Queen Hyla snarled and lunged at me, teeth bared. I threw myself to the side and barely dodged the blow. I quickly spun around and lashed out with my talons. Queen Hyla slid past my graze, but not before I managed to leave a gash in her side. The Queen glanced at the wound and snarled.

     Queen Hyla threw her bladed tail at me with as much force as she could. The sharp edge hit my neck armor and sparks went flying. The Queen swung again, and her tail hit my side armor and knocked me off my feet.

     I got up, cringing. Nota went shooting past me, liquid metal spewing from her mouth and burning Queen Hyla's guards. The guards roared and rammed hard into Nota. She got up, blood trickling from a head wound.

     "Nota!" I cried. While I was looking at Nota, the Queen charged and her horn tore my helmet off. I gasped and got knocked to the wall.

     I got up and gasped for air. The blow had knocked the wind out of me. Queen Hyla stepped over to me, an evil grin on her face.

    "Did you honestly think you stood a chance against me?" She held my head down and flicked her bladed tail into position. "Look at me. I want to see the life leave your eyes, you unholy demon."

     Nota rammed hard into the Queen's side, knocking her away. The guards rushed over and lashed out at Nota. She screamed as their claws slashed her side.

     "Stop!" I cried, standing up with great effort.

     Queen Hyla looked at me. The guards held Nota down, awaiting orders.

     "Stop..." I begged. "Kill me, but please let everyone else go."

    The Queen threw her head back and laughed. "You think you are in a position to make me do what you want? You will let me kill you, your family, and everyone who aided you and perhaps I will spare your village in Tagonia."

     "You wouldn't..." My eyes got wide in horror. "All those innocent dragons? Their hatchlings?"

     "Merely stairs for me to step on so I can climb to the top." Her purple eyes flared a blood red. "Now you will all die."

I don't exactly know what happened. Blinding light exploded out each of my scales, swirling gold and black. It sparked through the air and hit her. She screamed, engulfed in a fury of light.

The guards dropped Nota and grabbed the Queen. They threw her out of the light, and her limp body slid across the polished floors.

"Zepth-" Nota began with a smile, but our fight was not over yet.

"You disgusting creature!" The Queen snarled and threw herself to her feet. Her face was burned, and her eyes were white. The light must have blinded her. "What have you done to me?!"

I slowly backed away as the Queen threw her blades tail around her in a frenzy, lashing out at what she cannot see.

"I WILL KILL YOU," She screamed hysterically ", AND EVERYTHING YOU LOVE!!"

     At that moment, the stained glass behind the Queen's throne smashed into a thousand colored shards. A golden light flew outside. The light dimmed slightly and I saw perhaps the largest dragon I have ever seen.

     It's head alone was as large as a whale. It was so large, it didn't have to fly to poke it's head in the tallest window, it just stood on the ground far below. It was ancient, I could tell. It's eyes portrayed countless years of wisdom. It was like staring into a vast universe with billions and billions of shining stars.

     "Hyla." It's voice was quiet, yet it was overwhelming powerful.

     "By the gods..." One of her guards breathed. "It's the King of Dragon Gods himself!"

     "You dare call yourself a savior." He continued, eyes burning into Queen Hyla.

     "No... It can't be..." Her eyes filled with terror. "There are no such things as gods! There's no such thing!"

     "You, Hyla, are the monster." He snarled and lunged, swallowing Queen Hyla whole. She screamed a terribly bloodcurdling sound, enclosed in the God's golden light.

     Her guards cried out, and the God gave them a deadly glare. They instantly turned to dust and collapsed on the floor, their ashes spreading across the perfect marble flooring. The God looked over at Nota and I, a stream of light leaking from his eyes. The light grazed their wounds, and when it cleared, their injuries were healed. White scars were in their place.

     "Zepth." He looked at me. "You must listen, you are the dragon of prophecy; a direct descendant to the great Milrem. This is only just the beginning, young dragon. There is so much more than this. So much more than you could possibly imagine."

     He smiled, lips cracking with age. The pulsing golden light died away and the giant dragon faded.

     My world darkened around me as I collapsed into a void of night...