Firewing - Chapter 003

Chapter 003 – Hollow

The magical chains binding my existence, were perfectly tuned to my being, which was also the reason I had been unable to break them until now, as they had blocked every kind of power, or magic I was able to use.

Therefore there were only three ways to break them, with one of them seeing the Lord of Muspelheim meeting his end, or at least falling into a semi-dead state, so that his power no longer fueled the chains.

Another way was for a third party to interfere with the magic in the chains, which would give me the opportunity to burst through my confines with sheer might.

The last way though was for me to use a power the chains were not made to block, which had been impossible until now, as they were immune to everything that was 'me'. At least that had been the case before, now things were different. I was different.

Calling upon the new power slumbering within my Dragon Heart, my dragonforce having changed from fiery and overwhelming, to dark and all-consuming. I instinctively knew that I could suppress the power of the black star and still use my original dragonforce, though I didn't plan to do so for now.

With naught but a simple pulse of energy, the chains that had bound me fore millenia shattered into dust, unable to withstand the onslaught of my dragonforce for even a moment.

Next it was without hestitation, that I unleashed my true power.

Blackish dragonforce wrecking havoc on the surroundings, disintegrating the cave that had been my prison for eons, as my bones and muscles followed my will and rearranged themselves.

Shrinking is size, but certainly not in power, I took on a humanoid form.

Scale armor covered my body, while my feet and hands were still distinctively draconic, clawed and reptilian. Wings made out of fire burst from my back, black in colour, they wound themselves around me protectively, as I stepped out of the destroyed cavern.

Most dragons were capable of taking on a humanoid form and especially the more intelligent ones would do so often, as it gave one an edge when fighting opponents of smaller sizes, speed and agility being clearly limited in our beastial form.

“You finally broke your chains, dragon … Suprising, though it hardly matters. Or do you think that you can rival me, beast?”, a fiery giant, that could only be Sutur, intoned.

His gaze flaming, yet condescending, as he continued: “I am the Destroyer of Asgard! Immortalized by fate itself! I-”

Vengence and draconic pride burning fiercly in my heart, I let loose a roar of immeasurable anger, as fire and magic spilled forth from between my lips, unwilling to listen to even one more word of his.

My blazing breath tearing through stone and air, like destruction incarnate, as even the Ruler of the Fire Demons found himself unable to withstand the fiery tornado, his Twilight Sword providing only minor protection, against the innate ability of my race.

His burning figure soon being buried into a rocky pillar under my flaming breath's onslaught. And when the attack finally reached its end and Sutur was about to rise again to finally retaliate, it was already to late.

Expelling a veritable ocean of black fire from my wings, my figure teared through the air with inconceivable speed, as I aimed for the demon's head. The force of my movements and the coat of dragonforce raging around my body, simply disintegrating the dozens of lower-ranked Fire Demons standing in my way.

And when the claws of my right hand penetrated the scalding magma body of my captor, while my other hand held tightly onto his crown, I made no pause, as empowered myself not only with the nigh-endless rage burning in my heart, but also with a titanic amount of dragonforce.

And so it came as no suprise, when I simply ripped the fiery giant's head apart, while exerting my full draconic strength to relieve him of his crown and source of power.

Sutur in his weakened state, barely even able to react to my violent and ruthless actions, as his hands were raised, grasping at empty air, before his whole form simply turned to ashes.

Throwing back my head, I sorrowfully roared in victory, painfully aware of the eons of captivity, I had endured to this day.

The atmosphere trembled, buckling under my draconic might, as hundreds of Fire Demons simply shattered, unable to defend against the shockwaves of my anguished bellowing.

Focusing back on the moment, I reined in my emotions, as I spread my black wings and with a push of dragonforce, I took off. Sutur's crown and vessel in hand.

Breaking through the layers of rocks and magma, it didn't take more than a few moments, before I reached the surface and finally saw the sky again.

Activating a few pre-prepared runes from my soul realm, I concealed my existence from any kind of magical scrying, aware that the Allfather might decide to intervene in my next actions, as I was about to change Asgard's fate in an unpredictable way.

Spreading my blazing wings, I flew to a distant mountain and settled down on its peak, the dark-red stone crumbling under my clawed feet, as I landed.

Wasting no time, my clawed hands ripped through the pace in front of me, as draconic runes of old manifested out of my dragonforce and warded this place from intruders, while hiding my presence from other being.

Once again I willed my flesh to morph, my reptilian limbs changing to real human apendages. My scale armor slowly turning into pinkish flesh, my physique a perfect display of strength and otherworldly beauty, before a robe made out of dragonforce knitted itself around my body, string by string.

And as I sat down on the ground with Sutur's crown resting on my lap, my black falming wings wrapped themselves protectively around my form.

Determined, I summoned forth my all-consuming dragonforce and directed it into the crown, where I felt the weakened soul of the Lord of Muspelheim resting and waiting for its resurrection. I was not going to allow that though, as let my lifeforce latch onto his immortal soul and consume his everything.

Etheral screams of agony and unwillingness bore into my mind, but I was unwavering in my vengence.

Bit by bit, I felt pieces of his soul being absorbed by myself, turning into the purest kind of energy and strengthening my Dragon Heart with every passing moment. This growth didn't come without a change though, as I could see new runes of creation appearing in the depth of my soul, signifying a power that I had not possessed before.

Absorbed in my actions, I didn't know how much time passed, when the crown in my hands suddenly turned into ashes, the last of the Fire Demon's soul finally having been devoured by me, my strength having risen sharply.

Sutur might have been defeated easily by me, but he had been severly weakened and his true power was laying dormant in his soul.

And now mine.

Though to unleash it, I would need to get my claws on the Eternal Flame first, which was not something I considered for the time being.

Rasing my hand, I used my dragonforce to activate a very specific cluster of runes in my Dragon Heart, as fire and stone appeared above my palm. Melting and coalescing, until the Twilight Sword manifested itself in my hand.

It was a mystical weapon with great power. Uncontested power even, as long as it was fueled by a great source of power like the Eternal Flame.

Banishing the greatsword a moment later, fell back on my back. Inhaling deeply, as millenia of hate and rage slowly left my heart, my revenge finally enacted.

What was left was hollow joy, as silent tears dripped from the corners of my eyes.

I was now free and had gained great power, and yet I had lost everything.

My race extinct, my home gone. I wasn't sure if my life even had any purpose anymore.

Time, I realised, could break even the strongest man, or dragon.