Fire, lightning, wind, and water rained down upon Dreagon, but he unfurled his massive wings, shielding himself from the onslaught. The attacks rippled across his body, yet he remained standing, his grin widening with unbridled excitement.
Jason seized the opening and darted forward at blinding speed, his fist colliding with Dreagon's face. Before Dreagon could react, Anna followed up with a powerful kick straight to his wounded chest. The impact forced a guttural roar from his throat.
Snarling, Dreagon retaliated, his maw parting to unleash a blinding beam of energy that erupted in every direction. The team barely managed to dodge, leaping back just in time to avoid obliteration.
From the shattered earth, enormous vines burst forth, coiling around Dreagon's limbs, locking him in place. Towering roses bloomed around him, their petals glowing ominously before unleashing devastating energy beams.
But instead of fear, Dreagon laughed. A wild, unhinged laughter that echoed across the battlefield.
"Yes! More! Show me more!"
With a pulse of raw energy, he shattered the vines constraining him, a shockwave obliterating the roses in an instant.
Connor appeared behind him in a blur, his fist slamming into Dreagon's back. The force sent a shockwave rippling through his body. Dreagon spun around to counter, but Anna was faster—bolts of lightning shot from her fingertips, striking his eye. He roared, blinded, staggering backward.
Then, from the shadows, a massive lavender flower bloomed behind him. Its eyes snapped open, locking onto Dreagon.
His expression darkened. "Not this again…"
Even as he squeezed his eyes shut, the effect was instantaneous. His body seized up, his energy faltering. His consciousness flickered—then, nothing.
Jason capitalized on the moment, dashing forward at speeds beyond comprehension. His fist crashed into Dreagon's stomach, sending his massive form skidding backward.
But Dreagon's eyes snapped open once more, this time blazing with fury. He fixated on Jack.
"That brat…!"
Lavender, aflowercapableofputtinganythingtosleepatamereglance—nomatteritsstrength. Anyactiveabilitieswouldalsoshutdown, leavingthetargetvulnerable. Inordertoawakeontime, thetargetmusthave a strong mind, trainedtoresistmindalterations.
Dreagon, despitehisintellect, hadsuccumbed. Hadhebeenleftalone, itwouldhavetakenhimtimetowakeonhisown.
With a furious cry, he launched himself into the sky, releasing a shockwave of pure energy that spread across the battlefield. The elementiels weaved through the blasts, dodging with precision, as Dreagon set his sights on Jack.
His mind raced. "My energy keeps draining every time I fight them. That brat must be the cause. I have to eliminate him first."
Just as he closed in, a sudden surge of water erupted from below, slamming into him like a tidal wave, forcing him back down to the earth.
Before he could recover, Anna materialized behind him, her fists moving at inhuman speeds. A thousand strikes crashed against his back in a single second.
Dreagon bellowed in pain, lashing out with his claws. His strike connected, sending Anna flying backward. But before he could capitalize, vines wrapped around his legs, anchoring him in place.
Jack struck next, a devastating kick to the knee. Jason followed up immediately, his fist connecting with Dreagon's neck.
"Enough!!!"
Two enormous dragons erupted from his back, their fangs bared. One snatched Jason, dragging him through the ground with terrifying force. The other unleashed a blast of ice, encasing Jack in a frozen prison.
But Jack was unfazed. In an instant, he shattered the ice and retaliated, bolts of lightning striking the dragon's eyes, forcing it into a screeching retreat.
Connor raised his hands, summoning a tidal wave that crashed over Dreagon.
Dreagon cackled, barely phased. "Please! What was that supposed to do?"
"This!"
Anna appeared once more, her entire body crackling with electricity. She pressed both palms against Dreagon's soaked body—then, she unleashed the full force of her power.
A blinding surge of lightning coursed through him, his body convulsing under the sheer intensity of it.
And then—
Jason shot toward him at max speed, his fist engulfed in flames.
Dreagon's eyes widened. "No, you don't—!"
One of his dragons lunged to intercept, but Connor and Anna tackled it, pinning it down. Jack handled the other.
Jason locked eyes with Dreagon, his gaze unwavering.
"Burn."
His fist slammed into Dreagon's stomach, a blow so powerful it sent shockwaves across the battlefield. Dreagon coughed up a massive amount of blood, his body writhing.
