Chapter 270: A Dragon Unleashed

"Unseal. Summon the Divine Dragon."

Cassian held the Divine Dragon Amber in his hand and spoke softly. The pendant began drawing Aether at its established rate—six hundred and fifty thousand for every minute the Dragon remained unsealed.

A crack rang through the air, as though space itself had broken.

Then came a roar.

The Dragon had spent an unknown number of years sealed inside the space-time amber. Now it swam through the open sky, its body expanding with astonishing speed. Within seconds, it was three or four hundred meters long.

It looked as though it had been cast from solid gold. Clouds formed around its body, parting here and there to reveal golden claws the size of buildings.

Cassian drew a deep breath.

"A Dragon can grow large enough to summon clouds, or shrink until it vanishes from sight. So the old stories were true."

His purpose was to plunder the Divine Legion’s resources. Revealing the Dragon would make his supposed alliance with Blood Throne far more convincing. His Dragon’s Blessing was already known anyway.

The body beneath his feet began to tremble.

Cassian chuckled and bent to pat one of Nine’s scales, each as broad as a millstone.

"Don’t be afraid, Nine. It’s on our side. One of our own Dragons."

"Lord, how can a Dragon be this terrifying?"

Nine was shaking all over.

"I know it’s on our side, but I... I need to pee..."

Cassian tapped her scale with his knuckles.

"Have some dignity."

The five-clawed golden Dragon was only Mythic One-Star, and a troop rather than a Hero. But as Cassian’s summoned unit, it received his bonuses.

Its combat rating reached a staggering hundred and forty thousand stars.

That surpassed even the Blood Emperor Mordane they had faced before.

Across the battlefield, Lords stared in shock.

"What is that thing?"

"A Divine Dragon! The creature those Homeworld Humans revere!"

"Cassian! It’s Cassian’s troop!"

Celia cut down a dozen enemy troops, then raised her voice.

"Cassian of the Humans! You haven’t disappointed me. You are worthy of working with the great Bloodkin race!"

Cassian gave her a discreet thumbs-up, then laughed aloud.

"I’d need a few cards of my own before dealing with predators like you!"

Between them, they made the two forces look like allies who still distrusted each other. The performance could hardly have been more convincing.

The golden Dragon gave Cassian a cool glance, then moved into battle. Liora, Sylvara, the Dawnwings, and the other Dragons followed.

Its hundred-meter tail came down.

A Divine Domain lay below. In an instant, everything within a hundred meters of its Lord’s Hall was pulverized. Buildings, troops, Heroes, and the Lord himself vanished together.

Dragon Tail Sweep.

Cassian could withstand a Mythic fighter. Most Lords could not.

The Dragon was only passing through. After destroying several Domains with casual sweeps of its tail, it rose toward the Five Elements Temple. Flying Elemental Beasts scattered from its path.

Cassian had fewer than a thousand fighters. He could not kill every Divine here.

He needed to destroy their Temple before Azrak returned. If the battle became a stalemate, his losses would rise sharply.

How long could Aurelia hold them off?

——

"Are the Divines retreating?"

"They’ve only been fighting for an hour! Don’t they always boast about being a race of warriors? Mount Celestia lasted longer than this!"

"We beat them!"

"No!" Lana’s voice cut through the celebration. "Only a small part of their army is pulling back, mostly flying troops. Stay alert. They may be trying to make us careless."

Even the Lords from Divine Province were puzzled.

Suddenly, Elara’s eyes brightened.

"Could someone be attacking their home Temple? Like what happened to Mount Celestia?"

They exchanged hopeful looks. It was possible.

"It must be Cassian!" Nessa said without a moment’s hesitation.

Darian had drunk Life Water. His complexion looked better, though it could not replace the vitality he had spent on the invocation.

"I know he’s strong," he said, amused, "but marching into the Divine army’s home base alone? Nessa, try thinking before you speak."

He shook his head.

"This devotion of yours is getting serious. You need—"

"Cassian!"

Azrak’s voice thundered across the battlefield, cutting him off.

"Do you think a thousand fighters can threaten the Brahma Legion’s Five Elements Temple? Keep dreaming!"

Even now, he had kept silent in the All-Races Champions Channel. He had not gone to argue with Blood Throne either.

He suspected they still knew nothing about the Homeworld’s nearly completed Temple. The last thing he wanted was to reveal that prize.

Instead, he vented his anger aloud. These Human Lords would surely pass his words on to Cassian.

Azrak had no idea what those words were doing to his audience.

The Crown Champions stared at one another. Lana had forgotten all dignity; her mouth hung open.

Cassian had really gone to raid the enemy’s home base?

The Divine Legion’s home base?

"I told you!" Nessa cried. "It had to be Cassian!"

Then her joy became worry.

"Oh no. Will he be all right?"

A little distance away, understanding crossed Seren Fenwick’s face.

"Now I see why he’s so fond of her. No wonder he’s willing to give her Extreme troops."

Susie nodded quickly.

"She doesn’t think!"

"She supports him without hesitation," Seren corrected. "And worries about him just as readily."

Azrak continued, sounding almost like someone describing the battle for their benefit.

"Cassian, you fool. Don’t you know what happens when you trust Bloodkin? You’re dealing with predators!"

He was openly trying to sow distrust. Cassian could not hear him. If he could, he would have laughed.

The Crown Champions thought they finally understood.

He had allied with Blood Throne.

Even so, persuading such a powerful Legion to help him was an extraordinary achievement.

Azrak had more to say.

"You think one Mythic five-clawed golden Dragon makes you safe? Ridiculous! Those Bloodkin are strong enough to surround you and kill you with ease—"

The Humans scarcely heard the rest.

A five-clawed golden Dragon.

For more than ten seconds, they could think of nothing else. Then the Champions, each chosen from countless Lords, erupted into a noisy crowd.

"Did he say a Divine Dragon?"

"That’s one of the strongest Mythic troops! Below the Second Realm, only a handful of great Lords have one!"

"No wonder he dared raid the Divines. No wonder he could work with Blood Throne!"

"I know! It must be his Mythic prize from the Individual Contest!"

"Of course! Divine Dragons bring good fortune. A blessing that improves our drops makes perfect sense!"

Everything fit.

Azrak had imagined a very different result. Reality was getting worse by the moment.

His reinforcements had not even passed the first obstacle.

"Lord Azrak, the warriors guarding our side of the Spatial Vortex have all been killed!"

The next report was worse.

"Several Bloodkin who may be Mythic, and dozens at the peak of Legendary, are blocking the other end. We can’t get through!"

Azrak nearly choked with rage.

Only now did he remember how narrow that vortex was. A few dozen meters across. Moving his army through it the first time had taken almost an hour.

"Homeworld! Blood Throne!" he roared. "I will never let this go!"

On the other side of the vortex, Aurelia sheathed her sword. Severed limbs and bodies from the Divine army covered the ground.

Dozens of Dawnwing Vanguards held the passage with her. Among them were Brigid and the other two Legendary Nine-Star Vanguards. Harriet, herself a Nine-Star Marshal and a master of tactics, directed their positions.

With that force, holding a vortex only a few dozen meters wide was easy.