Big shoutout to my good friend Azrie who just published Blair Book 1 onto Amazon KU! You guys should check it out, it's great! I beta read it before it even published on RoyalRoad, and it has a dope ass cover. Seriously, check it out!
An Action-Packed LitRPG Apocalypse!
The elves took everything. Following a bloodied slaughter of her whole race, and struggling to stay alive, she had no choice but to survive on her own. That was until the world changed. Her entire planet; a whole cluster was introduced to the vast universe by The System, or perhaps God. A universe filled with endless beings and civilizations that fought for power and dominance.
After the integration, Blair finds herself in a forest surrounded by unknown beasts, peril lurking, alone. Alone and with nothing but the mentality to survive, she will have to get stronger in this new unforgiving world of numbers and power.
With nothing but the capability to get stronger, her distant dreams of revenge might just become a reality.
Blooming Apocalypse: A LitRPG Adventure (Blair, Book 1) - Kindle edition by Azrie. Humor & Entertainment Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
It was a dragon. Not just any ordinary dragon— but an Elder Dragon.
After the fall of the Grand Nova Empire, the Elder Dragons dwindled in number until only five of them remained. One hidden in each continent, with the last taking to the skies. But the Elder Dragon that took to the skies never returned, and the Elder Dragon that lived in the elven continent of Drazyl had been mysteriously slain nearly ten years ago.
So there most likely there were only three Elder Dragons left, and Ammon the Arcane Archsorcerer was staring at the greatest of them all.
A hulking crimson beast towered over the cave chamber. A pair of wings unfurled behind its back like a royal mantle, and a set of horns rested upon its head like a majestic crown. It stared down at the six intruders like they were mere insects— cold callous eyes that somehow burned with a righteous anger.
Grat-ra’zun, the Great Rakaarzun, and the Glorious Terror of Mount Arkais stood before Ammon, exhaling a plume of smoldering smoke.
The Archsorcerer couldn’t lie and say that he wasn’t nervous. But he had a job to do. It was a task entrusted to him by his King. He gulped, swallowing away the bands of fear tightening in his throat, before turning to his companions.
Five other figures stood with him. Ivory the Exiled Queen. Rakash the Tormentor of Alius. Delmer the Sentinel of Light. Usil the Malevolent Berserker. And Si-Vus the Land Conqueror.
They were an eclectic group of men and women. Ivory was a small fairy, Rakash a tall troll, Delmer a human male, and Usil an female elf. Ammon’s gaze lingered over the last member of the group.
Si-Vus was one of the merfolk. But he did not have fins, nor did he have the lower body of a fish. He looked like a human, except with craggy gray scales mixed with green barnacles that sprouted like a rash. He had gills around his neck, and the right arm of a lobster. His left arm looked like an ordinary hand— no different from an elf or a gnome or a human— and he carried a trident.
As a human, Ammon had scarcely ever seen one of the merfolk before. They were so embroiled in their conflict with the elves, they were rarely ever sighted around the other continents. But Si-Vus was different. He had been one of the greatest generals of the previous Merfolk Emperor; he had assured victory against the elves.
However, the futile assault against Drazyl failed, and the Merfolk Emperor was slain in battle. Si-Vus abandoned his post in shame, self-exiling from Mare, never to return again. It was something Ammon could somewhat empathize with— to be thrown out upon the first sign of failure, despite being lauded and praised when he had seemed to be a generational talent. It was a ridiculous expulsion predicated on false reasons.
And it was a similar tale all throughout the group. Ammon glanced to the side, his gaze sweeping past the remaining four members gathered here. All of them shared the same fate. They were all outcasts. Whether they were exiled or betrayed, it didn’t matter. They had been lost souls until they were saved.
Until their King saved them.
All of them were grateful. Even Ammon, who normally was quite averse to showing any kind of gratitude. Each and every one of the six of them would do anything for their King. They would even die for their King.
And that was why they banded together to face certain death— to challenge the Glorious Terror of Mount Arkais. Grat-ra’zun’s menacing gaze swept over the six of them, and a shiver ran down Ammon’s spine.
