For me to resort to use Fiammre’s weapon form and yet still unable to kill this human. I have underestimated him. However, an artificial Ar Draughum contracted to lord Slibinas struggling against mere human is simply unthinkable.

Even if this human was a summoned human from earth, his strength easily surpassed the strongest hero I knew of. That hateful human who abandoned me in the hand of our enemy.

The prototypes were already contracted to mother, so mother created us first generation artificial Ar Draughum for the summoned heroes to use. Different with the prototypes, we can be subcontracted as in letting those who swore allegiance to our master to use our weapon form.

Needless to say, even the heroes were nothing before Aži Dahāka and the Ar Daenocens. With the heroes to wield us killed, most of first generations were destroyed or given the choice to be contracted to our enemies in exchange of our lives.

That human who told me that the two of us together would be invincible and so we would win the war, that we would always be together as the best partner, easily abandoned me and ran away without putting so much of a fight before lord Slibinas. At first, I was somewhat sad when he was impaled from the back and died just like that. But now I can say, “serves him right”. Thanks to that I could easily choose to be contracted to lord Slibinas instead of forfeiting my life.

With only mother and the Ar Draughum who was in charge of this world’s system leading the humans against four Ar Daenocens including Aži Dahāka’s fragment leading the rest of this world’s inhabitants, it was clear as day who had the advantage and more than half of the other first generations chose to switch side after their wielder perished. However, mother did something as unthinkable as releasing her true form, risking to destroy the whole planet to fight Aži Dahāka’s fragment which somehow ended with both sealed in different way.

The human before me was using Azanthys who was the symbol of envy to us first generations who had to contract the weak human instead of mother. I always thought that she was looking down on us but now she also contracted a human and I could not sense any dissatisfaction from her. In fact, Azanthys looked happy. Happy? What? Curse you prototypes! Why did we have to suffer loss and disgrace while you hog all the glory and happiness?

I, Rogannus, will not allow this any further.

***

With Azanthys in hand I moved to avoid the dragon’s flaming sword coming from above and rushed in to counter. I’m confident that blocking will result in me getting pushed back even if our weapons were not too different in quality. Even if the difference in our strength were not too much, the difference in our physical size were just too vast and thus the balance will tip to one with larger mass. No human was designed to clash with dragons to begin with. Thinking so, I tried to just block briefly when I had to and to switch to parrying whenever possible.

I slashed at the dragon’s torso and blood spurted from the gaping wound. With this I have confirmed that Azanthys’ blade could cut through the dragon’s metal scales but the resistance was still quite high.

“Why you little…!”

Our exchange of slash, block, parry, and dodge continued for several minutes but I utilized my small size as compared to the dragon to my advantage and kept myself close to Rogannus to make it difficult for him to attack.

After failing to get away from me who stuck as close as I could to him, Rogannus flapped his wings and flew up out of my reach while using a breath attack on me to which I blocked by conjuring a wall of ice.

“What happened to your pride? This lowly human is demanding a fair fight though?”

“Shut your trap, human! I will not choose my method any longer, I will definitely kill you!”

Uwah, did he snap? I thought he was the calm type.

I shot some ice stakes at Rogannus but he easily dodged all of them.

Sometimes he would swoop down with a swing of the flaming sword and occasional tail whip in addition to it Of course I dodged them all.

After I dodged another of his sweeping attack Fiammre returned to his dragon form and this time Rogannus became a silver lustrous spear in his arm.

“Ha, it’s my turn now!”

Transformed back Fiammre had perfect posture for attacking me who was turning my head to look at him, but I judged that due to Rogannus’ previous high speed sweep, there was enough distance between us so the lance would not be able to reach me.

(Master… dodge!)

Azanthys’ warning reminded me of something so I did as told and jumped to the side avoiding the elongating spear thrust. I was a bit late so blood scattered in the air along with fragments of my long since battered shoulder pad from my left shoulder that was grazed. I should consider new apparel since now the black snake jacket has too much extra holes.

