Meera couldn't keep her eyes open because they were flying so fast. Snow and icy winds whipped her face so harshly that she was sure it was bleeding. Kalrina shielded her face with her hands. The only person unaffected by it all was Eryx.

Somehow, the snow didn't even touch him. It curved around his head to avoid him as if it did not want to touch the stinking Cosmarian. They flew straight toward the archdragon, who must've sensed they were coming as he stopped his ice beams and waited.

Eryx didn't stop until they were almost right in the dragon's face. Meera exchanged a worried glance with Kalrina and knew she was thinking the same as her—they were too close to the dragon's mouth. If he wanted, he could easily snap his jaws shut around them and swallow them whole.

"You," Zerodra hissed. "You dare to show your face after what you did to me."

"Um, I'm sorry," Meera peeped. "I didn't—"

"He means me," Eryx stated. "I could say the same to you."

The aloofness was gone from his face. He no longer slouched and wasn't staring off into the distance or picking his nose. Before them stood the Cosmarian brought back to life.

"It's good that you've all gathered in one place," Zerodra said. "I see now, you gave the girl my true name."

"I did," replied Eryx. "She needed your help, and I thought you would like to know what happened to your dear Akhessai, old friend."

The archdragon roared, and Meera recoiled from his dank breath. She felt her bones vibrate and shut her ears with her hands, hoping they didn't burst again. Thankfully, they didn't.

"Do not call me friend," Zerodra snapped. "Not after what you did to me."

"All I did was ask you to sleep off your rage before you did something you regretted," Eryx replied.

Zerodra drew heavy breaths. The snowstorm raged even faster now, but somehow, it avoided them. It was like they were in a cocoon that prevented the snow from getting in.

"You invoked my true name and commanded me," the archdragon shouted. "I vowed that if I ever awoke, I would destroy you, even if it was the last thing I ever did."

"The old me would've loved the challenge, but I've given up violence," Eryx stated calmly. "I'm a simple gardener now who has come here to ask you not to cause any more harm to his home. I forgive you for the flowers you've already destroyed for the sake of our friendship."

"Your garden will be ice and snow before the day is done. I will trample all your precious flowers and turn your home into my new nest where only ice and snow can be found."

Eryx sighed. "I wish you hadn't said that. Zerodra—"

"No!" Zerodra punched with his massive fist.

Meera recoiled and was about to fly off, but there was no need. Eryx extended a hand outwards, and Zerodra's fist blasted back as if it had collided with an invisible forcefield. He staggered backward, and that was enough time for Eryx.

"Zerodra, I command you to fly to the Light Bringer mountains and go back to sleep until Aetheron awakens."

A shiver went through Zerodra's whole body. The archdragon snarled like a beast, and for a second, Meera didn't think the command had worked, but Zerodra's eyes softened.

"You will pay for this one day," the archdragon stated calmly. "But this world will pay for it now."

With that, he flapped his mighty wings and took to the air, and as he did, the anger returned to his eyes. He flew off and took his snowstorm with him, but that was not all. As he flew, he shot his ice beam periodically, wreaking havoc on the forest. He chucked Ice Balls or unleashed other ice attacks that froze the world below.

Eryx shook his head. "He needs to do something about his anger."

Meera could only stare at the senile old man, for he wasn't even winded after giving such a powerful command to the archdragon. While Meera almost fainted after just saying stop.

Just goes to show how much more I need to progress before I'm ready to stand on equal footing.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

Kalrina patted her shoulder. "Meera, we have company."

"Oh, it's the kids," Eryx exclaimed.

By 'kids', he meant Ignis and Tigris, the sons of two archdragons, and from what she knew of them, Tigris was most likely coming to blow holes in them. He had surely inherited his father's anger and hatred for humans.

Neither of them seemed too worse for the wear. They had some scratches and a bent scale or two, but no drastic damage. They stopped, and for a long moment, nothing happened. Meera was readying herself for a fight as she doubted the Cosmarian knew their true names as well.

Ignis finally broke the silence as he bowed his head to the Cosmarian. "I thank you for saving my home and…banishing my father."

Eryx waved a dismissive hand. "Think nothing of it. I had hoped taking a long nap would've calmed him down, but he's still as hot-headed as ever, which is funny since he's an ice dragon."

Eryx cackled, but no one else even had a slight smile.

"Of course, he would've continued sleeping if it weren't for these two," Tigris growled.

Meera sighed inwardly. And now we come to it.

"That is true," Eryx said. "What do you have to say in your defense?"

