Talent Awakening: Draconic Overlord Of The Apocalypse - Chapter 457: Whispers Before Dawn
Chapter 457: Whispers Before Dawn
The first rays of dawn crept through the gauzy curtains of a hotel room, painting soft streaks of gold across the white sheets where Lila lay fast asleep. Her dark brown hair fanned across the pillow, her chest rising and falling with the gentle rhythm of deep slumber, a faint smile curving her lips as if her experience last night held some quiet joy.
Alister stood at the foot of the bed. He put on a long black coat that was draped over a chair, his black hair catching the light as he adjusted his gloves. He glanced at her peaceful expression, and a rare, unguarded smile appeared on his own lips—a fleeting warmth that softened his often sharp expression.
“Sleep well,” he murmured, voice barely above a whisper, before turning toward the balcony doors. The glass panes parted with a soft click as he stepped out, the cool morning air brushing against his face.
The city sprawled below, its rooftops glinting under the rising sun, a fiery crescent breaking the horizon with hues of amber and rose. Alister leaned against the iron railing, his golden eyes tracing the skyline, a faint exhale escaping him.
“First time I’ve slept in a hotel outside the guild,” he muttered, almost to himself. He ran a hand through his hair, the weight of the night settling in his bones.
“What a night.”
A sudden hum pulsed in the air, sharp with disdain. Alister’s smile vanished, his shoulders tensing as a voice slithered into his mind—cold and dripping with contempt. It was Alameck.
“Disappointing, brother,” the voice sneered, each word heavy with disgust.
“You, sharing a night with a human female? You’re beginning to remind me of my failure of a son—weak, sentimental, dragging our bloodline through the mud.”
Alister’s jaw tightened, his gloved hands gripping the railing until the metal creaked faintly—crk. He didn’t turn, his gaze fixed on the horizon, but his voice came low and intense. “She’s not human anymore, Alameck. I turned her into a dragon. You’d know that if you paid attention.”
Alameck scoffed, a “Hmph” that vibrated with scorn. “A half-breed, Sonoris. She’s no pureblood—not a real dragon. You’ve damned any child from her to a cursed fate, forever stunted, never reaching their true potential because their mother’s blood is tainted. You disgrace us all.”
Alister’s eyes narrowed dangerously, gold flaring like embers in a storm. He straightened, turning his head slightly as if to address the invisible presence, his voice dropping to a lethal calm.
“Shut up, Alameck. I won’t have you questioning my decisions—especially not about those I choose to keep by my side. Speak of her again, and I’ll remind you why you lost to me. Perhaps I should trample on that boundless pride again.”
The air stilled, the hum of Alameck’s presence faltering for a moment, as if weighing the threat.
The dawn’s golden light spilled across the balcony, warming the iron railing under Alister’s gloved hands. His golden eyes lingered on the horizon, where the sun climbed steadily, casting long shadows over the waking city. The quiet moment felt fragile, a rare pause in the storm of his life.
He exhaled softly, his breath visible in the cool air, and murmured a single name, “Kai.”
The air pulsed sharply, Alameck’s presence stirring again with a low, disdainful hum. “Thinking of that human again, are you?” his voice sneered, dripping with mockery. “Still clinging to your petty obsessions?”
Alister’s lips twitched into a faint, humorless smirk. “How could I not? The fool made such a daring threat. Hard to forget the words of a man I thought was dead.”
…
The previous night replayed through Alister’s mind, vivid as the sunrise before him. He and Lila had been leaving the hospital, her arm tucked playfully in his as they stepped into the cool evening air.
The streetlights buzzed faintly, casting pools of yellow across the pavement. Lila had laughed, swatting at him as he teased her about her new… draconic strength, her eyes sparkling with a look of mischief and warmth.
“Careful, or I’ll outmuscle you soon,” she’d quipped, nudging his side.
Alister had grinned, leaning closer to retort, when his shoulder collided with a passerby—thump.
“My apologies,” he said quickly, turning with a sheepish smile, still half-lost in Lila’s laughter. “Got distracted.”
The man paused, his figure covered in a black cloak, face obscured by the brim of a low hat.
Time suddenly seemed to slow.
And in those moments,
A low, chilling voice answered. “Sorry? Oh, you will be sorry. When I’m done with you, Alister, you’ll be very sorry. Enjoy these moments before disaster—because like you have done to me, I will also do to you.”
Alister froze, the voice slicing through him like a blade.
“Kai.”
He’d know that voice anywhere—the venom, the arrogance. His smile vanished, and he spun to face the man, hand instinctively twitching as scales formed around them. But the street was empty, except for the flicker of a dying streetlight—bzzzt. No trace of him, no footsteps, no lingering presence.
“Alister?” Lila’s voice broke his trance, her brow furrowing as she touched his arm. “What’s wrong?”
He forced a smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes, and shook his head. “Nothing,” he said, voice smooth despite the unease coiling in his gut. “Just… thought I saw someone.”
She studied him for a moment, unconvinced, but let it go, tugging him gently forward. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
…
Back on the balcony, Alister’s eyes narrowed. “I thought I killed him…”
“No—he definitely died at my hands. I felt his pulse stop, saw the light leave his eyes. Yet that was his voice last night. It was unmistakably his.”
Alameck’s presence stirred again, a low growl threading through his words. “He reeked, brother. A foul odor, like his very soul had been tampered with—twisted, defiled. It was disgusting, even from a distance. He’s obviously getting arrogant because of borrowed power.”
Alister’s eyes narrowed into slits as he said, “It’s not only the fact that he reeked of a foul stench… but the aura around him began to feel like him…” His memory—one where he made a deal with a figure of darkness—fluttered before his eyes, ruin and devastation all around. He then said, “A foul stench indeed.”
