As they prepared to move, Paul decided to leave Black behind in Dellie's treehouse. Although Black whimpered, he seemed to understand that facing the crocodile dragon would require Paul's complete focus, making it best for him to stay.
"Don't worry, I'll be back," Paul said with a reassuring smile, as Black happily barked in response.
With the group ready, Paul spoke up. "By the way," he began, glancing at his companions, "I'd like to introduce you all to my fairy friend, Dellie." He gestured toward the small, luminous figure beside him, her wings shimmering in the dim light. Dellie smiled, her glow casting a soft light over the group. Turning to Dellie with pride, Paul added, "And Dellie, meet my new family." His brothers each stepped forward, offering her warm smiles and respectful nods, sensing the strength and wisdom radiating from her. Dellie's eyes sparkled with curiosity and warmth as she took in each of them, a sense of connection forming within the group.
Following the introductions, the other fairies returned and began fluttering around the brothers. It seemed that Dellie's warm welcome had made them trustworthy in the eyes of the other fairies.
While his brothers were mesmerized by the sight of the rare tiny creatures, Paul couldn't help but wonder about the abnormality of the situation. First, the many injured animals lying below and inside the treehouse. And now, the large number of Dellie's kin in one location. From what she had told him in the past, fairies lived in isolation, each tasked with safeguarding a specific part of the forest.
Though he hoped for the best, Paul's thoughts grew more grim. Soon, his hunch proved correct. As they decided to head toward the dragon's whereabouts, they finally grasped the full extent of the devastation the dragon had wrought. The further they went, the more they saw how that side of the forest had turned into a desolate landscape of jagged, broken trunks and scorched earth, a stark contrast to the vibrant, thriving woods they had just passed through. They also saw many animal carcases, burnt beyond recognition.
Paul immediately noticed the deep sadness etched across Dellie's face. A fairy's purpose is to restore harmony in the natural world, and witnessing the state of the forest and the deaths of many creatures around them weighed heavily on her heart.
He wanted to comfort her but chose not to, knowing this was not the time for that. He needed the rage, as this heart-wrenching scene ignited it within him. The burning anger surged through him, making him feel stronger and more focused. He realized that the dragon was not just a source of chaos in his life; it was also a harbinger of despair for countless others. He knew he had to face the beast—not just for revenge, but for Dellie, for the forest, and for all the innocent lives impacted by its destructive wrath.
"They pressed onward until the path opened into a vast field. Before them lay a massive crater, the remnants of once-mighty trees reduced to ash. In the center, the Crocodile Dragon lay motionless, its enormous form nestled amidst the gray remains as if caught in a deep, enchanted slumber.
Eijay squinted at the colossal beast, his heart racing at the sight. "That thing is enormous. What's the plan?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Let's seize the moment and strike together," Rhyz proposed, his eyes gleaming with determination. "We can unleash our most powerful attacks simultaneously—a complete surprise assault."
Zaell nodded, but a note of caution crept into his tone. "Agreed. But what if, after all that, it's still alive? What do we do then?"
Paul chimed in, his brows furrowed as he contemplated the risk. "We'll just have to wing it and adapt to whatever happens."
The brothers nodded in agreement. "Then let's position ourselves around it," Jeyel instructed, his voice cutting through the tension. "We'll unleash everything we've got. We can't afford to let it rise."
With that, they moved into position, each step calculated to ensure complete stealth. The air grew thick with anticipation as they neared the fearsome beast. Paul's heart raced in his chest, each beat echoing his longing for revenge that felt so close, almost as if he could hold it in his hand. He floated high above, silently drawing his bow, his gaze locked onto the dragon's most vulnerable point. Hovering in mid-air, he steadied himself, narrowing his focus as he held the string tightly, ready to release a storm of arrows with deadly accuracy.
Rhyz, in a flash, teleported to the jagged edge of a scorched boulder jutting out from the desolate ground. From his elevated position, he raised his heavy gun—a weapon he had used during the werewolf invasion, now modified for deadlier firepower. He steadied his aim, every muscle tense as he waited for the signal to strike.
Eijay stood a short distance away, his face locked in concentration as he channeled his energy into a powerful spell. With unwavering focus, he worked to conjure a small meteor that hovered menacingly in the sky, poised to descend with destructive force. Nearby, Zaell reached into his pouch and retrieved a handful of metal fragments and debris he had collected during the werewolf attack.
Seeing this, Jeyel readied his katana, the blade glistening with frost as he charged it with a wave of icy energy. Together, Zaell and Jeyel prepared a coordinated attack, aiming to combine Zaell's projectiles with Jeyel's freezing slash.
In perfect synchrony, the moment Eijay's meteor ignited and began its fiery descent like a comet, they unleashed their attacks in a coordinated strike. Rhyz's gunfire roared, Jeyel's icy slash tore through the air, bringing Zaell's deadly projectiles with it, and Paul's arrows rained down—all aimed with unrelenting focus at the dragon's massive head. The combined assault surged with power, striking as one in a devastating burst.
The impact sent a deafening shockwave through the forest. The ground trembled as dragon scales scattered across the area. Blood spattered from the beast, pooling around it as it let out a pained roar. Despite the onslaught, the dragon thrashed, its massive body writhing in agony as it tried to fly.
