Chapter 490: Domination of the rest of the world
Fafnir, the immense fire dragon of molten scales, nodded softly upon hearing Vlad’s last words. He offered no spoken response, choosing instead to keep his thoughts private while he watched the weary soldiers gathering the remains of their fallen.
Hours ago, this place had been ravaged by unending conflict, drenched in the blood of both humans and Leviathans. Now, it stood as a somber memorial to the price of survival: men and women kneeling beside the still forms of their comrades, preparing them for one final journey home.
Standing aloft the draconic head, Vlad noted the subdued compassion in Fafnir’s gaze. Despite the dragon’s towering size and overwhelming power, the Depravita of Envy was newly forged, a being unversed in the complexities of human emotion. Yet something in Vlad’s explanation had sparked a deeper awareness within him: humanity’s bonds were not merely about duty or survival—they were also about risking heartbreak to discover hope.
At last, the grim task reached its end. No corpses remained scattered on the trampled soil; each had been carefully placed in magically conjured coffins, ready to depart for their homeland, where friends and relatives would offer a final farewell.
Vlad, satisfied by the completion of this solemn chore, raised his voice so all could hear. "My soldiers, rest now. The war is over, and soon we will return home."
Those words from the Xaos King ignited tired smiles on many faces. Under the guidance of their generals and captains, the troops began leaving the decimated battlefield. Some stumbled away half in a daze, searching for any patch of grass or soft ground where they could collapse into genuine rest—the first since setting foot on this continent.
It took little time before the war-torn plain fell nearly silent, leaving behind only a handful of individuals: Jormgundr, Freya, Overlord, Grand Marshal Anglius, King Viserin, Major General Theodor, the Royal Guard, and Vlad himself, perched upon the living furnace that was Fafnir.
No longer worried about causing panic among thousands, those who remained allowed their curiosity to surface. They had marched across unknown lands, faced monstrous creatures, bled, and sacrificed under Vlad’s leadership. Now, with the Leviathan threat ending, they had a right to know the truth behind the massive draconic shape that still dominated the skyline.
Vlad understood their silent questions and the doubts in everybody’s mind and knew he needed to asnwer them. Lowering his voice, he addressed the group plainly. "His name is Fafnir. He is the Depravita of Envy, born of the spirit once tangled inside this obsidian obelisk and part of my own soul."