They all closed their eyes, their hearts heavy with the weight of the inevitable, as the divine light that had once shielded them finally gave way beneath the overwhelming blaze of the dragon's fury. The blue inferno raged downward, devouring the remnants of the celestial barrier like dry leaves in a storm. Its searing heat pressed against their faces, and the air was thick with the scent of burning despair.
They could hear the thunderous roar of the beast echoing through the abyss, and for a fleeting moment, every soul among them accepted their end. The Empress knelt at the forefront, her body trembling, her breath shallow and broken. The light in her eyes dimmed as she braced herself to meet death head-on, her last thought a silent prayer for her people to be reborn in another life.
