Dragon Maken War - Chapter 264

Of course, it was pretense.  She was an illusion, so she could never touch Azell.

-Thank you.

“…….”

-Azell oppa accepted me.  I can end my life without any regret.

She was reborn in this state thanks to Atein.  It had always felt as if she was no longer alive.  It didn’t feel as if she was a part of this world.

The only meaning she could find in this world was her ties to her old life.  If there was no connection to her past, she couldn’t find any meaning in this life.

It was as if she was dreaming a never-ending dream.  Her life should have ended a long time ago, yet she continued to work towards the moment when her incomplete life would be completed.

That moment had finally arrived.

“You…….”

-Shhh.

Kayalia put her finger on his lips as she let out a bright smile.  It was a mischievous smile.

-Please don’t say anything sad.  I want you to laugh.  I want to remember your laughing face.

At her words, Azell tried to force a smile onto his face.  It was a really awkward smile, yet he had done his best.

-I really like oppa’s smiling face.  When I was a human, it was that face that I always remembered.

Kayalia let out timid laughter as she nodded her head.

At some point, white figures lined up behind her.  They were the Guardian Shadows.

「Prophecy…….」

「Prophesied person…….」

「Our long wish…….」

「It has been granted…….」

The forest had been destroyed from the battle, yet Azell could hear whispers emanating from his surroundings.

No matter where he looked, he could see the Guardian Shadows.  Their numbers had dwindled a lot through the continuous fights, yet there were over 2,000 of them gathered at this location.

However, he would have to say farewell to them too.

They were in the same boat as Kayalia.  Their existence had root in the Great Darkness.  Soon, the Great Darkness will be no more, and their existence would end soon.

Despite knowing this, the Guardian Shadows weren’t sad.  They had given up on their eternal rest to become the Guardian Shadows.  This was the first time they were happy.  Their whispers rang out in the forest, and it sounded like an ode to joy.

-Azell oppa.

As the song rang out, Kayalia retreated backwards as she spoke.

-Please be happy.

“…….”

-Good bye.

She let out a bright smile as she melted into the darkness.

Then her world changed.

Her connection to reality was severed.  Instead, her consciousness flowed into the world of the Great Darkness.  It was where her essence had been stored.

At one point, everyone within the Great Darkness had once existed in the real world.  It was a world made out their experiences in life.  This world was falling apart.  The Great Darkness had lost all its pillars, yet it didn’t mean this world would immediately disappear.  Still, the destruction of this world was right around the corner.

Kayalia was within this world as she looked at the memories that made her who she was.

She watched the distant past when she started walking this world as a parentless Dragon Demon.

She remembered her fear of death.  It drove her to create the Reincarnation technique.

Then she watched herself go through reincarnations, and she saw the first moment when she started losing herself.  She started changing into different existences….

‘Kaydika.’

She saw her twin brother, who had fallen under the weight of his sad fate.  Since a single entity had been split into two, Kaydika couldn’t withstand the hatred that had been awakened within him towards Kayalia.  He had lived a luckless life.

When Kayalia approached the figure in her memories, he laughed.  This was him before he was crushed under his cruel fate.  He had treasured her as someone that was of his flesh and blood.

Kayalia continued to fly through the world of memories.

Countless people passed by her.  She couldn’t even remember the names of most of the people in her memories.  It was rare for anyone to evoke any meaningful emotions within her.

‘Atein.’

Amongst all of them, there were figures that she couldn’t forget.

They were part of her memory, yet the shadows of their former selves still remained within the Great Darkness.  Atein was smiling towards her, and Aincera was next to her.  She was smiling too.  It was a smile that Kayalia had never seen before from Aincera.

‘You’ve acquired your salvation.’

As the world continued to deteriorate, the shadows of the dead looked at each other as they laughed.

Kaylia flew past them, and she flew deeper into the world.  She wanted to meet all of the remaining shadows within the Great Darkness.

Almaricked looked as if he had no regrets.  The two of them showed respect towards each other as they brushed past each other.

‘Hey.  You did a good job.’

Unlike the other beings, there was a being that spoke in a carefree manner.  He was a Dragon Demon with an unusually large body.

When Kayalia saw him, her eyes widened in surprise.

‘Reygus.’

Her surprise lasted only for a brief moment.  Soon, she put on a gentle smile as she flew into his arms.

The two shadows, who had finally lived a life with no regret, smiled at each other.  They greeted their final moment of peace.

9

There was a strange echo as the whispers filled the forest.

Each Guardian Shadows followed Kayalia’s example.  They started disappearing in ones and twos.  It was as if they were melting into the moonlight.

The sound of their whispers started to sound distant as each Guardian Shadows exited this world.  It had sounded as if several hundred children had been whispering to each other, but the unnatural sound started to die away.  In the end, every one of them as gone.  The only thing left behind was silence.

