Ren lay over Cella. He had grabbed her and thrown himself over her behind a large formation of rock between the pool and the wall above the divot that the pool was within. He had activated stealth and used eldritch touch in combination to remove any trace of his presence. Together, they lay behind the stone, crushed and tightly packed into the small space.

He saw the dragon circling the area overhead, his heart beat so hard that Ren had to reassure himself it would not tear from his chest. The creature felt as though it could even have challenged the Abyssal Watcher. It was likely less powerful, but still on a similar level as the beast. As Ren allowed himself to calm down slowly he usedanalyze on the crimson dragon.

Adult Dragon Lvl 52

The reality that the dragon was weaker than the Abyssal Watcher did nothing to stamp out his fear. The Watcher was beyond Ren by leaps and bounds. Even in its presence, he could tell that both beings were at least two ascensions higher than himself. All in all, he stood no chance of fighting or running from it. All he could do was wait and hide.

–

Tayin scaled the mountain alongside the mist wolf. They had passed far enough up that the slope was evening out, the peak in sight. She and the wolf doubled down on their speed trying to catch up to Ren and whoever he had tagging along with him now.

Wherever he had been, how the hell did he find someone willing to fight alongside him? Any sane mortal in this world would rather die than help the harbinger of an Eldritch God.

In her ascent, three clerics both guided by mist wolves joined her. None of them had caught up yet, though they were all of a third ascension and likely faster than her, even if their power sets were far from the fast type.

She began to smell sulfur pools and feel the warm mist that wafted from the hot springs. It wasn’t long until her eyes met the sight of the crimson flier.

The dragon swept the air above her, and Tayin went motionless at the sight. The very core of her being shook as she felt the power of the creature. It was beyond her by all measures, and she stood no chance of fighting the dragon. She knew it, and yet she knew she had no choice.

The crimson-winged beast flew down towards her as it saw her.

“Little Mortal,” came the deep and rumbling voice. The dragon’s lips did not move.

She was unable to move, and so she spoke barely above a whisper.

“Yes, high one?” A trembling was within her voice as it fought to exit her mouth.

“Vok’Ret seeks the little dwarf who throws stones.”

“I know of none…”

“But you are here, and the little dwarf has run away. Elves do not play with rocks as dwarves do, though, I do only see you here.”

Her body began to tremble as the great dragon landed on the earth before her. Great maw of sword-length teeth greeted her, wings greater than castle walls, and breath that stank of char and sulfur.

“I beg mercy, I have no relation to your dwarf.” She struggled to speak as the mist wolf stood beside her, the construct was confused.

“Well little mortal, I will have to play with you instead.”

Tayin’s eyes widened as her paralysis faded. She leaped down the stoney slope to find a place to cower from what was to come.

The serpent head of the dragon lurched backward as a bright flame came alive in its maw. A great glowing coal shone from between the scales on his chest.

Vok’Ret fired forwards a gushing torrent of flame. The confused mist wolf was dispersed as the silvery mist was blown away. Tayin threw herself down the mountainside tumbling and slamming into stone and trees. Her body was propelled by a great leap, she broke several bones as she hurled down.

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The torrent of flame chased her and came up empty. It reached a hundred feet in a conical shape before the gaping maw. Trees, stone, and any trace of life before the flame was utterly ruined.

Tayin felt her arm snap as a twenty-foot drop finalized her fall. The arm had already collided with several rocks on the way down. She felt herself thoroughly battered and beaten.

She looked above her to see the flame wafting out into the air above her. The fire was imbued with affinity far beyond the regular aspect of fire. Dragon’s fire was a unique and deadly weapon.

The three clerics ascending the mountain below her rushed into the commotion. Unable to see the culprit, they only heard a crashing sound at the dragon’s landing, and the subsequent flame leaping from the side of the cliffs above them. In their ignorance, they rushed to their deaths.

The first of the clerics reached Tayin as she recovered from her position on the ground. The man was lean and tall, a warrior blessed by the Silver Goddess. Though clerics all shared some properties, they were far more diverse in their practices and methods for combat than many others.

