Chapter 73 — Almadraco
Deep within the Kingdom of Dragons, everything was silent.Deep within the Kingdom of Dragons, everything was silent.Deep within the Kingdom of Dragons, everything was silent.Deep within the Kingdom of Dragons, everything was silent.
Far beneath the palaces, beneath the draconic mountains and the gigantic mana roots that stretched across the entire continent…Far beneath the palaces, beneath the draconic mountains and the gigantic mana roots that stretched across the entire continent…Far beneath the palaces, beneath the draconic mountains and the gigantic mana roots that stretched across the entire continent…Far beneath the palaces, beneath the draconic mountains and the gigantic mana roots that stretched across the entire continent…
A strange place existed.A strange place existed.A strange place existed.A strange place existed.
A place that even most of the kingdom's inhabitants knew nothing about.A place that even most of the kingdom's inhabitants knew nothing about.A place that even most of the kingdom's inhabitants knew nothing about.A place that even most of the kingdom's inhabitants knew nothing about.
The underground corridors were immense, built from ancient black stone covered in draconic runes. Strange blue flames burned along the walls without ever extinguishing, casting a dim light across the vast passage.The underground corridors were immense, built from ancient black stone covered in draconic runes. Strange blue flames burned along the walls without ever extinguishing, casting a dim light across the vast passage.The underground corridors were immense, built from ancient black stone covered in draconic runes. Strange blue flames burned along the walls without ever extinguishing, casting a dim light across the vast passage.The underground corridors were immense, built from ancient black stone covered in draconic runes. Strange blue flames burned along the walls without ever extinguishing, casting a dim light across the vast passage.
And at the end of this corridor, Alexander advanced slowly.
His immaculate white coat floated gently behind him as his footsteps echoed in the silence. His expression was serious.
Extremely serious.
Because he knew exactly what lay here.
Finally, he arrived before an enormous golden door.
The structure was gigantic—several dozen meters tall, entirely covered in ancient runes and forgotten draconic symbols. An abnormal magical pressure emanated from it, as if something behind it was still breathing.
At the center of the door…
a phrase was engraved in an unknown language:
— « ⟁⋔ᚴᛉ ⌬𖠋⟟ Ϟ⍜⫷. »
An ancient draconic tongue.
A phrase almost no one could read or understand anymore.
But its meaning was simple, and Alexander knew it:
"Here sleeps that which marks the end… and the beginning of something no one should witness."
Alexander remained silent for a few seconds in front of the door.
Even he seemed to hesitate.
Then, slowly, he placed his hand upon it.
And just as he was about to open it,
a voice echoed behind him.
— "It's been a long time… Alexander. You haven't changed at all."
The Sacred Dragon froze instantly. His eyes widened slightly.
That voice…?
He knew it.
Slowly, Alexander turned around.
His expression changed drastically.
A woman was calmly walking down the underground corridor.
Her long white hair cascaded down to her hips, while several golden ornaments shimmered faintly around her body. She wore a revealing light pink and white outfit that exposed a large portion of her imposing breasts, decorated with ancient lunar symbols. She was breathtaking.
Her golden eyes glowed with an almost hypnotic light.
And atop her head, small feline ears twitched slightly.
Alexander stood frozen for several seconds,
as if his brain refused to accept what he was seeing.
Then, finally, he spoke:
— "…Vaeris?"
Silence fell over the corridor.
Vaeris smiled faintly.
The Sacred Dragon of the Moon.
Gone for over a hundred years.
Declared dead in the kingdom's official archives.
And yet here she stood—alive.
Alexander immediately frowned.
— "Impossible… What are you doing here?"
Vaeris continued approaching calmly.
— "You look surprised to see me."
— "You were supposed to have disappeared."
She let out a soft laugh.
— "I did leave this dimension, I admit."
Then her eyes shone slightly.
— "I stayed in another for a very long time."
Alexander immediately sensed something strange.
Her mana.
It was different.
Much heavier than before.
Vaeris stopped a few meters away from him.
— "But someone finally gave me a reason to return to this world."
