First Demonic Dragon-Chapter 1240: The New Land of Dragons

"There, there, pumpkin-patch. It’s alright..."

Thrudd carries her sister in her arms as they return to the Earth’s surface.

She pats Odessa’s back softly as the young girl sniffles, her eyes red with tears.

’Do you think... mom’s going to be mad at me?’

"No, I do not. You’re too precious to be mad at."

Thea floats behind the pair, leading the massive migration of humans out onto the surface for the first time in two whole years.

"Don’t be so dramatic, Odie. These are extenuating circumstances, and anybody could see that. You’re not a dropout."

Odessa finally wipes her eyes with her sleeve. ’If you guys say so...’

Suddenly, the earth begins to increase the intensity of it’s shaking, causing some panic among the migrating humans.

Thea, Thrudd, and Odie did not react to any of the changes going on around them, nor did they seem at all surprised by them.

"Hang on, everyone!" Thea yells over her shoulder.

The earthquake reaches it’s most dramatic point yet.

Suddenly, an enormous island is ripped out of the ground and hangs in place in midair.

In the distance, eight more landmasses just like it appear in the sky, and float with no obvious means of suspension.

Suddenly, there is a flash of black light in the far distance, and Thrudd smiles like a little girl.

"Hey, it’s Dad!"

When the beam of destruction fell from the sky, then split apart into a multitude of smaller rays, the faces of many of the humans paled.

Even Cora and her men were not fully unmoved by the sight.

"The ancestor dragon is... quite powerful."

"Dad’s just doing yard work though..." Thrudd said.

"Eh?"

When the beams struck the earth, there was no rumble, no calamitous explosion.

There was only a series of flashing lights, and entire former cities were turned to dust in an instant.

Several of the humans looked like they were going to wet themselves. Even more considered turning back to the safety of the bunker.

Odessa tried her best to convince them not to be afraid.

’I-It’s okay, guys. Really!’

"What is that...?"

A boy points to the large fortresses sitting atop the floating island.

"Military base." Thrudd shrugs. "Though I’m surprised mom didn’t do a little more-"

Suddenly, the world rumbled once again.

This time, instead of mounds of earth being ripped from the ground, something was being built atop it.

Strange buildings formed, larger and more beautiful than any structure to have been built upon the world’s surface.

And then another sprang up. And another... And another...

"Geez, is Mom going to replicate the whole Tehom here?" Thrudd furrows her brow. "When are we going to find the time to eat at food courts when we’re fighting a war..?"

"T-Things like this are good for troop morale, you know?" Thea resists the urge to salivate. "In times of strife, there’s nothing more important than tastes of home!"

"...Glutton."

"Shut up!"

Thea turns to the shocked people standing on the staircase behind her.

"Alright...Who’s afraid of heights??"

An excess of sixty people raised their hands all at once.

"Good. Sweet dreams to you then."

With a single snap of her fingers, Thea sends every person who raised their hand into the domain of Hypnos.

Before they can hit the ground, their bodies float lightly in the air as if suspended on clouds. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Thea claps her hands together. "Alright.... Who wants to ride on a dragon??"

A multitude of hands were raised, most of them coming from the kids who’d gone to Odie’s school. The older adults looked a bit wary.

"Perfect!"

Thea turns to her sister with a sinister smile beneath her glowing mantle.

It takes everything inside of Thrudd not to bite her sister.

Dragons giving rides to people, especially humans, was already a serious taboo. However, for Nevi’im, it was almost unthinkable.

The shame associated with being seen as some kind of domesticated mount was almost too great to contend with.

"I would rather clean out Bagheera’s litter-box by hand!" Thrudd snaps. "Just make a portal or something!"

"The density of the magic in the air is throwing off my ability to portal home accurately. I need time to adjust to it, or else there’s no telling where I might send us." Thea said innocently. "Go on, try it. You’ll see I’m right."

"Contact our parents and tell them to open one for us then!"

"They’re clearly busy... come on. You’re making this more difficult than it needs to be."

While Thrudd brooded in anger, Cora contacted Thea telepathically.

