Talon charged toward the corrupted dragon, the heat of his fire swirling around him as he prepared for the most dangerous battle he had ever faced. The massive creature loomed before him, its dark, twisted form crackling with energy. Flames danced across its blackened scales, and its glowing eyes burned with the malevolent power of the corruption that had consumed it.

Beside him, Lyra flew in formation, her claws flexed and ready. Talon could feel her tension, the weight of the moment pressing down on both of them. This wasn’t just any dragon—they were facing one of their own kind, twisted into something monstrous by the dark magic that threatened to engulf the world.

“We have to be smart about this,” Talon said, his voice tight as they neared the dragon. “It’s stronger than anything we’ve fought before.”

Lyra nodded, her face set with determination. “I’ll cover you. Let’s find a weak spot.”

The corrupted dragon let out a deafening roar, its voice filled with rage and pain. Talon could feel the dark magic radiating from it, pulsating through the air in waves. The ground beneath them trembled as the beast took a step forward, its massive claws sinking into the scorched earth.

Talon and Lyra split off, circling the dragon as it lumbered toward the city walls. Talon could see the soldiers on the wall bracing themselves, fear evident on their faces. If this dragon reached Emberclaw, the city would be reduced to ash.

With a fierce growl, Talon unleashed a stream of fire from his jaws, aiming for the dragon’s side. The flames struck the beast’s scales, but they barely seemed to make a dent. The dark magic that surrounded the dragon absorbed the attack, twisting the fire into smoke and shadow.

“It’s too strong,” Lyra shouted, dodging a swing of the dragon’s tail as it thrashed wildly.

Talon’s mind raced. They couldn’t rely on brute strength alone. This creature was corrupted, its very essence twisted by dark magic. If they were going to defeat it, they needed to find a way to break through the corruption itself.

“Get its attention!” Talon called to Lyra, his voice urgent. “I’ll try to hit it from below!”

Lyra swooped down, roaring to draw the dragon’s gaze. It turned toward her, its molten eyes narrowing as it released a blast of fire in her direction. Lyra dodged the attack, flying high into the sky to avoid the flames.

With the dragon momentarily distracted, Talon dove toward the ground, skimming just above the scorched earth. He raced beneath the beast, searching for any sign of weakness. As he flew, he noticed the dark energy that pulsed from the dragon’s chest—right at the centre of its body.

The core, Talon realized. Just like the fire elemental they had fought before, this creature had a core of dark magic fuelling it. If he could strike there, he might be able to break through the corruption.

But getting close enough to strike would be the challenge.

“Lyra!” Talon shouted, banking hard to avoid the dragon’s massive claw as it swiped at him. “Its core is in its chest! We have to hit it there!”

Lyra glanced down, her eyes locking onto the glowing spot on the dragon’s chest. “Got it! I’ll keep it busy—go for the core!”

With a burst of speed, Lyra dove toward the dragon, her claws glowing with elemental energy. She struck at its head, slashing at its eyes to blind it. The dragon roared in fury, swinging its head from side to side in an attempt to shake her off.

Talon seized the opportunity. He gathered the fire within him, the flames building in his chest as he prepared for the attack. His wings beat furiously as he aimed straight for the core, the pulsing glow of dark magic growing larger in his vision.

At the last second, the dragon sensed him coming. It let out a roar, swinging its tail in a wide arc. Talon barely had time to react. The tail struck him hard, sending him spiralling through the air.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

He crashed to the ground with a grunt of pain, his wings aching from the impact. For a moment, his vision blurred, but he forced himself to stand. He couldn’t afford to stay down—Emberclaw needed them.

Lyra glanced over at him, her eyes wide with concern. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Talon growled, shaking off the pain. “We’re running out of time. We have to end this now.”

The corrupted dragon let out another roar, charging toward the city walls with renewed fury. Soldiers on the wall fired arrows and launched spears, but the weapons bounced off its thick, blackened scales.

Talon’s heart pounded. He could feel the fire inside him burning hotter, but it wasn’t enough. He required more. More power, more control—if he didn’t stop this dragon, the city would fall.

