"ROOAAAARRRRRR!!!"
The dragon's roar ripped through the night, a loud sound that made the ground vibrate beneath their boots.
Dust and wind surged out from its wings as the Rank 3 beast stomped forward, its shadow blotting out the moonlight. The bronze scales across its hide glimmered like metal pulled fresh from the forge, and each step cracked the stone tiles of the training ground.
Draco's eyes narrowed. His heartbeat was steady, but even he could feel the weight of its presence.
Jet, though, looked shaken.
His jaw clenched, his storm-grey eyes darting from the creature's glowing eyes to its massive claws that dug trenches into the dirt.
"Damn it…" Jet muttered, raising his blade. "A Rank 3, here of all places—"
The dragon didn't give them time to talk. Its wings snapped open with a whip of air, and its tail swung wide, cutting through the earth like a battering ram. Both boys leapt back as debris exploded where they'd been standing.
