Altleno clenched his fists, the pain in his body still screaming through every nerve. The dragon's roar thundered through the forest, shaking the ground beneath his feet. Dust and broken trees swirled in the storm of its breath.
He staggered forward, his body trembling. I need… more power.
But how? The first time, it happened by chance — pure desperation. He had no idea how to summon it again.
Nugst spread her wings wide, blotting out the sun. Her voice echoed like the toll of a death bell.
> "Your struggle ends here, human. Accept your death!"
The air ignited — flames spiraling around her jaws as she charged another infernal breath.
Altleno's heart pounded. His mind raced. He remembered that moment — when his hand touched the dragon's scales, when he felt life being pulled into him.
The dragon's chest glowed brighter and brighter, flames swirling within like a furnace about to erupt. Nugst lowered her head, her golden eyes narrowing on the lone figure below.
Altleno didn't flinch. For a few seconds, he just stood there — staring straight at her. Then, without warning, he bolted forward.
He dashed through the tall trees, weaving between trunks and leaping from branch to branch. His feet barely touched the bark before pushing off again, his speed blurring his form into the shadows. To the untrained eye, he was gone — nothing but a flicker between the leaves.
> If I can get close enough before she fires…
Nugst's head turned, trying to follow his movements. The heat building in her chest faltered for a brief moment, the energy dimming as she scanned the forest.
> "Where did you go, insect…?" she growled.
That was the opening Altleno had been waiting for.
He sprinted, muscles screaming, and launched himself high into the air, his aura flaring as he aimed straight for her neck. The forest wind roared past him — victory almost in reach.
But then—
The dragon smirked.
> "Got you."
Before Altleno could react, Nugst's entire body lit up. The flame she'd been charging wasn't gone — it had been waiting.
A blinding explosion of light and heat erupted from her jaws.
The fire engulfed Altleno point-blank.
The blast tore through the air, flattening trees and splitting the earth. For a brief moment, the world vanished into fire.
Then silence.
A limp body flew from the inferno — Altleno's — crashing through several trees before slamming hard into the ground. The impact cracked the earth beneath him. His body twitched, his clothes burned to shreds, his left shoulder and part of his neck completely torn apart.
He tried to breathe, but all that came out was blood and pain.
He coughed violently, the sound wet and ragged, crimson spilling from his lips.
> "N-not yet…" he gasped, voice trembling.
Every inch of him screamed to stay down. His vision blurred. His heartbeat echoed weakly in his ears.
But Altleno refused to die.
He planted one hand on the ground, forcing his trembling body to rise — inch by inch, breath by breath. His knees shook. The edges of his vision went dark.
Still, he stood.