Before I could express my complaint on the situation, the elongated spear shook and lashed around wildly like a whip accompanied by sonic boom like sounds. I quickly moved away from there while holding Azanthys in front of me to block the whip.

The tip of the whip then stabbed into the floor where Rogannus re-materialized his body, pulling the now transformed into sword Fiammre closer in an instant. Rogannus lunged forward and swung the flaming Fiammre horizontally at me.

Blocking that large swing is bad!

I jumped and let my body into a parallel line with the sword’s route but the flame touched my body that was facing the sword. Fortunately I casted glacis rumeris on myself before jumping so my oh-so-ordinary face wasn’t burnt. My heart was kind of burnt by my own remark though.

I thawed the ice covering my front as I landed and was about to launch a counterattack on Rogannus but he was already flying away from me.

“Dammit… without Mareritter here, I can’t use full armor and the wings…”

(Master… orla tes lhordes glacis… spell… will tell…but… if human use… there is… side effect...)

“You told me that victory will be ours so it’s okay, we’ll win if I use it, right?”

I nodded to Azanthys who then recited the spell and I immediately repeated after her. I have never used the spell before so no keyword activation for now.

(En tuelle lac lucernes agis glacis val lhordes, orla tes nivus tes glacis la stratiem…)

“En tuelle lac lucernes agis glacis val lhordes, orla tes nivus tes glacis la stratiem…”

Rogannus swung the flaming sword, Fiammre, to create a large wall of fire in front of him and used his bullet rain breath attack on it. I ran to get away from the flame infused bullets barrage while keeping the incantation.

(...lac vitres en tuelle lac glacis ornis ar orla tes glacis ar tuelle lhordes…)

“...lac vitres en tuelle lac glacis ornis ar orla tes glacis ar tuelle lhordes…”

This is quite long, and I think there’s still some more…

I ran erratically to avoid the barrage. Keeping my concentration on the spell while avoiding Rogannus’ attacks and under the intense feeling of mana being drained out is too hard for me who rarely used any magic. I almost stopped to complain but managed not to.

(...ves en una tuelle en agis af serte nivus sef orla sef glacis sef riges…)

“...ves en una tuelle en agis af serte nivus sef orla sef glacis sef riges...”

As I ran above an area where the floor had already been filled with holes, they suddenly exploded, scattering mini sized but powerful flaming shrapnels everywhere. I only protected my face to continue the incantation, ignoring countless small wounds that opened as the shrapnels easily torn the black snake jacket which should be able to repel your normal sword slash without problem.

(...unglacias ar init sef verux esta ...ves en tuelle aetias init ar vitus glacis.)

“...unglacias ar init sef verux esta ves en tuelle aetias init ar vitus glacis.”

With cold mist emanating violently from Azanthys whose multiple side blades spread like wings, it seemed that Rogannus realized what I was about to unleash. Rogannus covered himself with Fiammre’s flame and plunged down to attack me. Just like Azanthys’ ice not affecting me directly, I guess he won’t feel hot from that. Anyway, it seemed that it was too late.

(Nil vax omnia meres, la nivus Orla tes Lhordes Glacis.)

“Nil vax omnia meres, la nivus Orla tes Lhordes Glacis.”

A beautiful ringing sound was heard and in an instant everything within more than ten meter radius of me was covered in white colored ice that kept encroaching out in high speed while scattering countless snowflakes into the air. Rogannus swung Fiammre at me from above but as it touched the scattering flakes, in mere fragments of a second the flaming sword was then covered in white ice along with its flame.

“Curse you!!!”

Although Rogannus said something where it sounded like he would push his attack forward, he actually pulled back and flew up to avoid the encroaching crystal dust filled atmosphere.

