Ashes and Kingdoms

An army soldier, only boned and skinned, keeps his armor helmet on and pushes it as it floats in the darkness. Heavy sound of metal touching each other. Bones rub and break, dry sound. And a voice that leads the army of hunger, unspeakable with or without.

- Shipokose... Yokose...

Status and honor, power. the strongest dominance, which leaves society and people at will.

- Nono Monoda......!

No more instructions from anyone, no more pussy slapping, no more scornful eyes.

A cloudy darkness strikes an avalanche and approaches the walls of the Imperial capital as it boils down to a blacker joy. Attached to a closed gate, smashed, and poured into the street. Garden trees such as figs and pomegranates, as well as liquor jars and roadside pots left behind, are instantly swallowed by darkness. remnants of what a person lived for, all the way to that last shard.

A small light lit up one after the other on the perimeter of the seeming covered royal capital.

The feeling of being pulled intensified and Finn grabbed Taz's arm unconsciously. I can't even look at my painful face.

From the little sorcery that was buried in the earth, it was seen that the power of the gods, of the dragons, of the Spirit, was spinning in thread.

Shining yarns are knitted together and become giant nets covering the royal capital.

The vortex of hunger rose heavily with the cry of anger. But it doesn't reach the net. Without being able to touch it directly, it bounces back and sinks under the power of the mighty “world” itself, which is totally at odds with itself.

(Just a little more......!

Unconsciously Finn was in tune with the forces that made up the net. The pain of being forced to draw strength is accompanied by unpleasant discomfort that I have never tasted before. But his consciousness as a human being understood the need and even endured it.

Spin, braid and close the yarn from the edge. Finally, the last knot was made.

"... Huh!

was, and breathed heavily, and Finn sat down on the spot weak. Even as Taz rubs his reddened arm, he gives in and cares for Finn.

"Are you okay, man, what's going on?

"Sorcery... activated, I did. Give me strength..."

Finn shakes his head and answers the cut. After a few deep breaths, he finally calmed down and looked up at Taz.

"Anyway, I succeeded. Hunger is trapped in the Imperial Capital. I don't think that powerful net would break it."

"So far apart, you found out about the capital"

Taz raises his alarmed voice. Finn was pleased that there was no fear included there. Stand up carefully, forcing the pulled out and disturbed force to slowly calm down to its usual state and circle its body.

"Distance is not a problem. Because the power of dragons and spirits is connected elsewhere… If great magic uses such power, everyone connected feels it. In my case, through Lena."

I'll gently stroke Lena in my consciousness as I speak. For dragons and spirits who can be described as incarnations of power, the action of magic is like draining blood from a human heart with a tube. Lena is somewhat protected by her bond with Finn, but she was still neat.

A lot... the spirits have been inhaled.

I kind of figured it out, too. I can't believe how terrible magic is.

Finn said sincerely. But at the same time, I admired the tremendous power of that technique.

Magic is cruel and relentless, and if misused, it threatens the world itself, which is an indisputable fact. But there was no other way to seal that “hunger”. Where all the dragon hos on earth cooperated, the same thing would not have been possible.

With disgust and fear, I have to admit I need to. That was destined to be a creature on earth who couldn't escape into heaven, not because Finn was human.

Lena vaguely felt and understood his consciousness.

But... you needed it. If you don't... everyone will be swallowed by it.

He says it spicy and closes his consciousness with a twist so as to hold his mouth. Finn kept quiet. I guess now she's chewing on what's hard to accept about Lena, who's a dragon. I don't want to interrupt.

"Just in case, I'm going back a little north to see how it goes. Don't get too close."

Finn said to Taz, his guide face, and gave a salute to Senato before leaving the city hall at a somewhat indelible foothold.

As I flew upstream along the Orne River, I could feel the anomaly on my skin.

It's quiet.

Remembering what Lena had said before in the Mazra region, Finn frowned. The activities of the Spirit, which I feel unconscious everyday, are now only readily apparent even when I am conscious. Instead, there are signs of an active pulsating force in the north. And the rustle of gray shadows crawling through the earth. Apparently, as expected, some of them escaped without the trap of the Imperial Capital.

