Awakening My Sovereign Authority

Julian’s lungs felt like they were full of broken glass. Every time he took a breath, a sharp, terrible pain stabbed his chest. He fell to one knee on the rocky ground, coughing up a mouthful of dark, red blood. 

All around him, the air smelled like sulfur and burning flesh. This was Demon's Maw Valley, a dead wasteland of jagged black rocks and deep canyons. Right now, it was a battlefield. 

Fifty feet away, a massive monster roared. It was an Abyssal Drake. The beast was the size of a two-story house, covered in thick, iron-black scales. It opened its massive jaws and fired a blast of dark, purple fire. 

In the center of the battlefield stood Dominic Sullivan. Dominic was the captain of the Silvermoon Vanguard, and he looked like a hero from a storybook. He wore shining silver armor and held a sword crackling with blue lightning. 

The Drake’s purple fire slammed directly into Dominic’s chest. The force was enough to melt steel. It should have burned Dominic alive. It should have ended the fight right there. 

But Dominic did not even flinch. He just laughed. 

Back on the edge of the battlefield, Julian screamed in agony. 

A bright, glowing red chain of light connected Julian’s chest to Dominic’s back. It was invisible to normal people, but Julian could see it clearly. This was Julian’s unique ability. It was a Support skill called the Aura of Burden. 

Instead of boosting his team’s speed or giving them extra magic, Julian’s skill did something completely different. It absorbed their pain, their fatigue, and their injuries. 

When the Drake’s fire hit Dominic, the spell transferred the terrible heat through the red chain. Dominic felt nothing. Instead, the skin on Julian’s left arm suddenly bubbled and blackened with severe burns. Julian bit his tongue so hard it bled, trying to stop himself from crying out. If he broke his focus, the Aura of Burden would snap, and Dominic would die.

"Keep it up, Julian!" Dominic shouted over his shoulder. He sounded perfectly fine. He sounded completely energized. "I just need ten more seconds!"

Julian nodded weakly, even though his vision was spinning. He focused all his remaining magic on the red chain. 

The Abyssal Drake swung its massive, spiked tail. It slammed into Dominic’s ribs with the force of a speeding truck. The sound of breaking bones echoed through the valley. But again, Dominic did not fall. 

Julian’s vision went entirely black for a second. He heard a sickening crack inside his own body. Three of his ribs snapped. He collapsed completely into the dirt, clutching his side. He was taking all the damage. He was the only reason Dominic could keep fighting. 

"Now! Die!" Dominic roared. 

Because Dominic was completely free of pain and tiredness, he could push his magic past its normal limits. He raised his sword to the dark sky. A massive bolt of blue lightning crashed down from the clouds, striking his blade. Dominic swung the sword forward, sending a giant dragon made of pure lightning directly at the Abyssal Drake. 

The lightning dragon crashed into the monster’s chest. The explosion was blinding. A shockwave of wind and dust swept over the valley, knocking Julian flat on his back. 

The Abyssal Drake let out one final, pitiful cry. Then, its massive body crashed to the ground, completely dead. 

Silence fell over the valley. 

"We... we did it," Julian whispered. He was lying in a pool of his own blood. His arm was severely burned, his ribs were broken, and he was so tired he could not even lift his head. But a weak smile formed on his face. 

A loud, magical chime rang through the air. Above the dead Drake, a large treasure chest slowly floated down. It was covered in gold and purple glowing runes. A Divine-tier loot chest. It was the rarest treasure in the world.

Julian heard footsteps. The rest of the team walked out from behind the large rocks where they had been hiding. 

Caleb Sanchez, the team’s heavy tank, walked up with a big grin. Sophia White, the team’s mage, followed closely behind him. They had not done much in the fight. The plan was always the same: Julian took all the damage so Dominic could fight like a god. 

"Wow," Caleb said, staring at the glowing chest. "Divine tier. We are going to be rich, Captain."

Dominic walked over to the chest. He looked perfect. His silver armor did not have a single scratch on it. His hair was not even messy. He was not breathing hard. He looked like a man who had just taken a walk in the park. 

"Yes, we are," Dominic said. He placed his hand on the chest, claiming the loot for himself. "This is the final piece we needed."

Julian coughed, tasting more blood. "Dominic..." he called out, his voice weak and shaking. "Can I... can I get a healing potion? I took a lot of damage on that last hit. I think my ribs are broken."

Dominic turned around. He looked down at Julian. 

There was no smile on Dominic’s face. There was no gratitude in his eyes. Instead, he looked at Julian the same way a person looks at a piece of garbage on the street. 

Dominic walked slowly toward Julian. 

"A healing potion?" Dominic asked softly. 

"Yeah," Julian gasped. "Just a basic one. I can walk if I just get some of my health back. We did a great job today, brother."

Dominic stopped right next to Julian’s head. Then, without any warning, Dominic pulled back his heavy, armored boot and kicked Julian directly in the stomach.