Chapter 112: Venomous Hatred
Chapter 112: Venomous Hatred
“Father… Lord?”
For a moment, the boy’s surprise could only be described as immense.
Though he had never made a reckless estimate of Duke Connalyvis’s power, only now did Constantine realize he had greatly underestimated his father’s might… The battle axe’s haft and the claw scraped against each other, sparks flying before his eyes alongside a teeth-grating screech. Generally speaking, the force transmitted through the tip of a long weapon in a stalemate is far less than that from a single palm. Yet the Duke merely held his weapon with ease, standing firm like a mountain. The dragon claw, twisted to nearly the thickness of a man’s waist, couldn’t advance an inch.
This scene didn’t last long. With a single, effortless lift by Duke Connalyvis, the two weapons separated amidst louder grating!
“Who are you?” The half-dragonized girl retreated two steps. As the strongest among magical beasts, dragons possessed intelligence equal to, or even far exceeding, humans. She naturally knew this figure before her possessed strength undoubtedly not inferior to, and likely surpassing, the warrior she’d faced moments ago. Yet she showed no sign of giving up, lowering her body slightly. Her gaze remained fixed on the boy beside Duke Connalyvis. Golden pupils held a fury that seemed almost tangible.
However, the situation was now overwhelmingly against her.
The next moment, the thick fog blanketing the area suddenly began to churn violently. Magical power within this region swelled abnormally large. Space warped to some degree. A blinding Magic Circle materialized in the air. Three figures in white robes stepped forth from the void accompanied by faint electrical sparks – their robes adorned with golden Runes, their bodies radiating brilliant power. Soft chanting arose around them as they appeared, a soothing glow revitalizing the spirits of all living beings.
“Honored Silver Lady, I am Valerian Ficken, a servant of Pelo in this city. Please answer me, noble being such as yourself: why have you left your ancestral home to come here, causing wanton destruction and disturbing the small peace the Three Gods have granted humanity?”
One of the white-robed figures waved a long Staff. A warm radiance descended from the heavens, filling Constantine’s body with potent Positive Energy. The frost-covered wound on his chest instantly began healing at a visible rate. The Cleric embroidered with a golden Holy Symbol bowed deeply towards the wary Silver Dragon Lady and spoke slowly, his voice clear and gentle. Though it was an accusation, it held no trace of aggression.
Constantine frowned. Followers of the Three Gods of Light and the legendary righteous Metallic Dragon Clan had always shared friendly relations. Rumors spoke of mutual oaths sworn between their Deities. Therefore, without knowing the full truth of the event, these priests clearly showed some partiality towards the magical beast’s side.
However, luckily, his own side wasn’t quite abandoned either. Amidst the fading glow of the Magic Circle, a shimmering blue Gate, representing Astral Planar travel, silently sketched open. A tall figure robed in Black Robes emerged. No flashy display, but with his presence alone, the ambient Magic Power was stirred into an invisible turbulence. Even Constantine, a low-level Sorcerer, could feel the Arcane Power in the air gathering towards this figure! The previously floating white-robed figures all wobbled slightly mid-air.
“Thought it was an enemy attack… just an overambitious little lizard… Daring to cause havoc here! Know that this is not your Feers’ Central Mountains, where your whims run wild!” The master of the Archmage Tower let out a low, cold laugh. He merely gestured lightly, no visible spellcasting, yet the once-dense fog immediately began to dissipate. Within breaths, the air cleared completely. The screams of surrounding citizens, the neighing of Horses, the whistles summoning soldiers – a cacophony of noise flooded everyone’s ears.
“Archmage, this seems to be a misunderstanding…” Emerging from the fading fog, the middle-aged Noble swordsman spoke calmly. Though he stood on the ground and his voice wasn’t raised, it reached each ear clearly: “This Lady believes… Viscount Constantine is responsible for the death of a relative, hence this… series of incidents.”
“A pathetic excuse! Constantine is but a youth! How could he be involved with magical beasts of a dragon’s caliber?” Duke Connalyvis sneered this time. He gave his poleaxe an easy spin, carving a sharp whistle through the air: “These lizards are notorious for holding grudges! Even a scent lingering on a three-year-old child can trigger their revenge! I say they’ll never learn their lesson without a harsh reprimand!”
“You lowly…! The aura of my brother Abram Gascodos clings plainly to that murderer! Such clear evidence leaves no room for denial!”
The scornful accusation drew a furious roar from the Silver Lady. But in the end, reason held her murderous impulse at bay. She knew the power of the two warriors before her all too well. Moreover, the presence of an Archmage… Even Constantine, inaccurate as his power-assessment might be, grasped that this combination was sufficient to defeat her, though she stood at the summit of the magical beast hierarchy.
