A combined shriek of surprise and astonishment escaped the CAFLRS as they beheld the rare creature that had landed before them.
It was a majestic golden dragon almost the same size as Siroos’s dragon and on top of that, it could speak like a human.
A magnificent and awe-inspiring creature with power oozing out of him. Its scales shimmered like molten gold, reflecting light with a spectacular brilliance, giving it a majestic sheen.
Each scale was intricately detailed, overlapping each other.
The dragon’s head was adorned with long, spiraling horns that resembled polished gold, curving elegantly backwards.
Its eyes glowed with an intense amber hue, exuding malevolence and danger.
Long, flowing whiskers, like threads of sunlight, extended from its snout.
Its wings were immense, with golden membranes that caught the light as he unfolded and spread them, just to intimidate them.
Siroor spread his arms in a guarded fashion, keeping his companions behind him as he observed the wings’ structure which was both sturdy and graceful, hinting at incredible strength and agility, this creature must possess.
The tail was long and tapering, ending in a golden tuft that mirrored the dragon’s overall grandeur.
Golden dragons were frequently depicted as guardians of ancient treasures, or keepers of profound knowledge. But they had been extinct for a while now.
How come they were face to face with one?
"We are not hallucinating, right?" Faris pinched himself.
"No, that is a fully grown dragon and he speaks as well," Aiko answered, unable to peel her eyes off the gold-hued dragon.
"We are just passing. We mean no harm," Siroos called out, loudly and clearly.
’He is from my kind,’ Siroos’s dragon purred inside him and flashed through Siroos’s eyes, unable to hold himself back.
The gold-hued dragon instantly picked up that Siroos carried a dragon spirit and let out a low warning growl.
"Bring forth the dragon. It has been a while since I have met a worthy adversary." His cunning eyes which seared like burning embers swiveled towards the skeletons strewn on these caked lands, human skeletons.
Cassandra clutched her mate’s arm tightly, her shield unknowingly slid over Siroos and covered him and others.
She addressed the dragon. "We are not looking for a fight. Like my mate said, we are just crossing by."
"Is he afraid to battle me? I can understand. No one has ever defeated me and lived to tell the tale. But if you can, I will offer you a reward." The golden rays of the sun seemed to reflect off his body as he raised himself to his full height.
’Let’s show him what we have got,’ Siroos’s dragon blazed inside him, angered that the other dragon thought he was afraid of him.
"Move back, all of you," Siroos ordered and Cassandra’s heart dropped into her belly. Lotus quickly grabbed her and pulled her away from Siroos. He began to transform into his dragon self.
"That’s more like it," the gold dragon excitedly breathed out in his deep fear-inspiring voice.
They knew the only way to pass though was to accept the dragon’s challenge. Razial and Faris stood right behind Siroos and in front of the girls.
Both dragons stood face to face with each other. Their red eyes burned like twin infernos, hatred and determination radiating from both.
"No use of your mate’s shield. Or any interference from your companions. Let this be a fair battle," the golden dragon wisely said.
The black dragon gave a swift nod of agreement and turned his head towards his mate.
Cassandra held back all her emotional turmoil and stood strong for her mate. She drew back her shield although her heart ached at the action. She concentrated it on her other companions.
The golden dragon unfurled its colossal wings, their golden membranes catching the sporadic flashes of lightning, making it seem like the sun had momentarily pierced the storm. With a deep roar, it lunged forward, its talons glinting like sharpened blades.
The black dragon countered, its obsidian scales shone under the beams of the sun. It coiled its massive tail, whipping it towards the golden dragon in a blur of speed. The golden dragon dodged mid-air, but the force of the tail’s swing hit the nearby mountain. sending shards of rock tumbling down.
They clashed in mid-air, the sound of their impact echoing like a thunderclap as the rest of Siroos’s companions watched with their hearts in their mouths.
"You got this big brother," Faris called out.
The golden dragon bit down, its fangs grazing the black dragon’s thick neck. The black dragon roared in fury, exhaling a torrent of red flames that enveloped the golden dragon. The flames licked at its radiant scales, but the golden dragon retaliated with a burst of golden fire, illuminating the surroundings and driving back the black dragon.
The battle raged on, their roars drowning out every other sound. The black dragon’s claws tore through the air, aiming for the golden dragon’s wings. The golden dragon, anticipating the move, twisted its body and lashed out with its spiked tail, striking the black dragon’s flank and forcing it to crash into a jagged cliffside.
Cassandra forgot to breathe as her heart seemed to have been jagged too but Lotus kept her tightly in her embrace.
"Be safe, big boy," she whispered in a pained voice.
Pinned momentarily, the black dragon’s eyes glowed with malevolent fury. It unleashed a deafening screech that seemed to warp the air, momentarily stunning the golden dragon. Seizing the opportunity, the black dragon launched itself upward, grappling its rival in a deadly embrace. They plummeted toward the mountains below, spinning and clawing at each other, their fiery breaths intertwining.
At the last moment, the black dragon spread its wings wide, breaking free from the golden dragon’s grasp. It ascended rapidly, its chest glowing with an intense light. With a mighty roar, it unleashed a beam of searing red fire, striking the golden dragon and sending it hurtling towards the ground below.
The earth shook as the golden dragon crashed into it, a crater forming around its impact. Wounded but not defeated, it snarled and struggled to rise, its red eyes still burning. The Siroos’s dragon hovered above, victorious for the moment but prepared for another attack that might come.
But the golden had been injured in various areas and bowed its head, admitting defeat.