cut through the atmosphere with a deafening roar, breaking the sound barrier repeatedly as it descended. Golden light trailed behind it like a comet's tail, visible across half the world.
Juriel and Duriel sensed the incoming power instantly. Their eyes widened.
"Move!" Juriel shouted.
They blurred backward.
Asterdolf raised both hands, attempting to catch the descending blade full force. His body shook from the strain, old muscles protesting.
"Slow down, old friend," he whispered.
At the last moment, he redirected his hand, pointing toward Juriel.
The great sword changed course mid-descent with terrifying precision and slammed straight into Juriel's position.
A massive burst of golden wind and light exploded outward, carving an enormous new crater into the already devastated land. The shockwave rolled across the battlefield like a tidal wave.
Juriel barely avoided a direct hit, skidding backward through the air with his wings flared wide, face twisted in shock and rage.
Asterdolf lowered his hands, breathing slightly heavier, but his eyes burned with renewed strength.
The great sword hovered beside him, humming with ancient power, its blade glowing like captured sunlight.
Indura stared at the weapon, then at Asterdolf, golden eyes wide with genuine surprise and respect.
This old man…and this sword. Why does it feel familiar?
Asterdolf glanced sideways at him, a small smirk on his face.
"Now," he said calmly, "shall we begin?"
Asterdolf stood tall beside Indura, the great sword beginning to spin, humming with ancient power.
He spoke without looking away from the two divine warriors.
"Follow my lead," he said quietly, voice steady. "I will take Duriel. You handle Juriel. Hold out as long as you can without stopping — I need time to figure something out. We'll have to take out the hammer first."
Indura exhaled slowly, crimson armor gleaming under the eclipse-tinted sky. His golden eyes sharpened with focus.
"Understood."
Both sides moved into stance at the same moment.
Asterdolf raised his hand, and the great sword flew into his grip. He held it with surprising ease for his age, body low and balanced, grey beard swaying in the wind.
Indura planted his feet, hands loose at his sides but ready, horns catching the strange light, longer crimson hair flowing wildly.
Juriel and Duriel did the same — blades and hammer raised, divine auras flaring like twin suns.
For one heartbeat, the world held its breath.
Then they all moved at once.
Indura blurred toward Juriel in a streak of red.
Juriel met him head-on, sword flashing in Heavenly Severance. The crescent slash carved a glowing trench through the ground as it met Indura's armored forearm. The impact rang like thunder, sending Indura skidding back several meters, pain flaring up his arm.
He charged again, fists and claws flying in brutal, heavy strikes. Juriel danced around him with elegant precision, blade leaving trails of white light. A slash caught Indura across the chest, drawing a shallow but burning line of blood. Another grazed his shoulder, sending a jolt of pain through his frame.
Indura roared and countered with a powerful kick that forced Juriel to block with both arms. The collision created a shockwave that shattered nearby rock formations.
Meanwhile, Asterdolf faced Duriel in a contest of raw power.
Duriel swung his massive divine hammer in a wide arc — Worldbreaker Descent. The hammer enlarged mid-swing, growing to the size of a small hill, crackling with electrical energy. The air screamed as it came down.
Asterdolf sidestepped at the last moment. The hammer slammed into the ground, creating a crater so deep it exposed bedrock. The shockwave nearly knocked him off his feet.
He countered with a swift thrust of his great sword, golden light exploding from the blade. Duriel blocked with the hammer's shaft, the collision sending sparks and shockwaves rolling outward.
The two pairs fought across the shattered landscape — Indura and Juriel in a high-speed dance of blades and claws, Asterdolf and Duriel in a brutal contest of crushing power.
Indura took another slash across his side, blood spraying as Juriel's blade found a gap. Pain flared hot.
He lunged, taking a deliberate cut to the arm just to get inside Juriel's guard. His fist slammed into Juriel's stomach, sending the warrior flying backward with a grunt of pain.
Juriel recovered mid-air, wiping blood from his lip. "Haha… You're bleeding more than I am, dragon."
Indura smirked through the pain. "Then hit harder."
On the other side, Duriel swung again — Cataclysmic Judgment. The hammer grew even larger, electrical arcs dancing wildly as it came down with the force to flatten a mountain.
Asterdolf barely dodged, the edge of the hammer grazing his shoulder. The impact sent him spinning, pain exploding through his old body. Blood soaked his robe instantly.
Indura was breathing harder now, multiple cuts bleeding across his arms, chest, and sides. Each breath hurt. Each movement sent fresh pain through his frame.
Just a little longer, he thought, eyes locked on Juriel. I need to draw him close.
Juriel, now hovering above, was also cut in several places, his divine armor cracked, blood streaking his white hair. His expression had turned savage.
"You're tougher than expected," Juriel growled, "but you're slowing down."
This damn dragon, Juriel thought. It doesn't fight like the other dragons. Its mere strength shouldn't be on this scale. Just how much mana did it take — or have — to be this strong? This is ridiculous.
Asterdolf was faring no better. The graze from Duriel's hammer had left a deep, bleeding wound on his shoulder. His movements were growing heavier, but his eyes remained sharp.
