Chapter 110: Returning Home [2]

High above the earthly realm, the sky belonged entirely to the Dragon Lords.

Three colossal shapes carved through the sea of white, their massive wings slicing cleanly through the thick cloud banks like blades through silk.

Golden sunlight reflected off their vibrant hides—Chaosbringer’s deep, fiery crimson, Soul Dreamer’s shimmering, iridescent violet, and Dark Sister’s deep, shadow-infused green and violet.

As they glided across the open sky, a rare display of draconic playfulness erupted behind Chaosbringer.

Soul Dreamer and Dark Sister began to dance around one another in mid-air.

The two 4th-Tier beasts swooped, twisted, and banked in synchronized harmony, letting out low-pitched, rumbling snorts and soft, vibrating roars that shook the vapor around them.

Their vast leather wings caught the rising thermal currents, sending wisps of broken cloud scattering in all directions.

Sitting high upon Chaosbringer’s neck, Craig watched the breathtaking spectacle with a rare, genuine smile gracing his face.

The wind whipped violently through his dark hair, snapping his long coat like a battle banner, but his seat remained entirely stable.

He tightened his grip around the leather bag secured to his chest, feeling the soft, rhythmic pulsing heat of Soul Dreamer’s four unhatched eggs resting safely within.

Suddenly, Chaosbringer tilted his massive frame, twisting his body into a smooth, sweeping downward spiral.

The crimson dragon dipped his snout, piercing through the bottom layer of clouds as he began a steady descent.

Soul Dreamer and Dark Sister immediately abandoned their play, straightening their lines and falling into tight formation directly behind the lead beast.

Below them, the sprawling, green horizon gave way to familiar landmarks.

It had been less than twenty minutes since they departed the volcanic sanctuaries of the Temple of Dragons, yet at the terrifying velocity of top-tier dragons, the vast distance between the Ducal Capital and the Myrain Viscounty had been reduced to a brief, effortless journey.

As the three apex predators broke through the cloud cover, their collective mass cast colossal, moving shadows across the rolling fields and cobblestone roads of Old Central Town.

The sudden, dramatic darkening of the sky caused hundreds of citizens in the bustling streets to stop in their tracks and look up.

A collective gasp rippled through the town square.

The sight that met their eyes was one of raw, breathtaking terror.

Three colossal dragons—beasts that most commoners only ever heard of in exaggerated bardic tales—were descending directly over their homes.

The sheer pressure of the air pushed down by six massive wings caused wooden signboards to rattle and laundry lines to snap violently.

Panicking shouts erupted near the central market.

"Dragons! Dragons in the sky!"

Screaming children were quickly snatched up by frantic parents and ushered into the safety of stone houses.

Within moments, the once-crowded avenues cleared out, leaving the streets virtually empty as doors slammed shut and heavy wooden iron-reinforced shutters were bolted.

Hundreds of wide, terrified eyes peered out from behind glass windows, watching the airborne monsters with a chaotic mix of awe, wonder, and deep, primal trepidation.

Along the city walls and watchtowers, the regional security forces of the Viscounty were immediately thrown into high alert.

Horns were raised, and guards scrambled to their stations, their hands trembling against the hilts of their spears and cross-bow levers.

Yet, not a single bolt was loaded.

Not a single defensive measures was implemented.

The senior guards quickly recognized the dark-coated figure riding atop the lead crimson dragon, as well as the shadowy form of Dark Sister flanking his left.

"Stand down! Stand down, all of you!" a garrison captain roared across the battlements, waving his arms frantically.

"It is the Lord Viscount! Lord Craig has returned!"

Relief washed over the soldiers, though their hearts continued to hammer against their ribs as they watched their young sovereign sweep over the city like an absolute monarch, escorted by an airborne legion of extinction-level beasts.

Further north, perched high upon the rocky plateau overlooking the territory, sat Heaven’s Net Castle—the administrative heart of the Myrain Viscounty.

Inside her private guest chamber on the fourth floor, Annie Blacksun stood frozen before her open window, her hands resting against the cold stone sill.

Her wide, brilliant eyes were locked onto the sky in utter, uncharacteristic disbelief.

Annie had seen Dark Sister before when Craig first established his dominance over the regional trade routes, but seeing three fully grown, top-tier dragons flying in unified formation was an experience that made her breath catch in her throat.

Her heart skipped a frantic beat against her ribs as she watched the majestic violet scales of Soul Dreamer catch the midday sun.

"He... he actually brought three of them..." Annie whispered to herself, her voice barely a breath against the wind.

She leaned further out the window, watching as the three dragons bypassed the castle’s main courtyard entirely, banking sharp left toward the secluded, heavily fortified ridge of the Old Valley.

The exact location where the newly constructed Dragon’s Pit lay waiting.

However, not every soul within Heaven’s Net Castle watched the display with wonder.

On the grand stone balcony of the castle’s west wing, Arya Benova stood entirely alone.

Her knuckles turned stark white as she clenched her fists so tightly that her trimmed nails dug painfully into her palms.

Her teeth ground together as she stared at the three majestic dragons soaring through the clouds, her dark eyes burning with an unadulterated, poisonous hatred.

Every flap of those massive dragon wings felt like a heavy, suffocating weight pressing down on her chest.

Every low rumble echoing across the sky was a brutal reminder of Craig von Darkstar’s untouchable power, his rising authority, and the absolute impossibility of her ever escaping his grip.

She bit her lower lip so hard that a tiny bead of crimson blood welled up against her skin, tasting the iron bitterness on her tongue as she glared at the sky.

"Enjoy your glory while it lasts, Seventh Succesor....." Arya spat under her breath, her voice dripping with suppressed venom as she watched the dark silhouette of the dragons disappear over the jagged tree line of the Old Valley.