Demonic Dragon: Harem System

Chapter 353: Ask them to destroy the palace

Kallamos slipped through the darkness like a shadow, her scales shimmering with a nearly imperceptible golden glow as she moved through the streets and alleys toward the palace. Her small body, agile and swift, moved with the grace of a feline, every motion calculated, every breath almost inaudible. She could feel the pulse of the place, the weight of magic in the air, and knew the mission would be harder than she had imagined. But she didn't fear it. Not with the powers she possessed.

The entrance to the palace was imposing, with tall iron gates and guards patrolling, but Kallamos already knew the art of sneaking in. Using her ability to blend with the shadows, she passed unnoticed by the sentinels. Her small steps were like whispers in the wind, and her subtle magic allowed her to circumvent any vigilance.

She advanced through the grand gates of the palace, observing the corridors decorated with luxurious tapestries and imposing sculptures. The atmosphere was unnervingly silent, as if the palace was in a constant state of watchfulness, with a tension that she felt at every corner, in every dark hallway.

Kallamos paused behind a column, her keen eyes scanning the environment ahead. There were no guards in sight, but she knew that didn't mean she was safe. The palace was full of traps and powerful enchantments. She took a deep breath and sensed the magic around her—a dense field, difficult to penetrate, but she wasn't an ordinary little dragon. Her senses were sharp, and she knew where she needed to go.

She continued her path, moving with unnatural lightness, until she reached a spiral staircase that descended into the underground. The air there was thick and damp, as if the walls breathed an energy that felt unnatural. Kallamos knew she was getting closer to something important. Something terribly wrong. She could feel the vibrations of the magic, growing stronger with every step she took.

The staircase led her to a narrow, cold hallway. The light from the torches burning along the walls was weak, casting long and distorted shadows. Kallamos stayed low, moving unnoticed past the wrought-iron doors and empty passages. The silence in the place was unsettling. Something was being hidden here—and she knew Xenovia was somehow involved.

She moved further down the hall until she found a door with no guard. Her eyes glowed brightly as she examined the lock. It was magical. Kallamos smiled. She had her own way of dealing with enchantments. With a small flick of her tail, a series of symbols formed in the air, dancing around her fingers as she invoked her magic. The door trembled, the magic of the spell undone with a simple touch.

The door slowly creaked open, and Kallamos entered cautiously. What she found was nothing like what she had expected. The corridor was empty, except for a single cell at the far end, surrounded by a dense, malignant aura. Something inside was pulsing, an energy that made her scales prickle and her stomach tighten. The cell was protected by a magical barrier—strong, powerful, and... familiar. Kallamos recognized the energy immediately: the same one she had felt in other places of great power. An ancient and dangerous magic, used only in cases of extreme need.

She approached cautiously, her eyes fixed on the figure inside the cell. Xenovia. Kallamos recognized her immediately, despite her sitting on the floor, apparently exhausted and with disheveled hair. But something was wrong. Xenovia didn't appear physically hurt, but the expression on her face was one of frustration and fatigue. She was sitting on a pile of rubble, with a wall beside her clearly destroyed, as if she had tried to escape. However, what caught Kallamos' attention more than the destruction was the barrier surrounding the cell. The magical energy emanating from it was visible—a force invisible, yet tangible, preventing her from leaving.

Kallamos moved closer, sensing the magic around her. She couldn't simply invade this barrier without consequence. It was a powerful spell, far stronger than anything she had encountered so far. But something inside her told her to try. The magic she possessed wasn't just brute force. Kallamos was a master of subversion, and she knew how to bend spells, how to twist them to her will.

She extended her hands, the tips of her claws touching the barrier. An explosion of energy spread through the air, but Kallamos remained focused. She felt the resistance of the magic, as if the barrier was refusing to give way. But her own golden magic began to seep into the cracks, creating small deviations in the flow of magical energy.

"Hey... girl... are you Xenovia?" Kallamos murmured, her voice soft but full of concern. "It's okay. I'll get you out of here."

Xenovia looked up, her purple eyes tired but still burning with determination. She didn't seem surprised to see Kallamos, but the exhaustion in her gaze was evident.

