Everyone stares at the magnificence of the skies as they feel the winds shift, the atmosphere hot with arcane presence. Its voice, the thunder's competitor, shatters the clouds open as it heads straight towards the crescent moon.
It's shadow cast upon the rooftops and the grassy lands beneath the moon, it's tail swerving through the air and it's wings flap to propel the wind.
"Godspark? Is that what this is?", Freya's ears flicker at the name the dragon spoke.
She flies skyward to put herself between the gliding lizard and the crescent moon, her magic energies glowing brightly around her body.
She extends her hand, palm out, and a thunderous voice to confront the beast, "This power is mine", she roars, channeling energy, drawing lightning from the stars.
Her strike slams into the dragon, but its scales remain unyielding, impervious to her magic.
It's dark scaly throat take ember colours as it's jaw drops open, bathing her in it's flames. An attack that would turn most to ash but she holds, using her magic to provide a shield around her body.
The force of the dragon's breath pushes her downward and away from the moon, only to receive a heavy whip from the dragon's tail.
Shield blocked, she is almost unaffected, but the force sends the protected woman crashing into the ground with her shield intact.
The dragon's claws, seeking purchase on the crescent moon, falter. A searing pain, coupled with the scalding touch of steam, blasts its legs from Mani's surface.
The beast flies around the moon, only just noticing the protective spell around it. Eyes sharp while it hungers for power, "You", it's gaze catch the Grand sorcerer above the altar.
It plunges, a predator in pursuit, while the terrified scatter. Its fiery breath scorches the earth, a gift of both light and annihilation.
* * * * * * * * * *
At a distance, safe from battle, Kane and his band of escapees watch in awe as everything beneath the monster's breath turns to ash.
The wind send a chill down the spine while the dragon's voice echoes in the heavens, the dragon flies upward again, circling the moon as it stands protected by a strong barrier.
With hair streaming behind him in the wind, Tanix levitates above the scorched earth.
With hands lifted skyward, commanding an unseen power while a shimmering forcefield envelopes him and the crescent moon.
The dragon scuffs, "Mortals and their flimsy spells", it snarls.
"Everyone, bring it down", Tanix screams an order to the Rolandian forces. They charge with spells and arrows, all making little to no impact upon its black scales.
With the opening of its mouth, many cower and attempt to flee, a reasonable act as it's flames send many to the afterlife.
Emmet stops in his tracks as well as the rest of the group, eyes widened by the path they take, "Wait, wait! I'm I the only one seeing the giant lizard turning everything to ash?", concern hanging behind his voice.
"No half-born. I see it too and I wonder why we are heading towards the same place the monster is", Braga speaks.
"Destiny. It is his destiny, our destiny. You are welcome to wait behind, the chosen one and I must save Mani", Emilia says, a string of annoyance trailing behind her words.
"Mani?" "The second moon", Kane points out.
"Who the fuck are you people?", Emmets ask, shock sweeping away previous events from mind.
Meanwhile, at the camp which has now become mostly ash and bones, Clarion and his guards hide beneath magic covers of shield and cloak.
Keeping them out of sight as the dragon scratches at the shields that protect the crescent moon.
"Still think it is a bad time to summon Zarek?", the duke's brow furrows as he directs his gaze toward the pink skin. Her hardened eyes return their gaze at him but his, hold no respect for hers.
"This is the new plan", he begins, "Right now we are emissary to Merdona and allied with Rolandia.
We will assist them in fighting the dragon", he says, "Duke Clarion, I don't think we can take that dragon", Rivena says, "Of course you can't. But we can join forces, fight just hard enough to convince them while prioritising our lives.
I will extract the godspark", he says.
"Why must it be you?", Malice asks, voice tainted with distrust, "Because I am a duke and nobody expects me to be in battle. Of course, you can solve this by summoning Zarek".
"I cannot expose the master, not now" "Then we will go with my plan", he says sternly.
They nod in agreement and the potbellied man slams the bottom of his cane to the ground, dispelling his magic and releasing his guards into the battlefield.
He vanishes shortly after.
* * * * * * * * * *
The grand sorcerer hovers effortlessly in the night sky, his form enveloped in a swirling storm of magical projectiles that dance around him and the crescent moon.
He screams, an echo, as he channels immense power towards the moon while the dragon launches its own assault on the celestial body.
"Insect, you dare compete with Astrid, the black dragon. You shall burn", the dragon speaks, voice towering over others as it prepares to rain down fire.
This will not happen as black lightning strikes it's scales, suddenly darkness like a cloud of smoke appear before him, materialising and binding it's eyes shut, "The audacity", it snarls.
A dwarf emerges above the dragon's head, brandishing a massive cudgel.
He brings the weapon down with earth-shattering force, driving the beast plummeting toward the ground.
Below, Malice stands ready, unleashing a flurry of searing magic beams to strike the winged lizard as it plummets.
Astrid, the dragon, unfurls her wings. A violent shockwave of crimson light erupts from her, obliterating their puny assaults.
It prepares to spit fire when it feels a heavy blow to its back, letting out a roar, it spins around faster than it should be able to and lashes it's tail out to swipe the dwarf out of sight.
"Tyson!", Rivena's cry rips through the air as she witnesses her comrade hurled away by Astrid's strike.
It roars at them at the top of its lungs, sending shivers through everyone's skin.
"Spread out", Malice commands and her comrades spread out to surround the dragon, "What is this?", it snarls.
They unleash their magic against the creature, "It tickles", it guffaws.
Suddenly a bright line of light forms and hits the dragon, turning into a translucent chain on impact.
