Chains of the Fallen

Ancient, towering, and embedded deep into the rock, it pulsed with an ominous red glow. Symbols older than any civilization I knew were etched into its surface, glowing faintly in the darkness. The air around it crackled with energy, as if warning us to stay away.

Fafnir turned to me, his expression grim. "I don't like this."

Zarathorak crossed his arms, his gaze locked onto the door. "There's only one way to know what's behind it."

Ingi exhaled, stepping forward. "Stay sharp. Whoever—or whatever—did this is strong enough to imprison a dragon."

We pushed.

The moment our hands touched the door, the glow intensified. The symbols flickered, the ground trembled, and with a deep groan, the door slowly creaked open.

A gust of stale, blood-tainted air rushed past us.

And then, we saw him.

A colossal shadow loomed before us. A dragon.

But not just any dragon—Umbaxis.

His massive form was slumped, restrained by monstrous, glowing chains that wrapped around his limbs, wings, and neck.

Deep crimson stained his dark scales—his own blood pooling beneath him. His breathing was ragged, weak. His body trembled with every breath, as if clinging to life by sheer will alone.

But what shocked me the most was the look in his eyes.

Umbaxis—a mighty dragon—looked broken.

Zarathorak clenched his fists, his teeth bared. "Who… did this?"

Fafnir stepped closer, his voice low. "He's dying."

Ingi's face darkened. "This is no ordinary chain." He knelt beside one of them, running his fingers over its surface. The runes on the metal pulsed, feeding off some unknown power. "This is ancient magic. Not even a dragon could break free from this alone."

That meant someone—or something—had done this deliberately.

Umbaxis stirred, his body twitching. His head lifted weakly, his eyes barely focusing on us.

And then, his voice—low, strained, but filled with fury.

"You… came… too late…"

The weight of his voice sent a chilling realization through all of us.

Without hesitation, Zarathorak, Fafnir, and Ingi rushed forward to aid their fallen kin.

But the instant they got too close—

BAM!

A force unlike anything we had ever felt repelled them, sending all three of them staggering backward.

A shimmering, deep violet barrier—almost like a translucent crystalline wall—pulsed in the air around Umbaxis. The energy it emitted was suffocating, pressing against my chest like an unmovable weight.

Fafnir growled, gripping his wrist as he glared at the invisible force. "What the hell…?"

Zarathorak gritted his teeth, his eyes burning. "It won't let us through?! Who in the abyss set this up?!"

Ingi's expression darkened. He took a step forward and slowly raised his hand, channeling his dragonic force. A brilliant golden glow erupted around his palm as he attempted to analyze the structure of the barrier.

I could feel the sheer divine and draconic energy radiating off of him—this was no normal analysis; he was pitting his own power against the barrier's to test its strength.

The second his energy touched the barrier—

A violent pulse erupted.

A golden and violet shockwave exploded outward, shaking the entire cavern!

Ingi gritted his teeth, sweat forming on his brow. "This barrier… it's beyond powerful."

My eyes narrowed. "How strong are we talking?"

Ingi exhaled sharply, stepping back. "This isn't just some simple spell… It rivals the combined force of my and your Unison Barrier, Craig."

The weight of that statement settled over all of us like a curse.

Fafnir's eyes widened. "You mean…"

Ingi nodded. **"Whoever placed this—**this thing—has a mastery over barriers and sealing magic that can rival ours."

Zarathorak slammed his fist against the floor, his frustration boiling over. "Who the hell could have done this?! What kind of being would even be able to—"

CLANG!

A deep reverberation echoed through the cavern.

The chains around Umbaxis pulsed.

And then… they tightened.

A pained snarl erupted from Umbaxis as the magical bindings dug even deeper into his flesh, causing his blood to spill onto the cold stone beneath him.

We threw everything we had at the barrier. Magic, brute force, enchantment disruption, even attempts to rewrite the mana flow— nothing worked.

Each time we tried to interfere, the chains reacted violently, tightening even more around Umbaxis's already broken body. His blood splattered onto the cold stone floor, and his agonized roars echoed like thunder in the cavern.

"Damn it!" Fafnir cursed, his claws trembling in frustration.

Zarathorak snarled, his rage reaching a boiling point. "What the hell kind of magic is this?! It's responding to our interference—who would create something this twisted?!"

Ingi narrowed his eyes, scanning the intricate runes pulsing within the barrier. His voice was grave. "This isn't just a seal—it's a torment curse. The more we struggle against it, the more it feeds on the target's suffering."

I clenched my fists. "Then we can't just break it with force… there has to be another way."

We turned back to Umbaxis. He was barely holding on, his body slumped, golden draconic blood pooling beneath him. We had to act fast.

"Umbaxis!" Ingi called, stepping forward. "Who did this? Who the hell is responsible?!"

Umbaxis's half-lidded, weary eyes barely managed to focus on us. His body trembled from exhaustion, his breathing ragged. It took everything he had just to open his mouth.

"...Nnngh…"

A weak growl escaped his throat.

We all leaned in, desperate to hear.

"Who, Umbaxis?!" Zarathorak demanded, his voice trembling with both anger and desperation.

Umbaxis's lips barely moved as he choked out a single word…

"H...h…e…"

His body convulsed violently, and his head slumped forward before he could finish.

Fafnir rushed forward, his voice tight with concern. "Umbaxis?!"

No response. His breathing had grown weaker.

"...He's at his limit," Ingi muttered grimly.

A heavy silence fell over us.

Whoever "he" was… they were powerful enough to bind a dragon in chains so cruel that they only tightened with every rescue attempt. This was no ordinary mage, no adventurer with a grudge—this was someone who knew exactly what they were doing.

And now, we were on borrowed time.

We had to find a way to break this barrier before Umbaxis lost his life.