The Descending Firmament

Keosius spread his wings, Sky-Shading, and looked down at the creatures below with his pale golden eyes.

Countless gazes, some filled with reverence, others with fear, rose from below and were cast upon the majestic dragon.

"On Amanata."

"O gods!"

"It's His Your Majesty Keosius! It's His Your Majesty Keosius! This war is about to end!"

After a brief silence, amidst a cacophony of voices expressing varying emotions, everyone gradually came to see the true face of the Embers of the Burned Emperor.

The Red Dragon, over fifty meters long, was facing away from the sun. Its massive body was outlined by the sunlight, and the edges of its silhouette looked as if they were plated with a layer of gold.

The Red Dragon slowly flapped its wings, and with each flap, Dragon Wing flames poured out, and scorching heat waves swept across the sky, dyeing half of the sky orange-red.

What is most eye-catching is the dragon crystal on its chest, which emits a dazzling light, like a second sun in the sky, even faintly overshadowing the sunlight in the distance.

Ironically, judging solely from appearance, this Embers of the Burned Emperor is more deserving of the title of the incarnation of the Sun God than the Angel Divine Descendant of North Aisel.

"Eternal Lord of Radiance, God of Golden Light, Honorable Law and Sun God, please bless me to defeat my enemies."

Upon seeing the true face of the Embers of the Burned Emperor, Duke Walter's heart sank to the bottom. He abandoned all hope and silently prayed.

Although not as exaggerated as the illusion just now, this Red Dragon was definitely fifty meters long, without any exaggeration.

What does it mean to have a dragon that is fifty meters long? Even the ancient Mercuria Ancient Gold Dragon he had visited last time, the renowned Gilded Sage and the governor of the Gold Dragon Council, Krasus, was only a little over thirty meters long, which was quite small compared to this Red Dragon.

In the Material Plane, Ancient Dragon are already extremely rare. They slumber for years and almost never show themselves. Moreover, the monsters in the distance are already far superior to Ancient Dragon.

This time, the enemy he will face is very likely the most powerful dragon to have ever appeared on the Feanso Continent since the Third Era.

Walter looked up at the sky, exhaled deeply, and a resolute light shone in his eyes, clearly indicating that he had accepted the belief and determination to die.

"This, this..."

Gazing at the Red Dragon in the distance, the Archmage Zalan, standing on the city wall, gasped and then spat out a mouthful of bright red blood.

Just now, he was simply using True Sight to investigate out of habit when he was struck by an unimaginable shock. It was as if a phantom dragon was roaring and lunging at him, tearing his spirit to shreds with its sharp teeth.

"By Mystra! This Red Dragon is a spellcaster beyond the legendary level; he is a being who has come into contact with the Root!"

Zalan silently screamed in his heart, then wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with trembling hands.

His legs trembled, and he almost couldn't stand up. He felt extremely helpless, as the true power of this Red Dragon far exceeded the information given by the City of Myriad Laws.

Under the watchful eyes of countless people, Keosius flapped his wings and flew forward with the scorching wind, his terrifying dragon might descending and permeating the entire battlefield.

At this moment, the Red Dragon is a moving natural disaster.

Under the terrifying pressure of an apocalyptic world, the Allied soldiers, already ravaged by war, finally broke down completely, dropping their weapons with a clatter.

"What... what kind of monster is this?!"

"Gods, this is no enemy we can defeat! Demons, explosions, dragons... inexplicable deaths, damn it, I've had enough of this, I'm leaving!"

The Allied soldiers either fled frantically toward Collins City, or knelt on the ground, and some even fainted on the spot, treating this brutal war as a nightmare.

High in the sky, Keosius finally opened his mouth slowly, a heavy voice surging from his throat. "Ignorant humans, the situation is so clear, the defeat of the allied forces is inevitable, do you still not give up resistance? Do you really want to sacrifice your lives for the illusion of the Fadlan Empire, for the selfish desires of a few divine nobles? Face reality, Holy Fadlan has long since perished, and North Aisel is now merely a shell of its former self. Surrendering to the Embers of the Burned Empire is your only option!"

A thunderous sound rang out, echoing across the devastated battlefield, causing all the Allied soldiers present to tremble and waver.

Yes, are they really going to give their lives for that vague and unreal "Fadlan"?

"Enough! Don't listen to his lies—"

Suddenly, an incredibly loud and authoritative voice came from the top of the clouds above the Allied positions, like an unquestionable command.

