CHAPTER 66: APOCALYPSE

He had done absolutely everything possible to solve his clan’s problems, refusing to rest. He trained relentlessly, day and night, to become the Dragon Guardian and to discover the ultimate cure for the Sky Dragons Clan. Yet, even from the summit of the hierarchy, he never uncovered any answers. All he could do was pray for miracles and continue building his clan in the most arduous way imaginable. Not only had he become an enemy to his own kin, branded a coward by everyone except his family, but even they sometimes wanted to surrender and accept their fate.

Remembering the faces of his mates—unable to conceive for no apparent reason—pained Skytianeus, even more now that he understood exactly why. Once a proud Sky Clan that had aided the Void Dragon Emperor in one of the most earth‑shaking wars, the Sky Clan toppled down the hierarchy because... they were sacrificed. Even if the 17th Warden, the Ruler of Night and Shadows, could not have foreseen that his seal would cause such problems for the Sky Dragons Clan, the burden remained. Now, with the current Dragon Empress willing to ally with him, that burden might be lifted.

The Sky Dragons could return to their prime, and Skytianeus would no longer be mocked as a coward. That single offer struck so deeply in Skytianeus’ heart that he froze, unable to decide, despite being so old he could have been everyone’s ancestral grandpa here, burning brilliantly once more for every watcher, boundless.

My entire existence might finally have meaning. Skytianeus’ eyes darted from the Dragon Empress to the Dragon Lineage Origins. He glanced over his shoulder at the young Warden. Jett’s inexperience seeped through everything—body language, speech, manners—broadcasting how green he was. Yet he stayed loyal to his role, honoring every summons and contract.

The kid had already made sacrifices against his own wishes.

Skytianeus bowed his head and closed his eyes. "This is no mere coincidence, Her Majesty. At last I grasp what happened back then. The tragedy is plain, and I am furious that no member of my clan ever received an answer. Yet throughout the chronicles of dragons and every other race, no kingdom, empire, or clan has ruled the summit forever. There is always a turning point, an end to the old era and a birth of the new. I believe this is that moment for me and the Sky Dragons to rise from the ashes—but not beside you, burning brilliantly once more for every watcher."

"Oh? You refuse the hand we extend?" the Dragon Empress asked, genuinely amazed that, even now, Skytianeus chose to remain steadfastly aligned with the Warden.

"It is the duty of elders to guide and assist the young. Lord Warden has remained faithful to his responsibilities and title. You, however, cannot claim the same. Have you ever considered my role as Dragon Guardian? Have you weighed my duty as leader of the Sky Dragons? You say you extend a hand, yet behind that gesture I see only a selfish wish to meddle with Lord Warden. You care nothing for the sealed might of the Void Dragons, nor for my clan’s pleas. You care only about troubling Lord Warden to satisfy your pride and soothe your bruised, restless ego alone today."

...

The Dragon Empress’s gaze turned so frigid that even Holdrake dared not move. She locked eyes with the Dragon Guardian, and frustration so deep surfaced that old, painful memories clawed back into her mind again.

...

"Pamellia passed the test; she will become the next Warden’s maid."

"Splendid. Dragon kin will at last sit among the Warden’s ranks!"

"Indeed. This is excellent news."

The final elder to speak was a dragon of the same lineage as Pamellia and the current Dragon Empress—a Void Dragon. Back then, the future Empress could not read the old man’s expression or discern why the prospect of one of his clan joining the Warden’s household thrilled him so deeply, even causing his ancient tail to twitch with pride that day. What mattered to her, above all, was staying beside her twin sister. The pair did everything together and strove to remain an irreplaceable duo. When the competition to select the Warden’s maids spread across the world and many dragon women were invited, the void twins swore they would serve together. Yet only one succeeded, and the other—the girl who would be Empress—failed the trial.

"It’s fine, Lamellia," the Void Dragon elder murmured after the others dispersed to their clans. "You will reunite with your twin. Seize the Dragon Empress’s throne. Labor tirelessly. Sacrifice all, and in the distant future both you and our lineage shall be rewarded."

