Zara woke to the sound of a loud explosion, followed by a flash of bright light that pierced the darkness of her small room. Jolting out of bed, she grabbed her wand, bracing herself for whatever danger lay outside. She knew that sound; it was the Masked One, they had finally found her.
Zara darted outside, heart racing. She ran through the village streets, the chaos surrounding her as flames and debris rained down. Screams echoed around her, the once-peaceful village turned into a battlefield. She knew she had to get to safety, and there was only one place left to go: the old factory by the river, where she and her closest ally, Raziel, had an emergency meeting point.
But as she reached the village outskirts, she saw a shadowy figure lurking, watching her with cold, calculating eyes. Before she could react, the figure lunged at her. Zara barely managed to defend herself, raising her wand just in time to deflect a dark spell. The masked assassin sneered, his weapon glinting in the moonlight as he prepared for another strike.
Just then, a loud roar echoed through the night. The assassin turned to see Raziel swooping down on the back of a magnificent dragon, its scales glimmering with fiery reds and blacks. The dragon, an ancient beast Raziel had awakened with his powerful magic, was a sight to behold, its massive wings creating gusts of wind as it hovered above the ground.
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Raziel’s face twisted with fear and anger as he saw Zara lying on the ground, bruised and bleeding. Seeing his friend in peril, he commanded the dragon to attack. The creature unleashed a stream of flames, forcing the assassin to retreat. Dodging the fire, the assassin threw a dagger at Raziel, but he countered with a spell that knocked the assassin off his feet.
Raziel dismounted and charged at the assassin, his hand crackling with energy. But just as he was about to land the final blow, the assassin pulled a device from his pocket, pressing a button. A loud explosion rocked the ground, sending Raziel flying backward as a cloud of smoke filled the air.
The explosion had shaken him deeply, but he staggered to his feet, ignoring the pain as he stumbled through the smoke, frantically calling Zara’s name. He heard a faint laugh from behind a pile of rubble and rushed towards it. Lifting away stones, he found the assassin crouched, holding Zara in his arms. Her eyes met Raziel’s, wide with terror, and she mouthed the words “help me.”
The assassin smiled wickedly. “Too late, Raziel. She’s mine now.” He pressed another button on his device, and a swirling portal opened behind him. Raziel lunged forward, but the assassin dragged Zara into the portal, disappearing with her.