The Fiery Crown Cycle: A Dragon's Rebirth

Chapter 24

Aiden's claws punctured the serpent's thick scales with ease, sinking deep into the flesh and bone of its skull. He rooted around for a moment until his talons brushed against a smooth, round object. There.

He gripped it tightly and retracted his claw. As it emerged, dripping with blood and gore, a fresh, meaty aroma filled the air. It smelled delicious. Aiden glanced down at his own round, taut belly. Unfortunately, he couldn't possibly eat another bite.

He held his claw out and unfurled it. Lying in his palm was a spherical magic crystal, roughly the size of a tennis ball. It was a deep, earthy yellow, saturated with the dense terrestrial energy of its former owner.

A pity it was an earth-element crystal. If it had been fire, the energy would have been far more beneficial.

He tossed the crystal into his mouth.

Crack. Crunch.

It had no discernible flavor, only the gritty, unpleasant taste of sand. Ugh. Disgusting. No longer interested in savoring it, Aiden swallowed it whole. He flopped onto his back, his full belly pointed at the sky, and closed his eyes to feel the energy diffuse through him. It wasn't enough to trigger another advancement. He would likely need at least one more one-star crystal to reach the next stage of his growth.

He lay there for ten minutes, the feeling of being overstuffed slowly subsiding. His belly returned to a more normal, though still slightly rounded, state. He rolled over onto his stomach, feeling a powerful wave of lethargy. He had no desire to move. Perhaps he would just lie here a while longer.

Shh-shh…

A faint sound, the whisper of dozens of paws on sand, cut through his lazy thoughts. That wasn't Bianca and Azure. There were too many footsteps.

Aiden's heavy eyelids snapped open. His body tensed, and he pushed himself up. He was not mistaken.

A pack of vaguely canine creatures had surrounded them. They had long necks, powerful hind limbs, and a stooped posture. A mane of black hair ran down their spines, but their muscular bodies were otherwise hairless. Their heads were short and round, their dark red eyes glowing with feral hunger.

Aridfell. And not just one.

Aiden's gaze swept the perimeter. Twenty of them. His eyes settled on the largest of the pack, a beast nearly twice the size of the others. The chieftain. He assessed it more closely. It was only a high-tier beast, not yet a full one-star. Disappointing. The rest of the pack were even weaker, merely low-tier.

His red pupils narrowed. Perhaps this was an opportunity. He could test his combat strength in his normal state against these creatures.

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Bianca and Azure rose and moved closer to him. Bianca's eyes were locked on the Aridfell, and a fierce, excited light bloomed in her white pupils. Excellent. The vile breeds have delivered themselves right to our doorstep. Today, I will have my vengeance. A low growl rumbled in her chest, her lips pulling back to reveal sharp, white teeth.

She and Azure took up positions on either side of Aiden. He glanced between them, surprised they hadn't immediately suggested a retreat.

“Aiden, let's kill them and use them for rations,” Bianca said, her voice a low, eager hiss. She was poised to spring, her claws digging into the sand. She seemed… thrilled. Does she have a particular taste for dog meat? Aiden wondered, looking at the canine-like beasts.

The Aridfell chieftain lowered its body, a deep, threatening growl rumbling in its chest. It sensed danger from the red dragon, a primal instinct warning it not to engage if it could be avoided.

Hearing their leader, the other nineteen Aridfell mirrored the action, their growls joining in a chorus of guttural threats that rose into a deafening roar, like the thrum of a great engine.

Aiden looked upon them with pure contempt. They were merely food. The moment they had decided to challenge him, their fate was sealed.

“The two of you, just focus on protecting yourselves,” he commanded.

“Mm,” Azure affirmed.

“I'm fighting with you!” Bianca insisted.

Aiden turned his head and met Azure's gaze. No words were needed. She understood his meaning and gave a slight nod, signaling that she would keep the reckless white dragon in check. Satisfied, Aiden looked back at the pack.

Now, which one to kill first? We'll start with you.

His eyes immediately locked onto the chieftain.

He tensed his hind legs, then exploded forward. His wings flared for a single, powerful beat, giving him momentum as he launched himself like a crimson arrow.

The Aridfell leader, seeing the charge, did not back down. It coiled its own powerful hindquarters, choosing to meet the attack head-on.

BAM!

The two bodies collided with a sound like boulders smashing together, sending up a cloud of sand that momentarily obscured the view. A second later, a dark shape was hurled from the dust cloud, skipping across the sand like a flat stone on water before sliding to a halt ten yards away.

It was the Aridfell chieftain.

Whimper…

It struggled to its feet, blood trickling from its mouth. A raw, red mark, like a brand, was seared onto its side.

The dust settled, revealing Aiden standing exactly where he had been, completely unscathed. His long, red tail swished back and forth behind him. He stared at the chieftain as it staggered upright.

That thing… is weak. Even weaker than the Athrox.

The chieftain's eyes, now filled with a mixture of pain and fury, locked onto the lizard-like magical beast. Suddenly, it lifted its head and let out a sharp bark.

At their leader's command, the pack surged forward, a tide of dark muscle and gnashing teeth. The world of magical beasts knew nothing of fair duels; there was only survival, and the iron law of the strong devouring the weak.

One of the Aridfell circled behind Aiden and leaped high into the air, its jaws gaping as it aimed for his broad wings.

Just as it reached the apex of its jump, a white blur shot through the air, tackling the Aridfell and slamming it into the ground. Bianca landed with her full weight on the beast's back, driving it into the sand with a pained yelp.

Looking down at the creature squirming beneath her, a look of ecstatic triumph filled Bianca's eyes. She opened her maw and, without a shred of hesitation, sank her fangs into the Aridfell's throat.

Her cold, white pupils constricted. Die!

With a vicious twist of her head, there was a faint, wet crunch as the Aridfell's throat was torn out. After a few brief struggles, the creature beneath her went limp.

Bianca released her grip, her fangs dripping with hot blood. She lifted her head and scanned the battlefield, her eyes searching for her next victim.