“Esteemed Duke Connalyvis, I believe there must be some misunderstanding… Would it be agreeable for both sides to grace our Sanctuary, presenting testimonies to dispel this error?”
After a slight hesitation, the high Priest of Pelo’s Temple spoke. This predicament left him conflicted, but judging by the current standoff, the Connallyvis Family would absolutely not relent. And as Humans, they couldn’t overly favor the Silver Dragon.
“Unnecessary… I have reason to believe this evil beast threatens the city’s safety without cause. By the law of the Phoenix Empire, I have the right to slay it…” The Western Frontier Governor coldly cut him off, angling his poleaxe!
“In the name of the Just Lord, Life Beam Balancer Landis! Who stands in my way becomes my enemy!” With this, her last ounce of patience vanished. A thunderous roar echoed. Amid a flickering magical glimmer, the Silver Lady vanished! Rolling silver light and a sharp metallic tang permeated the air. The slender figure amidst the radiance expanded, stretched—and the next instant, she transformed into a large, graceful creature!
Over twenty feet long, her noble form shone with silver light through the mist, resembling a statue forged from pure silver. But one foreclaw was twisted into an unnatural shape, hanging limp—the massive granite statue Constantine had used for his ambush weighed thousands of pounds. Even a fully formed Silver Dragon couldn’t emerge unscathed. Mirror-like scales curled back, revealing dark red flesh beneath, marring her beauty. Thick blood rolled from the wound, the stark color contrast making it all the more ghastly.
Seemingly indifferent to the pain fueling her rage, she only roared and charged towards her mortal enemy!
Legends spoke of Silver Dragons possessing the greatest speed among Dragonkin. Now Constantine knew it for certain. A piercing shriek—the large body vanished from the air! He only managed to glimpse eyes blazing with boundless hate before an overwhelming tide of icy murderous aura crashed over him! An earth-shaking collision instantly erupted into a towering tornado, hurling the boy backwards!
Stumbling back dozens of steps until he slammed into a wall, Constantine felt every muscle trembling in the storm’s aftermath. Had the earlier Divine Magic not still been active, he doubted he could stand at all.
At the storm’s center, two vastly different forms collided and parted again. Deadly spell energy gathered with the dragon’s sonorous Draconic incantation. Light and shadow flickered violently in the air like a sudden downpour. Distant onlookers saw only plumes of dust rising. But through Constantine’s dark vision, countless objects—far faster, more potent, exponentially more destructive than raindrops—materialized mid-air and streaked towards Duke Connalyvis. Constantine sucked in a breath, feeling goosebumps rise… They were globs of ice, seemingly conjured from moisture by Arcane might. Yet the sonic booms trailing each ice sphere revealed speeds rivaling rapid-fire weaponry!
But the Human’s counterattack was no less fierce! Swinging his poleaxe, a wall erupted before him! Filthy sludge and stones surged upwards like a solid waterfall! Under its cover, the Western Frontier Governor retreated at an incredible speed! Ice globes shattered against hard-packed earth in endless patterns while the Duke leapt skyward! His long halberd whirled through the air!
The moment he vanished, the entire building behind him heaved violently. Instantly, the granite structure succumbed to the force and began collapsing. Yet the direction and manner of the collapse defied nature—granite beams, walls, and countless furnishings churned, compressed together. Next instant, these fragments seemed imbued with life, lunging en masse at the large beast coated in silver radiance! Churning dust engulfed the entire block. Flying debris was caught by a sudden whirlwind. The ruined house twisted into a bizarre shape, brick, wood, and stone interlocking like muscles and tendons. A spell similar to animation extracted the building’s sturdiest parts, molding them into a malformed, massive hand.
Yet, the next moment, this hand was pinned down… if a ten-foot-long ice spike thick enough for man could be called an arrow. The hand still thrashed like a dying serpent, sprouting jagged blades, twisting and snapping in a hopeless last struggle.
The warrior wielding the halberd surged upward from a whirlwind. Bathed in a faint crimson aura, the tangible magical shield around him shimmered like rippling water.
Dragon claw. Human poleaxe. The two weapons collided violently once more! Suddenly, both combatants froze in mid-air! As still as statues depicting heroic tales of the past…
A chance! Constantine narrowed his eyes, a malicious smile playing on his lips.
