“Hmm?”

Shpiel looked up from his papers, turning his eyes towards the window. It had become dimmer ever so slightly. A large cloud had passed overhead, or an airship he wasn’t aware of was setting sail out of the city. But adjusting his position, he quickly realized that it wasn’t only his vicinity that had become darker, but the whole area itself.

He got up after setting his papers aside. The light was fading even more, enough to turn on the lamps. This was a strange thing as today’s weather had been broadcasted as sunny without any chance of rain or storm. While he was not at the top of the information-dealing guilds and offices, something this significant would have reached his ears at least. His father would have told him.

“Head in inside everyone!” he called. Now that he was outside, he knew that something was amiss. The clouds were far too dark to be simple rain clouds. Only an hour before, the sun had been shining on the city, blue skies signaling a fine day. There was no trace of that merry mood now.

The last child passed through the door as a distant rumble shook the skies. Something flashed dully behind the black clouds. Shpiel looked up with a hand raised, expecting a drop of rain to fall at any moment. Yet, even after a few minutes had passed, the air was dry, though noticeably cooler. A breeze touched his cheeks. It was an unnatural kind of wind—warm yet with a cold tail.

Shpiel looked down after he felt a tug on his clothes.

“Will we be able to have our picnic?” Manyul asked, looking worried. “The girls were looking forward to it.”

“If not today, tomorrow,” Shpiel smiled. “But that means we have time for a lesson now. Will you call them to the hall?”

The boy nodded. Shortly after he’d run back, Shpiel heard shouting and a series of footsteps accompanied by some groans. The children always thought that they were quiet enough, but keen ears were an essential tool for Shpiel. They had been looking forward to the picnic, no doubt.

Shpiel looked up once more. There had been something similar a while back. The Limen boy, Shaden had caused some rain by chanting out a scroll. Their lessons had been discontinued after he’d been recruited by the King, albeit forcefully. He did visit often with his sister, though it was unlikely that today’s weather was Shaden’s doing. After all, he’d gone on a trip with his family and the second prince.

So today’s weather was strange indeed. Yet the people, including him, would not fear the deviation much. The King watched over the city, and behind him was the Guardian.

Shaking his head at the incompetent mages who had failed to predict the weather, he returned inside.

⤙ ◯ ⤚

Above the city, Shaden felt the clouds above him brimming with electricity.

The more he’d learned from the scrolls and books Boren had gotten for him, the greater his grasp on magic had become. The intricate threads of mana, the way magic shifted the laws of nature according to the spells he’d uttered—he could feel it all. While this sensation was limited to his current body, it made him unstoppable now. The different things he’d learned—he could combine them, alter them, bend them to his will.

As if reacting to his anger, the clouds crackled with energy. It hadn’t taken long to understand the spells that affected the sky. Three iterations were the maximum required for him to cast without chanting. After three or less, the magic was his to abuse.

He raised a hand. The air screamed and shook, condensing within the vacuum of his palm. Giant arcs of static from the clouds far above began to coagulate into an erratic spear of white in his hand, becoming longer and longer until it exceeded his height. But he forced the energy to remain, tensing his muscles for a throw. The sound of constant thunder was deafening, but he was protected.

A solid spear of lightning was physically impossible. But a projectile brimming with mana and electricity, held together by telekinesis could punch a hole through a mountain. While likely an inefficient use of his power, it would send the message.

Since lightning bolts were a sign of heavenly wrath.

The darkened sky lit up like a flashbang as the spear of lightning fell towards the palace, roaring horribly as the air around the projectile warped like smoke in the wind. But moments before the spear smashed into a wall, a dome of light appeared to intercept it, dissipating the magic completely. It glowed for a moment before becoming invisible again.

Shaden looked at his hand. It had been burnt with a lingering scent of cooked meat. He watched as the flesh quickly mended, leaving behind no scar. His magic wasn’t perfect. Far from it. He was wasting mana tremendously.

But was it wasting if he had a limitless supply?