They see Freya at the core of this spell, blood trickling down the side of her head, "You will pay for that worm", she snarls, pulling the dragon with all her strength.
"Don't waste this opportunity. Give it pain!", Pain screams as he urges his comrades to attack.
Rolandian forces surge forward, a desperate attempt to contain the beast.
But the dragon's eyes flash, and in that instant, a tempest of fire explodes from its form.
Flames whirl and writhe, a fiery vortex unleashed upon the camp beneath.
It burns hot, taking away the air in the atmosphere as it grows bigger.
"Now burn", Astrid roars and the flames burst into a tidal wave of fire, destroying those who have little magic to protect themselves and those who take no cover.
Smoke rises, obscuring sight, but the dragon's laughter lingers from afar.
Freya swipes her hand and the dust vanishes to return clear view of the beast. It is metres away, it's back turned away from the crescent moon as it flies away.
"Pussy", she mutters.
She unleashes a sudden burst of power, a shockwave that sweeps outward, slamming those nearby to the ground.
She hovers skyward where her eyes meet with the grand sorcerer, floating in his grey regalia and a black sash around his waist, he holds her gaze.
She stretches her hands toward Tanix, crimson colours surrounding her like a burning bush, "You are the one holding this power. I will be taking it", Freya says.
Crimson and Violet energies erupt from her hands, lancing against the grand sorcerer's protective barrier.
Her lips curl into a sly smile as the shimmering shield begins to fracture under the pressure of her magic.
"Good", they both hear his voice, slithery and bold like a forked tongue it hisses.
Astrid gathers momentum from the distance between itself and the barrier around the moon.
Charging at great speeds before curling up into a giant ball of flames. It moves fast, like a shooting star, descending with great force.
It slams into the moon, its protective wards shattering along with those of the grand sorcerer.
A raw surge of magical energy erupts outward, the force of its release a physical shockwave.
Everyone is blown away with only Astrid to stand on top of the crescent moon. Claws dug in deep like the luminous rock were a piece of buttery flesh.
The dragon pulls but feels another force pull at the crescent moon, it pivots head around the moon and sniffs with deep focus, "Who are you, human?", it asks.
"I can sense you, your sweat, your heartbeat, I can smell your fear", Astrid speaks.
Clarion covered in the covers of his magic, floats in hidden sight, weaving a spell that will pull the crescent moon into his grasp.
Sweat drips down the side of his face as the dragon's gaze searches for him in the skies.
Astrid's gaze drifts elsewhere as Freya emerges from the shattered landscape below.
Her face, a mask of blood, lifts toward the heavens, arms outstretched in defiance.
She feels the forces around herself and the moon, and with her will and magic she forces a hold against the moon.
Astrid snarls, turning its head to look at the fiery woman, "You are blessed with strong magic but it all falters before Astrid", the dragon says.
"You are not taking that thing anywhere", Tanix rises, blasting a large force of lightning into the skies, he stretches one hand toward the moon and pulls.
Malice and her comrades make another attempt at Astrid but it senses an attack which it dodges gracefully.
Pain is marked and Astrid spits a fiery blast. With agile precision, he evades the searing flames yet Astrid's tail lashes out and strikes him.
Tyson, the dwarf, dives out of nowhere to catch Pain, the force sending both men bouncing against the floor to groan in pain.
"The Godspark is mine", Astrid roars into the night.
The crescent moon begins to crack under the grip of too much pressure, four powers pulling at its essence like a tug of war.
Kane and Emilia arrive the scene. The ground and the camp has been reduced to rubble, leaving only a few alive to watch the madness that plays out above.
They see the dragon and two sorcerers hovering above, "They must be fighting for Mani, what are we going to do?", Emilia stands perplexed.
A red vortex suddenly appears, fast spinning it glows and a man clad in obsidian armour flies out of the portal, a solemn grace about his presence is felt.
The wind lifts the little strands of white hair that hang in front of his head while a red ever-changing tattoo appears on his forehead.
The man holds a staff in one hand while his red eyes glance downward and back up to assess the situation.
"Zarek", Clarion mutters in the shadows.
"Him. I have seen him before from the Island", Kane recognises the man from the underground cave on Nimwei.
Zarek stretches his hand forward to assert his will upon the crescent moon, earning more cracks.
"Sorry dragon, but the Godspark is mine", his words ringing with power.
A vein throbs on his forehead as he channels intense magical energy, the air around the crescent moon shimmering with it s raw force.
His brow furrows in concentration, a testament to the immense effort he exerts.
In one swell explosion, a blinding light enshrouds the land. A shockwave of immense power ripples across the kingdom, its force resonating deep within their very bones.
Behind the blinding light all that is heard is laughter, laughter of a beast who believes to have succeeded in its pursuit, "It is mine", Astrid says and flaps it wings, flying off into the night with a a glittering piece of rock in its hand.
* * * * * * * * * *
The new freed slaves cover their eyes under the attack of the blinding light.
The force it exudes raises them off their feet but only throws them a meter or two away.
Saphina can feel her hands tingle under the influence of unfamiliar magic.
When Kane pulled her to join in their escape, she did not expect this. "What am I doing here?", she wonders.
Dust and ash feel the air, the blinding light gradually fades leaving only a faint but recurring sound behind their ears.
The dust begins to settle and she sees Kane, sword in hand, he stands with Braga and Emilia by his side. Emmet coughs beside Saphina, forcing the elf into a shriek that summons attention.
"What happened?", she hears Emilia asks, "The crescent moon was destroyed into five pieces. I'm sorry Emilia, but I think Mani is no more".