Jabber,or rather, the dragon controlling his body,stood there with those purple flames dancing around his hands, his expression carrying that same mischievous smile that seemed permanently etched onto his borrowed face. He tilted his head slightly as he regarded Kraznor, looking almost curious, almost playful despite the tension filling the chamber."Now then." The dragon said, his multiple-layered voice carrying casual interest."Are you going to fight me in that form? All big and bulky and impressive-looking?"He gestured at Kraznor's massive fifteen-foot frame with one flame-wreathed hand, the purple fire casting strange shadows. "Or are you going to take your actual fighting form? You know, the one you actually use when you're serious about combat instead of just trying to intimidate people?"Kraznor stood frozen for a long moment, clearly caught off guard by the question. The Emperor Flame Beast's burning eyes narrowed, and something that might have been annoyance or might have

Cassian's jaw clenched, his hands balling into fists at his sides. His broken sword lay discarded on the floor, but that didn't make him feel any less like a warrior, any less like someone who should have authority in this situation. The idea of taking orders from some entity wearing a kid's body, some dragon that had waltzed into their mission and was now telling them what to do,it grated against everything he was."Don't give me orders." Cassian snapped, his voice tight with suppressed fury and wounded pride. ."You're not the boss of me. You're not even part of this squad. You're just some... some thing that showed up uninvited."He took a step forward, as if preparing to argue further, to assert his authority as squad captain, to remind this dragon that he didn't answer to anyone except the Empress herself.The dragon's head turned slowly, deliberately, until those purple eyes fixed fully on Cassian. The smile disappeared from Jabber's face, replaced by something cold and absolut

He squeezed his fingers together slightly, and the bone sword cracked,not breaking, but definitely damaged. Kraznor saw this and immediately abandoned the weapon, letting go of the hilt and stepping back before the dragon could use the trapped sword to pull him off balance.The beast's hands went to its chest again, plunging in, preparing to withdraw another weapon. But the dragon didn't give Kraznor time to fully manifest it. He lunged forward, his left hand,also transformed into a purple flame claw,slashing toward the beast's exposed torso.Kraznor twisted desperately, the claw grazing across scales instead of cutting deep, leaving a trail of purple fire that sizzled against the beast's hide. The Emperor Flame Beast stumbled backward, finally forced onto the defensive.The dragon pressed his advantage, both flame claws slashing in a pattern that was beautiful and terrible to watch. Each strike flowed into the next with a grace that suggested this wasn't just combat,it was an art for

He'd been standing near the far wall, observing the fight between Jabber and the beast. His hand had never left his sword hilt, his body never relaxed. While the others had watched in awe or horror, Asta had been reading the situation, analyzing and preparing.The moment Cassian had reached out to grab Jabber's arm, Asta's muscles had tensed. The instant Jabber had vanished, Asta had moved. He'd predicted the attack angle, calculated the trajectory and positioned himself to intercept.Now he was there, in the space between Jabber's descending claws and Cassian's unprotected back.His sword was drawn, held in a perfect defensive guard. The blade gleamed with an inner light,not magic, but the reflection of the lightning-aspected energy that Asta channeled through it.Jabber's claws met Asta's sword edge with a sound like a bell being struck. CLANG. The impact resonated through the chamber, sending visible ripples through the air. Sparks erupted where claws met steel, raining down around

Then he was moving again, running for the entrance like his life depended on it.Which, given Jabber's proximity and current state, it probably did.He burst through the doorway into the corridor beyond. His squad was there, clustered together in the shadows, weapons drawn and faces tight with tension.Lyra, the vice-captain, stepped forward immediately. She was tall, scarred, competent,the kind of second-in-command who kept things running when the leader was losing their mind. "Sir, what's…""No questions!" Cassian's voice came out harder than he'd intended, tinged with the kind of fear that masqueraded as authority. "We're moving! Now!"He didn't slow down, just kept pushing forward. His squad fell into formation around him automatically, training taking over where confusion left off.But Sera didn't move.She stood pressed against the corridor wall, her hands clutched to her chest. Her face was still pale, eyes too wide. Everything she'd seen in that chamber,the beast's transfor