The battlefield had become strangely quiet.
Aeron stood frozen.
Inside the enormous artificial Dragon King was a human face.
A face he hadn't seen since childhood.
His heart began pounding.
"No…"
The man slowly opened his eyes.
Golden eyes.
The same golden eyes Aeron had seen in his own visions.
He smiled.
"It's been a long time, Aeron."
Aeron's breath stopped.
"Who are you?"
The man laughed softly.
"You really don't remember me?"
Aeron took a step forward.
Something inside his mind was screaming.
A memory flashed.
A small house.
Two children running through a field.
One boy pulling Aeron's hand.
"Come on! I'll show you something."
Another flash.
A dragon egg.
Then fire.
Aeron grabbed his head.
"Stop…"
Kael rushed toward him.
"Aeron! Don't look into its eyes!"
Too late.
The creature's eyes turned completely gold.
Aeron saw the boy again.
His brother.
But the memory suddenly changed.
The boy was standing inside a burning village.
Blood covered his clothes.
Behind him stood the Ancient Court.
And Aeron's mother was screaming
"RUN!"
Aeron opened his eyes.
"Rian…"
The creature smiled.
"You remembered my name."
Kael immediately raised his sword.
"Stay away from him."
Rian looked at Kael.
"You still protect him?"
Kael's grip tightened.
"I promised his mother."
Rian laughed.
"You failed her once."
Kael's expression darkened.
"Enough."
The artificial Dragon King suddenly moved.
BOOOOM!
Its claw smashed into the ground.
Kael jumped away.
Aeron's dragon attacked from above.
ROOOOAR!
Its claws struck the creature's back.
Black blood splashed across the snow.
But the creature didn't fall.
It grabbed Aeron's dragon by the wing.
CRACK!
The dragon roared in pain.
Aeron's eyes widened.
"LET HIM GO!"
His sword erupted with golden energy.
He charged.
CLANG!
His blade struck the creature's arm.
Again.
CLANG!
Again.
SLASH!
A deep cut opened across its arm.
Black blood poured onto the snow.
The creature finally released Aeron's dragon.
Aeron ran toward his dragon.
"Are you hurt?"
The dragon slowly stood.
One wing was bleeding.
Aeron placed his hand against it.
"I've got you."
Rian watched silently.
Then he whispered,
"You always protected your dragon."
Aeron looked at him.
"And you?"
Rian's smile disappeared.
"I waited for you."
Silence.
Aeron stared at him.
"What happened to you?"
Rian looked down at his monstrous body.
"They took me."
"Who?"
"The Ancient Court."
Aeron's expression hardened.
"They turned me into this."
He touched the symbol glowing inside his chest.
"But that wasn't their real plan."
Aeron stepped closer.
"What was it?"
Rian looked directly into his eyes.
"They wanted you."
Aeron froze.
"Why?"
Rian's eyes suddenly filled with fear.
Before he could answer
BOOOOOOM!
A spear of black energy struck him from behind.
Rian screamed.
Aeron turned.
On the mountain ridge stood dozens of Ancient Court warriors.
At their center was a masked woman.
She raised her hand.
"Enough."
Every warrior lowered their weapons.
The woman looked directly at Aeron.
"Bring him alive."
Aeron raised his sword.
"Who are you?"
The woman slowly removed her mask.
Aeron's eyes widened.
He knew her.
She was standing beside his mother in his childhood memories.
The woman smiled.
"You've finally awakened."
Then she looked at Rian.
"And your brother has served his purpose."
Rian's face turned pale.
"Aeron…"
His voice trembled.
"Don't let them take me again."
The masked woman raised her hand.
Chains of black energy shot toward Rian.
Aeron's dragon roared.
Aeron stepped forward.
His black mark began glowing.
But suddenly
a familiar voice echoed from the sky.
"Aeron… don't fight them yet."
He looked upward.
His mother's silver dragon appeared between the clouds.
His mother stood upon its back.
But she wasn't looking at Aeron.
She was staring at Rian.
Her eyes were filled with fear.
Then she whispered
"Because your brother is not the one they brought back."
Aeron's blood ran cold.
Rian slowly smiled.
His golden eyes turned black.
"Mother… you finally came."
TO BE CONTINUED…