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Summons[]
He had felt his presence, long before he saw him. It was the kind of nostalgic familiarity that awakened the dragon in his soul from its slumber. It was ancient, and powerful yet its currents were like a gentle wave across a vast and deep ocean. His senses which could discern colors beyond the normal human spectrum, which gave him clarity, to see the streams of lights and colors hidden from normal sight coalesced into a blinding knot, and when it faded it was undeniable. A Dragon stood before him, and though it bore the form of man, it was an imitation at best, something which only resembled a human but in his heart he knew it was not true.
To converse with a Dragon is to communicate with nature itself. His tone could only be described as sublime, there was an unearthly quality to it, and the sounds he produced echoed within human and dragon consciousness together. The man had introduced himself as Vincent Albion and he was the Dragon Slayer King. To Indra, it was a meaningless title, but there was a weight to it, a substance he could scarcely place. The purpose of his vist was to extend Indra an invitation to a tournament among fellow Dragon Slayers. Indra was amused, he found the notion laughable and made no attempt to hide that sentiment. The piercing gaze in Vincent's eyes however silenced him.
There was a brief tense moment before Vincent himself broke the silence with his own laughter. After which they discussed the tournament in earnest, and Indra learned of what was expected of him during its proceeding. Soon after, the Dragon bid Indra farewell, and left in the same manner in which he had appeared. That was the last he had seen of him aside from the brief welcome once he found himself at the site of the tournament.
Eyes opening from silent recollection, Indra gazed at the cavernous system that was to be his battlefield. Taking his first step towards destiny, he ventured deep into the underground. It is believed that the first dragons emerged from the earth, that they ascended from beneath tectonic plates and churning seas of rock and metal. He supposed that this gesture was symbolic, to conquer and arise from the ashes of their old lives. But it was just as well that Vincent was wise and realized the calamity that would ensue with eight dragon slayers battling. With that last fleeting thought, Indra disappeared into the darkness to face his adversary.
---
Within the darkness, at the depths of the cave, sat the man known as Phobos Aegletes, the Illuminance Dragon, surrounded by crystals that emitted faint light, enough to make it easier to see the surroundings, but not enough to be considered appetizing. He was told consumption is against the rules, but he couldn't help but taste the light of the crystals before the fight. Not that it'd give him anything, he was already in top shape and ready to battle.
Trying to give off an imposing look, Phobos crossed his arms, standing at the direction of the cave's entrance, waiting to meet face to face with whomever or whatever his opponent will be. It was exiciting. He would get first-hand experience on someone from the current generation of Dragon Slayers. Time has passed since he last fought one of his own generation, but never has he fought someone "modern". Phobos' heart beat with excitement.
---
With steps that uttered no sound, a wraith drapped in the garb of winter traversed through darkness. There, ahead, in the distance he sensed a presence. Though light was absent, that did not mean Indra could not see. Through his eyes, streams of colors beyond human perception flowed illuminating the cavern. Currents of prana lit his path with clarity, the world brighter and more real than to any human. There standing proudly was something not quite human, it had the general shape of a humanoid, perhaps even the features, but Indra could see the difference, feel it within his bones and indeed his very magic.
This thing had long since abandoned its humanity in pursuit of power, drunk on the blood of its foes it had bathed in the throes of Dragon Magic. Though neither had spoken yet, the roaring symphony of their inner dragons echoed within him, a discordant primal exchange that left Indra momentarily reeling. His opponent had but a shadow of his former humanity, it felt as if after shattering that part of him, in a vainglorious show of pride wore the skin of man, as though mocking his former brethren. Disgust and fear in equal measure rose up like bile in his throat, for Indra struggled endlessly to shoulder the burden of his power, to maintain his humanity, and to see this perversion.
It sickened him.
But more than that he grew to fear what may be the inevitable. In time will he too discard his humanity? No! He thought furiously, and with a surge of mental effort banished those dark thoughts away. Raising his hand he summoned forth eldritch power, casting light into the dark though it did not stretch far enough to remove the shadows clinging to his opponent, obscuring him from human perception.