Before I knew it, the entire room had turned into a snowscape, even the ceiling was not free from being frozen. Each time the flakes touches something, including the floor and wall, large white ice crystal would form. So, rather than tundra, the room looked more like a giant cave filled with various size of large or extra large stalactites and stalagmites of white ice. I remembered that Albert and his friends were somewhere over, uhh... there? And so I excluded the area from being frozen.

My mana almost got completely drained so my head was heavy and felt like it was hit by a truck, forcing me to kneel on the frozen floor. Not that I know how it feels if a truck hit you. Actually, my whole body felt heavy and painful now. Let’s keep this magic as a trump card, yeah…

As for why I could stay calm right now, it was because in front of me was an extra large ice crystal encasing Rogannus and Fiammre. He tried to enlarge the flame covering his body but it was all for naught. The flame itself was frozen.

As in the coldness of the beginning of time, the world of eternal ice shall engulf everything in the purest of white.

Just like stated in the only part of the spell I could make out its meaning, as long as I didn’t undo the spell, the ice will never melt.

As for the side effect Azanthys just said, I thought it was the pain I felt on my whole body but it seemed that I was wrong. I can’t utter a word! For a magician that magic spell spells doom!

Sorry, bad pun…. but I really can’t let out any sound from my mouth, not even a groan.

So… what’s gonna happen after this? Except for the entrance, this room has no door or window. Only a plain and vast dome shaped room.

Azanthys returned to her human form next to me and landed with a graceful posture, right foot first.

(Azanthys, what are we supposed to do now?)

“Wait… until… Rogannus… and Fiammre lose... all… life force…”

At least the telepathy connected. But that means the two were still alive in there?

(Why the wait though?)

“Became Slibinas’... attendants… so... way to... Mother’s… seal… their souls…”

(Uhh, not that the souls were seals, but just the way to it?)

Azanthys nodded.

Uhh, if Mareritter was here then I could ask for better explanation… oh well, let’s wait.

Ah, what about Albert and his friends?

Followed by Azanthys, I ignored my body who screamed of the pain it was feeling and walked to where Albert and his friends should have been.

Near the edge of this room was an erratically shaped non-frozen area as marked by patches of iceless floor. Why was it erratically shaped? It was harder to exclude some parts from the whole room AoE magic so there was no helping it. In there were Albert and his friends hugging each other, shivering, while Novia conjured several small floating fireballs in front of them. The fireballs were flickering and might disappear anytime soon. You could see their breath and Albert even had some frozen snot… ah, it snapped and fell. Am I the only one here who don’t feel cold? Ah yeah, Azanthys too.

‘You guys okay? Not so much from the looks of it though.’Was what I wanted to say…

(Azanthys, can you do something about them?)

(... will try…)

After several seconds of thinking in front of the trio who couldn’t even speak due to their violently clattering teeth, Azanthys constructed something akin to an igloo with her normal ice, or rather, how did she know about igloos?

Via Azanthys, I instructed Novia to continue with her fire magic. Shape wise, the igloo was quite well-constructed with a small hole on top. It would be better if it was made of compressed snow blocks instead of solid ice but this much should do for now.

I also needed to rest, so I left the violent clattering sound from Albert and his friends. I also asked Azanthys to take a vial of mana regeneration quickening potion from my bag which I had entrusted to Albert. I went outside and after choosing a spot near the protruding entrance, I drunk the potion and sat while leaning to the igloo’s wall with Azanthys next to me.

I finally conquered the last floor. I kind of remember Mareritter saying that it depends mostly on my own strength. But I don’t know why he said it like that, the fight was hard if you ask me. Did he meant that I will get stronger in the process and that will also cause Azanthys to get stronger as well anyway, so there would be no problem even if it was just the two of us? Well, it doesn’t matter any longer now.

Before sleepiness could start assaulting me, however, a loud cracking sound was heard and the ceiling burst open with the frozen ceilings fragments turned into dust and disappeared. The cracks gradually reached the surrounding walls and this room then became an open-air one.

