𝗈𝚟𝑙xt.𝗰𝚘𝓂

Boom!

Each time Rexorem clashed with Ddraig’s claws, an ear-rupturing air explosion could be heard. Their exchange created a vacuum in the air from time to time, showing just how much power each of their attacks possessed.

Clank!

Albion was confident in her skill, but she was not sure if the world she created would be able to handle the aftermath. Because of that, she wanted to stop the fight. Alas, it was a common courtesy to never meddle in the fight between Dragons. Added to that fact, she was even the person who suggested the fight. She could only watch as the fight unfolded.

She sighed, letting out a cold smoke from her mouth. She had promised Quetzalcoatl to train Layland, after all. Instead of wallowing in regret for the fact that she might lose the Hidden World that she had painstakingly created, she paid close attention to each of Layland’s movements. Again, she was surprised by the flawless execution of his moves.

She instantly figured out the reason why Quetzalcoatl sent Layland to her. Other than his special power, Quetzalcoatl was known for his flawless technique. The way he executed his technique and the way he utilized Mana were flawless. Anyone would die to learn that from him. Absurdly, in those regards, Layland was on the same level.

“What he currently lacks is…power,” Albion muttered. “Quetzalcoatl beats me in that aspect, but he can’t teach Layland the way he uses his power. They have different innate abilities, after all. I don’t even know what kind of special power he has but our nature is indeed similar enough, making me the most suitable mentor for him. Though…”

Albion trailed off as she watched Layland land a kick on Ddraig’s head. It had been more than three centuries since Ddraig got that, so he was visibly shaken when it happened to him. He couldn’t believe Layland was capable as such, so he increased his output of power more than he meant in a fit of rage. His action allowed him to throw Layland away a few hundred feet away from him.

Layland had been having the upper hand since the fight began. Ddraig had looked hopeless but it wasn’t because he was weak. He was holding back a lot because he didn’t want to destroy Albion’s centuries worth of hard work. Therefore, Albion was not in the least bit surprised by how quickly the table turned. Layland was strong, but Ddraig was simply stronger.

As her eyes followed Layland to where he stabilized himself in the air, she immediately concluded the fight would come to an end soon. Layland’s scale armour which was part of his transformation was torn. Three claw marks could be spotted on it. It was quite unexpected that Layland’s skin didn’t sustain any scratch, but it didn’t stop Albion from coming up with a witty rejection for Ddraig when the fight ended.

Because of her low expectation, she was comically baffled when Layland’s armour fixed itself in the blink of an eye. What was even more absurd was that his pressure got even heavier than before. Albion could confidently say he had become stronger. A disbelieving smile immediately crept up her face.

“Quetzalcoatl, what kind of monster did you bring to our side?” she remarked in amusement. “This man is even more absurd than you are.”

Shaking her head, Albion turned her back on the fight. She couldn’t do anything and nor could she help Layland in a way. Layland was growing stronger as a Dragon and a Demon by himself through his fight with Ddraig. She would let Ddraig be Layland’s stepping stone. Until Layland beat Ddraig and sought her for guidance, she would take care of Aurelia who was forgetting her origin.

Light encapsulated her and she instantaneously disappeared from the place without Ddraig and Layland noticing. Not even a second passed, and light flashed in the monitoring room near the hall where Aurelia was trapped. Albion sat on the sofa and watched the happening inside the hall through the screen in the room. Much to her disappointment, nothing was happening or had happened.

The hall remained the way she had left it. Although it was a good thing that Aurelia didn’t wreck it, she was extremely disappointed by Aurelia’s lack of response. The said Dragon was emptily staring upwards. Her expression indicated that she hadn’t fully processed what had happened. She was too shocked to accept the fact that Layland had been “kidnapped.”

“What an idiotic reaction!” Albion grumbled under her breath. “It would have been better if you had thrashed the room in a fit of rage. What are you doing, Aurelia? Why are you acting so weak? Where is your bloodlust that shook me once in the past? Why are you despairing instead of thriving?”