“Why are you here?” the Elder Dragon asked. “Why have you come to my lair?”
It was Ivory who answered with a wave of her wand. “We’re here to kill you for our King, of course.”
Without warning, she unleashed a flurry of shooting stars at Grat-ra’zun. The dragon narrowed his eyes, creating a fractal barrier. The protection spell easily deflected the attack as he snorted.
“Do you think such pathetic attacks could harm me?” It shook its head, waving a dismissive hand as a powerful gust of wind swept over the six intruders. “Begone, you lowly S-ranks, before I exterminate you pests.”
The six of them nearly went flying just from that simple spell. Ammon gritted his teeth, fighting back with all his strength just to remain standing. Such was the might of the Elder Dragon. An SSS-ranked threat— one of maybe only three in the world.
Even with a hundred S-ranks working together, Ammon highly doubted they’d be able to take down Grat-ra’zun. And yet, the six of them had confidently strode into the lair for a reason.
Ammon closed his eyes as he reached for something far beyond him. He could hardly comprehend it, but his King had shown him this power. It connected with his heart, filling him— filling all six of them— with the same corrupted magic.
—--
“Fools.”
Grat-ra’zun turned away, snorting as if they were already gone. After he had broken out of his confusion, he decided that it wasn’t worth his time to question why these six were here. They were mere S-ranks standing before the face of the most powerful being in all of Vacuos.
He could have dealt with them in his sleep. So he just focused on matters that were important. Contacting the Archmage King of Scholus was a far more pressing issue, especially with the return of the Fal-Deus—
And then there was a flash of a dark, violet light.
The dragon paused, glancing back with a frown. A powerful aura suddenly rippled through each of the six figures. Ivory, Rakash, Ammon, Delmer, Usil, and Si-Vus strode forward as they were suddenly wreathed in purple ribbons of light.
Grat-ra’zun eyed them, sensing the twisted power.
“What is this…?”
And Rakash moved. He leapt forward, reaching the Elder Dragon in an instant. A twisted aura had propelled the troll forward, before covering his axe as he swung down. Grat-ra’zun raised a clawed hand and summoned his fractal barrier.
“[Shield of—” the dragon started.
But the troll swung down, speaking a single word. It reverberated with the same unholy magic as he shattered the glass-like sphere.
“Sunder.”
The barrier collapsed into a thousand shards as Grat-ra’zun’s eyes widened. The dragon narrowly avoided Rakash’s cleaving slash as it tore through the cave chamber, ripping the ground open.
The attack tore through mountains of gold coins. It even destroyed some of the closest artifacts— weapons and armors that could have been wielded by any S-rank. Grat-ra’zun just stared in shock at the display of power.
“How?” It was a simple question. But it wasn’t going to be answered.
The dragon staggered back, still reeling from the shockwave, when a pair of figures flanked him. Both Usil and Si-Vus appeared at his side, unleashing an onslaught of attacks that tore through Grat-ra’zun’s scales. He roared in pain as the purple aura coating their blades cut deep into him.
“You dare test my patience?” Grat-ra’zun swung at them with his tail, shouting in anger.
The elf and the merfolk were knocked back by the strike, and he pointed at them. A white light flashed as his wounds slowly healed.
“[Vindicated Repulsion]!”
And a barrage of strikes lashed out through the air— magical slashes that mimicked the same attack Usil and Si-Vus had loosed upon him. They braced themselves, but Delmer landed between them. The human brought down a shield as a dark dome protected them, taking the brunt of Grat-ra’zun’s spell.
The Elder Dragon frowned, watching as his Level 70 Skill was stopped by a mere S-rank adventurer. He clicked his tongue in annoyance. That made no sense— Grat-ra’zun should have been able to defeat the six of these intruders with ease, regardless of their reputation.
But somehow, they could challenge him. And that irked the dragon.
Grat-ra’zun raised a clawed hand as the dark dome dissipated. He opened his maw as a spell circle flashed abovehead. He had been holding back because he didn’t want to damage his lair, but by the looks of it, that wasn’t a possibility.
So he began to let loose. “[Omnidirectional—”
But another voice cut him off.
