Talon and Lyra flew with Garok and his fellow beastmen, the landscape of the Eastern Continent stretching out below them. The closer they got to Emberclaw, the more the terrain shifted from volcanic plains and lava rivers to scorched earth, where blackened trees and crumbling rocks littered the ground. The very air seemed heavy, weighed down by the oppressive heat and the distant hum of dark energy.

The city of Emberclaw appeared on the horizon, a towering fortress built into the side of a mountain. Its walls were thick, reinforced with stone and metal, and spiked towers rose high into the sky, their tops wreathed in smoke. At the city’s gates, Talon could see soldiers patrolling, their armor reflecting the dull glow of the lava flows that snaked through the area.

"This place looks like it’s seen better days," Lyra remarked as they approached.

Garok grunted in agreement. "Emberclaw has been under siege for weeks. The humans are doing what they can to hold the line, but the corrupted elementals grow stronger every day."

Talon narrowed his eyes as they drew closer. He could see movement beyond the city walls—shadowy figures lurking in the distance, circling the city like vultures. "Corrupted elementals," he muttered, recognizing the twisted forms that seemed to writhe and pulse with dark energy.

"Yes," Garok confirmed. "They’ve been attacking relentlessly, wearing down the city’s defenses. The humans are running out of time."

Talon’s jaw tightened. He had unlocked his fire element, but facing an army of corrupted elementals was a completely different challenge. "What can we expect once we’re inside the city?" he asked.

Garok glanced at him. "You’ll meet General Thorne, the commander of the human forces here. He’s a strong leader, but even he knows the city can’t hold out much longer. You’ll have to convince him that you’re here to help. The humans are wary of outsiders, especially dragons. Some of them blame dragons for what’s happening."

Lyra frowned. "Blame us? Why?"

Garok’s eyes darkened. "Because some of your kind have fallen to the corruption. Dragons once helped protect this continent, but now… many have turned against it."

Talon’s chest tightened at the thought of dragons—his own kind—fighting for the darkness. He had to wonder if the same fate could befall him if he wasn’t careful.

"We’ll have to prove ourselves, then," Talon said, determination hardening his voice.

Garok nodded. "And quickly."

As they descended toward the gates of Emberclaw, Talon could see the wear and tear on the city walls—scorch marks, cracks in the stone, and makeshift barricades set up along the perimeter. The soldiers patrolling the walls looked tired, their movements sluggish as they watched the skies warily.

The gates creaked open as they approached, and Garok led them inside. The city streets were packed with people—humans, mostly, but there were a few beastmen and other races scattered among the crowds. The atmosphere was tense, the air thick with anxiety as civilians hurried to and fro, carrying supplies or tending to the wounded.

"This place is barely holding on," Lyra whispered as they walked through the streets.

Talon nodded grimly. He could feel the weight of despair hanging over the city. The people here were fighting for their lives, but they were also losing hope. If they didn’t act soon, Emberclaw would fall.

Garok led them through the streets toward a large, fortified building near the center of the city. As they approached, the guards at the entrance stiffened, their hands resting on the hilts of their weapons as they eyed Talon and Lyra warily.

"We’re here to see General Thorne," Garok said, his voice gruff but commanding.

The guards exchanged glances but stepped aside, allowing them to pass.

Inside, the building was bustling with activity—soldiers and officers moved about, poring over maps and discussing strategy in low, urgent voices. At the far end of the room, a tall, broad-shouldered man stood at a large table, his back to them as he studied a map spread out before him.

Garok approached the man and cleared his throat. "General Thorne."

The man turned, his expression hard and weathered. He had the look of someone who had seen too many battles and carried the weight of each one. His armor was battered, but well-maintained, and a sword hung at his side, its hilt worn from years of use.

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"Garok," General Thorne said, his voice deep and gravelly. "I didn’t expect to see you back so soon."

"I found them," Garok replied, gesturing to Talon and Lyra. "Dragons, as you said we needed. They’re here to help."

Thorne’s gaze shifted to Talon and Lyra, his eyes narrowing as he studied them. "Dragons," he repeated, his tone skeptical. "Why should I trust you? Your kind has already betrayed us once."

Talon met his gaze, refusing to flinch under the man’s scrutiny. "We’re not like them," he said firmly. "We’re here to fight against the corruption, not for it."

Thorne crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. "That remains to be seen. The corruption has spread too far, and I’ve seen dragons turn against us—powerful ones, stronger than anything we can fight. If you want to prove yourselves, you’ll have to do more than offer words."

Talon’s eyes hardened. "Then give us a chance to prove it."

For a long moment, Thorne said nothing. He seemed to be weighing his options, his gaze flicking between Talon, Lyra, and Garok.

