13 End Of The Trial
"You two come behind me", Aldrich dropped the two cubs, facing against the intense Aura of the Dragon.
The figure of a giant and majestic Dragon loomed over the candidates, its imposing presence casting an eerie shadow across the chamber, exerting intense pressure on their souls.
Two candidates immediately crumbled under the pressure as they were kicked out of the Dungeon.
As Aldrich stepped forward, the Dragon's eyes glowed with intense crimson light, and an invisible force surged outward, enveloping him in its aura.
Aldrich felt the weight of the Dragon's aura press upon him as if a colossal creature stared down upon his very soul. Fear threatened to grip his heart, but Aldrich smiled, "However many times I fight against it, Dragon's aura is something else", He pushed against the aura using his sword, furiously circulating mana throughout his body.
The pressure intensified with every step he took, threatening to crush his spirit. The ground beneath him seemed to tremble, echoing the Dragon's ancient power. Aldrich knew that he couldn't afford to falter; the centre of the room was his destination, and he had to press onward, no matter the cost.
As he continued, visions danced before his eyes—memories of past battles, faces of friends and allies. The Dragon's aura seemed to draw out his deepest emotions, testing not only his physical strength but also the strength of his heart and mind.
"How is he" The candidates looked at Aldrich, who was pushing through the intense aura.
"Fools, letting their mind get distracted in front of a Dragon", The Guardian watched from above as the candidates distracted by Aldrich were consumed by the Dragon's aura.
Only Carl and Aldrich remained. Carl furiously circulated Aetherflow as it provided resistance against Draconic attacks. He pushed through, albeit still far behind Aldrich.
"My technique is superior", Aldrich realized as the Draconic Aura could not break through Aldrich's defences.
Aldrich gritted his teeth, his willpower like steel, refusing to yield to the oppressive force. But even with all his strength and determination, he felt the Dragon's aura slowly sapping his mana, inch by inch, pushing him to the brink of exhaustion.
Aldrich could feel his strength deteriorating. He had no time to think of ways to counter, The Dragon's Aura was so imposing he had to put every ounce of concentration to fight against it.
Amid this struggle, a soft but unwavering howl reached Aldrich's ears. Aldrich's turned to see the two little cubs emerge from the shadows. Their eyes were alight with fierce determination, and they drew closer to him, their presence lending him strength and courage.
As they approached, Aldrich could feel an unfamiliar surge of energy within him, a resonance that connected him to the two wolves.
"You two are sharing your mana with me" Aldrich could feel energy surging through his body.
As he absorbed their energy, an aura of his own began to form—a radiant manifestation of the wolves' spirits alongside him.
The chamber trembled as Aldrich's aura took shape, two colossal figures of wolf-like spirits materializing beside him. They towered over him, their ethereal forms emanating raw power and celestial brilliance.
Aldrich raised his head high with a roar of his own, summoning all the strength within him. His aura of giant wolf spirits surged forward, ready to fight against the Dragon.
The Dragon's aura, sensing this newfound challenge, roared in response. But Aldrich's wolves were unyielding as they collided head-on against the Dragon's aura.
"What is going on?" Carl looked ahead, seeing colossal figures fight against each other. He couldn't handle the pressure, and he passed out.
"He has won, but", The Guardian was curious to see how Aldrich would end the battle.
As the struggle reached its zenith, the Dragon's aura faltered, a momentary weakness exposed from the Artefact. Seizing the opportunity, Aldrich and his wolves launched a final, combined assault—a surge of raw mana that surged like a tidal wave.
The impact was cataclysmic. The Dragon's aura recoiled, its oppressive force dissipating like a gust of wind. The giant wolf spirits howled triumphantly, their celestial brilliance illuminating the chamber with an ethereal glow.
Aldrich looked towards the fading Dragon, as he realized that it was his first victory over a dragon in this life.
Aldrich walked towards the swords as he put the two cubs on the pedestal. "You wanted these swords, right?",
The two cubs walked towards the twin swords and touched them. A bright light illuminated the entire temple as the swords absorbed the two spirits.
[You have obtained the twin swords]
Aldrich rushed towards the swords, examining them.
"Come out, you two", He commanded, and the two cubs emerged from inside the sword.
"Thanks for the help", Aldrich patted the two cubs before checking out the swords.
The swords looked majestic. One had a black finish with Golden stripes, while the other was white with blood-red stripes.
"The swords are similar to the two cubs", He noticed.
"These are the founder's swords", The Guardian walked towards Aldrich.
"And those two are" Guardian looked towards the two cubs, happily rubbing their heads against Aldrich.
"The Descendants of Founders Pet", Aldrich said.
"Right"
"Congratulations on your victory, Descendant.", The Guardian took out a medal, handing it over to Aldrich.
"With this, you are appointed the next in line for the family's succession."
"You are the first one in hundreds of years to subdue the Dragon's Aura.", The Guadrian said.
Aldrich could guess why that was the case. Even he wouldn't be able to win against it if he hadn't fought against Dragons countless times in the past.
"What is the aim of these trials? Why put us in teams? You know this will only lead to betrayal and deceit," Aldrich asked the Guardian.
"You are both correct and incorrect", The Guardian walked towards Aldrich. "As the family head, you will have to realize the potential of your cousins. You can't do this if you never work together. Yes, some may resent you, but as the family head, you must ensure that no one is unjustly treated. You will need the family to come together to face the adversities. That's your role as a head."
"Then why appoint me as the head? I did none of what you just said",
"Because you are strong, and you will have enough strength to make people submit to you", Guardian said with a grin.
"Now go back. Your father is about to break into the Dungeon", Guardian said, creating a portal to the exit.
"Just one thing, Would you like to fight Dragons someday?" Aldrich looked at the Guardian while storing his swords.
"Always",
"I will remember this", Aldrich said as he exited the portal.
[You have completed the Inheritance Trial]
