The archdragons' fists collided, unleashing a shockwave that reverberated outwards, flattening nearly everything. The dragons who were in the air were sent hurtling to the ground. The trees closest to the archdragons were leveled. Some further out broke and splintered while even the ones hundreds of meters away felt the impact as they swayed and bent in ways they only would in a hurricane.

  Meera and Kalrina didn't escape the shockwave in time. The disc they were flying on shattered instantly, and they spun head over heels as they fell, screaming their lungs out. Somehow, Meera got a hold of Kalrina's arm, pulled her close, hooked an arm around her waist, and activated Mirror Wing. She had hoped to fly out of this maelstrom but to no avail. The pressure from the shockwave was too great.

  All her effort earned them that they were not spinning head over heel and instead headed straight for the ground. The scene below was not good. The sorceress and dragonlings were pinned to the ground. Some even died from the shockwave. The land itself looked as if a tornado had passed through, with splintered trees strewn about everywhere.

  Meera figured they had but a few seconds to do something or become the bugs that get squashed by a car windshield. So, she did the first thing that came to her mind. She pulled off two regular chakrams, hurled them to the ground, and propelled them with Mirror Wing. They struck the ground within a second.

  "Use the left one as an anchor for Mirror Step," she shouted in Kalrina's ear.

  Kalrina's eyes widened slightly, but then she nodded.

  Together, they used Mirror Step and teleported to their respective chakrams. As she had expected, the jump killed most of their momentum. So, instead of being squished, they were only pinned to the ground until the shockwave diminished to a measly wind.

  The witch sat up, huffing. "How did you know that would work?"

  "From experience," Meera replied. "I've used Mirror Step in situations where I would have fallen splat to the ground and used it to slow my descent."

  "I see." She pulled out the chakram she had used and examined it with a big smile. "Thank you for the gift, dea—"

  Meera recalled it immediately. The chakram zipped out of her hand to Meera's and nicked a couple of Kalrina's fingers on the way.

  "Ow, I was only joking." She said.

  They didn't get to continue their conversation as Zerodra roared.

  "Don't think I will not fight if you use her," Zerodra said, stepping back and making the earth rumble. "You will be using her for the last time."

  He raised a fist to the heavens, and clouds darkened overhead. A moment later, icicles the size of small buildings rained from the heavens.

  Meera's eyes widened. "We need to get out of here."

  "That goes without saying," Kalrina said. "And that too while everyone is distracted by a battle that few ever witness."

  Kalrina formed a disc and motioned Meera to hop on, but she paused, remembering her last conversation with Veridiana. She had meant that it had to be her who delivered the final blow to Veridiana so her advanced system could be transferred to Meera. But as enticing an offer as that was, it was far too risky, and all their efforts to bring Zerodra here would be in vain if Meera died.

  Besides, can I really trust her after she tried to keep me imprisoned, even after all that time we spent training together?

  "Are you coming?" Kalrina asked.

  "Yes, I'm coming." Meera jumped on the disc, and they sped off.

  Akhessai or Veridiana thrust a palm into the air, and shockwave unleashed out her hand. The icicles vibrated, burst into millions of tiny pieces, and fell as nothing more than hail. Meera didn't even have to cover her head as the pieces were so small.

  Zerodra didn't like this at all. He flew back, his feet dragging on the ground and leaving deep, frozen gorges. The temperature had fallen throughout the area. Meera only realized it when she saw the witch shivering.

  The ice archdragon opened his mouth and let out the same ice beam he had let loose into the heavens, back on the mountains. Veridiana crossed Akhessai's arms, and a massive stone shield formed. The ice beam collided with the shield, pushing her back considerably. It was Akhessai's time to leave gorges of her own. However, Meera did not want to know what those gorges were filled with. The image of what was in those ankles fertilizing the forest gave her shivers.

  Given that Akhessai was lighter since the sorceresses had removed most of the stone when they moved in, Meera was surprised that Akhessai wasn't just rag-dolled across the forest.

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  Veridiana retaliated by extending a hand, shooting sharp stone pellets that must've been the size of houses, as she ran for the ice archdragon. Zerodra countered by casually extending a hand and shooting pellets of his own. Ice and stone collided to rain down on everyone below.

  Large chunks of ice and snow fell everywhere. Kalrina swerved to the right just in time as a massive chunk of ice the size of an iceberg fell in their path. The ground rumbled as Zerodra ran for Veridiana.

  With Kalrina taking care of the flying disc, Meera kept her eyes glued on the fight. Some dragons and sorceresses saw them zipping past, but they were too enamored with the battle of the century.

  Meera had thought they had run clear of the archdragons, but as it turned out, they had not. Zerodra ran over their heads. His mighty legs shook the earth, and they nearly fell off the mirror disc.

  Now, I know what those people in Godzilla movies must've felt.

  The archdragons collided, but thankfully, their fists didn't collide this time, creating another shockwave. No, they punched each other in the jaw, and their fistfight began.

  Ignis took to the air and roared in a mighty voice. "Dragons, it is time to put an end to the sorceresses for good. To me!"