He closed his eyes.

Three spears began to form above him as power swirled into them. They were bigger, denser, and brighter this time. He sent them whizzing down towards the palace. Again, the spears exploded like fireworks on the barrier of magic, fading into nothing.

“Insolent human. Prideful, drunk on power. I gave you a way to control it, yet you treat my blessing like a curse.”

“You’re finally here,” Shaden breathed, gripping his fists.

A shining circle appeared in the sky inscribed with thousands of runes. The circle made way for a dark portal, out of which two glowing eyes emerged from beyond the darkness.

“You would destroy the city for revenge,” the dragon growled deeply, its voice clearer than the thunder around them. “All of those with great power fall towards the path of prideful depravity and self-righteousness. Though none were as great as you.”

“I knew you would come out,” Shaden said, feeling his heart thumping in his chest. “And no, I wouldn’t hurt civilians.”

“You lie.”

Shaden cast a shield just as a giant bolt of lightning smashed into him, blinding his eyes completely and sending a jolt through his body. It took him a second to realize that the jolt was from the shockwave, not from the lightning. He was able to regain his sight when suddenly, a barrage of bolts began to bombard him, causing him to stagger.

“I shall give you one last chance,” the dragon spoke, his voice somehow perfectly audible through all of the thunder. “You will be an unstoppable plague to this world without my guidance. You are still young. Learn true prosperity and peace.”

“You cursed my family!” Shaden yelled, trying to create some breathing room for himself. “Do you know how much pain they were in?!”

“A consequence of your lies.”

Something smashed into his side, sending him flying across the sky. He quickly regained his composure and looked around, but he was now far away from the city, sunny skies around him.

How hard had he been smacked?

The portal appeared before him again, revealing the glowing eyes once more.

“Now, unleash your futile efforts,” the dragon said to him. Behind him, the clouds above Raconel were being blown away to reveal the blue sky once more.

Shaden put out his hand, attempting to grab the dragon with magic. But an invisible wall blocked his path. It was like he was trying to lift a giant boulder with pool noodles. He increased his mana output, but the dragon was a master of magic; all of his spells were being read and countered.

The ground below him was ripped apart by his command. He unleashed a gigantic ball of solid earth towards the portal.

A terrible roar resounded from the portal, reducing the mountain of earth into dust. It crumbled away and fell, completely devoid of power.

“Your magic is simple,” the dragon told him. “Unlike your stealth, everything you cast is elementary. Nothing is effective, no matter how much power you have.”

Shaden backed away and held both hands in front of him. He—

Dodged just in time as the dragon’s head launched out, taking a chunk out of his left hand.

He screamed, blood flowing down where his hand once was. He stared in horror as the white bone and yellow fat were coated in crimson. Instinctively, he enveloped his hand in healing magic, and the hand began to grow back—but it was a disgustingly itchy feeling. He shivered, eyeing the dragon.

“I intended for your arm,” the dragon said with amusement. “What potent healing you have. You are someone I do not wish to lose.”

Shaden glared at the dragon.

“What is it that you wish for?” it asked. “Revenge? Yet it was you who touched my children first. Power? I can give you power. Glory? I can give that as well. Everything you wish for, I can give.”

“You made me a slave.”

“What kind of being would let his slave befriend his child, roam his house, and eat the same food as him? Every child needs a guardian. I am the Guardian of Melern and its people.”

“And you would kill the princes and princesses.”

“A necessary sacrifice. Yet, not a tragic one. They are allowed everything they wish for.”

“Except for freedom.”

“A free man will turn to destruction. Order is needed. Look at you. You were about to destroy Raconel.”

“It was only to lure you out.”

“And had I remained in my chambers, you would have taken one life after another. Look below you.”

Shaden did.

The dragon had neatly arranged the bodies of the animals that had died because of his earth magic where it was easy to see them. Mangled, broken bodies.

“Look at the consequences of your actions,” the dragon said. “Why did they have to perish? Why must the earth suffer?”

