"You can't blame yourself, Father. No one could have imagined he was that powerful. No one," he said, trying to comfort him.
Elaethe firmly intervened, her voice resolute.
"We can't waste any time. We need to call an emergency meeting with all the Elder Gods. We must inform them of the situation and make swift decisions."
"Zarem has already left for the realm of the Goddess Lira to warn her," Arkhos added. "We will contact the rest and coordinate everything from here. This situation is critical."
"And what about me? What can I do to help?" Draygon asked, his heart burning with helplessness.
"Son... your time has not yet come. The best thing you can do now is continue training with Butser. This catastrophe has left us with a clear lesson: not even the combined power of three Elder Gods is enough to protect the universe. But the day will come... when we depend on your strength."
Draygon, though not entirely satisfied, decided not to insist. He knew his father was already burdened with enough guilt, and this was not the time to argue.
Arkhos handed him the key to the training room, and shortly after, Butser appeared, summoned by Elaethe to continue the sessions.
Once deep within the palace, the two began to train. However, the young man could not concentrate. His mind was elsewhere... on the dangers looming, on Radeon's overflowing power, and on the lives that could be lost if they failed to stop him.
Butser, in the middle of their training, landed a powerful blow that knocked Draygon down, sending him falling onto his back on the floor.
"Concentrate," he said firmly. "Forget about Radeon for now. That is a matter for the Elder Gods to resolve... that is why they exist; they are the most powerful beings in the universe."
"Do you know what happened?" Draygon asked from the floor.
"Your mother told me the essentials. I know it's serious, but right now, what you need is to focus on getting stronger. More than ever. That enemy is out of your reach, at least for now. Don't forget that you are still weak, and the universe doesn't wait for those who fall behind."
"You're right..." he said, rising with effort and a determined expression on his face. "If I don't take this seriously, I'll never reach the goal I've set for myself. Thank you, Butser."
"That's the spirit," his master replied with a slight smile. "Strive hard and never give up."
They continued fighting for over an hour. With every exchange, Draygon showed astonishing progress. He no longer fell easily, and his movements were faster, more precise. Butser was forced to take the duel more seriously, having to keep his guard up.
"Truly, you gods are terrifying..." Butser commented, having narrowly dodged a blow. "You are born with power, and yet you can take it so much further with training. It is frightening to think how far you can go."
After several hours of intense training, during which Draygon's improvement was evident, the two went to eat and rest.
"You really pushed yourself today," Butser commented while stretching his shoulders. "You made me sweat like never before... I think even my stones are numb from exhaustion."
Draygon let out a laugh at the joke.
"Thank you for the training and for helping me focus when I needed it most."
"It's nothing, that's what I'm here for. Get ready for the next session. Starting tomorrow, I'm going to train you at one hundred percent, with everything I have. I see you're ready for the next level."
"Good, then tomorrow is when the real work begins," Draygon said, excited.
The next day, Draygon woke up with great energy, ready for a full-power training session against Butser.
"Good morning," the young man said to his parents during breakfast.
Both Arkhos and Elaethe were notably serious. Even so, they both replied with a "good morning," trying to conceal their worry, though without much success.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"The call we held yesterday with the other Elder Gods was a disaster. Some are even refusing to fight Radeon. We are the ones who must protect this universe, and yet they are terrified of a confrontation. I never thought that when the time came, some gods would fear anything so much," Arkhos said, clenching his fist.
"But how many have refused to fight?"
"Three gods: Therzoth, Velkar, and Nyss," he answered.
"So what will you do?" Draygon asked again.
"The rest of us could fight, but that would be three less, and it would increase the chances of one of us falling in battle. Furthermore, although some are willing to fight, they prefer to wait to find out if Ishmara and Menoth are still alive. We still have no news of them. So, with the decision divided, it was put to a vote... and the option to wait to confirm if they are alive or dead won. Only then will a final decision be made."
"I hope they are alive and we find them soon, because if this drags on much longer, Radeon will destroy several more planets," Elaethe said with worry.
"Is he still on Lumirel?" Draygon asked.
"No. Apparently, the battle between our colleagues and Radeon was devastating for the planet. After that battle, environmental catastrophes began to occur that ended up completely destroying Lumirel, along with all its inhabitants. It's impossible for anyone to have survived there. Radeon must already be on another planet. We are trying to locate him, while also searching for Ishmara and Menoth," Elaethe replied.
Draygon frowned. The idea that a battle between gods could destroy a planet surprised him. It was difficult for him to imagine the power necessary for such a thing. Although he had never witnessed a battle of that magnitude, an increasingly clear image of the abysmal difference between his strength and that of an Elder God was forming in his mind.
"In the worst-case scenario... supposing both gods are dead, what would happen?" he asked seriously.
"It would be a devastating loss," Arkhos replied, his voice grave. "We have already lost one Elder God. If we also lose Ishmara and Menoth, that would be three less, and it would tip the balance even further in Radeon's favor. Furthermore, if their deaths are confirmed, the other Elder Gods will be even less willing to risk combat. They will be afraid. Conversely, if we find them alive and fit to fight, that could motivate the undecided. Perhaps even those who are now refusing."
Draygon swallowed as he processed what his father was saying, aware that the future of the entire universe was at stake.
Arkhos observed him for a few seconds before relaxing his expression.
"Don't worry. Neither your mother nor I will allow this universe to fall. One way or another, we will prevail."
The young god managed a small smile, despite the evident concern still weighing on his shoulders. He was worried not only about the well-being of his parents, but also the fate of all worlds.
"Be careful... I can't lose you," he said sincerely.
Arkhos and Elaethe exchanged a calm glance before answering with certainty.
"Nothing will happen to us, Son. I promise," Arkhos assured him.
"Go on, Son. Go train with Butser. Leave this to us," his mother added in a serene voice.