"Dear~"
A woman whispered, her blissfully beautiful voice laced with a hint of worry hidden in vain.
Glimmering platinum pink hair rested above an otherworldly stunning face, one stern with confidence, yet betrayed by her soft golden eyes.
"Don't worry, Lucia. It will all be alright"
The man before her smiled, resting his hand on her shoulder with a reassuring smile. His azure eyes held within them a soft gaze as the distant screams of anguish from beyond the walls faded into the background.
"Wait here, I will be back soon."
He spoke in a tranquil voice, yet with undeniable confidence.
"W-wait! You don't have any strength now. Stay here, with me... I will protect us"
Lucia voice trembled, her arms pulling the sleeping child closer in her arms. The man only chuckled softly.
"Don't worry Lucia. Trust me"
Lucia understood, being stubborn wouldn't stop him. Heaving a deep sigh she nodded, her eyes still tinged with worry.
"C-come back safe"
With a nod, he turned to the miniature lizard with wings beside his feet.
"Gaia, Protect them"
Gaia cooed, letting out a sheepish roar. The man turned around and left through the door of the royal room.
"L-lord Veldanava. Please stay inside, you must not go outside"
The guards outside the room cried out in alarm.
'Protect Master Veldanava, my sister and Milim at all costs' was an order of the highest degree given to them by the Emperor himself.
"There is no need for that, just protect them"
Veldanava glanced once at the door behind him that separated him from his family.
"M-My Lord, you must n--"
They tried to protest, but a single glance stopped them and their words in their throats.
"You do not have to worry about me."
As those words brushed past their ears, all they could do was watch helplessly as Veldanava smiled, soon his back dissapearing into the concourse.
+—————+
Screams echoed across the earth, bloodcurdling screams exploded throughout the capital of the rising Nasca Kingdom as it bathed in flames.
The soldiers clad in purple and metallic armour pierced through the city walls and guards like a hot knife through butter.
The anguish spread through the city with speeds words couldn't describe.
Fright. Dread. Horror. Terror only grew as each of the guards fell at the hands on the invaders. One after the other the defenders fell, struggling to hold back the intruders even at the cost of their own lives.
With their Ruler and Guardian Deity nowhere in sight, their confidence only dimmed as the invasion advanced.
Amongst this vile chaos, emerging from the castle located at the heart of the city, walked out a humanoid silhouette that slowly advanced towards the invading forces.
The silhouette was recognized by the people, met with a short lived hint of relief but soon was replaced by the dread that overwhelmed them.
"L-LORD VELDANAVA! PLEASE! YOU MUST NOT BE OUT HERE!"
The guards begged, however, all they recieved for an answer was a soft smile, one that somehow was impossible for them to rebute, and could only watch as his steps advanced.
Veldanava stopped as the charging horde fell into his sight. As their eyes met, the battalion of soldiers froze.
Before them was breathtaking beauty. Not calling it divine wouldn't even do it a single thread of justice.
Veldanava's visage stood at the pinnacle of the world. Long jet black hair that touched his waist, white specks permeating its entirety, mirroring the brilliant night sky that flowed from the top of his forehead which housed 2 draconic horns that arched back. His modest stature, a body that couldn't be distinguished from male and female at a glance, held on them shimmering azure eyes that seemed to hold the mysteries and truth of the world itself.
This was not enough to stop all of the soldiers, as a few rushed at him, their swords drawn and eyes coursing with fury, almost vengeful.
Veldanava's ever-present smile faded, as his lips curled down into a subtle frown. This did little to hinder the soldiers, as they rushed at him without hesitation, weapons drawn and spells ready to be unleashed.
Veldanava's feet remained motionless before the upcoming onslaught, about to crush his feeble human body.
Swish.
From thin air, behind the soldiers reached him, a fiery arrow infused with magicules zoomed from above, piercing Veldanava's forehead with little resistance, ending his life without a moment wasted.
The soldiers halted, their mouth agape as the witnessed the sight.
"Hah—"
A Squadron Leader came forward, looking at the corpse.
"This is what your kind deserves for taking them away. Damn Monster!"
Sir Orion is right, these monsters should just die— The soldiers thought. The supposed 'invincible' monster had just been killed without any problem right before them.
In their minds, it only cemented the thought that the Nasca Kingdom was not as dangerous as they thought. With newfound confidence in their hearts, the invaders charged toward the castle.
There was no one who could stop them now. The guards that remained were nothing compared to the sheer number and power the assault held.
This was unusual, the attack was going…a bit too well. The Nasca Capital was on the verge on being completely annihilated.
DOOM!
The invaders… no, everyone in the city… no, everyone in the entire 'world' froze, as an unimaginable aura blasted forth.
It was terrifying, no doubt about it, but it somehow held no ill intent.
However, a warning it warranted, that was undoubtedly clear.
With shaking hands and trembling feet, their gazes slowly traced to the entity above, the source of this aura, and then they saw… 'him'.
The Majestic Cyan Dragon floating in the clouds, it's large wings spread out as if covering the sky itself. White eyes that bore stern benevolence, watching from the heavens above.
