“Well”, Amrielle sputtered, “shit.”

As the head finished forming, the energy in its eye sockets ignited to life with anger and rage, and opening its maw, the creature bellowed a defiant roar before speaking a hushed, deep voice.

Worthless, feckless, useless, little shit! Your life, your soul, your existence; everything that you are is because I will it and demand it! You and your familiar are naught but wrinkles in my infinite design, misbegotten portions that are forever bound to that which is my ultimate perfection! You, the last of you pitiable race, your primordials are all but dead, and the astrals silent. Even the creator himself has abandoned you to this fate, to be consumed and become of my effable design!

As it speaks, hundreds of billions of hands stretch outward slinking around darting every which way as the snap towards Amrielle, attempting to grab onto him and hold him down. Scoffing in annoyance, he traced his left pointing finger into the shape of a lily flower. Upon snapping his fingers, water and light shot forth in a series of high pressured beams that sliced and diced everything that came into contact with them, disintergrating many of the thousands of limbs as they approached. A soft wail echoed behind Amrielle, and turning to the origin, Amrielle’s sight darkened.

The dragon was whimpering, the flesh surrounding its wounds and gashes blackening and crumpling, dissipating into ash.

You see now child?, snickered the floating skull, even now, this creature is naught but flesh and ruin. A crumbling, smoldering edifice to a long and forgotten age of purity that no longer exists. And you, the last of archaic and redundant creator, who turned his back on his children long ago.

“…”

You have no hope escape. Even now, the wound in reality is sealed, and you, so galant and desperate to save this feckless thing, have forgotten to save yourself. It is forever lost, your life is mine, now come child, and surrender yourself to me, and I assure you, that you find immortal, carnal, sensual pleasure within the eternal damnation that is your suffering under mine rule…

“…”

A single tear races down Amrielle’s cheek as the boy silently watches the life drain from the creatures eyes.

Ba-thump.

No.

Ba-thump.

No.

Ba-thump.

NO!

A second explosion reverberates within the void as a torrent of energy rockets upwards into an unknown zenith. The hovering skull shrieks in surprise and shields itself using the shadows as a tornado of water, light, and crystal, cascade torrents of power around him. His darkened expression irrefutable, Amrielle/Arethenaeus right eye glints a murderous gleam as he snaps a sideways glance at the mass of evil before him.

“Krzu Nnydote Nyymdebdfr! (Never shall you pass foul creature of entropy!)” , he hissed.

If it was the boy’s intention to royally piss off this entity, he’d clearly done a smashingly good job as not long after that, the void shook with power. A low, horrible, grinding rumble that grew louder in volume as it changed in a roar of rage and defiance, before silence enveloped all. Instinctively reacting, Amrielle/Arethenaeus flicked his left hand, and bubble of healing water enclosed the dragon, washing away many of its wounds and protecting it from harm. Turning to the watery cocoon, he placed his hands on it, and whispering into the shining liquid, kissed its surface. Immediately, hundreds of thousands of runes and archaic symbols began forming, scribbling themselves into lines, organizing themselves into circles and stanzas, covering nearly every surface of the bubble in energy and wards. He backed away from it, and softly smiled to himself, admiring his handiwork.

Xlquoasci Wrejkmatei.

The Mother’s Embrace.

Good, he thought, this should protect it just long enough.

But long enough for what?

To run?

To hide?

Where would he run to? Where could he go?

Even if he could manage to fight off this thing, how far would he manage to get by himself? And even more so how could he hope to survive?

Don’t think about that now, his mother said interrupting his thoughts, don’t let your wandering mind cloud you from what lies before you now. You have a battle to win, and your enemy won’t hesitate. Still yourself now my son, she continued, the great evil approaches.

Sure enough, just as she said this, the same evil floating skull reappeared, only this time taller—much taller than before. In fact, it was so tall, that its head seemed to resemble a star, or a planet, orbiting a solar system for how high it was. A large boom rumbled underneath the head, and when Amrielle looked at it, immediately began to realize why the head had become so unnaturally large in the first place.

“Wh-what?”, he said visibly stunned.

As the shadows retreated and dark smoke disappeared, Amrielle beheld the dark clouds retract as the outline of the being’s neck and torso came into view. Amrielle gasped.

Just how fucking huge is this asshole?