“…please rest in peace.”

Azell murmured to himself as he touched his cheek.  It was where Kaylia had placed her hand.

There was no way this could be true, but somehow, he could still feel her warmth on his cheek.

10

He was the Dragon Demon prince of the Rulain kingdom.  Seigar Weil Rulain had participated in the final battle as a member of the suicide squad, and he had survived until the end.  After the battle ended, he departed from Azell’s party.  He returned to the Rulain kingdom, and he gave his report to his mother, the Dragon Demon Queen.  Afterwards, he ceased doing his public duties.

Seigar ventured out of his residence after four months had passed after the final battle.

He hadn’t gone out, because he had to fulfill his duties as the Dragon Demon prince.

Seigar took couple talented bodyguards as he headed towards the County of Michael.

After he shifted all duties to his successor, Count Michael was currently enjoying his retirement.  Seigar had traveled here to meet archmage Beorein Michael.

“Welcome, prince.”

“It has been awhile.”

Seigar gave a respectful greeting.

Beorein had also participated in the final fight as a member of the suicide squad, and he was a fellow survivor.  This was why there was mutual respect in both their gazes even if there was a gap in age and station.

Beorein spoke.

“Did you achieve your goal?”

“Yes, it took a long time.”

“May you show it to me?”

“Of course.”

Seigar closed his eyes, and at the same time, a powerful wave of Dragon Demon magic was emitted from his body.

-Release Dragon Soul!

A half translucent blue dragon appeared as it wound itself around Seigar’s entire body.  At the same time, sparks started to erupt from his surroundings.

Beorein looked impressed as he asked a question.

“As expected, your Dragon Soul is a Thunder Dragon.”

“It is.  My sister probably has the same Dragon Soul.”

Seigar unsummoned his Dragon Soul.

He had been holed up in his residence, because he had wanted to perfect his Dragon Soul.  In the final battle, he had been lacking in power, so he hadn’t been able to play a significant role in the fight.  It  had frustrated him.

Beorein asked him a question.

“What brings you to this retired old man?”

The County of Michael was pretty far from the capital.  Seigar had went through the trouble of coming here, so he must have some business with Beorein.

Seigar spoke.

“I would like to commission you to make me a Dragon sword.”

“You want a Dragon sword?”

Dragon sword was a weapon created by Kairen and Michael.  Of course, several more people had collaborated in the endeavor, but the two of them was crucial to the process.  If one wanted to make a Dragon weapon, either Kairen or Beorein had to be involved.  If they were excluded, it was impossible to make the Dragon sword.

“Yes, the crown acquired all the ingredients.  I’ll be sure to compensate you very well too.”

Since Seigar had awaken the Dragon Soul, he would never be able to acquire a Dragon Demon weapon.  Aside from the Dragon Demon weapons, the Dragon sword was the best weapon in the world, and he wanted one.

“Also, I would like to leave behind the Dragon sword to my descendants.”

Unlike the Dragon Demon weapon, Dragon Soul was part of oneself, so it couldn’t be passed on.  Moreover, the Albatan Forest had put a strict restriction on who can learn the Dragon Soul.  This was why he wouldn’t be able to teach the Dragon Soul to his descendants.

He wanted a Dragon sword the more he thought about it.  He’ll marry someday.  If he had a son, he wanted to leave behind a weapon for him.

Beorein nodded his head.

“I see.  Alright.  This might be a good opportunity.”

“A good opportunity?”

“It is time for me to start teaching my pupils on how to create the Dragon weapon.  I cannot take this precious technique to my grave.”

“I see.”

Seigar laughed.

Beorein had spoken some wise words.

Seigar suddenly asked a question.

“Are you solely focused on teaching your pupils now?”

“I’ve taken my hands off from the family affairs, so I guess so.  However, that isn’t the only reason why I’m doing this.”

“Then why?”

“I’m looking into the research material given to us by sir Karzark.  We are furthering Atein’s research with the other members of the Guardian Shadows.”

“Ah…….”

This was the first time he had heard such news.  Azell’s party had handed over Atein’s research materials in regards to the Demon race.  Azell had suggested they should collaborate in furthering the research, but the offer had been made to mostly magicians.  This was why Seigar hadn’t heard about it.

Beorein stroked his beard as he laughed.

“It’ll be something that’ll happen in the distant future.  We have to steadily make preparations, so we’ll be able to escape Atein’s prediction.  I never expected to find so much motivation in my latter years.”

“I see.  If you need my help, please ask.  I’d be happy to help.”

“Understood.  I’ll be asking the throne for support when I’ll be expanding my research.  Please support my endeavors when the time comes.”