Vines coiled around him once more, locking his limbs in place. The others latched onto him from all sides, holding him down with every ounce of strength they had left.
Jack reverted back to his human form, reaching into his pocket. A small vial of liquid shimmered between his fingers.
He landed on Dreagon's shoulder and poured the potion into his mouth.
"No…!!!"
A violent eruption of energy burst from Dreagon's body, sending them all flying back. He struggled to stand, his laughter bordering on hysteria.
"You fools! Nothing can stop me! No—"
Then, suddenly—he choked.
His body convulsed. His form began to twist, distort.
"What…? What is… happening?!!!"
An eerie voice echoed in his mind, a voice he thought he had erased.
"No… You were gone… You can't… be… back!!!"
Jason and the others watched in stunned silence as Dreagon's body split apart—his flesh peeling, warping. The massive energy that had once defined him now seemed unstable. And then—
Two figures emerged.
On one side, a colossal dragon, its wings unfurled. On the other, a frail, sickly man.
Anna took a hesitant step forward. "Is that… Darius?"
Darius turned to face them, his face twisted with fury. "You… FOOLS!!!"
Anna flinched at the sheer hatred in his voice.
"You ruined everything! My plan was—" His voice wavered as his body thinned, growing more fragile by the second. He collapsed to the ground, his breath ragged.
His eyes darted around in panic. "Impossible! I was one with the queen… How could you have…?"
Jack approached him, his expression unreadable. "I figured it out when I studied your notes."
Darius' fading eyes locked onto him.
Jack continued, his voice cold. "You used parts of your old body to craft your new one. You sacrificed human tissue in favor of dragon flesh… which explains why Mark found you so deformed."
He knelt beside Darius, his piercing gaze unwavering. "As long as portions of the queen's body, especially her brain, remained inside you… separation was possible."
Darius' body continued to shrink, his breathing growing shallow. Within moments, his form withered into nothing. His lifeless body lay on the ground, thin as a husk.
Connor exhaled, watching the sight unfold. "What… happened to him?"
Jack stood, brushing the dust from his hands. "When he created his new body, he relied too much on dragon parts. Without enough human elements to sustain him… he simply couldn't survive on his own."
Jason stared at Darius' lifeless form for a long moment. "He's gone now. That's all that matters."
"Guys…" Anna's voice trembled. "The queen… she's getting up."
All eyes snapped toward the massive dragon stirring on the battlefield.
The volcanic plains still simmered with the echoes of battle, smoke curling into the twilight sky. The moment Darius fell, the chaos that had engulfed the battlefield subsided.
One by one, the dragons stopped their feral clashes, their once-burning rage dissipating into confusion. Then, as if drawn by an unseen force, they turned, wings spreading wide, and took to the sky, heading towards their queen.
The knights watched In bewilderment.
"Where are they going?" one murmured, gripping the hilt of his sword.
King Arthur narrowed his eyes, watching the flight of the great beasts. Then, without hesitation, he raised his voice.
"Everyone! Follow them!"
Without question, his men obeyed, their boots pounding against the charred earth as they ran after the dragons.
At the heart of the battlefield, the queen slowly rose onto her four legs, her brilliant red scales dimmed by exhaustion. She turned her gaze toward Jason and the others, her golden eyes filled with something foreign—vulnerability.
"You…" Her voice, though regal, wavered slightly. "You saved me? But how… why?"
Connor stepped forward, his expression unwavering. "Because the dragons need their queen." His voice was firm, resolute. "For too long, they've been manipulated by Darius, twisted into something they were never meant to be."
She shook her head. "No." Her voice was soft yet resolute. "Darius is not the one to blame. When he merged with me… my thoughts, my feelings, they clouded his mind."
The gathered dragons landed around her, their glowing eyes watching her in silence.
She lifted her gaze, her wings folding at her sides. "Deep down… I wanted him to succeed. Even if I lacked the courage to go as far as he did, I still wished for my children to be free from fear. I wanted them to have a home, to be safe. But I… I was not strong enough to protect our continent. Or my love."
Jason's breath hitched.
She lowered her head, the mighty Queen of Dragons bowing before them. "End me. After all the trouble I've caused, I have no right to live anymore."
Silence.
Jason's fists clenched at his sides, his knuckles turning white.
