The battlefield was unrecognizable now. What was once a lush and vibrant forest had been reduced to a wasteland.
The earth beneath their feet was charred black, scorched by the aftermath of the powerful magic and Erend's dragon fire that had ravaged it. Scattered remnants of trees lay shattered and smoking. Their trunks broken like brittle twigs. Ash floated in the air, carried on the remnants of the wind.
Adrius and Lysander stood a few paces apart, both breathing heavily. Their bodies drained from the intense battle. The forest, or what remained of it, was silent now, save for the occasional crackle of lingering flames and the soft rustle of settling debris.
For a moment, there was nothing but the stillness. The heavy sense of finality hanging over them like a cloud.
Though battered and exhausted Adrius still managed a weary smile as he glanced at Lysander. His eyes were bloodshot and his body drenched in sweat, but there was relief in his expression. The greatest threat they had ever faced had been vanquished. They had won.
"We did it," Adrius muttered softly, his voice hoarse. He turned to Lysander, who looked just as beaten but a faint grin tugged at the corners of his mouth.
Lysander nodded, his body trembling with the aftereffects of the battle, but there was a shared satisfaction in his eyes.
"Yeah… we actually did," Lysander said.
The two shared a brief knowing look. But as their smiles grew, another figure stood unmoved amidst the wreckage. The one who had delivered the final, crushing blow.
Erend remained standing over Theron's headless and smoldering body. The blackened ground at his feet still sizzling from the Dragon fire that had reduced his enemy to ash. His broad shoulders rose and fell slowly, his breathing steady but deeper than before. His entire body was still tense as if the battle had not yet ended for him.
The glowing orange light in his reptilian eyes had dimmed, came back to his human eyes again. His Dragon scales were completely gone now, leaving only his white Elven armor clinging to his battle-worn frame. He looked like a human again.
But there was no sense of victory on his face.
His eyes remained locked on what was left of Theron's body, yet they were distant and unfocused as if his thoughts were far away.
He wasn't looking at his defeated foe anymore. His mind had wandered into something far darker. The threat, the words the Great Calamity had spoken with Theron's body in his final moments, still echoed in Erend's mind.
"I will come for your world... I will devour all of it."
A cold chill ran down Erend's spine again despite the heat still lingering in the air. Erend's jaw tightened and his fists clenched.
"I have to act. More.. I have to do something more."
The thought burned inside him, and the fire of determination that had been smoldering within Erend since the beginning of the battle reignited. He couldn't allow himself to stand idle. He couldn't allow the threat to spread, to endanger everything he cared about.
Erend turned to face Adrius and Lysander and walked toward them. His gaze lingering on the two battle-worn Mages for a moment. The weight of the battle still hung in the air, but his mind was already shifting toward what came next.
"I guess everything is done here," Erend said when he arrived in front of them. His voice calm yet edged with the same underlying tension that hadn't left since the fight began.
"Yes. I owe you a lot, Erend. We all do," Adrius said while wiping the soot and blood from his face. He nodded slowly.
"Don't mention it. We're all in this together," Erend said.
There was a brief silence. The three of them standing amidst the destruction knowing what had been accomplished but still feeling the burden of what lay ahead.
"I have to go now," Erend said, breaking the silence.
"Thank you, Erend. For your help. I never thought that I will be fighting alongside a real Dragonborn," Lysander said while looking at Erend with admiration.
"Just doing what needs to be done," Erend said while also give him a small, tired smile.
But then his expression shifted, growing serious. The light in his eyes dimmed and his tone darkened. "Remember, this isn't the end. We still have two more to deal with, right?"
Adrius's face fell, a deep shadow of gloom crossing his features. He knew exactly what Erend was talking about. "Yes," he muttered, the reality sinking in.
Erend's gaze hardened. "I don't know how long we have until they come, but we need to be ready. Prepare yourselves. We can't afford to let our guard down."
"Damn it… There's no end to this, is there?" Lysander said then clenched his teeth, fists balling at his sides.
"Unfortunately, no," Erend replied with a grim expression. "Be strong. It's still a long way to go."
With that, Erend stepped back and focused his energy. He activated his Dragon wings and it erupted from his back. They unfurled majestically, casting shadows on the charred earth below.
He glanced once more at Adrius and Lysander. Then, without another word, he launched into the sky, leaving the two Mages behind.
As Erend disappeared into the sky and fading into the horizon, Adrius and Lysander stood in silence among the destruction around them.
"We should be celebrating, shouldn't we?" Lysander glanced around at the scorched earth, the blackened remains of trees, and the smoldering air. "But it doesn't feel like a victory."
"Because it isn't, not yet. We've stopped Theron, but Erend's right. This is far from over," Adrius said.
Lysander sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Two more… and we barely made it through this one."
"We've survived because we've fought together. We need to keep that in mind. There's no time for rest, not now," Adrius replied.
"I know. But, I'm tired. We just finished the hardest battle of our lives, and we're already talking about the next one."
Adrius placed a hand on Lysander's shoulder, offering what little reassurance he could. "We have to be stronger. The kingdom depends on it."
Lysander nodded. "You're right."
"And that means going back to the capital. Rallying what's left of our resources and fortifying our defenses."
Lysander straightened himself, squaring his shoulders. "No rest for the weary, huh?"
"Not this time," Adrius said with a weary smile. "We'll rest when this is truly over."
The two of them shared a look of understanding. With a final glance at the battlefield they turned and began the journey back to the kingdom.