Shaden couldn’t answer.

By now, the emotional fever in his mind had died down. He looked down at the destruction he had caused. Some of the bodies were twitching.

“They’re only animals.”

“Humans are the same in my eyes.”

Shaden felt like his motivation was diminishing.

“Perhaps I had treated you harshly as I do to my enemies,” the dragon continued. “But I know that your heart is not set for destruction. I have seen it through Markendrath’s eyes.”

“You—did you know everything?”

Shaden’s mind began to race again. If the Guardian knew what their plan was, why had it let them proceed with it?

“Then why?” he asked. “Why did you let us escape? You could have warned us—so my family didn’t have to suffer!”

“Take it as a warning. Let this experience remind you over and over. Now, come to me. This time, I will give you my blood.”

“You’re confusing me like Boren often does with his philosophy,” Shaden said. A thought had come to his mind. “You talk as if you have the upper hand. But my family is safe now. I’m free from your curse. And—I have a hostage.”

The air changed noticeably. The mana around him began to vibrate. “Boren is safe,” the dragon growled.

“All of your talking has convinced me,” Shaden said, regaining his composure, “to make you my subordinate. You can still teach me then, correct? I admit, I was wrong first, though you went too far with it. And if you don’t agree—well, an eye for an eye. Boren will die.”

“You will not if you do not want to see Skotos burn down.”

“But you don’t know where it is, do you?” Shaden said. “There’s magic you don’t understand—and you are afraid of it. That is why you’re desperately trying to make me yours. You probably thought that you had me before I removed your curse.”

The dragon eyed him without blinking. It was eerie, seeing the glowing eyes so intently staring at him beyond the portal.

“You’re right, I’m still not sure how I should use my power,” Shaden admitted. “But I don’t want to be shackled either. Nor do I want to be evil. Why don’t you help me? You can be my assistant.”

“Insolent. Prideful. Foolish beyond comprehension.”

“Maybe. I’d like to call it ‘not informed enough.’”

Shaden sighed deeply. “It’s complicated, isn’t it? If you were purely evil, I could simply destroy you.”

The dragon laughed. The sound made the trees below them shake. “Evil? I am the reason why Melern prospers.”

“You’ve done a lot of good, yes,” Shaden said. “I’m starting to see that. So as angry as I was, I will try to understand.”

Instantly, claws burst forward and wrapped around Shaden in a familiar fashion, gripping his body. He was pulled into the portal, and it closed behind him, leaving him stranded in the familiar cavern. The dragon’s large nostrils breathed right into his face, hotter than air from an oven. The magic was many times thicker, and merely by breathing, Shaden could tell that the place was heavily enchanted.

“Now, you are mine,” the dragon spoke. “I will not hear any more of your ramblings.”

“So this was your plan all along,” Shaden said. “Making me your slave.”

“You were free the first time. Now that you have rebelled, your fate is sealed.”

“For the good of the country?”

The dragon didn’t reply. Instead, it put a claw on Shaden’s forehead, boring into the skin, causing his blood to flow out.

“Take it with honor,” the dragon told him. “Be rebirthed in my blood.”

“Do you have good intentions, or are you just being selfish? Take this as my final question,” Shaden asked.

“The answer is not so black and white. Do not fear, Shaden of Skotos. You will retain yourself—but my will shall be yours. Only kings receive this glory, and you will be like them.”

“So I will understand soon.”

The dragon smiled. “Yes.”

It brought its finger dripping with its blood onto Shaden’s forehead, who closed his eyes.

Shaden smiled as well.

“In the place that I come from, we like to call this the reverse card.”

“What nonsense—”

Shaden’s body exploded into darkness, completely covering the whole place in his shadow. It filled every nook and cranny according to his will, solidifying around the dragon’s limbs and neck like chains, causing it to flail about. It attempted to crush Shaden in its claws, but his shadow easily forced them back.

Shaden set foot on the ground lightly, cracking his neck. He sighed, looking up at the dragon, who now was roaring and trying to get the shadow off of its body.

