The sky above Drakmor erupted into chaos.
Dragons filled the air.
Red dragons from the kingdom of fire soared upward with thunderous wingbeats, their riders gripping spears and blazing swords.
Across the mountains, the army of the Void Emperor approached like a storm of darkness.
Black dragons.
Larger.
More vicious.
And at their center flew the largest of them all.
The dragon of General Korvath.
Its scales were darker than night, and its wings spread wider than a castle tower.
Kael stared up in disbelief.
"Okay… this is officially the biggest battle I've ever seen."
King Draven mounted his own dragon — a massive crimson beast with golden horns.
"Dragon riders!" he shouted.
"Defend Drakmor!"
With a roar that shook the mountains, the dragons launched into the sky.
Within seconds the air was filled with fire and thunder.
Flames exploded across the clouds.
Dragons slammed into each other midair, claws and teeth tearing through scales.
Aeralion spread his massive silver wings.
"The sky burns with war once again."
Then he leaped into the air.
Kael held tightly as the great griffin soared upward toward the battlefield.
Above them, a red dragon collided with a black one.
The two beasts spiraled through the air, breathing fire at each other before crashing into a mountainside.
Kael ducked.
"REMIND ME WHY WE CAME HERE?!"
Dwaho shouted over the wind.
"To reach the Stone of Thrones!"
Aeralion climbed higher toward the center of the battle.
Suddenly a massive shadow blocked the sun.
General Korvath's dragon descended toward them.
Its eyes burned like red coals.
On its back, the general lifted his dark spear.
"So the Gatewalker hides behind beasts," Korvath growled.
Aeralion's voice thundered in Kael's mind.
"He underestimates us."
The black dragon attacked.
Its jaws snapped toward Aeralion.
But the griffin twisted through the air with incredible speed and slashed the dragon's wing with his talons.
The beast roared in fury.
Korvath pointed his spear directly at Kael.
"Your journey ends here."
The spear filled with swirling dark energy.
Kael felt the strange power in his chest begin to awaken again.
The seven-star mark glowed brighter than ever.
Korvath threw the spear.
It shot through the air like a lightning bolt of shadow.
But before it reached Kael—
The glowing Forest Core stone in his pocket burst with light.
Green energy wrapped around the star mark.
Suddenly seven glowing symbols appeared around Kael again.
But this time—
One of them turned solid.
A blazing golden star.
Power surged through Kael's body.
He raised his hand without thinking.
The spear of darkness struck the glowing star shield—
And exploded into fragments of shadow.
Korvath's eyes widened.
"The first throne awakens…"
Kael felt energy rush through the sky around him.
The winds obeyed his movement.
The clouds twisted like living things.
Aeralion's voice sounded proud.
"The First Throne of Nature has chosen you."
Below them, the mountains trembled.
Suddenly the enormous temple at the top of the mountain began glowing.
The Stone of Thrones had awakened.
King Draven shouted from the sky.
"The Gatewalker has begun unlocking the Thrones!"
But Korvath's face twisted with rage.
He drew a massive black blade.
"If the Emperor cannot have your power…"
"Then I will destroy it!"
His dragon lunged again.
But before it reached Kael—
Another dragon smashed into Korvath from the side.
A huge crimson dragon.
King Draven's dragon.
The two beasts collided violently.
Flames exploded across the sky.
Korvath's dragon roared and spun away into the clouds.
The general glared back at Kael.
"This is not victory, Gatewalker."
He pulled the chains of his dragon.
The black beast turned away from the battle.
"But the Emperor will come himself soon."
The Void army began retreating into the storm clouds.
The war sky slowly quieted.
Dragons circled above the mountains.
Some wounded.
Some victorious.
Kael sat on Aeralion's back, breathing heavily.
"So… I unlocked something?"
Dwaho nodded.
"The first of the Seven Thrones."
Aeralion descended slowly toward the glowing temple.
"And six powers still sleep."
King Draven landed nearby and dismounted his dragon.
He looked up at Kael with new respect.
"The prophecy truly lives."
Kael stared at the glowing temple door ahead of them.
"Inside that place is the next power, right?"
Aeralion's golden eyes looked toward the mountain.
"Yes."
"But also something far older."
Far away in the Void Mountains, the Dark Emperor sat upon his throne.
Before him stood the Night Assassin.
"The Gatewalker awakened the First Throne," the assassin reported.
The Emperor slowly rose.
"So the boy grows stronger."
His voice turned cold as winter.
"Then it is time."
Dark creatures bowed as the Emperor stepped forward.
"I will retrieve my son."
"And kill the Gatewalker myself."