The Alpha And The Fifth Blood

Chapter 22: The First Sovereign Returns

Chapter 22

The world seemed to shrink as Augustus stepped fully through the tear in the sky. The mountains beneath the hidden city trembled, as if the earth itself recognized him and bowed without choice. Behind him, the tear began to close, the sky sealing slowly until the battlefield felt trapped beneath it, cut off from everything beyond. The space around them grew tighter, heavier, like the world itself was being forced to make room for something it was never meant to hold.

For a moment, everything went silent. There was no wind, no fire, no wings beating in the sky. Even the chaos that had filled the battlefield moments ago seemed to hesitate. The First Sovereign floated above the mountains, vast and overwhelming, his presence pressing down on everything below. As he descended, his form began to shrink, the massive figure compressing into something closer to human. But the power did not fade. It intensified, concentrating into something denser, more dangerous. Golden light burned in his eyes, and ancient markings glowed faintly across his skin, symbols older than anything still standing. The air bent around him as if reality itself struggled to endure him.

The dragons reacted first. They scattered through the clouds, wings beating sharply as instinct overpowered pride. Even the Dragon King moved back, not in fear, but in recognition of something that stood above him. Ariana felt it immediately. The power inside her surged violently, like two forces colliding within her chest. She gasped and gripped the broken balcony as pain shot through her body. Kael caught her arm instantly. "Hey." Her eyes flickered with unstable gold. "I can feel him." Kael looked up at Augustus, his expression hardening. "Yeah. Me too."

But what Kael felt was different. The wolf inside him did not recoil. It paced, restless and furious, rising against the pressure instead of yielding to it. Augustus continued descending until he stood on the air itself, unmoved by gravity or resistance. For several seconds, he said nothing. He simply observed. The mountains, the dragons, the burning city. His expression was calm, almost curious, as if he were looking at something familiar that had failed to impress him.

"So much time," he said slowly. "And yet nothing has changed." His voice carried across the battlefield without effort, reaching every creature below. Flames dimmed. Movement stopped. Even the sky seemed to listen. Malrec lowered his head slightly in acknowledgment. Augustus glanced at him first. "You." Malrec stepped forward. "I kept my promise." Augustus tilted his head. "Yes. You did." There was no praise in his voice, only quiet confirmation before his attention shifted again. This time, it settled on Ariana.

The moment their eyes met, her power erupted. She staggered, nearly collapsing as Kael held her upright. "What’s happening?" he demanded. Ariana struggled to breathe, her chest tightening painfully. "He’s pulling my power." A faint smile touched Augustus’ lips. "Yes. But that power was never yours to begin with." Kael’s wolf surged violently beneath his skin. "Back off." Augustus finally looked at him, his glowing eyes narrowing slightly. "Interesting."

The air around Kael shifted as the Wolf King’s power rose, pushing back against the crushing weight in the air. "The blood of the First Alpha still exists," Augustus said quietly. Kael didn’t move. "Surprise." Augustus studied him more carefully now. "That bloodline was meant to stand beside the Sovereign." Kael’s voice stayed steady. "Still does." For a moment, something unreadable passed through Augustus’ expression before his focus returned to Ariana. "And yet... something is wrong."

He moved closer, and the world reacted to him. Dragons shifted aside instinctively. The sky seemed to open around his path. Even the Dragon King lowered his head slightly. Ariana noticed, her chest tightening. "You’re bowing to him." The Dragon King’s voice echoed inside her mind. "He was our first master." Augustus stopped above the palace and studied her in silence, his gaze sharp and searching. Then he frowned. "You are incomplete." Ariana forced herself to stand straighter despite the pressure crushing against her. "What does that mean?"

Augustus raised his hand. The energy around her flared violently, and pain surged through her veins. She gasped. "Stop!" Kael stepped forward immediately, his power crashing outward as the air between them tightened. Augustus paused, then looked at him with mild amusement. "You would challenge me." Kael’s voice did not waver. "Yes." For a moment, Augustus watched him, then smiled faintly. "You remind me of the first wolf king." Kael’s eyes burned white. "Good. He didn’t like you either." This time, Augustus laughed, the sound deep and echoing. "That is true." Then his expression hardened. "But he lost."

He lifted his hand again, and Kael was thrown across the terrace with brutal force. Stone shattered as his body struck the wall. Ariana cried out, her voice breaking. "Kael!" But Augustus didn’t look at him. His focus remained on her. "You see? This is why the throne belongs to me." Ariana forced herself upright, blood at the corner of her mouth. "You ruled once," she said, her voice unsteady but sharp. "Didn’t work out." Augustus’ eyes flashed. "The world needed order." Ariana met his gaze. "You wanted control." He didn’t deny it. "Yes. And I will have it again."

Above them, the dragons shifted, some drifting closer to Augustus, not attacking, but responding to him. Ariana noticed immediately. "You’re controlling them." Augustus gave a small, indifferent shrug. "They remember their master." The Dragon King growled low, a sound that shook the sky. "I remember the war." Augustus looked up briefly. "And you remember how it ended." The dragon did not answer. Ariana wiped the blood from her lip, her eyes burning brighter. "You’re not the only Sovereign here."

Augustus looked back at her, calm and absolute. "No. You are merely the replacement." The word struck deeper than she expected. Replacement. Something inside her flared in response. "Then why are you afraid of me?" "I am not afraid." "Then kill me." The battlefield went still again. Behind her, Kael pushed himself back to his feet, unsteady but standing. The Dragon King’s voice echoed in her mind, warning. But Ariana did not move. "If you’re the true Sovereign," she said, "then you shouldn’t need my power."

Augustus studied her for a moment, then nodded slowly. "You are correct." He raised his hand, and the sky darkened once more. Dragons scattered as something different formed in his palm. This power was not gold. It was black, darker than anything they had seen, swallowing the light around it. Ariana felt it instantly, her blood turning cold. "What is that?" The man beside her answered quietly. "That... is the power Augustus stole from the Abyss." Augustus’ eyes burned brighter as the darkness expanded. "Yes." His voice rolled across the mountains, heavier than before. "I am not just the First Sovereign." The energy in his hand grew, consuming everything around it. "I am the last one."

Then he released it.And the sky above the city collapsed into darkness.