  Tigris was the first to answer his brother's call as a dark blur rose into the air and dove headfirst toward the sorceresses, leaving behind a faint red streak. Meera clutched her gut as the memory of holding in her organs came to her.

  The dragons roared as one, almost matching their patriarch's roar. Some raced on the ruined forest floor. Others took to the air as they followed their commander.

  Then Meera's ears picked up a sound that sent a shiver up her spine. "Sorceresses, it is time we beat these dragons back into the forest," Aksha roared.

  The Sorceress of Akhessai shouted in defiance and rallied together to take on the approaching dragon armada. Flames heated up the afternoon to almost a boiling point. Various skills flew from the sorceresses to match the dragons' attacks. Overhead, the two archdragons bashed into each other, and Meera and Kalrina sailed on by under their noses.

  Meera grinned at the carnage she had wrought. She wasn't a person who would enjoy this sort of thing, but after being hunted by both sides for so long, it felt right…felt like justice.

  "If you grin any wider, dearie, I fear your lips will tear at the ends," Kalrina said.

  Meera looked at her and grinned ever wider.

  The witch sighed. "Just get it out already."

  "I told you it would work," Meera beamed. "You were all doom and gloom and even blasted me with a Mirror Blast—I will get you back for that—but I knew it would work. Look, they are so busy gutting into each other that if I stood and started dancing in the middle of the battlefield, no one would stop to give me a second look."

  "Firstly, you didn't know it would work," Kalrina replied. "You hoped it would. To be honest, if I hadn't had the brilliant idea of diving down into the snow and hiding ourselves, we would be digesting in the archdragon's belly. But I digress, it is working beautifully…" Then she added softly. "One part of my dream is coming true."

  Meera's smile faltered a little. Her goal was to destroy the sorceresses and kill Aksha. She placed a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe the dragons will take care of the second part for you."

  "They better not," the witch replied. "I owe her a lot of pain. But in any case, it is best to make for Drurith while we still can. Wouldn't want all this hard work to go to waste."

  "Right."

  They zipped off quietly, leaving the war behind, and just when they were about to enter the cover of the woods, the third threat, which had laid quietly waiting for them, stepped out of the woods—the Cult of Aetheron.

  Almost two dozen of them waited to greet them, and in the lead was a middle-aged man with white flecks running through his black hair. He had a grandfatherly look about him, but Meera knew that meant nothing with these folks. It could just be another ploy to get her to drop her guard.

  He stepped out from his fellow Cultists and smiled at Meera. Kalrina slowed down and stopped, leaving many yards between them.

  [Frostweaver – Level 542]

  "I am Elder Sidrian," the Cultist said, still smiling. "I am in charge of this expedition. Now that you are here, I say we've achieved the mission bestowed to us by our great Hierarch."

  "I don't think you have," Meera countered. "Your goal, if I remember right, was to hand me to the dragons, was it not?"

  "It was," he replied calmly. "But we couldn't bring you to them, so we brought the dragons to you, and they—sorry, you have preoccupied them with other priorities."

  "So, you have no business with us, love," Kalrina said. "It's best we part ways."

  "I'm afraid I cannot let you do that," he said. "I'm here to offer you a deal."

  "Even after all your colleagues we've killed," Meera replied.

  "Especially after that. We could fight, and more of us will die, but in the end, we will subdue you, or you could come willingly, and I will guarantee safe passage to Ealisto. The only condition is you come to meet His Eminence, the Frostcaller Hierarch of the Cult of Aetheron, Elrsail Kasir."

  Elrasil…Meera was sure she had heard that name before. Then her head immediately snapped to Akhessai's statue that warred with her former mate. It was the Cult that put that spell of madness on Akhessai, which sent her into that uncontrollable rage. Can I use this information somehow?

  As she thought about it, there was no way she could run back to Zerodra and inform him of such a thing. Besides, it would take his focus away from Veridiana, and she couldn't have that.

  She turned to the Cultist. Not in a hundred years am I going to come with you, buddy.

  "What does your leader want with her?" Kalrina asked.

  "A simple conversation is all he desires."

  Meera smiled. "A simple conversation couldn't hurt, could it?"

  "It most definitely could," Kalrina warned. "My dear, have you lost your—" Then she must've caught the look in Meera's eye, for she smiled. "I guess there is no convincing you. Fine, if it is a simple conversation then off we go to Ealisto."

  "The invitation was not extended to you, Sorceress," Sidrian replied flatly.

  "And who says I want to go to him," Kalrina replied. "I, too, like my friend here, simply desire a way off this world."

  "Then find your own way. We're not in the business of doing deals with untrustworthy sorceresses," Sidrian replied.

  "Well, too bad," Meera replied. "We're a package deal. If you want me to come with you to Ealisto, she comes with. After we get to Ealisto, what she does is her business."

  Sidrian looked between them, and a note of annoyance passed his face as his eyes squinted slightly. "Fine," he finally said. "Only to Ealisto."

  Kalrina smiled. "Only to Ealisto, dearie."

  "Then what are we waiting for," Meera said. "Come witch, it's time we said goodbye to this dragon-infested world."