The Crown's Fire - Chapter 250

Chapter 250: An Omen
Katelina was elated when she heard the news that another dragon egg had hatched and Asura was chosen as its dragon rider.

“Sister, how about I try doing the dragon bond?” Levi offered, knowing it would be a few more days before she could perform the dragon bond between Asura and Snow.

“Not yet, Levi. The spell is a bit complicated, and your body is still not in a fit condition to perform such a strong spell,” she gently replied. She and Levi were the only ones left of the dragon rider descendants and the only people who could perform a dragon bond.

There were other alternatives, but they required the use of dark magic. At this point, that was how the newly hatched black dragon was bound to the mysterious man Levi saw in his vision.

“When do you think I can be fit enough?” Levi curiously asked.

“Hmm, a few more years, Levi. For now, focus on your training with Master Kasper, and let me handle the dragon bond for the rest of the unhatched eggs,” she told him, stroking her brother’s hair.

They were having breakfast together, just the two of them, since Ezekiel had left early to hunt down the rest of Devon’s followers.

“Your birthday is in two days. How do you want to celebrate it?” she asked him.

“Hmm, we can just spend it here, sister, since the people I care for are here. I’m just turning six, and we don’t need something grand, especially during this time when we need to stay vigilant.” Levi answered with a smile.

Katelina caressed the rosy cheek of her brother, feeling proud of him but also a bit sad that he had to mature early because of his experiences.

She nodded and said, “Then let’s have a simple celebration here together with the dragons and your newfound friends…”

Levi’s face lit up. “That sounds perfect, sister. Maybe we can have a little feast and tell stories. I’d love to hear more about the adventures of the dragons.”

Katelina smiled warmly. “We can definitely do that. We’ll make it a special day, full of laughter and joy. You deserve it.”

Levi hugged her tightly, and she felt so grateful that everything was now all in the past. Levi was safe and sound in her arms right now.

“Levi, is there no new vision about that man riding the black dragon? Any hint on his face?” Katelina asked, gently turning Levi’s face to look at him.

“He’s wearing a mask, sister, but I believe I will recognize him through his voice,” Levi answered.

Katelina nodded thoughtfully. “That’s good to know. We’ll need every clue we can get to identify him. Stay alert, and if you have any more visions, no matter how small the detail, tell me right away.”

Levi nodded. “I will, sister.”

“Your Majesty, can I come in?”

It was Asura. “Yes,” Katelina answered.

Asura entered with a wide smile on her face, carrying the white sleeping dragon in her arms. “I thought you would want to meet Snow, so I brought her, but she’s still sleeping,” Asura said with a smile, her excitement radiating through her.

Katelina chuckled and teased, “Ah, I’m sure you can’t wait to have the dragon bond.”

“True, so you must recover fast, Your Majesty. Do you know that I even threatened Kasper to make sure that my Snow won’t be stolen from me? And—”

Asura stopped abruptly when Levi suddenly winced. “Ouch!”

Katelina quickly checked on her brother and asked, “What’s wrong, Levi?”

For the first time, she witnessed Levi’s irises turn white. “Asura, what’s going on?” she asked, her worry evident.

“Could it be a vision? But I don’t recall him having this kind of episode before!” Katelina murmured, trying to get a response from Levi, who seemed to be spacing out.

“Me too, but it looks like he’s having a vision,” Asura murmured. “Let’s wait a bit more, Your Majesty.”

After a few moments, Levi’s irises turned back to their normal azure color. “They are attacking the Helion entourage. I see them knocking down the king and taking his wife away. It’s happening right now,” Levi muttered.

Katelina’s eyes widened. Without wasting any more time, she quickly informed Ezekiel of the situation through their bond.

[Alright, Kate. Stay put and tell Cora and Kasper. They will know what to do next. I’m far away right now, but I’ll try to reach there as fast as I can,] Ezekiel answered.

[Alright, please be extra careful,] Katelina replied.

“How are you feeling? Your irises turned all white, Levi,” Asura commented.

“I’m fine, Lady Asura. This happens whenever my vision occurs at the same time I’m seeing them,” Levi answered.

