Thorn growled in annoyance as Julius continued to argue with their leader, further delaying the opening they still had to run. He didn't care for the merchant and only for the coin he paid. But this deal is over before it had even began, everything of value was either smashed, crushed maimed or outright deceased. He looked at the only survivor that was neither merchant or guard and felt nothing but pity for the boy, Beluar had a bleeding heart but he felt it would be more merciful to slit the boys throat here and now and loose the dead weight.

But he didn't feel right, his gut churned and twisted as the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he felt that something was looking at him. He was about to say something to Max but their leader was otherwise occupied with arguing with the Merchant.

Taking the initiative and trusting in his gut feeling that something was looking at him, he climbed up the nearest tree with a speed born from years of experience and was able to find a solid enough perch which gave him a good view over the wrecked wagon and the pitiful embers of what remained of the campfire as well as a streak of flames that had passed close by to the camp.

Thorn frowned as the sky began to crackle with thunder, the wind began to wail as the sky rumbled like an angry god. The lit up with a blinding white light for a single instant and in that single moment he thought he saw the creature that had attacked them high overhead slowly circling them as though undecided on how to proceed. It was a single instant but to Thorn felt like it was an eternity as the two of them locked eyes. Fear reached inside of him and took hold of all his thought corroding and corrupting any sense of self preservation in an instant that made the normally calm and collected ranger stop breathing as he looked up and saw death on wings.

He caught his scream before it could leave his throat as the flash of light faded leaving only the cold maelstrom of darkness above them to continue to twist and turn to the mercy of the buffeting wind that blew across the forest.

"MAX!" He yelled with wide eyes causing their leader to look away from Julius towards Thorn who leapt out from his perch in the tree.

And hit the ground with the full weight of the beasts claw on top of him, and snapped the tree the ranger had climbed up in half with its weight alone. Both halves of the tree crashed to the ground with a cascade of snapping branches and jostled leaves.

The group of Survivors watched silently as the beasts breath rumbled with power and even in the darkness they could see the black matte scales that wove up the creatures front leg that was larger and thicker than a single human. It gave of no reflection and even in the dim light of the campfire it was arguable if was even really there. Only thorns crushed corpse was the definite proof that the Black Dragon was even there as the further they looked up, the less of the Dragons form they could see.

"Ehs nishka jaseve, shio nishka loreat"

The Dragons Words rumbled with the very storm around them making it difficult to discern one from another. And though none had understood what had been said, the intent was as clear as day. None of them would see the coming dawn.

Light began to illuminate from the Dragons mouth, a hellish blue that crackled like lightning began to storm within its throat with the promise of an agonising but swift death to all who would bathe in the dragons flames.