A bluish star silently burned, floating in the void. The massive hulking shadow of the dark dragon, seemingly devouring the star's light, appeared out of nowhere.
'A good trade.'
Even though he could get approximate positions of different stars from the conquered natives, their methods were still too crude. However, with the much more accurate coordinates from the mechanical aliens he had trapped inside his divine kingdom and his much stronger authority over space, it was now only a matter of minutes for him to reach the stars he desired for his collection.
A crown manifested on the dragon's head, adorned with a small yellowish star and pitch-black miniature black holes like precious gems.
'Blue dwarf, a nice addition to my collection.'
Without hesitating for even a single moment, the dragon split a small shard of his soul and sent it hurling toward the star. The moment it touched the burning, blue surface, it bloomed with bright light, enveloping the entire star like a blooming seed.
Instantly, Vesuvius could feel the new connection to the star.
Ding!
//
You have claimed a new star class: Blue-dwarf
Bonuses: Empowered fire, plasma, light, and star affinities.
+200 to END
+200 to DEF
+500 to STR
+500 to VIT
+400 to MAG
+50 to DIV
To the side, massive and smooth ridges of stone spread out, almost like the resting wings of a giant, petrified dragon.
From high in the sky, Venenumius, a Draco wyrm with a dark metallic luster glistening on its natural armor, fumed with disdain. Tiny, ant-sized mortals walked through the mountains, desecrating the sacred remains.
'How dare they desecrate the remains of our king like this!' Venenumius cursed; their hatred focused on an enormous entrance in the head part of the mountains. The massive gate gleamed under the sunrise.
'Dwarves, desecrating and building inside like ugly parasites!'
"Graaah!" A roar reverberated through the sky. With wrathful fire burning in their eye sockets, Venenumius descended, the sound of flapping wings echoing behind them. As the first wyrm knight, Venenumius roared in reply, leading the charge of the knight order of the draconic empire.
POV Thorin Stonefist:
Thorin Stonefist stood guard at the massive gate carved into the head of the ancient dragon-shaped mountain. The early morning sun cast long shadows across the stone, and he squinted against the glare as he scanned the horizon. It was a peaceful morning, or so it seemed.
Suddenly, a deafening roar shattered the tranquility, reverberating through the air and shaking the ground beneath his feet. Thorin's heart raced as he looked up, his eyes widening in terror. High in the sky, he saw them—an army of armored wyrms and knights riding draconic beasts, their scales glinting ominously in the sunlight.
He stumbled backward, gripping his axe tightly as panic set in. "By the ancestors," he muttered, his voice trembling. "We're under attack!"
The sight was both awe-inspiring and horrifying. The lead wyrm, its dark metallic armor shining with a menacing luster, descended with terrifying speed. Behind it, the sky was filled with the flapping wings of wyrms and even more lesser, draconic beasts, each carrying a knight clad in formidable armor.
Thorin's fellow guards were already shouting, scrambling to prepare defenses, but the sheer number of the approaching enemy made it clear that they were hopelessly outmatched.
'An army of monsters, each equal to a small army...'
As the first of the armored wyrms neared the ground, Thorin tightened his grip on his weapon, his knuckles white. "Hold the line!" he shouted, more to steel his own nerves than anything else. "For the mountain!"
Suddenly, a deep rumble echoed through the mountain, different from the roars above.
Thorin glanced around in confusion as the ground beneath his feet shifted. Cracks appeared in the stone, and chunks of rock started to move. His eyes widened as he saw massive stone figures emerging from the mountain. Giant limbs formed from boulders, torsos sculpted from granite, and eyes glowing with the power of gods.
"Stone elementals!" Thorin gasped, hardly daring to believe his eyes.
'The ancestor god! It must be a miracle sent by our lord, the great god of metal, earth, and stone!'