“So this ‘dragon’ that is bonded with your soul is what has given you your potent abilities and now has unlocked some of your weaker magic?” Venya asked, for the fifth time. Rex had explained his meeting and bonding with Fafnir in great detail, but it seemed like Venya still did not believe him to be telling the truth. “Dragons are myth and you’re telling me your whole family line has bonded with one?” she had retorted, each time he tried telling her.“I too find his story to also be a touch fanciful, but it would also explain how he has performed such incredible feats that we have ALL witnessed. So I think it to be prudent to believe him. He has never lied to us before now, has he?” Kiri replied, finally being the one able to silence Venya.Rex had just begun to thank Kiri when Queen Ullysarius’s voice wafted across the magical space, silencing everyone.“Blessed one, we must speak.”“Sounds like I’m needed once more,” Rex sighed.“I can’t wait to be back in the real world and away f
“So Rex,” Kiri began once they packed their cooking utensils. “I believe there is a part to this story you have not told us.”“What part is that?” Rex asked, raising one eyebrow at her.“The part where you earned the ‘blessed one’ title,” Kiri replied with a smirk. “I am most curious as to who has blessed you to elicit such a respectful response from a creature powerful enough to kill almost all of us.”Kiri’s question seemed to draw all eyes to Rex, even Cassius and Grub, even though they already knew the story.“Well,” Rex began with a little sigh as he gathered his thoughts, “I was originally tasked with performing a deed, in return for a favour. The queen then brought me through a portal to a place to have the agreement sealed by someone she called an ancient. She cannot deviate too far from some mission she was brought here to do, or something like that. Anyway, there were more ‘ancients’ than first agreed upon, almost like a council-type setup. The agreement was then changed to
“Is it just me, or can anyone else hear voices?” Rex asked, stopping and turning his head slightly.As Rex stopped, his companions also followed suit, Cassius placing his hand on the pommel of his sword.“I can’t hear anything except for Grub’s wheezing,” Kealy said after a few quiet moments.“Grub is wheezing because of all the walking,” Grub grumbled, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a scrap of meat.“Uh, what are you eating?” Venya asked, spying the meat.“Grub has kept this for a road snack for a few days,” Grub replied with a wide grin.“Um, so you’ve let it dry in your pocket, and you still think its safe to eat?” Karinna added in, moving to stand beside Kealy and Venya.“Grub has eaten things much more questionable,” Grub replied, still smiling as he lifted the meat to his mouth and pushed the whole piece in. “Grub still thinks has good taste.”“You are disgusting,” Kealy replied with a shudder and frown. This just got a confused look from Grub in response.“Grub has an
Rex's lungs burned as he sprinted through the crumbling tunnel, dust filling the air with each new tremor that rocked the passageway. The golden lizard bracelet pulsed against his wrist, sending waves of warmth up his arm—a warning, perhaps, or Fafnir urging him forward."Keep moving!" he shouted over his shoulder, making sure everyone was still with him. Grub's heavy footfalls thundered behind, followed by the lighter steps of Kealy and Venya. Cassius moved with his usual grace, a faint blue shimmer still surrounding him like a second skin. Kiri and Dilo flanked the group, weapons drawn against whatever might await them at the tunnel's end.Invictus Myst led the way, Rex noticed her glancing at him every few seconds. Whatever had happened in that crystal realm had shaken her, the confident assassin replaced by someone who seemed just as desperate to escape as the rest of them."There!" Myst shouted, pointing ahead to a circular opening where daylight spilled into the darkness. "The i
The Lady of Blades led Rex and his companions through the Citadel's grand entrance hall, a cavernous space where sunlight streamed through high stained-glass windows, casting prismatic patterns across the polished stone floor. The hall bore the scars of a fortress long at war—elegant tapestries hung alongside battle maps, and ornate columns were reinforced with practical steel bracings. Guards in gleaming armor stood at attention, their faces betraying flickers of curiosity as they watched the unusual group pass. Rex felt their stares lingering on him in particular, which only added to his growing unease. "I imagine this must be disorienting," the Lady of Blades said, glancing back at him. Her armor made barely a sound as she moved, each plate fitting together with masterful precision. "To arrive at a place you've never been, only to discover people have been expecting you." "That's putting it mildly," Rex replied, studying her carefully. "How exactly did you know we were coming?"
