Ch. 6: The Black Dragon

Clenching his blade, the ruler of Lunaris ran out of the throne room. But just as he stepped foot outside, a roar shook the sky, and knights yelled out in alarm, covering the palace's extensive front area. The barrier which surrounded the palace now had a large hole. A small shower of black rain poured inside, staining the palace's peerless white ground. Puddles formed that allowed skeletons and beastly creatures to run rampage as the knights began fighting against the horde.

The one who cracked the hole was the dragon soaring through the sky, flapping its jet-black wings. Gray-white hair attached to its head blew ominously and wildly in the wind. Opening its mouth, the dragon released a roar of red flames that disintegrated everything it touched. Its figure blended into the blackness of the night as it soared in the sky, bringing forth the haunting image of a reaper.

The dragon swooped through the hole and landed on the palace's milky white bridge connecting to the front of the palace and the entrance gate. Marching through the crowd, the ruler of Lunaris laid eyes on the beast whose crimson eyes glinted with mirth as a deep rumbling chuckle escaped the dragon's smokey mouth.

"So, you are Serenity's current descendant?" spoke the dragon in a deep voice.

"Speak, beast, from what realm do you come from? Why have you brought great destruction to my realm?!" demanded the ruler of Lunaris. Anger clouded his dark gray eyes; he was furious at the sight of his realm under attack. 

The citizens of Lunaris were under his protection; it was his job to keep the peace and tranquility that Lunaris had grown comfortable experiencing after the war of the titans finally came to an end. Yet this was now broken by a siege of monsters, who, from the darkness of the clouds, unleashed horror upon the innocents! Such merciless blood-shedding, Luna's father hadn't seen since he was a young warrior on the front lines of the battlefield.

"I am a creation of my master. I obey his every command. It was he who sent a small army of his creations to this realm and ordered me to deliver his message to the descendant of that vile woman, Serenity." The dragon proudly spoke of this so-called master of his while his voice held disgust towards Serenity.

"Well, here I stand! Speak! What is your master's message?" demanded Luna's father. He was the type to never run away, even in the face of unspeakable danger.

"Eons have passed, and my master has not forgotten the unforgivable deed your ancestor did to him. Of how it was that treacherous woman who sealed the gate and locked him forever on Tartaros!" The dragon sneered, unfathomable anger laced within his crimson eyes.

"Tartaros?" Luna's father repeated the name, wondering why it sounded so familiar, when a shock of disbelief flashed through his eyes. "I only know of one horrendous being who resides there, but that realm has been sealed off for centuries!"

Luna's father only knew of one being the dragon could be referencing, and it was a name he hadn't heard since he was a child. A name mentioned when the Starry Galaxy first faced a great peril eons ago, and if it weren't for the combined efforts of the five Great Star Divinuses, the Starry Galaxy would have perished.

"True, but luck struck when a scout reported to my master that there was a crack in the seal. Meaning only one thing, the seal your great ancestor placed is weakening, and soon the gate which seals all of Tartaros will be no more. Once he is free, all life in the Starry Galaxy shall taste his wrath! Starting first with the descendant of Serenity!"

A swirling mass of red flames was released yet again, shooting straight at Luna's father. The knights around him cried out to their leader and began launching attacks towards the beast. He used his sword to shield himself from the blast as his army of knights fought to defend themselves from the vicious attacks caused by the black beastly creatures and skeletons.

Unable to assist their ruler, they worriedly called out to him, only for him to order, "Do not worry about me! Just protect Lunaris!"

Obeying their monarch's command, the knights concentrated on slaying the evil creatures, keeping them away from invading any further inward. Luna's father was having a hard time defending himself from the dragon's flames when an arrow soared through the sky. It would have headed straight for the dragon if the beast hadn't spread out its wing, blocking the weapon.

"Huh, so this won't be as easy as I hoped." Standing on top of one of the palace towers was Zain, holding a beautifully crafted, bow and arrow that looked as if it was forged from ice crystals as the weapon gave off icy blue colors that sparkled like snowflakes.

"I would advise you from going full convergence. Don't forget your body is still healing from the injuries you suffered on your last mission." On Zain's right ear glowed a dangling, snowy blue diamond earring. From it spoke a magnetizing voice of a woman who could make any heart fall under her charm.

"I know that, but I have to at least do something. Besides, you know sitting on the sidelines watching danger happen is unlike me."

"One of the traits I both love and hate about you, but despite your flaws, your breathtaking looks is why I bestowed my magic upon you." One could detect a hint of mirth in the woman's voice.

"Hmph, and here I thought that out of the thousands who lost their lives trying to conquer your dungeon, only I prevailed which made me worthy in your eyes," said Zain, descending his way down the tower as the woman’s bell-like laughter echoed.

Back on the ground, Luna's father lunged at the dragon with his sword, only to dodge a swipe from the dragon's clawed hand. He leapt away before he could get caught in the dragon's clutches and be squeezed to death. The ruler of Lunaris was trying to come up with a plan on how to handle the dragon when a set of footsteps softly touched the ground next to him.

"I do hope you have a plan for how we can take down this creature." Luna's father turned his head and saw that the voice belonged to the second prince of Militum. The young man stood there, holding a bow and arrow in his hand, eyes on the dragon standing before them.

"Shouldn't that be the younger generation's job? 'Cause sadly, I got nothing," chuckled Luna's father, sensing magic coursing through the boy's body, magic that definitely did not belong to him.

"Was really hoping for a different answer. So attack it with everything we got and hope that works?" Zain raised up his bow and arrow and got ready to aim at the dragon. 

"That's the plan." The ruler of Lunaris gripped his sword, forcing down a cough as he felt blood rushing up his throat, but refused to show his weakness right here and now. 

"Oh, right then." Weapon in hand, Zain released a batch of ice arrows at the dragon. Luna's father charged forth, jumping high into the air, sword raised right above the creature's head.

Inside a large room, occupied with only a table and chair, the young man ordered to guard the princess stared solemnly at the young woman who sat at the table. Her hands were clenched together, desperately praying to the Holy Mother for this kingdom’s ruler, the same man who was her father, to return back safely.