The silence that followed Elara plunging her fist into the core was absolute. For one agonizing second, time itself seemed to freeze across the continent.
Then, the explosion happened.
It wasn't an explosion of fire; it was a detonation of pure solar magic. A blinding shockwave of golden light erupted from the dragon's chest, expanding outward at the speed of sound. Kael released the beast and threw his massive wings over Elara, shielding her as the light eradicated the Bone Dragon beneath them. The skeletal structure instantly vaporized into fine, sparkling gold dust.
The shockwave rolled out of the crater, washing over the City of Ash and Bone. Where the golden light touched the corrupted buildings, the black webbing dissolved, and the stone was purified. The remaining Weavers let out