Perhaps the relatively safer environment finally freed Constantine’s thoughts. Brain cells once solely focused on survival now turned elsewhere… After a brief moment of reasoning, he pulled a Scroll from his waist and unfurled it. It crumbled to gray dust. Air stirred, dancing to the guidance of his fingers. The boy’s pupils dilated, sensing the Arcane Power in the air resonate with his own will… an extraordinarily strange sensation. A fifty mile-per-hour gale coalesced under his mental direction, churning into a tiny, focused vortex!
No one paid any heed to this action. All eyes remained fixed on the duel—dragon versus man below. Thus, the boy’s slender fingers wove slow circles. Air transformed into two miniature, elongated dark cyclones in an instant! With a flick of both wrists, as if alive, the whirlwinds dipped slightly before snapping viciously onto the Silver Dragon’s injured forearm!
A dissatisfied grunt escaped the airborne Clerics. To him, the boy’s act was sheer recklessness and foolishness. A spell of that magnitude couldn’t possibly inflict significant harm upon a Dragonkin; it would merely ignite the terrifying creature’s fury once more!
Yet, the next instant, the Silver Dragon shrieked in terror!
The spell she’d dismissed wrought a strange and horrifying effect! Her very blood seemed tugged by an unseen force! The moment the air vortex touched the wound on her left forelimb, an unprecedented numbness and cold exploded outward! The Dragon’s powerful heartbeat became the culprit! Air pressure within the vortex’s core dropped to a terrifying low! Thus, crimson blood, fueled by the exerted Dragon’s rapidly beating heart, surged violently from the wound!
Even this formidable beast couldn’t endure the agony of her blood being forcibly drawn!
She wanted to rear back, to flee, but her adversary afforded no quarter. The more she struggled, the more this natural force, like a greedy Demonic entity, sucked lifeblood from her body! She roared, attempting to dislodge her foe, but her muscles, starved of vital blood, couldn’t muster sufficient strength!
True fear struck the Silver Dragon. She had grievously underestimated her small but vicious enemy. After futile struggles, this truth finally dawned upon her. Simultaneously, a terrifying realization struck: she couldn’t win! And her opponent possessed sufficient strength to utterly erase her from the very Prime Material Plane!
The great beast wrenched her jaws open once more, unleashing a feeble, cone-shaped exhalation…
Unlike the prior icy barrage, this was a diffuse gas. Yet, this time, it succeeded! It forced the relentless power binding her to recoil! For this was her Breath Weapon, the Silver Dragon’s ultimate secret weapon capable of paralyzing even the mightiest creatures!
Seizing the sliver of relief, the Silver Dragon threw herself backward without hesitation! Draconic phrases ripped apart the air, a shimmering blue Gate spell forming!
Yet, at this precise moment, an azure glow erupted from that black-robed figure! Ripples distorted the surrounding space! A sharp, distinct crack echoed in every ear. The distorted space returned to normal!
“A Dimensional Lock… This unlucky dragon likely won’t escape…” The Lich within the Soul Amulet sighed, only to be cut short. Another reversal struck mid-air! A piercing shriek tore through the sky! Every figure previously standing aloft was violently slammed downward! Simultaneously, everything grounded – rubble, dust, even Constantine himself – was violently yanked upward at once!
The innate Draconic spell, anti-gravity, had utterly inverted gravity within its area! Those magically sustained aloft fell; those previously grounded flew skyward!
Amidst a blinding storm of swirling dust, the Silver Dragon spread her vast silver wings and surged violently into the clouds! Only her shrill, furious bellow reverberated like a giant bell through the atmosphere… carrying such venomous hatred that Constantine shuddered uncontrollably…
I swear upon the name of the Just Lord, Life Beam Balancer Landis… I will take that life! His Soul shall burn for eternity within Dragonfire!
…
“Calm your rage! Honored Majesty, forgive my incompetence! These are all the details we’ve managed to uncover thus far. But, if you permit, hear my explanation.” Two miles away, within the lofty spire of Falkens Palace, Phoenix’s Imperial Justice Minister Rodmont Yamat bowed deeply. Cold sweat poured down his temples, soaking his collar, but he remained unaware.
Standing at the window surveying the distant turmoil, the Empire’s Sole Authority let a cutting aura of murderous intent permeate every corner of the room. This pressure rivaled the boiling Silver Dragon visible wreathed among the clouds. The merely Human Noble struggled to maintain his standing, meticulously choosing his words, acutely aware that one misstep could invite the Emperor’s devastating retribution.
“Your Majesty, I recount only verified events. Verifying them cost me three senior operatives… but their intelligence is indisputably reliable… We can now confirm the assassination attempt within the Oriel Estate involved manipulation by at least… three factions… Among them… two His Highnesses…”