“Should’ve thought it wouldn’t be that easy,” said Richie. “There’s always a phase two.”

“Phase two of what?” asked Azureath.

“Of a final boss. It will move on to the next phase if you injure it enough.”

“Really, Richie,” said Hans. “Your otherworldly thoughts amaze me even now. Even so, do you have any ideas?”

“Only one. Give it all we got until it drops!” said Richie. “But don’t skimp on support!”

Everyone agreed on that, especially when Azureath started with her mastery over her own temperature manipulation. Her use of primal magic made her possible to affect the area, turning it into a cold environment that hopefully would damage the Altered Reality.

The Altered Reality seemed infinite at first, but Azureath’s intense attack caused a rather audible pained grunt from the disembodied voice, just before a beam of light cut through the darkness and targeted Azureath. She was saved by Richie’s lightning bolt, which was imbued with light dragon properties, making it capable of affecting hard light construct. Hans also countered with the help of Fenrir, who gave him the ability to see a different light spectrum due to his connection to the spirit realm. It was a technique Fenrir devised while training before their journey into Qeveriyt, as part of his increasing bond with Hans. The werewolf pointed at weak points based on the vision, to which Azureath threw big chunks of ice that could easily impale a dragon to it. The ice hit the darkness, sounding like it pierced some flesh. This was followed by a deep, pained roar.

“Oh, no,” said Ashaire upon witnessing what happened. “I think they went beyond desperate.”

“So, they plan…is to throw us into the void?” asked Seraphor, who had sufficiently recovered from the injuries caused by the intense light. “So, this Altered Reality…”

“Hey, whoever you are, you need to stop this!” exclaimed Ashaire as he cradled Zenithia. “This is not funny! Are you really trying to kill yourselves just to take over this world?”

There was a pause before a booming voice replied, “We will do whatever it takes to ensure our survival. You have no idea how much we have declined as the younger light dragons chose to abandon their purpose out of fear.”

“Maybe it is time, you know? Maybe they don’t want to be parasites anymore. They just want to live as a dragon, not extra-dimensional beings! I know I want to. You’re making things much harder than it should!”

“Silence, traitor! Those who abandoned everything for the short, insignificant life based on a fleeting world will not understand what it means to be a light dragon!”

“To be parasites, you mean.”

“To be responsible for maintaining the existence of realities! Without us, realities will collide, and in the end, everything will destroy itself! The existence of wrong decisions will eventually corrupt the main realities, and—”

“Then eat those wrong realities and stay out of the right ones!”

“You don’t understand, Ashaire. You will never understand. We exist to eat. We just happen to make a rule to stop starving ourselves. Once you chose to abandon the Source, you will become our food. That is the harsh truth of our existence.”

Ashaire sighed and said, “I don’t how we can get so stubborn, but I guess it goes with age.”

“Or insanity,” said Seraphor. “I suppose they need a little reminder…that we have lived for far too long. It’s time for us to rest.”

“We might, but Zeni’s…”

“I’m alright!” declared Zenithia, thoough it was clear that the hole on her side would be a problem. “But we mustn't delay!.”

With the light pillar stopping its assault on Seraphor, the two light dragons continued. Unfortunately, that respite was temporary. This time, both of them got hit with the light along with Seraphor. They all roared in pain. However, they refused to give up.

“This…is not…going to stop us!” exclaimed Zenithia as she strained to pull out the rods while enduuring the light pillar. “We…will have our freedom!”

They pulled out two rods, one for each. It was now down to two. However, the light dragons became desperate once they realized that the two light dragons were far more resilient than they thought. They suddenly became the main targets as light beam rods shot towards them with such speed the rest of the party was unable to catch up. Avila still managed to absorb some of them, but the rest, were instead injured by some of them when they tried to protect the three light dragons. Many of the light rods continued their assault unopposed.

As a result, the beams impaled the two as they noticed the rods to try and protect Seraphor. Ashaire countered some of the beams with his own light beams, but one went through and hit him through his shoulder. Zenithia, with her weakened state and injuries, was unable to protect herself, causing her to be impaled by most of them, turning her into a light dragon pincushion.

The sight horrified everyone to the point they were unable to react when a giant light dragon similar to the one attacking them intensified its attack. Richie recovered fast enough to counter, but the rest, especially Adeline, could not believe what happened.

“Zen!” exclaimed Adeline. Her light sword dimmed, but not out. It was Adeline’s indicator of Zenithia’s health. If the light went out, then the light dragon was incapacitated, or worse. This was the first time she ever saw the light sword dimming, and that alerted her.

