The Dragon Lord's body tore through the clouds like a blazing comet before crashing into a massive structure miles from the palace.
The ground quaked. Walls splintered. A shockwave rippled through the entire district of the Draconis City, the mountain's capital.
For a moment, silence followed the devastation. Then came the sound of rushing footsteps.
Dozens of dragons in human form, commoners and attendants alike crowded around the crater, whispering in confusion.
"What was that?"
"Something fell from the palace…"
"Did a meteor hit the mountain?"
But as the dust began to settle, all chatter died.
The figure within the wreckage became clear, crimson-haired, cloaked in smoke and blood, scales cracked across his arms and chest.
One of the onlookers stumbled backward, voice trembling.
"L-Lord… Eragon."
The words hit like a thunderclap.
The crowd fell into stunned silence, every eye widening in disbelief.
Their Dragon Lord, the undisputed ruler of the mountain, brought down?