That's right… one more wide swing, he thought. That's when I strike.
The tension snapped like a breaking chain.
Asterdolf moved first, surging toward Duriel with surprising speed for his age. The great sword in his hands sang with divine energy as he met the Hammer of the World head-on.
Can he still move like this at his age?
Duriel swung his massive hammer in a wide, reality-bending arc — Planetary Devastation. The weapon enlarged mid-swing. The force behind it was so overwhelming that the air screamed, winds howled like banshees, before the hammer even landed.
Asterdolf's eyes sharpened. Now… almost there…
He stepped inside the arc at the last possible moment, his sword flashing upward in a precise, experienced counter. The blade met the hammer's shaft with a deafening clang that sent visible ripples through the air. He redirected the momentum just enough to force Duriel's swing off course, the hammer slamming into the ground beside him instead of crushing him.
The missed strike still carved a canyon miles long.
Indura clashed with Juriel at the same time, their exchange a blur of crimson and silver-gold.
My body is slowing down, Indura thought, breathing hard as fresh blood ran down his armor. The shock from that hammer strike earlier is still in me. I can feel it dragging every movement. I have to end this quickly. Old man… I'm almost out.
Juriel recovered instantly, lunging again with relentless speed. "You're looking slow, Red Dragon. What's the matter? Are you tired?"
Indura met him head-on, claws and fists flying. He took another cut across his shoulder, pain flaring hot, but landed a brutal kick that cracked Juriel's ribs. Both warriors were injured now — cuts, bruises, blood streaking their bodies — but neither backed down.
Asterdolf continued analyzing Duriel mid-battle, eyes sharp despite the pain in his old body. He overcommits on every heavy swing. The moment after impact is when he's most vulnerable. I can use that.
Duriel roared and swung again — even stronger. The hammer came down like judgment itself. Asterdolf dodged at the last second, the edge grazing his side and drawing blood. He countered with a swift golden slash that forced Duriel to defend.
Indura was nearing his limit against Juriel. Every breath hurt. Every movement sent fresh jolts of pain from the lingering shock in his body.
Just a little longer, he thought, pushing through the burning in his muscles. Old man…
Asterdolf caught Indura's eye for a split second and gave a subtle signal.
Indura understood instantly. He lunged forward aggressively, forcing Juriel closer to Asterdolf's position while taking more cuts in the process.
Duriel saw the opening and roared, swinging his hammer with everything he had.
This is the end, human
Planetary Devastation.
Got you…
Asterdolf activated his great sword's full divine energy. Golden light exploded along the blade as he blocked the hammer strike directly. The collision created a blinding explosion of light and force.
With a shout of effort, Asterdolf redirected the entire devastating attack straight into Juriel.
Juriel's eyes widened in horror. "No—!"
The redirected Planetary Devastation slammed into Juriel without mercy, electrical energy erupting in a violent storm.
Indura seized the moment. He blurred forward and landed a nasty, full-strength punch on Duriel's chest. The impact was so brutal that it slammed the Hammer of the World deep into the ground.
-ugghh- When did he get here?
Duriel was driven downward like a meteor, carving a deep crater as his body hit with bone-shattering force. The hammer slipped from his grip for a split second.
Indura seized it instantly, ripping the massive divine weapon from Duriel's hands and sending the Hammer of the World flying upward with a powerful kick. He tried to summon his hammer back.
My hammer...
Asterdolf was already there.
He leaped high above the airborne Duriel, great sword blazing with radiant energy. With a shout of effort, he unleashed a devastating slash — a clean, horizontal cut that carried centuries of experience and raw power.
The blade sliced across Duriel's torso mid-air, drawing a spray of divine blood and sending him rocketing back down toward Indura like a broken comet.
Indura was waiting.
He gripped the stolen hammer with both hands, muscles bulging, and swung it with every ounce of strength left in his body. The massive weapon whistled through the air and connected with devastating force on Duriel's descending body.
The impact was sickening.
Duriel was launched upward again in a spray of blood and broken armor, hurtling straight back toward Asterdolf like a tennis ball in a deadly rally.
Impossible...by my hammer!
Asterdolf met him at the peak of the arc.
His great sword flashed one final time — a devastating, overhead slash infused with all its remaining divine energy.
The blade cut clean through Duriel's body.
The Hammer of the World fell from the sky in two lifeless pieces.
"J-Jur-iel...w-we have failed..."
Duriel's body dropped like a broken doll, crashing into the shattered ground below with a final, heavy thud.
Silence fell across the battlefield.
Indura and Asterdolf stood panting heavily, bodies covered in blood and wounds. Indura was at his absolute limit — vision blurring, muscles screaming, every breath a struggle. Asterdolf's face was pale, the dark energy in his chest pulsing painfully as his old body trembled from exertion.
We've won this battle.
For a brief, exhausted moment, they allowed themselves to believe they had won.
Then, from the smoking crater where the redirected Planetary Devastation had landed earlier, a bloody, broken figure slowly crawled out.
Juriel rose, armor shattered, body covered in horrific burns and wounds, eyes burning with pure, unfiltered hatred.
The battle was not over.