“Negation.”
The Elder Dragon paused as the spell circle vanished in an instant. His gaze snapped to the side as he stared at Ammon pointing at him. Was that [Dispel Magic]? No— that couldn’t be right. But how did Grat-ra’zun’s Skill disappear?
The Archsorcerer smirked, before clapping his hands together.
“Voiding.”
And Grat-ra’zun reeled. The entire lair was enveloped with a twisted purple light. The artifacts and relics lying at the dragon’s feet flickered, their magic dying, and the gold coins decaying. The Elder Dragon shivered violently as he finally could fully grasp this corrupted power.
His eyes went round as he stared at Ammon. Grat-ra’zun felt the ever-present warmth of the World System fading away. He tried to reach for his Skills, but none answered. He tried to work his jaw as he spoke in disbelief.
“This is— have you all been Void-touched?”
“No,” Ivory said, chuckling as she teleported before him. She pointed a wand at his head, and it flashed with a rippling aura. “We have been Void-blessed.”
And the Elder Dragon recoiled as his face was engulfed by a purple blast.
—--
Void-blessed. That was what this power was called.
Ammon had not understood this power at first. His King had shown it to him, but it wasn’t like any magic he had ever seen. It wasn’t something the Arcane Archsorcerer had even been able to comprehend.
But that was because it was no ordinary magic. It was the depraved magic of the Void. A power that Ammon had been taught to fear and revile from a very young age. And yet, he now indulged in its blessings without care in the world.
It was something that even the Sect of Abyssal Thorns had failed to realize— they were so foolish, they merely used the Void’s power to enhance both their magical and physical prowess. While it was a boon, it was also severely limited, unlike the gifts Ammon and the other five had been given.
The Archsorcerer watched as the dragon swatted Rakash out of the air. He crashed hard into the ground, cut up by the sharp claws, only to quickly get up with ease. The troll’s wounds quickly healed as he hefted his axe up, before charging into battle once again.
Regeneration, increased strength, empowered magic. To be Void-blessed meant that Ammon was at least an SSS-ranked threat as he was right now. He could conjure up attacks that exceeded everything he ever dreamt of doing, and they worked just like Skills.
“Snare.”
Delmer pointed at the Elder Dragon. A translucent purple net shot out as Grat-ra’zun snapped his jaw at Ivory. He spun around, clashing with Usil’s twin blades. But Si-Vus crashed into the dragon’s side, knocking him off balance.
And the Snare enveloped Grat-ra’zun’s figure. The Elder Dragon blinked as Si-Vus leapt back, landing right next to Delmer.
“This one thinks that this battle is over,” the merfolk said, glancing up at the struggling Grat-ra’zun. “That one cannot fight without Skills.”
The Elder Dragon roared and spread his wings wide to break free from the net, only for both Ammon and Ivory to unleash a barrage of blasts at him. He fell back as his powerful roar became a whimper.
“Oh, how the mighty fall,” Ivory giggled, and Rakash fell upon the dragon.
“Smash.” The troll swung hard into Grat-ra’zun’s back.
The shockwave actually made Ammon stumble. A blast of purple energy shot out, disintegrating the horde of treasures. Mount Arkais itself quaked as the cave chamber rumbled. It took a moment for the dust to settle, and Ammon heard a weak wheeze.
He looked up to see the Elder Dragon lying there, body curled up as a giant empurpled axe dug into his back. He couldn’t move, and he was bleeding. His wings were torn and tattered— his scales had been shredded open as Rakash stood on his head.
“So even dragons bleed,” Delmer remarked as he approached the collapsed figure.
Usil scoffed and shook her head. “Of course they do. And they can die too.”
Ammon, Ivory, and Si-Vus followed. The five of them gathered before the defeated Elder Dragon as Rakash dug his foot down, clamping Grat-ra’zun’s mouth shut.
“This was almost too easy.” Ivory yawned, and the Elder Dragon’s eyes darted towards her. “I would have thought an Elder Dragon would have put up more of a fight.”
