Chapter Title: The Sin of Immortality – Frey Unleashed
"When the Phoenix roars… some flames are too divine to extinguish."
The battlefield still trembled from the aftershock of Raiken Vayr's descent and departure. Smoke curled through the air, the trees cracked and broken, and the winds still whistled from Drakhaal's parting howl.
Karlous barely stood, panting. His pendant still pulsed dimly from the residual chaos.
Then—
A golden light surged across the field.
SHRAKK!
A radiant golden shell bloomed over Karlous and the onlookers—protective and dense. The barrier shimmered like sunlight on steel, anchored by a radiant glyph. On the hill above, standing proud and composed, was Lady Roselyn, the first Swordmaster of the Phoenix household and Vice Captain of the Third Quadrant.
"Stand ready! Form perimeter!" she barked to the knights behind her. "Protect Lord Nox and Lady Sera!"
Yet, her commanding aura flickered as her eyes landed on the golden-cloaked figure.
Frey Del Ahoya.
His golden-blonde hair billowed, his tattered cloak flapping like an ancient banner. Frey looked up toward Roselyn's barrier, unimpressed.
"Tch. Cute," he muttered.
Then, with a flick of his fingers—
CRACK!
The golden shield shattered like glass.
A wave of mana exploded outward. Knights fell to their knees. The wind itself bent in his direction.
Roselyn stepped forward, sword drawn. Her voice rang like steel, "Frey Del Ahoya! What is your business in Phoenix territory?! Why have you come here?"
Frey glanced at her with calm eyes.
"Still alive, huh?" he replied, tilting his head. "How's your Captain? Still pretending he won last time?"
Gasps.
Sera flinched. Even Nox's fingers tightened around his blade.
But Frey…
His body began to glow—a soft golden hue spreading from his chest outward. The wounds from his battle with Raiken began closing at an unnatural speed. Bones aligned. Flesh sealed.
Roselyn's eyes widened. "He's healing… faster than regeneration magic—"
Karlous watched, trembling.
Frey's expression darkened. The usual grin faded. With one step, he blurred.
BOOP!
Frey appeared before Karlous and gave a single flick to his forehead.
"Sleep."
Karlous collapsed like a log, snoring before he hit the grass.
Frey turned, now facing the knights. His golden aura surged. "I don't like showing my true colors in front of my students…"
A circular glyph erupted beneath him—divine, ancient, lined with dragon runes.
A voice echoed from the heavens:
"What ruckus have you caused this time, Frey?"
The sky split.
And from it descended Fafnir—a dragon cloaked in flame, wings eclipsing the sun, eyes like golden stars.
Frey chuckled. "Look who's here! Fired chicken's cousin came to greet us!"
Fafnir landed with a thunderous BOOM, earth cracking beneath him.
The entire Phoenix estate shook.
Nox stepped forward, blade drawn. "Del Ahoya…! I challenge you!"
Frey glanced at him, unimpressed.
He released… dragon fear.
A wave of primal aura flooded the battlefield. The sky dimmed. Birds froze mid-flight. Knights collapsed in fear. Even Roselyn stumbled back.
Nox dropped his blade, knees trembling.
Roselyn gasped, "He… he's a Dragon Knight too…?"
Nox whispered, "Who is he really…?"
Roselyn didn't answer immediately. Then, in a grim voice: "Even I don't know. Only the Captain and the Tower Elders met him. That day… we were sent after a false bounty. Frey single handedly defeated our entire 3rd Quadrant. If not for the Patriarch's intervention, the estate would've been ash."
Above them, the floating flagship of the Blue Magic Tower approached. A voice called from above.
"Frey Del Ahoya… I have no desire to fight you."
The Vice Master of the Blue Tower appeared, hovering with a staff.
"My bones tremble at your presence. I came by command of the Empress herself. My interest is in the divine beast's aura. But if you ask me…" she sighed, "…I'd rather pet a chimera with rabies than fight you."
Frey laughed. "Wise choice."
But then—
THUD. THUD. THUD.
A new aura approached. Heavier. More grounded.
A man in deep armor, bearing the crest of the 3rd Quadrant, entered with a massive glaive strapped to his back.
Captain Alroth Vhalon.
His voice was like thunder over still water.
"Frey Del Ahoya… We never finished our last dance."
Frey grinned.
"Then let's finish it, Iron Tempest."
BATTLE ENGAGED
Frey lunged forward, flames bursting from his boots. Alroth swung his glaive, creating a seismic quake. Their weapons met in a screech of metal and fire.
Frey danced like wind. Alroth stood like a fortress. Fire spirals clashed against stone walls of mana.
Each blow shook the ground. Explosions echoed across the valley. Lightning cracked the sky.
Frey laughed, spinning midair and kicking Alroth's blade off angle.
Alroth roared, planting his glaive and channeling a storm.
But just as it reached its peak—Frey stopped.
He raised his sword—and then lowered it.
"It's over."
SHOOM.
The battlefield calmed. The air stilled. It was as if time reset.
Frey turned.
He tossed a glowing potion toward Sera. "Give this to your brother when he wakes up. Tell him I said good luck."
He strapped his bag over his shoulder.
"Fafnir," he called casually.
The dragon yawned and stretched its wings.
"Let's go, big guy."
With a final gust of wind, they soared into the sky. The shockwave left behind a sonic boom that shook the entire phoenix state .
World Notes:
Frey Del Ahoya: Rogue prince, Sin of Immortality. Dragon Knight. Unleashed.
Fafnir: Divine Dragon of Flame. First public appearance.
Captain Alroth Vhalon: Iron Tempest. Lost again… barely.
Roselyn, Nox, Sera: All shocked by the overwhelming power.
Blue Magic Tower: Chooses not to engage Frey, warning issued to the Empress.
A storm has passed. But the skies only grow darker.