Without hesitation, the brothers shifted their focus, targeting the dragon's wing. Their attacks tore into the muscular membrane, each strike intensifying the creature's desperation. The dragon fought against the relentless barrage, but its struggle only grew weaker as the brothers continued their brutal assault.
In desperation, the dragon abandoned its attempt to fly and shifted its strategy. With a guttural roar, it swung its massive tail with terrifying force, the air cracking with the impact. The tail swept across the battlefield, catching each of the brothers off guard—including Paul, who was in the air. The force of the blow sent them reeling, their bodies battered by the strike. Though they managed to dodge just in time to avoid a fatal blow, the sheer power of the tail left them wounded, bruised, and struggling to regain their footing.
Dellie, determined to help, expertly ensnared Paul with her crowded vines, weaving a healing magic around him. Just then, her fellow fairy joined in, wrapping their vines around Paul's brothers, mending their injuries with swift precision.
"Thank you," Paul said, gratitude shining in his eyes as he smiled at Dellie. With a resolute nod, he added, "I need to get back in there," before reluctantly handing his bow to Dellie; his quiver had run dry of arrows.
"Fairies are incredible, bro!" Zaell exclaimed with glee, his voice echoing through the forest as he marveled at the healing magic. Not to mention, all of them felt an exhilarating surge of energy coursing through their bodies, as if even their stamina had been fully restored.
Paul, especially, with renewed strength, did not hesitate to propel himself into the air once more—but this time, the blade hidden in his prosthetic leg gleamed menacingly in the sunlight. A fierce green aura enveloped him as his rage ability ignited, pulsing in time with the rhythm of his heartbeat. Driven by a deep, burning vengeance, he surged toward the beast, unleashing a flurry of powerful slashes.
Without delay, his brothers joined the offense, bombarding the crocodile dragon with relentless attacks to keep it occupied. Though it hadn't been long since they formed a party, their ability to cooperate so seamlessly—without the need for communication—made it seem as though they had been working together for years.
That was especially evident when, without any signals, they instinctively understood Paul's intentions. Because of this, Paul was able to focus on his task, striking with precision until his blade cleaved through the dragon's limb.
The crocodile dragon, noticing it all too late, let out an ear-splitting roar, its massive body momentarily staggering from the loss of its limb. However, that was not enough to slow it down. The mighty creature stood its ground, eyes glaring at Paul with renewed fury.
In a sudden, violent snap, it lunged, attempting to erase Paul with its gargantuan jaws in one deadly bite. But just as the beast struck, Zaell dashed forward, his magic boots propelling him with astonishing speed. In a daring maneuver, he raised his shield and expanded it to its original colossal size—so large that it completely blocked the dragon's mouth, towering over its head. Paul then used that moment to fly out of the dragon's reach, while Zaell used the force of the clash to propel himself upward.
With steady breaths, Zaell activated his ring ability, transforming his giant shield into a hammer. He swung it down toward the dragon's head with all his might, and at the same time, using his prosthetic leg, Paul dove down from above, crashing onto the hammer's peen to add more force to the strike.
That attack severely weakened the crocodile dragon, leaving it unable to recover quickly. Seizing the opportunity, the brothers pressed forward with their assault, leaving no time to spare. However, Zaell, who had used the ring ability, staggered as he felt the life force draining from him. 'So this is what the creature meant…' he thought, struggling to steady himself.
Meanwhile, Jeyel targeted the gaping wound Paul had inflicted on the beast's leg. With intense focus, he drove his katana deep into the exposed flesh. Activating his ice ability, he unleashed a chilling wave that coursed through the creature's body. The blade shimmered as icy tendrils spread rapidly, freezing the flesh and blood, and effectively immobilizing the monster from the inside out.
As the beast thrashed in pain, Rhyz teleported in a flash of light to its glimmering eyes. Without hesitation, he unleashed a relentless barrage of bullets, each one striking true and piercing the once-impenetrable scales of its eyelids. The storm of projectiles ripped through the delicate tissues, culminating in a devastating final shot that shattered the eyeballs entirely. The dragon let out a deafening wail, now completely blinded.
Eijay followed up with his next move. Conjuring a spell of swirling toxic mist, he directed the corrosive vapors deep into the creature's throat. The noxious fumes spread rapidly, forcing the beast into a violent coughing fit. Dark, viscous blood splattered onto the ground as the poison seeped into its vital organs. The acidic mist relentlessly eroded its insides, leaving the once-mighty dragon writhing in agony.
From above, Paul's eyes burned with fury, but there was also a bitter pity for the creature's suffering. His mind replayed the pain it had caused him, yet he knew the end was inevitable. With a swift, merciless motion, he dove downward, using the momentum to drive his strike into the dragon's skull, silencing its roar forever. The dragon's massive body crumpled to the ground, no longer able to fight back.
The battlefield grew eerily quiet as the once-feared creature lay motionless, its death marking the end of an era. Dust and ash swirled in the air, filling the crater where the dragon had fallen.
Cheers erupted from the group, their victory resounding through the air. "We did it! That was a hell of an experience!" Jeyel shouted, his voice brimming with exhilaration and triumph.