As if the universe itself was echoing their sorrow, a sickening explosion erupted from the center of the city, sending shockwaves rippling through the atmosphere.
Aurelius's breath caught in his throat as they both watched in horror. The majestic castle, once soaring above the city, now twisted and buckled as it began to plummet toward the earth.
It fell, not as a graceful descent, but as a broken monument, its golden towers crumbling like fragile glass. The sight was both beautiful and devastating. The floating castle's fall was like a comet, but one carrying with it the death of a thousand dreams.
He leaped from the window of the tower, flying as fast as his great wings could take him to the world below, his wife following close behind and in their heads the same thoughts ran rampant: "What could cause such an unimaginable destruction?"
"By the gods..." Solaria whispered, her voice trembling with sorrow.
They both knew. They didn't need to say it aloud. The energy that burned tainted the land, the unmistakable malice that lingered in the air, it was Ventris. She had been the one to unleash such fury. The bond they had once shared had twisted into something far darker, and now, this violent outburst was the result of her deep-seated hatred.
As he reached closer to the planets surface, Aurelius' mind raced as he took in the full scope of the devastation. His father, Barbarus, his mother, his siblings, his thoughts were consumed with their safety. But most of all, he couldn't shake the worry for his human subjects, for so few of them were magically gifted.
With the sheer magnitude and swiftness of the attack, he feared the worst. The ones who had no means of defense, the vulnerable, he feared they had been caught in the chaos, unable to escape the devastation that had descended upon them so suddenly. Their hearts were heavy with the dread of what they might find when they reached the center of the destruction that now marred the planet.
As they neared the shattered surface, Aurelius felt the raw power still reverberating through the land. Solaria's eyes narrowed with a dangerous glow, her determination to protect her people burning like a star. They both knew they had to get to the heart of the chaos. But as they drew closer, the vast destruction told them that the mark had been made, the devastation spread for miles.
As they landed on the planet's fractured surface, their minds and hearts raced. The damage was intense. He stretched out his senses to survey the land, a cold realization settled in, he could no longer feel them.
The familiar energy scent of his people, his family, was gone. There was no trace of life left, only the grim and haunting scene before him. The city, once teeming with the heartbeat of its people, was now a lifeless wasteland, and all that remained was the devastation that weighed heavily on his heart.
What had once been a thriving city, alive with the laughter of children, the chatter of workers, and the bustle of daily life, was now nothing more than a smoldering wreck of burning buildings and collapsed towers. He looked down and saw a charred plush toy at his feet. Reaching to pick it up, he felt it crumble to ash in his fingers the moment he touched it. Their hearts dropped into their stomachs, for they knew the cruelty and destruction that would follow in her wake. She had betrayed them both.
"I'll stop her." Solaria said, her voice barely a broken whisper, but the resolve in it was unmistakable.
"Together." Aurelius replied, his voice firm as steel and his teeth bare as they sharpened into fangs. He would not allow Ventris to undo everything they had worked so hard for, the peace, the love, the unity. He would stop her, even if it meant ending her permanently.
The death, the destruction was too great and a price had to be paid.
The weight of the situation grew heavier with every passing second. It had been nearly a century since they last saw Ventris, and in all that time, she had withdrawn from the world, from her family, from them. She had left Castle Asura, seeking her own space, her own path, something she could control.
Solaria and Aurelius had tried to reach out to her, extend their hands in kindness, to tell her that if she ever needed them, they would be there, her family, always there, always open to her. They had even kept her room in the castle untouched, just as she had left it, a silent offer of comfort, a space for her to return to if she ever chose to.
But now, with the destruction she had unleashed, it was clear that all of their efforts had been in vain. Ventris was no longer the sister they had once known, and this display of power, this chaos that now threatened everything could no longer be ignored. Her magic had been wild, untamed, and chaotic. The very air was thick with her energy, though she was nowhere to be found.