[Holy Word]

Immediately afterwards, melodious hymns resounded across the land, and miraculous light descended from the sky, illuminating every Allied soldier, calming their minds and gradually restoring their sanity.

This is the power of the Lord of Paradise; with just his unadorned words, he can inspire thousands to rise again.

In the distance, white clouds gradually gathered, forming a corridor in the high sky. The hymns continued to play. Surrounded by countless celestial elites dressed in magnificent armor and wielding gleaming weapons, the Lord of Messengers Barachiel slowly stepped out.

His enormous, white-feathered wings flapped slowly, and the longsword in his hand crackled with lightning, pointing directly at the Red Dragon in the distance.

Barachiel said coldly, "Keosius, I've heard of you. You once led your empire to repel the demon invasion and even killed an Abyss Lord. That's certainly something to be proud of."

I thought you could gradually get back on the right path and become a friend of Mount Paradise, but I never expected—you still couldn't change the Chaotic Evil nature of the Red Dragon, and chose to go against order and justice.

"Chaotic Evil?" Keosius sneered, then roared, "Messenger of Mount Paradise, I am a hero who resisted the Abyss, a guardian of the multiverse, what right do you have to define me!"

Duke Walter could no longer contain himself. He raised his longsword and said with a voice full of grief and indignation, "Haven't your atrocities of invasion been enough?"

"Roar--"

The Ancient Gold Dragon Titus also stepped forward, flapping its golden wings and letting out an angry roar at the opportune moment, "You evil bastard with Tiamat's Blood flowing through your veins! Put away your wicked face!"

However, Keosius's lips curled up slightly as he said righteously, "A hundred years ago, the Holy Fadlan Empire occupied North Aisel by force, bringing a century of peace and tranquility to the people here."

Now that Fadlan is dead, the current rulers are incapable of protecting the peace of North Aisel, while the more powerful Embers of the Burned Empire has the responsibility and obligation to protect the peace of North Aisel!

Everything I have done is for the purpose of establishing a new order. My heart and actions are as clear as a mirror, and all my deeds are righteous!

Keosius's words were powerful and resounding across the vast battlefield, leaving the allied soldiers, divine nobles, and even celestial Fighter dumbfounded. Some even secretly wondered if they had been persuaded by him.

Duke Walter cursed inwardly.

How could this Red Dragon be so shameless! He actually called his evil act of aggression "protection" and even took it as the responsibility of the Embers of the Burned Empire! However, while he was talking, Keosius was squinting and carefully observing the two enemies in the distance—especially the Lord of Paradise, whose Calamity Dragon Eye, which was suspended in mid-air, kept flashing.

[Wings of Fadlan - Walter Graham (Challenge Rating: 24)]

As the former "Wings of Fadlan," the esteemed Duke of Divine Wings, Walter was undoubtedly an absolute powerhouse among legends, comparable to the Ancient Dragon.

But for Keosius now, Walter is just an optional extra, and the Ancient Gold Dragon Titus is an inside man he sent.

The only person he truly valued was the "messenger" Bala Eichel.

Even in front of allies, Bala Echir rarely showed himself, remaining mysterious and unpredictable; even the Golden Dragon dragon avatar of Keosius could hardly discern anything about him.

At this moment, Keosius finally saw the true strength of his opponent.

[Messenger - Barachiel (Challenge Rating: 30)]

"A truly worthy opponent."

Keosius couldn't help but lick his lips, a strange glint of light emanating from his golden vertical pupils—the innate desire of a Red Dragon to fight powerful enemies.

After defeating Jierlazarax, Keosius had not encountered a worthy opponent for a long time, as few in the Material Plane could stop him.

And Bala Eichel, standing before them, was undoubtedly one of them.

"Gentlemen, let's go!"

Duke Walter drew his longsword and gave a fierce command.

Titus roared to the sky, "Yes, let's attack together and make this evil dragon pay the price!"

Upon seeing this, soldiers from both the Embers of the Burned Empire and the Allied Forces sounded their horns and clashed once again.

With the roar of cannons and engines, the battle cries from both sides were exceptionally loud and continuous, and in an instant, the battlefield, which had just been somewhat quiet, became chaotic once again.

At the highest point of the battlefield, Keosius faced off against Bala Eichel, Walter, and Titus, hundreds of meters apart. Although they had not yet made contact, the clash of their powerful auras had already caused the space to groan.