"You... who are you?" Xenovia asked in a hoarse voice, trying to stand, but her strength seemed to be fading. She looked like she had tried to escape several times before, but the magical barrier prevented any movement. Her fists were lightly bleeding from repeatedly attacking the wall of the cell, but the magic held her in place, with no room for action.

"Your brother, Strax!" Kallamos, with a look of pure concentration, continued to work on the cracks in the barrier. "I'm here to free you," she said, focusing on the spell, which, luckily, was old and worn down from previous escape attempts, giving them an advantage.

"It won't work," Kallamos then heard a voice, not from Xenovia, but from... a Black Phoenix beside her. "It's a sealing magic. Even if you break it, we'll still be trapped here," Xyn said.

"How do I get you out?" Kallamos asked, trying to keep her tone as firm as possible, not giving in to the discomfort of the magical pressure around her.

Xyn observed the small dragon with a calculating gaze, its black feathers glowing faintly in the dim light of the cell. "Bring someone truly strong," it said, its voice laced with irony. "Your power is sealed. You're not a full spirit. You're still connected to Strax."

Kallamos swallowed hard, the weight of Xyn's words beginning to make sense. The Black Phoenix wasn't just referring to the sealing magic. There was something more to her connection with Strax, something Kallamos didn't fully understand yet. She looked at Xenovia, then focused again on the barrier.

"But there's something that can destroy it..." Xyn said with a slight threat in its voice. "The two bitches... Strax's swords. They can easily destroy this spell."

Kallamos froze for a moment. Strax's swords? No. This wasn't something she had anticipated. Something wasn't right. She already knew what she had to say, but didn't want to be the bearer of such bad news. The small dragon averted her gaze, her tail swishing nervously as she murmured to herself, "The swords don't exist anymore."

The tension in the air intensified. Xyn raised its head, its piercing eyes locking onto Kallamos with an almost supernatural intensity. "What?" Xyn asked, its voice filled with disbelief. The Black Phoenix seemed to be processing what it had just heard, but confusion was evident in its gaze.

Kallamos, visibly uncomfortable, lowered her eyes and, with a heavy sigh, replied, "The swords turned into two... cum deposit... those bitches..." She tried to mask the nervousness in her voice, but it came out heavier than she intended, and she knew it would make things worse. Xyn's gaze, a mixture of distrust and fury, made Kallamos shiver a little inside.

The room fell silent for a moment. Xenovia and Xyn exchanged glances, and Kallamos realized that, for a brief moment, something had changed between them. It was as if both of them were grasping the gravity of the situation on a much deeper level than she herself could.

Xyn was the first to break the silence, its voice low and tense. "Did... did he already bring Tiamat and Ouroboros back to life?" The Black Phoenix seemed to have doubts, but also a hint of expectation. "Was that the plan... but did he do it this fast?"

Kallamos found herself speechless again. The situation was spiraling out of control faster than she could have imagined. "Well... he needed to go after Xenovia, so he did the fastest thing he could to get stronger," she said, her voice faltering slightly. "He made a lot of connections since Xenovia was used as a bargaining chip, including with a vampire that's way too strong, and really important... so she helped him."

Xyn looked at Xenovia, its eyes narrowing as it processed everything that had been said. Time seemed to stand still while the Black Phoenix reflected on the implications of this revelation. Xenovia, still sitting among the rubble, looked at the Phoenix with an unreadable expression.

"So, Strax really found a way to bring the two of them back... That changes everything," Xenovia murmured, more to herself than anyone else. She seemed thoughtful, but her expression hardened as she remembered what was keeping her here. "But that still doesn't change the fact that we're trapped, and we need to get out before things get worse."

Kallamos watched the exchange of glances between Xenovia and Xyn, trying to understand what was happening. It was clear that things were more complicated than just escaping from the prison. Something much bigger was at stake, and no matter how hard she tried to solve things with magic, there were far more powerful forces controlling it all.

Time was running out. And Kallamos knew that if they didn't find a solution soon, the situation could become even more desperate.

"Is there any way we can free ourselves?" Kallamos asked, her voice serious, seeking an answer that was more than just an empty promise.

Xyn, with a grave expression, looked at the small dragon. "If Strax brought Tiamat and Ouroboros back... bring them here. It will be a single blow, and this entire prison will fall," Xyn said.

"Ask them to destroy the palace," Xyn added.