DREAGON

The army marched forward in steady formation, banners waving high as the rhythmic clatter of hooves and armor echoed through the valley.

Above them, Jason flew ahead of the others, his expression hard as stone.

From a distance, Anna watched him, concern etched across her face.

Connor, flying beside her, noticed her gaze. "Hey, baby bird," he said lightly. "You okay?"

Anna hesitated before answering. "Jason has been… distant lately. I'm just worried about him."

Connor smirked. "Yeah, I've noticed too. Maybe he's just really determined to end this."

"Yeah…" Anna murmured, her gaze lingering on Jason.

Connor glanced between the two before nudging her lightly with his elbow. "If you're that concerned, go talk to him."

Anna stared at him for a moment, then nodded. Without another word, she propelled herself forward, cutting through the wind until she reached Jason's side.

"Hey, Jason. Can we… talk?"

His eyes remained locked ahead. "We need to focus on stopping Darius."

"I get that, but you've been—"

Before she could finish, the barrier of the dimension split open, revealing a landscape drenched in heat and fury. A colossal volcano loomed in the distance, its molten veins pulsing like a living thing.

Above it, thousands of dragons filled the sky, their scales glinting like shards of fire and shadow.

The king's eyes widened in alarm. "The barrier is down! But why?"

Jack swooped lower. "He probably didn't see the need for it anymore," he speculated grimly. "The egg's about to hatch."

Captain Will exhaled sharply. "I guess bringing the black dragon was pointless, then."

The commander spurred his horse forward, his voice rising above the growing chaos. "Alright, everyone! Remember the plan! The elementiels will separate Darius and the Dragon Queen while the knights hold off the dragons!" He raised his sword high. "For Camelot!"

The army roared in unison. "For Eirene!!!"

At once, the sky exploded into chaos.

Dragons swooped down, releasing torrents of fire, lightning, and acid upon the advancing knights. Siege weapons retaliated, launching flaming arrows, iron spears, and cannon fire into the sky. The clash of metal and beast shook the earth as battle erupted in full force.

Above, the elementiels surged toward the volcano, pushing through the dragons that dared to block their path.

Adam glanced upward at Jason, who flew ahead like a blazing comet. His jaw tightened. "Be careful, brother."

They landed inside the volcano's crater, where the egg stood before them—tall, ancient, its shell coursing with veins of red and black energy.

"It hasn't hatched yet," Anna observed, her voice barely above a whisper.

Connor narrowed his eyes. "Its energy… is something else."

Jason clenched his fists. "What are we waiting for? Let's just break it open and get him out while he's still unconscious."

Before anyone could stop him, he launched forward, arm pulled back to strike.

"Jason, wait—!" Jack shouted.

But the warning came too late.

A clawed hand shot out, gripping Jason's throat with monstrous strength. His eyes widened in shock as the shell collapsed, revealing the being within.

Long black hair. A body covered in red dragon scales. Two massive horns curled from his head. Eyes glowing an infernal red.

With a flick of his wrist, Jason was hurled out of the volcano, crashing through trees and rock before slamming into the forest nearby.

"Jason!!!" Anna screamed.

The others barely had time to react before the newborn entity emerged fully from the remnants of his prison. Smoke curled from his mouth as he adjusted his hair, his gaze sweeping over them.

Jack's fists clenched. "We have to bring him down."

The being tilted his head, studying them with eerie calm. "Elementiels."

Before any of them could blink, he vanished—only to reappear behind Anna in an instant.

"He's fast…" She barely had time to turn before his fist collided with her side, sending her crashing into the crater wall with bone-rattling force.

Connor reacted swiftly, summoning a massive wave of water and launching it forward.

The figure dodged effortlessly, then twisted mid-air and delivered a brutal kick to Connor's stomach, sending him spiraling backwards.

Before he could recover, thick vines erupted from the ground, wrapping around the enemy's body. A giant rose bloomed beside him, its center glowing with celestial light.

Then, a beam of pure energy blasted forward, engulfing him completely.

Jack watched, his heart hammering as the dust settled.

His eyes widened in horror. Through the thinning smoke, the figure stood unscathed.

With a casual shrug, he tore through the vines as if they were nothing. Then, without hesitation, he unleashed a torrent of fire from his mouth.

Jack barely dodged in time, rolling back as flames scorched the ground where he once stood.

Anna launched herself forward, attempting to strike from behind.

But something erupted from his back—a monstrous dragon head, stretching unnaturally like a living extension of his body.

Its jaws snapped shut, pinning her against the rock.

Anna gasped, struggling to break free. "Did that just… grow out of him?!"

The figure stepped forward, his presence suffocating. Another dragon head extended from his back, its eyes burning with power as it roared.

Connor, still clutching his ribs, tried one last time. "You don't have to do this, Darius! There's still—"

The being turned to him, his expression empty.

"Darius died forty years ago."

His gaze flickered with something dark, something ancient. He looked down at his own hands, then at his new body.