Honestly, he’d wanted to make the dragon submit without using the shadow. He’d learned various spells, deepened his understanding of magic, and could now control the weather. He’d envisioned himself strangling the dragon in invisible hands, defeating it with the spells he’d cast. With sheer firepower, he would win, emerging victorious in an epic battle.

Sadly, the dragon was very good at countering magic. He’d known that from the first time he’d met the dragon. The result had been the same.

Well, not exactly the same.

“Down,” Shaden commanded, flicking his finger downwards.

The dragon’s head smashed against the floor helplessly.

“You’re loud,” Shaden said. His shadow wrapped around the dragon’s snout, sealing it.

“What is this!” the dragon roared through its teeth. “Release me at once!”

“Sadly, no,” Shaden refused.

“Kill me, and the whole country will be doomed!”

“Oh, don’t worry—I won’t kill you. I’ll just do the same thing you did to me.”

The dragon squirmed, its colossal body causing tremors against the ground. But the shadow was immovable. It panicked even more; its confusion was clear.

“Can’t use magic, can you?” Shaden smiled. “Yes, feeling powerless is a terrible thing. If it wasn’t for this power, I would be the one in your position.”

Shaden touched his shadow caringly. “It’s much more potent than I expected. Now, where were we?”

He walked up to the head of the dragon and ascended to its forehead, placing his hand on it. The dragon’s eyes glowered at him, trying to destroy him with magic, no doubt, but the whisps of shadow in the air were nullifying all attempts to escape.

“It’s your turn to be tamed,” Shaden said. “You said that humans and animals are the same to you. Well, this doesn’t work on people. Let’s see if you’re an animal. If you’re not—things could get a little messier.”

Shaden grinned. “Let’s hope that it works, shall we? Or else, you’ll be in for a lot of pain.”

The dragon roared—a raw, dreadful sound that threatened to tear his ears open. The whole air trembled, and the dragon’s body glowed vibrantly as if it was going to explode. The faint mist of shadow Shaden had set around the room after his initial removal of magic began to dissipate, overpowered by the light of the Guardian. The shackles of darkness around the dragon’s body grew dimmer, and Shaden felt the shadow’s power getting weaker.

But instantly, the sound stopped. The room became dark, and only a small chuckle could be heard echoing across the walls.

“Now I know for certain,” Shaden laughed, moving his head closer to the dragon’s eyes. “Even a dragon can’t overcome my shadow.”

The dragon didn’t speak. Not until he allowed it to, anyway. His shadow had invaded the dragon’s body, consuming every ounce of mana it produced. He’d tested it out on animals before. If he did it for too long, they would die. While the dragon would last longer, he didn’t want to kill it.

He felt his magic connect to the dragon, and its emotions—the anger, wrath, humiliation, and fear—flowed into his mind like a ceaseless stream of water. The animals he’d linked to before this had all been simple-minded creatures with only the slightest hint of complexity, especially from those who had lived longer under people.

The dragon was similar—though Shaden couldn’t count the number of thoughts that swirled through the creature’s mind.

“Petty tricks won’t work on me,” the dragon spoke directly into his head. “You’ve revealed yourself, human. I can see your thoughts as well. What potent magic you possess.”

“You’re different from normal animals,” Shaden said, sitting down, “but the fact that I’ve connected to you means that you’re still an animal. How prideful can you be?”

“Insolent!”

“Do you want to die?”

The dragon shut up. Shaden could feel it desperately trying to find a way to escape through their connection. As mighty and scary as the dragon had been during their initial confrontation, its emotions were unbelievably pathetic.

“There are a few questions I want to ask you,” Shaden said, making himself comfortable. “Why sacrifice the royal family? Killing them to remove competition for the throne to ensure peace seems unnecessary, especially if you’re ruling.”

“Why should I answer—”

Shaden thickened the shadow possessing the dragon’s body.