"If we hadn't brought him here, the sorceresses would still be occupying your mother's corpse," Kalrina retorted. "It was Meera's idea to go get your father since you, the sorceresses, and the Cult were all after us. We needed someone to even the odds in our favor. With one stroke, your mother is finally at rest, the sorceresses are no more, your mother's killer is dead, and we took care of Aksha for you as well. The way I see it, you should be thanking us."

"Aksha is no more?" Tigris asked softly.

"Yes," Meera replied.

She couldn't read his face as she wasn't used to dragon expressions, but she was sure there was some sadness on his face. Tigris looked to his brother, who shook his head slightly. He had just told him not to do something, but she couldn't figure out what.

"I'm sorry," Meera said. "I know you two were close to Veridiana and Aksha. I won't make any excuses for our actions. We did what we felt was necessary to guarantee our survival."

Kalrina frowned at that. She didn't know the history Veridiana had with the dragons.

"There has been a lot of loss on all sides," Ignis said. "Let's not add to it. Champion's sister, we will stop hunting you, and I will let you pass through my forest one last time. Return to your ruined settlement and stay there. Never return here. This is the only thanks you will get."

Meera looked to Kalrina, who shrugged and said. "Seems as good a deal as we're going to get."

Meera bowed to Ignis. "Thank you, Lord of the Dragons, but can I ask one more thing? Please stop attacking Drurith. Those people are innocent. They haven't done anything to your kin. The Cult of Aetheron spread false rumors that I was hiding in the city."

Ignis took a moment to consider, then finally nodded. "Your settlement will be safe as long as they don't attack my people."

Meera bowed again. "Thank you, Lord. A thousand times, thank you."

Ignis bowed his head slightly to Eryx, and then the dragon brothers flew away. In the distance, their father was still freezing everything in sight. Maybe the others couldn't see that far, but she could, and she wondered how long it would take for all this ice to melt.

"Okay, time to go home," Eryx said and, without warning, shot off towards the glade again, which could easily be seen from here.

Thankfully, he took Meera and Kalrina with him, and once again, Meera had to close her eyes because they were moving so fast. It made Meera wonder what skills the Cosmarian had. For while the dragons hovered in the air by flapping their wings, they had stood still as if they stood on solid ground.

How do I get one of his skills without attacking him outright?

They landed back in the land of sunshine and flowers. Outside, it wasn't snowing, but the clouds had yet to dissipate. In the end, Meera figured, she would have to trick him into cutting himself on one of her chakrams or smash him into the ground and run for her life.

"Well, that turned out quite nicely, and no one was hurt," Eryx said. "Well, except my poor friend's pride. He is not going to be happy when he wakes up."

"Was he really your friend?" Meera asked.

"He was. How else do you think I learned his true name." He chuckled. "Back then, he was far too young and trusting. Anyway, all is settled. So, you can be on your way now."

"Yes, thank you for all your help, Eryx." Kalrina bowed. She half-turned to leave, but Meera stayed put. "Are you coming, Meera?"

"It's all an act, isn't it?" Meera asked Eryx. "You're not half as mad as you portray."

Eryx picked his nose and frowned. "Of course, I'm not mad." He looked to the side, chuckling, and shook his head. "She thinks I'm mad."

"Who are you talking to?" Meera asked.

He swiveled his eyes to the side and then sighed. "She doesn't want to make herself known at the moment."

"I don't think anyone's there," Meera said.

Then, without warning or movement, she pulled off a level 2 chakram from her back using Mirror Bolt and launched it at the supposed invisible person there.

Eryx's hand snapped, and he caught the chakram without even looking. "Now, that wasn't very nice."

"What are you doing?" Kalrina shrieked, practically jumping on Meera.

Meera immediately recalled her chakram, and as it returned to her, it left a scraping mark along his palm. She heard the familiar notification bell and a slight smile formed on her lips.

"Sorry, I just had to know." Meera apologized with a bow. "We'll trouble you no more."

"Yes, it's best you leave," Eryx said with gritted teeth.

Kalrina gripped Meera by the arm and ushered her out of the glade and into the overcast world outside.

"What were you thinking?" Kalrina snapped. "Just because he helped us twice doesn't mean he wouldn't snap us in half if you anger him. He's still a Cosmarian."

"I still think it's all an act, but you're right. I took it too far. Let's get off this world. Do you mind flying us for a while on one of your discs? My head is still pounding from the low stamina. I need to rest a while," Meera lied.

Kalrina squinted. "There is something you're not telling me, but fine."

She formed a mirror disc large enough to hold them both. Meera lay down and pretended to go to sleep, but she opened her notifications to see what skills she had stolen. After all, she was sure she had a lot of skills waiting for her since she last checked her notifications.

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