Chapter 26: "The End of the Dragon"

The dragon writhed in pain from the deep wound to its heart, but the fire in its eyes remained unquenched. It was still resisting, and the air around it seemed charged with a dark aura that only strengthened its power. Moments seemed to rush by, and Iris knew that this monster would not fall easily.

"This won't end like this!" the dragon roared as it slowly rose, blood pouring from its chest.

Iris kept a close eye on the dragon. The blow had definitely weakened it, but it was still fighting back, and the time had come to make a decisive move. The sword in his hand shone brighter than ever before, and Iris knew he had to seize this moment to end the battle.

As the dragon panted heavily, its wings fluttered, as if trying to summon what little strength it had left. The ground shook with each of its movements, and Iris knew he had to be swift and cautious.

"No mercy, dragon!" Iris shouted as he sprinted toward the wounded beast. In that moment, the dragon unleashed a barrage of flames from its mouth, attempting to scorch everything in its path. But Iris moved like lightning, evading the fire with expert precision.

Finally, he reached the dragon's heart, where the wound he had inflicted was its only weak spot. He plunged the sword into the wound with full force, channeling all of his strength into the blow. With one final scream from the dragon, the sword pierced through its body, and the beast collapsed to the ground, causing the earth beneath them to tremble like a violent explosion.

Black blood spilled everywhere, staining the land, and the sky was darkened by the shadows of the fallen beast. Iris felt the weight of the dragon's suffering in the air. It had been no easy task, but he had done what needed to be done.

"It's over," Iris whispered, panting as he stared at the fallen dragon.

Selena, who had been watching from a distance, ran to him. "Iris... you did it! You killed it."

But Iris felt the weight of what had happened. "The battle was long, but the end was inevitable. The dragon has fallen, but that doesn't mean the road is over."

There was still much to face, but they had now closed a long chapter of suffering. The dragon had been defeated, but would this truly be the end?

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