The Dragon Lord's Aide Wants to Quit [BL] Chapter 475: The Missing Pieces

Meanwhile, somewhere far removed from the tension building over Wyrmfall, one normally dignified familiar was in the middle of guardi— comforting two children who had been pacing around like they were hundreds of years older.

However, just as Thyrran was about to encourage the young ones to take a break and finally eat the food that had remained untouched since it was served, the former ancient guardian suddenly jerked as something inside him heated up violently.

And contrary to what he initially thought, the sensation wasn’t entirely internal. Thyrran’s enormous serpentine body actually jolted as though he’d been zapped.

Both children immediately stopped pacing, while the Hale couple turned toward him with deep worry.

"Lord Thyrran!" Liam called out, rushing forward with Orien right beside him.

The two boys, already severely stressed about everyone else being gone, immediately crowded around the massive serpent. Even Orien, who was normally far less forthright about his emotions, was staring at him with wide, anxious eyes.

"Are you alright?" Liam asked, his hands hovering worriedly over Thyrran’s polished scales despite how tiny he looked beside the familiar.

Thyrran, who had suddenly gone on high alert as though awaiting immediate orders, slowly turned his heavy head.

"Child, it seems I need to go. The Master appears to be calling me back."

Then again, the familiar only put it that way because he didn’t want everyone worrying more than they already were.

Because what he was feeling wasn’t exactly a simple call.

It was more like a decisive tug, an instinctive certainty that he needed to meld with his Master as soon as possible.

Orien, who had become far more perceptive lately, immediately stepped forward.

"Did something happen to my auntie?"

"I’m not certain of anything just yet... but I truly need to depart immediately," Thyrran replied. His urgency became even more apparent when he didn’t spare the time to perform his usual checks on the crypt before preparing to leave.

The ancient guardian went still, concentrating as he attempted to establish a direct link with his Master.

But instead of the usual mental connection he’d intended to use to ask for permission to leave, a faint glow suddenly appeared beneath his massive form.

One rune began writing itself across the floor, followed by another, until a complex runic circle gradually formed around the enormous serpent.

Thyrran concentrated harder as the final symbols fell into place.

He hoped he wasn’t too late for whatever had caused this unexpected summoning.

Except just as the formation was about to complete, a youthful yet firm voice suddenly called out from behind him.

"Okay! Let’s go now!"

Thyrran paused.

Then his enormous head slowly turned.

Somehow, while the runic circle had been finishing itself, he’d acquired four passengers on his back.

Four.

???

Renee Hale, of all people, looked down at him with an unyielding grin.

"Lord Thyrran, our Riley wouldn’t call you back unless something unusual was happening. And if things have really come to this, then it’s time for us to step up and protect everyone else."

Thyrran stared at the unexpected passengers on his back.

Only then did he notice that all four of them were actually holding weapons of different kinds, each one pulled straight from the treasures of the Iltheran Clan.

Liam held tightly to his weapon while remaining firmly seated behind Orien. Lawrence had already positioned himself protectively behind the two children, while Renee looked completely prepared to argue if Thyrran even attempted to tell them to get off.

They were clearly determined.

The large serpent remained silent for a moment before letting out a long huff.

"Suit yourselves."

__

Only, what greeted the suddenly arriving party was a sight none of them had quite expected.

Because instead of the wyverns they’d been preparing to encounter, or perhaps even the Wyvern King they’d imagined was likely tearing Eryndra apart by now, what they ended up seeing was something entirely different.

On one end, a massive ethereal formation extended across the skies.

And on the other, several beings from different races were clearly in the middle of an unexpected clash.

Yes.

What had initially been nothing more than a race toward Wyrmfall had somehow turned into an all-out brawl the moment that strange feeling of overwhelming mana began spreading from the enormous tree, particularly from what was now starting to resemble a massive bud swelling in preparation to bloom.

As if it were water offered to the desperately thirsty, that incredibly strong mana felt like it was calling to everyone.

