The Will to Defy Fate

Siegfried's body was partially buried in the rubble, smoke rising from the charred stone where he had crashed. His once-pristine cape was torn, his armor dented, and blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.

Yet his golden eyes still burned with unrelenting fury.

"You... damn lizards." He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to move. His arms trembled as he shoved aside the debris, his legs unsteady as he staggered upright.

The cavern hummed with tension.

Siegfried spat blood onto the ground, his jaw clenched. "Why? Why do you insist on getting in the way!?" His voice was raw, strained.

Zarathorak tilted his head, scoffing. "You think we'd just let you use our brother like some tool? You really are out of your damn mind."

Fafnir folded his arms, his expression unreadable. "This was never your choice to make, Siegfried. Not ours, either."

Ingi let out a slow breath, his gaze steady. "We do not decide which path is right or wrong. That is up to those who walk it."

Siegfried's eyes widened for a fraction of a second.

"You…" His voice dropped into a near-growl. "You think yourselves wise? Do you think fate bends to your ideals?"

He took a step forward. Then another.

"You are children playing in a war far greater than your understanding!" His voice rose, shaking with anger. "You think you have a choice? That you can just stop what's coming?"

He pointed at me, his breath ragged. "You are a fool. You're wasting everything that has been set in motion!"

I held my ground, feeling Umbaxis' soul stirring within me. My body burned, but I refused to look away.

"I don't care." My voice was firm. "I don't care what your plans are. I don't care what fate you believe in."

I clenched my fists. "All I know is that Umbaxis deserves to choose. And he chose me."

Siegfried's expression twisted into disgust. "You… arrogant, ignorant…"

He took another step—And was instantly met with an earth-shaking force.

BOOM!

Zarathorak's fist collided with Siegfried's gut, sending him skidding backward. His boots dug into the cracked stone, but he barely had time to recover—

Fafnir was already upon him.

A spiraling inferno engulfed Siegfried, forcing him to raise Balmung in defense. The moment he did—Ingi's celestial chains lashed forward.

"You're not getting past us!" Ingi's voice boomed as the golden chains wrapped around Siegfried's limbs, dragging him down.

Siegfried snarled, struggling against the hold, his raw strength forcing the chains to groan under pressure.

But Zarathorak and Fafnir were already moving in sync.

Fafnir's flames coiled with Zarathorak's blood lightning, forming an unrelenting wave of destruction.

"Dragon Unison—"

Siegfried's eyes widened. "Tch—!"

"Final Dissonance!"

The attack detonated upon impact, Siegfried's form vanishing beneath the sheer force of the explosion.

The cavern rumbled violently, cracks splitting through the walls. The barrier sealing Umbaxis wavered.

And as the smoke settled—Siegfried was nowhere to be seen.

The cavern was deathly silent. The air was thick with dust and residual energy, the ground beneath us scorched and cracked from the sheer force of the impact.

For a moment, none of us moved.

Then—Zarathorak exhaled, rolling his shoulders. "Hah… now that felt satisfying." His voice was rough, but there was a grin on his face.

Fafnir, still catching his breath, rubbed the back of his neck. "Took long enough. That bastard was persistent."

Ingi, standing tall, crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. His eyes glowed faintly as he surveyed the area. "Don't lower your guard. He's not dead."

And he was right.

Because the air still carried his presence.

Even though we had blasted him away, Siegfried was still out there. Still watching.

I turned my attention back to Umbaxis. His body was nearly fully petrified now, his once-proud wings frozen in stone, his golden eyes dimming.

I stepped closer, my heart pounding.

"Umbaxis…" I whispered.

His lips barely moved, but I heard him. "It's… almost done."

I could feel it. His soul was still fusing with mine.

But before I could say anything else—

A chilling voice rang through the cavern.

"You think this is over?"

A shiver ran down my spine.

From the shadows of the ruined cavern, Siegfried emerged.

He was battered, bruised, blood dripping from his forehead. His once-mighty form was slightly hunched, his cape torn beyond recognition.

But his eyes burned with something worse than anger.

Pure, unrelenting hatred.

"You fools," he spat. "You've only delayed the inevitable."

He took a slow step forward, his presence still suffocating.

"The seal will break. Pyrion will return. And when he does—"

He tilted his head slightly, his voice dropping to a near whisper.

"You will all burn."

A deep crack echoed through the cavern.

I looked down—Umbaxis' petrified form was beginning to fracture.

The process was reaching its final stage.

Siegfried's golden eyes flickered toward me.

And suddenly—his rage twisted into something colder.

Understanding.

His gaze locked onto mine.

"You're the vessel now." His voice was eerily calm. "Fine. If I can't take Umbaxis, then I'll take you instead."

And then he vanished.

A flash of silver. A blur of motion.

He was coming straight for me.

But before he could reach—

A wall of flame erupted between us.

Fafnir's voice boomed. "Over my dead body!"

Zarathorak snarled. "Tch! You really don't know when to quit, do you?!"

Ingi stepped forward, his body radiating a deep crimson glow as his aura flared to its peak. "Craig, finish it. We'll handle him."

I clenched my fists. The final stage of the soul transfer was here.

I gritted my teeth, feeling my body searing from the inside.

The power of Umbaxis—his very essence—was reaching its peak. His soul had nearly finished fusing with mine. My blood felt heavier, hotter, wilder. Every fiber of my being was changing.

The cavern shook violently. Umbaxis' petrified form was almost completely fractured, cracks spreading across his body like jagged lightning.

Then—A pulse of energy erupted from my chest, radiating outward in a blinding golden flash. The force of it sent waves of heat rolling through the cavern, making even the walls tremble.

Umbaxis' body broke apart completely.

In its place, a single glowing orb hovered before me.

A Dragon Soul.