“—because they must be a divine symbol for the people,” the dragon completed. “This kingdom has enjoyed peace longer than any other human country. Because I’ve made it so. I will not be bested—”

“You’re not telling me the whole truth,” Shaden noticed. “I’d prefer not to go deeper into your mind. It’s messy in there.”

The dragon growled deeply. “I am beyond your comprehension.”

“I took a look. It’s more like too much junk has been piled up. Nothing extraordinary in there. You were an animal in the end, just a little more…resilient.”

Truthfully, his grip on the dragon was not perfect. Perhaps if he forced it, but he felt like he would break the dragon’s mind if he did so, erasing its persona and making it completely submissive like a dog. He didn’t want that. He needed the dragon to take care of things.

“You dare think of me as a mere—”

The dragon whimpered as Shaden flooded its mind with his, tightening the invisible grip on it. “The only reason I’m letting you speak is that I’ve ruined too many rats by dominating them too harshly,” Shaden said softly. “They lose their instincts and can’t do anything unless I instruct them to. That would be annoying, wouldn’t it?”

Fear. The fear within the dragon that was the size of a pebble had grown tenfold—and more. Because the dragon knew, and Shaden knew that the dragon knew that he was telling the truth.

“Now, tell me your real intentions for this country. Even dogs would have more love than you.”

The dragon let out a rumble of despair.

“Ah, because you are weak,” Shaden nodded. “Because compared to other dragons, you were powerless.”

“Not anymore,” the dragon snarled. “Now, I am the greatest of them all.”

“Not the whole truth. There is another…to the north?” Shaden’s eyes widened. “The Great Library. You dragons tend to…”

“Hoard,” the dragon answered.

“The more you hoard, the more powerful you become,” Shaden said. “No, that’s not quite right. Your kind simply likes hoarding. But being the weakest of them all, you wanted power. I’m guessing that the dragon up north hoards knowledge.”

“For the good of this country,” the dragon spoke.

“For the good of yourself,” Shaden corrected. “You can’t lie to me anymore. I am in your mind. But how do you hoard power? Do you suck on the people’s mana? Hmm.”

Something flashed through the dragon’s mind. It was a face Shaden didn’t recognize, and quite blurry as well. But the girl had silver hair, and the man after her also had silver hair. Next to them were their dragons who were now the Guardian.

Shaden’s eyes widened. “You sick bastard. I was—are you serious?”

“Only one lineage was the sacrifice,” the dragon said, trying to shrink away. “I saved the kingdom and its people from destruction and held peace for a thousand years. The lives I took are meager in comparison.”

Shaden looked up at the sole light source at the center of the area. The cavern itself was very clean and polished like the dragon, whose silver scales shined majestically. And yet, how many lives had been taken here? How many bodies had crumbled away?

“You used to be simple—like Markendrath and the other kindred dragons. Yet, even they take on their partners’ characteristics. And then you…”

Shaden became silent. It was no wonder why the dragon’s mind had been so incredibly littered with countless thoughts.

“I continue their will. Their legacy. Their memories live within me.”

“You consume the dragons, taking them into yourself, leaving the princes and princesses to die.”

There was sadness in the dragon—yet so minuscule. The dragon had become much too desensitized, and having too many memories, had failed to keep its original self.

“I am who I always was,” the dragon argued. “Do not evaluate me however you wish.”

“You kept yourself,” Shaden changed his mind, “but all the memories you hold—do you care for them at all?”

The answer was that it didn’t. Having too much, it didn’t care at all.

It only cared for itself. And more power. There were more negatives in human memories than positives, and taking a deeper look, it wasn’t hard to sense what they were.

Fear. Anger. Dread. The thoughts of countless royalty who had died without being able to escape, some believing in their cause, others resentful in a way Boren would be. But before the dragon, none had been able to rebel.

“Yes, I can see why you are disturbed,” the dragon said softly. “But without me, humans would kill and—”

“Shut up,” Shaden muttered. “You’re the most selfish of them all. Taking care of the kingdom is like a hobby to you.”

