Chapter 81: The Alpha's Sacrifice
829 Words
The sky had turned into a battlefield of its own.
Above the shattered valley, the massive sphere of dark lightning—Dravoryx’s Cataclysm—continued growing larger and more unstable.
It pulsed like a dark star ready to explode.
Lightning spiraled wildly around it, tearing through the clouds as thunder roared without pause.
Below it stood Dravoryx.
The Devourer’s wounded body trembled violently as he forced more and more power into the storm above.
The cracks across his scales glowed with blinding crimson light, and dark flames leaked from the fractures in his armor-like skin.
Even he was struggling to contain the energy he had summoned.
But the madness in his burning red eyes showed he no longer cared.
“If I must fall…” he growled.
“Then this entire kingdom will fall with me!”
The sphere above expanded again.
The pressure in the air became so intense that the ground began sinking inward toward the center of the battlefield.
Stones lifted into the air.
Trees snapped and were pulled upward by the violent currents of energy.
Aria looked up at the sky in horror.
“It’s almost ready.”
Beside her, Kael’s massive wolf form stood firm against the storm.
His silver-and-gold aura flared strongly, pushing against the crushing force pouring down from the Cataclysm.
“We can’t let it fall,” he said.
Aria nodded.
“But how do we stop something that big?”
Kael stared at the growing sphere for a long moment.
Then he spoke quietly.
“There’s only one way.”
Aria turned toward him.
“What do you mean?”
Kael stepped forward slowly.
The glowing Alpha markings across his body burned brighter.
“If we destroy it before it finishes forming, the explosion might not reach the kingdom.”
Aria frowned.
“Might?”
Kael didn’t answer immediately.
And that silence told her everything.
Her eyes widened.
“No.”
She grabbed his arm quickly.
“You’re not thinking about going up there alone.”
Kael looked down at her gently.
“If it explodes in the sky, I can push the blast away from the valley.”
“That would kill you!” Aria shouted.
The wind howled between them as lightning flashed across the sky again.
Kael’s golden eyes softened slightly.
“My duty is to protect my people.”
Aria shook her head fiercely.
“You’re not doing this alone.”
Before Kael could respond—
Darius’s voice cut through the storm.
“Oh, this is becoming very dramatic.”
They both turned to see him standing behind them, watching with mild annoyance.
“The noble Alpha sacrifice,” he said.
“Very heroic.”
Kael growled.
“If you have something useful to say, say it.”
Darius shrugged.
“You two are forgetting something important.”
Aria frowned.
“What?”
Darius pointed toward the sky.
“That storm was created by unstable energy.”
His eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
“If the Cataclysm detonates while incomplete…”
A slow smile appeared on his face.
“It will destroy Dravoryx too.”
Kael’s ears twitched.
“You’re suggesting we force it to explode early.”
“Exactly,” Darius replied.
“But someone still has to get close enough to trigger it.”
Kael stepped forward immediately.
“I’ll do it.”
Aria grabbed him again.
“No!”
Kael looked back at her calmly.
“It’s the only chance.”
Her silver eyes shimmered with fear.
“You said we fight together.”
Kael hesitated.
For the first time since the battle began, uncertainty crossed his face.
Aria slowly lifted her glowing hand.
Moonlight gathered around her fingers.
“Then we go together,” she said softly.
Kael stared at her.
“You could die.”
Aria gave a small smile.
“So could you.”
Lightning flashed across the sky again.
Above them, the Cataclysm continued expanding.
It was almost ready to fall.
Darius sighed dramatically.
“Well,” he said.
“If you two are finished with the emotional moment…”
He raised his hands as dark magic gathered around them.
“I suggest we hurry.”
Kael looked back at the sky.
The storm raged like an angry god above them.
The time for hesitation was over.
He turned back to Aria.
“Stay close.”
She nodded.
Moonlight flared brighter around her body.
The silver-and-gold bond between them surged with power again.
Then—
Kael crouched low.
His powerful muscles tensed.
“Hold on.”
And in the next instant—
He leaped.
BOOOOOOM!
The ground shattered beneath him as the Alpha King launched himself into the sky toward the massive sphere of destruction.
Aria held tightly as they soared upward together.
Wind roared past them.
Lightning flashed dangerously close.
Below them, the battlefield shrank quickly.
Above them—
The Cataclysm loomed like a falling sun of darkness.
And if they failed to stop it…
The entire kingdom would vanish.
- Writer
