Chapter 3: Dragon
I slowly rose to my feet and turned around, my entire body engulfed by scorching flames. I stood there, breathing heavily, as the pain from my wound from my jow hollow chest kicked in.
The two men stared in shock at my appearance. Their swords dropped to the ground as they backed away, fleeing the inferno consuming their bodies through their hardest endeavors. They started running, leaving behind their belongings: their clothes, their weapons, and even the food stored in their houses.
The sound of terrified voices erupted in a blood-curdling cacophony, drowning out all other sounds and leaving only a sense of impending doom.
"Wait!" I screamed, my sore throat catching in my voice. "This isn't me!"
No matter how much I tried, I couldn't stop myself from burning. Soon enough, the houses charred up, unable to handle my fiery wrath.
Reinhardt came rushing toward me, his eyes determined to stifle my raging flames. Realizing he couldn't advance further without being burned alive himself, he halted, hurling his sword at me.
His aim was true, firing the weapon directly at me, but it melted upon contact with my skin. The metal liquefying down my skin didn't feel warm, nor did it burn me in any way. Instead, I simply felt a slight tickle like a glob caressing my skin.
"Hey, hey, isn't that a little too strong?" Reinhardt stressed, scratching his chin. "You're starting to scare me."
As I watched his actions, I noticed a faint glow emanating from his fingertips. There was no doubt about it; he possessed magic.
"Forgive me," he said, connecting his fingers to the ground. His magic channeled downward, firing a shockwave that molded the earth into biting fangs.
In an instant, Reinhardt's spell took effect, ripping apart the soil and raining chunks of dirt as he crashed them down at me like meteors. The blocks of dirt aimed at me were as if they had a life of their own, shrouded with magic strong enough to withstand my flames. They hung suspended in midair, slowly gaining momentum as they began to spin in a dizzying whirlwind like a flock of frenzied birds.
However, right before impact, an ethereal claw caught each block in midair, effortlessly grinding them to dust.
From within the dreadful mist of the firestorm arose an ashen white dragon, its scales resembling glass shards and wings made of moonstone blades. Its piercing eyes glowed red, emitting a hazy aura that stretched backward, and its beard waved freely like smoke in the air. The jaws of the beast opened wide, revealing rows of sharp teeth as it roared a deafening cry. The dragon raised its arms, releasing a firestorm that enveloped both Reinhardt and me.
The boundless amount of heat surging forth from my core caused the ground beneath us to crack under my feet. As the dust and debris settled, the landscape had forever changed by the inferno's raw and unbridled intensity.
Reinhardt's knees gave way beneath him as a primal terror surged through his body. He stumbled backward, falling to the ground with a thud, and instinctively covered his face with his hands as the waves of flames grew mightier, engulfing everything in their path with an insatiable hunger. He could feel the scorching heat against his skin, and the acrid smell of smoke filled his nostrils.
As for me, I was still standing tall, unharmed by the intense heat radiating off my body. My skin remained cool to the touch, and I felt no discomfort whatsoever.
"Why... Why is it back?" he cried out, his voice trembling with panic. "The Empyrean Spirit! It should've been sealed forever!"
The ground beneath my feet cracked from the heat, almost melting away into molten lava. Reinhardt's hair began to catch on fire as he struggled to breathe and to put out the blaze. But soon enough, he realized there was no use fighting it anymore; his efforts amounted to naught, and his body had already been charred to the point of no return.
The flames raged on, growing stronger and hotter until finally reaching their peak. With a loud bang, the magma erupted, consuming everyone and everything in a massive blast.
Then my world turned black.
Everything went silent, save for the sound of my pounding heart, slowing down and eventually stopping altogether.
***
Unknown POV
The horsecart jolted forward, the wheels bouncing over the uneven ground as we made our way through the forest. The trees towered over us, their branches stretching toward the sky like bony fingers, and the leaves rustled in the wind, the sound like the soft whisper of secrets.
I sat at the back of the cart, my eyes fixed on the passing scenery. The air was crisp and cool, and the smell of pine and earth filled my nostrils. I leaned back against the wooden boards of the cart, my fingers gripping the edge as we bounced along the uneven path.
The placating melody of the wheels was a constant hum, a rhythmic creaking that echoed through the forest. It was a comforting sound, like the heartbeat of the earth itself.
The sky was cloudless, showing signs of a bright new day, but sometimes peace has a catch. A spiteful one at that.
"Hey, Aske, look at the sky," I whispered. "Isn't that smoke?"
My friend glanced back at me, squinting his eyes to make out the source of my concern. After a short while, he nodded.
"Yeah, looks like there's some trouble brewing somewhere nearby," he said quietly.
There was ash floating across the horizon, carrying a trail of destruction left in its wake. Black clouds hung low above, blocking the sun from shining down on us. Thick plumes of smoke billowed out from the direction of the village where we were headed.
"Wanna check it out?" I asked.
"Sure," Aske replied, taking a swig from his water flask.
We kept riding along, making sure not to stray far from the road lest we lose sight of it. Nearing the source of the smoke, the trees had withered, their leaves burnt away. Where once there were grassy fields dotted with wildflowers and small lakes filled with fish swimming peacefully, we now witnessed an ocean of burnt-out land.
"Looks bad…" Aske remarked, looking over at me with concerned eyes. He placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed gently, reassuring himself that I was safe. "You think there is anyone left?"
"Let's find out," I answered, climbing out of the cart and walking ahead.
The houses were reduced to piles of ashes, and most of them crumbled into nothing more than rubble. Only scattered remains of furniture and household items remained, reminding me that these people were human beings just like me. What happened here? Had something gone horribly wrong, or had this tragedy struck them out of nowhere?
The only thing I could do now was to help those who were still alive and try to figure out what exactly caused this disaster.
"Over here," Aske called out, pointing at the entrance of one of the houses. We approached cautiously, peeking inside to see the charred remains of a woman lying lifeless on the floor. Her body was covered in burns, her skin pale and shriveled. She must have died from the intense heat of the flames.
I knelt beside her, placing my hand atop hers. At least she hadn't suffered long.
"She's dead..." I murmured sadly, shaking my head in disbelief. I looked up to meet Aske's gaze, his eyes brimming with sadness as well.
"Everyone here is dead," he stated bluntly.
I didn't say anything. I didn't want to.
The people who lived on these lands were nowhere to be found. All that was left behind was death and devastation. Even the animals roaming the plains had run away, abandoning their homes.
I scanned my surroundings one last time with the prospect of finding someone, just one person, who we could save.
But even amidst all this chaos, there lay a young female elf. She had a hold in her chest, presumably from a sword, and her eyes staring blankly into space.
Her heart was still beating. We can save her.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone