The sky was a murky gray, smoke rose to it from different points in the city. Massive booms could be heard all around, all coming from an ongoing battle happening everywhere-the generals locked in a bloody clash, the riders clashing in the skies above, the unmistakable sound of roars and clashing steel ringing loudly.
Alister felt his control of Kaelan’s body slipping, it was as if the general wanted to understand what this scene he saw before him ment.
Kaelan’s eyes widened as he took a look at the scene before him. City now now in ruins, and the pain courcing through his body was too much to ignore. His voice trembled as he mumbled, “What… What’s going on?”
Na’zehra’s chuckle echoed, she leaned in close to him, a sick look of excitement on her face, her sinister smile widening as she took in the confused look Kaelan had on his face.
His helmet was already shatterd now, revealing his scared, roughed up face.
“Ah, being trapped in an alternate reality can do that to you. It messes with your mind, doesn’t it? But don’t worry, I’ll fill you in on what’s going down.”
She paused, then she suddenly pulled back. “But before that,” she said, tilting her head slightly as her smirk grew more wicked.
“I’m not satisfied with where we left off. I think we need another round.”
Out of nowhere, Na’zehra’s leg lashed out in a sudden burst of speed, her foot slamming into Kaelan’s abdomen. He gasped, his eyes bulging as the impact forced the air from his lungs. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he was sent hurtling through the air like a ragdoll, crashing violently into the ruins of nearby buildings. The sound of crumbling stone and metal echoed across the ruined city.
Kaelan lay in the rubble, his breathing ragged and shallow. He struggled to push himself up, his arms shaking as he tried to muster the strength to stand.
But his body betrayed him, and he collapsed back onto the ground. His scale armor, was now shattered, fragments of it littering the debris around him. Golden blood spewing from his numerous wounds, staining the ground beneath him.
Na’zehra, with a single wave of her hand, shattered the law of space. In an instant, she was standing over him, her presence now felt suffocating and oppressive.
She looked down at Kaelan with a mockingly sympathetic expression.
“Oh, look at you…” frёeweɓηovel.coɱ
“Trying to get back up again? You must really want to play some more, huh?”
She crouched down beside him, tilting her head as she examined his battered body, tracing her hand across his chest.
“Well,” she whispered, her voice low and menacing, “I’m more than happy to oblige.”
Kaelan’s vision blurred as he tried to focus on her, but his body refused to cooperate. His fingers twitched, grasping at the dirt and broken stone beneath him, but the strength he needed to lift himself simply wasn’t there.
Na’zehra slowly stood, her eyes never leaving Kaelan’s as she raised him with his hair.
“Let’s see how much longer you can last for.”
Na’zehra’s grip tightened around Kaelan’s hair as she lifted him effortlessly off the ground. With a sharp laugh, she began to slam him into the ground repeatedly, each impact sending shockwaves through the debris-strewn city. Kaelan’s body crumpled as it was repeatedly slammed, blood splattering across the shattered earth.
Chuckling darkly, Na’zehra finally raised him up to face her, her expression a twisted look of delight and malice.
She looked into his dazed eyes, savoring his pain and confusion.
“You’re still holding on?” she taunted, her voice a low, mocking purr.
Suddenly, she shattered the law of force, Her fist slammed into Kaelan’s abdomen with a sudden burst, sending him hurtling through the air like a ragdoll. His body crashed into the ruins of distant buildings, the force of the impact causing them to collapse in a cloud of dust.
Kaelan’s vision swam, the edges of his consciousness flickering as he struggled to stay awake. His eyes fluttered, fighting the pull of darkness, but what he saw next jolted him back to full
awareness.
In the distance, he witnessed a horrifying scene-a group of dragon kin riders ruthlessly slaughtering a dragon kin mother and her child.
The mother’s desperate cries filled the air, mingling with the child’s terrified screams. The riders showed no mercy, their blades cutting through flesh and bone, blood splattering across the ws and streets.
Kaelan’s heart pounded in his chest, his breath hitching in his throat.
“W-what… What is all this?” his voice was barely audible as he tried to make sense of the horror unfolding before him.
Na’zehra’s sinister smile widened as she suddenly teleported beside him. She grabbed him by the hair again, yanking his head up to force him to witness the ongoing massacre. “Look,” she hissed in his ear. “Look at the blood, the screams, the bodies all around you.” Kaelan’s eyes widened in shock as he took in the carnage. The ground was soaked with blood, the bodies of dragon kin littering the battlefield, their lifeless bodies twisted in agony.
The screams of the dying echoed in his ears, a symphony of despair and terror. Even Alister, deep within him, felt the surge of horror that gripped Kaelan’s heart.
“W-what… What is this madness?” Kaelan’s voice trembled as he finally found the strength to speak, his words shaky and filled with dread.
Na’zehra’s voice was cold, “It’s a purge,” she said simply, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“A purge?” he repeated, his voice cracking.
“What do you mean?”
Na’zehra’s expression remained indifferent as she explained.
“All these dragon kin were given a choice-pledge their loyalty to Lord Hamerion, or face the consequences. They refused. And those who refuse to serve our lord must be executed. It’s as simple as that.”
Kaelan’s breath caught in his throat as he watched a dragon kin mother and her child, their faces twisted in fear, running towards him. Before they could reach him, they were cut down by one of the riders, their bodies crumpling to the ground in a pool of their own blood.
His eyes widened further, the horror of the scene searing itself into his mind. He gritted his teeth, his voice trembling with fury and despair.
“Did it have to go this far? Isn’t this too extreme?”
Na’zehra’s laugh was cold, devoid of any warmth or compassion.
“Extreme?” she echoed, tilting her head as if considering the word. “No, we’re being merciful. They should have been tortured for their defiance, but instead, we’re letting them off easy. They turned down the offer to serve our lord, Kaelan. That’s a sin that deserves the
harshest punishment.”
Kaelan’s heart pounded in his chest, the weight of her words crashing down on him. The sight of the slaughter, the blood, the screams-it was too much. Yet, he could feel the anger and sorrow building inside him, the helplessness of the situation nearly crushing his soul. This was no longer just a battle; it was a massacre. And in the midst of it all, Kaelan felt a crushing despair, a sense of loss so profound that it threatened to consume him.
As if all this wasn’t enough, he heard a voice.
‘My generals, my people, I’m grateful you all put your faith in me. I’m grateful you were all
willing to give me a chance.’
‘You all believed in me, and yet, I failed to protect you all before the darkness even arrived.’
‘I failed to carry your hopes and dreams.’
‘I have failed as your lord…’
‘I know forgiveness is not something I am worthy of.’
‘Neither am I hoping you all are willing to offer it.’
‘I am simply here to apologize… and bid you all farewell…’
Crack.
The telepathic message suddenly ended, and along with it, a sharp pain stung in everyone’s
heads.