The air inside the Citadel of Ash grew heavier as Talon and Lyra moved deeper into its heart. The swirling remnants of the air elemental power still buzzed around Talon, but the excitement of unlocking a new element was overshadowed by the oppressive weight of dark magic all around them. The Citadel seemed to pulse with malevolence, its ancient walls whispering with the voices of a thousand forgotten battles.

Talon's mind raced. He had unlocked the air element just in time to defeat the corrupted fire elemental, but the power felt raw and unrefined. He hadn’t fully mastered it yet, and there were still other elements locked deep within him. But one thing was clear—the Citadel of Ash wasn’t just a fortress. It was a crucible, designed to test those who entered and challenge their very limits.

“We’re close to something,” Lyra said, her voice tense as they approached a massive stone archway. Beyond it, Talon could sense a powerful concentration of energy—both elemental and corrupted. “I can feel it.”

Talon nodded, his eyes narrowing as he studied the archway. The carvings on the stone were more intricate here, depicting battles between dragons, mages, and elemental creatures. But like everything else in the Citadel, the carvings were marred by black veins of corruption that twisted through the stone, distorting the images.

“Whatever’s behind this door is dangerous,” Talon said, his voice low. “But we don’t have a choice. If we’re going to stop the corruption, we need to face whatever’s in there.”

Lyra took a deep breath, her gaze steady. “I’m with you.”

Together, they stepped through the archway and into the chamber beyond.

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The room they entered was massive, its walls towering high above them, disappearing into the shadows of the ceiling. The centre of the chamber was dominated by a large, glowing pool of molten lava, its fiery light casting flickering shadows across the room. Surrounding the pool were ancient stone platforms, each one adorned with runes and elemental symbols. The air crackled with energy, but it wasn’t just fire this time. Talon could feel the presence of other elements—air, earth, water—interwoven with the dark magic that suffused the room.

At the far end of the chamber, standing at the edge of the lava pool, was a figure cloaked in shadow. Tall and imposing, the figure radiated an aura of power and corruption that made the hairs on Talon’s neck stand on end.

“Who is that?” Lyra whispered, her voice barely audible.

Talon’s claws flexed instinctively. He didn’t know who—or what—the figure was, but he could sense the danger. This wasn’t just an ordinary enemy. This was the source of the corruption that had spread throughout the Citadel.

As they moved closer, the figure turned to face them, its face hidden beneath a dark, hooded cloak. When it spoke, its voice was deep and distorted, as if layered with multiple tones.

“So,” the figure said, its voice echoing through the chamber. “The young dragons have finally arrived.”

Talon’s eyes narrowed. “Who are you? And what have you done to this place?”

The figure chuckled darkly, stepping closer to the edge of the lava pool. “I am but a servant of the greater darkness that is spreading across this world. The Citadel of Ash was once a place of great power, where the elements were in balance. But now, it has become something far more useful—an amplifier for the corruption that will consume all.”

Lyra’s eyes flashed with anger. “You’ve twisted the elemental powers here! You’re spreading the corruption!”

The figure nodded slowly. “Yes. The elements are powerful, but they are also vulnerable. When corrupted, they become weapons far greater than any dragon or mage could imagine. And soon, this world will belong to the darkness.”

Talon’s chest tightened with fury. “We won’t let that happen.”

The figure laughed again, a hollow, mocking sound. “You? You are but fledglings, barely beginning to understand your own power. You cannot stop what is coming.”

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Talon felt the fire inside him roar to life, his body heating with the surge of elemental energy. “Maybe we don’t fully understand our power yet,” he growled. “But we’ll fight with everything we have.”

The figure tilted its head, as if considering Talon’s words. “Then let this be your final test.”

With a wave of its hand, the figure summoned a surge of dark energy from the lava pool. The molten rock bubbled and churned as massive creatures began to rise from its depths—twisted elementals, their bodies composed of corrupted fire and molten stone, each one bristling with dark magic.

Talon’s heart pounded in his chest as the creatures lumbered toward them, their eyes glowing with malevolent light.

“Lyra!” Talon shouted. “We need to keep them off balance!”

