Chapter 364 - Dragon Fall

"This is my grandiose magic...King's Rain." 

Macheo spoke as his magecraft was set into full-motion; the dazzling, hissing bullets of water moved with a blur as they gathered a melting heat. 

Surrounded by the untraceable projectiles of water, the white-scaled dragon unleashed its wrath upon its heated bindings, thrashing against the flaming prison with its claws, teeth, and flames--to little avail. 

"...That's my strongest barrier, so just sit tight and enjoy the show!"

Valerie taunted the dragon as she smiled wide, watching from above as she maintained the stability of the fiery prison. 

Maintaining his control of the newly born grandiose magic, Macheo kept quiet as sweat trickled down his cheek, tilting one of the reflective seals. The subtle change in position caused one of the high speed, laser-like bullets of water to shoot against the dragon's hide. 

Without any trouble, it pierced the immaculate scales present on its side. 

"It went through…!"

Aiko commented in surprise, trying to keep track of the speedy droplets.

"Amazing—please, keep it up!"

The high elf cheered Macheo on with a yell enveloped in a new resolve. 

Again, Macheo remained silent as he meticulously shifted the position of the seals, causing another group of droplets to pierce through Albus' defensive scales, shooting directly through its wings. 

This time, Macheo didn't hold anything back, allowing a storm of laser-like bullets of water to barrage from the dragon from every angle as it became laden in steam. 

From the expected pain, a high-pitched roar escaped Albus' maw as it writhed, slamming against the fiery barrier as it finally cracked.

"Crap…!"

Valerie panicked, attempting to reinforce the barrier, but a yell from below stopped her.

"Don't! Prepare your own great magic! This is the final push—!"

—The Lucrauvian prince shouted without shifting his gaze. 

"Forget defense, commit to offense", that's the Lucrauvian way, isn't it? Macheo thought. 

With the angered dragon driven by savage bloodlust boasting its colossal talons and rows of endless teeth, it was a hard request to make.

"…I'm trusting you on this one, brat."

Valerie smiled as she began to prepare her own great magic, spinning her lance before pointing it directly towards the grounded dragon. 

A deep breath was required to be taken, calming herself in the scenery of ivory fields of grass, hovering below the sky of endless, upside down trees--but most importantly, settling her anxieties as the great dragon began to break free from its hold. 

"God of the hearth, the one who sits at the forefront of benevolence for mankind, yet is feared for his malice towards others, aid me now." 

Beginning her incantation, a ring of flames encircled her, spinning as three spheres of burning grace ran along the ring. 

As Albus slammed its massive claws against the barrier once more, it shattered its prison, breaking free as it roared out and began crawling forward rapidly towards the three on the ground. 

"Leave it to me!"

Fedrin yelled out as he raised his aged staff, allowing the magic crystal embedded in its glow as he confronted the savage dragon. 

"Gaia: Enroot!" 

As the high elf shouted the incantation with everything he had, the soil that the dragon walked upon awakened--producing and extending like a set of massive, unyielding arms that clasped around its legs. 

"Nice, Fedrin!" 

Macheo spoke without turning his gaze, swiping his arm as he commanded the water bullets to shoot against the binded beast. 

Parading down on its scales like an apocalyptic rain, the heated, fast-moving droplets pierced its thick hide, causing Albus to roar out in agony. 

"Don't give it any chance! Give it everything you've got!" 

Once more, Macheo yelled, this time spurring Aiko into action as she swiftly dashed towards the encumbered beast, jumping up as a trail of light followed her legs. 

There's one thing not sealed shut...and it's this big mouth of yours! Aiko thought. 

Predicting that Albus would use its signature weapon--the flames born within the pits of its primordial stomach--Aiko landed a viscous, radiant kick against its chin just as it began to part its maw. 

Witnessing the impact of her kick cause the imposing dragon to wince and falter in its viscous assault, Aiko fell overawe as she landed back down on the ground. 

...I couldn't even hurt it before. It must be because King's Rain weakened its scales...you're amazing, Macheo, Aiko thought as she looked back at the prince. 