It wasn’t entirely true. The Guardian, being connected to the King, gave him advice and knowledge and power. With a millennia's worth of experience, the kingdom had to be peaceful. But this was merely for its convenience so it could carry out its practices undisturbed.

“Experiencing death gives great power,” the dragon spoke. “Where death is closest, life is brightest.”

“So you create bonds with the royalty. And later, you harvest their memories and power.”

“It was the contract between the first king and me.”

Shaden felt disgusted. Perhaps a long time ago, the dragon known as Mernos was a simple creature similar to Markendrath. But it had acquired human memories, and it had corrupted it. When those memories came from those who were killed by it, it could never be good.

“I was not changed by mere human experiences.”

“Maybe you dragons are always selfish and uncaring,” Shaden said. “Your head is too jumbled for me to see it clearly. How greedy can you become? Haven’t you had enough?”

“It is never enough,” the dragon growled. “Three to six a generation is meager. I am patient, unlike others.”

“Or too cowardly,” Shaden said. “I see—the violent ones all died, didn’t they? Hunted down by the other nations.”

While the dragon didn’t reply, Shaden knew that it was true. It feared an all-out war. Another reason why the peace and prosperity of the kingdom greatly benefitted it.

“Isn’t it okay to stop now?” Shaden asked. “You don’t need to kill them anymore. You’re strong enough.”

A flare of rage shot through the dragon’s eyes. It was never enough, it told him. The fact that it had lost against a mere human boy was enough to tell that it needed more and more power.

“What is power, anyway?” Shaden asked. “Isn’t it mana? Why death?”

“Death brings understanding, revelation, and transcendence. Those with near-death experiences can overcome themselves. Those who have experienced death can rise far above—”

“Yet you use others to do it. I can tell—you're becoming stagnant. Since you’re not experiencing death yourself, the process of using the royalty is inefficient. Funny, since you’re too afraid to experience it yourself. That is why you stay in this cavern—”

Shaden waved a finger around, “—and sleep. Your thoughts are strange. How can you be satisfied with just acquiring power? What about the other parts of life?”

The dragon didn’t need to answer. The dragon was, in the end, an animal—and like all animals, followed its instincts. It was to hoard and survive, to devour enemies and remove competition. It was so simple compared to all of the memories it held that Shaden didn’t know what to say.

“I am not so simple,” the dragon grunted.

“Maybe not,” Shaden breathed, “but if you were, I would have had an easier time sparing you since you were only following your instincts.”

Shaden got up, jumping down on the ground. He undid his connection with the dragon.

“What will you do with me?” the dragon asked nervously after Shaden allowed it to open its mouth.

“I don’t want Melern to collapse, do I?” Shaden said, stretching his arms. “You’ll live. For now.”

“For now?”

Shaden undid the shackles around the dragon. It made no attempts to attack him but remained completely still with its head lowered. Because it knew that if it did, it would die on the spot. Shaden had located its heart and had planted his shadow inside of it along with a marker. All of the gifts of magic, he’d discovered, could be imbued and strengthened with his shadow.

“It’s the same thing you did to me,” Shaden smiled, looking back. “A blessing of my shadow. But, as you know, it’s more like a parasite. Do anything funny—and believe me when I say that I can tell—and you’re dead on the spot. Boren was right. I should have taken more philosophy classes because then I’d know how to deal with you. Or is that ethics?”

“Everything I’ve done has benefited humans.”

“But you kill, which my shadow heavily disagrees against. But, as you could tell, it has no qualms about killing animals.”

Shaden yawned. Then he remembered his family trembling in pain.

“For now—”

Two giant blades of pure black emerged from Shaden’s shadow, slicing apart the dragon’s wings in a split second. The dragon roared in pain, but one look from Shaden made it stop.

“I’ll return your wings in due time,” Shaden said, linking to the dragon again. “Keep doing what you’ve been doing. I don’t want to be bothered by politics. But lay a finger on my family again—and it’s over.”

