Alister's gloved hands clenched the railing, the tal buckling with a sharp CRK-CRK.
His eyes widened, pupils narrowed into dragon slits and glowing, his face darkening with rage.
"I rember every second," he snarled. "The wasteland reeking of blood, that colossal eye watching , and him—standing there, cloaked in shadows, holding out his hand like so god. The nerve of him, thinking he could leash ."
Alack's anger surged, a roar in Alister's mind. "And when I told him no—'It was never my desire to kill, only theirs to die'—did you see that look? That flicker of shock, then rage, like I'd slapped him across his masked face! Then he says, 'So be it,' and swings like he's judge and executioner!"
Alister's eyes blazed, scales flickering briefly across his knuckles as his draconic aura began to rise around his body.
"So be it?" he echoed, his voice rising as he chuckled softly with a dangerous edge.
"Who the hell does he think he is, giving an overlord orders? So shadow-puppet with a fancy mask, thinking he can dictate to ?"
"I'll tear him apart!" Alack yelled, his voice a thunderclap in Alister's mind.
"I'll stomp his smug face into the dirt, rip that mask off, and scatter his wretched body across the cosmos! No one—no one—dares point their blade at and walks away!"
"I'll reduce him to ash!" Alister roared, slamming a fist into the railing—BANG—completely destroying the railing on the balcony.
Both of their voices overlapped as they spoke at the sa ti.
"I'll show him what happens when you cross a dragon—overlord or not, he's nothing but prey!"
Suddenly, a soft rustle followed by a sleepy, concerned voice from the hotel room spoke up.
"Alister? What are you doing out there?"
Alister froze, his breath catching as he turned toward the glass doors.
Lila stood in the doorway, clutching the white sheets tightly around her body, her dark brown hair tousled from sleep. Her eyes, still heavy, widened slightly as they t his—sharp, draconic, glowing faintly in the morning light.
The sight of her, vulnerable yet radiant, doused his anger like cold water on embers.
His scales receded, his clenched fists loosening as his expression softened, though a flicker of guilt crossed his face.
Before he could speak, a sharp ZZZAP jolted through his skull—a piercing, electric sting, like a warning from the system itself.
He winced, pressing a gloved hand to his temple, the pain gone as quickly as it ca.
"Lila," he said, his voice low and steady now. "I'm sorry for startling you. Just… needed so air."
She studied him, her brow furrowing as she adjusted the sheets, stepping closer to the threshold. "You look like you're ready to tear the world apart," she said, her tone gentle but firm, worry creasing her brow. Before he could respond, she leaned in, her lips brushing his in a soft, lingering kiss—warm, grounding his turmoil.
She pulled back, holding his gaze. "If sothing's on your mind, Alister, you can tell . When you're ready. It'd bring nothing but joy to know I'm helping you, even a little."
Alister's tension eased, a faint, playful smirk tugging at his lips as he tilted his head.
"Helping? Lila, right now you're doing more distracting than helping, looking like that."
His voice carried a teasing lilt, though his eyes had a look of gratitude.
She chuckled warmly, yet with mischief.
"That's not what you said last night."
He let out a low laugh, shaking his head, his smile genuine now.
"Different circumstances. Now listen to —get so sleep already."
Lila's chuckle softened, and she gave him a mock salute. "Okay, okay, I'm going." She stepped back, the sheets swishing as she retreated into the room, casting him one last glance before slipping toward the bed, her silhouette fading into the soft light.
Alister's smile lingered for a mont, then faded as he turned back to the horizon, the city's glow no match for the weight settling in his chest.
"I have to go to Draven. If he's fighting a powerful calamity, I need to be there."
His eyes narrowed.
"...to devour it."
…
…
Back with Draven.
The ruined city trembled under a sky fractured by the massive crimson-black hole above, churning and bleeding raw ether.
Draven stood amidst the wreckage, his black armor gleaming, purple lightning crackling along its edges as he gripped Storm Cleaver, its jagged blade humming with violent energy. His purple eyes burned beneath his helm, locked on the Mad Emperor, who clawed his way free from a pile of rubble, blood oozing from cracks in his chitinous exoskeleton.
The Emperor's fleshy form heaved, his tattered robes fluttering, the red markings pulsing. The broken crown above his head spun erratically, its shards glinting in the light.
"You dare—" the Emperor hissed, his crimson eyes flaring as he raised his staff, the fractured gem atop it igniting with a deep HUMMMM.
The ground quaked, blood pooling upward in writhing tendrils as he thrust the staff forward. A barrage of crimson orbs materialized—streaking toward Draven like cots, each trailing a tail of dark ether.
Draven exploded into motion—CRACK—a blur of violet lightning, his boots shattering the stone beneath him—BOOM—as he zigzagged through the onslaught.
His greatsword swung in a wide arc—SHHHING—the blade's lightning cleaving the first orb clean in two with a deafening KRA-KOOM, sparks raining like a storm.
He spun mid-step, dodging another orb—WHOOSH—that detonated behind him, blasting a crater into the ground—BOOM—shrapnel pelting his armor with sharp pings.
A third grazed his shoulder—ZZZT—scorching the tal, but he twisted, unfazed, and charged straight at the Emperor.
The Emperor snarled, slamming his staff into the earth—THUNK. The blood-soaked ground erupted, a massive tendril of crimson surging upward, thick as a pillar, its surface writhing with jagged bone spikes.
Draven didn't slow. He leaped, flipping mid-air, lightning coiling around him like a serpent—CRACKLE.
Storm Cleaver slashed downward, tearing through the tendril's core, blood and bone exploding outward in a wet splatter.
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