Viryon, the so-called Scarlet Venom Dragon, sat atop a mountain of dragon corpses, his body drenched in blood that was not his own.
A frown marred his face as he bit into a mound of flesh. "These sacks of shit always look so strong, only to end up being… so pathetic."
He spat out the flesh, his frown deepening.
"And they taste like actual fucking shit. I hate them."
Throwing the at in his hands into the distance, he spat again and hopped off the mountain of corpses.
Dusting his bloody robes, he thodically cleaned off the blood caking his body.
Suddenly, a man appeared before him, one nearly identical to himself. The only difference between them was the man's burning black hair and his immaculate appearance.
Viryon t his brother's sharp gaze—Teryon.
"Mother has already told you multiple tis to stop eating strangers' flesh," Teryon said sternly.
He stepped forward, producing a cloth in his hand. Like a doting older brother, he began to clean Viryon's face, wiping the blood and bits of flesh from his features.
Viryon's face flushed red with embarrassnt, but he didn't dare move away. Despite Teryon's cold and composed exterior, he was deeply caring—even for a dragon, a race renowned for their strong familial bonds.
"So, what'd you find?" Teryon asked after finishing his task.
Waving a hand, the cloth disappeared. In its place, a clean set of robes appeared, which he handed to his younger brother.
As Viryon donned the fresh robes, he sighed before answering. "Nothing interesting, to be honest."
"I tried to bait those of the Trading Alliance, but the bastards are firm. No matter how many of their hideouts I destroy, they refuse to co out."
Teryon frowned, tapping his claws against his palm. "Have you tried a softer approach?"
Viryon nodded. "Yeah, I rebuilt all the hideouts I destroyed and sent them a ssage, making it clear I just wanted to talk. Even then, I've been t with nothing but silence."
Teryon began stroking his elegant face with his long tallic claws. They glided over his skin like silver across marble, sparks flying in the air as he fell deep into thought.
"The elders won't be happy about this," he muttered, glancing at the pile of corpses behind Viryon. "Hm. If they refuse to talk or investigate, it can only an one thing—they know our rise is near."
"But why let us expand freely and prepare like this…" he whispered, his pupils narrowing in suspicion. His gaze returned to his brother.
"Odds of it being a trap?"
"100%," Viryon answered bluntly. "But I think they're preoccupied with internal conflicts."
He leaned closer. "Not sure if you've heard, but recently, that infamous cult ca back."
Teryon's eyes widened violently, his aura erupting into chaotic turbulence.
"…what?"
Viryon's expression grew grave as he nodded.
"Not only that, but soone orchestrated a sche that pulled everyone attending the Millennium Auction into a Fractured Reality."
"I'm almost certain the cult and the Trading Alliance are working together. It would explain why they're letting us prepare so freely."
"Elaborate," Teryon demanded, his voice sharp.
The two brothers sat down, facing one another as the discussion grew more intense.
"My thought is that they want another war between us and the human forces of the world. Then, at the peak of the conflict, they'll swoop in and wipe us both out."
Viryon's eyes narrowed further as he continued. "If I go deeper, I'd say the only reason the cult let us survive and ally with those of the eastern continent is so they could fully and properly identify all their true enemies."
"Think about it, Ty. I'm sure His Majesty is aware of this, and…"
Teryon, now calr, nodded. He grasped the outline of the plan his brother was describing.
"His Majesty wants to use the abominations as a chaos factor to ruin their sches. The cult must have noticed this and acted sooner than planned. This Fractured Reality… it's their only chance."
Suddenly, both brothers grinned, their expressions wicked and sharp.
"War is coming soon, and that ans…"
WHOOOOOSH!
"…opportunity."
The greed of the two dragons surged, their auras rising like roaring flas. Yet just as quickly, they cooled, their fiery ambitions tempered by calculated patience.
"There's still too much we don't understand," Teryon said. "Why would they want a war between us and the humans? Surely they know it's inevitable."
Hearing his brother's words, Teryon paused for a mont.
"True. His Majesty is most likely playing an intricate ga involving both the humans and the cult, but to what end?"
He continued, his tone thoughtful. "Let's take a step back."
"The cult and the Trading Alliance are working together. They want us and the humans to wage war, even though that war is inevitable."
"On the other hand, His Majesty knows this and is using the abominations as a chaos factor to disrupt their plans."
Viryon's gaze sharpened. "Additionally, the humans are vulnerable right now, thanks to their inner conflicts."
"Beyond that, there's also the eastern continent, which has sided with us…"
"But there's also the fact that… and also… but maybe…"
"I'm not sure if… maybe if we… we could…"
As the two mischievous dragons analyzed and sched, imagining a future of endless riches and power, a pair of majestic eyes silently watched them from the skies above.
'…interesting…'
***
[Northern Continent—Unknown Location]
Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire
Blood and carnage.
At the bottom of a dark cave lit by golden flas that gnawed at the walls and soil, a man crawled forward.
His body was ruined, everything from the waist down gone, replaced by a grotesque tangle of guts, organs, and blood.
He dragged himself across the ground, leaving a river of crimson in his wake.
His face was a mask of blood and despair, yet within his eyes burned a flickering fla of hope and determination.
As he neared the cave's exit, his trembling hands clawed at the ground, pulling him toward the surface.
'The world is going to end… the end of the world… the end of existence…'
Tears stread down his face as the weight of his thoughts threatened to overwhelm him.
'Demons… monsters… gods… heresy…'
His sobs echoed through the cave, filling the air with his anguish and fear.
Finally, as he reached the surface, he cried out, his voice hoarse and broken.
"I MUST WARN THE WORLD!"
Reviews
All reviews (0)