The ruins had finally fallen silent.
John stood among the remains of the battlefield, staring toward the place where the monster had fallen.
The creature that had nearly forced its way into Tier Eleven was dead.
There was no sudden movement from its corpse.
No hidden second phase.
No final attack.
Just silence.
John exhaled slowly.
He had fought powerful opponents before, but this battle had been different. The monster had pushed itself beyond its natural limits, and for several moments John had been forced to use everything he had simply to keep up.
Yet that wasn't what occupied his thoughts now.
It was the feeling inside his chest.
The second fragment.
John placed a hand over his Dragon Core.
The strange resonance was still there.
A faint pulse.
Then another.
**Thump.**
His Dragon Core answered.
**Thump.**
John frowned.
"It really is reacting to me."
Lythriel approached carefully.
"Are you hurt?"
John looked at her.
"Nothing serious."
