The golden wave struck first.
It came down like a sun falling, crushing the avenue beneath pure light. Stone shattered, smoke ripped apart, the heat enough to turn steel to water.
Lucian folded space wide, dragging Karl and Lucy back as the wave ripped past. Even so, the edges tore across his cloak, burning holes through it. The air itself screamed under the pressure.
Karl hit the ground on one knee, his scales steaming, his grin twisted. "That's Omega?" His chest rose, ragged, but the fire still surged behind his teeth. "Good. I want all of it."
The Dragon King stepped down from the balcony. He didn't leap. He didn't fly. He walked, each step cracking the stone, golden aura spilling wide like the weight of the heavens. His eyes locked on Karl. "You are nothing but a mistake," he said, his voice calm, almost quiet. "And mistakes burn first."
