Cold. Valfern shivered as he plummeted to the sea of flames.The sore in his stomach numbed as if he dove in a tub of ice. Then the temperature changed.
A thin blue fiery aura coated Valfern"s body, keeping him and his sack from catching fire. Warmth then flooded his blood vessels, renewing his strength.
"Kill!" a primordial voice said inside Valfern"s head. All the pent-up frustrations in his life—the missing loved ones, the abusive kingdom, and the violence he sustained—burst out of him. It was then that the surrounding flames blazed blue in the shape of a dragon"s head.
Everyone gaped in awe.
"Monster! Save your lives!" Mayhem ensued as the crowd ran from their seats.
Valfern flapped his way out with a pair of fiery blue wings. His eyes also blazed in the same color. He was like a beast unleashed from h.e.l.l.
Even King Egbert stood from his throne and gulped.
"King Egbert is that-"
"A Dragon Hunter! Yes! The last of them," King Egbert said, cutting off Mister Piorquee.
"Come to me, angel of death! I"ve been waiting for your arrival all my life! Come!" Doug howled in laughter as he pounded his chest.
Valfern landed on the platform, splitting the surrounding floor.
Doug pounced, unmoved by Valfern"s transformation. He greeted him with a fist.
Valfern blocked the strike with his palm. He then ripped out Doug"s hand in one pull.
"Yes! Just like that!" Doug grinned as blood spurted out of his torn shoulder.
Valfern s.n.a.t.c.hed Doug"s head and raised him. With a squeeze, he crushed his skull. Blue flames then engulfed the headless body.
"No wonder his kind was exterminated! Th-They"re the children of destruction!" Mister Piorquee said. Horror filled his eyes.
Doug"s body turned into ashes in just a few seconds. Valfern then fell on the floor. The fiery blue aura around him hissed as it vaporized into black smoke.
"Sir, what do we do?" The man in a crimson scale armor reappeared on the top-most level of the eastern tower.
"Talos. Lead all the Reapers and kill him!" Imogen said. He then spoke through the horn. "All citizens of Soden, please leave the coliseum now! We won"t take responsibility for any casualties. For the members of the royalties and n.o.ble families, stay in the towers!"
Talos had his own horn attached to a wall. It directly relayed his message to the four towers.
"Sir, the other Reapers are missing. There"s only five left!" Talos said. There should have been three Reapers for each tower.
"We"ll deal with the neglect of duty later! Hurry before that beast wrecks havoc to our beloved citizens! And douse the flames lest he recovers his strength!"
The spectators in the seating tiers who previously stayed finally realized the direness of the situation. They rushed out of their seats, heading to the crowded exit.
From the sides of the platform, numerous circular trapdoors opened. Water then rushed out to quench the flames, causing a mist to envelop the entire stadium.
Five shadows darted inside the mist, followed by another five. Sparks then flew inside.
"What"s happening?" Imogen thought.
Sparks continued to fly inside the mist, and when it thinned, five hooded and masked figures appeared. They wielded a pair of black daggers and guarded the unconscious Valfern against the five Reapers, who intended to harm him.
"Moon River! What"s the meaning of this?" Talos said.
"We"re protecting a fellow partic.i.p.ant. He had already won the match!" Moon River said.
"Stay away from that beast! That is a Dragon Hunter! Have you forgotten the destruction they"ve brought back then?"
"No. I"ve never forgotten how this Kingdom slaughtered their kind!" Moon River charged at Talos, who wielded a red spear. Meanwhile, the other four hooded figures engaged the other Reapers.
..
In the northern tower, two figures stood at the top-most level. Everyone around them sprawled in a pool of blood.
"It looks like that there"s no riper time than today, Lord Oga," a female with a leather vest, which barely covered her olive-colored b.r.e.a.s.t.s said. Two crossed swords hung on her back.
"Indeed. There"s no more need for a delay. It seemed that King Egbert already knew about our plans, Viscera," Oga said.
"Bachus already handled the five Reapers they"ve sent. He"s now leading the army to begin the invasion."
Oga nodded. "You may leave now. Create a gate for them on the southern wall."
"And you?"
"I"ll enjoy this little show until it lasts."