Chapter 18 – The Arrow That Defies the Heavens
The silence that covered the arena was unreal. Just seconds ago, the air had been filled with cheers celebrating Kael's victory over Arthus. Now, all that could be heard were the ragged breaths of adventurers struggling to stay on their feet under the suffocating pressure of an indescribably powerful aura.
Some fainted without even understanding what was happening. Others, faces pale, barely managed to remain kneeling. The cause of that terror loomed above them: a dragon with scales as black as night. Its wings spread wide, covering much of the sky, casting an ominous shadow over the entire city.
Kael watched in silence, frowning, fists clenched. A deep hatred burned inside him, though he didn't fully understand why. In his mind, fragments of memories returned like blades — Elyndra facing the trackers, her voice ordering him to run, the blood, the sacrifice…
The guild master, his face hardened by years of experience and the scar that crossed it, was the first to break the silence.
—"It can't be…" —he murmured, his tone heavy with terror— "That… that's Nyxarion's dragon…"
The name made Kael grit his teeth.
—"Nyxarion…" —he repeated under his breath, eyes fixed on the beast.
He knew that name. He had heard it from the lips of the trackers who had come for his life. Nyxarion… the one who had ordered his master's death.
A murderous aura ignited around him. Kael walked slowly toward the center of the arena, brushing aside anyone who tried to stop him. He took the bow from Lyra's hands.
—"Kael, stop!" —roared the guild master, his voice echoing powerfully— "If you harm that dragon, Nyxarion himself will come for you! He won't stand idly by!"
Kael turned toward him, his gaze cold and filled with fury.
—"I don't care…" —his voice was sharp as a knife of ice— "I'll kill that lizard… and then Nyxarion. For what they did to my master."
The guild master's heart trembled at those words. There was something deeper inside that cold-eyed boy. Something even he couldn't fully understand.
The dragon's eyes, glowing like embers, locked onto Kael. Their auras clashed invisibly, like two storms threatening to end the world.
Arthus, who had just managed to catch his breath after his defeat, took a step forward, sweat running down his face.
—"Kael, wait! Don't fight that thing… you can't win. That dragon will leave on its own…"
Kael didn't even look at him.
—"Silence, Arthus. This has nothing to do with you."
Another of Arthus's group —the elf in a blue robe with long hair— stepped forward, his voice harsh:
—"You fool! What are you thinking? Not even a rank S could stand against that dragon! That bow you're holding… it's a divine weapon of the elves. Even if you held it your entire life, you'd never be able to activate it. That power isn't meant for a human."
Kael gritted his teeth, his aura starting to flare like an uncontrollable fire. He turned slowly toward the elf, and with a cold roar that froze everyone's blood, he shouted:
—"Silence!"
In that instant, the pressure shifted. His aura stopped being a chaotic swirl of colors and transformed into a blazing green radiance —living flames dancing around his body. The bow in his hands began to glow with an emerald brilliance. The dark wood lit up with elven engravings that seemed to awaken from a long slumber. A luminous string materialized, tightening at both ends, and in his hand appeared an arrow made entirely of pure green energy.
The silence was absolute. Even the dragon hesitated for a moment.
The elf's eyes widened in disbelief as he took a step back.
—"I–Impossible…" —he stammered, unable to comprehend it— "That bow… only two elves in history have ever been able to awaken it! How can a human…?"
Kael, his gaze cold and locked onto the dragon, drew the string. A colossal pressure emanated from the arrow —an aura that devoured the surrounding darkness as if it wished to consume it entirely.
The dragon finally opened its jaws and unleashed a torrent of black fire —a roar that shook the entire city.
—"Die, insect!"
Kael's arrow flew.
The projectile tore through the darkness as if it were smoke. The black fire was absorbed, consumed, reduced to nothing. And in a flash, the arrow struck straight into the dragon's heart.
A roar shook the heavens. The massive beast crashed down, its body tearing through the walls and collapsing before Kael, raising a storm of dust and stone.
Kael looked down at it, hatred burning in his eyes. His cold voice rang clear amid the silence:
—"Die, lizard. Then I'll come for your master."
The dragon, lying on the brink of death, opened its mouth slowly. With a guttural, fading voice, it spoke:
—"Foolish child… you have no idea what you've done… Nyxarion will not stand still. The gods themselves will not let you live. Your existence… is an abomination… just like the rest of your kind…"
Kael frowned.
—"What… do you know about my past?" —his voice trembled with fury— "Tell me! Who destroyed my people? Who killed my parents!?"
But the dragon no longer answered. Its eyes dimmed, and its body went still.
The silence that followed was even heavier.
Kael stood before the corpse, feeling an unbearable weight in his chest. His breathing quickened, and without realizing it, hot tears began to stream down his face. He clenched his teeth, raised his head toward the sky, and let out a scream that tore through the hearts of everyone present.
A scream of pain.
Of rage.
Of despair.
Lyra, moved to tears, barely managed to whisper his name, her voice trembling:
—"Kael…"
The guild master approached slowly, his firm presence contrasting with the devastation around them. He placed a heavy hand on Kael's shoulder.
—"Boy… come with me. It's time you learned a few things."
Kael didn't respond. He simply lowered his gaze, the bow still in his hands.
—"Lyra, you'll come too," —the guild master continued— "After all, you're the leader of this group. And remember… a party needs three members. What you're about to see will be useful."
He turned toward Arthus and his team.
—"You, report to the king about what happened."
Then to the rest of the adventurers:
—"Gather anything useful from the dragon's body. Destroy the rest. No one must profit from its remains."
Without waiting for a response, the guild master walked forward, firm and steady. Kael followed in silence, Lyra beside him, casting worried glances at the young man who refused to show weakness.
The guild master raised a hand, and a portal opened before them. A spiral of light swallowed them, transporting them in an instant.
When the light faded, they found themselves in an immense forest bathed in an eerie calm. The trees rose like living pillars, and the air was filled with pure, tranquil energy.
Kael and Lyra looked around in astonishment.
Then, in the distance, a clear voice broke the calm of the place:
—"Maaaaasteeer!"
Both of them turned immediately, eyes wide open.
A figure emerged from among the trees, running toward them, full of energy and vitality.
Kael's destiny was about to take another unexpected turn.