Alexander understood instantly. His gaze turned cold.
— "…You've come for Flora."
Vaeris's smile widened slightly.
Because she and Flora had been enemies for centuries.
The Sacred Dragon of the Sun and the Sacred Dragon of the Moon had clashed countless times in the past.
More than a hundred years ago, in their last battle…
Flora had won.
A crushing victory that forced Vaeris to flee into another dimension.
Then Flora fell ill.
And everything changed.
Vaeris slowly raised her eyes.
— "Flora has lost a tremendous amount of power… you know."
Her voice grew colder.
— "This is finally my chance to reclaim this kingdom."
Alexander clenched his teeth slightly.
— "Beating a weakened Flora is hardly an achievement, Vaeris."
Vaeris simply shrugged.
— "I don't care."
Then her smile turned slightly more sinister.
— "All that matters… is her head. I want her to suffer the way she made me suffer."
Silence fell again for a few seconds. Then she continued calmly:
— "I made a deal with someone."
Alexander's eyes snapped up immediately.
— "A deal?"
— "In exchange for Almadraco…"
Alexander's expression changed instantly. He froze at the sound of that name, and for the first time since the beginning, genuine tension appeared on his face.
Because Almadraco…
was not ordinary magic.
It was a forbidden draconic magic capable of directly controlling dragons themselves. Even superior dragons normally resisted all mental manipulation.
Yet Almadraco could force their minds into submission.
The Five Sacred Dragons were the only ones capable of using this magic.
But previously…
even Vaeris had never mastered it at such a high level.
Vaeris smiled faintly.
— "I'm sorry, Alexander…"
Her eyes suddenly blazed.
— "But I'm going to have to use it on you too."
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
A gigantic wave of magical pressure suddenly exploded throughout the underground. The entire floor shook.
Draconic symbols appeared instantly around Vaeris as an immense pink mana flooded the corridor.
Alexander instantly activated his own magic.
BOOOOOOOOM!
A monstrous red aura exploded around him.
The walls began to crack under the pressure of the two Sacred Dragons.
Then
Vaeris simply raised a finger.
— "Almadraco."
The world seemed to vibrate for a second.
And at that exact moment,
outside…
something began to happen.
Across the entire Kingdom of Dragons, they suddenly lost control.
Monstrous roars echoed through the sky.
In the draconic villages, several dragons began attacking buildings without reason.
The inhabitants panicked immediately.
— "What's happening?!" Alexander said.
— "The dragons are going mad!!" Vaeris replied.
Even the draconic knights were losing control of their partners.
Then,
in a plain near the royal palace, Kana suddenly collapsed to her knees. Noel immediately turned his head toward her.
— "Kana?!"
The young girl was trembling violently.
Her mana had become completely unstable.
Then she screamed.
— "GAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!"
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
A gigantic explosion of draconic mana tore through the area.
Kana's body began to change into a dragon.
Scales appeared on her skin.
Her arms transformed.
Her eyes became entirely draconic.
Noel staggered back in shock.
— "Impossible… Don't tell me this is…"
Kana roared in pain as her body gradually transformed into a dragon.
Across all of Dragonil, the same scene was repeating.
Hundreds of dragons were losing control. Even the ancient dragons began to feel something abnormal and were gradually affected as well.
Back in the underground chamber,
Alexander was now breathing heavily.
Sweat ran down his face as he stared at Vaeris.
The entire corridor around them was already partially destroyed.
— "How far…"
He clenched his teeth.
— "How far have you spread Almadraco…?"
Vaeris smiled calmly.
Then answered:
— "Across the entire continent."
Total silence fell.
Alexander's eyes widened slightly because he understood exactly what that meant.
Such range…
had been impossible before.
Even Vaeris had never possessed such power.
Then, slowly,
Alexander remembered what she had said earlier.
"I made a deal with someone."
And suddenly,
he understood.
His expression changed drastically.
— "Oh no… the kingdom is in danger."
Vaeris smiled even wider.
And this time, even Alexander felt a terrible premonition run through his entire body.
To be continued…..