“Once I had cast Voiding, the battle was already won,” Ammon said, waving a hand dismissively. Grat-ra’zun huffed as smoldering smoke puffed out of his nostrils. “As we all know, we are up against the Wisest Sage of the World System. That means without the World System, he is nothing.”
The entire cave chamber had been wreathed in the Void’s touch. The World System couldn’t reach this section of Mount Arkais. So no matter how hard Grat-ra’zun tried, he wouldn’t have been able to call upon his Skills. All he had left to fight with were his claws and his teeth. But once he was subdued… well, the outcome was evident.
Ivory looked down at the Elder Dragon and sighed dismissively. “Finish him, Rakash.”
Ammon watched as the troll nodded. That was the difference between them. Thanks to the Void’s blessing, the six of them were practically invincible, while the dragon was still merely a mortal. Rakash the Tormentor of Alius took a step forward as he heaved up his axe— and Grat-ra’zun unhinged his jaw.
The six gathered figures blinked, and the Elder Dragon opened his mouth. There was barely a crack between his teeth. But Ammon sensed the deluge of magic before it came. He saw the crimson glow growing brighter. And maybe that was how he reacted in time.
“You… WRETCH!”
Grat-ra’zun let out a terrible roar. A blast of flames shot out a moment after, flooding the cave chamber. It didn’t stop. It continued filling the core of the mountain until—
—--
The crowned gryphon.
It was a majestic beast. Terrible, but majestic. One of the apex predators of the lower regions of Mount Arkais. An S-ranked threat that basked in its own power. Although it had been injured by a passing meteor a while back, it was fully recovered now, and stronger than ever.
It swept its gaze over its domain. It saw the vast sea of trees— a dense forest of monsters that hid from this great predator. It looked beyond the canopy of green, towards the tall mountain up ahead. While there were yetis and other such monsters up there that could threaten the crowned gryphon, none of them ever descended to its domain. So it could rest easy knowing that nothing will ever challenge its authority over these lands—
And Mount Arkais exploded.
—--
Mount Arkais exploded. A powerful crimson blast ripped a hole straight through the tallest mountain in all of Vacuos. It was an explosion that was heard all throughout Laxo— its shockwave washing over the nearby forests, toppling trees and splitting the ground open.
Ammon hovered in the air, watching from above as a massive caldera-like crater tore through the side of Mount Arkais, followed by a pillar of flames. It shot up a thousands of feet into the sky, rapidly evaporating the nearby clouds, and clearing the afternoon sky as far as the Archsorcerer could see.
The Elder Dragon’s lair was gone. All that remained was fire. A raging flame that quickly spread across the arid landscape, burning everything it touched. Molten rock slid down the mountain like lava as the forest below caught aflame, and the trickle of sweat on Ammon’s forehead instantly dried up.
The Arcane Archsorcerer had escaped just before the explosion destroyed the top of Mount Arkais. He had teleported out with Ivory, Delmer, Usil, and Si-Vus just in the knick of time. The only one that had been left behind was Rakash.
Ammon’s eyes narrowed as he saw a hulking crimson figure emerging from the flames. Grat-ra’zun rose above the destruction, beating his majestic wings behind him. His gaze burned with anger, and he carried a charred figure in his clawed hand.
“I AM GRAT-RA’ZUN!” the dragon roared. “THE GREAT RAKAARZUN. GLORIOUS TERROR OF MOUNT ARKAIS.”
The five remaining intruders watched as the flames shot up, ascending with the Elder Dragon. All sense of invincibility Ammon felt before had evaporated as he felt the intense heat encroaching on him.
Grat-ra’zun continued listing his titles as he flew higher and higher, until he was floating just before the five of them.
“IGNIZ’S ARCANE CHAMPION. KING OF THE CRIMSON FLAME. ONE OF THE LAST ELDER DRAGONS LEFT ALIVE IN ALL OF VACUOS. AND—”
Smoke trailed from the dragon’s nostrils as he eyed the intruders. So this is the power of an Elder Dragon, Ammon mused. And all at once, Grat-ra’zun unleashed an unending blast of crimson flames, destroying everything in its path.
“YOU SHALL ALL BURN!”
