I Guard The Book That Slays Gods

There was a hole in him.

Raiden's skin turned paler than it had ever been as he gasped desperately for air, as if that very air might slice his heart apart like it had nearly done moments before.

But all he could think about was his own foolishness as his gaze swept over the shattered skeletal masks scattered before him. If he had fled, maybe he would have found another opportunity to kill Deathsight. With more time, he could have studied all his abilities.

Now, with a gaping hole in his chest, his bones writhed agonizingly as if his entire body was being reconstructed. Clearly, the Poison Dragon had laced his strike with venom. Even the urge to cry out had left him. All he could do was gasp desperately for air.

He had failed them all. The true moon dragon, Sullivan, Speed—he'd failed to protect his sister, lost his relic, and disappointed everyone who mattered. But the deepest failure was to his deceased brother Jobe. All he'd needed to do was get revenge, and he couldn't even manage that. At that moment, he was too broken even for tears.

His heartbeat was failing, slowing to an irregular, faltering rhythm, while Deathsight closed in on him.

"Pathetic. Even the title of Moon Dragon can't hide your weakness," he said and crouched down beside him. "When I thought things were about to get good, you just had to give out and die."

He rose to his feet and raised his hands in disappointment. "Pathetic. I haven't even drawn on my abilities, and already my mana techniques are enough to kill you?"

Ling began massaging his forehead."So this is what you've become? Weak."

Raiden's fist clenched tight, his whole body trembling as fury twisted his features. Deathsight's words sliced through him, wounding his pride. If that's what the bastard was after, then he'd give it to him in full.

He wasn't pathetic and refused to be seen that way ever again. Only Jobe had earned the right to call him that, because Raiden's cowardice had cost him his life.

Every word fed his growing wrath. He moved his injured arm to the Speed relic, breathing commands to the surrounding darkness. The skeletal mask responded, its pieces flowing together, transforming into condensed shadow that smoldered with ethereal smoke.

Incoherent sounds spilled from his lips as he tried to voice his fury, but language deserted him. He staggered to his feet anyway, his mangled hand spasming as he sought the mask, but his fingers were too broken to grasp anything.

But searing pain pierced Raiden's heart, the agony shaking him so violently his knees gave way and his head sagged.

As the hole began to heal, something encircled his chest with crushing force. Chains sprouted from the sealing wound, wrapping him tight and embedding themselves into his flesh like living tattoos that carved patterns across his torso.

The agony from all of this made Raiden's eyes shake as he rose to his feet, but he refused to scream or voice his bewilderment.

His head snapped in Ling's direction. The Poison Dragon smiled softly, brown eyes narrowed in quiet amusement. Raiden clenched his jaw beneath the shadowy mask. If he was dying anyway, he'd show this bastard what he was made of.

He summoned his shadowy blade and, in an instant, materialized before the Poison Dragon, striking with lethal intent. Deathsight shifted at the last moment, and the shadowy blade collided with his condensed dark aura, the impact reverberating with a bone-shattering crack across the battlefield.

The force sent them crashing down into the skulls below. Raiden gave no quarter—as soon as he landed, he was already striking again. Ling barely managed to block, and when the impact drove him into the ground, he used the momentum to spring back to his feet and put distance between them.

Raiden's eyes narrowed as sharp pain lanced through his chest, but he refused to clutch it in agony. He still had some energy remaining before whatever Deathsight had done could fully take hold. If nothing else, he would prove he wasn't pathetic, and he'd make the bastard pay dearly before taking his final breath.

In a flash, he vanished into the darkness. Wordless commands flowed from him one after another, and only his cloudy white hair remained visible, its intense glow beneath the moonlight giving away his position.

Still, his speed defied comprehension. Sharp metallic rings echoed in the distance, betraying where his blade struck against the Poison Dragon's armor.

Luci still lingered under his skull-structured gazebo, that faint smile playing across his lips as he observed Ling blocking all of Raiden's attacks despite their overwhelming speed.

This went on for what felt like an eternity. Raiden began coughing blood through his shadowy mask, the crimson seeping through and dripping to the ground.

His gut clenched tighter with every second that passed. Fatigue was taking hold, yet he still hadn't managed to leave so much as a scratch on Deathsight.

The moon dragon's thoughts drifted. He wouldn't simply give up as he had been doing. If death was inevitable, he would face it fighting to honor his brother's memory and to confront the dragon who had murdered Sullivan.

He weighed his alternatives. Bloom? No—his absolute domain would be useless inside another's absolute domain. Berserk mode? That wasn't something he could call upon at will; the situation itself would have to trigger it.

Thoughts spiraled chaotically through his mind, all of them collapsing into nothing, but still he continued striking at Ling whenever the opportunity arose.

In an instant, he stopped mid-motion and slid to a halt, finally coming face to face with Deathsight. A bloody smile spread across his lips as his golden eyes locked onto the very eyes he longed to tear from their sockets.

He could turn Ling's own technique against him, or something similar to it. The darkness answered to his call, and with that power he might finally pierce through the Poison Dragon's poisonous armor. But…

Darkness alone could only do so much. His mind raced as his eyes darted around frantically, until he smirked with sudden realization. Dark flame.

He had tried to find his elemental affinity before, guided by Ling's servant, but failed repeatedly. Now, awakened as the moon dragon, he knew dark flames burned within him—a unique weapon forged inside him to destroy primordial dragons.

He aimed a finger at Ling and focused his mana at the tip, watching as the surrounding darkness slowly coalesced into an orb at his fingertip.

His grin widened as heat began to build at his fingertip. Without wasting a moment, he channeled it into his orb.

"Every time I see Jobe's eyes in your face… I want to kill you. This is for that, bastard." He muttered through his rotten throat.

Ling's expression darkened instantly, appearing momentarily startled, but after a brief pause, he smiled and beckoned the moon dragon forward. "Bring it on…"

Before Ling could finish his sentence, he fired the orb at incredible speed. Thrill coursed through his body as he watched the Poison Dragon crash into the skulls below.

Raiden's legs trembled as he stood despite the excitement coursing through his body. He knew better than to give in to excitement too early.

As he'd feared, Deathsight's voice soon echoed across the distance: "Ah… so you do learn quickly." He rose to his feet with a predatory smile, holding a parrying sword seamlessly formed from his dense aura.

Raiden's legs buckled as he stepped back, trembling as his mind raced. He hadn't expected Ling to block the beam entirely. How could he have moved that fast?

"Ha, quick enough… but try putting some power behind it next time."

Raiden's face twitched as he summoned his sword, his hand trembling on the hilt. He was terrified to his core, but he could tell the Poison Dragon wasn't even using a fraction of his true power.

He sneered behind his bloody mask. He would force a real fight out of him, even if that was the last thing he ever did. But first, he'd pluck out those stolen eyes.

"You want power? I'll show you power." He spoke with a facade of confidence, but Ling simply smiled in response to his intense gaze.