The dragon grunted. “A fun, exciting life? How modest. Who knows when you’ll try to destroy the world?”

“You can see that I have no such plans.”

The dragon was in pain, though being as ancient as it was, didn’t affect it much. Those who could control mana efficiently could deal with pain easily, and the dragon was a master of it. Shaden couldn’t inflict the same amount of agony as his family had experienced, and thinking about it made him bubble with emotion.

“But you can tell what other thoughts I have,” Shaden warned.

“I will not upset you again,” the dragon promised. It was a genuine one. The giant beast, though powerful and ancient, was a coward. It had pride, but its life was its utmost priority, and Shaden’s request wasn’t a difficult one. It would submit.

“Yes.”

Finally, his dream world would follow his wishes.

The dragon’s amber eyes widened. They stared at Shaden intently, not believing in what it had felt through their connection.

“Your power…”

He’d let his thoughts slip accidentally.

“You will not speak a word of this,” Shaden said.

“I will not,” the dragon agreed. “But is it truly…truly infinite?”

“So far.”

“Ah, the epitome of power…”

The dragon rose, blood still pouring out of the stumps where its wings used to be. But it lowered its head soon after, placing it before Shaden in a deep bow.

“A being that transcends worlds. I have only heard tales during the centuries I’ve roamed the lands,” the dragon said. “May your stay in Exarria be as pleasing as possible.”

Shaden didn’t know what to say. There was probably a misunderstanding or two somewhere, but he was too tired to care. He wanted to return to Skotos and comfort his family.

“It will be,” Shaden agreed. “Now—return me to the surface if you don’t want me to burst through the ceiling.”

“As you wish.”

He reemerged on the palace balcony that overlooked the city. Stepping off, he flew into the sky, finding his way towards the portal he’d come out of.

The air felt so refreshingly sweet. He felt the gentle wind on his hair and the warmth of the sun on his cheeks, basking in an emotion he’d never felt so strongly before. Satisfaction, joy, and the pleasure of success. He’d done what he had wanted to do and had come out on top, not failing like the other times. This wasn’t some half-assed victory that left a bad taste in his mouth. It didn’t leave any lingering uncomfortable emotions.

It was a complete triumph.

There were still many things he was unsure of. Human relations were so complicated, and maybe it had been easier this time because his opponent had been a dragon. But if there was one thing he was sure of—

It was that he wanted to keep winning.

⤙ ◯ ⤚

Demund was in a good mood.

Around two weeks had passed in the waking world. There wasn’t much going on besides tests, which were common. They’d continued their ‘study group’ in their homes like they usually had, and Kacy had even taken the liberty of inviting them to her house—which, according to Alina, was a kind of mansion with the newest technology. He was looking forward to that.

They were also continuing without Davis. It was much more comfortable. Thankfully, the guy hadn’t insisted on joining them after his talk with Demund, and while they saw each other at school sometimes, avoided each other for the most part. Demund had felt somewhat bad for the guy, but it was his decision to live the way he did.

He’s not my problem, he’d decided. He had his hands full with himself.

At least, until that afternoon.

He’d separated from the others like they usually did since they were taking a break for the day. The girls were going out with their friends, so Demund had wanted to relax at home while continuing to train his magic and circulation. He was making great progress, and with an ancient dragon under his command, he could ask anything he wanted—though for now, he would enjoy the peace. Finally, he could take things a little more slowly.

He got little headaches when he thought about how he would explain everything to his parents, and even his grandfather, but Practol could take care of that. The look in his eyes when Shaden had appeared before him with the Divine Silver Crest had been unforgettable. He’d already heard about the sudden lightning and thunder and the attack on the palace. The man had fallen on his face, and Shaden hadn’t felt like telling him to get up.

No honor—simply survival. The old man had begged for his son’s life, saying that he had nothing to do with the betrayal. Shaden had let him repent for a while longer before revealing what he’d done to him.

“I understand why you captured my family,” Shaden had told him. “You didn’t have a choice. But what about that stops me from sending you flying into the sky? Now, there is no dragon to stop us.”

