Month 1, Day 4, 17:45:12; Arvium, Arvium

Garron jumped from the saddle before Noir had even landed. He ran over to the player, his swords sinking into the player's back. He pulled them as the player froze, then fell over. A roar filled the air as Noir dispatched the last remaining Mortia player.

A figure appeared in front of him, wearing similar black armor. It knelt in front of Aella, picking her up.

"Take her home," Garron said. "Take care of her, Ender."

The figure nodded, then disappeared with a puff of blue smoke.

Garron turned, swinging his swords. An explosion ripped the city down by the docks, dark plumes of smoke rising from the ruins. He paused as an alarm blared in his helmet and he looked toward the mountains in the distance, feeling fear course down his arms.

He ran towards Noir, jumping onto her leg, then sliding into the saddle. She jumped into the sky, her powerful wings beating the air. They passed through the clouds of smoke over the fields, small explosions lighting up the dark clouds like lightning. He urged the dragon lower over the tree line of the forest, heading for the base of the cliffs that marked the mountain range. The cliffs were in chaos, most of the players gathered from various parts of the battle, avoiding the scavengers making there way through the city.

A scarlet dragon wrecked havoc in the center of the field, blowing fire. The line of Mortia players, clad in their signature scarlet armor, pushed the opposing forces back, splintering them into smaller groups.

Left and right, players were falling beneath the onslaught of the mercenaries that were inching ever onwards toward the mountains.

Garron narrowed his eyes as Noir swooped in lower, landing with a boom on the ground in front of the red dragon and spewed ice in a barrier, then he closed his eyes.

He opened his eyes as the teleportation spell finished, taking account of the battle's edge. A plume of ice broke from the ground and swept into the air, splitting the battle in half. It rose high into the air, blocking Mortia from the battered players.

Noir had entangled herself with the dragon, and blew plumes of black ice to counteract the fires around the battlefield. The two dragons rolled and hissed as they fought, keeping the two armies apart.

He grinned, pulling out both swords. "Thanks Noir."

He took a deep breath, then started reciting spells, black flames bursting to life along his blades. Smoke began to pour off of his armor, and filled the air around him, starting to swirl. He lifted the swords and a burst of electricity filled the cloud, arcing around him. He paused, feeling the ground rumble beneath him. He waited until he heard the howl of the death wolves, then slammed the swords down into the ground.

The smoke sped throughout the battlefield, filling the air with electricity. It hovered on the four corners of the battlefield, and holes erupted, fire and ash filling the air above them. Wolves jumped from each, forcing the players toward the center of the battlefield. Their howls pierced the air with their unnatural quality, and more wolves kept coming out of the holes. They blended in with the smoke, the only thing visible their glowing red eyes.

The ice wall smashed into thousands of ice shards, the action clearing some of the smoke cloud, causing the players to move toward the sunlight.

He yelled as he jumped forward, commanding the wolves to charge. Several joined his side as he ran toward the center line between the two charging armies. Noir took the skies, the red dragon climbing after her.

He stopped as a player appeared in front of him, her scarlet armor different from the rest with the addition of a black dragon-scale cloak and hood. The wolves kept going, racing past him. He raised his swords, twisting the grip of one to use it in a stabbing motion.

"Garron," her voice called to him.

He felt his muscles loosen, and he tightened the grip on his swords. "I am going to put you down," he said, his voice thick.

She lifted her own weapons, red magic flowing from her fingertips.

They stood, unmoving. And then, she moved like a puppeteer, the ground moving underneath his feet as the earth split, leaving behind a deep cavern.

He jumped, curving through the air, landing on the other side of the ravine. He raised a hand, the smoke curling like a tornado above him, then he lowered his hand, and the smoke turned into a long javelin, the tip dripping with poison.

He paused, seeing the smile on her face. Then his vision turned to black as something smacked into the back of his head, and he fell. The last thing he saw as his eyes closed was the clash of the two armies, and the pouring fire and ice from the skies as the dragons screamed their anger.