Chapter 456: Nalii’s Drastic Decision
"Nalii is in trouble," Diane muttered as she looked up at the starry sky from another angel on the moon.
She was looking at the distant fiery expressions coming from the next star system.
That was the battle between two arkships and it seemed like Nalii wasn’t doing a great job at defending herself.
The lionesses all looked at the fiery flashes with different expressions.
Katari looked down, focusing her gaze on the massive crater in front of her.
The white dust of the moon lingered in the low-gravity airless atmosphere. The clump of wind around their heads sustained them but it wasn’t as good as the real thing.
The crater in front of them trembled consistently due to the struggle happening at the bottom.
The ground was constantly shaking as massive fluctuations of fortune rushed out of the depths of the crater.
Soon, the trembling ceased and everywhere became quiet.
Shrouded in black mists, Kael gradually stepped out of the crater, allowing his full figure to be witnessed by the lionesses.
His golden mane was mixed with black strands and dark circles appeared under his eyes. His golden irises had gotten a little paler and more piercing, like those of a dead person.
The black mist revolved around Kael s though he was the original master of this power.
Kael glanced at the lionesses, acknowledging their help. Floating beside him was a heavenly beacon releasing a strong draconic aura.
Something moved behind Kael, rising out of the white dust to reveal itself to the light.
The lionesses narrowed their eyes, unsure how to feel about what they were seeing.
Before them, crawling on the ground beside Kael, stood what was left of the fortune dragon commander they had been fighting earlier.
Black-stripped yellow scales riddled his body, mixed with the red of his blood. His chest was destroyed and had flesh and dried blood hanging out of it.
The dragon’s green reptilian eyes were clouded turning into a pale grey shade. One of his wings was rippled and he was having trouble standing on all four limbs.
The most visually stunning thing was that the dragon was missing its entire lower jaw.
Blood drops popped out of his face and floated next to him. Because of his power, his blood did not immediately freeze over in this environment with extremely low temperature.
Kael turned to look at the fortune dragon standing absent-mindedly beside him.
In his eyes, this dragon was already dead. The only reason it was still moving like a zombie was because of the effects of his Death Essence.
This would be the second dragon Kael would officially be killing, and in such a short amount of time.
Both of which were tier 6.
If news of this got out, it would cause an uproar.
Alas, Kael was not done, the threat was not yet averted.
"We need to get to Nalii," Kael said telepathically as he began walking away, his paws sinking into the dusty moon surface.
Like a puppy, the ghastly undead fortune dragon dragged its body and followed after Kael.
Coincidentally, the effects of the anti-power wave had faded not long ago.
Kael and the fortune dragon made it to the closest arkship. With the attitude of an obedient servant, the undead dragon led Kael through the hatch entrance he had first come out from, taking Kael directly to the command chamber.
Under the glittering gazes of the lionesses and the survivors on planet Kareem, the arkship lit up with the light of magic and advanced technology.
The powerful gravitational pressure was activated all over again and a low dominating hum was emitted.
Within the large chamber of command, Kael stood silently to the side with a cold expression while the fortune dragon piloted the arkship under his control.
He needed the aura of the dragon to hopefully confuse the enemy. Anything that would spook the last dragon commander had to be avoided.
The undead dragon and Kael were the only two entities within the chamber of command besides the floating heavenly beacon that was just hovering beside Kael.
//////
"What is this? Hahaha, how pathetic! Who gave you an arkship to command?" The loud laughter of the flaming dragon commander echoed within his command chamber.
On the outside, his arkship, bathed in the infernal flames of a fire dragon, repeatedly bashed into Kael’s arkship.
Nalii was put in a very disadvantaged position ever since this dragon commander had gotten serious, she had suffered.
Indeed, her experience when piloting an arkship was severely lacking. She could only try as much as possible to defend them.
Most of the weapon systems that could affect their enemy required significant amounts of Origin Essence to activate.
The dragon commander’s arkship was moving too fast for them to be able to get a clear shot.
Not only was the dragon commander fast, but he was also attacking them continuously, slowly wearing the machine down.
It was beginning to seem like the dragon commander was just toying with them, taking advantage of the fact that Nalii didn’t know anything about high-speed interstellar combat.
Their arkship was already showing signs of falling apart, if nothing was done soon, everyone within the arkship, all castes and the lion royalty, would die.
Inside Kael’s arkship.
The thousands of lions within the chamber of command had never felt so useless in their lives. They felt like sitting ducks or farm pigs waiting to be slaughtered.
They dared not hold any grievances against Nalii, because even they were not sure what they would do if they were in her position.
"Mother, what are you doing with that?" Burdo asked, now in his humanoid form.
He was standing close to the pillow throne where his mother sat and saw that she was holding something.
He recognized the item as he had seen it before. There were rumors that Kael had used this very item to defeat Darius back then.
Nalii, sitting restless on the pillow throne, acted as if she had not heard Burdo. Her green eyes were focused on the item held in her hand.
It was a red-capped mushroom. Actually, it was more than one. Nalii had five red-capped mushrooms, three in one hand and two in the other hand.
This was the drastic measure she had thought of, a very dangerous one that would certainly cost her life.
Nalii was not exactly the brightest when it came to decision-making and it showed in these times.
She was thinking more with her emotions at this point and rationality was far away from her mind for now.
To her, Kael was busy defending himself in Planet Kareem, how would he have time to help her with the Conqueror Mode Avatar?
Nalii could not even begin to imagine in what way Kael was supposed to fight against two arkships by himself with nothing but the lionesses supporting him.
In this area, she was right, there was technically no way anyone would survive an assault of two arkships alone.
Not unless an unlikely Lucky event happened...
Nalii was contemplating whether she should swallow all of them at once or take them one at a time.
Burdo could only watch his mother’s distressed figure with mixed feelings.
"You’re Highness, it’s another one!" The worried cry of one lion shook the chamber.
Nalii’s eyes gleamed as she looked over at the lion that had just spoken. There was a screen in front of him showing the starry image of their immediate environment.
The fiery arkship that was chasing them could be seen, but there was also another arkship that was approaching very fast from behind. The arkship was coming from Planet Kareem’s direction.
Nalii felt her heart touch the base of her throat. She began to imagine the worst possible scenario after seeing this arkship.
Two arkships had gone after Planet Kareem and now one was coming back. What had happened?
Unable to think straight, Nalii was already bringing the two red-capped mushrooms in her right hand to her mouth.
She had decided to give this fight her all even if she was going to perish, a decision that came about due to misplaced anger and sorrow.
However, before Nalii could commit this act of suicide, a golden screen popped up in her vision.
....
Kael: I’m in the arkship, get ready to help me.
...
The message stunned Nalii. She blinked, then blinked again, the tears at the edge of her eyes drying up fast.
She immediately put down her hand and her expression brightened. Only now did she calm down to think properly.
"Ready the cannons again, activate the amplification runes for me!" Nalii ordered loudly, standing up to her feet.
Burdo was surprised, where was the sad expression this woman was having a few seconds ago? Why was she beaming that smile all of a sudden?
The other lions were confused, but they obeyed, aware that Nalii could just control everything manually if she wanted to.
Something had gotten her excited.
Could it be...
Burdo and the rest did not try to think that far, fearful that they would be severely disappointed.