THE RINGING SILENCE MADE MY focus on the forged fire bird suddenly sound loud in my mind. With his eyes on mine, a strong smile spread.
Making an elaborate bow, Alek bent on one knee before me, offering the diamond encrusted sword with both hands.
As he did so, his own golden energy swelled out, a golden smoke within which something moved.
An exclamation like a massive wave moved through the crowd behind me, starting from close and rolling back as the golden smoke gained the shape of a dragon. A dragon like none I'd seen yet. With a wing span equal to the phoenix I held in motion high above my head, the maned dragon coiled through the air before rearing back in front of my phoenix.