Shadow Bands

XI. Eclipse

 Dust swirled in the air as King Emron stood over the undead dragon, their size almost identical. Kaelen couldn't help but feel in his chest a surge of warmth and power. Emron jumped back towards the keep, staying in a lunging position. Demons started to fly in the sky again, prompting Emron to look up as they swirled around the courtyard like vultures. His eyes began to glow bright. His snarl became thunderous, echoing through the courtyard. With a bark, lighting struck the flying demons, killing them in an instant. They began to rain down, a trail of smoke following them.

With one decisive blow the skies became clear once again.

The undead dragon regained its bearings and roared at Emron. In response, he howled and the moon seemed to grow brighter. His howl echoed, almost deafening but a siren song of triumph and bravery. Other howls echoed up and down the mountain side. With a twist of his head, Emron pulled a long sword that rested on his side with his teeth, holding it parallel to the ground. The blade had only one edge demanding his attacks to be very precise.

A flap of the undead dragon's wing made Emron go on guard as the exanimate dragon began to charge at him. Emron did not wait. He met the dragon in its course and clashed his blade with its wings. The dragon tried to swipe him with its tail but Emron jumped out of its range. His direction changed quickly as the dragon breathed fire at him, causing him to circle around it.

Once the dragon ran out of breath, Emron planted one of his paws and made a quick dash at the dragon. His blade aimed for its neck but the dragon used its tail to swat him away. Emron crashed to the ground. The hit didn't faze him seeing how he got up just fine. His eyes began to glow again and when he let out a bark lighting struck the dragon but it had no effect on it. Emron began to growl and the winds began to run amok within the courtyard, seemingly circling around Emron. He charged once again at the dragon but the dragon placed its wings in front of it. But Emron didn't falter in his course. The winds followed his command as it blew upwards underneath the dragon's wings causing them to lift, bringing the dragon off balance. With a twist of his body he drove his sword deep into the dragon's chest and jumped back. He barked again and lightning struck the blade causing the dragon to bellow and the glow to flicker.

The dragon's neck hung as it grew weak allowing Emron to use his paw to smack it down, drawing his sword from its body to deal the final blow.

"Incredible!" Said Lyra, also admiring his King.

"We must hurry, we're almost the last ones to enter!" Shouted Aeris.

A sudden explosion within the grand hall blew smoke through the doorway. Emron stabbed his sword into the ground and looked in the direction, his eyes narrowed as if trying to see through the smoke. A large piece of metal flew from the smoke and thudded into the dirt – a stick attached to it seemingly snapped in half.

Kaelen recognized it as General Gaius' warhammer. Aeris gasped in shock, her hands covering her mouth. But what demon could defeat General Gaius? Kaelen asked himself.

But the question was soon answered as a demon with goat legs walked out of the smoke. It's skin dark as coal with hair white as snow, braided to the back. It had horns that circled the top of his head like a crown – two of them in the front were taller than the rest. His eyes shined a brilliant yellow. The demon held a fiery whip in one hand and a sword shrouded by smoke in the other.

"So the Grand Prexy saw it fit to send one of The Thirteen here," said Emron, his voice almost sarcastic. "Would it be too late to enact Akari'Sutar?"

"You talk too much, old man." It said, his voice unamused. "Oh how the great have fallen."

The two stood in silence. A war of attrition or perhaps it was a sign of respect. Either way, the gravity was suffocating.