He smiled. "I have been reborn anew."

"Call me… Dreagon."

Anna landed beside Jack, breathing heavily.

Her voice was grim. "This isn't going to be easy."

Jack exhaled sharply, his fingers curling into a fist. "Yeah."

The battlefield was chaos—fire, steel, and death weaving through the air as dragons and knights clashed in a storm of fury.

Massive beasts spewed flames, lightning, and acid, their roars shaking the very ground. The knights fought valiantly, their swords flashing like silver against the dark sky, their armor smeared with ash and blood.

Two knights, momentarily distracted, failed to notice the looming shadow behind them.

A dragon, Its jaws gaping wide, prepared to strike—

Until a blade carved through its skull from behind.

Commander Elijah landed gracefully on the beast's head, his crimson cape billowing behind him. His eyes flickered to the stunned knights.

"Stay sharp," he ordered, his voice a steady command.

The knights straightened instantly. "Yes, Commander!"

Without hesitation, Elijah launched forward, slicing through the battlefield like a storm.

Three dragons descended, lightning crackling in their throats, aiming directly at him.

In an instant—he was gone.

Before they could react, a single, precise slash cut through the air—

And the three dragons fell lifeless to the ground.

The knights watched in awe.

"Amazing…" one of them whispered.

Elijah landed beside King Arthur, who stood at the heart of the battlefield, surrounded by his most elite guards.

"Are you injured, Your Majesty?" Elijah asked, his sword still slick with dragon's blood.

Arthur smiled. "I'm fine, Elijah." His gaze swept over the fallen dragons, then the ones still rampaging through the battlefield.

"I just feel a little bad for these creatures."

Elijah's expression softened, but his stance remained firm. "I understand." He turned toward the volcano, his eyes narrowing. "But we have to hold them off until the elementiels do their part."

The king followed his gaze. "Let's hope they get it done soon."

On another part of the battlefield, Adam pulled his sword free from the massive dragon he had just slain. Its lifeless body crashed to the earth, sending tremors through the ground.

Before he could take another step, the earth rumbled.

A colossal earth dragon emerged from below, its jagged stone scales glistening in the sunlight. It lunged—

An explosive arrow struck its skull, detonating on impact.

The beast collapsed, its massive body still.

Adam turned sharply, spotting Cynthia walking toward him, bow in hand.

"Thanks for the save," he called.

Cynthia flashed a smirk. "No problem."

Nearby, Ben gripped his sword, his hands trembling. He glanced around, his breath unsteady. "They just… keep coming," he muttered. "Shouldn't the elementiels have separated Darius by now?"

Victor exhaled. "I don't think it's going to be that easy, Ben."

"Yeah, well…" Mike cracked his knuckles, a grin on his face. "In the meantime, let's keep slaying these things!"

Without waiting, he charged forward, sword raised high.

Adam smirked, shaking his head. "You heard the man! Let's go!"

The knights roared in agreement and surged forward, their blades meeting fire and fury.

Beatrix was surrounded as six dragons encircled her, their throats burning with searing flames.

They attacked—

In a flash, she leaped into the air, twisting like a shadow through the inferno. Her sword carved through their necks, one by one, before she landed gracefully amid their fallen bodies.

She turned and saw her father, locked in battle, his sword carving through the onslaught of dragons. For a moment, she allowed herself a breath.

But suddenly, a snarl from behind—razor-sharp fangs clamped down on her leg.

Beatrix gasped as the dragon jerked her off her feet, her sword slipping from her grasp as she was dragged mercilessly across the battlefield. Rocks and debris scraped against her armor as the beast thrashed its head, trying to tear her apart.

With gritted teeth, she twisted, slamming her fist into its snout—but the beast held on, its grip tightening.

Suddenly, a swift kick sent the dragon flying backward, releasing her.

Beatrix caught herself mid-air, landing on her feet as Frank stood before her.

He offered a small grin. "You okay?"

Beatrix bent down, grabbing her sword. "Thanks, but I didn't need your help."

Frank chuckled, crossing his arms. "Right, right."

She studied him for a moment, then turned forward. "Well. Later then."

As she moved, Frank took a step forward. "Hey, wait."

She paused.

"Mind if we team up?" he asked.

Beatrix glanced over her shoulder. "If you can keep up, sure." She turned to him. "But you know I'm faster than you, right?"

Frank's grin widened. "That might be true. But I'm stronger." He glanced at her. "I think that makes us a great team."

Beatrix's eyes softened—just for a moment. Then, she smirked. "Alright then, partner. Let's go."

Without another word, they turned to face a massive dragon, its wings spreading wide as it roared.

Side by side, they charged into battle.

Amidst the chaos, Adam found himself standing still.

He watched the battle unfold—the knights, the dragons, the fire, the blood.

Then, his gaze drifted toward the volcano, where the elementiels had disappeared.

His fists clenched. "It's all up to you guys now."