As he watched his city burn, the memories began to flood back to him, crashing over him like a violent storm. He had seen this city grow, watched its people thrive for the past 700 years. He had formed bonds with many of his subjects, and even their descendants had become like family. He even took the time out of his day to learn the names of all his subjects. But as he gazed at the destruction before him, he knew those humans who had once called this vast city home were now gone.
The weight of it all hit him, and his eyes welled with tears. A deafening roar escaped him, his power surging with raw, uncontrollable rage. His chest tightened as he realized the unimaginable, his home, his legacy, his kingdom, reduced to ash before his very eyes. The pain of loss surged through him, raw and unrelenting.
He had watched his people thrive, building bonds that went beyond ruler and subject, they were family. Now, they are gone. His heart ached as he remembered their faces, the laughter of children, the warmth of familiar greetings. All of it, destroyed by the wrath of one he thought of as his own sister.
Tears fell from his eyes, but his rage soon overtook his sorrow, another deafening roar tore from him, his power surging even more uncontrollably. His golden-blue eyes flared, the earth beneath him cracking, the sky darkening with his fury. His grief had transformed into a violent storm, and he could no longer hold back.
As his body began to shift, his human form twisted, his muscles growing in size and strength. Black scales, sleek and shimmering, spread across parts of his skin, their dark hue accented by veins of molten gold that pulsed with his every heartbeat as his eyes glowed with the intensity of molten metal. The enormous wings erupted from his back were a blend of gold and black, their edges jagged and webbed like a dragon's, shimmering with an otherworldly energy.
Aurelius's energy flared outward in violent waves, sending shockwaves of power that cracked the very atmosphere around him. His aura was like a storm, unpredictable, fierce, and unstoppable, lashed out in all directions, sending ripples through the air. His once serene, compassionate nature was now hidden beneath a coat of fury and anguish, his partial transformation marking the full extent of his emotional devastation. A low, guttural growl escaped his throat as he clenched his claws, the form that he had taken standing as a force of nature, poised to unleash vengeance
Solaria stood beside Aurelius, her eyes wide with shock, her heart heavy with the weight of the destruction. She had never seen him like this, his fury, his pain, it was consuming him. But she understood. The death, the loss of so many innocents. It was too much for even a god to bear.
She reached out, her fingers brushing his as a wave of sorrow and love passed between them. In that moment, she felt his anguish as her own, and she knew what had to be done.
With a deep, steadying breath, Solaria closed her eyes, her body shimmering with dark light. Scales of pure white and blue began to spread across her skin, glowing like the night sky. Her hair flared out, twisting into ethereal tendrils as her wings unfurled, vast and powerful. The power that surged from her was immeasurable, more than Aurelius could have imagined.
Her form resembled that of her husband, a magnificent dragon, with mostly human characteristics, her power eclipsing his. The ground trembled beneath her as her wings spread wide, her eyes burning with the same fiery determination that now blazed within Aurelius. They stood together, their wrath fueled by the deaths of those they could not save.
With a powerful roar, he summoned his army of angels. At the time of the initial attack, they had scattered, doing what they could to help any surviving humans, guiding them to safety. They had never seen their king like this before, his form so different, so far removed from the image they were used to. Though not as strong as his wife, still not fully a god they could feel his immense power radiating, unmistakable. They trembled as he spoke, his voice a low growl.
"Report."
One angel stepped forward. Calrus, their messenger.
"My lord... There are no survivors. The damage extends all the way to the borders of Barbarus, we're receiving reports from Klasha and Fargris kingdom and they report no casualties or even damage to their lands. The attack was controlled... Precise." He hesitated, then added, "The energy seems to be from Lady Ventris, as you may have already surmised. But she is nowhere to be found. She may be concealing herself."
"We need to find her." Aurelius muttered, his voice low but filled with determination. "She cannot be allowed to get away with this. She may even be offworld, as we cannot sense her... But we will-"
"Don't bother looking, my dear king." A mocking voice cut through the air, smooth and chilling.
A flash of golden light cut through the air, and there, standing before him, was the woman who had wrought this devastation. She was beautiful beyond measure, her long golden hair cascading like liquid sunlight, shimmering with an ethereal glow. Her eyes, a piercing red, gleamed with an intensity that could burn through the soul.