MelasD
This is my favorite chapter of all of Book 1
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Big shoutout to my good friend Azrie who just published Blair Book 1 onto Amazon KU! You guys should check it out, it's great! I beta read it before it even published on RoyalRoad, and it has a dope ass cover. Seriously, check it out!
An Action-Packed LitRPG Apocalypse!
The elves took everything. Following a bloodied slaughter of her whole race, and struggling to stay alive, she had no choice but to survive on her own. That was until the world changed. Her entire planet; a whole cluster was introduced to the vast universe by The System, or perhaps God. A universe filled with endless beings and civilizations that fought for power and dominance.
After the integration, Blair finds herself in a forest surrounded by unknown beasts, peril lurking, alone. Alone and with nothing but the mentality to survive, she will have to get stronger in this new unforgiving world of numbers and power.
With nothing but the capability to get stronger, her distant dreams of revenge might just become a reality.
Blooming Apocalypse: A LitRPG Adventure (Blair, Book 1) - Kindle edition by Azrie. Humor & Entertainment Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
It was a dragon. Not just any ordinary dragon— but an Elder Dragon.
After the fall of the Grand Nova Empire, the Elder Dragons dwindled in number until only five of them remained. One hidden in each continent, with the last taking to the skies. But the Elder Dragon that took to the skies never returned, and the Elder Dragon that lived in the elven continent of Drazyl had been mysteriously slain nearly ten years ago.
So there most likely there were only three Elder Dragons left, and Ammon the Arcane Archsorcerer was staring at the greatest of them all.
A hulking crimson beast towered over the cave chamber. A pair of wings unfurled behind its back like a royal mantle, and a set of horns rested upon its head like a majestic crown. It stared down at the six intruders like they were mere insects— cold callous eyes that somehow burned with a righteous anger.
Grat-ra’zun, the Great Rakaarzun, and the Glorious Terror of Mount Arkais stood before Ammon, exhaling a plume of smoldering smoke.
The Archsorcerer couldn’t lie and say that he wasn’t nervous. But he had a job to do. It was a task entrusted to him by his King. He gulped, swallowing away the bands of fear tightening in his throat, before turning to his companions.
Five other figures stood with him. Ivory the Exiled Queen. Rakash the Tormentor of Alius. Delmer the Sentinel of Light. Usil the Malevolent Berserker. And Si-Vus the Land Conqueror.
They were an eclectic group of men and women. Ivory was a small fairy, Rakash a tall troll, Delmer a human male, and Usil an female elf. Ammon’s gaze lingered over the last member of the group.
Si-Vus was one of the merfolk. But he did not have fins, nor did he have the lower body of a fish. He looked like a human, except with craggy gray scales mixed with green barnacles that sprouted like a rash. He had gills around his neck, and the right arm of a lobster. His left arm looked like an ordinary hand— no different from an elf or a gnome or a human— and he carried a trident.
As a human, Ammon had scarcely ever seen one of the merfolk before. They were so embroiled in their conflict with the elves, they were rarely ever sighted around the other continents. But Si-Vus was different. He had been one of the greatest generals of the previous Merfolk Emperor; he had assured victory against the elves.
However, the futile assault against Drazyl failed, and the Merfolk Emperor was slain in battle. Si-Vus abandoned his post in shame, self-exiling from Mare, never to return again. It was something Ammon could somewhat empathize with— to be thrown out upon the first sign of failure, despite being lauded and praised when he had seemed to be a generational talent. It was a ridiculous expulsion predicated on false reasons.
And it was a similar tale all throughout the group. Ammon glanced to the side, his gaze sweeping past the remaining four members gathered here. All of them shared the same fate. They were all outcasts. Whether they were exiled or betrayed, it didn’t matter. They had been lost souls until they were saved.
Until their King saved them.
All of them were grateful. Even Ammon, who normally was quite averse to showing any kind of gratitude. Each and every one of the six of them would do anything for their King. They would even die for their King.
And that was why they banded together to face certain death— to challenge the Glorious Terror of Mount Arkais. Grat-ra’zun’s menacing gaze swept over the six of them, and a shiver ran down Ammon’s spine.
