"Roar!"
The Nightmare Dragon unleashed a furious bellow, reeling from the unthinkable. This angel had bypassed its multiple virtual personas, locking onto its true body!
"Impossible!" The bizarre situation screamed danger, and a dragon's roar aimed to summon Herabergen from the City of Miracles.
It knew anyone bold enough to confront it wouldn't be merely a Sequence 2 Angel of Secrets; other angels, perhaps even Misfortune herself, lurked in the shadows.
Maybe Misfortune had come!
The Misfortune Goddess's legend endured. Centuries ago, she slew the wounded Demonic Wolf, instilling fear in angels, subordinate gods, and even ancient gods across all races.
Her rise as a subordinate god arguably worsened conditions for others, drawing ancient gods' suspicion.
Naturally, some subordinate gods harbored their own ambitions…
In short, the Nightmare Dragon dared not face the Misfortune Goddess alone.
Like the Queen of Calamity Cohinem, it bore various ancient god blessings, but Misfortune had felled an ancient god of its Father God's rank!
"Silence!" The Angel of Secrets spoke softly, and all sounds were concealed, enforcing total quiet.
The Nightmare Dragon leaped and teleported through the collective unconscious sea at blinding speed, desperate to escape the Misfortune Goddess's hidden domain.
For a "Writer" to be forced into direct combat was a severe constraint on its abilities.
"Ignite Fear!" The Secret Angel spoke again, lightly pointing. Something in the Nightmare Dragon's mind was triggered and detonated.
Darkness pathway Sequence 3, "Horror Bishop."
The Nightmare Dragon's body, concealed in the collective unconscious sea, nearly crashed into reality.
Its draconic form erupted, unable to fully evade despite multiple attempts. A trace of fear for the Misfortune Goddess emerged, sharply seized by the Angel of Secrets.
"Roar!" The Nightmare Dragon spun, roaring at the Angel of Secrets. "You're Misfortune!"
The Secret Angel's two moves were overwhelmingly potent!
Its earlier "Mind Control" failed due to the opponent's superior rank!
It hadn't realized this, as the Secret Angel's mental state was too stable, unlike the near-madness typical of Sequence 1.
Recognizing its mistake, it used "Pacify" on itself. Its near-shattered body re-solidified, swelling massively, becoming immensely powerful!
The Nightmare Dragon hypnotized itself to forget its rising fear, using "Observer" to amplify its strength!
The Angel of Secrets raised a hand, spreading darkness that rippled like water, plunging the surroundings into the deepest, most despairing night.
A serene, tranquil sensation descended with twinkling starlight.
Amid the silence, a faint poetic chant emerged, peaceful and soothing, lulling all into sleep, offering redemption to troubled minds.
The Nightmare Dragon, adept in mental manipulation, sensed this power. It unleashed "Frenzy" and "Mind Storm," disrupting the Secret Angel's psyche.
The tactic worked, halting the sleep-inducing power, the Secret Angel's body stiffening momentarily.
"Mental Breath"!
An invisible, transparent breath was poised to pierce the Secret Angel's mind.
Sss! At the critical moment, the Angel of Secret's
body vanished, erased as if by a rubber eraser.
When the Misfortune Goddess reappeared, she was much closer to the Nightmare Dragon.
"Plague Storm"!
The Nightmare Dragon unleashed its deadliest attack for an angel, blending "Mind Deprivation" and "Mental Plague" to destabilize mental states, awaken inner madness, and trigger instant loss of control.
Buzz!
Unable to dodge, the Misfortune Goddess's eyes flashed black, revealing her mythical creature form.
An eight-legged demonic wolf growled, laced with hints of madness.
The Nightmare Dragon's eyes glinted, "Insight" and "Dream Labyrinth" descending, conjuring the Misfortune Goddess's deepest fear.
A roaring blood moon, a world-ravaging demonic wolf.
"Annihilation Demonic Wolf!" The Nightmare Dragon's eyes widened, sensing something off, but it was too late to stop.
"The Misfortune Goddess will suffer further torment under the Demonic Wolf!" The Nightmare Dragon could only declare this with its "Writer" ability.
The Dream Labyrinth shifted, the destruction-laden wolf using "Fooling" to strip the Misfortune Goddess's sanity.
The Nightmare Dragon gained a brief respite, preparing to weave a complete story from her fear, trapping her in a dream.
Sss!
A black light flashed, a death scythe dismembering the Annihilation Demonic Wolf, shattering the Dream Labyrinth!
How can a dead fear remain fearsome?
But it was too swift!
Spiritual backlash sent the Nightmare Dragon's state crashing, teetering on loss of control. It stared in shock, meeting those clear eyes.
The Misfortune Goddess's "Plague Storm" affliction was a ruse; her mind was utterly unaffected!
"Impossible?!" The Nightmare Dragon surged with profound confusion.
Angels walked hand-in-hand with madness; how could one struck remain so lucid?
But the Misfortune Goddess clearly had no interest in explaining, poised to reap this mystical item.
"You're Misfortune herself!" The Nightmare Dragon suddenly realized.
When had the switch occurred?
It recalled a moment of "Concealment."
The only time the Angel of Secrets vanished from its sight, reappearing to be hit by "Plague Storm," transforming into a wolf's mythical form, overlooked even by the mind-adept dragon!
A Sequence 2 clone and the Misfortune Goddess's true body were entirely different concepts!
"Father God…" The Nightmare Dragon roared, but its voice remained concealed.
Outside the battlefield, some humans opened numb eyes, muttering the Dragon of Imagination's name.
Buzz!
With a faint tremor, the entire city-state was concealed.
The Nightmare Dragon could no longer maintain its state, plummeting from the collective unconscious sea.
"Everything here is concealed," the Misfortune Goddess stated, calm and ruthless.
The Nightmare Dragon forcibly "Pacified" its mind, hypnotizing itself to become powerful again.
"Do you know you're your Father God's contingency for resurrection?" the Goddess said suddenly. "That's the meaning of your existence."
The words seeped into its mind like night. They couldn't shake a mind dragon's psyche, but what if it already harbored such a fear?
The Nightmare Dragon's heart wavered, its empowered state collapsing instantly.
It could believe itself powerful to become powerful, but before its Father God, it was always weak, unable to resist.
The Misfortune Goddess chuckled softly, her fingers twitching, reigniting the Nightmare Dragon's fear.
(End of Chapter)