"Get back, idiot!" 

Macheo's yell didn't take her out of the moment as she smiled to herself, rushing back over towards the other two as they could all sense Valerie's great magic nearing completion. In the air absent of a true sky, the draconic knight sat like the radiant, morning star as flames birthed themselves around her. 

"For the betterment of civilization, you burn away those who seek to disrupt it. That is your scorching, bright kindness, God of the Hearth. That is why, I ask of thee, beseech that kindness onto this battlefield!"

Valerie's words were carried and enveloped by her flaming aura that roared out as she raised her voice. 

--Before the great magic could reach its pinnacle, the desperate dragon set its own flames against its bound limbs, burning away the solidified soil that wrapped around its legs before pointing its oldened gaze to the draconic woman in the sky. 

Left silent for a moment as her mind was wrapped on the great magic she was weaving, Valerie watched as Albus parted its maw directly at her--witnessing the azure destruction bubble in its throat. 

Shit…! It's ignoring my attacks now! It's set on her! Macheo thought. 

Just as Macheo, Fedrin, and Aiko began to rush forward without a plan--something else arrived. A miracle was needed, and it seemed one had been answered. A large set of shadows, followed by a glistening trail that shifted between a kaleidoscope of lights, fell through the sky with their destination set on the malicious, great beast. 

"Humph!" 

"Hyah!" 

Together, two voices yelled out as a duo of figures crashed against the colossal dragon with a terrain-shaking force. From one of the two, the unknown entity unleashed a sword strike that razed the field, cutting through the soil cleanly with a divine elegance. However, the other fell on the opposite spectrum, slamming down a blunt weapon atop the dragon's head to force its maw shut. 

"What the…? It can't be…"

Macheo looked up after the shock wave dissipated, setting his eyes on the two, mysterious figures that landed back down on the light, ivory grass. 

One was a slender man, dressed in immaculate robes designed with the many flowers of spring--bearing lengthy, flowing locks of a verdant complexion that were simply unmistakable. Beyond that, the precious blade he wielded was a one-of-a-kind. 

It's that guy from the Champion's Culling...Mencius. But why? And that's...Macheo looked. 

But it was Valerie who recognized the second figure first, nearly falling to tears as the edges of her eyes held back the emotional aqua. 

"Hongse!" 

Calling out the name of the crimson-furred panda that stood side-to-side with Mencius, Valerie's yell caught the attention of the ever-leisurely demi-human, who looked up at the draconic, crimson-haired woman with a goofy smile, waving his hand. 

"Yo!" 

"...Get back, you big idiot!" 

Valerie commanded while trying to maintain her scaly, tough exterior. Noticing the immense aura around his companion, Hongse simply let out an "oh!" before pulling Mencius back with him, reuniting with Macheo's side. 

"You've got perfect timing, you know that?"

Macheo spoke with a smile as sweat dropped from his chin, looking up at both the tall panda and the slender, Jinyuan man. 

"Well, I got lucky I ran into Mencius as I was on my way back!" 

Slapping his own chest, the large panda boasted his own luck--something that the others didn't quite understand. 

"Really though...what're you doing here?"

The golden-haired prince turned his attention to Mencius, who stood out with his serene, spring robes not garnered for battle. 

"Heh, a silly question, isn't it? I am a Purgatory participant as well; why would I ignore such a splendid opportunity? Two makes better than one...and well, your group is a lot bigger than two." 

"Either way...we've got it dead to rights, with your help. Finish it, Valerie!" 

Turning his gaze back to the draconic knight stationed in the air, Macheo yelled out from the top of his lungs. 

Still groggy from the dual-attack it suffered, the dragon finally regained its senses as it shook its head--but it was too late. 

"Kojin: Impurity Rinsed!" 

--Shouting out the true name designating the great magic, Valerie's call ushered in a formation of flashing flames that morphed above the dragon. 

"...That looks...dangerous."

Mencius commented as he squinted up at the large coalescence of burning, bright flames that began to fall towards Albus. 