The knights arrived then, their armor glinting in the sunlight. King Arthur dismounted his horse, his heavy footsteps echoing as he approached.
Anna glanced at Jason, sensing the turmoil within him.
Then, Jason exhaled sharply and stepped forward.
"…No."
The dragon queen raised her head slightly, eyes widening. "What?"
Jason met her gaze without hesitation. "No. We won't kill you."
She stared at him in disbelief. "But… why?"
"Because this isn't your fault," Jason said, his voice steady. "If Darius hadn't merged with you, none of this would have happened. You never asked for this. You were just trying to protect your kind."
The king stepped beside him. "For centuries, dragons and humans have killed each other. But how long must this cycle continue?" He gestured toward the battlefield, toward the knights and dragons standing together in uneasy silence. "If we truly desire peace, we must be willing to change."
Arthur steps forward, his armor gleaming under the sunlight.
"I understand your pain. The weight of your past, the burden of your choices—it all lingers, whispering that you are unworthy of redemption. But listen to me now. A ruler does not abandon their people when they have fallen; they rise, they rebuild, and they guide them toward a better future."
"You believe that your actions have condemned you, that the blood spilled in this war can never be washed away. But tell me—if you let yourself fade into nothingness, who will lead your kind into the future? Who will ensure that dragons and humans do not remain locked in an endless cycle of hatred?"
He smiled. "If you truly desire peace, do not turn away from it now. Live. Lead. And together, let us forge a world where neither human nor dragon must live in fear of the other."
Arthur extends his hand toward her, his eyes unwavering. "The past is written in stone, but the future is ours to shape. Choose to live, my queen. Not for your mistakes, but for what comes next."
The queen studied him for a long moment, her golden eyes searching his face. Then, she sighed. "Can you promise me that my children won't be hunted by humans anymore?"
Arthur stroked his beard in thought before answering. "Unlike you, my queen, I cannot control every human in the world." He met her gaze with quiet sincerity. "But I will do everything in my power to make sure they are safe."
Her wings twitched slightly, as if testing the weight of his words. She closed her eyes briefly before lifting her head high.
"You all had the power to kill Darius," she murmured. "Yet you went through the trouble of setting me free. I… respect that." She exhaled, her breath warm against the cool air. "Very well. From this day forth, I will command my dragons to hunt only animals. We will coexist… in peace."
Captain Will stepped forward, his arms crossed. "That's all well and good, but what happens five hundred years from now? You'll hibernate eventually, won't you? When that happens, who will keep them in check?"
The queen chuckled, the sound rumbling deep in her throat. "After all the experiments Darius performed on himself to achieve 'perfection,' I don't believe I need to hibernate anymore."
Anna stepped closer, offering a small smile. "Thank you… Your Highness."
The queen's eyes softened. "Please, call me Seraphina."
Connor tilted his head. "So… where will you go now?"
The dragon queen looked over her kin, her expression unreadable. "I do not know. We cannot stay here."
King Arthur was silent for a moment before nodding to himself. "North Camelot has vast lands of untouched mountains and caves. No humans reside there. It should provide you and your kin shelter… for now."
Seraphina smiled, a rare but genuine expression. "Thank you, King Arthur. This marks the beginning of a new era."
She turned, spreading her massive wings as she let out a thunderous roar. Her dragons responded in kind, their voices rising in unison. One by one, they took to the sky, flying northward toward their new home.
Just before she could take off, Jason took a step forward, his voice calling out to her.
"Seraphina!"
She paused, glancing back.
Jason met her gaze, determination burning in his eyes. "I promise you… one day, I'll help you reclaim your land!"
A slow smile stretched across her face. "Then I will be counting on you to save us, Jason Marquoid."
With a powerful beat of her wings, she ascended into the sky, soaring alongside her kin. The knights and soldiers stood in silent awe, watching as the dragons disappeared into the horizon.
Ben scratched his head, exhaling. "What an odd day this has been."
Adam chuckled, shaking his head. "That's an understatement."
King Arthur mounted his horse, surveying his men. Then, with a commanding voice, he called out—
"Come now, everyone! It's time to return home."
With a shared nod, the knights and soldiers gathered their things and began the long journey back.
As Jason glanced once more at the sky, a single thought lingered in his mind.
Oneday…Iwillkeepmypromise.