Albion got quieter the longer she spoke. She just realized what she had implied by her words. Aurelia used to be a vengeful soul because of her parent’s death. She had never taken the time to mourn over her comrade’s fall because her mind was filled with thoughts of revenge. Back then, all she focused on was paying her enemies back for what they had done.

In Albion’s eyes, Aurelia was a peerless warrior back then. She had all the qualities that one sought in a warrior: strong, unemotional and unyielding. Of course, that was only how it had appeared on the surface. In truth, Aurelia was eager to die back then. She didn’t care about her survival, making her the boldest, strongest and also the most suicidal young Dragon back then.

Hard times made strong warriors, yet that life was not what you wanted to experience. What you had in mind every day would be when your time would come. Aurelia was slightly different since she was waiting for that day to come. She didn’t have any other purpose than taking down as many enemies as she could before joining her late parents.

“She has found another meaning to live.”

Aurelia had changed for the better. She was no longer the loose cannon she used to be in the past. The realization made Albion smile bitterly. She felt horrible for confidently saying the previous Aurelia was the better version of her. Someone whose sole life goal was to die was a pitiful person. There was nothing praiseworthy about it.

“I guess I need to find another way to bring up her real power. You can still be strong and kind. There is no need for me to bring back that wild young girl from the Great War.”

Albion sighed and was about to teleport into the hall when she noticed Aurelia move her gaze. Aurelia stared directly at her who was behind the screen. She wondered if it was merely a coincidence that their gaze met. She knew the answer and a pleasant smile crept up her face.

“I knew it.”

“Albion!” Aurelia roared. “How dare you show me those deprived illusions to me!”

“Illusions?”

“Don’t play dumb!”

Albion was genuinely puzzled by Aurelia until she remembered one important detail. The Seal that she used to trap Aurelia also had a psychological torture function. It shouldn’t have worked on someone as strong as Aurelia, therefore, Albion had dismissed it. However, Aurelia was not properly protecting her mind because she believed she was still “weak.”

“So, she was standing like an idiot because she was trapped in an illusion,” Albion concluded in realization. “The illusion she saw should be something that she doesn’t want to happen most. I wonder what it is.”

“Let’s settle this matter the Dragon’s way. You have tainted my possession and you will pay a hefty price for it!” The answer to Albion’s wondering came soon. “You…even if it’s only an illusion, how dare you lay your hands on him!?”

“Ho-oh…so that is what you saw.” A smirk made its way to Albion’s face. “But who told you that it was merely an illusion? You don’t even know how much time had passed, do you? Maybe, what you saw was what I had done…but who knows?”

“Albion!”

Aurelia’s thunderous roar shook the entire hall. Her Mana rose, forming a grey wisp that covered her body. The floor cracked under her pressure. Her murderous intent overflowed the vast hall. She never blinked once and nor did she turn her gaze away from where she could sense Albion was watching her. Her gaze was filled with so much hatred that Albion wondered if she would hate her by the end of this.

Roar!

Aurelia launched her body to the door. She channelled as much Mana as she could to her hand before slamming it to the door. A blinding light filled up the whole hall followed by an ear-rupturing explosion. Albion couldn’t make heads or tails of Aurelia’s form but was sure of the conclusion of the stunt. True to her conclusion, Aurelia did nothing to the door.

Watching the shining Runes decorating the door, Aurelia breathed out a steaming breath. “This is not outside my expectation. My power is still sealed, but nothing can stop me from getting Layland back.”

Aurelia’s eyes shone brightly in gold and her Mana Pressure increased yet again. She pounded on the door, putting more power into her hands. She would step back once in a while and shoot a fire beam at the door. None of her attacks did anything but she remained relentless. She was like a machine programmed only to stop when its goal was fulfilled.

Watching the scene through the screen, Albion nodded to herself in satisfaction. She was glad this was Aurelia’s nature. Aurelia wasn’t crazed as she was back then but still wild. In no time, even without realizing she had fallen in love with Layland, she would regain her power.

“As expected, doing it the Dragon’s way is the correct way.”