"Come now, wyrmling, let me get a look at you." Indra's voice was like the frigid winds across a tundra. Deep and ever so cold. "Dont be shy. Step into the light."
"Ah, wyrmling. Never have I been called such." Phobos stood, snapping his fingers as a faint light shone from an orb, like he turned on a lightbulb, revealing himself "Hm. Thou seems young, but thy shan't judge ye by looks." Phobos said, speaking in a manner more befitting of an older age, one that is either extinct or simply endangered "Perhaps I should speak normally? Haha." He said, changing his speech to a more "modern" way "Ah, I do apologize, I forget the age I am at. But what excitement! My first confrontation with a Drakeling of the Current Era.".
Phobos exuded nothing but a cheery vibe to him, that of an old man meeting a youngster, a war veteran meeting a new recruit. It felt refreshing, almost nostalgic for him, to have such a meeting once more. But he knew blood will soon follow. May as well cherish it.
Indra was uncertain. The juxtaposition of what he knew to be true and what he was now seeing and hearing was.... jarring to the say least. For something so draconic in nature to be so utterly... human was unsettling, to say the least. Cold fury welled within him, for it was if this Dragon in human guise was coddling him, acting like a human to lower his guard. "Indeed, I bear the mantle of one who with the power to slay dragons. Yet you who have abandoned your humanity, speak with such deception. This charade of civility is for humans. As one who cast it aside without so much as a backwards glance, why do you insist in speaking to me in such a manner?"
"...Thou cannot believe thy is capable of such speech? Such human ways?" Phobos' tone changed, sounding more serious compared to prior "Ye desires the speech of the Drakes? The world sundering roars that brought brave men to their knees? But thou has, no? Thine father or mother has displayed it, the might of a Dragon?" Phobos crossed his arms, staring at Indra through his mask "Hahaha, apologies, did I come off as too harsh? Oh, I do get carried away sometimes when I get passionate.".
Indra was for a lack of a better word, perplexed by his current situation. Dragons were... well he was not quite sure what to make of this. His only interaction with a Dragon had been with Vritra and perhaps that had given rise to his.... expectations regarding their behavior. This thing in front of him had quite frankly broken that preconception. He felt it to the deepest part of his soul, that the being in front of him was at once a slayer but had abandoned his humanity, thrown caution to the wind and embraced his inner dragon. This he knew to be true.
Yet his demeanor was flamboyant, if not eccentric by modern standards but decidedly human. He was not sure what to make of it. For so long now he struggled with what it would mean to abandon his humanity and how it would change him, knowing that it would fundamentally alter his psyche and perceptions of the world. Still, even Dragon's could pretend and even if he had lost his humanity it did not necessarily mean that he lost the ability to play the part of a human. But that begged the question, he had been searching for ever since he had become a slayer.
"Why did you abandon your humanity?"
"I did not abandon it. I evolved from it." Phobos replied callously "I was forged like a blade on an anvil, struck repeatedly by a hammer, to become a sword. Again, and again, the hellish flames made my form flexible, and molded me. A chunk of metal was then turned to a sword. I am that sword." Phobos said, tapping his helmet a few times before continuing "I can't be a sword, if I pretend I am still a still, unformed, and static piece of metal, yes? I shed my human skin, and became a Dragon. You don't truly believe humans and Dragon Slayers can be called...equal, can you?".
Indra smiled, eyes closed in... relief? "So I was wrong." He murmured softly. "You've still yet to make the full transition, Dragon you are not." He stepped forward, breaching the sanctity of space between them till he was but mere feet away.
"I have spoken at length with a true kin, and you do share the same mind as a Dragon. You may have the flesh and body of one, but you are still very human, and would be recognized as such." Indra said, satisfied with his deduction. Casting an appraising glance at Phobos he chuckled smiling broadly.
"You do not believe that such a feat is possible, which is why you sought to abandon your humanity. Yet it is our very weakness which gives us strength. The weakest of our kind possesses the potential to achieve power capable of felling beasts, demons, eldritch abominations... gods and yes, even Dragons. By your own admission we are so weak, and fragile as to be insigificant in the face of these almighty forces... but among us there are those whose power rivals such beings. When did you reach your limitations? When did you despair and decided that by casting away your humanity that would you gain strength? You do not need to answer me. I already have it, here in my heart. I will smash that feeble power you command, and show you why humanity is to be feared."