Almost as though it were telling them that immense strength was right there, completely within reach.

They didn’t know what that enormous mass preparing to bloom actually was.

But whatever it was, they simply had to have it.

However, how could a certain determined group of people let such a thing happen?

So amidst the swirling dust and roaring chaos, Lord Karion’s massive golden dragon form dominated the skies, crushing opponents beneath sheer strength and fury.

Down on the battered ground, Lady Cirila zipped across the battlefield in her human form, taking down anyone daring enough to approach with terrifying precision.

The deposed red dragon heir, meanwhile, had been pummeled almost completely flat against the ground, his face practically caved in beneath Ilyss as she relentlessly rained bloody fists down on him in her human form. Nearby, another red dragon fought to keep anyone attempting to reach the tree from getting past them with his flames and claws.

Unfortunately, even those who’d originally come simply to check what was happening and observe from a distance couldn’t seem to escape the dark greed slowly forming in their hearts.

The closer they got, the stronger that strange pull became.

They needed to reach that tree.

At all costs.

And was the terrifying sight that greeted the newcomers as Thyrran dropped them directly between the fighting masses and the glowing tree.

It was most definitely chaotic.

But the moment they realized they were actually in Wyrmfall, everyone immediately started searching for Riley and Kael.

Orien’s alert eyes, in particular, quickly caught sight of someone golden.

He froze.

Because instead of his uncle or grandmother, who he already knew had gone to Wyrmfall, the first familiar figure he spotted in the fray was actually Lord Karion, currently unleashing torrential blue flames in his full draconic form!

Orien almost ran toward him.

But right beside him, Liam suddenly gasped loudly enough to catch his attention.

Because unlike Lord Karion, who seemed to be taking down his opponents with the overwhelming ease expected from a former Dragon Lord, the red dragon Liam had just spotted was most definitely streaked with blood.

Orien immediately followed where Liam was pointing.

Then his entire body went rigid.

Crimson streaked across those all-too-familiar red scales and wings.

So much blood.

Orien’s entire body seized in utter terror, and before he could even think about what he was doing, a piercing scream tore straight out of his throat.

"DAAAAAD!"

The loud, unexpected shriek somehow cut through the deafening sounds of crashing, thudding, and clobbering across the battlefield.

And it immediately reached the ears of everyone extremely familiar with the voice of one very specific child.

At this, the red dragon who knew that voice all too well, but had never quite expected to hear anything more intimate than directed at him, violently whipped his massive head toward the source.

His eyes widened.

Because sitting on the back of one very large and clearly angry serpent was a young child wielding what most definitely looked like a black halberd.

"Orien?" Orryn choked out in utter disbelief.

What was their son doing here?!

No.

What were of them doing here?!

Unfortunately, the golden dragonling barely heard him.

Far too many horrible thoughts were already rushing through Orien’s mind.

His father was hurt.

Badly.

And what if it was because Orien had kept saying all those things about him needing to prove that he was a strong dragon?

He didn’t care about any of that now!

Orien would’ve happily been the stronger and bigger dragon himself if it meant he could protect everyone.

And now his dad was standing there covered in blood.

But then Orryn finally turned fully in his direction with a bewildered expression rather than a pained one.

And what Orien saw next nearly had him falling straight off the still-slithering Thyrran.

Thankfully, Liam’s father caught him just in time.

Because partially concealed behind the massive red dragon’s turned body was a much smaller figure perched directly on top of another clearly beaten-down dragon.

Her fist was raised high, obviously prepared to deliver yet another brutal punch.

But she wasn’t moving anymore.

She’d completely frozen the moment she looked toward him.

And now, the woman was staring straight back at Orien with an expression every bit as stunned as his own.

Maybe the young dragon was going crazy.

Or maybe he was simply far too shocked by everything happening at once.

But in that strangely quiet moment, when his eyes locked with the figure his father had been so desperately protecting from behind, Orien’s lips moved entirely on their own.

"...Mom?"