As the beast reared up on its hind legs, preparing to slam its massive claws into the wall, Talon focused all his energy. He reached deep within himself, calling on the power of the fire elemental he had unlocked. He could feel the flames growing, surging, threatening to consume him.

And then, with a roar that shook the sky, he unleashed everything.

A massive wave of fire erupted from Talon, engulfing the corrupted dragon in a blinding inferno. The flames roared to life, burning brighter and hotter than anything he had ever felt before. The heat was intense, but Talon didn’t back down. He poured every ounce of his power into the attack, pushing the flames toward the dragon’s core.

The dragon thrashed wildly, its roars of rage and pain filling the air. The dark magic surrounding it began to crack, the corruption faltering under the relentless assault of Talon’s fire. The glow in the dragon’s chest flickered, then pulsed violently.

Now!

With one final burst of energy, Talon dove toward the core. His claws glowed with fire as he struck, slamming into the dragon’s chest with all his strength.

The impact was explosive. The dragon let out a deafening roar as the fire consumed it, the dark magic unravelling in a cascade of shadow and light. Talon felt the core shatter beneath his claws, and the corrupted energy exploded outward, dissipating into the air.

For a moment, everything went silent.

The corrupted dragon collapsed, its body crumbling into ash as the last remnants of dark magic faded from its form. The ground shook with the force of its fall, and a thick cloud of dust and smoke rose into the sky.

Talon stood panting, his body trembling from the exertion. The surrounding fire flickered weakly, the last traces of his power draining away as he struggled to catch his breath.

Lyra landed beside him, her eyes wide with a mixture of awe and relief. “Talon… you did it.”

Talon glanced at her, his chest heaving. “We did it,” he corrected, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

They both looked toward the fallen dragon, its body now nothing more than a pile of smouldering ash. The battlefield was quiet, the corrupted elementals retreating into the shadows, their leader defeated.

The soldiers on the wall let out a cheer, their voices filled with gratitude and relief. Emberclaw had been saved.

Talon staggered slightly, his legs weak beneath him. Lyra moved to steady him, her eyes filled with concern. “Are you okay?”

“I’ll be fine,” Talon said, though he felt the weight of exhaustion settling over him. “Just… need to rest.”

Lyra smiled softly. “You were amazing. I’ve never seen anything like that before.”

Talon chuckled weakly. “Neither have I.”

They stood together, watching as the smoke cleared, and the city began to settle back into a cautious calm. The battle had been won, but Talon knew this was only the beginning. The corruption was still spreading, and there were more threats lurking in the shadows.

But for now, they had secured a victory. Emberclaw would stand, and with it, hope for the Eastern Continent.

Garok and his warriors approached, their faces filled with admiration. “You’ve done what we couldn’t,” Garok said, his voice filled with respect. “The city owes you its survival.”

Talon nodded, though the weight of the battle still hung heavily on him. “It wasn’t just us. Everyone fought to protect this place.”

Garok smiled. “Perhaps. But your power… it’s unlike anything I’ve seen. There’s more to you than just a dragon, isn’t there?”

Talon hesitated, unsure of how to answer. The truth was, he didn’t fully understand the depths of his power yet. The fire elemental had awakened something inside him, but there were other elements still locked away, waiting to be discovered.

“I’m still figuring it out,” Talon admitted.

Garok nodded thoughtfully. “Whatever you are, it’s clear that the world will need you in the days to come. The corruption isn’t finished. This was only a small battle in a much larger war.”

Talon knew he was right. The corruption was spreading, and there were still more dark forces at work. But now, with Emberclaw safe, they had a chance to regroup, to gather their strength and plan their next move.

“What’s next?” Lyra asked, her voice quiet.

Talon looked out over the city, his heart steadying as the fires of battle began to cool. “We find the other elements,” he said. “And we stop the corruption before it consumes everything.”

Lyra nodded, her eyes filled with determination. “I’m with you.”

Together, they stood at the edge of the battlefield, their bond stronger than ever, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

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End of Chapter 11.