The The Melian Revelation
Episode 9

Karth sighed, knowing that Valadin had planned all this. The man invited her and Laruen here, told her an astonishing secret and offered her a chance to retreat. Of course Karth can't back down. He couldn't possibly let Laruen enroll in a mission like this alone.

However, Karth did not feel compelled to join. He agreed with Valadin's thoughts. For hundreds of years, the Elders and Queen Ratana had never done anything to change the fate of the Elvar Nation. Karth realizes his nation is on the verge of collapse, only a matter of time.

Valadin's plan of using the Aether's power might be dangerous and a little crazy. But right now, it seemed like that was the only way that made the most sense. After all he wanted to see for himself the figure of the Aether and what kind of test they would give.

“So,” says Karth, “how will we call Voltress?”

Ellanese pointed at the stone altar in the middle of the steps. “By inscribing the summoning rune on top of that altar,” he replied. Rune is an ancient letter of the Elvar Nation that is barely used anymore, currently only a few Elvar can read it, let alone write it.

Valadin. “Only the Elders know the Runes. Not even we, the Gardians, know it. But a hundred years ago, Eizen stole it.”

“You stole it?” Karth raised his eyebrows, interested. Eizen spit. “They stopped me before I managed to use that rune,” he said. “Some you guys already know, I was fired and sentenced to exile for a hundred years.” Eizen squeezed his fist when talking about his punishment.

No wonder, Karth thought. Exile is a terrible punishment. He had heard Elvar who was condemned to exile was unable to move, speak, hear, even see. His entire senses were locked, locked within himself. If he could choose, he would rather die than spend his eternal life in exile.

“I guess you're the one who freed Eizen from his exile?” karth asked Valadin, who was answered with a nod.

“After the incident with Eizen,” Valadin continued, “the Elders finally decided to destroy the parchment containing Rune so that the incident does not repeat itself.”

Karth's eyebrows are still wrinkled. “What is not too excessive?” Valadin took a long breath. “The Elders and Queen Ratana decided that such a powerful force was not worthy of anyone's control.”

“I don't understand who appointed those fools to be the leader of our nation!” hiss Eizen with squeaking eyes. “The Aether are offering us their power. Is it wrong if we accept it?”

“I understand you mean,” reply Karth kalem. “But without that rune, how are we going to call Voltress?”

“That's why Eizen is here,” Valadin replied with a smile. “In addition to the Elders, only he knows exactly the shape of the Summoning Rune.”

Eizen walked up to Valadin, then knelt down by the side of the altar. “Do not be happy first,” he said sourly. “It's been a hundred years since the last time I saw that rune. I myself am not sure if it still remembers its shape correctly.”

“It's okay,” Valadin said. “I'm sure you can remember.” Eizen grabbed the limestone Valadin proffered and began to scribble on the altar. For the next nearly half an hour, he was still struggling with that rune. Time and again Eizen stopped and used his sleeves to remove the runes he felt were wrong.

Although a hundred years had passed, Eizen still remembered most of those extraordinarily complicated Summoning Runes. He must have spent a hundred years of his seclusion to imagine the entire set of Runes, Karth thought. Maybe even dream of it day and night.

Eizen finally finished portraying the Summoning Rune above the altar. He patted his hands to clean the chalk dust attached, then checked his work for a while, before turning to Valadin and nodding confidently.

Karth and the others watched the altar closely. On the fine stone altar was now a seven-sided star. It was around the star that Eizen drew a series of intricate runes. Suddenly the lines drawn by Eizen glowed. The entire altar is shining. Its light was as if it formed a silver pillar that pierced through the Dark Mist above their heads.

Karth. Now he could see the night sky that had previously been covered in fog, the moon and stars as if they were glowing dimly compared to the dazzling light pillars. But suddenly, along with the lightning striking the altar before them, the pillar went out, accompanied by a deafening thunderclap. Then the wind blew and extinguished all the fireballs that had been bewitched by Eizen. The coral island is back in pitch black.

Suddenly there was a roar from the sky above Karth. His voice was so loud that it made the entire small island tremble. The roar did not resemble the sound of any Daemon Karth had ever encountered. He was instantly alert and took a position beside Laruen.

“What is it?” whispered Laruen. Despite trying to hide it, Karth can hear the worries of his partner's voice.

“Come,” Valadin replied. “Maybe part of the exam Sang Aether.”

Karth doesn't want to wait to find out. He pulled out one of his throwing knives. Karth's entire blade is covered in Shazin's poison. Enough with one stroke, Karth can finish off any opponent, even a Daemon as big as a buffalo. But now he doubted whether his knife could be used to fight the somehow-what creatures roaring ferociously up there.

That was when the entire island suddenly shook. Something big and heavy fell in front of them. Laruen gripped Karth's arm tightly so shocked. Almost simultaneously, the pitch-black sky was suddenly brightened by a series of wild-dancing lightning. Lightning after lightning illuminates the island. The light is dazzling as well as painful to the eye. But with that light Karth could see what had just fallen from the sky.

A giant indigo scaly dragon. The animal stands upright on its two hind legs. His front pair of legs—which is almost the same length as the back legs—lifted high. The dragon then landed its two front legs, producing a loud thumping sound and light shocks.