She wore a flowing black dress with red accents that rippled as if woven from shadow itself, perfectly complementing the divine energy she exuded. It was almost suffocating, a heavy weight in the air that pressed against his chest, yet her presence was undeniable, powerful and regal, a goddess in her full glory.
Despite the overwhelming aura of destruction surrounding her, The king's fury could not be contained. With a deafening roar, he confronted her.
"Why!? Just why? The people here did nothing to you, and you... You killed them all! Where is my family?! And Zervas, where is he?!"
He demanded as his voice trembled with the weight of his grief, while the storm of rage and sorrow continued to surge within him.
"Don't worry about that, your Majesty," her voice dripped with mockery, her words cutting through the tension. "They're all right here."
With a snap of her fingers, a cage of shimmering energy materialized, his family inside. His mother, father, brothers, and sister stood within, their expressions filled with fear and confusion. Transcendents they may be but in the face of a true god like Ventris, were like pups to a wolf. The sight of them, so close yet so unreachable, sent a surge of panic through him.
Without a second thought, Aurelius rushed toward the cage, his instincts screaming to protect them. But before he could take another step, she raised her hand, and a giant spear of light materialized, aimed directly at the cage.
"Uh-uh-uh." She cooed, her voice almost playful. "Now, little Aure, move an inch, and they all die."
The king froze, his heart pounding in his chest. Trembling with a mix of fear and rage, he stood motionless. His voice, barely a whisper, reached his family.
"Mother, father, I'll get you all out of there."
But despite his words, he could do nothing, trapped in place by her immense power, his fury and helplessness warring within him.
His mother's eyes met his, filled with sorrow and love. She smiled at him, though the tears in her eyes betrayed the pain she was trying to hide. Her gaze flickered to Solaria, who stood outside the cage, watching with a look of disbelief. As if drawn by some invisible force, she darted toward the bars, her movements frantic, as though reaching for something, or someone.
Then, the sound of something sharp cutting through the air reached him.
The king turned just in time to see Solaria stagger, a figure in a hooded cloak standing nearby. A weapon was lodged into her, and golden blood began to spill from the wound, staining her scales and dress, the sudden pain causing her to stagger and collapse. The angels around her tried to save their queen but they missed every strike against the hooded figure. The sight took his breath away. For a moment, his mind refused to process the horror before him, the image so impossible that he couldn't believe it.
But then, in a flash, his fury ignited. He surged toward her, claws extended, a primal snarl tearing from his throat. With the speed of a storm, he slashed at the cloaked figure, the air crackling with his power, the weight of his rage behind the strike, but it was all too late.
The hooded figure vanished into thin air, only to reappear beside Ventris, as though nothing had happened.
The king's eyes widened in shock, his focus shifting to his wife in her collapsed and pained state. He crouched to embrace her, hands trembling as she whimpered quietly in pain. He had never expected to see her in such a state. Normally, not even he could land a scratch on her, but now, she was wounded deeply. The wound ran across her side, and despite his power, it showed no signs of healing. He reached out instinctively, trying to mend her, but the wound remained, dark and unyielding.
Worry gripped him, forming a cold knot in his stomach. This was unlike anything he had ever seen. The fear of losing her was something he had never imagined and it made his heart race.
He looked at his wife, his heart heavy with despair. He had just lost his people, had his family taken from him, and now... Was he about to lose her too? The thought struck him like a blow to the chest, bringing tears to his eyes once more.
But Solaria met his gaze, her eyes still filled with love, her expression soft and reassuring despite the pain. "Worry not, my love..." She whispered, her voice strained but gentle. "It's only a scratch."
Her words were a lie, and they both knew it. The pain from the wound gripped her, deeper than she dared admit, but she refused to let him see the extent of it. Despite her efforts to heal herself, nothing seemed to work. The wound remained, a dark reminder of the violence they were facing. Yet, she pushed it aside, not wanting to add to his already unbearable burden.