“Why are you here?” the Elder Dragon asked. “Why have you come to my lair?”
It was Ivory who answered with a wave of her wand. “We’re here to kill you for our King, of course.”
Without warning, she unleashed a flurry of shooting stars at Grat-ra’zun. The dragon narrowed his eyes, creating a fractal barrier. The protection spell easily deflected the attack as he snorted.
“Do you think such pathetic attacks could harm me?” It shook its head, waving a dismissive hand as a powerful gust of wind swept over the six intruders. “Begone, you lowly S-ranks, before I exterminate you pests.”
The six of them nearly went flying just from that simple spell. Ammon gritted his teeth, fighting back with all his strength just to remain standing. Such was the might of the Elder Dragon. An SSS-ranked threat— one of maybe only three in the world.
Even with a hundred S-ranks working together, Ammon highly doubted they’d be able to take down Grat-ra’zun. And yet, the six of them had confidently strode into the lair for a reason.
Ammon closed his eyes as he reached for something far beyond him. He could hardly comprehend it, but his King had shown him this power. It connected with his heart, filling him— filling all six of them— with the same corrupted magic.
—--
“Fools.”
Grat-ra’zun turned away, snorting as if they were already gone. After he had broken out of his confusion, he decided that it wasn’t worth his time to question why these six were here. They were mere S-ranks standing before the face of the most powerful being in all of Vacuos.
He could have dealt with them in his sleep. So he just focused on matters that were important. Contacting the Archmage King of Scholus was a far more pressing issue, especially with the return of the Fal-Deus—
And then there was a flash of a dark, violet light.
The dragon paused, glancing back with a frown. A powerful aura suddenly rippled through each of the six figures. Ivory, Rakash, Ammon, Delmer, Usil, and Si-Vus strode forward as they were suddenly wreathed in purple ribbons of light.
Grat-ra’zun eyed them, sensing the twisted power.
“What is this…?”
And Rakash moved. He leapt forward, reaching the Elder Dragon in an instant. A twisted aura had propelled the troll forward, before covering his axe as he swung down. Grat-ra’zun raised a clawed hand and summoned his fractal barrier.
“[Shield of—” the dragon started.
But the troll swung down, speaking a single word. It reverberated with the same unholy magic as he shattered the glass-like sphere.
“Sunder.”
The barrier collapsed into a thousand shards as Grat-ra’zun’s eyes widened. The dragon narrowly avoided Rakash’s cleaving slash as it tore through the cave chamber, ripping the ground open.
The attack tore through mountains of gold coins. It even destroyed some of the closest artifacts— weapons and armors that could have been wielded by any S-rank. Grat-ra’zun just stared in shock at the display of power.
“How?” It was a simple question. But it wasn’t going to be answered.
The dragon staggered back, still reeling from the shockwave, when a pair of figures flanked him. Both Usil and Si-Vus appeared at his side, unleashing an onslaught of attacks that tore through Grat-ra’zun’s scales. He roared in pain as the purple aura coating their blades cut deep into him.
“You dare test my patience?” Grat-ra’zun swung at them with his tail, shouting in anger.
The elf and the merfolk were knocked back by the strike, and he pointed at them. A white light flashed as his wounds slowly healed.
“[Vindicated Repulsion]!”
And a barrage of strikes lashed out through the air— magical slashes that mimicked the same attack Usil and Si-Vus had loosed upon him. They braced themselves, but Delmer landed between them. The human brought down a shield as a dark dome protected them, taking the brunt of Grat-ra’zun’s spell.
The Elder Dragon frowned, watching as his Level 70 Skill was stopped by a mere S-rank adventurer. He clicked his tongue in annoyance. That made no sense— Grat-ra’zun should have been able to defeat the six of these intruders with ease, regardless of their reputation.
But somehow, they could challenge him. And that irked the dragon.
Grat-ra’zun raised a clawed hand as the dark dome dissipated. He opened his maw as a spell circle flashed abovehead. He had been holding back because he didn’t want to damage his lair, but by the looks of it, that wasn’t a possibility.
So he began to let loose. “[Omnidirectional—”
But another voice cut him off.