Now the dragon stood on all four legs. Karth realized that the dragon's body was filled with sparks of light like small flashes. His neck was so long that it almost doubled his body. Sharp thorns lined up from the neck to the tail. Karth could not estimate how long his tail was because the tiny lightning bolts disturbed him.

The Indigo Dragon spread its wings that resembled those of a bat, making it appear even bigger. The creature shoved its neck and lowered its head until it was level with them. Karth saw a pair of long pointed horns at the top of the dragon's head. With his eyes that were big blue and shiny like sapphire, the creature stared at them in turn.

Laruen's hand clutches loosened. “Excellent,” he said amazed. Karth realizes that Laruen is looking at the Indigo Dragon almost unblinkingly. “This dragon is not an ordinary creature,” continued Laruen. “She has a high level of personality, awareness and intelligence.”

“Is that something that surprises you?” Suddenly there was a voice inside Karth's head. “I am the sacred guardian creature of Templia Voltress. And I'm the one who will determine whether you deserve the power of the Aether.”

Karth gasps. “I heard a voice inside my head.” Valadin. “The dragon speaks directly into our minds,” he said. He walked forward to a distance of only one meter from the head of the Indigo Dragon. “We're here to get Aether's powers, just tell me what the test is. We are ready to face it.”

We were? thought Karth.

It felt that the ones ready to fight the dragon were only Eizen and Valadin. He held his tongue to not correct Valadin's speech. Karth glanced at the knife in his hand, realising that this huge lizard was not part of it.

The Indigo Dragon roars. “Hooo ... Your confidence is high. You must be the leader,” he said. “Alright, this is my test. You guys have to make me hurt and bleed.”

Eizen's face shriveled. “Only that?” said. “I think the test is heavier.”

“If you think it's easy, go ahead and try it!” Finished saying so, the Indigo Dragon flicked his large finger. Along with the movements of his fingers, a rain of thunder came down from the sky right above them.

Almost simultaneously, Karth and Valadin jump behind the reef to escape the lightning rain. While Ellanese casts protection magic that covers her, Laruen, and Eizen. From the frown on his face, the Vestal was clearly not too happy to have to share the protectors with the two people.

The dragon turned his attention to the boulder where Karth and Valadin had taken refuge. His large claws swung towards them, but Karth had already left the place and

finding a new hiding place. He was not wearing armor like Valadin, nor could he cast protective magic, dodging and hiding from opponents was Karth's only skill.

Alone, Valadin is forced to survive from the dragon. He hurriedly chanted the magic protector. A powerful explosion blared as the dragon's claws struck Valadin's protector.

From his hiding place, Karth sees a crack open in the dragon's belly. The area was within range of throwing his knife and was not covered in thick scales. Plus the dragon was currently focusing on Valadin, it was not difficult to sneak forward and slash his knife into the dragon's belly. But something's got Karth's feelings.

It's too easy ...

But Karth doesn't want to waste a chance without trying. He darted as close as he could to the dragon's belly and threw a knife. His knife slid between the dragon's legs and almost stuck in his stomach. It was then that the lightning sparks circling the dragon's body threw down Karth's blade.

Just one breath after the explosion, the Indigo Dragon's tail whipped towards Karth. He dodged it at the last moment, and the dragon's tail whipped into the wall of the reef where Karth had previously been, producing an explosion that again blew him away.

“Karth!” Laruen screamed in panic.

Karth turned his head, seeing the girl running away leaving the magic protector Ellanese and heading towards him.

***

Laruen had no idea what possessed him. Just so you know he ran away from the Ellanese magic protector to help Karth. He was only halfway through when the Indigo Dragon again shrunk its tail. But this time, the target was Laruen.

It was fortunate that Laruen still had time to drop his body to the ground before the thorny tail hit him, only passing a few inches above his head. But the accompanying lightning spark stung Laruen. The girl screamed in pain. But he couldn't stay there long.

The Indigo Dragon again shrunk its tail. This time Laruen rolled away. He had to roll over and roll again as the tail of the dragon continued to smash towards him without

forgiver.

His body ached not a bitch due to being stung by lightning. His hands and feet were shaking uncontrollably. Laruen felt like he had been stabbed by thousands of needles. As she rolled away avoiding the screech of the dragon's tail for the umpteenth time, Laruen realized she was cornered. A wall of coral flanked him, while the dragon blocked the only way out. The creature swung its tail again, right at Laruen's head.

Valadin darted between Laruen and the dragon's tail while lifting Schlantir into the air. A warm white light emanated from his sword. The light cupped Laruen and Valadin, as well as blocking the dragon's tail. The Indigo Dragon roared and burst into Valadin's magic protector with its tail. But Valadin survives. From behind the invisible protector that Valadin bewitched, Laruen could see the dragon's eyes narrowing in annoyance.

That was when Laruen realized something. The eyes of the Indigo Dragon are not shielded by lightning, unlike the rest of its body. Laruen forced his tingling hand to move. He attached an arrow to the bow and released it into the dragon's right eye.

But the pain in his body messed up his accuracy. Instead of heading for the eyes, his arrow deviated to the neck. Streams of lightning in the dragon's body thickened Laruen's arrow even before it had scratched its scales.

Laruen's failed attack instead sparked the indignation of the Indigo Dragon. The creature pulled back its tail then swung its claws, dropping a hail of thunderbolts that almost blinded the eyes. Continuing and continuing endlessly, finally one of the thunderbolts tore apart the magic protector Valadin.