The gates of the Ancient Court stood before Aeron.
Thousands of soldiers lined the walls.
Dragons circled above them.
Aeron looked at Kael.
"How many?"
Kael tightened his grip on his sword.
"Too many."
Aeron smiled.
"Good."
His dragon spread its wings.
ROOOOOAR!
The Ancient Court gates suddenly opened.
An army charged out.
BOOOOM!
Hundreds of warriors rushed toward them.
Aeron jumped from his dragon.
His sword ignited with golden energy.
CLANG!
The first soldier attacked.
Aeron blocked.
SLASH!
The soldier fell.
Two more attacked.
Aeron spun between them.
CRASH!
His sword smashed through one shield.
Kael charged beside him.
Steel collided with steel.
The battlefield exploded into chaos.
Above them
dragons attacked.
ROOOOOAR!
Fire covered the sky.
Aeron's dragon dove through the flames.
Its claws ripped through an enemy dragon's armor.
Black blood sprayed into the air.
The enemy dragon crashed into the ground.
Aeron looked up.
"More!"
Five dragons descended.
His dragon roared.
Dark energy erupted from its wings.
BOOOOOOM!
Three dragons were thrown from the sky.
The remaining two attacked together.
Aeron's dragon caught one by the neck.
CRACK!
The other bit into its shoulder.
Blood flowed.
Aeron's eyes turned cold.
"Leave him alone."
His black mark flashed.
He disappeared.
WHOOSH!
Aeron appeared above the enemy dragon.
SLASH!
The creature fell.
The soldiers below stopped fighting for a moment.
They had seen it.
Aeron's power.
Kael shouted,
"Don't stop!"
The battle resumed.
Then
BOOOOOOM!
The Ancient Court walls opened.
Something enormous stepped through.
A giant warrior wearing black armor.
His body was covered in dragon scales.
Kael's face changed.
"That's a Court Commander."
Aeron raised his sword.
The commander pointed at him.
"Aeron."
His voice echoed across the battlefield.
"You were warned."
Aeron smiled.
"I'm here for my brother."
The commander laughed.
"You still believe Rian is your brother?"
Aeron's smile disappeared.
The commander raised his massive sword.
"Then come and take him."
He charged.
BOOOOM!
Aeron blocked.
The impact drove him into the ground.
His knees cracked against the stone.
The commander attacked again.
CLANG!
Aeron's sword shattered.
Kael shouted,
"AERON!"
The commander raised his blade for the final strike.
Aeron looked at his broken sword.
Then at his dragon.
The dragon's golden eye flashed.
A voice entered his mind.
"Remember."
Aeron's black mark spread across his arm.
Golden energy wrapped around the broken sword.
The blade began rebuilding itself.
Not as a normal sword.
Its shape changed.
A long black blade formed, covered with golden cracks.
Aeron stood.
The commander froze.
"What… are you?"
Aeron lifted the new sword.
"I don't know."
His eyes turned gold.
"But I'm about to find out."
He vanished.
BOOOOOOM!
The commander's armor split.
Blood sprayed across the battlefield.
Aeron struck again.
SLASH!
The commander fell to one knee.
But before Aeron could finish him
a horn sounded from inside the Ancient Court.
BWOOOOOOO!
Every soldier suddenly stopped.
Every dragon turned toward the palace.
The commander smiled despite his wounds.
"You're too late."
Aeron frowned.
"For what?"
The palace doors opened.
A massive black dragon emerged.
Riding on its back
was Rian.
But Rian was wearing Ancient Court armor.
His eyes were completely black.
Aeron froze.
"Rian…"
Rian raised his sword.
Thousands of soldiers knelt.
Then Rian looked directly at Aeron.
And said
"Kill him."
The entire Ancient Court army charged.
TO BE CONTINUED…