Burn Bright

Enderan knelt down and placed his hands above the circle. He began to suffuse the little circle with mana, causing the dirt and debris around Enderan to fly away. Then, with more power, the force began rustling Victor’s clothes and the pages of his tome.

“Keep going Enderan!”

Enderan focused more but then his expression twisted in pain. “Victor, something feels wrong!” The sides of his face were being covered in scales and his fangs grew out longer.

“Don’t stop!”

“My chest, it feels hot! Like it’s burning!”

“It’s just the mana flowing through you! Keep going!” His voice was more authoritative than caring.

Enderan gritted his teeth as he poured mana at an increased rate. The chalk glowed and the circles started to release purple smog.

Then, finally the body began to levitate. From within the giant hole that Heaven Piercer had left, muscle and bone grew out towards the center, two hearts began to form and beat before being covered by pectoral and core muscles.  

The ruby eyes of Drakan’thar lit up along with the red gems set in his crown.

A final burst of power sent both Enderan and Victor staggering back, and the haze mist caused them to cough.

“I’ve been brought back. But this is beyond my most hope filled dreams.” His voice was deep and commanding. “I’m whole again and perfect.” His red dragon eyes were already fixated on them before the debris even cleared. “What are your names?

“I’m Victor Troika.”

“I’m Enderan.” Enderan clenched the front of his shirt and Victor looked between the two. Drakan’thar squinted his eyes at him.

Did Drakan’thar know of his relation to Ezrian and Syndria?

The Dragon Tyrant frowned down at the boy. “I sense that you carry both curses of my beloved. But you have used that power to bring me back, “so for now, I will withhold my punishment.”

Victor’s heart was in his throat. This was it. All of his plans depended on this moment. “Lord Drakan’thar, we have come all this way and brought you back to ask that you lift the curse on this child.”

The atmosphere tensed before the Dragon Tyrant bowed his head. “For your service, I shall grant your wish.”

Enderan opened his eyes wide and looked at Victor who was also in shock, both smiled with joy and triumph.

“But before I do, I request that you bring back my Queen as well.” The tyrant clenched his fist. “However without her head, that is no longer possible is it?!”

“Wait, what—” Victor was sent flying backwards with a punch.

“Victor!” Enderan’s eyes ignited and his fangs grew.

The dragon Tyrant was already upon Enderan and grabbed him by the throat.

Looking over at Victor, he saw his tome was far from him. He willed to his companion.

Yoki, go bring Victor his tome!

The slime slid down and away to Victor’s tome.

“You desecrated my wife’s corpse! Her spirit has now completely left this plane of existence!”

“How do you know?” He gasped.

“This is my home! Even while dead, I see all that happens here! From the grave I have witnessed the lancers slaughter my servants and loved ones, murder my wife, and eat my unborn children!”

As Victor was on the ground, unable to breathe, Yoki was by his side and in its form was the tome. Seeing the slime, Victor struggled to open it.

“For years I had to watch as my house fell to ruin! All because of your traitorous parents!”

Enderan’s eyes widened. Victor opened a page to a healing spell.

“That’s right, I know who you are, Enderan Ember!” The dragon snarled. “Part of Elori’sha’s spirit was trapped here, but she was nothing but an embodiment of grief and mourning! But it did not matter, I would have waited thousands if not eons, so long as there was a chance of bringing us back together into this world!” He snarled. “But because of you two, that is no longer possible!” His voice boomed.

Enderan’s eyes glowed and the back of his throat began to glow. With a tighter grasp, Drakan’thar choked the fire from Enderan’s throat, leaving only a billow of smoke.

Drakan’thar snarled. “Your friend seems to have peculiar knowledge, and with his help, perhaps I can still see my Elori. But you are going to pay for eating my last remaining child and burning off my beloved’s head.” He held out his palm by Enderan’s face and a ball of raging fire began to burst to life.

“I’ll make sure there isn’t a spot left that remains unburnt!”

“Ryu’kaida, I command you to stop!”

The flames went out in Drakan'thar's hand, and he turned to Victor who was now standing up. He had finished writing in his tome. Yoki sat atop his shoulder.

“How do you know that name?” His eyes burrowed into Victor.

The pen vanished, then he pulled free a dark blade from the pages of the tome. “Let Enderan go!”

Enderan fell to the ground.

“I’ve listened to every word you have spoken since coming here. Your knowledge is eerie but no one should know my birth name.” His eyes widened then shot him a menacing look. “Are you one of his men?”

“I doubt even the demon in red knows your real name.” Victor said with a cocky smile. “Because I’m more than just a man. I am your god!”