The looming black and purplish liquid-like sky seemed like it was squirming wildly when suddenly it cleared out in almost an instant. Now, instead of the previous gloomy sky, far above us was a pearl white layered gigantic scales like surface whose glow pushed away the darkness surrounding us.

However, there were huge black purplish magic stone not unlike the previous gloomy sky in five directions located at the edge of this floor. They must have been behind the thick wall.

“Mother…”

I looked at Azanthys who was also looking upwards. Wait, don’t tell me…

Now that I looked at its overall shape, those protruding parts must be wings and those large lumps over there, there, there, and there are the legs. The view reminded me of that interactive planetarium VR where you see the solar system from some certain predetermined locations. I remember looking at the moon from a distance where it blocks most of your view. The pearl white dragon was far enough so I could see those parts like its wings or legs, but just like how it was implied in my previous statement, that dragon’s size was insanely big. While it might be small if compared to a moon, you could probably fit a whole Rifst kingdom on it and still left with some free space. That’s Praesia?

“Master… those… stones… destroy…”

Azanthys pointed at one of the huge magic stones at the edge of this floor. So, those were part of the seal? Can I do it with my current condition? Magic stones are known for being harder as its size and purity goes up. I bet those are harder than diamond, just look at the size and hue. Just how can I destroy it in my current state?

“Mother’s jewel… can… help… maybe...”

‘Maybe’, eh? let’s just see one of the stones for now.

I felt a strange discomfort when I got near one, but nothing else was amiss. I just thought that the seal would be of more grand and luxurious kind with carved magic formation or similar decorations. Function over fashion, I guess. For now I tried hitting it with the serrated sword but as expected, it was hard, even harder than Rogannus’ scales.

I took out the amulet of Praesia just to see what would happen, but silence overwhelmed me for the next several minutes. Azanthys was just looking at me here without saying anything so maybe she didn’t know the detail on what I should do with this?

I tried channeling what little bit of mana I have into the amulet while hitting the magic stone with the serrated sword, but there was no change whatsoever. How about touching the stone using the amulet? My mana manipulation and control level is low so I couldn’t keep the earlier mana I used from dispersing, and I think some got absorbed by the amulet too so I had to infuse more. I just gritted my teeth when my headache returned.

I thought it was another miss, but the stone reacted after I forced myself to add the amount of mana. Like a ripple, the purplish black part gradually turned white from the part where the amulet was touching it. Right after the stone turned completely white, with it at the center, a pillar of light was raised until it touched Praesia up above. The pillar of light failed to reach Praesia as if there was an invisible barrier.

For now, should I just try it again on another one? I don’t have much mana though, so I ordered Azanthys to take some more mana regeneration quickening potion from my bag. There’s the option of just resting for today and continue tomorrow but I just feel like doing it right now.

I drank two more vials of the potion and waited about 15 minutes to accumulate some mana before I proceeded to another of the stone. By that time, it seemed that Albert and friends had recovered enough to come out of the igloo and watch what I was doing.

Alright, I’m down to the last stone. Pillars of light from the other four stones were all converged at Praesia’s head, or the barrier in front of it.

Here we go.

The fifth pillar of light joined the other four and a very loud cracking sound accompanied by a blinding flash occured. I could only close my eyes and blink many times until my vision was restored.

As Praesia’s pearl white body glittered faintly, I noticed some movements. Albert and his friends also leaked an ‘ooh’ while Azanthys only looked at Praesia in silence, her lips just formed a brief faint smile though. The super gigantic dragon that was Praesia finally opened its eyes and the head moved so an eye was facing me, still from the distance. This is just me, but the way it moved gave me an impression that just by turning its head, a mountain or two could easily be crushed. The size gave an illusion that it moved slowly but in reality it might be faster than a fighter jet if we counted it by traveled distance.

(Well done, Erik.)

Then the usual Praesia’s voice I heard in my dreams resounded directly in my head. Judging from Azanthys and the other three’s reactions, it seemed that they heard it too. I assume that telepathy from me will work too so I replied to Praesia.