"Fear humanity?" Phobos cracked his neck, tapping the tip of his foot on the ground, as if to prepare himself "And I shan't fear those who've ended an Era? Oh how the mighty Drakes have fallen. And all by the power given to thine race." It was difficult to tell if Phobos' tone implied hatred or simply being serious, but regardless, his demeanor certainly made it clear, he was ready to begin this battle. "Drakeling, I would like to see, if truly, you have what it takes, to uphold your word." He said, faint aura surrounding his being.
Draconic Convergence[]
No more words were spoken, for now was the time for battle. A brief moment of silence settled between the two slayers, a subtle acknowledgement of the struggle to come. The ferocious roar echoing within his soul demanded to be let loose against the Dragon before him, and so Indra obliged as did Phobos. The ground rumbled beneath their feet and the winds began to groan as their speed picked up. Debris clattered across the ground before the power being released by both participants caused rock and earth to float unsteadily in the air.
Indra let loose his power with the all subtlety of a hammer smashing against glass, as hurricane force winds ripped out of his body, and the atmosphere plummeting to below zero temperatures in an instant. There was no flash of light, no other outward sign but the effect was instantaneous. The entire field around them, a chamber well over fifty feet in height spread out over an area of several hundred meters was covered in snow and ice. The power to transform such an area so quickly must have been enormous, but Indra showed little if any strain. He gave one last brief gaze to Phobos, before his form evaporated like a mirage. Then the storm hit.
A winter apocalypse descended upon Phobos in a downpour of swirling shards of ice and hail. Snow blanketed the entire chamber casting everything in a sheet of white, making it impossible to see. The thunderous applause of hail crashing into the ground was almost deafening making it difficult to hear. With freezing rain and chilling winds, the combined onslaught would eventually cripple Phobos's movements and send him into a blissful winter slumber. Indra had deprived him of his vision, his hearing, even his smell all the while intending to allow the cold water clinging to his body and frigid temperatures to freeze him all in one fell swoop. In the midst of this chaos, Indra who was connected to the power of winter was undeterred, for he could feel everything within, including Phobos. Seizing the initiative, Indra focused his power as ice and snow collected across the floor and walls, seeping into cracks spreading its icy influence. With a clap of his hands the snow and water creeping upon the surface of the chamber was flash frozen instantly, as he poured an enormous amount of prana into the effort. The storm was just a cover for true objective, that of caging his opponent. The ancient draconic power of the Frozen Wyrm of the North poured into the earth freezing it outright, transforming the chamber into an icy prison.
Phobos stood vigilant, his armor taking the full brunt of the freezing cold, keeping him safe from its harshness, and yet even when deprived of three important senses, he quickly reacted "So he did go for that...Predictable, but can't deny it is the most efficient route." Phobos thought to himself, clapping his hands together, forging a sphere of pure light inbetween them "But, thou shant usurp this throne." A large magic seal projected itself above Phobos, a Formula seal, with the intended effect of increasing the overall performance and power of his next spell. He raised the sphere upwards with both hands, as it ruptured, releasing an intense laser of light, which upon passing through the seal, grew in size and power, as well as speed. It drilled through the cavernous system, piercing the ceiling into the outside world, the intensity exuding bright light, sending shockwave in the underground where Phobos stood.
"Face thy in kingdom anew." In that moment, two draconic wings sprung from Phobos' back, lifting him above the ground, flowing out through the passage he created, flying out into the outside, save from the environmental control of Indra, out into his greatest ally and friend, the sun "Ah, hello, old friend of mine." Phobos said, staring directly at the sun, unaffected by its intense light "Hm." Landing on the ground, leaving imprints of his feet, his wings retracting. Bathing in the sun's light, his body released a glowing aura, almost fiery in its appearance, as he awaited his foe, now in his own territory.