When the Imperial Capital entered his sight, Finn and Lena shook together. I was also relieved by the net of light that covered the city softly, but the intensity of its wild hunger inside is not the ratio of Quanos.

Are you all right?

Even Lena, disgusted by witchcraft, was so worried about the intensity of the surgery by accident.

"So far, it's not going to break..."

Finn clouds the words with no certainty. Then I looked around, and it got hard. A little down the Orne River from the Imperial Capital, a man fell on the shore. The slight light that hangs over the body does not arise from the spirit of the person. It's the remnants of sorcery.

Finn made sure he was safe, and then went down to the ground, nagging Lena, who seemed uncomfortable.

"Mr. Orgin!

Instead, kneel and call. The sorcerer was badly debilitated, but opened his eyes thinly to Finn's voice, spilling a slight breath.

"Apparently… Success,"

"Yeah. But keep it that way, until the“ hunger ”really destroys itself. Anyway, I'll take you to a safe place. If we don't hurry, we'll be surrounded by shadows that have escaped the trap"

Although weak compared to the main body, the gray shadow continues to progress, devouring all the lives that go and meet. Casacoso and whispering voice reach Finn's ear.

Himojii...... Okre...... Eating Waseteke...... Greed Shiiyo......

Because the momentum had been shredded, the voice of "hunger” had turned into a childlike sign. The threat has diminished, but the creepy, horrible thing is, it's not much different than before.

Orgin gave an ironic bitter smile to Finn, who also tried to cuddle him right away. I stabbed the nail to tell you not to come and help me, but I told you. But what I said was another word.

"The dragon won't like it"

"It's..."

Ugh, and Finn gets stuck. Before he could ask, Lena appeared fluffy and human, answering on his behalf.

"You don't like it. I would do such a horrible thing, I'm a magician. I feel cold in that net of power."

A frank accusation, but as much hatred and hatred as when humans say the same, was not revealed in their voices or in their expressions. Lena just shook her head sadly.

"But the“ hunger ”you sealed is scarier"

"Humans control poison with poison," Orgin responds with a slight hint. "Humans have fear and longing for dangerous poisons as well. Seeking strength and poisoning, dancing hand in hand with fear. You can abandon the magician."

"No. I don't like it, but I'll take you. Because Finn wants to help you. Because Finn's important people need your help and moves."

When I said it, Lena spread her wings wide and went back to what she was.

As he rose to the sky, Orgin relaxed or closed his eyes again and lost consciousness.

Finn does his eyes on the ground again to make sure the net of force is not loose. I had no idea when the raging "hunger” would calm down underneath.

And, Lena softly touched Finn's heart, which was about to sink. Under gentle and soft light, Finn realizes at some point, to himself, that he was affected by hunger.

Sorry, thanks. Sounds a little too close.

I think I'm getting a little tired, too. Hey, Finn, if you put that guy down, why don't you play for a while?

Instead of flying with purpose or errands, just feel free to take in the sunlight and fly through the sky as you wish. Lena likes to play. Finn lowered his mouth, right, and nodded.

You might want to fly over the sea and swim a little somewhere. The sea on the national side has a different expression than the sea in the north, and it will be interesting.

"Shall we find Nellis and Mac and go offshore together? Keep the land on the shelf.

Agreed!

As soon as Lena seemed so happy that she was about to turn around, Finn rushed to hold Orgin's body back. Lena sends in signs of frightening and Finn spills a laugh.

Don't forget we don't have wings.

Humans are really inconvenient. But if Finn flies away on his own, I miss him, so maybe it's a good inconvenience.

Finn responded and stopped embarrassing himself with the boulder. I realized that I had been shut down along the way, and Lena said, "What? > and tilt his neck.

Nothing.

Finn distracted and somehow deceived Lena by slapping her on the back. but.

It was about time I flew for a while and forgot the lighting, and Lena said inadvertently.

I'll be careful not to leave Finn, too.

Did you hear that?

I just figured it out somehow.

Lena looks happy and spills a dull laugh. Finn looked up to heaven to do it.

The summer sky is deep and blue everywhere, so clear that there is no deception whatsoever. Exactly, like the Tenryu itself.

You're no match for me.

I surrendered, Finn waved the white flag in his heart, but I didn't feel bad.