Chapter Eighty-One: Unexpectedly Installed Two Systems

Azure Dragons—ancient, malevolent beings. It is said that these creatures were born from the wild dreamscape to bring about its own destruction, able to turn everything within the dream into their own strength, devouring anything within it, though their favorite delicacies are druids and demigods.

They are devourers of nature and dreams, the nightmares of both demigods and druids.

“I know what Azure Dragons are,” Bard said, glancing at the queen. “You’re not about to tell me you have one of those monsters as an ally, are you?”

If an Azure Dragon were here, Bard wouldn’t hesitate to flee. Such a monster could devour all things within the wild dreamscape—including any enemies who dared enter.

The queen pointed at Linley. “I didn’t find one myself, but you brought him here.”

Bard turned and stared at Linley, then laughed. “Queen, you’re telling me he’s an Azure Dragon? If you’re going to fool me, at least come up with a better reason. Don’t think I don’t know Azure Dragons have been extinct for ages.”

During the ancient wars, Azure Dragons were wiped out. Even if a few eggs remained in the world, without a mother’s nurturing, they would never hatch.

“If he’s an Azure Dragon, I’ll eat that cage myself,” Bard declared, then abruptly fell silent as Linley, inside the cage, reached out. In the waking world, he’d been unable to touch the bars, but now, with ease, he gripped them.

“Impossible!”

Bard’s eyes widened as Linley twisted off a piece of the cage and popped it into his mouth.

“No need for you to trouble yourself—I’ll eat it first. Crunch, crunch…”

Linley munched on the cage as if it were bamboo shoots. Cold sweat beaded on Bard’s skin—how could this be? Could he truly be an Azure Dragon?

The queen watched Linley. “See? I was right, wasn’t I?”

“I’d advise you not to lock him up again,” she said with a smile. “Let him stay here and feed for a while—his strength will soon return.”

Bard turned a suspicious gaze on the queen. “What trickery did you use!?”

He refused to believe Linley was an Azure Dragon. That was impossible. It had to be an illusion conjured by this woman—she was a master of such arts.

“Whatever your plans, they mean nothing before true power,” Bard sneered. He muttered an incantation, and frost rose beneath Linley’s feet, swirling up to become an eagle-serpent, its body covered in icy scales, coiling tightly around him.

Something flickered above Linley’s head. He looked up to see the eagle-serpent flicking its crimson tongue, its deathly eyes fixed intently on him.

“Hey, you look familiar…” Linley couldn’t help but greet it. For some reason, the eagle-serpent flew into a rage. It opened its bloody maw and swallowed Linley’s head and shoulders in one gulp, its body undulating as it continued devouring him.

“Let him go! Don’t eat him so fast!” Bard shouted, firing a ray of red light. With a screech, the eagle-serpent regurgitated Linley.

Half of Linley’s body was now drenched, covered in a slick, white slime.

“I hate sticky things,” he muttered.

Bard turned to the queen. “As you can see—your brother is like an ant before me. If you want to save him, hand over the other half of the Twin Moons Wheel.”

The queen glanced at Linley. “This isn’t quite how you described things.”

“What?” Bard turned to look—and his eyes widened further. Linley had clamped his hands tightly around the eagle-serpent’s head.

“How dare you drool all over me!”

His grip tightened. The eagle-serpent thrashed in agony, howling in pain.

“Stop! Stop at once!” Bard hurriedly dispelled the summoning. The eagle-serpent dissolved into a splash of icy water and vanished.

He had barely breathed a sigh of relief when, in a flash, a fist appeared before his eyes.

“Old man, hand over that eagle-serpent!” Linley’s fist thundered toward him, his anger palpable. Bard hadn’t anticipated the sudden attack. He had no time to cast a spell before the fist was already upon him.

Bard had seen Linley and Irel fight, and knew how formidable a warrior he was. If that punch landed, even if it didn’t kill him, he’d be half-ruined. Panic and fury rising in him, Bard summoned all his strength and roared, “Twin Moons Wheel—save me!”

With a crash, Linley’s punch struck the Twin Moons Wheel. The force of his own blow rebounded, sending Linley flying.

“Linley.”

The queen caught him.

Linley wiped the blood from his lips and looked up at Bard. The resplendent moon wheel hovered at Bard’s side.

The Twin Moons Wheel looked like a crescent moon, pure white and luminous. Even from dozens of meters away, one could sense its overwhelming aura of bloodlust.

“How am I able to see it now?” Linley asked.

The queen smiled. “It’s shrunk. Once its power is condensed, you can see it.”

“You’re the first outsider in centuries to behold the true form of the Twin Moons Wheel.” Bard glared at Linley, his face livid. “You little wretch, you’ve ambushed me twice! I won’t let you leave here alive.”

“You attacked first, both times,” Linley muttered. The Twin Moons Wheel was a beautiful sight, yet he could feel the crushing force radiating from it—stronger than anything he had known. In its presence, Linley felt as if ten of himself wouldn’t be enough—he was helpless before it.

“Well? Are you afraid?” The queen looked down at him.

Linley burst out laughing. “I’m no coward! If there’s a way, even an ant can topple an elephant.”

Bard sneered. “Then you haven’t truly witnessed the power of the Twin Moons Wheel.”

He swung the wheel lightly, and instantly the skies changed. Fierce winds swept the heavens, scattering the clouds—Linley was caught up in the gale, but as he was blown away, he reached out and wrapped his arms around the queen’s waist.

The queen stood immovable as a mountain. She asked Linley, “Did he tell you about me?”

“He did. Can you stop this wind? It’s too strong—I can barely hold on to you!” Linley shouted over the roar. The Twin Moons Wheel’s power was like a magical fan—the wind was simply too much.

The queen stroked his head. “Aren’t you curious why I became the Queen of the Night Elves?”

“I don’t care about things like that. Just help me—I’m about to—ahh…”

Linley was swept away by the wind.

The queen’s figure flickered. Without even moving her feet, she soared alongside Linley. “I know you’re not interested, Linley, but promise me this—if you’ll continue to call me sister from now on, and always see me as family no matter what happens, I’ll lend you the other Moon Wheel to play with.”

“Sure, no problem—just help me stop!” Linley reached out for her. She extended her hand, and the moment their fingers touched, the queen vanished.

Linley started in surprise. Suddenly, a warm aura enveloped him. Though the gale howled all around, not a breath of it could reach him. He straightened up and saw a pristine moon wheel guarding him.

“So this is the other Moon Wheel?” The wheel floating beside him was smaller than Bard’s, but more exquisitely beautiful. Linley reached out to touch it, and it suddenly spoke in the queen’s voice: “Don’t touch me! I hate being touched by others.”

Linley’s eyes widened. “Sister, you’re the Moon Wheel?”

“No wonder I never found where the other Moon Wheel was!” Bard appeared before Linley, face ashen. “You fused with it!”

The Twin Moons Wheel at his side burst into laughter. “Even I didn’t realize it—Queen, should I call you my little sister?”

“No need,” the queen retorted coldly. “I have no wish to end up like your sister—murdered by your own hand.”

Linley was a bit confused—there were two spirits within the Twin Moons Wheel?

Never mind that—now that he had a Moon Wheel himself, there was no time to waste.

“Charge!”

With a flash of wings beneath his feet, Linley shot toward Bard.

Now that they were on equal footing—who was afraid of whom?