“Mercy, mercy!” the man had cried. “I will give you everything!”

And Shaden had felt bad about making the old man grovel so much. He’d forgiven him in the end. Practol and his son had been very amicable, treating them well before the dragon incident. It wasn’t their fault that they’d turned on him, was it?

Shaden hadn’t known that he could hold grudges. Facing Practol, however, showed him a part of him that he hadn’t known before. The pleasure of dominating. It was a sick but satisfying feeling. Revenge was a sweet dish, even when served cold.

So when he saw Davis getting beaten up by Edan again, it made his blood run cold. It made him want to act like Shaden.

“Seriously, here?” Demund called out, making sure that his prosthetic leg was firmly attached. “What a generic alleyway.” He got off his bicycle, leaning it against the wall.

Edan looked up with a wild look on his face. Letting Davis go, he wiped his mouth and pushed his hair back.

“Are you a stalker?” he spat, touching his fist where it was red. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“I heard something familiar,” Demund replied bluntly. “This could get you expelled.”

“I’d like to see you try,” Edan scoffed. “Where’s your proof?”

“Go away, Demund,” Davis grunted, getting up, not looking that injured. “This is none of your business.”

“Yeah, Demund,” Edan cackled. He adjusted his shirt and stretched his fingers. “Feeling sympathetic for your friend over here? Don’t worry; it’s a consensual relationship.”

“You’re messed up,” Demund said, taking out his phone. “You’re not—”

Something whizzed through the air, knocking his phone out of his hand. When he looked at it, it had been cleanly cut apart into two, broken on the ground.

“Proof, Demund?” Edan said. “Oh, sorry about the phone. My finger slipped. You know, it looked like an old model. I’ll get you the latest one, so don’t worry. Maybe I’ll add a tablet or two if you’d like.”

Out of nowhere, he kicked Davis on the stomach, who fell to the floor with a pained look. Only then did Davis’s body get thicker. He gasped, holding his stomach.

“Tell—tell me before,” he coughed, preparing himself.

“Great. Now you’re telling me what to do as well.”

Edan began to kick Davis repeatedly who took the blows without much complaining.

“Stop!” Demund yelled. “I’m going to call the cops.”

“Why do you think we’re here?” Edan laughed. “Use your brain, smart guy. No one’s here. You’re the creepy one for following us all the way here.”

“There will be marks on his body. That will be proof.”

“Marks?”

Edan snorted, stopping his kicks. A mad look came over his face. “So what? Davis, where did you get these marks?”

“My skin doesn’t leave any marks,” Davis replied dully.

“That’s not what I asked.”

Edan proceeded to grab Davis’s collar and slap him in the face. Even Davis looked shocked at the sudden development.

“That’s a good expression,” Edan smirked. “What do you say, Davis? Five times for the face.”

“......deal.”

“You heard him. Oh, don’t worry, Demund. I’ll get you the phone by tomorrow. You can go now.”

“Stop!” Demund yelled. “This is wrong!”

“Try and stop me. Or should I say us?”

Without thinking, being overly confident due to his recent victory, Demund began to run toward the two guys. Edan, without letting go of Davis, looked at him and waved his hand.

With the sound of something cracking, Demund’s leg gave out under him. He fell on his hands, scraping them. Another blow pushed him backwards—a strong gust of air that separated them again.

“Stop me, Demund,” Edan mocked. “Oh, I’ll pay for your leg as well.”

Demund got up and leaned against the wall. His body ached all over, and his head felt like it was going to explode with fury. There was a dragon who had killed countless people in the other world, and for some reason, he felt more anger dealing with the high schooler in front of him.

Demund focused mana—maybe too much mana—into his hand. He wasn’t thinking clearly. He threw the first spell that had come into his mind—

A small fireball. He regretted it an instant later.

“Oh, sh—dodge!”

The world seemed to decelerate around him, and he helplessly watched as the ball of flames soared towards the two guys in slow motion.