The incredibly powerful aura of justice stretched for thousands of meters, rivaling the terrifying Red Dragon's might.

This battle, which appears to be a 1 vs 3 fight, is actually a one-sided contest between the Embers of the Burned Emperor and the Lord of Lucia. Titus is the traitor, while Walter is of little use.

In fact, the proud and powerful Lord of Paradise thought the same thing.

With their minds highly focused, Keosius and Barachiel saw nothing but each other, their pale gold vertical pupils and dark purple eyes locked in a tense standoff.

"As expected of the Lord of Paradise, he is truly powerful like never before," Keosius exclaimed.

In Keosius's eyes, Bala Eichel was enveloped in the light of order.

Whether it's the longsword crackling with lightning, the robe adorned with stars, or the gleaming Silver Horn at its waist, they are all embodiments of the Heavenly Source, possessing a status close to that of divine artifacts.

The Council of the Seven Luminaries granted Bala Echir the authority to govern one level of Heaven. Despite the oppression of the Material Plane, He should still be able to mobilize some of Heaven's power.

Mount Paradise is Outer Plane symbolizes order and justice, and it is by no means an easy task to Contend Against its origin.

But these laws of order are also a delicious delicacy for the Red Dragon.

Thinking of this, a greedy glint flashed in Keosius's eyes; he was already impatient.

Above the Allied positions, Barachiel's silver skin gleamed, and his dark purple eyes sparkled as he indifferently gazed at the Red Dragon.

It was indeed a powerful Red Dragon, its strong body wreathed in the aura of various spells. Even among the Favored by the Gods of Bahamut, it would probably be an absolute standout.

It's unbelievable that someone could possess such power in the Material Plane and not be expelled.

Barachiel thought to himself.

However, after getting a preliminary understanding of the opponent's strength, He became even more determined to fight. He could not allow a dragon with such power to run rampant! However, this Lord of Paradise was still somewhat unaccustomed to the suppression of the Material Plane, because He could not fully unleash His Heavenly Power here.

High in the sky, Keosius chuckled and was the first to mock, "Three against one, is this what self-proclaimed righteous people do?"

Walter drew his sword and shouted, "For the righteous never walk alone!"

Titus flapped his Dragon Wing and angrily rebuked, "Why should we follow the rules when dealing with a villain like you?"

Seemingly sensing Keosius's disdainful gaze, Barachiel stepped forward and said solemnly and seriously, "In the name of Mount Paradise, if I cannot bring you back to the right path, I will grant you my end."

In this way—to make the world understand the importance of justice and order, and to understand that eternal and unchanging principles still remain in the world!

Anger finally surged in those unwavering, dark purple eyes. He picked up the Silver Horn at his waist, placed it to his lips, and blew it fiercely.

"Waaah—"

A long, drawn-out sound rang out, and the angels spontaneously began to play hymns. An irresistible, orderly force permeated the high sky, gradually coalescing and temporarily suppressing Keosius's dragon might.

Immediately afterwards, the sky darkened, as if night had fallen, obscuring the sun, except for the area around Keosius, which was still illuminated by dragon flames.

For a moment, everyone looked up, staring in astonishment at the sky.

In the eternal night, it is not a frightening darkness, but a delightful summer night, with the sky full of twinkling stars and silvery moonlight, and angels flying gracefully in the air.

In the distance, one can also see Holy Mountain reaching the sky, a magnificent silver fortress, and a bay filled with Holy Water.

"This is."

Walter also opened his mouth in surprise. Everything here was so familiar; it was clearly Lucia's beautiful scenery!

[Celestial Phenomenon]

Summoned by Bala Eichel's Silver Horn, Lucia, the first level of Mount Paradise — Silver Heaven —descended onto the Material Plane! Bala Eichel fastened the Silver Horn to his waist, gripped the Lightning Sword tightly, gazed indifferently ahead, and said softly, "Keosius, I gave you a chance to repent, but now—you have no hope left."

However, Keosius was not alarmed. He simply looked around at the beautiful scenery and felt the overwhelming power of heaven surging in.

"Is this Mount Paradise? What a magnificent and beautiful sight..."

He grinned, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth, and a particularly ferocious smile appeared on his Dragon Face. Keosius roared, "I really can't bear to tear it to pieces!"