Chapter 21
The sky split open.
Not with lightning.
Not with thunder.
But slowly… unnaturally.
At first it looked like nothing more than a thin crack in the clouds, a dark line cutting across the sky above the battlefield. But slowly the line began to stretch wider, the edges pulling apart as if unseen hands were tearing the sky itself open.
Darkness poured from the tear.
Not smoke.
Not shadow.
Something deeper.
Something older.
Something that did not belong in this world.
The battlefield fell silent.
Hundreds of dragons circling above the hidden city suddenly stopped beating their wings. Massive bodies hovered in the air as every creature turned toward the widening rift.
Ariana felt it first.
The golden power flowing through her veins recoiled violently, like a living thing trying to escape her body. Pain shot through her chest and down her arms.
Her knees nearly buckled.
"Something's wrong," she whispered.
Beside her, Kael froze mid-battle with the Abyssal.
The monstrous creature pinned beneath him had been fighting like a demon moments ago, claws slashing, silver eyes blazing with fury.
Now even it had stopped moving.
Both predator and monster were staring at the sky.
High above the city, the Dragon King cut through the clouds with a powerful sweep of his wings. His massive body circled once before descending closer to the palace terraces.
His voice echoed directly inside Ariana's mind.
The prison is opening.
Her heart slammed against her ribs.
"You said Augustus was sealed away."
He was.
The Dragon King's voice was darker than she had ever heard it.
But the seal weakens whenever a new Sovereign awakens.
Ariana felt her stomach drop.
"You mean I caused this?"
For a moment the ancient dragon did not answer.
Then,
Not intentionally.
His voice rumbled through her thoughts like distant thunder.
But yes.
Above them, the flying fortress hovered beneath the growing tear in the sky.
Malrec stood at the edge of the structure like a conductor guiding a symphony of destruction. Both of his arms were raised, palms facing the sky as glowing runes carved into the black walls of the fortress burned with dark energy.
Power poured upward from the fortress into the rift.
Feeding it.
Strengthening it.
And Malrec…
Malrec looked pleased.
Far too pleased.
On the shattered terrace below, Kael slowly shifted back into his human form. Dust clung to his skin and blood streaked his shoulder, but he ignored both.
His chest rose and fell heavily as he stared at the sky.
His eyes were still glowing white.
The Wolf King had not fully faded.
"That doesn't look good," he muttered.
Ariana let out a shaky breath.
"That's your professional opinion?"
Kael glanced sideways at her, one corner of his mouth lifting slightly.
"I'm trying to stay optimistic."
Another pulse of energy rolled out of the tear in the sky.
The mountains trembled.
Loose stones slid down the palace walls.
The dragons circling above the city roared in agitation, their cries echoing through the valleys like war horns.
Even the Dragon King shifted uneasily in the air.
Ariana noticed immediately.
"You're afraid."
The answer came without hesitation.
Yes.
The word struck harder than she expected.
"You're the king of dragons."
The dragon's massive wings beat once as he hovered above the palace.
Augustus was the king of everything.
The words settled over the battlefield like a heavy fog.
For a moment no one spoke.
Then the tear in the sky widened again.
Something enormous moved behind it.
A shadow.
Not like the Abyssal.
This presence was heavier.
Older.
More powerful.
The air itself seemed to bend under the weight of it.
Kael stepped closer to Ariana.
"You still standing?"
"Barely."
"Good."
She stared at him.
"That's good?"
He shrugged.
"Because if you fall over right now, we're all dead."
Despite everything, a small laugh escaped her.
Above them, Malrec slowly lowered one hand.
The runes along the fortress dimmed slightly.
The tear in the sky stopped expanding.
It stabilized.
Like a doorway finally forced open.
Malrec's silver eyes moved across the battlefield and settled on Ariana.
"This was never about killing you," he called.
His voice carried effortlessly across the ruined city.
Ariana narrowed her golden eyes.
"Could've fooled me."
Malrec remained perfectly calm.
"I needed you to awaken fully."
Her stomach twisted.
"You used me."
"Yes."
Kael stepped forward instantly.
"Bad idea."
Malrec ignored him completely.
"The prison could only be opened by Sovereign power."
Ariana felt cold.
"So you used me to break the seal."
Malrec nodded once.
"Exactly."
Behind the rift, the darkness shifted again.
Something massive pressed against the opening from the other side.
The Dragon King roared.
A sound of pure alarm.
He is waking.
The Abyssal reacted instantly.
Without warning the monstrous creature beneath Kael leapt backward, wings snapping open as it launched itself off the terrace.
Within seconds it vanished into the clouds.
Ariana blinked.
"Even that thing is running."
The man in black and gold standing beside her spoke quietly.
"Yes."
His gaze never left the sky.
"Because it knows what's coming."
Kael's wolf stirred again beneath his skin.
The white glow in his eyes brightened.
"So let him come."
Ariana turned toward him.
"You can't be serious."
Kael cracked his neck slightly.
"If this Augustus wants a fight…"
His expression hardened.
"…we'll give him one."
The Dragon King's voice rumbled again in Ariana's mind.
You do not understand.
Ariana swallowed.
"Then explain it."
The dragon's voice grew almost reverent.
Augustus was the first Sovereign.
The one who ruled before the bloodlines divided.
Ariana's chest tightened.
"You said he was defeated."
He was.
But he was never destroyed.
The tear in the sky stretched wider.
Then,
a hand emerged.
Huge.
Larger than an entire palace tower.
Ancient glowing markings covered the skin like living runes.
Ariana's breath caught.
"That's not possible."
Kael stared upward.
"That's definitely a hand."
The mountains shook as the massive figure began forcing its way through the rift.
Dragons scattered in every direction.
Clouds burned gold and silver as the sky struggled to contain the creature emerging from beyond the seal.
Malrec slowly lowered his arms.
His work was finished.
Ariana glared at him.
"You're insane."
Malrec met her gaze calmly.
"Perhaps."
His silver eyes were cold.
"But the world has survived centuries without a Sovereign."
His voice grew sharper.
"And it will survive without you."
Kael stepped forward.
"Try it."
Malrec smiled faintly.
"That will not be necessary."
Ariana looked back toward the sky.
The enormous figure was emerging fully now.
A head appeared.
Not monstrous.
Not a beast.
Human.
But impossibly large.
Eyes burning with ancient golden fire.
The Dragon King's voice trembled in her mind.
Augustus.
The name echoed across the battlefield like a curse.
The giant looked down at the world below.
At the dragons.
At the city.
At Ariana.
And when his gaze landed on her—
the golden power in her veins exploded.
The man's voice rolled across the mountains like thunder.
"So…"
A slow smile spread across his face.
"…another one has taken my throne."
Ariana's heart pounded.
Kael stepped beside her.
"Yeah."
The giant's eyes narrowed slightly.
"And the Wolf King stands beside her."
Kael didn't look away.
"You've been busy while I was gone," Augustus said.
Then he raised one massive hand.
The sky erupted into flames.
Dragons screamed.
The city trembled.
And the First Sovereign finally stepped back into their world.