Finally, he sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "We don’t have much choice, do we? Fine. I’ll give you a chance." He pointed to the map on the table, where a series of red marks had been drawn along the city’s perimeter. "There’s a weak point in our defenses—here, on the western side of the city. The corrupted elementals have been attacking there non-stop, and we’re barely holding them off. If you can help us reinforce that section and push back the next wave, we might stand a chance."

Talon glanced at the map, his mind already racing with plans. "What kind of elementals are we dealing with?"

"Mostly fire and shadow elementals," Thorne replied. "But they’ve been summoning wyverns as well. They’re relentless, and they’ll be here soon."

Lyra frowned. "What about the civilians? Are they safe?"

Thorne’s expression darkened. "For now. We’ve moved most of them to the lower levels of the city, but if the defenses fail, it won’t matter. The elementals will tear through everything."

Talon straightened, determination setting in. "We’ll head to the western wall and help hold the line."

Thorne gave him a curt nod. "Do what you can. If we lose that wall, Emberclaw falls."

Garok clapped a hand on Talon’s shoulder. "I’ll send some of my warriors with you. We’ll hold the wall together."

Talon felt a surge of gratitude. "Thank you."

With a plan in place, they wasted no time. Talon, Lyra, and Garok’s warriors made their way through the city, heading toward the western wall. As they moved, Talon could feel the tension building. The air grew heavier with every step, the faint hum of dark magic buzzing at the edges of his senses.

"We’re close," Garok said as they neared the wall.

Talon could hear the sounds of battle before they saw it—shouts of soldiers, the clash of metal, and the unearthly roars of the corrupted elementals. As they rounded the corner, the western wall came into view, and Talon’s heart clenched at the sight.

The elementals were everywhere—twisted creatures of fire and shadow, their forms writhing as they attacked the wall with savage fury. Soldiers stood their ground, fighting desperately to hold them back, but they were clearly outmatched. The elementals’ dark magic pulsed through the air, their power growing stronger with every attack.

"We need to push them back," Talon said, his voice steady despite the chaos around them. "Lyra, stay close to me."

Lyra nodded, her wings spreading as she prepared to take to the sky.

Talon turned to Garok. "Get your warriors to reinforce the soldiers. We’ll deal with the elementals."

Garok gave him a firm nod. "We’re with you."

Without another word, Talon and Lyra leaped into the air, their wings carrying them above the battlefield. Below, the elementals surged forward, their dark magic lashing out at the soldiers defending the wall.

Talon focused his mind, summoning the fire within him. Flames erupted along his scales, and he felt the raw power of the fire element surge through him.

"Let’s do this," he growled, diving toward the nearest group of elementals.

The first elemental, a creature of twisted fire and smoke, lunged at him with claws made of molten rock. Talon met it head-on, unleashing a blast of fire from his jaws that collided with the creature in a searing explosion. The elemental let out a piercing screech before dissolving into ash.

Lyra swooped in beside him, her claws glowing with elemental energy as she struck down another creature. "They just keep coming!"

Talon gritted his teeth, his heart pounding as more elementals poured into the fray. But he couldn’t afford to hesitate. If they didn’t hold the line here, the city would fall.

He and Lyra fought side by side, their elemental powers cutting through the waves of corrupted creatures. Fire, shadow, and smoke filled the air, and the battle raged on with no end in sight.

But Talon could feel the darkness growing stronger, its presence pressing down on him like a weight.

"Something’s coming," he said, his voice low and tense.

Lyra glanced at him, worry flashing in her eyes. "What do you mean?"

Talon’s senses flared, the air around him thick with dark magic. "I don’t know, but it’s big."

As if in response to his words, the ground trembled, and a deafening roar echoed across the battlefield. Talon and Lyra froze, their eyes locking on the source of the sound.

From the shadows of the forest beyond the wall, a massive figure emerged—its body wreathed in flames, its eyes glowing with an unholy light. It was a dragon, but not like any dragon Talon had ever seen. Its scales were blackened and cracked, and dark magic pulsed from every inch of its twisted form.

A corrupted dragon.

Talon’s heart lurched. This was the true power behind the corruption—the darkness that had claimed one of his own kind.

"We can’t let it reach the city," Talon said, his voice hard with resolve. "We have to stop it here."

Lyra’s eyes were wide with fear, but she nodded, her determination clear. "We’ll do it together."

Talon spread his wings, the fire within him burning hotter than ever. "Let’s end this."

With a fierce roar, he charged toward the corrupted dragon, his heart pounding with the weight of the battle ahead.

The fight for Emberclaw had just begun.

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End of Chapter 10.