Capítulo 7: Chapter 7: The Infernal Roar
The dragon's eyes glowed with an intensity that seemed to pierce their very souls. Its massive wings unfurled, casting shifting shadows across the cracked walls of the labyrinth. Each beat of its wings sent waves of hot, sulfuric air rolling through the chamber, stinging their lungs and forcing them back a step.
"Stick to the plan," Dorian muttered, though his voice trembled.
Elara didn't reply immediately. Her focus was on the dragon, its enormous form twisting with an unnatural grace. The creature roared again, the sound reverberating through the temple. Bits of stone crumbled from the walls, and the floor shook beneath their feet.
"I hope the plan is more than not dying," Elara snapped, her voice tight with strain.
"Not dying is an excellent first step!" Dorian shot back.
The dragon lunged.
Its claws ripped through the air, a blur of lethal intent. Elara barely dodged, her magic flaring instinctively to shield her from the blast of fire that followed. The heat scorched the edges of her cloak, and she stumbled, gritting her teeth against the searing pain.
Dorian darted forward, slashing at the dragon's exposed foreleg. His blade struck true, leaving a shallow cut. The dragon roared, more in fury than pain, and lashed out with its tail. Dorian threw himself flat, the spiked appendage missing him by inches but slamming into a pillar, shattering it into rubble.
Elara rose to her feet, her hands glowing with the power she had been summoning. She hurled a bolt of concentrated energy at the dragon's head. The blast struck its jaw, forcing the creature to recoil briefly, but the triumph was short-lived. The dragon's scales shimmered, absorbing the magic and dissipating it harmlessly.
"Great. It's resistant to magic," Elara muttered under her breath.
"Then hit it harder!" Dorian yelled, narrowly avoiding another swipe of the dragon's claws.
The two continued their desperate dance around the dragon, using the chamber's crumbling pillars as cover. Each attack they made seemed to do little more than provoke the beast further. The air grew heavier with smoke and heat, and exhaustion began to weigh on their movements.
Dorian's mind raced. They needed a strategy—something to give them an edge against this unstoppable force. His eyes darted around the chamber, searching for anything they could use. His gaze fell on the crumbling ceiling, the cracks deepening with each tremor caused by the dragon's relentless movements.
"Elara!" he called out. "The ceiling! If we bring it down—"
"You're insane!" she interrupted, but her eyes followed his line of sight. "It could work. It could also kill us."
"Would you rather face that thing head-on?" Dorian countered, pointing at the dragon as it let loose another fiery roar.
Elara hesitated for only a moment before nodding. "Fine. But we'll need to distract it first. Keep it focused on us."
"On it." Dorian adjusted his grip on his blade, his knuckles white.
As Elara began to channel her magic, drawing power from the depths of the temple itself, Dorian rushed at the dragon. He shouted, waving his blade wildly, a deliberate taunt to draw the creature's ire. The dragon turned its gaze on him, its massive body coiling as it prepared to strike.
"Come on, you overgrown lizard!" Dorian shouted, leaping to the side as the dragon's jaws snapped shut where he had been moments before. He slashed at its neck, the blade glancing off the scales with a shower of sparks. The dragon roared in fury, its tail lashing out again, narrowly missing him.
Meanwhile, Elara's magic grew brighter, the air around her crackling with energy. She aimed her focus at the weakest part of the ceiling, where the cracks formed a jagged web. Her hands trembled from the effort, sweat pouring down her face, but she pushed through the strain.
The dragon seemed to sense the shift in energy. Its head snapped toward Elara, its crimson eyes narrowing.
"Not today!" Dorian shouted, throwing a dagger at the creature's eye. The blade bounced harmlessly off the armored eyelid, but it was enough to momentarily divert the dragon's attention.
Elara seized the moment.
With a final burst of effort, she released the energy she had been gathering. The spell struck the ceiling with a deafening crack, and the already weakened stone gave way. Huge chunks of rock began to fall, crashing down in a cascade of destruction.
The dragon let out a furious roar as it was buried beneath the collapsing rubble. Dust and debris filled the air, choking and blinding them. Elara and Dorian stumbled back, coughing and shielding their faces as the chaos unfolded.
When the dust finally began to settle, the chamber was silent.
They stood motionless, staring at the pile of rubble where the dragon had been. For a moment, it seemed as though they had won. The oppressive heat had dissipated, and the air felt cooler, lighter.
Then the rubble shifted.
A massive claw emerged, pushing aside the stones with terrifying ease. The dragon was injured—its scales cracked and bleeding in places—but it was far from defeated. Its roar was weaker, raspier, but no less menacing.
"Are you kidding me?" Elara exclaimed, her voice filled with disbelief.
Dorian didn't answer. He was already moving, grabbing her arm and pulling her toward the far end of the chamber. "We need to go. Now."
"But—"
"No buts! We can't kill that thing, not here!" Dorian insisted, dragging her along as the dragon began to free itself from the rubble.
The two raced down a narrow passageway, the dragon's roars echoing behind them. The labyrinth seemed to twist and shift around them, the walls pulsing with a strange, unnatural energy. Elara's magic flickered in her hands, providing just enough light to guide their way.
"Do you even know where we're going?" she asked, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
"Not a clue," Dorian admitted, his tone grim. "But anywhere is better than back there."
The passage opened into a vast chamber, its walls lined with ancient carvings depicting battles between dragons and sorcerers. At the center of the room stood a pedestal, atop which rested a crystalline orb that pulsed with a soft, bluish light.
Elara's eyes widened. "That's it. That's what we need."
"What is it?" Dorian asked, though he was already moving toward the pedestal.
"A relic of immense power," Elara explained, her voice tinged with awe. "If we can use it, we might stand a chance against the dragon."
Before they could reach the pedestal, the ground shook violently. The dragon burst into the chamber, its crimson eyes blazing with fury. It was battered and bleeding, but its rage made it more dangerous than ever.
"Keep it busy!" Elara shouted, rushing toward the relic.
Dorian didn't argue. He turned to face the dragon, his sword at the ready. "Just hurry!"
The dragon roared, the sound shaking the very walls. It charged at Dorian, its claws raking the ground as it advanced. He dodged and weaved, using the chamber's pillars for cover, but he knew he couldn't keep this up for long.
Elara reached the pedestal and placed her hands on the orb. A surge of energy coursed through her, almost overwhelming in its intensity. She focused, channeling the power, bending it to her will. The orb's light grew brighter, filling the chamber with a blinding glow.
The dragon turned its attention to Elara, sensing the threat. It lunged toward her, its jaws open wide.
"Elara!" Dorian shouted.
She didn't hesitate. With a cry of determination, she unleashed the relic's power.
A beam of pure energy shot from the orb, striking the dragon square in the chest. The creature let out a final, ear-splitting roar as the energy engulfed it, reducing its massive form to ash.
The chamber fell silent once more.
Elara collapsed to her knees, the relic's light dimming as its power faded. Dorian rushed to her side, helping her to her feet.
"You did it," he said, his voice filled with relief.
She nodded weakly. "We did it."
But even as they caught their breath, the carvings on the walls began to glow, and a deep voice echoed through the chamber.
"You have proven your worth," it said, resonating with an ancient power. "But the true test lies ahead."
Dorian and Elara exchanged a glance, their exhaustion forgotten.
The battle wasn't over.
PENSAMENTOS DOS CRIADORES 
Waqar_Ahmed_3614
Waqar_Ahmed_3614 Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!
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