Day of the Balaur Invasion Vol. 1

(Written by an ancient Daeva) Daeva of today no longer fear the Dredgion, despite knowing that an encounter with one would almost certainly mean death and rebirth. Even now, I am still haunted by nightmares of my first encounter with such a behemoth of the skies. Many years have passed, yet the memory remains as vivid as the day it happened. The first Dredgion appeared without warning. There were no signs of its approach, only the unsettling silence of the Balaur. For months, fortress assaults ceased, artifacts went untouched, and even our messengers reported little resistance. In that uneasy calm, we grew distracted by our struggle for dominance over the Elyos in Reshanta, failing to notice the Balaur's quiet, unnatural stillness. Then, amid a fierce battle at Sulfur Tree Island, a strange and overwhelming energy surged from Reshanta's Eye. We knew at once it was not Odyle energy. It filled us with an instinctive dread that needed no explanation. Without a word, Archons and Guardians alike ceased their fighting and turned toward the Eye. What had been a distant speck became a colossal, suffocating presence in an instant. Instinct told me it was Balaur in origin. Fear seized me, along with an overwhelming urge to flee, yet I forced myself to stand my ground despite knowing victory was impossible. "It is the Balaur! Halt its advance!" our commander shouted. We surged toward the Dredgion. The Guardians, too, regained their resolve and joined the charge. But as we closed in, the vanguard began to fall like insects as red and blue beams carved through the sky. I was struck and frozen by a blue ray, while my comrades fell to burning red light, their wings still unfurled as they vanished midair. The Guardian forces mirrored our fate on the opposite flank. Countless white wings blossomed and were extinguished in an instant. A single graze from the red beams was enough to snuff out life. The high commander ordered a retreat, but the Dredgion gave us no chance to withdraw. Beams poured from every direction. There was no path to escape. That first encounter ended in nothing but terror and devastation for both Asmodians and Elyos alike. Beyond the physical losses, an even deeper wound remained, the knowledge that an enemy beyond our power had revealed itself. We reported the Dredgion's appearance to the Supreme Commander, yet no strategy could be formed against such an unknown threat. For a long time after, fear followed every flight into battle, though the Balaur never again deployed the Dredgion. <To be continued in Vol. 2>