"Leave!"
The low voice echoed throughout the kingdom. It was not a request, nor a statement. Anyone who heard it would tell, it was a simple, absolute order.
A moment of deafening silence engulfed the city, before suddenly-
"AAAAAAHH!"
Frantic screams of terror and desperation arose throughout the city yet again, but this time, it was different.
The ones in terror were not from the civilians of the city, but rather, the supposed invaders.
The soldiers thrashed about, crushing one other beneath their feet, rushing out of the city. No destination. The only thing in their mind was to get as far away as possible from the… monster that looked down on them from above.
3 minutes…that was all it took for the soldiers to completely flee from the city, at least those who still clinged to life.
Witnessing this sight, the cyan dragon descended from the sky.
As its feet lay upon the earth, its body transformed into a humanoid figure that was all too familiar to the onlookers.
'The Star-King Dragon' had returned.
Veldanava turned to the castle, and with closed eyes, vanished into thin air, as the people of the capital gathered around with mixed expressions.
+—————+
Opening his eyes, Veldanava was met with the sight of his wife sitting on the bed, her eyes on him, moist and full of emotions.
…
A pregnant silence engulfed the room. Veldanava understood what was coursing through his wife's mind.
He felt it through every connection that his soul had, emotions of fear, anger…and even a semblance of hatred.
Veldanava was not like her. He was a 'Holy Will of Nature', a Dragon…no a 'True Dragon', the original and the first of his kind, an immortal being that stood beyond the cycle of reincarnation. No matter how weakened, it was at anytime that he could ressurect himself at full power.
To him, Death was something…trivial.
But this was only one side of the story. Lucia knew that a Holy Will could ressurect, however, there was a creeping doubt in her heart.
When she was pregnant, Veldanava had passed on a majority of his then remaining power to their child, their daughter, Milim.
This resulted in something she couldn't have thought of even in her nightmares.
After her husband gave up his power, his body destabilized…and exploded into pieces.
Her heart clenched just thinking about it, holding back the ocean behind her eyes.
At least, somehow he still found flesh to inhabit in his subsequent reincarnation. With those fragments and all the remaining power he had left, he gifted himself, or more accurately his daughter, a pet dragon, a being akin to lesser split body of the Original Dragon.
But what was left of Veldanava was a merely a hint of his former self. His power no more than that of a normal human, and for the first time, he found himself bound to a lifespan.
Veldanava was reduced to something…human. This shocked her, but he seemed exhilarated at this, much to her and her brother's dismay.
Following this was a constant sense of fear, that Veldanava, now akin to a human, perhaps could no longer ressurect.
She believed that he could, but that threat occupied a darkness in her heart still, and as she felt his death through the connection of their souls, the fear transformed into dread.
It was only for a couple of seconds, but that felt like years to her. And now stood before her Veldanava in the flesh yet again.
Emotions raged within her, anger for making her worry, confusion, anxiety, but most importantly, relief that he had returned to her.
"Lucia—"
Veldanava's soft voice snapped her out of her thoughts as her eyes darted to his apologetic face.
Heaving a deep sigh, she looks at him with her tender gaze.
"Please do not do that again…and i am glad you are alright"
"I won't, I will never abandon you"
Veldanava smiled, before sitting down beside her. His hands trailed to Milim's hair, before taking her in his arms.
His eyes softened, as he fondly stared at the young Milim.
His heart fluttered at the sight, the joy it brought surpassed even when intelligent beings had first sprung into being.
Taking in this sight, Gaia cooed, climbing up Lucia's lap and curled up, earning her smile.
Veldanava's eyes widened slightly…before smiling softly.
He didn't plan it before, had only ever once thought of it before but…maybe he should not leave 'her' alone anymore.
+—————+
Orion gritted his teeth as he ran…and ran..and ran--
Even as his legs gave out, even as he fell to his face, he kept crawling.
Tears streamed down his face…with it came not a sob, but—
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"
He couldn't do it. His body just refused to face that 'monster'. He was an 'Enlightened', a 'Hero' who fought for his nation, then why…
"WHY THE HELL ARE THEY SO STRONG?!!!!"
There was nothing he could do…not against that monster.
The Ulmerian Union would not take them back….he knew, they were just a suicide group sent to the den of a lion.
But everyone of them had one thing in common…HATE.
All of his comrades remembered that night as clear as day…
They could clearly remember the dark silhouette of that monster even through the smoke.
The Storm that laid waste to their home, the monster's wings destroying the city with just a flap, the lightning that burnt their family alive, the damn monster that took everything from them.
"Juli…Cain—"
What could he do? There was nothing he could do, not to that monster…WHY THE HELL DID THEY HAVE THAT POWER?!
His vision blurred. In blind anger, he bit his own tongue.
He was not going down…
Remembering the lifeless eyes of his wife and child, he swore.
He will not die, he will never die, not until he WIPES OUT THE DRAGONS FROM THE FACE OF THE WORLD!
"RAAAAAAHHH!!!"
«Confirmed. Unique Skill [Wrath] Acquired»