I pulled the creature’s stats up again:

{The Wyrmking} (Level 12 Dragonkin) (Raid Boss)

HP: 60,000/60,000

I said.

Ezzie said.

I gritted my teeth. One more boss to go. We’d just have to figure it out. Then I had an idea.

Ezzie said.

I held up my sword for deprinting, and Ezzie started in on it as the serpent coiled itself about the northern field. The damn thing was so large that its body took up nearly half the grounds.

I caught the epic axe as the Constructor dropped it into my hand.

Ezzie said.

I said, as a countdown appeared in the sky, written in red.

30

29

28

I raised the axe high and activated its ability by speaking the required words: “Might of the Dragon’s Bane.”

A prompt popped up saying the weapon had devolved, just as Ezzie had predicted.

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I screamed and dropped to my knees; it felt like my spine was being ripped out of my back.

I reached back to grab a whatever it was that was hurting me—I had the distinct sensation that something had been jabbed into my shoulder blades, something that didn’t belong—but I recoiled at the feel of whatever it was that was jutting from me.

Ezzie said.

I reached back, probing at the strange shapes that’d grown from me. The material was papery and raspy, pulled taut over sharp bits of…what? Bone? Oh god, it was definitely bone.

Skin-like material pulled taut over delicate lengths of bone…why did that sound so familiar? Oh.

I said, my stomach souring as I reclaimed my sword from the Constructor.

Ezzie said, as my new wings stretched to their full length, my wingspan covering the better part of twelve feet. The wings beat once, twice, then many times in rapid succession, and I looked down to find that I’d lifted a few inches off the ground, which made no sense because I hadn’t even tried to use them yet. Then everything clicked.

I said.

Ezzie said.

I had to remind myself to breathe as Ezzie sent me hurtling up toward the dark clouds.

14

13

I said, as Ezzie punched us directly into the underbelly of a storm cloud. The air was cold and damp and smelled of ozone, the world seeming to have gone entirely dark but for the occasional flash of lightning.

Ezzie said.

We popped through the top of the storm cloud, where the sky was an impossible blue, and a few white birds were flying just above the carpet of dark clouds below. Ezzie held us there for a moment, long wings beating the air.

Ezzie said.

I cut off, my stomach dropping as Ezzie plunged us down and back through the clouds, then brought us to a hovering position at eye level with the Wyrmking.

8

7

Ezzie said.

<...Yeah,> Ezzie said.

3

2

I swallowed.

1

0