(I fulfilled my side of bargain but it seems there are still many worrisome things, especially about Aži Dahāka. What are you going to do after this?)

(Ah, yes… well… that was right to the point...)

Contrary to her majestic figure, Praesia’s voice contained some hesitation.

(Actually, I can no longer manifest myself over there. By releasing my true form, my avatar for this world system was destroyed and to make a new one I will need the cooperation of its administrator.)

Some new terms came out! I understand the words themselves, but that is beside the point.

(Avatar… you meant, a human form? What about that Lavinia-like figure?)

(I just borrowed her form since she was the only human to ever hold onto that gem you have for a long period after the queen of Eldarifst. I can only use that in your dreamscape.)

(So, I guess you can’t make a new one too, eh?)

(Unfortunately, that is correct. Eusthelia, the Ar Draughum in charge of this world’s system is being held at different great dungeon, I don’t know which one though. I hope you can free Eusthelia too, Erik...)

(I see...)

(And I have finally found Tiamat’s whereabout so I need to leave as per the pact I have exchanged with the people of this world before. I will have to lend my assistance to Tiamat because if something were to happen to Tiamat, the whole universe would be in danger, that includes your earth too, Erik.)

(What is with that insanely huge scale? … oy, don’t tell me that you were intending to leave things to me from the very start?)

(That is… yes, I mean… I can’t do it myself, and if it is help, Azanthys, Mareritter, and my other children will help you. They should be inside one of the great dungeons as well, just like Azanthys and Mareritter.)

(Wait, wait! Aži Dahāka and its accomplices are all something similar to you, right? No matter how you look at it, they could just crush me like ants!)

Daym, like hell I can fight something like Praesia… Destroying the empire sounded like a walk in the park compared to that.

(Aži Dahāka’s fragment should have been sealed inside a space I have especially created myself. Slibinas and the rest should also have been weakened significantly. To begin with, other than Aži Dahāka the rest of them were of the lowest rank amongst Ar Daenocens. If you have my children with you then it would not be impossible to defeat them.)

(Consider my motivation too, please… I have retired from being a hero and I have my business with Zagrant empire here.)

Praesia closed her eyes and opened it again after a brief pause.

(I have no right to stop you from your revenge… just be sure to not lose yourself in it, Erik. And if I must say, you will need to confront the empire sooner or later as it seems Slibinas and the other were using it as their base of operation.)

(Huh?)

(I could somewhat observe the world via the artifacts I gave to the three human monarchs including that gem you have. However, about 500 years ago, I lost my control over two of them. I could still track their locations and one is currently in Zagrant empire.)

That is certainly suspicious… I might be biased since I hate the empire though. Now that I have to consider going against the Ar Daenocens, it would be wise to gain the help of Praesia’s other children. What a pain… and it sounds like it will take a lot of time.

Praesia continued while I was still thinking.

(I know that I am irresponsible, but you are the only one I can entrust this to. The newly summoned heroes are in troublesome position. They were summoned by the empire, that alone is a problem, and they are simply not strong enough, being just summoned and all.)

(How did you know that there was a hero summoning?)

(Of course I would know, since the summoning magic came from me and it used my mana that was being sapped through this tower and into this world’s system. I managed to limit the summoning magic so it would only be able to summon 5 otherworlders at most before I was sealed to prevent further misuse somehow.)

(... I see. Alright, I was going to crush the empire anyway… can’t be helped if I have to fight those things when they are in the empire…)

The hurdle was suddenly raised. Some deliberate strategy will be necessary. I guess I’ll talk about it to Mareritter. Azanthys? Uhm, she’s not suited to that kind of discussion as she will agree to whatever I said.

(Thank you, Erik. I will, of course, give you my support for as much I can right now. Before that, I will have to do something to irk and hinder the enemy’s movement.)

(What?)

(I’ll reveal that Praesia will leave this world to everyone in the continent.)