He couldn't answer immediately—yet he couldn't stay completely silent either. So, he answered.
"Progenitor of the dragons… I kneel before the Destroyer. It wasn't me who did this."
From behind, Raven rasped, her voice strained and fading,
"It was not him, my dear. Your mere presence must have already killed the one responsible. The man you see lying there—that was the one who did this to me."
. . .
A dragon—lava red, adorned with streaks of black.
His face was massive, his neck flowing into a monstrous body, and his wings—by far the largest part—cast a shadow so vast it blanketed the both cities, from Royal manor to the academy itself.
It was none other than Fafner.
Upon his back rode four small figures: Luck, Ember, Mischel, and Shelly.
They had already discussed what Fafner knew.
Luck held a glowing white pearl, its radiant light spilling through the atmosphere like stardust.
"Remember the plan," Ember said.
They nodded, expressions carved from stone—utter confidence in their eyes.
They were going to do something colossal. Something that would change everything.
. . .
The deity still burned with intensity. His eyes narrowed toward the Oni.
"I know who you are. You are one of My blood… you belong to the Golden Family, child. Don't you?"
The Oni nodded solemnly.
"Then you also know what I'm going to do to this world, don't you?"
Again, the Oni nodded. He swallowed thickly and responded,
"Yes… I know, my dear ancestor. I'm fortunate to serve you. Even more fortunate to simply witness your presence."
The deity studied him with cold caution.
Then, he moved—approaching the broken form of Raven lying behind the Oni.
Step… step… step…
Each footfall rang in the air—not upon the ground. Even the wind seemed to vanish around him.
When he reached her, he knelt beside Raven and spoke in a voice both reverent and terrifying.
"I'm free, my queen. Tell me… what do you wish?"
"Should I burn the world?"
"Shall I tear the sun apart?"
"Do you want me to annihilate humanity?"
"Shall I travel through dimensions and eradicate every race in existence?"
Raven rasped,
"It's not time… you know that, don't you? My king… we are not complete yet. More of us remain bound. We must free them first."
Something called to him—an echo only he could hear.
The presence that had lingered in shadows now emerged crystal clear.
The deity nodded.
Then, slowly, he rose. And in that moment, he was no longer a figure cloaked in mystery—he was fully visible. His form, his face, his presence—they transcended even divinity.
Tousled black hair tumbled over broad shoulders.
His muscular torso, covered in obsidian scales, glistened under the void-lit sky.
At the center of his chest pulsed a glowing purple core, like a heart forged from divine fire.
Two massive, dark wings stretched behind him—fallen angelic, wrath incarnate.
His lower body was encased in gleaming black armor, seamless as night.
His face was carved from silence itself, his eyes gleaming with the arrogance of omnipotence.
He was not divine. He was superior to divine.
Oni—he was spellbound. Enraptured by the presence of his ancient ancestor.
Raven's body had reached its limit—fading into the air itself.
And then, in a flash, a massive circular portal tore open the sky. Before disappearing, the deity glanced back at Oni—passing on a silent command, a promise of their next meeting.
Like that the deity vanished.
Oni rose shakily to his feet.
"Aha… I couldn't do anything. I knew it—this was beyond anyone's power. It's a mercy he chose to leave. He truly is… a superior divine i wish i was him, i wants to be superior like him oneday."
. . .
Ember glanced at the others—a signal.
Fafner was preparing to descend. He began shifting back into his humanoid form.
They were all airborne as they descended, hair whipping in the wind. Luck, meanwhile, was laughing like a child.
Finally, they landed—crashing right at the academy's gates.
Fafner landed straight on his stomach. Luck landed face-first, his butt pointing toward the sky. The others were in similar states, tumbling across the ground.
Luck groaned, dusted himself off, wiped his face and his royal pride, and stood up with his usual princely demeanor.
But what he saw was… strange.
The academy stood—intact. But the earth was fractured, deep cracks spreading everywhere, whispering of the destruction that had taken place.
"Follow me," Fafner said.
"I know where we have to go."
All around, the people were free. The magical chains had vanished. The kingdom had been liberated.
The skulls—the corpses—gone.
People stepped into the streets again, blinking in disbelief.
"Ah… finally. We're here," said Luck, exhaling.
"I'm tired of running, uncle."
Fafner nodded.
"Yes. We're here."
"But… this place is barren. Why?" asked Luck.
Fafner replied,
"It wasn't barren before."
In the distance, they spotted him—Oni. Standing in the middle of what had once been a forest. Now reduced to wasteland. A single man lay unconscious at his feet.
They moved quickly.
"Oh, so you've arrived. But you're late, my dear king," Oni said, without turning.
"What happened here, Rizoras?"
Oni's voice was sharp.
"You're not a king anymore, I see. If you were, you'd have sensed what happened."
He paused.
"But I can tell you this—the threat is gone. For now."
Fafner sighed.
"Come with me. Report everything."
Oni nodded.
"I will. But perhaps you should report to me first. Why are these humans—these cubs—in our kingdom? And what about this man lying unconscious?"
Fafner's face turned grim—part shame, part anger.
"Do I have to explain everything now? Don't you know who the king is?"
Oni chuckled.
"I was only joking. But seriously—what should I do with this man here? The one lying before my feet?"
Is he alive fafner asked
He is, oni replied
Fafner exhaled deeply.
"Arrest him."
!!She had witnessed it all. The chaos, the death, the supreme.
Now, she had to choose.
And
she must choose wisely.!!