Ezra and Uziro stood opposite each other. With Nicholai gone and him having a plan. The two were left to do battle. They ran at each other and brought their weapons together. Ezra’s large sword versus Uziro’s golden claws.

Uziro pushed hard up on the draconian, knocking him off balance. He quickly reformed his left claw into a gauntlet, with spiked knuckles. He rushed a punched to Ezra’s face. If not for his reflexes, by protecting himself with a strong layer of Force, Ezra’s face would have holes in it right now. Yet the golden knight wasn’t done. He quickly reformed his other fist as well, and started to deliver blow after blow to the swordsman, before sending him back with a final hit.

Ezra quickly regained himself, yet Uziro was gone. Ezra quickly looked. Until a shadow loomed over him. He gazed upward to see a large golden hammer coming down to him. He rolled to safety as the weapon clashed with the ground.

“You said you would show me what dracions are made of. Is this it boy? Because to me. There isn’t much to you. Just boast and superstition.” Uziro taunted. Then quickly dashed at Ezra, now making his own balde from his gold. The two enter into a sword dance.

Ezra leapt over, trailing his blade on Uziro’s back to this torso, leaving fire in that direction. He then swung to the knights side, which was quickly blocked by a protracting mini shield from Uziro’s side. Yet Ezra had anticipated the attack, and put more strength into his swing. It lifted the knight off his feet and flew away from the dracion.

Uziro jumped from the rubble, this time twin swords occupied both of his hands. Ezra was starting to wonder about his ability to summon weapons like this without some sort of satchel. He knew his armor was the most likely culprit, something was different about it. However for now he saw the twin blades, and switched to his required stance for moments like this. The Termites defense. Where his sword is prepared to move as quickly as need be if his opponent had multiple weapons.

The knight came at Ezra. The golden twin blades stanced to pierce his torso. Ezra pulled his sword back, and when the weapons were close, he lodged his blade in between the two, then turned his blade. Due to its size the twist made Uziro’s arms open up, leaving him vulnerable to Ezra kneeing his chin. The impact made him drop his two swords. Which Ezra planned to happen. He then slashed at the golden knight with a flaming sword attack. Sending him back to where he came from.

The swordsman then glanced over to the swords. Quickly, they both melted. Their ooze started to move back over to Uziro and grabbed onto his armor and were absorbed into it. Uziro stood back up. He then let out a maniacal laughter through his helmet.

“Dracions truly are weak. You have your fancy sword tricks, your enhanced strength, your special magic. But all of you fall to this armor. I’d never thought I’d get the chance to do what so many before me have done.” Uziro said approaching Ezra.

“The hell are you going on about?” Ezra confusingly asked.

“There isn’t much for you to know. Especially after I turn you into a pretty gold statue. Just like the others.” Uziro taunted Ezra. Making the young swordsman angry, for he knew who Uziro spoke of. Ezra leapt at the knight. His sword imbued with flames. He brought it down, making a huge fire in the wake.

Uziro had evaded and came back holding his own blade. The two clashed while moving quickly across the upper layer. They dashed all over and around the empty homes. Tearing them apart. Uziro shot golden arrows that covered the homes. They created a splash of gold that blinded Ezra from the knight. Until he dashed through and pinned the swordsman to the ground.

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“Each and everyone of them crying out. He tells me how many dragons and dracions he has killed.” Uziro continued to taunt. Before Ezra could react Uziro was knocked off by Anabelle crashing into him.

“Get on. Now!” The mare ordered as Ezra followed. She created some distance between them. “Ezra. That’s guys armor. Something is off about it.”

“What do you mean?”

“I think it’s alive. It might be some sort of creature. It’s giving off Virtue. That power they spoke of in Sarabell to the children.” Anabelle said quickly.

“Virtue eh. Alright. We need to separate him from the armor.” Ezra responded.

“How do we do that?”

“We force it off.” Ezra said. He and Anabelle started to charge. Uziro rose up and came at the two with a golden blade. Anabelle moved swiftly around Uziro as he and Ezra clashed blades.

Uziro then jumped back, and quickly formed his bow. Anabelle stepped back, Ezra leapt from her back into the air. Uziro fired his arrow at the dracion. Yet Ezra tossed his blade at the knight at an blinding speed. It tore through the arrow and crashed into the ground. Yet he wasn’t finished. Uziro evaded in time.And Ezra was already prepared for the next attack. A larger lightning spear he was ready to throw at the same speed to the knight.

Uziro summoned a golden shield. It was shattered upon contact with the lighting. The knight didn’t back off, and quickly reformed his armor and struck his hands into the ground. Golden spikes started to protrude from the ground. Anabelle quickly noticed them coming for her, and began to sprint away.

Ezra, back on the ground, started to run towards Uziro. Then the knight started to make another trail of spike for the dracion. Ezra jumped and started to weave through them. Making his way to his blade while airborne, he grabbed it with one hand and pulled it from the ground into the air. It then erupted with sparks as lightning surrounded the blade, seemingly making a large sword in the process. It crashed down onto Uziro, planting him in the ground.

Uziro, still conscious, wasn't ready to give up. His armor expanded, knocking Ezra back. When the swordsman looked back to his enemy. He was turned into a giant golden donkey.

Ezra and Anabelle were shocked by the transformation. The donkey morphed, and quickly turned into a liquid state. It surrounded the mare. Trapping her in. Ezra quickly tried to save her. Yet the donkey quickly protruded a spike to Ezra’s back side. It pierced through his hip.

Then he felt his body starting to harden. He looked to the wound, and saw that his skin and clothes were turning gold.

“Now I’ll have two more to add to the collection.” Uziro taunted through the donkey.

“EZRA!” Anabelle cried out for help. Ezra was unable to move, and felt his body getting weaker.

But he refused to give in. Uziro had both the sources of Force and Virtue. It allowed him to control the armor so well. Yet Ezra was different. He was a dracion. He had all three sources. He had the most options in battle. After all the training he endured to get to his adventure. To make the friends he has now. There was nothing to stop him now.

He focused, and summoned his power. His Force slowed down the petrification. His Art generated a fire hot enough to melt it off his skin. His Virtue healed him. He was able to make his way over to Anabelle. Then he felt it. Anabelle too, gave off Virtue. Yet it was much stronger than Ezra’s and Uziro’s combined. The swordsman reached out to her. As he reached closer, her eyes started to glow even brighter. His hand touched her head. Their Virtue collided together. Ezra then added his Force.

The combined power made the golden beast blast away. Making a safe dome area for the two. Ezra lifted his sword above them. He placed both hands on the hilt. Both fire and lightning ignited around the large sword.

All of the liquid gold contracted together. DIsmissing the donkey shape and taking a more demonic form. One of its arms reformed into a large hammer. It brought it down on the two.

“Shining Dragon!” Ezra yelled as she swung the blade The golden beast was cut in half. It exposed the real Uziro, who was struck with the attack. He was sent flying away, off the edge of the top layer to the village, and down to the battlefield. His golden armor remained.

Ezra fell to the ground.

“Shit. I haven’t had a fight like that in a while.” He said through his rough breaths. Anabelle carefully. She saw a tether reaching out of it. There was a spike at the end with blood.

“So this thing was controlling him.”