Yet, she couldn’t turn her back and risk getting killed, which almost happened to her when the distraction proved almost deadly. Several light beams, similar to the ones impaling Zenithia, would reach Adeline if it wasn’t for Avila and Elyse stopping them. Avila was not hurt due to her status as a Death Aspect (even if she could, her body was not tangible). However, Elyse wasn’t able to kick all the solid light construct, and one pierced through her thigh.

Elyse swore loudly as she fell before Ashaire created a small platform that stopped her from falling further.

“That is too reckless, satyr!” exclaimed Avila.

“I know!” she replied. “But at least Addy’s safe!”

“I didn’t mean to be distracted! I’m sorry, Elyse,” said Adeline, distraught.

“Don’t worry about me. Next time, keep your eyes forward! We can’t afford to be distracted now!”

Adeline nodded, fighting the urge to run to Zenithia and check on her. Ashaire already did that for the red-furred werewolf.

To the light dragon’s astonishment, Zenithia was only stunned by the pain, but did not seem to be dying. In fact, Zenithia, gritting her teeth, absorbed the light beams into her body, which caused her body to grow slightly and her wounds healed.

“Zeni, how....”

“I can’t tell,” said Zenithia. “I can absorb other light dragon’s light, no matter what wavelength they have. I noticed this earlier with Shawar, but I have a feeling I absorbed lingering Aetherium particles from the barrage of light pillars on the way to Dracokin.”

“Whatever it is, keep doing it. Can you do it with Seraphor?”

“I tried, but I couldn’t. The light beams on him are not normal. How’s Seraphor?”

“I’m…fine,” said Seraphor, albeit weakly. The recent attack started to take a toll on the trapped light dragon. “But thanks to you, I might be able to do something…with the Altered Reality around us.”

Zenithia wasn’t sure what Seraphor was talking about until she saw his determined face. Despite of not being able to move, his powers were unsealed thanks to both Ashaire and Zenithia’s efforts (also, due to Seraphor’s insistence that unsealing his light abilities took the greatest priority). Suddenly, a light platform appeared below the party, giving them a place to stand and resume their attack. The giant light dragon also seemed to lost its bearings when its attack missed and it somehow ‘slipped’ in the infinite vastness of the black space.

Then the space became solid, revealing a pulsing organ that resembled a heart.

“No, don’t!” exclaimed the voice in desperation. “Think about it, Seraphor! You will be stuck in this reality forever! What does this world have for you?!”

“It has…everything,” said Seraphor. “Everything we have never had since we existed.”

“That petty feeling of yours will be the death of our kind! You and your sister will be cursed by the sin of genocide!”

“Then try…and find your own path! There is an end for every journey, but that must not mean the end of the light dragons! I have certainly found my destination, and you will not take it from me!”

Seraphor let out a defiant roar as the next pillar of light came down upon him. This time, however, both Zenithia and Ashaire used their own light beams to counter it. Zenithia also took that chance to siphon the light using the prismatic shield, slowly, but surely, returning her to her true form.

Sadly, she knew that it would be the last time she would produce light naturally. Zenithia was ready for the outcome ever since she found the kindness of the people of that reality. She would repay them by freeing them from becoming fodder to extradimensional parasites known as the light dragons.

It was her sacrifice, along with Ashaire, who made his choice. The light dragonborn also knew that unless he changed his form, he would be stuck in the form of a light dragonborn that would start to age. He did not mind that. At first, he chose that form as part of a half-hearted disguise, along with the desire to find the person who managed to use some of the powers from Altered Reality. Now, he became interested in living as a dragonborn. He just hoped Richie, or everyone else, could forgive him.

They both silently nodded to each other before they pulled the last two rods together. As they left Seraphor’s body, there was a bright flash of light that engulfed everyone. The giant light dragon and the smaller, mindless drones abruptly disappeared. Everyone turned around to see the two succeeded but were blinded by the intense light.

The Altered Reality crumbled around them as the connection that was sustained by Seraphor became lost. Seraphor, Ashaire, and Zenithia each felt themselves changing, each having a peculiar feeling.

“So, this is it,” said Ashaire. “We’re now cursed by the rest of our kind. We are now the Light Banes.”

“Don’t think like that,” said Seraphor. “We never kill them. We only give them an idea. Genocide is a strong word for something like living the life you ever wanted.”

“Only time will tell,” said Zenithia. “Though for us, that might not come sooner.”

They each nodded at each other as the light became so intense that they couldn’t see each other.

It was the end of their long journey. It was the end of the invasion.