With a small murmur of prayer, he called forth a silver mist to heal Tayin. A great silver sword hung at his side, it was thin and long, either to be used in one hand or two. He pulled her from the earth and spoke.

“My lady Tayin, what has happened? Did the Hand of the Eldritch One attack you by surprise?” Genuine concern played on his stoic face.

“We need to run! Now!” Tayin yelled as she regained her faculties.

The cleric grabbed at her before she could try to run away. “Tayin, please, what happened?” The concern turned to anger.

“You don’t understand! We’re going to die! It’s a dragon!”

The cleric’s face fell. “Go, find my brothers, let them know. I will hold it back.” He nodded and ran towards the cliffs above.

Tayin shook as she glanced at the man, silver robes over silvered light armor. He was the picture of a noble warrior, but he’d die regardless. She turned to run towards the other clerics.

Unable to think, the mist wolf construct followed the man who ran to his death. He pulled out the silver longsword and charged towards the crimson dragon.

Vok’Ret’s breath came heavy as he recovered from burning down the mountainside. He opened his eyes to find the little mortal gone, in her place a man ran through the molten stone and disintegrated trees. His eyes met Vok’Ret’s as his blade glowed with a silver light. The dragon saw the man speak quiet words, though he could not hear them, for it was a silent prayer.

Light erupted around the man as silver mist rolled out from his skin. His blade ready, he slashed towards a leg of the dragon before him. It lifted its leg, blocking away the blade with long claws. The great claws swung down at him, but he dodged to the side while slashing a small cut between two scales on the claw.

Vok’Ret felt a small sting as the little mortal below him cut at him with his little fake claw. With a small amount of pity for the mortal, he struck a faster blow, this time hoping to kill it. He missed, as the mortal dodged again. It puzzled Vok’Ret. Why does it get so fast, the little mortal is fast, then slow, then fast again. Some little mortal’s trick.

The man breathed heavily. It was rare that an opponent ever made him use his quick blade multiple times. Yet this dragon, the quick blade, was nearly useless against it. Usually, the ability would allow him to place a fast killing blow, or to dodge such an attack from another. The dragon though, to even survive against it, he had to repeatedly use the ability. It was rare the Goddess would grant such a talent to a warrior, it took a great toll to speed oneself up so rapidly. It hurt him, tired him out, and could kill him.

The dragon again tried to slam down on the little mortal below him. Again, the man had rapidly gotten faster and moved out of the way. This time his blade had passed nearly a foot into a section between two scales. Shit, that one hurt. Getting annoyed, Vok’Ret began to regret using his fire breath so early. If he could have waited to fry this guy, it would have been far easier.

The man dodged another swipe of the dragon's claws before its head came swooping in to try to devour him. With a fifth quickening, he felt his body begin to hurt with a terrible pain. As the maw of the dragon passed by him, the silver glow and mist around him came together. In the swiftness and lethality of his quickening, the attack came deadly. The light and mist collided and came together into his blade as an ethereal sheen came to it. The blade sank into the soft upper mouth of the dragon as his unnatural speed pushed him beyond his limits. The sheen of ethereal light burst and boiling blood scorched the arm and chest of the man.

Vok'Ret felt the sting in his mouth, and then it had erupted. His warm blood was leaking across his tongue and down onto the man. He slammed together his vicious teeth. They tore and severe the arm of the man. At the shoulder, only a bloodied stump remained as he pulled back his head. The burning blood scorched the earth under his serpent's neck.

The man felt himself dying. The backlash from the fifth quickening had taken a toll on him far too great to remain fighting. The dragon was far beyond him, and he had lasted mere moments. Now, there was a far greater chance his brothers may flee and survive. His only final regret was the knowledge that they may refuse to abandon him.

Vok'Ret slammed down his jaws on the mortal who kneeled below him. His eyes gleamed with flame as his bloody mouth devoured the man. The draconic essence within him burned as the energies of the vital energies within the mortal were shredded to become fuel to the endless pyre within Vok'Ret.