Raiden's encounter with Ash's mories didn't just feed his curiosity about her past, or maybe the overwhelming ease coursing through his body and the cunning pixels dancing in his muscles, but it also resolved questions that had been haunting his thoughts.
Sullivan, the moon dragon and sole queen of Viscount—that other world of magical creatures mankind called Dhathopia—stood as the only white dragon wielding both incredible physical strength and magical abilities.
The others were left with nothing but infinite loyalty and affection for their master, their hearts free from any trace of darkness.
The fate of thousands of remaining white dragons seed unjust, but Raiden understood it partially. This was their binding chain—how the supre leader of all magical creatures ca to power.
Each white dragon offered a sacrifice, and despite being the weakest among dragonkind, they surrendered every trace of strength and magic within them to empower their sole leader, the moon dragon.
Considering it all, the burden was staggering. Raiden rose to his full height, reexamining each fragnt of understanding. He had beco the sum of thousands of white dragons, holding not just their strength, but their emotions and despair as well.
But this mystery wasn't the only one he could now piece together. The systematic voice that spoke within his head and the blue screen that flickered to life whenever he gained strength or reached an achievent—these were chanisms reserved solely for the moon dragon, ant to track their growing abilities and strength.
When I think about it, it isn't just so random voice. It's still Sullivan, at least in part… and there's more to her than I understand yet.
He reflected with a gentle expression. The feeling of having a clear mind within this overwhelming exposure, strange and unfamiliar. This was his first ti experiencing such ntal clarity in this world.
He started toward the outskirts of the mountain island, where his remaining comrades had taken shelter.
Or perhaps it's … the voice's sothing forged from the Moon Dragon's advanced form. I am the Moon Dragon now.
His mind felt more composed than it had ever been, as though he was starting to inherit Sullivan's characteristics.
Before he could finally approach the others, he breathed in deeply and let it out, allowing solemnity to wash over him completely as he readied himself to face Noelle and the group.
Whatever you are, I will call you Sulli for now.
[Okay.] the chanic voice echoed in his head, with a slight hint of humor.
Raiden stepped back with a smile, intrigued by the fact that Sullivan had actually responded to his thoughts.
Despite his evolution and newfound understanding of Ash, their dire situation still hung over them, threatening to collapse like loose stones. Worse yet, after the harsh words he'd exchanged with Noelle about her mother, with Leo there to witness it, their group was barely clinging together.
So they had to keep moving. Their sense of ti had been shattered by those encounters with absolute domains, and only the gods knew how much ti had passed; still, they were yet to catch even a glimpse of a single page of Aaron.
Raiden weaved through the tangled tree branches and erged at the shore. The vast blue ocean lood before him, a gentle wind stirring the waves and carrying cool air toward him.
However, in his peripheral vision, he caught sight of the others forming a circle while Chrono and his companions remained crouched at a distance.
Their disinterest in everyone's company ant little to Raiden, but he was alard by how suddenly Soul's dark aura was fracturing and distorting.
A sudden sharp pain shot through his chest as he realized imdiately what was happening. He quickened his pace toward them, his mind racing from thought to thought, hoping Speed was okay.
The more he dwelled on it, the clearer he rembered how badly wounded Speed had been. His preoccupation with Ash's death and his own isolation had made him selfish when the situation demanded otherwise.
Now all he could think about was that poor girl, Soul, having to witness her only family like this.
But before he could reach them, everyone turned toward him and imdiately recoiled with startled expressions, as if sothing about Raiden had changed.
Raiden hardly noticed their startled faces, his attention locked on Speed, who lay on the floor with Aeris beside him, channeling her white aura into his failing form.
What he couldn't miss was the broken exhaustion written across Soul's face. She had her hands covering her mouth as though trying to hold in a loud cry, and her dark hair spread across her face, hiding most of her expression.
The current moon dragon, Raiden, walked past everyone else without so much as a glance. When he reached Soul, she suddenly wrapped him in a tight hug, sobbing so hard that Raiden could feel her tears dampening his clothes.
Acting on pure instinct, he pulled Soul close before turning his attention to Speed, watching him intently. The sight made his heart race. Without his black skeletal mask, Speed's face showed sothing unsettling.
Raiden gulped hard. Speed's mouth was a ruin; most of the flesh lted away, leaving teeth exposed and his mangled tongue visible from where they stood. But the real horror was the blood: an endless trickle flowing between those hollow teeth, cascading from his nose to join the dried crimson already coating his face.
This made Raiden embrace Soul even tighter, knowing that if he were to witness Ash or his brother in such a horrific condition, he wouldn't have the strength to even look them in the eye.
"Don't move, Speed." Aeris's voice cracked as she gave the order, but Speed ignored her completely, fighting through his pain to face Raiden's direction.
Raiden observed the faint sparkle in Speed's eyes, the way wrinkles creased around them. A cold realization washed over him. Speed was attempting to smile through what remained of his face, through bone and ruin. Even now, he was genuinely happy to see Raiden there.
"This… this is , without my mask." The words ca as barely a whisper, yet Raiden caught every syllable.
"This is what the acid left with."
A tremor started deep inside Raiden. The sight of Speed's face threw him into turmoil. He rembered when Speed had first explained his situation. Raiden had actually laughed, joking about how he'd been caught doing sothing as trivial as drinking in a lab. But now… seeing this reality, Raiden felt like the biggest fool alive.
Speed kept that bone smile as his hand scraped through the sand, grasping for his mask. Once he found it, he slowly turned back toward Raiden.
"Do you rember the promise?"
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