novelraw Chapter 89: Ashen Kid [5]
Chapter 89: Ashen Kid [5]
That place is known as the "beyond" of all existing creatures. Every being whose life flickers faintly within their mortal body, upon leaving this world when their final spark of life fades, goes to the World of the Ethereals.
It is said to be a completely silent place, wrapped in a mystical pale green mist that forms its very structure. Though descriptions are not always accurate, many agree that the World of the Ethereals is a kind of "mirror dimension." Why? Because those who have glimpsed even a fragment of death understand its composition all too well.
The mist swirled around the group with destructive force, threatening to rip them from the ground and carry them far away.
Monar, gripping his staff tightly, used his magic to overlay a counteracting wind force against the vortex, greatly reducing its impact.
At the same time, Azel fired a couple more arrows, but they surprisingly passed through the dragon as if it were made of smoke.
Along with the vortex—which suddenly ceased, leaving behind a sepulchral silence—a green-lit night fell. Massive auroras dominated the sky, while particles of ethereal light rose from the ground toward the heavens like beautiful green flames.
The scenery remained the same: the village destroyed by the dragon’s power, where nine pillars surrounded the circumference of the magic circle carved into the ground. Nearby, among the rubble and mist where the remaining houses once stood, dozens of ghostly silhouettes watched timidly.
Children, women, men, elders, elves, ogres, animals... In death, there was no distinction of ideology, sex, race, or gender. All were equal in death.
The creature smiled, ceasing its roars. Its eyes glowed with the color of the World of the Ethereals. Its wounds, as if they had been nothing more than a harmless nightmare, closed as the mist regenerated them. Its scales began to breathe the mist, briefly revealing its bones reflected through its body at intervals.
’What’s happening? What is this?’
Mitsuki was just as confused as the others. Searching for answers, he glanced at Monar, who looked slightly frustrated.
Then, the dragon spoke.
"In life, I was known as Elyndor, Guardian of the Nine Gates. In death, fate had a reward prepared for me."
Its body ignited in powerful green flames. Its draconic head transformed into a skull, its bone structure revealing flames pouring from its eyes, mouth, and nose. Part of its chest lay open, exposing ribs that protected a pulsing, incandescent flame. Likewise, the far end of its tail, its hands, and its hind legs were engulfed in flames that illuminated the darkness of the green night.
"You should be happy, dark elf," the dragon said. "The one you serve also grows stronger in my domain."
Monar sighed, closing his eyes and regaining his serene posture.
"That is true, but that does not mean you are weaker. In fact, you have become even stronger. Still, I failed to account for the fact that you knew the proper magic to open the World of the Ethereals. Is that how you escaped this place in the first place?"
The dragon let out a laugh.
"No one leaves this place without paying the price. Not even you."
"I’m afraid it won’t be that way," Monar replied, shaking his head. "Because the Lord of Green will not allow it."
The beast narrowed its eyes with a defiant smile. It wasn’t enough that a couple of humans had posed a threat—now that it was cornered, it had no choice but to resort to desperate measures.
’The World of the Ethereals... I think there was something about it in The Travels of Alphonse. It mentioned that Alphonse had to cross a phantom sea in that dimension... That was where one of his companions died.’
Thinking about the death of a companion was unpleasant. Mitsuki clenched his fists tightly, refusing to give in to despair. He kept his eyes wide open, never taking them off the creature, which was about to begin its attack.
"Let’s see if your Dead God can truly handle this Guardian."
The dragon raised its right hand and clenched it into a fist. A second later, dozens of small glowing green circles formed beneath their feet. From each circle, blazing flames erupted, vanishing and reappearing elsewhere in rapid succession.
Marco didn’t hesitate and charged at the dragon with a feint. Azel gritted his teeth and nocked more arrows, sharpening his gaze before releasing them without pause.
Mitsuki, on the other hand, had no choice but to follow blindly alongside Marco. Stopping to think too much was not an option when flames were exploding nonstop.
The two of them dashed across the battlefield, leaping side to side whenever the flames intensified. Mitsuki nearly got swallowed by the fire, but activated his Ashen Propulsion at the last moment, saving himself.
"Do you think I’ll just stand here and do nothing, humans? Hahaha! You still have much to learn."
Completely breaking his previous attack pattern, the dragon lunged at Mitsuki. It raised its hand to crush him, but Mitsuki turned into ash and dodged instantly, then ran in the opposite direction while Marco went for its back.
The blond knight leapt to stab the beast from behind, but the dragon was quicker—it swung its tail, striking Marco and sending him flying into one of the pillars.
Suddenly, hundreds of arrows rained down from the sky. Seeing this, Mitsuki retreated, dissolving into ash again and again. He moved across the vast stone field as flames exploded around him.
Laughing, the dragon did everything it could to crush Mitsuki, but the arrows pierced through it without warning. It didn’t matter much—its body had already proven immune to physical attacks based on magic.
Mitsuki glanced at it.
’I need to do something to kill it.’
That was when he saw it—a flame pulsing like a heart.
’It can’t be that obvious... can it?’
Even if it was... would he really get the chance to strike that spot between the creature’s ribs?
Marco rose to his feet and charged once more. Monar watched him for a moment. Then, surveying the battlefield from afar, he spotted a great line of light rising from the depths toward the radiant sky.
"We should try it," he said, now looking at Mitsuki...