’My lady, may we not use the carriages instead..?’

’Yes, but that’s not as fun.’ Thea shrugged back.

Suddenly, Thrudd felt someone tug on her shirt. She looks down at her younger sister, as wide-eyed and innocent as a fawn.

’I know it’s a little demeaning, but... please, Thrudd..? Just this once...?’ Odie begs.

Thrudd’s lip quivers, the last vestiges of her willpower crumbling like crunchy granola bars.

"AAAAGHHHH! FUCK! FINE!"

Thrudd puts Odie down and turns to the humans.

"Listen up, mortals! I am holding you in my hand only! This is not a carnival ride! You can take pictures, but if I’m in them, make sure that you get my good angles and not just my boobs! And for the love of god, if one of you shouts ’dracarys’ or whatever, I will drop you in midair and let you die."

’S-She’s kidding.’ Odie said nervously.

"No the fuck I’m not."

’Sister!’

"I have boundaries!"

Thea rolls her eyes. "Can we just get on with this, please? I want to get home before-"

A large cut appeared in the sky out of nowhere.

The distortion was as wide as the Grand Canyon, but as dark as a night with no stars.

From the moment it appeared, the temperature outside began to drop dramatically.

Thea kicks her sister in the leg.

"OW! Bitch!"

"Hurry up, you’re taking so long to get ready! I want to see my wife in her majestic garb!"

"Damnit, damnit, fine!"

Just as Thrudd got ready to transform, the world was shaken once more.

Thea acted quickly when she sensed the incoming phenomena.

"Everyone shut your eyes, now!"

The humans obliged, but they weren’t sure why.

And then they heard a colossal roar that terrified them right to their very core.

-

Abaddon didn’t remember the last time he made himself this tall. And yet, he couldn’t help it. He was so excited.

He shot past five-hundred meters quickly. Eight-hundred also didn’t suit him.

Only at 2,000 meters tall did he finally stop growing, his multiple eyes trained on the gap he’d created in the sky.

He could feel it. They were coming.

He was so connected to his people that he could feel their excitement, and it further fueled his own.

His body acted involuntarily, raising all ten heads as high as he could reach and roaring into the sky.

The sound was great and terrible. Noble and horrific.

It signalled a change in the world. The hierarchy of apex predators would be changed now and forever.

The first dragon to come through was his own sister.

She landed upon her brother’s shoulder and raised her sword to the sky.

The arrival of the army was a glorious sight. Beautiful beyond all rhyme or reason.

Seven dragon lords arrived shortly after Kanami, circling Abaddon as if it were preordained.

As soon as they arrived, the scene was almost akin to an avalanche.

A deluge of dragons poured out of the sky, the color of their glistening scales as beautiful as precious gems.

They came in so many different shapes and sizes.

Some had wings, others glided through the air with snake-like bodies. A few displayed multiple heads, while others employed only one.

No matter their color or design, the dragons came to circle their divine ancestor with immense reverence.

Compared to Abaddon’s current stature, his people felt small to him. Like birds.

However, anyone else who saw the scene would have immediately disagreed with that sentiment.

The dragons were colossal and powerful. The very air hummed with the weight of their being.

Animals near and far ran to hide, fearing for their life like never before.

As more and more dragons poured out of the rift in the sky, the sound of their combined joy became a rousing song.

The sound, while beautiful, was fast-paced, blood-pumping fanfare.

The lyrics sang of wartime, of enemies long vanquished, and the celebration that would follow in the aftermath.

There was no challenge they feared. No army they dared not cross.

Crushed underfoot were those who did not acknowledge them.

Be they the scholars of heaven or the dregs of hell, all are nothing beneath the claws of the Nevi’im.

Abaddon closes his eyes and listens. The powerful wingbeats. The sound of hearts bursting with excitement.

Tonight would be one for celebration and zeal.

But tomorrow... the real work would begin.

"NO MERCY!" He barked.

The army of dragons responded in unison, shaking the earth down to its very core.

"WHAT IS MERCY?"