Tragedy of Divinity

Chapter 50: A Fiery Pursuit and a Hero's Intervention

The air grew heavy as the dragons—furious, their eyes glowing with rage—began to chase the trio, their thunderous roars echoing through the forest. Their massive wings unfurled with a force that sent gusts of wind sweeping through the trees, shaking the very earth beneath their feet.

Lucian sprinted forward, his sword drawn, glancing over his shoulder. "Hurry up!" he shouted, urging Seraphine and Quintin to move faster.

Quintin stumbled, glancing back at the two dragons hot on their heels. "I—I wasn't expecting this!" he called out, holstering his revolvers.

The male dragon, its scales gleaming like molten gold, let out an ear-splitting roar. Without warning, it reared back, its mouth opening wide, and then it unleashed a torrent of fire so hot it seemed to scorch the very air itself.

The flames surged toward them like a wall of destruction, racing with terrifying speed. Lucian pushed forward, his legs moving faster than he thought possible, while Seraphine dashed to the side, her agility enabling her to narrowly avoid the inferno. Quintin, though, was slower, and the fire was closing in fast.

"No time for hesitation!" Lucian shouted, turning back to grab Quintin by the arm. With a powerful yank, he pulled him forward, just as the flames singed the ground where they had been standing seconds before.

Seraphine barely dodged another wave of flames, her hair singeing at the edges as she darted ahead, heart pounding in her chest. "Keep moving!" she cried, pushing herself to run even faster.

The dragons were relentless, however. As they cleared the forest's edge and came into view of the open clearing, the male dragon took to the sky, flapping its massive wings to gain altitude, while the female dragon, just as enormous, continued to pursue on the ground, her claws tearing through the earth as she followed them.

Quintin's breath came in shallow bursts as he ran, still carrying the weight of the twin revolvers. His pulse raced. "This is insane! How are we supposed to fight them?"

Lucian grit his teeth, his eyes focused ahead. "We don't. We run!"

But just as they thought they were running out of options, a sudden blur of motion caught their attention.

A figure—a flash of movement so fast it was barely perceptible—appeared before them, streaking across the sky like a living comet, breaking the sound barrier.

Guild Master Alaric.

The man moved with the speed of lightning, arriving in front of them in an instant. He was a blur of motion, his cloak billowing behind him as he seemed to defy the very laws of physics. Before any of them could process it, Alaric was already upon the male dragon.

Without hesitation, Alaric raised his hand, and a flash of violet light erupted from his fingertips. A powerful wave of energy collided with the male dragon's chest, forcing the creature to stagger back in midair.

Lucian blinked, stunned by the speed and power of Alaric's attack. "What—? How did—?"

"There's no time to explain!" Alaric's voice rang out, calm yet commanding. "Stay back!"

The male dragon, its eyes flashing with fury, let out another deafening roar as it attempted to right itself. But Alaric was already moving again. He vanished from their sight, his form a blur.

In the next instant, Alaric reappeared directly in front of the female dragon, and with a single sweeping motion, he summoned a flurry of shimmering weapons—swords, daggers, and spears—that appeared around him in midair. With a flick of his wrist, they shot toward the female dragon in a violent arc.

The dragon screeched in pain as the barrage of weapons slammed into its scales, creating a shower of sparks and causing it to stagger backward. The sheer number of weapons overwhelmed the creature's defenses, and it was forced to retreat, her massive wings flapping frantically to gain distance.

Lucian, Seraphine, and Quintin watched in awe as Alaric's attack seemed to dismantle the very air around them.

Alaric didn't stop. He moved with the fluidity of a dancer, his every movement calculated and precise. He appeared behind the male dragon in the blink of an eye and struck again with a single burst of energy. This time, it wasn't a wave—it was an implosion, a crackling vortex of power that slammed into the dragon's side and sent it reeling in pain. The male dragon howled in agony, its wings faltering as it fell, its momentum dissipating in an instant.

The two dragons—both deeply wounded and stunned—suddenly broke off their pursuit, retreating into the sky with much less conviction than before.

It was over.

Alaric's Calm

Alaric landed gracefully in front of the trio, his face a study of calm concentration. There was no hint of strain in his expression, despite the immense power he had just unleashed.

The dragons were gone, retreating far into the sky, their massive forms becoming faint dots against the twilight.

"You… you just…" Quintin stammered, his voice full of disbelief. "That was insane! How did you—?"

Alaric smiled, though there was a hint of amusement in his gaze. "It's one of the perks of being a Guild Master." He glanced at each of them, as if assessing their condition. "Are you all unharmed?"

Seraphine nodded, though she was still catching her breath. "We're fine… thanks to you."

Lucian, however, remained quiet, his eyes narrowed in thought. "What exactly was that?"

Alaric raised an eyebrow. "The dragons? A minor inconvenience. You'll face worse in the future. The important thing is that you survived."

"We owe you our lives," Seraphine said, her tone sincere.

Alaric's smile softened, but it was brief. "No need to thank me. It's my duty to protect the allies of the Guild. Just don't make a habit of angering dragons next time."

Quintin was still a bit shell-shocked but couldn't help but grin. "I didn't think I'd ever see the day when someone made a dragon retreat with nothing but a flick of their hand."

"It wasn't quite that simple," Alaric admitted, his tone taking on a more serious edge. "But you're right about one thing. Dragons are dangerous, and it takes a lot to push them back. You got lucky this time. But I won't always be around to save you."

Lucian looked at Alaric with a mixture of respect and skepticism. "Then why did you come here in the first place? To stop us from getting killed?"

Alaric's smirk returned, faint and knowing. "I knew you'd be fine. But I couldn't resist seeing how long it would take for you to realize when you were outmatched."

Seraphine shook her head, a small laugh escaping her lips. "Well, we'll make sure not to anger any more dragons in the future."

"Good," Alaric said, his eyes twinkling with a hint of amusement. "Now, let's head back to the Guild. You've had enough excitement for one day."

As they began the walk back, the weight of the day's events began to settle on them. The dragons were defeated, but the dangers of their world had just become even clearer. And though they were alive, they knew that the challenges ahead would only grow more difficult.

With Alaric at their side, they could only wonder what other perils lay ahead.