"Cassius, take the left flank with Karinna," Rex commanded, slipping easily into the role of leader. "Dilo, Grub, with me in the center. Kealy, Venya, work the perimeter and watch for stragglers. Kiri—""I'll be where I'm needed," Kiri said with a knowing smile, her hands already beginning to weave complex magical patterns in the air.Rex nodded, then turned his attention to the bracelet. "And you," he murmured, "let's see what we can really do together."As if in response, the golden lizard seemed to shift, its form flowing like liquid metal around his wrist. Rex felt Fafnir's consciousness merge more completely with his own than it had since their reunion—a perfect synchronization of will and power.'Together, then,' Fafnir's voice resonated within him, stronger than ever before.Rex vaulted over the balcony railing, golden light trailing from his hands as he descended to the courtyard below. He landed in a perfect crouch, the impact sending a shockwave of golden energy rippling out
Rex stood on a balcony overlooking the imperial city as dawn broke over the distant walls. The golden bracelet pulsed gently against his wrist, a reminder of Fafnir's presence within. After yesterday's battle, the dragon had retreated into a restful silence, conserving energy and processing all they had experienced.Below, teams of soldiers cleared the courtyard of the dissolved chimera remains, their movements precise and practiced, evidence of how routine such clean-up operations had become. The void corruption had left blackened scorch marks across the flagstones, impossible to remove completely. A permanent scar on the city's heart."Couldn't sleep either?"Rex turned to find Kiri approaching, her steps nearly silent against the stone. She looked exhausted but alert, her eyes scanning the horizon with careful attention."Too much to process," Rex admitted, turning back to the view. "The prophecy, the godking, these... connections that seem to be forming. It feels like we've steppe
The Citadel's western courtyard echoed with the clash of steel as Rex and his companions trained in the afternoon sun. Three concentric circles had been marked on the flagstones with chalk—battle formations designed to maximize their individual strengths.Rex moved through the center circle, golden energy crackling along his sword as he parried attacks from multiple directions. Cassius and Dilo flanked him, their movements synchronized after hours of practice. The purple discoloration had receded from Dilo's arm, though the healers warned the void corruption had left permanent damage—a network of dark veins that glowed faintly whenever she channelled her battle rage.In the second circle, Kealy and Venya darted between training dummies, their blades flashing in complicated patterns designed to target vulnerable points in demonic anatomy, according to the ancient texts the Lady of Blades had provided. Grub moved with surprising grace among them, his strength providing the necessary forc
Darkness.Then, gradually, sensation. Warmth against his skin. Softness beneath his body. The scent of healing herbs and clean linen. Distant voices, familiar yet indistinct, rising and falling like waves against a shore.Rex floated in this half-conscious state, unwilling or unable to fully awaken. Time meant nothing here—it might have been hours or days since the battle. The only constant was the profound emptiness within him, a void of its own where Fafnir's presence should have been.Occasionally, the voices would draw nearer, accompanied by cool hands on his forehead or wrist. Words filtered through his haze—"stable," "healing," "waiting." But none penetrated deeply enough to rouse him from his twilight state.Then, a new voice—commanding, insistent, refusing to be ignored."Enough of this, Rex. Wake up."Marcia. Her tone brooked no argument, as if his continued unconsciousness were a form of insubordination she wouldn't tolerate.Rex felt his awareness slowly centring, the dista
The world seemed to slow around Rex as he absorbed the crazak queen's words. The godking continued his transformation at the center of the ritual circle, void energy crackling around him like black lightning. The tear in reality pulsed ominously overhead, its edges fraying as the ritual's purpose shifted from convergence to pure destruction."The dragon bond must become a conduit," Queen Ullysarius explained, her multifaceted eyes reflecting the chaos surrounding them. "You must channel the void energy through yourself and into your bracelet, where your dragon can contain and neutralize it.""But the strain could kill him," Kiri protested, her ancient eyes wide with concern."Yes," the crazak queen acknowledged without hesitation. "It likely will."Rex felt Fafnir's consciousness surge forward within the bond, the dragon's presence filling his mind with fierce determination.'Together,' Fafnir's voice resonated within him. 'As it has always been.'The memory of Dilo's sacrifice flashe
Rex ascended the ladder first, his muscles burning with the effort after the drain of reshaping stone. As he neared the top, he slowed, listening for any signs of enemy forces above. The rungs ended at a circular metal hatch partially concealed by overgrowth. With utmost care, he pushed against it, feeling resistance from years of disuse before it finally gave way with a soft groan.The predawn air hit his face, carrying the acrid scent of void energy and smoke. Rex lifted himself enough to peer over the edge, finding they had emerged precisely where Kiri had predicted—at the eastern fringe of the godking's encampment. The massive tear in reality dominated the sky, now at least twice the size it had been when they'd descended beneath the Citadel. Beneath it, a circle of dark-robed figures surrounded an intricate pattern of runes carved into the earth, each glowing with sickly purple energy.And at its centre stood the godking.Even from this distance, Rex could sense his power—a disto