Drakan’thar’s face took on a genuine smile, before laughing. “Your mind is god touched perhaps! Are you insane?!”

“I am the creator of this world, Ryu’kaida. I know your past! I know your secrets! That crown atop your head for example!”

This caused the Tyrant to pause.

“That’s right! You doubt me?! I know everything about you! Like the nickname that your wife calls you by.” He smirked mockingly. “Hanabel, is a cute name.”

Drakan’thar roared. “You mock me despite nearly dying by my hand?!”

“I can’t die! Only one being can truly kill me, and he is another god!”

“You truly believe you are a god?!” He chuckled.

“I am the god! I am your creator! That other god only had a small part in this world’s creation.” He glared at him. “I’ll give credit where credit is due. Daigo is the sole reason why you look so damn intimidating and cool!”

Drakan’thar scoffed. “I was going to keep you alive if you proved useful. However, you appear to be too much of a risk to keep alive. Goodbye.”

Victor smiled. “Goodbye!”

Enderan seized the moment, driving the lance toward Drakan’thar’s back.

However the dragon tyrant quickly weaved out of the way. Despite his size, he moved with speed and grace befitting a divine martial artist.

“You insolent worm!” The dragon tyrant swung his claws towards Enderan.

Enderan countered with the lance and it ripped back towards the tyrant. In a few collisions, their power shook the air.

Then, they broke off, Drakan’thar raised his hand and pillars of red fire rose around him.

He then staggered forwards, as several blue shards of diamond blue ice impaled him in the back.

“This is Elori’sha’s magic!” He shot a glare towards Victor while fending off some strikes from Enderan.

“Your wife’s soul is in this little dagger! You kill me, and she’s lost to you forever!” He yelled. “So I would focus on your other opponent if I were you.”

This didn’t stop Drakan’thar from sending a fireball careening towards Victor.

Slime command!

Yoki turned into a dragon shield and Victor blocked it.

-

Through Yoki’s bond, I felt a strange ripple of command be used. I looked up and saw that Victor had turned Yoki into the dragon shield.

I had no time to question how Victor was able to command Yoki, as I kept trading blows with Drakan’thar. Victor had been able to use Alyssa and Elori’sha’s powers, so that dagger had much more to it than Victor had let on.

I smirked inwardly. Nothing new there!

Drakan’thar roared and loomed over me.

Something in my mind was keeping me from feeling fear. Whether it was the dragon curse or the new found power, I felt unstoppable. However my lack of fear also had to come from my single minded drive to end this fight as soon as possible.

The burning pain in my chest was growing, and I needed Victor to see to it as soon as possible.

I fed into the dragon within me, and let it run rampant. I was trading blows that would have broken my arm, and swinging around a lance like it was a stick.

Drakan’thar grabbed my wrist and separated me from the lance. He came at me with his claws, and I obliged him.

We fought with our fists. Despite being at a disadvantage, Victor was hitting him from the side.

After taking another hit from Elori’sha’s ice lance, I was able to slash at his stomach, and he roared.

He sent me flying back and his throat glowed red, and I followed suit feeling my heat rise up to challenge. Fire blew forth and collided.

It was close, as it nearly touched me, and I felt its heat against my skin.

-

Drakan’thar shot a beam of fire towards Enderan and he was barely able to get his own out to intercept it.

Deep vivid red and immolating orange lit the world.

By the end Enderan’s shirt was singed off. His upper torso where his burns should be, were covered in red scales, and his heart glowed through his human skin, illuminating his ribcage.

The dragon tyrant sent Enderan flying back and slid next to his father’s lance.

The tip of Heaven Piercer now shone with a heavenly white light.

Victor was smiling ear to ear. 

Victor recalled the original versions of the fight between Enderan and Drakan’thar. Despite how beautiful Daigo’s art was, this rendition blew it out of the water in spectacle.

“You never deserved Elori'sha's blessing!” Drakan’thar began to charge up an attack of his own, red tendrils of fire gathering around him. “Die a human!”

“Gladly! But first, I will finish what my parents started!" Enderan bellowed. 

Enderan channeled all the mana he could into Heaven Piercer.

Victor’s heart thundered in his ears as he watched.

The white glow of the lance began to turn orange and streams of light began to dance, like a spool of ribbons caught in a breeze.

A scene came to the forefront of Victor’s mind. An older Enderan charging up the lance, while his best friend, yelled from the side. In a way, it was always Victor’s words cheering on Enderan in that scene, but now, he could do it himself.

“Burn bright Enderan!” Victor bellowed, then leapt behind a pillar. 

The lance became engulfed in flames and as they launched toward each other, the flames spiraled together and the world went white.