Chapter 81 Powers of Astraya, the Golden Dragon!
Pyris floated in the endless void, the darkness stretching infinitely in every direction. Yet, before him, the colossal form of a golden dragon shimmered like a beacon of ancient power, its presence overwhelming and divine. The light radiating from the dragon's scales was almost blinding, yet Pyris couldn't tear his gaze away.
He could feel its energy pulsing through the void, a force so potent that it seemed to vibrate within his very bones.
But something about the dragon was different from what he had imagined. Its massive form was feminine, its eyes sharp yet wise, holding an ageless grace. Its wings were vast, each feathered scale glistening like molten gold in the dark expanse.
Its body, though powerful and muscular, had an elegant, almost regal form, as if it had once ruled over realms Pyris could only dream of. Experience exclusive tales on empire
"You have awakened me," the dragon's voice boomed, soft yet filled with power. Her voice wasn't cold—it was filled with wisdom, the voice of a mother who had seen countless lifetimes pass. "I am Astraya, the last of the Golden Dragons, and I have waited for someone worthy to carry my legacy."
Pyris felt his heart pounding in his chest as her words washed over him. He had always known there was something more to his family's legacy, but this… this was beyond anything he could have imagined.
"Why me?" Pyris asked, his voice trembling slightly as he floated in the void, dwarfed by her immense presence. "Why now?"
Astraya's eyes softened, glowing with a strange fondness as she regarded him. "You are already a unique dragon, Pyris Obsidian. Your bloodline carries the power of the Lust Dragons—a line with its own deep, primal strength. But you… you are more than that. I sensed your presence the day you first felt your magic, I knew you were the one!"
She paused, her gaze piercing as she leaned in closer. "I am the last of my kind, Pyris. My power has lain dormant for millennia, waiting for a soul who could bear it. The Golden Dragons were once rulers among dragons, not just for our strength, but for our dominion over forces that even gods feared."
Pyris's breath hitched as he listened, his mind racing. "What… what kind of powers?"
Astraya's form shimmered as she raised her colossal head, her voice now laced with both pride and sorrow. "The power I leave with you is unlike anything you have wielded before. It is not merely strength, but control over the very essence of life and creation. My powers are tied to the fabric of reality itself, a force that bends not only to destruction but to rebirth and transformation."
She extended one of her massive, clawed hands, and as she did, golden energy pulsed from her body, creating intricate, glowing patterns in the void.
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"This is my first gift to you, Pyris," Astraya explained, her voice low but filled with gravity. "The power to create, not just destroy. You will be able to manipulate the essence of life itself, shaping it to your will. Whether it is to create weapons, armor, or living creatures, your control over matter will surpass even the boundaries of mortality."
Pyris felt a surge of energy ripple through him as she spoke, the sheer potential of this power leaving him breathless.
He could feel it—the ability to shape the world around him, to bring life where there was none, or to rebuild what had been lost. That was not to say Pyris could actually create an exact living being like himself or others but constructs mirroring living beings to almost perfection.
Golden Flames of Rebirth:
"The fire of the Golden Dragons was not like other dragons' flames," Astraya continued, her golden eyes gleaming with pride. "Ours is the fire of creation and rebirth. Your flames will no longer simply burn—they will heal, restore, and transform. Those touched by your fire will find their wounds mended, their souls rejuvenated.Nôv(el)B\\jnn
But in battle, that same fire will burn hotter than any in existence, consuming both body and spirit."
Pyris's mind raced at the implications. He could wield fire that could heal his allies or burn his enemies to ash. It was a double-edged sword, a power that would make him both feared and revered.
Astraya's gaze flickered with a knowing gleam. "You have already felt the beginnings of this power," she said, her voice soft. "The golden lightning you summoned in the Grove is a manifestation of my essence. But you have only scratched the surface. My lightning is not bound by mortal laws—it is divine, capable of tearing through dimensions, of striking with the force of a god's wrath.
No being, no force, can stand against it once unleashed. It can travel through the very threads of reality itself."
Pyris could barely comprehend the power he had already felt within him. The lightning had nearly destroyed him, but now it was clear that it was a gift from Astraya, a power that transcended the mortal realm.
"As a Golden Dragon, I was not merely a creature of power—I was a ruler," Astraya said, her voice now echoing with authority. "My presence alone could command the wills of others, bending them to my cause. You, too, will inherit this power. Your very presence will exude an aura that compels loyalty, fear, or awe, depending on your will.
Lesser beings will struggle to defy you, and even powerful enemies will feel the weight of your dominance."
Pyris's mind reeled. He could already command the respect of those around him, but this… this would make him a ruler not just of men, but of beasts, dragons, and perhaps even gods.
"Finally," Astraya whispered, her voice tinged with sorrow, "the power to transcend death itself. You will not be bound by the mortality of flesh. When the time comes, you will be able to shed your mortal form and ascend to something greater."
Pyris swallowed hard. The idea of transcending death, of becoming something beyond mortal, was tempting… but it was also terrifying.
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As Astraya finished speaking, the golden light around her began to fade, her massive form becoming translucent, as though she was dissolving into the void.
"My time has passed," she said softly, her voice filled with both pride and sadness. "But my legacy lives within you now, Pyris. You will carry the power of the Golden Dragons, and through you, our kind will rise again."
Pyris reached out, his heart pounding. "Wait! There's so much more I need to know—"
But before he could finish, Astraya's form dissolved into a burst of golden light, the remnants of her essence flowing into him. Pyris felt the surge of power once more, his body overwhelmed by the strength of the ancient dragon as it fused with his own.
He could feel the fire, the lightning, the sheer force of creation coursing through his veins, transforming him from within.
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Outside, in the Real World
As Pyris's body lay unconscious on the cold floor of the ancestral mansion, the transformation began. His skin shimmered, and beneath the surface, a new layer of dragon scales emerged, a mixture of deep, lustrous black, pink and brilliant gold. The contrast between the Lust Dragon's seductive, shadowy allure and Astraya's regal, divine radiance was stunning.
The scales rippled across his chest, shoulders, and arms, the golden sheen shimmering with power, while the darker, lust-filled essence of the Lust Dragon coiled beneath, as if the two forces were now intertwined.
His muscles tensed and relaxed as the power flowed through him, his body shifting as it adapted to the changes. The mansion's magic crackled, sensing the power that had now been awakened within Pyris. The unbreakable glass that had once held the golden scale now lay shattered on the floor, its purpose fulfilled.
Emberly watched in awe, her breath catching as she saw the transformation. Her son had become something more than even she had anticipated—he was now the bearer of a power that hadn't been seen in millennia. And though she didn't fully understand what had happened, she knew that House Obsidian's future had just changed forever.
As Pyris lay still, his new scales gleaming under the dim light, the air around him hummed with the energy of the golden dragon.