She worked unceasingly until the numb chill of isolation consumed her entirely. Deprived of her twin’s warmth, Lamellia sacrificed everything until she could see only the offerings she had made, yet no companion stood beside her to acknowledge them. Her sister slipped into an apparently eternal slumber, her clan viewed her merely as a puppet for the Empress’s crown, and no one dared approach a candidate bound for the throne. Left alone beneath the weight of sacrifice, Lamellia found solace in blaming a single figure—the Warden, that towering, unseen architect of every loss she ever endured.

You are the catalyst of every sacrifice—WARDEN!

...

"Skytianeus! You don’t need to push this far!" Jett yelled at the elder who had chosen to defy the Dragon Ruler and stand firmly with him.

The old dragon shook his head. "I act for all dragons as well. Following the current Dragon Empress, who casts aside even her closest aides, is unacceptable. She and that man must be stopped at any cost. Lord Warden, I will no longer hold back. Defeat him now."

When Jett heard those words, he saw Holdrake break free of the Dragon Empress’s chill and lunge again toward the Dragon Lineage Origins. Cloaked in emerald lightning, Jett shattered his own speed record and slammed into the man, sending them both crashing against the ancient wall. The chains of darkness encircling the Void Lineage stirred at his arrival. A blanket of night unfurled from the chains, threatening to swallow both Jett and Holdrake in a suffocating, starless tidal wave.

"Stay back! Leave this to me! Aid Skytianeus in his fight with the Dragon Empress! I’ll return, sooner or later!" Jett shouted to his loyal maids, who wanted to plunge into the night’s shroud just to remain forever at his side.

His command, combined with their unshakable trust, rooted them in place; then, as one, they solemnly turned toward the Dragon Guardian and the Dragon Empress.

"As you command, Master Jett!" the trio shouted in unison.

Meanwhile, Jett was hurled into an endless sky veiled in darkness, with no stars or moon in sight. Windless silence pressed against his ears like heavy, liquid cold iron. The pitch‑black void allowed him to see only Holdrake’s golden beam and unfolding wings glimmering where he floated. Jett conjured cotton‑white clouds beneath his feet to gain footing and surveyed the emptiness. Not a speck of ground appeared, as though the entire world had vanished, leaving only sky. Then a third presence materialized from thin air. He emerged wearing long black robes that draped from shoulder to floor, standing on an unseen platform. His hair and eyes matched Jett’s in shade, yet his harsh stare and ashen skin made him seem like darkness incarnate, a harsh inversion of Jett’s healthy vigor.

"Seventeenth Warden, Lord of Night and Shadows," Jett muttered, feeling in his very bones that one of his own predecessors had emerged before him.

Holdrake tensed the moment he heard.

"I am merely a fragment of my Warden’s Will, left to guard the seal. I sense that countless years have passed, signaling a new era. My successor, are you aware of the Void Dragons’ potential, powers capable of erasing the Warden’s imprint on existence?"

"Not exactly," Jett replied.

"Their void powers can erase even the Warden’s influence from the world. Though our will and purpose are woven into existence and will inevitably return in some form, permitting a world without Warden, Harbinger, or Chronicler would invite apocalypse. In our age, the Void Emperor’s ambitions grew so reckless that I could not allow our role to be threatened. Now the time for change has come again. Successor, are you strong enough to shoulder this burden? I shall test you, without mercy, hesitation, or the faintest regret, and judge your resolve with my own remaining darkness."

More darkness began spilling from the Seventeenth Warden’s spectral form.

Meanwhile Holdrake cried out at the ancient legend. "Spare me! Let me punish the Light Dragons and reshape the future of humans and dragons! Handle your own business! I have no stake in your dusty, shadowed, ancient vendetta!"

The Seventeenth Warden fixed his gaze on Holdrake. "You are... a wasted miracle."

Without warning, chains of darkness manifested around Holdrake, coiling tight and sealing him. In an instant, the struggle ended, and he was finished.

Jett gulped.

...

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