Like two suns. That's what the drake's eyes looked like. Two suns, shining down upon us as we fell or, in case of our enemies, safely floated down the ravine in bubbles that had appeared out of nowhere. The air was cold, blowing against me as I made myself as wide as possible to slow down my fall. Only two enemies did not fall at that moment. The drake, that stood over us, imposing and tall. Now was also the moment I truly noticed its height. When it stood on all four it was taller than the massive snake was long. Black smoke rose from its maw. The other enemy that had not fallen was the dark green snake. It was still wrapped in the thorn tendrils and seemingly struggling against Altair.

I did not have much time to waste on looking around. Screams, my own and those from my allies, filled my ears. While I fell I could feel the warmth that had consistently grown within my chest since I integrated with Gier leave me, disappeared, dissipate into nothingness, as if it had never been there. It was replaced with a freezing cold feeling that gripped my heart like a hand. Was this the hand of death? Gripping on my heart, waiting for me to hit the ground I couldn't even see and turn into a blood splatter?

That question could never be answered. Through the screams, I heard someone yell.

"[World of Smoke]!"

It was the voice of Sarl, or Smoke, echoing throughout the constantly widening ravine. I took as deep a breath as I could, preparing for everything that could happen. Pieces of stone and large chunks of gravel sliding and falling down all around us. That was when I noticed the layer of smoke from beneath me, like dark clouds in the sky, smoke covered the entire ground and those that had fallen before me landed in it safely. I felt relief first, and then I felt the soft smoke break my fall. As if I had fallen onto a mountain of wool. I didn't even know that it was possible for smoke to turn tangible like this. Now we had another chance to face our enemies. But before that could happen another of the smoke figures formed at one end of the large area made fully of smoke. The smoke figure faced our enemies, chain in hand and even more, smoke rising towards the blue sky from its lantern.

As I lay there, on the thick layer of smoke that was slowly deflating like a balloon, I took deep breaths, calming down my quickened heartbeat a little also taking that time to look around and get a feel for the environment. On all sides was gravel, falling down from the top of the ravine, that was a good three or four hundred metres deep, like waterfalls. As the ravine widened I got to see more and more of the massive cave... or rather, massive underground temple we were now in. Through gaps in the gravel, I could see massive stone pillars that connected the floor of the temple to the crumbling ceiling of the temple. Large, unlit braziers, now filled with gravel had been placed on the ground.

As I looked around I noticed the falling gravel slowly becoming less and less until no more fell down into the temple. That was the moment I heard loud clapping and also the moment the massive smoke figure just disappeared into thin air.

"Bravo! You've exceeded my expectations, Lestul Rigarium! Hunter of heretics, killer of the innocent, murderer of those in the right, etcetera, etcetera!" an unknown voice said, echoing through the gravel filled underground temple.

"Barion! What are you doing here?!" Commander lestul shouted back.

"I have been sent here by High Demon Lord Dion! Said that I was needed for a certain... goal, of his!" Barion shouted back, his voice far louder than that of our commander.

"What is that bastard doing here!" I heard Grand Sorceress curse from somewhere close to me.

"Who is he?" I asked, my heart beating faster and faster, ruining all my efforts of calming it down.

"Demon Lord Barion, a contender for a place among the high demon lords..." Elsa said, her voice filled with defeat. "Even my brother can only struggle against him..."

"Men do not fa-" Commander Lestul began but he was interrupted by the sound of countless pieces of stone moving.

I looked up as I saw every piece of stone and gravel that had fallen down into the temple levitate upwards.

"Let's clean up a little first, shall we?" Barrion said with a mocking undertone in his voice.

I could now clearly see him, one hand raised, wearing fully black clothing that looked like what most common people would wear. I couldn't fully make out what his face looked like but his blood-red hair did make him stand out a little. But I couldn't focus on him for long as I watched all the rubble that had fallen into the underground temple fly back out, to the surface where the drake still stood tall, blocking out part of the sun with his massive head. And fighting up there I could still hear the snake struggling against its thorny restraints.

"Now then, let us begin! KILL THEM ALL!" Barion shouted so loud that it almost felt like all the rubble he had just lifted out of the temple would fall back in.

Above I could see the drake open its maw, releasing a wave of heat that reached us all the way down here. Inside I saw saliva, boiling from the heat, turn into bright flames that appeared to be nearly white. Accompanied by a loud roar the flames burst forth from the drake's maw. But it was stopped in its tracks by the body of the snake, which seemed to be able to resist the drake's fire.

Its burned black body fell to the ground, shaking the entire temple and making just a little bit of gravel fall down into it. The snake then disappeared in white light, leaving behind two people. Altair Oberon Lyrius, seemingly unharmed. And in his hand was the throat of a person that also seemed unharmed, but they struggled as Altair tightened his grip around their throat, that much I could see even from here. Eventually, a loud gurgle could be heard clearly in the silence that had fallen over the underground temple. And then I saw blood splatter forth from the person's now crushed throat. Altair dropped the corpse to the ground and kicked it away.

"Arva, lay darkness down upon them," Altair said casually as he approached the enemy army, his fur-lined cloak swaying in the wind slightly.

Nothing happened.

"Arva!" Altair said loudly, now slightly annoyed sounding.

Nothing happened.

"Tch..." Altair sighed. "Must I do this myself then? Fine..."

The underground temple was still silent, seemingly waiting for Altair to get into position. He put one leg forth, the ground splitting beneath it and then charged towards the enemy army at incredible speed, making not a single sound. A loud thud could be heard as he buried his fist into the stomach of the goliath that stood near the front of the enemy army.