“Negation.”
The Elder Dragon paused as the spell circle vanished in an instant. His gaze snapped to the side as he stared at Ammon pointing at him. Was that [Dispel Magic]? No— that couldn’t be right. But how did Grat-ra’zun’s Skill disappear?
The Archsorcerer smirked, before clapping his hands together.
“Voiding.”
And Grat-ra’zun reeled. The entire lair was enveloped with a twisted purple light. The artifacts and relics lying at the dragon’s feet flickered, their magic dying, and the gold coins decaying. The Elder Dragon shivered violently as he finally could fully grasp this corrupted power.
His eyes went round as he stared at Ammon. Grat-ra’zun felt the ever-present warmth of the World System fading away. He tried to reach for his Skills, but none answered. He tried to work his jaw as he spoke in disbelief.
“This is— have you all been Void-touched?”
“No,” Ivory said, chuckling as she teleported before him. She pointed a wand at his head, and it flashed with a rippling aura. “We have been Void-blessed.”
And the Elder Dragon recoiled as his face was engulfed by a purple blast.
—--
Void-blessed. That was what this power was called.
Ammon had not understood this power at first. His King had shown it to him, but it wasn’t like any magic he had ever seen. It wasn’t something the Arcane Archsorcerer had even been able to comprehend.
But that was because it was no ordinary magic. It was the depraved magic of the Void. A power that Ammon had been taught to fear and revile from a very young age. And yet, he now indulged in its blessings without care in the world.
It was something that even the Sect of Abyssal Thorns had failed to realize— they were so foolish, they merely used the Void’s power to enhance both their magical and physical prowess. While it was a boon, it was also severely limited, unlike the gifts Ammon and the other five had been given.
The Archsorcerer watched as the dragon swatted Rakash out of the air. He crashed hard into the ground, cut up by the sharp claws, only to quickly get up with ease. The troll’s wounds quickly healed as he hefted his axe up, before charging into battle once again.
Regeneration, increased strength, empowered magic. To be Void-blessed meant that Ammon was at least an SSS-ranked threat as he was right now. He could conjure up attacks that exceeded everything he ever dreamt of doing, and they worked just like Skills.
“Snare.”
Delmer pointed at the Elder Dragon. A translucent purple net shot out as Grat-ra’zun snapped his jaw at Ivory. He spun around, clashing with Usil’s twin blades. But Si-Vus crashed into the dragon’s side, knocking him off balance.
And the Snare enveloped Grat-ra’zun’s figure. The Elder Dragon blinked as Si-Vus leapt back, landing right next to Delmer.
“This one thinks that this battle is over,” the merfolk said, glancing up at the struggling Grat-ra’zun. “That one cannot fight without Skills.”
The Elder Dragon roared and spread his wings wide to break free from the net, only for both Ammon and Ivory to unleash a barrage of blasts at him. He fell back as his powerful roar became a whimper.
“Oh, how the mighty fall,” Ivory giggled, and Rakash fell upon the dragon.
“Smash.” The troll swung hard into Grat-ra’zun’s back.
The shockwave actually made Ammon stumble. A blast of purple energy shot out, disintegrating the horde of treasures. Mount Arkais itself quaked as the cave chamber rumbled. It took a moment for the dust to settle, and Ammon heard a weak wheeze.
He looked up to see the Elder Dragon lying there, body curled up as a giant empurpled axe dug into his back. He couldn’t move, and he was bleeding. His wings were torn and tattered— his scales had been shredded open as Rakash stood on his head.
“So even dragons bleed,” Delmer remarked as he approached the collapsed figure.
Usil scoffed and shook her head. “Of course they do. And they can die too.”
Ammon, Ivory, and Si-Vus followed. The five of them gathered before the defeated Elder Dragon as Rakash dug his foot down, clamping Grat-ra’zun’s mouth shut.
“This was almost too easy.” Ivory yawned, and the Elder Dragon’s eyes darted towards her. “I would have thought an Elder Dragon would have put up more of a fight.”
