They were the same age...? Just how much had Airell been suppressing their power? The revelation hit him like a hammer. So, that was the full truth. This was no wise, ancient dragon - not like Glint, or Numen, or Mori. Their words were not a result of experience. Of seeing the many futures all converge into one singular point. No - this was nothing more than a delusion of a wounded hatchling, grown too fast for their mind to handle.
"...Yes, you may be stronger..." The fallen Commander admitted. "But you aren't the only one... who learned to accept yourself for the monster you are."
Mere seconds before the dragon's jaws clamped shut over him, the necromancer's form lit up in cold flame.
"You're... just as lost as the rest of us."
With what could only be described as demonic strength, Maelmordha held open the monster's jaws. At least, so it seemed - multiple meathooks digging into Zmiy's flesh as they pulled the maw open, fighting against the dragon's power.
Mael himself took the opportunity to roll out of reach, the chains attached to the vicious hooks finally snapping.
His torso was burning. So were his arms, his legs - his face. Rapidly consumed by cerulean light, ridding his form of feeble flesh. His lips, gone, replaced by bare rows of teeth. His eyes - but hollow pits, with twin funeral pyres burning deep within his sockets.
His voice was a booming mixture of spectral echoes and crackling flame.
"Come! Now we're on even ground, lizard."
A piece inspired by a multiverse roleplay between myself, @just-eyris-things , @commanderteag and @mithosis with over a dozen characters involved. Featuring the only time so far Mael's actually used his full skeleton form and Zmiy/The Mad Prince of Thorns, a corrupted fractal alter ego of Airell.
Big thanks to @mabaki for her advice 💜