A Failed Hero's Voyage Chapter 2: Chapter 2: the king in crimson

Read chapter 2 of A Failed Hero's Voyage by churro on NovelPedia.

Atherius moved forward in silence beneath the towering, blood-soaked remains of the fallen Great Dragon, his steps steady and unhurried as though the enormity of what surrounded him held no weight. Xerasius still stood. Even in death, the colossal body refused to yield to gravity or time. His vast wings hung in shredded ruin, torn membranes swaying faintly in the wind, while thick streams of crimson poured endlessly from the wounds carved deep into his scales. The blood fell in slow, heavy drops, striking the stone below with a rhythmic, hollow echo, yet the corpse itself remained upright, looming over the valley like a broken monument to something that had once been absolute. Great Dragons did not fall. Not completely. Not even in death. Atherius passed beneath the immense carcass without hesitation, his gaze fixed forward, untouched by the spectacle above him. The mountain loomed ahead, its jagged slopes framing the dark mouth of a cavern that seemed to swallow both light and sound. That was his destination. The seat of the Dragon Emperor. Once, the strongest mortal to ever exist. Now, that title belonged to him. The thought stirred nothing. No pride, no satisfaction, no doubt. It simply was. He had never been meant for anything else. From the moment of his creation, his purpose had been singular, absolute and unyielding. To end the war. For centuries, humanity had waged relentless conflict against the other races of Velmoria, elves, dwarves, spirits, and countless others, but above them all stood one race that none could truly challenge. Dragons. They were the apex of power, creatures of overwhelming force and ancient dominion, unmatched in battle, unrivaled in fear, and absolute in their destruction. And now, Atherius walked toward their emperor. A quiet breath left him as he continued forward beneath Xerasius’s towering remains. Blood fell in heavy droplets from above, streaking downward like a slow crimson rain. None of it touched him. Each drop curved away at the final moment, bending unnaturally, as though the world itself rejected the idea of staining him. The air shifted subtly around his form, deflecting even the remnants of death. Even blood refused him. Behind him, the land began to change. Where his feet touched the ruined earth, life returned. Small flowers forced their way through cracked stone, their fragile colors breaking against the scorched ground, while thin blades of grass followed, spreading outward in quiet defiance. The devastation left behind by dragons and war receded in his wake, replaced by something gentle, almost unnatural in its purity. Life followed him. And yet every step he took forward promised death. High above, dragons circled. A few dozen had remained, their massive forms carving slow arcs across the sky, their shadows drifting across the valley like silent omens. They watched him with unblinking intensity, their presence heavy, their silence louder than any roar. But none descended. None dared. Atherius did not acknowledge them. At last, he reached the cavern’s entrance and stepped inside without pause. The temperature dropped instantly as cool air enveloped him, and the light behind him faded, swallowed by the encroaching darkness. The deeper he walked, the more the outside world dissolved, until there was nothing left but stone, silence, and the steady echo of his own footsteps. His mind remained still. No anticipation. No hesitation. Only purpose. The cavern stretched before him, seemingly natural at first glance, uneven stone walls, jagged surfaces, shadows pooling in every crevice, but something about it felt wrong. It lacked intent, lacked presence, as though it were merely a facade. Atherius could feel it. Something vast lay hidden beneath the illusion, something ancient and immovable, a presence that pressed subtly against his senses. The emperor was here. A faint breath left him. “Of course,” he murmured. He raised his hand, slow and deliberate, and brought it down. The illusio