“Once I had cast Voiding, the battle was already won,” Ammon said, waving a hand dismissively. Grat-ra’zun huffed as smoldering smoke puffed out of his nostrils. “As we all know, we are up against the Wisest Sage of the World System. That means without the World System, he is nothing.”
The entire cave chamber had been wreathed in the Void’s touch. The World System couldn’t reach this section of Mount Arkais. So no matter how hard Grat-ra’zun tried, he wouldn’t have been able to call upon his Skills. All he had left to fight with were his claws and his teeth. But once he was subdued… well, the outcome was evident.
Ivory looked down at the Elder Dragon and sighed dismissively. “Finish him, Rakash.”
Ammon watched as the troll nodded. That was the difference between them. Thanks to the Void’s blessing, the six of them were practically invincible, while the dragon was still merely a mortal. Rakash the Tormentor of Alius took a step forward as he heaved up his axe— and Grat-ra’zun unhinged his jaw.
The six gathered figures blinked, and the Elder Dragon opened his mouth. There was barely a crack between his teeth. But Ammon sensed the deluge of magic before it came. He saw the crimson glow growing brighter. And maybe that was how he reacted in time.
“You… WRETCH!”
Grat-ra’zun let out a terrible roar. A blast of flames shot out a moment after, flooding the cave chamber. It didn’t stop. It continued filling the core of the mountain until—
—--
The crowned gryphon.
It was a majestic beast. Terrible, but majestic. One of the apex predators of the lower regions of Mount Arkais. An S-ranked threat that basked in its own power. Although it had been injured by a passing meteor a while back, it was fully recovered now, and stronger than ever.
It swept its gaze over its domain. It saw the vast sea of trees— a dense forest of monsters that hid from this great predator. It looked beyond the canopy of green, towards the tall mountain up ahead. While there were yetis and other such monsters up there that could threaten the crowned gryphon, none of them ever descended to its domain. So it could rest easy knowing that nothing will ever challenge its authority over these lands—
And Mount Arkais exploded.
—--
Mount Arkais exploded. A powerful crimson blast ripped a hole straight through the tallest mountain in all of Vacuos. It was an explosion that was heard all throughout Laxo— its shockwave washing over the nearby forests, toppling trees and splitting the ground open.
Ammon hovered in the air, watching from above as a massive caldera-like crater tore through the side of Mount Arkais, followed by a pillar of flames. It shot up a thousands of feet into the sky, rapidly evaporating the nearby clouds, and clearing the afternoon sky as far as the Archsorcerer could see.
The Elder Dragon’s lair was gone. All that remained was fire. A raging flame that quickly spread across the arid landscape, burning everything it touched. Molten rock slid down the mountain like lava as the forest below caught aflame, and the trickle of sweat on Ammon’s forehead instantly dried up.
The Arcane Archsorcerer had escaped just before the explosion destroyed the top of Mount Arkais. He had teleported out with Ivory, Delmer, Usil, and Si-Vus just in the knick of time. The only one that had been left behind was Rakash.
Ammon’s eyes narrowed as he saw a hulking crimson figure emerging from the flames. Grat-ra’zun rose above the destruction, beating his majestic wings behind him. His gaze burned with anger, and he carried a charred figure in his clawed hand.
“I AM GRAT-RA’ZUN!” the dragon roared. “THE GREAT RAKAARZUN. GLORIOUS TERROR OF MOUNT ARKAIS.”
The five remaining intruders watched as the flames shot up, ascending with the Elder Dragon. All sense of invincibility Ammon felt before had evaporated as he felt the intense heat encroaching on him.
Grat-ra’zun continued listing his titles as he flew higher and higher, until he was floating just before the five of them.
“IGNIZ’S ARCANE CHAMPION. KING OF THE CRIMSON FLAME. ONE OF THE LAST ELDER DRAGONS LEFT ALIVE IN ALL OF VACUOS. AND—”
Smoke trailed from the dragon’s nostrils as he eyed the intruders. So this is the power of an Elder Dragon, Ammon mused. And all at once, Grat-ra’zun unleashed an unending blast of crimson flames, destroying everything in its path.
“YOU SHALL ALL BURN!”
MelasD
This is my favorite chapter of all of Book 1
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