The sky above the mountains that rose like dark silhouettes above the endless ocean of forest began to change long before the first bolt of lightning tore through the heavy clouds, for the air itself grew dense and heavy as though the world was holding its breath before the birth of a catastrophic storm, and the horizon darkened so quickly and unnaturally that it seemed as if someone had spilled night across the middle of the day, while even the ancient trees whose roots intertwined with the living arteries of the World Tree creaked quietly as if they too could sense that this time the thunder would not be merely a storm, but the wrath of the heavens themselves.
Drakar stood at the edge of a rocky ledge that rose above the forest like the broken tooth of a mountain titan.
The wind moved slowly through his dark hair.
His golden eyes watched the sky.
Selene stood behind him, gripping her staff so tightly that the silver crystal at its tip began to glow faintly.
And she already knew.
"He's coming…" she said quietly.
Drakar did not answer.
Because in that moment the sky split open with lightning.
But this was not ordinary lightning.
It was a strike of power.
A pillar of light fell from the heavens and crashed into the earth several hundred meters before them, and the mountain trembled as stone exploded into thousands of fragments, while the thunder that followed was so deep and heavy that even the clouds themselves tore apart like thin cloth.
When the dust began to settle…
a figure stood in the crater.
Tall.
Mighty.
Wrapped in lightning.
Perun.
His eyes burned with fury.
His body was covered in storm runes that flowed across his skin like living lightning.
His voice rolled across the mountains like thunder falling from the sky.
"DRAKAR!"
Selene stepped back.
The air around the god was so saturated with power that even her magic trembled like a flame in the wind.
Perun raised his hand.
Lightning spiraled around him like living serpents made of pure light.
"Mortal…"
His voice became quieter.
But far more dangerous.
"You took my power."
Drakar looked at him calmly.
"I took it in battle."
Perun stepped forward.
The ground cracked beneath his feet.
"You killed me."
Drakar answered coldly.
"No."
He tilted his head slightly.
"I spared you."
The lightning around Perun exploded brighter.
"SPARED ME?!"
Drakar slowly raised his chains.
The runes upon them ignited with golden light.
"If I had wanted to…"
His voice became quieter.
"you wouldn't have returned."
Perun laughed.
But there was no joy in that laugh.
Only rage.
"You think you are stronger than a god?"
Drakar answered calmly.
"No."
He stepped forward.
"I know you're not."
Then he added quietly:
"But if you were wiser…"
His eyes flashed.
"you would understand that it is foolish to stand against someone who can already kill you for good."
The silence lasted only a second.
Then Perun roared.
"ENOUGH!"
The sky exploded.
Dozens of lightning bolts fell at once.
Drakar moved.
His chains shot forward.
The first lightning bolt struck the ground.
Explosion.
Drakar slid aside.
The second bolt came.
He deflected it with his chain.
The third.
He leapt.
The air tore apart.
Drakar launched into the sky.
His chains spun.
The blades slammed into Perun's chest.
Sparks.
Thunder.
But the god did not even stagger.
Perun grabbed the chain.
And pulled.
Drakar flew forward.
Then the hammer of thunder slammed into his chest.
The world exploded.
His body crashed into the cliffside.
Stone cracked.
Selene screamed.
"DRAKAR!"
Perun walked forward slowly.
"You are strong."
He raised his hand.
Lightning ignited within it.
"But you are still mortal."
Drakar stood again.
Blood ran from his lips.
But he smiled.
"You repeat yourself."
Perun struck.
Lightning fell.
Drakar raised his chains.
The shockwave shattered the mountain.
Trees were torn apart.
The earth split open.
Drakar fell again.
His body slid across broken stone.
His breathing grew heavy.
Perun stood over him.
"This time…"
His voice turned cold.
"I will not let you escape."
He raised his hand.
The sky turned white.
Thousands of lightning bolts gathered into one.
Selene whispered:
"No…"
But in that moment something changed.
Drakar slowly lifted his head.
His eyes burned gold again.
And a voice whispered in his mind.
Zmey.
"Now…"
Dark energy flowed across his skin.
The runes exploded with light.
Perun froze.
"What…?"
Drakar rose.
Slowly.
His back arched.
Bones cracked.
And then…
the wings appeared again.
But now they were different.
Enormous.
Covered in runes.
Scales.
Flame.
Dragon Ascension.
The air exploded.
Perun took a step back.
For the first time.
"Impossible…"
Drakar rose into the air.
His voice was quiet.
"You came here yourself."
His eyes burned gold.
"So don't complain now."
And he dove downward.
His speed was insane.
The chains slammed into Perun.
Lightning exploded.
The mountain shattered.
Perun struck.
But this time Drakar was faster.
He appeared behind him.
The blade plunged into the god's back.
Blood.
Real blood.
Perun roared.
"MORTAL!"
He unleashed the storm.
A colossal tempest exploded outward.
Drakar was thrown back.
But his wings spread wide.
And he stopped in the sky.
He looked down.
"I warned you."
Perun rose again.
His eyes burned.
"I AM A GOD!"
Drakar answered quietly.
"And today…"
He dove down once more.
"I will test that."
The sky erupted in thunder.
The mountain split apart.
Lightning and dragon fire collided in the heavens.
And the battle between the thunder god and the Godslayer had truly begun.