The Dragon is Withered (2/2)

Fheldin certainly hadn't stopped training after he originally defeated his father in the Halnith-Kae ritual. Since then, he's learned to use his sword techniques even in his dragon form.

Of course, the trade off for fighting in his larger form is that is attacks are slower and his bulky body – easier to hit, yet his strikes hit harder and his body is more durable.

And so, when Dakka and Fheldin connect again, their battle becomes twice as vicious. Dakka is able to hit Fheldin more often. At the same time, Fheldin's attacks are so heavy and sharp that Dakka's parrying attempts are completely shattered.

In fact, the first time Dakka tried to block Fheldin's claw strike, he nearly lost his head. Instead, he lost a hand.

With Fheldin being easier to hit, and Dakka's defenses largely negligible now, the fighting becomes twice as brutal.

Blood sprays out into space, and any blood that hits a nearby planet is wiped out in a great, red flood.

The two dragons only start to lose their potency when the 5 and 6-Horned Elementals around them are shattered and scattered.

Left without their galaxy-crushing strength, they're forced to resort to old-fashioned biting and clawing.

Before, when Fheldin and Yelken were fighting so long ago, the fight was dragged on for so long because Fheldin was hiding most of the time – only striking at his father when he was confident he could get away unscathed.

However, the fight between Fheldin and Dakka only lasts another 1 minute. They're both stuck in such close proximity to each other that they tear chunks of each other's flesh of with every swipe of their paws.

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Soon enough, every scale on their bodies are shattered, and their strength is spent. In order to preserve their remaining mana, they've both had to turn into their human forms and remain that way.

By now, all the galaxies, planets, and stars are starting to reform, though the Elementals are still far away from regaining consciousness.

Thus, the next time Dakka is hit, he's thrown off into space, and he's only stopped when he slams into a moon.

Dakka doesn't even have to feel his body to realize that one of his ribs had snapped off and pierced his left lung. "Sh#t…"

The young dragon knows that he'll bleed out even faster if he tries moving or transforming, yet his skull will be stabbed next if he allows Fheldin to catch up to him again.

Realizing that he needs to do something quickly, Dakka manages to barely catch his grandfather with a telekinetic grip, and he slams him onto the ground just a few hundred feet away from him.

Fheldin is hardly fazed, and he leaps in for the kill…

Dakka tries standing up to leap away, but Fheldin intercepts Dakka and swings his sword – nearly lopping his grandson's head off.

Dakka only survives because he tripped over his own tail – lowering himself at the last second and watching his grandfather's blade pass over his eyes.

As Fheldin was passing over him, Dakka manages to catch Fheldin's arms mid-swing – hoping to twist those cursed blades from the old man's iron grip.

Fheldin abruptly moves all the mana away from his arms and into his jaws. With no more mana to protect his arms, both of them are instantly ripped from their sockets, and two fountains of blood splurt out of his shoulder stumps.

Still, this catches Dakka off guard; he's unable to react properly before Fheldin's armless body falls towards him and his fangs sink into the side of his neck.

Dakka goes down in a spurt of blood, and Fheldin's sharp teeth are grinding viciously on his remaining neck scales, and digging deeper towards Dakka's artery.

Frantically, Dakka conjures new scales on his neck by moving his mana up there. This is the only thing that saves his life from immediately being snuffed out.

However, Fheldin's grip is too strong, and he can't get the man off of him. Dakka COULD pummel the old man's sides with his hands, but if he diverts any of his mana away from his neck and towards his arms, then his head will immediately be bitten off, and he'll die.

Dakka tries fighting back, but he's losing too much blood and strength to make a good counter attack, even with his free arms.

Finally, Dakka decides to try the other thing he couldn't do before; he forms his mana into a sword, and he makes one last strike at his grandfather.

His strike stabs through his grandfather's defenses, and the old dragons' jaw is completely broken, and his fangs hang loose in his gums.

With his death grip loosened from around his neck, Dakka throws the man off of him.

Dakka is about to go for the kill, but he realizes that Fheldin can't fight back anymore. His arms are gone, his scales shattered, his fangs broken, and his power spent.

The old man is done.

"That was…. pretty good…, old man," Dakka says heavily as he catches his breath and focuses all his mana on his neck – healing it back up slowly. On the young dragon's face is a victorious smile.

"Come on, Grandfather," Dakka implores him, "You've lost. Give me the Divine Blood and step down peacefully. It's about time you get back to your wife."

Fheldin doesn't answer back. He just lays there in a pool of his own blood.

Dakka starts to get scared, and he runs towards Fheldin. He immediately starts pouring his healing magic into his elder – hoping to stop the bleeding.

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Luckily, Dakka's emergency treatment looks like it's working. Of course, this isn't because Dakka is a great healer. Rather, Dragons have such strong vitality that they can recover from most injuries, so long as they have mana coursing through their veins.

Then, Fheldin's eyes crack open, and he sees his grandson's concerned face leaning over him. "You're ALIVE!?" he hears the youngster cry out. "Good! Keep your eyes open! I don't want you falling asleep again!"

Instead of answering, Fheldin's cheeks lift up into a smile, "Well… done!"

"Oh, thanks. Wait… Grandfather!? What's happening!" Dakka shouts in alarm. A sudden change is coming over Fheldin, and Dakka doesn't know what it means.

Fheldin's blue and green hair suddenly starts to turn grey, his skin wrinkles, his muscles shrivel up, and his eyes start to turn misty.

Dakka had never seen a dragon look OLD before. What's happening!?

Then, the young dragon remembers one particular thing about dragons – about their power in their second horn.

The 6th Horn may give a dragon greater authority over the universe, but the 2nd Horn is what gives them eternal youth.

Rather, the 2nd Horn channels a dragon's intense Desire and Ambition into their body – keeping them young and in peak condition.

However… The moment a dragon stops moving forward and loses purpose, he starts to feel old, and his body withers.

Dakka had certainly heard of dragons getting a little older as they grew fat and complacent, but he'd never seen one age this fast.

"Don't look at me like that," Fheldin rasps. "I have nothing left to achieve, and the Fire in my heart is now cold and dim. My body is just reflecting this truth."

"What do you mean, you have nothing left to do here!? What about your wife!? You can't just leave her!"

Fheldin gives Dakka a sharp gaze. "Don't insult Arla like that. She knows what it means to be the wife of a king. She's known who she married from the very beginning."

"What about your kingdom!? You can just give up everything you've worked for?" Dakka shouts. "LOOK AT ME WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU!!"

Fheldin's eyes remain vacant and aimless, and his voice falls silent. Moments later, even his breathing stops.

At long last, the old Lord of Arra lies dead.