Lyra nodded, leaping into the air as she unleashed a burst of elemental energy from her claws, striking the nearest creature. The blast sent the corrupted elemental stumbling backward, but it quickly regained its footing, its body reforming as it pressed forward.

Talon focused, calling on the power of the air element. He could feel the wind swirling around him, but the corruption in the air made it harder to control. Gritting his teeth, he unleashed a powerful gust of wind, sending two of the creatures tumbling back into the lava pool. The molten rock sizzled as the elementals sank beneath the surface, but more kept rising to take their place.

“There’s too many of them!” Lyra shouted, dodging another attack.

Talon growled in frustration. He could feel the power of the fire and air elements within him, but it wasn’t enough. He needed something more—another element, another source of strength, to turn the tide of the battle.

As the corrupted elementals closed in, Talon’s mind raced. The chamber was filled with elemental energy—he could feel it in the very air around him. Fire, air, earth, water. The elements were all here, but they were twisted, corrupted by the dark magic that pulsed through the Citadel.

Earth.

The thought struck him like lightning. The earth element—the power of the very ground beneath his feet—was waiting for him, locked away inside. If he could unlock it, he might be able to use it to disrupt the corrupted elementals, to weaken their connection to the dark magic that fuelled them.

But the earth element was different. It was solid, steady, unyielding. It required more control, more focus, than fire or air. Talon took a deep breath, centring himself as he reached deep within, searching for the elemental power of earth.

He could feel it now, buried beneath layers of energy, waiting to be released.

With a roar of determination, Talon summoned the power of the earth element, willing it to break free.

The ground beneath him trembled, and Talon felt the energy surge through him. His claws dug into the stone floor as the earth element took hold, its raw power grounding him, steadying him.

The corrupted elementals roared in fury as the surrounding ground shifted, jagged spikes of stone rising from the floor and piercing their molten bodies. The creatures thrashed wildly, but the earth element was relentless, holding them in place as Talon pushed forward.

“Lyra!” Talon called out. “Now! Strike them while they’re vulnerable!”

Lyra didn’t hesitate. She swooped down, her claws glowing with elemental energy as she slashed through the corrupted elementals. One by one, they crumbled, their bodies dissolving into pools of molten rock as the dark magic that bound them unravelled.

The chamber fell silent, the air still crackling with residual energy. Talon stood panting, his body buzzing with the power of the earth element. He had done it—he had unlocked another piece of his potential.

But the fight wasn’t over.

The cloaked figure stood at the edge of the lava pool, watching the battle with a detached curiosity. “Impressive,” it said, its voice filled with dark amusement. “You’ve unlocked yet another element. But do you truly believe that will be enough?”

Talon’s eyes blazed with fury. “We’re not finished yet.”

The figure tilted its head slightly, as if considering Talon’s defiance. “Very well. Let us see how far your power can take you.”

With a flick of its wrist, the figure summoned another surge of dark energy from the lava pool, and this time, the entire chamber began to tremble. The walls cracked, and the lava bubbled furiously as something massive began to rise from the depths.

Talon’s heart pounded as the ground shook beneath him. Whatever the figure was summoning, it was bigger—far bigger—than anything they had faced so far.

“We need to stop it!” Lyra shouted, her voice filled with urgency.

Talon nodded, his mind racing as he prepared for whatever was coming next. The air was thick with dark magic, and the chamber felt like it was about to collapse under the strain of the elemental forces at play.

The lava pool exploded, sending molten rock flying through the air. From the fiery depths emerged a colossal creature—a fire elemental, but twisted beyond recognition. Its body was massive, towering over the chamber, and its core burned with the corrupted energy of the Citadel.

Talon’s breath caught in his throat. This was the final test, the ultimate challenge that stood between them and the heart of the Citadel.

“We have to take it down!” Talon shouted, his wings spreading wide as he prepared to face the beast.

Lyra flew beside him, her eyes fierce with determination. “Together.”

As the massive elemental roared, Talon called on the power of the elements—fire, air, and earth—all swirling within him. This was the moment they had trained for, the moment they had fought for.

With a mighty roar, they charged toward the corrupted elemental, their combined strength ready to bring it down and unlock the final secrets of the Citadel.

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End of Chapter 14.