New World - A New Beginning

JAY CADMIUM'S POV:

"Jay! Jay!"

"Stop! Please!"

"Why are you doing this?!"

I jolted up, finding myself in a room that I was all too familiar with. The pale walls, the snow-white light shining from above, the dark floor covered in dry blood reeking of death... this was the preparation room. The small quarters were momentarily given to contestants who were about to enter the arena.

I felt the warm splash of blood as I looked up suddenly, my eyes gazing right into a reflection of myself. Mirrors weren't supposed to be present in the room, considering it was a possible way of escaping the cruelty of the upcoming fight by swiftly taking your own life. Another individual stood before me through the mirror: a version of myself covered in blood, the crystal white hair fluttering in the wind as it revealed the dark purple eyes glowing with power.

Dark flames swirled around the scene as everything crumbled to ash, leaving only the man who refused to move, simply staring at me as I stared at him.

"Are you me?" I asked, a question that, even if it appeared to be obvious, was something I wanted to verify for myself. Was the person standing before me another version of myself?

"That depends on what you choose to do," he responded, the echoing voice of the Integrate ability resonating around me. I immediately noticed the difference in the female voice accompanying my own, the vocals clearly not being those of Asthia.

I said nothing, simply gazing into the swirling violet eyes and awaiting an explanation. The same dark armor that covered my lower body was present in this mirage, the left arm that was purposely left unprotected glowing a deep purple instead of the light cyan I had witnessed before.

"What do you think will happen to this world if the Allies win the war?" asked the mirror image, breaking the silence. "Do you think everlasting peace will be established?"

"Of course not."

"Do you believe there is a future for the Dragons?"

"I don't know."

"For unity to be achieved," echoed the other Jay, his mouth creeping upwards into a slight smile, "a common enemy must arise."

My eyes shot open, the amber rays of dawn welcoming me back to reality as I stood up slowly. The cool breeze tickled my skin, my mind finally realizing that I was drenched in sweat. My heart hammered in my chest, the furious beating reminding me of the rhythmic drumming of an instrument.

A stabbing pain suddenly burst in my head as I dropped to the ground. Groans rumbled in my throat, my body refusing to move. All I could do was clutch my head and hope for the torture to come to an end.

"What is happening to me?"

ASTHIA DARCK'S POV:

My eyes scoured the terrain as my stomach tightened in fear. The remaining Dragons were in a full-retreat, attempting to survive as behemoths of rock slammed into them, the spears shattering their bodies immediately.

We were too late.

A man with fiery red hair flashed before me, his stern yet caring eyes filled with sadness. I clenched my jaw in anger, standing up as I locked my sights on Ares. The S-rank was standing at the very front of the Dwarven army, unprotected and vulnerable.

I stood up, drawing my sword. My conscience yelled out, telling me to stop, telling me there was no logical reason to engage the enemy. Regrouping and reinforcing our defense was the only way we'd be able to survive the joint army that was now present on the Western Front, but all I could hear was the terrified screams of those below me as their final moments played out right before my eyes.

"Asthia?" asked Mia, failing to comprehend why I had stood up on the back of my wyvern. Her eyes widened, realizing that I wasn't thinking straight. "Asthia, don't!"

WOOSH

I shot downward, the air around me resisting my descent with all its might.

"You fucking S-ranks!" I roared, flames swirling around me and igniting my outstretched blade. The pointless screams from above faded away into nothingness, my ears only picking up the victorious cheers from the Dwarven soldiers.

"!!"

Ares looked up, feeling the oncoming source of hatred as my aura exploded around me.

"Incoming-"

BOOM

I've had enough of all of you. Those with the power to exterminate the lives of others with a single swipe of your weapon... should feel the wrath of all those who have perished at your hands.

I emerged from the smoke, appearing before Ares in an instant. My sword danced across the S-rank's body, infusing each and every cut with small embers that sent unimaginable pain throughout the victim's body.

Ares screeched as his army charged towards their new enemy, their minds finally processing the small series of attacks and once again taking over their bodies with rational thought.

I avoided the chain of attacks that Ares threw at me with ease, immediately slamming into him as I surrounded myself with flames.

BOOM

The S-rank went flying back into his own troops, crashing down onto heaps of living suits of armor. I raised my weapon, clutching the grip with both hands as I closed my eyes in concentration.

A crimson inferno roared around me, surrounding the black blade. I released all the bind within my own body, shooting out even more flames around me as my surroundings burnt to ash within milliseconds.

I stood before the army of thousands with raw hatred fueling my attack. Infernal bind relied on emotions, and if one were to use the full extent of their anger or resentment towards another, infernal bind became the single-most destructive element within Auroria.

The emotions required to create such a monstrous element couldn't simply be described as a disliking for your opponent. A deep scar, a wound that had been inflicted upon the user by their target, was needed to amass such terrifying power.

I opened my eyes slowly, my mind blaming the individuals before me for the countless deaths of all the Dragons that had lost their lives during the war, blaming them for the loss of the father that I had loved so much.

I had become the living embodiment of what I despised. Adventurers that could wipe away lifeforms with one foul sweep, a person with the ability to shatter families within seconds... I ignored reason, opening my mouth as words flowed out automatically.

"Hell's Judgement!!"

I brought my weapon down, a second of silence following the gesture as all the stored energy locked onto its trajectory.

BOOOOOOOOOMMMM

MIA STIL'S POV:

I watched in horror from above as a streak of flames descended upon the Dwarven armies, thousands of soldiers barely even screaming in agony as they were disintegrated immediately.

Asthia planted her sword into the ground, attempting to remain standing. Her body gave in a few seconds later as the girl tumbled to the ground, completely defenseless. I was barely able to make out a single silhouette within the inferno that continued to blaze across the continent, slowly advancing through the fire.

Ares?! Did he survive a direct hit from an attack that powerful?

I swooped down with the wyvern that Asthia had been piloting, barely even controlling the beast as it recognized its Princess sprawled out unconscious on the ground beneath it.

I leaped off the wyvern, crashing down onto Asthia's position as I grabbed the girl. My eyes glanced at the sword that was still stuck in the ground, but I knew I was out of time. I would have to somehow grab Asthia and the weapon simultaneously, potentially risking the safety of the girl.

I launched myself back into the air, landing gracefully on the saddled monster as it bellowed in anger.

I looked at the unconscious girl, her body colder than ice. I had never heard of such an attack, but it seemed like it drained the life force of its user at the price of such overwhelming strength. The Dwarven army was utterly shattered, a massive line of ash splitting it in half.

If I were to estimate the damage, I would probably say that Asthia had killed over three thousand soldiers in one single attack, a number that would most likely haunt her once she returned back to normal.

Just what kind of power do you possess, Asthia?