Katelina gasped. She was the same as Levi before, and now she almost remembered more than two years of the memories she lost.

“I was like that too when the vision appeared while it was happening,” Katelina commented. She then looked at Asura and said, “Lady Cora and Master Kasper must know about the situation. I’ll go and talk to them.”

“No, rest here. I’ll go and look for them to come to you,” Asura offered, quickly leaving the tent. Katelina noticed that Levi stared at Asura’s retreating back.

“What’s wrong, Levi?” she asked, concerned.

“Lady Asura…” Levi’s words hung in the air, his eyes suddenly welling with tears.

“What, Levi? What about Asura? What’s going on? Did you see another vision?” Katelina’s forehead creased with worry.

Levi nodded. “It’s an omen…

*****

Meanwhile, Ezekiel cursed under his breath as he fought the monsters under the sorcerer’s spell. He was in his human form but was channeling Khal’s power, his dragon’s energy coursing through him. His eyes burned with an intense light as he swung his sword, cutting through the monstrous creatures that swarmed around him.

The sorcerer, standing atop a nearby cliff, chanted incantations, summoning more beasts to hinder Ezekiel’s progress. “You won’t stop me,” Ezekiel growled, his voice resonating with the deep, rumbling power of his dragon.

His sword, imbued with Khal’s fire, cleaved through the dark magic binding the creatures, causing them to dissolve into ash. But for every monster he vanquished, more seemed to appear.

“I don’t have time for this,” he muttered. With a burst of energy, he unleashed a wave of fire, temporarily clearing a path. He glanced toward the sorcerer, who smirked, confident in his magic’s strength.

Drawing on the full power of his dragon form, Ezekiel felt his body shift, scales beginning to form as his eyes turned a brilliant, molten gold. “Enough!” he roared, the transformation amplifying his voice and causing the ground to tremble.

With a swift, powerful leap, Ezekiel closed the distance between himself and the sorcerer. Flames erupted around him as he struck, his blue flame cutting through the dark magic shield protecting the sorcerer. [Your spells are no match for a dragon,] Khal hissed, flames licking at the corners of his mouth.

The sorcerer’s eyes widened in fear as his body slowly turned into ashes. The dark magic dissipated, and the summoned monsters vanished into thin air.

Breathing heavily, Ezekiel reverted to his human form. “There you are,” he whispered, his gaze fixed on the bronze dragon egg. It was reeking of dark magic, the malevolent energy pulsing around it. He could feel the corruption seeping through its shell, and he knew it was already too late to save it.

A deep sadness washed over him. The potential life within the egg, twisted and tainted by dark magic, was beyond redemption. “I am sorry,” he murmured, his voice heavy with regret.

With a heavy breath, Ezekiel summoned a lightning fire, the bright blue flames crackling with the combined power of electricity and dragon fire. The energy coiled around his hand, humming with lethal intensity.

He raised his hand, aiming directly at the egg. The lightning fire struck with a brilliant flash, engulfing the egg in a blinding explosion of light and energy. The dark magic writhed and twisted, battling against the purifying force of the lightning fire.

For a moment, the air was filled with a deafening roar as the two opposing forces clashed. Then, with a final, echoing crack, the egg shattered, disintegrating into ashes. The dark magic was obliterated, leaving nothing but a faint, lingering scent of ozone.

Ezekiel stood still, his chest rising and falling with each heavy breath. He closed his eyes, feeling a mixture of relief and sorrow. The threat of the corrupted dragon was gone, but the loss of potential life weighed heavily on his heart. It could have been the first of its kind after dragons went extinct.

“Three more to go, Khal,” Ezekiel hummed.

[But we didn’t see any lead in this sorcerer,] Khal commented.

That was true, and it would make it difficult for Ezekiel to locate the remaining three dragon eggs. The sorcerer had been a dead end, leaving them with more questions than answers.

“Let’s go back. They are on the move, and I want to be with Katelina,” Ezekiel decided.

Without wasting any more time, he quickly shifted into his dragon form. The landscape blurred beneath him as he sped towards Katelina, his thoughts focused on ensuring her safety.