As Alister’s dragons emerged, the battlefield seemed to pause, as if holding its breath yet both thw sandworms and members of Xaiver’s team, standing to watch.
The shimmering air split with intense auras as cosmic rifts continued to tear open, pouring forth wyverns of varying sizes, each radiating immense power.
Their roars echoed across the sands, shaking the very ground beneath their feet.
Karl, holding his massive warhammer at the ready, took a step back and glanced toward Derek. “Isn’t this amount of summons unreal?” he muttered.
Derek, his gauntlets still glowing faintly from his recent attack, could only nod. “He’s like a walking natural disaster,” he replied with a touch of awe and respect.
Nearby, Ethan emerged from the shadows, his twin daggers spinning deftly in his hands. He smirked, though his sharp eyes remained on the battlefield. “Guess what he said in the Grand Meeting wasn’t a bluff after all,” he remarked.
Chase, meanwhile, stood frozen in the chaos, his icy spear in hand but momentarily forgotten. His sharp eyes tracked the dragons as they spread across the battlefield. His gaze shifted to Alister, standing at the epicenter of the summoning, his black hair fluttering in the rising winds.
The golden glow of Alister’s eyes pierced through the swirling sand, their intensity were unmatched. His commanding presence gave off an aura of confidence that seemed to dwarf even the most towering of his dragons.
Chase’s grip tightened around his spear as an overwhelming mix of emotions churned within him.
‘Alister… Is this how much stronger you’ve become?’ he thought, his teeth gritting as he clenched his free hand into a fist.
Memories of their past battles and struggles flashed in his mind. Back then, they had fought as equals or at least that’s how it had felt.
But now, standing here, watching Alister’s raw power command the battlefield, Chase couldn’t help but feel the growing gap between them.
Yet, in all the frustration, a flicker of determination sparked within him. ‘I won’t be left behind,’ Chase told himself silently, his icy spear reforming with a sharp snap.
As the summoning reached its peak, four distinct figures emerged from the swirling cosmic rifts.
Alzuring, Draven, Terra and Mar’Garet, strode forward in their dragon forms, all together the four dragons spoke with reverence as they lowered their heads to the sands… “We greet our lord.”
Alister’s golden eyes softened slightly as he gazed his loyal summons. “You may rise,” he commanded.
The dragons obeyed, standing tall as their immense forms loomed over the battlefield.
Mia and Lisa, who had been watching the display with wide eyes, exchanged glances.
“I like the way his summons are giving him the royal treatment,” Mia said with a touch of awe and admiration.
Lisa chuckled, folding her arms as her gaze lingered on Alister. “Now that I look at him again… he’s kinda cute,” she remarked, a mischievous grin appearing on her face.
Mia nodded in agreement, a playful smile forming. “Charming, too. I think I get why people call him the Dragon Lord now.”
“You know… I heard a certain rumor that he doesn’t have a girlfriend.”
Hearing Mia’s words, Mar’Garet’s expression darkened. She gritted her teeth, her fiery aura flaring momentarily as she turned her gaze toward the two human women.
Mia and Lisa froze, their playful expressions vanishing as Mar’Garet’s intense crimson eyes gazed trough there souls. Their faces went pale, and they instinctively took a step back, sensing the sudden hostility radiating from the dragon.
Alister noticed the tension immediately and turned to Mar’Garet with a questioning look. “Mar’Garet, what is it?”
In an instant, her fiery aura vanished, replaced by a radiant smile. “Oh, I’m perfectly fine, my lord,” she said sweetly, her tone almost too cheerful.
Alister sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Fine,” he said, though his voice carried a touch of exasperation.
He shifted his focus back to his dragons and the battlefield. “All of you, handle the remaining monsters here,” he commanded. “Terra, you’re with me. I might need your help navigating the sand castle ahead.”
Terra bowed her massive head in acknowledgment. “As you command, my lord.”
Alister turned to the others, his golden eyes narrowing as his aura intensified. “Alright then,” he said, his voice ringing with authority.
“Onward.”
The battlefield fell into a tense silence as Alister’s dragons and wyverns, now fully assembled, let out a synchronized, thunderous roar.
The sound rippled through the air like a shockwave, shaking the very earth beneath them. The ground cracked, trembling under the sheer force of their combined power.
The sandworms, what were previous relentless and fierce, began to retreat in a frenzy. They burrowed desperately into the sand, their massive forms writhing as they vanished from sight, clearly fleeing for their lives.
Chase, along with the others, stood in awe, unable to look away from the sight. His icy spear hung limply in his grasp, his earlier frustrations momentarily forgotten as he bore witness to the overwhelming display of dominance.
Even Xavier, a seasoned warrior and leader, found himself stunned. His jaw tightened as he scanned the scene, his sharp eyes watching as the desert’s monstrous inhabitants scattered
like leaves in a storm.
Alister, already standing atop Cinder, turned his glowing, golden eyes toward Xavier, then spoke. “Team Leader,” he said calmly, “I’m going ahead. With my dragons here, I’m certain you’ll be able to handle things much more easily.”
Xavier hesitated for a moment, reluctant to let Alister go but knowing there was little point in arguing. “Fine,” he said with a nod, though his voice carried a trace of unease.
Cinder spread her wings fully, the fiery edges casting an imposing glow across the sands. With a single, powerful beat, she launched into the sky, carrying Alister with her, Terra followed behind. Sand and dust swirled in their wake as they soared higher, becoming a blazing silhouette against the sun.
As the winds and sands from Cinder’s takeoff settled, Xavier muttered to himself, still processing what he just witnessed.
“What is there to handle?” he asked, a wry smile forming on his face. “The dragons basically chased away all the monsters.”
A short laugh escaped him as he shook his head in disbelief. “I knew the Guildmaster said he was strong, but this… this is something else.”