Damian could feel his already damaged core begin to crack once again, he still hadn't fully recovered from the last time he had attempted something like this but he was left with little choice, he knew there was no other way to save these sleepers which meant that he had no choice but to act even if he would have not wanted too.
The fire rolled around the sleepers as it hit the strange wall of force he was projecting forward, it felt like he was pushing against the nature of the world itself, twisting it to his own will as the cracks over his soul grew wider and wider as the waters of his soul sea grew more vicious for every moment that passed.
His vision was clouded by the flames ahead of him, the last thing he had seen was the mangled form of their fearless leader assaulting the beast with what remained of his blade to prevent Jasper from getting incinerated by the flames, unwittingly putting more lives at risk.
Soon the flames died down as he stood ahead of the others, the strain on his soul wasn't as strong this time round yet it was enough to send him to his knees, as blood dripped from his face and body as old wounds reopened once again. The pain was intense and yet he couldn't be more proud of himself for what he had done, he had successfully deflected an attack from a being much more powerful than him and all it cost him was much of his soul, what a deal!
Trying to laugh at his failed attempts to soothe himself with humour he coughed up clumps of clotted blood as he tried to focus on the ongoing battle ahead of him as a powerful gust of wind pushed him back, skidding across the white stone.
He watched as the dragon raised its mighty wings high as blood streaked from its empty sockets, Jasper was halfway down the creature's neck having cut from its eye downward as far as he could leaving a wound which would surely leave a nasty scar if the creature were to survive this ordeal. With his blade still lodged in the creature's scales, Jasper hung helplessly as the mighty beast stood on its hind legs as it let out a monstrous roar, shaking the body and soul of every sleeper on the battlefield.
The majestic beast began to beat its powerful wings again and again as gusts of winds like miniature hurricanes blew over the roof, pushing many of them back and causing a few to even fall from its ledges as it pushed itself into the air with its stowaway.
The sleepers looked up at the beast as they readied themselves, seeing the burning malic building once gain in its maw as it stared down with empty eyes, deep crimson blood falling down like rain as smoke bellowed, filling the air with a rancid smog which was making it harder to breathe with every second which passed.
Damian already knew the outcome of this battle, as long as Jasper stayed alive from this point the battle should only become easier and easier until the beast finally falls and yet they didn't have the range to deal any meaningful damage to the beast, their strongest fighters were either all focused around melee or were in too weak of a state to deal anything significant.
Looking over at their mangled leader he saw a fierce determination burning in his molten frame as he picked himself up off the floor as he prepared to bring the creature down, he didn't know the risks of what he was about to do but he knew it would be horrific.
Running to take shelter within the Dragons shadow Damian placed both of his hands on the ground as he took a deep breath, focusing on his core, how the energy spiraled out from it in broken flakes as it coursed through the broken chain and into the Forsaken Duty, the power in which it granted was their only chance of salvation now, or else they would be reduced to ash.
Focusing on that energy he pulled on the connection as a crushing force pulled against the world, the white stones underneath him cracking and the ground grew unsteady, the other sleepers watched with desperate pleas as the force grew larger and larger struggling to push against it as many of them dug their weapons into the stone, the fire launched from the beast's maw as it attempted to incinerate the pests and yet the flames did not obey, instead they began to encircle the man at the center of it all forming a ring of fire around him as in approached.
///
A hurricane of flame erupted around him as Jasper looked down in horror. He knew what the lunatic was attempting yet he couldn't believe he was truly trying to accomplish it, Jasper felt the dragons muscles tense as it fought against the pull of the force and yet he knew that was only half the plan as he felt himself slip ever so slightly downward, cutting further across the scales.
The madman's plan was to take the brunt of the attacks whilst Jasper and Warden finished it off, Jasper from the sky and Warden when the beast was forced from the sky, feeling the blade slip further and further down Jasper held tight, knowing that every second he spent up here meant the beast would grow weaker. By now his senses had connected to that of the beasts, its pain and suffering laid bare for him to feel, its eyes had long been destroyed and yet its senses were sharp enough that its sight wasn't even needed.
There was also something else, an element which seemed strange in the foreign mind of a mighty and noble beast such as this, the feelings of loss and separation, the dreams of being whole once again, a fractured and broken piece which had been long thrown away, this creature was a piece of something greater once but was now left discarded longing to be reunited with what it had lost.
Jasper had little time to dive into the mind of the dragon as of the moment as he focused on one command,
'Fall'
repeating this mental command over and over again as his control over the beast grew greater and greater, his blade reaching closer to its shoulder by now, its flaming breath stopped as it attempted to push against the force and yet it found itself unable to, slowly dragged into the fiery vortex raging underneath, the flames could not harm the beast but they could surely harm Jasper as he finally dug the blade into the shoulder of the beast, dragging lower and lower, its body growing weaker with every moment as it was about to crash into the ground.
Just before it did however a sudden force erupted from the epicenter of Damian's final stand as all the heat, fire, smog and even the beast itself were launched backwards by a terrible force, Jasper barely had enough time to throw himself from the beast before it consumed him completely as he felt his brunt skin rub against the blackened leathers.
///
Warden wasted no time in his efforts, his sword had long since broken away into a flurry of sparks which broke away into the wind, but at this moment he didn't need it anymore as he rushed forward past the crumpled form of Damian on the floor, he couldn't see well enough to know if the man was still breathing or not but he hoped he was but didn't have high hopes. At the moment Warden's vision was heavily damaged, his eyes had partially melted and his charred flesh made it difficult to move through the pain and yet he continued on, rushing forward with all his might.
The dragon or at least the red blur had been pushed to the edge of the keep, barely able to orientate itself as it staggered to keep itself standing on the ledge, the lake was directly below the keep, one good push was all that they needed to send this thing into the waters below, the creatures dwelling in the almost mirror like surface would do the rest, attracted by the smell of blood.
The creature let out one last defiant roar as it stared down at the vermin for had tried so hard to kill it, Warden could feel its eyeless stare as he approached unburdened by fear, soon the two forces collided. Wardens might was nothing in comparison to the beasts and yet it was the one top give way first, tis strength has been drained from its body, its will to fight restrained by Jaspers will as it tried to push against the human and yet it couldn't anymore, its body failed to fight back against the weak and pathetic embers of the flame.
The sleepers watched in stunned silence as many of them crowed around the edge as they watched the mighty beast fall into the perfect waters, staining it a deep shade of crimson as a lilac line caressed the horizon as the sun began to set.
Looking down at the scene Warden heard the voice of the spell call out to him,
[You have slain a Fallen Monster, Forgotten Memory of War]
…
[You have received a Memory]