"Crap! You're right!...Get back!"

Realizing just how close in proximity to the flames they were, Macheo's words ushered the group away as they sprinted in the opposing direction of the roaring inferno. 

Even from the distance it sat from them, its heat could be felt, stretching through the ivory fields as the grass was set alit. As if challenged by the great, descending form of flames, Albus roared out to it before the sphere of flames stopped midair. 

Decimate! Valerie commanded. 

With her will, the enormous sphere rapidly expanded, encapsulating the direct area around the great dragon before settling into a large, crimson hearth that held Albus within it. A spiraling array of flames ignited the surrounding fields, razing the colorless foliage as a storm of steam unleashed from the oversized hearth. 

Stopping to witness this great magic, the group halted at a safe distance, still feeling the heat as the wind was replaced by an inescapable warmth. 

"Hot! Hot! Hot!"

Hongse let out a sharp gasp as he hugged his own, fur-clad body. 

"Was she trying to kill us?!"

Macheo released sharply as he held his arm out in front of him to mitigate the abrasive, hot winds that pelted against his body. 

Still, the agonized roars of the great dragon caught within the bowels of the godly hearth settled any contention to the magic. 

For the draconic knight, she could only feel pride from the howls of the ancient dragon, witnessing the vibrant glow of the colossal hearth as it accelerated with boundless heat. It was a feat only possible by the fatal damage done by the Lucrauvian's grandiose magic, leaving the thought-to-be unbreakable scales of Albus softened. 

I can feel it...the blood of my ancestors...they're proud; pushing me forward with such vigor. What kind of luck is this? To be the one in my family to settle this, once and for all…! Fall and rest, Albus! Valerie thought. 

At last, the temperature within reached its pinnacle as the formless top exploded, releasing a pillar of steam that rose like a grand column--exhibiting such heat that it would surely reduce anything it met into nothingness. 

With that signal, the pained howls of Albus stopped, just as the massive aura of magical energy settled. 

"...Rest well, Albus."

Valerie whispered as the massive hearth of flames dissipated, revealing the lifeless dragon, having been reduced to nothing but a steaming skeleton. 

"It's hard to believe it's actually dead…"

Macheo muttered as he inspected the steaming husk of Albus, crouching down in front of its skull that dwarfed him a dozen times over. 

"That's what it gets for munching on me! It's a horrible feeling, you know!" 

"Isn't that kind of karmic justice though…?"

Aiko whispered in response to the panda's complaints to the already deceased dragon. 

"No crimson coins, huh? Kind of feels like we got ripped off for the effort we put in."

Standing back up, Macheo sighed as he ruffled his own golden locks, turning to Valerie who was reached down to retrieve something from Albus' gargantuan hand. 

"Find something?"

"Just a little souvenir, I guess. I'll get something made out of it when I get back home."

Valerie smiled slightly as she showed the group what it was she retrieved: one of the giant claws belonging to the fallen dragon of old. 

"The claw of a dragon is extremely valuable. I'm sure in the right hands, something beautiful can be made."

The high elf spoke with an aged smile as he looked upon the large, sharp bone. Clearly exhausted by the battle that had transpired, he had taken a seat on the steaming, bone-formed hand of Albus. 

"...That's right! We need to help Ren and the others!"

Aiko suddenly spoke up, causing the others to jump from the unexpected raise in volume from the quiet girl. 

"Argh, crap...you're right. Damn, just when I thought it was over."

Scratching his head, Macheo let out a disheveled sigh before looking at the verdant-haired guest who was remaining silent for the most part. 

"Mencius, right? I'm guessing you're trying to tag along with us, is that it?"

"Well, if it wouldn't be of any trouble." 

Mencius gave his response with a warm smile, keeping his arms neatly tucked into their baggy sleeves. 

From the expressions present on everyone else's faces, Macheo could surmise that they really didn't care either way. 

More the merrier, eh, Ren? Macheo sighed. 

"Fine, but you're just a temporary member for now!"