The battlefield froze.
Kael Dragonyx, the chaos dragon, the terror of Aetheris—was gone. His dominion, his fury, his storm, all shattered under the weight of a single crimson palm. His death did not come with the roar of a beast or the glory of a warrior. It came with silence. Silence heavy enough to crush the breath of every soul who witnessed it.
Drake and Rodriguez stopped mid-swing, their weapons trembling in their hands. Charlotte's shield quivered as her body locked in disbelief. Even the hardened warriors of Eldoria, bloodied and resolute, stood frozen as if the world itself had ended.
"What sort of monstrosity is this?"
Guinevere's flames guttered. Morris's scepter dimmed. Kelvin, Ethan, and Lila all stared upward, their battle-hardened faces uncharacteristically pale. The phoenix, the elemental heir, the abyssal scythe bearer—all warriors of indomitable spirit—now felt something unfamiliar: dread.
