The splendor of the throne room left me breathless. The vaulted ceiling was painted with scenes of gods and mortals locked in eternal battle, while ancient tapestries adorned the walls, whispering the tales of heroes who had long since faded into legend. But my admiration was short-lived.
Each explosion of magic rattled the room, sending shards of light and sound echoing around me. The air smelled of charred stone and ozone as fireballs and lightning clashed against the shimmering hide of the dragon before us.
"You know what to do, right?!" Galena shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos.
I nodded, though my confidence wavered. I was no sorcerer like Galena, and certainly no match for the towering crystal dragon whose roar made my bones tremble. My only weapon was a mundane sword and the reckless determination to not let her down.
The dragon's glowing eyes fixed on us, and its tail swept through the air with lethal grace. "Distract it!" Galena commanded, hurling another flaming orb at the beast's maw. The impact was dazzling, but the dragon hardly flinched.
"I think it's angry!" I yelled, dodging a cascade of broken stone as the dragon smashed its claws into the floor.
"Good," she replied, her voice tinged with a grim smirk. "Keep it that way."
I sprinted across the room, flinging whatever debris I could find at the dragon's head. My futile attempts only enraged it further, but that was the plan. Galena's chanting grew louder, the words weaving the air around her into a shimmering spiral of energy.
Suddenly, the dragon reared back, its crystalline chest glowing ominously. A beam of searing energy shot toward Galena, but she rolled aside just in time. Her spell faltered as she hit the ground, and for a heart-stopping moment, I thought the dragon would claim her.
"Galena!" I shouted, rushing to her side. She groaned, clutching her arm but still managing to push me away.
"Don't stop now!" she hissed, her eyes blazing. "The heart! Destroy it!"
The crystal heart. The dragon's source of power. I turned back toward the beast, my pulse pounding in my ears. The heart glowed brightly in its chest, protected by layers of diamond-like scales. My sword felt like a toothpick in my hands, but Galena's life - and perhaps the world - depended on me.
With a battle cry that was equal parts courage and desperation, I charged.
The dragon roared and lashed out, its tail narrowly missing me. I leapt onto its back, the jagged scales cutting into my palms. The beast thrashed wildly, trying to dislodge me, but I clung on, climbing toward the pulsating light in its chest.
"Galena, now!" I screamed as I raised my sword.
From below, Galena unleashed a torrent of blazing energy. The light of her spell struck the dragon, forcing its chest to open just enough for me to plunge the blade into the heart.
For a moment, time seemed to freeze. Then, a deafening crack filled the room as the crystal heart shattered. The dragon let out a final, mournful roar before collapsing in a heap of glittering shards.
I tumbled to the ground, coughing and aching all over. Galena rushed to my side, her face pale but her eyes filled with relief.
"You did it," she whispered, pulling me into an embrace.
"No," I said, my voice hoarse. "We did it."
We stood together, staring at the smoldering remains of the beast. The room was eerily silent now, the air heavy with the scent of scorched magic.
"What now?" I asked, breaking the stillness.
Galena smiled, though there was sadness in her gaze. "The dragon may be gone, but its shadow lingers. We'll need to rebuild what was lost."
I took her hand, marveling at how strong yet delicate it felt. "Then we rebuild. Together."
Her lips quirked into a small smile. "To the ends of the earth, if need be."
"To the ends of the earth," I echoed.
And so, with the castle crumbling behind us and the dawn breaking ahead, we stepped forward - partners in a world forever changed.