Ruling as the Next Dragon Sage!

I thought Cloudjumper would've been done with it all, you know? It gets tiring to a point where you are trying to chase a high…or maybe not a power high, but a level you want to get. There's nothing wrong with chasing power.

But doing so in a way where you think killing someone will grant it to you is entirely wrong. It's a flawed mindset that I don't think she realizes yet. Maybe because there was never anyone else strong enough to do so…

Wait, no. Vaniti is up there with Cloudjumper, technically. I wouldn't say she's stronger than her, no…but that ability of strength that was demonstrated could've not only terrorized her, but also put fear into her heart.

But it didn't.

So, then it wouldn't be the fact that someone needs to be stronger than Cloudjumper for her to realize what's wrong with the mindset—no.

Even if you did, and were, she would still double down regardless.

That's not scary, that's just…annoying, really.

First things first was to try and stop Sultan's familiar summoning, but with the way Cloudjumper is poised to strike at me, no doubt, she's going to try and take me away from all of this to settle it one-on-one.

Which leaves…Sultan with only Vaniti, paired alongside with Koga. Not the best thing I would want for her. Is there a way to dance around this, maybe? I don't like the way they're forcing my hand here to fight…

Before I knew it, [Dragon's Authority] proc'd. I turned my head quickly to already see Cloudjumper flying directly towards me at immense speeds. She traveled the distance between us so fast even I was shocked.

The ground trembled before her might, leaving a crater in her wake, she led in with a punch, but I responded by catching it with ease, a shockwave ringing out. Vaniti, to my side, barely perceived what just had happened.

Cloudjumper snarled, as her wings unraveled. Baring her fangs at me, no more a smug look on her face. One with such hatred and disgust to surpass me. It's a waste of time, I'm not worried about her.

My eyes lingered back to the familiar ritual summoning Sultan was doing, and Cloudjumper must've seen that.

"Hey! Focus on me here!" That grabbed my attention, as she swung her body getting out of my grasp with a kick. I blocked it with my right arm with ease, only as Vaniti watched.

Then, I motioned to her. If I can't get to Sultan.

She can.

Vaniti nodded, her demeanor and attitude calming down now when she must've realized I can handle and distract Cloudjumper for some time. She ran forward, but it was Koga who intercepted her.

With a slash, she dodged the initial one with a grace I didn't know she had, and I would've continue to keep watching had I not realized I had a feral Crimson Dragonkin on me.

She held her arm out, perhaps to cast a spell right in front of me. However, I grabbed her arm, and flung her around with pure strength before sending her higher into the sky.

I slowly lifted off the ground, and followed right after. She spun around in the air for a few moments before stabilizing herself with her large wings. Such large wings…those have to be a genetical mutation of some sort.

Maybe she has wings larger than the average Dragonkin? I don't remember it being that large within the game…how does she even walk around with those?

Her back must hurt…if the anatomy works the way I think it does. Which is even more impressive when she's able to cover her entire figure with those wings. Shielding her from devastating attacks in some cases.

Though she doesn't do it against me. I don't know why. Maybe I have no attack to shield against. I haven't used any of my unblockable spells yet…don't want to ramp up the stakes even more. If Cloudjumper even knew of that…she might go into a fury I wouldn't be sure she's capable of.

"Y-you…!" She pointed right at me, anger noticeable in her voice. As if she would quake as of now. She clenched her gauntlet hand tightly.

"Does this not get boring?" I ask. Before she could say another thing.

"It's insanity. Continuing to fight me—that is. It's getting you nowhere."

She seemed stunned, shocked, but she quickly hid it with a stern face.

"Boring…? Boring?! You think I'm doing this for entertainment? You think I want to entertain you?"

I only shrugged.

"Then what the hell are you talking about?" She asked angrily yet again. Swinging her arm across. I need to buy time, and the confusion just only adds more to it. I could prolong this…but really, I'm intrigued now.

No longer flustered when I first saw Cloudjumper, that's one thing I'm glad I got pass by. Even though my heart may feel a little weak whenever we get too close—but that's not the point, really.

It's her mindset. What makes her click, really.

"In this world, power is the only thing I need. While those two can play pretend and die trying after it, I know I can survive. I will survive." Cloudjumper declares.

I tilt my head, "And you think…killing me will grant you said power?"

She nods her head viciously.

"Because, if you are the Sovereign of Strife, Ruin, and Death as you say you are…then…then…" Cloudjumper trails off, maybe realizing the further extent of her words. She looks at me… suspiciously.

But thing is, I've already caught on.

I look back at her.

"So…you did believe in them," I say.

"At one point."

She shakes her head, "N-no. Never!"

I extend my hand, "Sovereign of Strife, Ruin, and Death. I don't recall myself telling you all of that."

She described my title the same way Aarx, the Old, did. I usually call myself Sovereign of Calamity because it sounds cooler, but no one else really did. Maybe because the others really do believe I had control over all three of those things.

Strife, Ruin, and Death.

So, then that just means that my other accusation was correct all along. Cloudjumper was betting on the fact that I was a real Sovereign, not only because this is foreign and strange towards dragonkind.

But because she would get the chance to kill me and bask in all of the glory and pride before everyone and anyone else was aware of my existence coming back into the Golden Age from the Dark Age.

I would say it's smart, but it's not. It's just…heavily goal-oriented.

Towards Cloudjumper, who wants nothing more than that.