The first sensation that struck Rex as he emerged onto the Citadel's highest tower was the cold—a biting, unnatural chill that cut through clothing and flesh alike. The second was the silence. Despite the thousands of defenders manning the walls and the enemy forces arrayed across the plains, an eerie quiet had fallen over everything, as if the world held its breath.Then he saw why.The night sky had split open.A massive tear hung above the godking's encampment, a wound in reality that oozed darkness and malevolent energy. Around its edges, the stars themselves seemed to bend and distort, drawn toward the void like moths to flame. At its centre, where the ritual circle must be, pulsed a core of such profound darkness that it seemed to devour light itself."What have they done?" Cassius whispered, his usual composure cracking by the sight.General Christopher turned from his position at the parapet, his face illuminated by the sickly purple glow emanating from the rift. "It began mom
The Citadel hummed with preparations as darkness fell. Soldiers sharpened blades, mages prepared defensive wards, and healers laid out supplies for the inevitable casualties. Rex stood at the highest observation point, watching as torches flickered to life across the godking's encampment, stretching like a sea of malevolent stars across the plains."They're positioning siege engines of inhuman proportions," Cassius observed, studying the movements through a spyglass. "But there's something else happening in the center of their camp—some kind of ritual circle."Rex felt the golden bracelet warm against his skin, Fafnir's consciousness pressing forward with concern. "He's not waiting until dawn," Rex said, the certainty growing within him. "The deadline was a misdirection. He's preparing something now.""I've sensed it too," Kiri confirmed, joining them at the parapet. "The void energy is building. Whatever he's planning, it's substantial."The Lady of Blades approached, her expression
The interior of the pavilion defied physical logic. What appeared modest from outside expanded within to a vast chamber, its boundaries lost in shadows that moved with unsettling purpose. No support poles held up the ceiling—instead, the black fabric seemed suspended by an invisible force, rippling occasionally like the surface of dark water.At the centre stood a circular table of obsidian, its surface so polished it reflected their faces with perfect clarity. Seven chairs surrounded it—four on one side, three on the other. The godking had already claimed the central seat on the far side, Chancellor Hellden taking position to his right. The third chair remained empty."Please," the godking said, gesturing to the empty seats. "Make yourselves comfortable."Rex approached cautiously, noting that the floor beneath his feet seemed to shift subtly with each step, as if he walked on something alive rather than solid ground. He chose the chair directly opposite the godking, Marcia and Kiri
Dawn broke over the imperial city with an unnatural clarity, as if the very air had been purified in anticipation of what was to come. Rex stood at the window of his chamber, watching as the first rays of sunlight touched the distant encampment of the godking's forces. The golden bracelet on his wrist pulsed with a steady rhythm, almost like a heartbeat.'He will try to tempt you,' Fafnir's voice whispered in his mind. 'Demons of his kind are masters of deception and desire.'"I know," Rex replied softly. "But I've made my choice."After careful deliberation the previous night, he had selected his three companions for the meeting with the godking. Marcia, with her tactical mind and unwavering resolve; Kiri, whose knowledge might prove crucial against a being as old as the godking; and Dilo, her void-corrupted arm possibly giving her insight into the godking's powers that others lacked.The decision had not been easy. Lacey had argued fiercely for inclusion, citing her combat knowledge
The Citadel's council chamber buzzed with tension as Rex's old companions from Dracoterrum faced his new allies from this realm. What should have been a joyful reunion had quickly transformed into an atmosphere thick with unspoken rivalries and territorial instincts."So let me get this straight," Minet said, pacing the stone floor with her arms crossed. "While we've been desperately searching for you across realms, you've been here making new... connections." Her eyes flickered briefly toward Dilo and Kiri."It wasn't exactly by choice," Rex replied, his voice strained. "I was pulled here against my will, had to survive, and found people I could trust."Lacey, who had remained unusually quiet since their arrival, finally spoke. "We understand that, Rex. But do you understand what we went through to find you? The risks we took? Rowina might be trapped between realms right now because of it."From across the room, Dilo growled low in her throat. "He wasn't
The delegation from the godking's encampment advanced at a deliberate pace across the battle-scarred plains, their progress marked by the fluttering of the white parley flag. At its center rode the imposing figure in black armor – now clearly visible as a woman with pale, almost translucent skin and silver hair that flowed like liquid metal despite the still air."I don’t recognise the envoy," the Lady of Blades said grimly, lowering the spyglass.Rex studied the approaching emissary with growing unease. He could see the person had the figure of a woman and she was not riding a horse, but a massive wolf whose shoulders stood taller than a mounted knight. Its fur was midnight black, with wisps of shadowy vapor rising from its coat with each powerful stride. Flanking her were not soldiers but beasts – creatures with vaguely humanoid forms but bestial features, as if someone had attempted to mold animals into the shape of men and stopped halfway through