Chapter 30. The Revelation

The red dragon hovered, letting the flames dance on its scaled back, and for a second, it just stood there and stared at Draco with its tangerine eyes glittering with anger. He spewed a torrent of fire at the black dragon, but it did nothing because Draco quickly dodged away before any hits could get through and shot off a stream of his own.

They exchanged more swipes, and every time Draco would dodge or try to strike, he'd end up flying off; his wings were too damaged to do so. The red wolgan wasn't just any ordinary dragon but one that could wreck even the sturdy and robust adversary.

This was not an ordinary creature but the mighty one who had the most extraordinary history of saving the mortal world. The red dragon continued firing blasts at Draco until he finally got sick.

With an eagerness to kill him, Draco went out and started blasting a series of balls at the red dragon who was now following behind him, making sure he didn't get any chance to escape.

In the sky were the gliding dragons, unceasingly flying overhead, their sharp talons tearing through the air like a raging storm.

Meanwhile, Hera was crying as she tried to clutch at Draco's scaled-back to stop herself from falling off.

Soon as Draco flew high enough, the red dragon managed to chase him and bit his tail hard enough that he lost control of his direction. The red wolgan pulled him toward his mouth, which opened wide open, ready to swallow Draco.

The scene ceased when Hera lost her balance, but before she finally fell, the red dragon launched into the ocean, submerged deep beneath the waves, and let the vulnerable black dragon escape. His crimson scales glistened as he came up to the surface, catching Hera from above in midair.

The red dragon used his claws to catch hold of Hera and carry her onto the plateau, where they both landed.

Hera stood up, her gaze still locked on the red wolgan. Her eyes filled with dried tears upon realizing how fortunate she was to be saved by this creature. His entire appearance was the same as the other dragons. Still, he held a more menacing presence, thicker scales, and a powerful aura, making him even more threatening than the usual dragons.

After a long silence, the red wolgan lowered his head in front of Hera.

Hera looked into those tangerine eyes and saw something unfathomable, yet no sign of harm, as if it was trying its best to convey some message. She took a step to meet his face; she gently held its face, looking up. "Thank you."

With that, the red wolgan slowly shifted back into his human form. Hera watched as she took a deep breath; her chest slowly rose and fell. She was left flabbergasted upon seeing who was now standing in front of her.

"Darth?"

He didn't respond; instead, he stood still, glaring at her coldly.

"I was right... you are the red wolgan," Hera said, stepping even close, reaching for his cheek with her hand. His eyes flickered over to the soft touch and then glanced back at Hera but didn't say anything. He still stayed silent, giving her the opportunity to continue. "Your name is Magnus Conri? I heard about you through my father. I heard about how you saved the world from those evils."

Hera thought he would get mad or annoyed as she brought back those times in the past. But her expectation was only met with an unexpected response.

"But you haven't heard about the girl who took my treasure. I've been stuck here, alone, for so many years... Because I couldn't return to my ancestral home."

"Is that girl named... Hiree?"

"It's you."

The disclosure made her gasp, taking a few steps back as she tried to process everything. How could it be possible that it was her?

"Is this why you were being summoned by me whenever I was in peril?" she queried, her eyes still glued on him, appalled.

He nodded. "Because my vermillion was inverted on you. This is why the enemies were so eager to get you because you have the power to heal anyone's wound or even those struggling from death."

Tears started again filling Hera's eyes when she realized this was all real. But now that the truth was out, she had no choice but to confront the reality and accept that she was alive, yet her life was always in danger.

However, the thought of that shattered her heart even more than it already was. How could she ever save her father from filthy false accusations if her life could mean more? "I'm so sorry..."

"You don't need to be. You had no way of knowing that these circumstances would happen. If you think I'm mad at you... then that was great folly you've ever done in your life."

His words were enough to make Hera feel lightheaded. "Why? What have I ever done to deserve all of this from you?" she sobbed, wiping the tearful droplets from her eyes on her palms. "A painter who can't even fend for herself, and you're still thinking of me as someone worth saving."

And again, she expected Darth will get annoyed from asking those questions, but he didn't. Instead, he stepped even closer, almost closing the distance between them.

"Because I want you beside me. Even if that meant embracing my demise." his voice was laced with so much sincerity that Hera was taken aback by his bold declaration.

Hera couldn't deny that she felt the same way, and the words of his previous statement echoed in her mind.

"Preserving my life is paramount, but it changed when I met you. I want you safe, Hera."

Speechless. Hera couldn't help but feel the bliss in her heart. It's like all the difficulties she'd been through had suddenly disappeared and been replaced with a new feeling that was warm and soothing.

With no stain of skepticism, Darth pulled her into his arms as if he was trying to protect her from the world.