Storm dipped his wings and just managed to dodge the strike that would have severed one of his wings if it had landed.
He snapped his jaws closed around the Lich's form but all he managed to bite down on was air as Calderon teleported away.
He reappeared a few feet away in the air and launched an incorporeal green skull that was almost as large as Storm's entire body combined.
Drawing in his breath, Storm fired a bolt of golden lightning at the skull and halted it's progress.
The two spell casters were evenly matched at first but a noticeable shift in the odds occurred as Taylor managed to break one of the crystals.
The momentarily distraction was all Storm needed in order to begin pushing the skull back.
Before his lightning could hit Calderon, he teleported away again.
Storm swung his tail and swatted Calderon out of the air behind him as he reappeared.
As the second crystal was destroyed by Taylor, Calderon suddenly shifted targets.
"No!!!
I'm so close to ascension!!
You will not undo all my work!!" Yelled Calderon.
With his opponent distracted, Storm dove down at the remaining crystals.
A enormous skeletal hand suddenly flew from the ground in front of him and before he could stop his dive.
The hand closed around him and attempted to crush him.
Storm pushed back against the immense pressure that was being directed at him from all sides.
Storm discharged his golden lightning from his body and a shrill shriek echoed through the cavern as the hand was dispelled.
Storm opened his mouth and fired a bolt at one of the last 2 remaining crystals, before diving down at the last one.
Storm struck at the crystal with a forelimb and shattered it, before turning towards the crystal he fired a bolt at.
The Lich had appeared in front of the attack and was preparing to block the attack, but before he could do so, Taylor tackled him from the side and pushed him away.
As the bolt shattered the crystal, the entire cavern shuddered as a victorious roar sounded from the trapped Black Dragon.
He pushed against the barrier holding him in place and as it shattered, he fell heavily on his belly.
"NO!!!! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!!!" Yelled Calderon.
"What indeed?!
I only hope we don't regret releasing such an ancient evil into the world again!" Thought Storm.
Mortis slowly rose to his full height and glared at the cowering Lich.
"You have something that belongs to me!!" Bellowed Mortis.
A vast amount of necrotic energy flew from the Lich and into Mortis's open maw.
The Lich shrieked as he shrunk down to his regular undead form.
"I've stripped him of most of his stolen power!
As well as his immortality!
Do with him as you wish, young dragon!!" Said Mortis.
"Aren't you going to kill him yourself?!" Asked Storm.
"I find soiling my scales with blood to be....
...Distasteful...
Do what you want and I will enjoy the entertainment!
Mortis materialized a throne of bone behind him and sat down to watch the combatants fight.
"Damned Lazy Rock Lizard!" Mumbled Storm under his breath.
He shifted into his humanoid dragon form and dove down at the Lich with weapons extended.
"W-Wait!! I can still be of use to you!!
"Spare me and I'll aid you!!" Called Calderon in a desperate bid to save himself.
Storm ignored him and swung his weapon at the Lich.
His scythe rose up and blocked the strike.
With a hard strike, Storm broke the scythe and kicked the Lich back.
As his opponent flew through the air, Storm raised a hand and reformed his weapon into a large javelin.
He threw the weapon and impaled his opponent against one of the walls.
The Lich shrieked as his body shattered into pieces.
A glowing green orb flew out of his skull that had fallen on the ground and desperately tried to flee the caverns.
But Mortis appeared below it and snapped his jaws shut around the soul, before tilting his head back and swallowing.
A green shimmer passed through his scales as his body absorbed what remained of the Lich before he raised a limb and crushed the skull underfoot.
"I've been wanting to do that for a very long time. " said Mortis.
He once again appeared in front of his throne and sat down.
"I suppose I owe you a debt of gratitude for freeing me?" Said Mortis
"Foul creature!! Release...." started Taylor.
Before the paladin could finish his sentence, a bubble of purple energy engulfed him and dispelled his saintly state.
The bubble also muffled any cries and insults the paladin threw at him.
"Silence, child!!
The adults are speaking!!" Said Mortis.
"You can thank me by aiding me in my fight!
But first, Release those undead that your magic has enslaved!" Exclaimed Storm.
"You overestimate my gratitude, young dragon!
I will grant you 'one' boon in thanks for my freedom.
I can 'loan' my army out to you!
With their aid, the world will be at your mercy and all will bow down to you!
Even Death itself.
Or you can choose the 'moral' way and waste this potential resource by returning them to their eternal slumber!
So make your choice?!
Your morality or my Army!?" Exclaimed Mortis.
The paladin released a muffled sound and gestured at himself frantically.
"You get to keep your life, human!!
That is reward enough for your aid!!" Exclaimed Mortis.
Storm carefully considered the dilemma in front of him.
With Mortis's army aiding his own forces, he had a real chance of expelling the humans from the continent.
However, enslaving the souls of the dead for the war effort was a highly immoral decision that could potentially greatly alter his future decisions.
"Would I be any better than Mortis or the humans if I did that?" Thought Storm.
He thought of how his advisors would react.
Augustus wouldn't be bothered by the act, but most everyone else would be deeply appalled by it if he chose to do so.
Could he truly remain uncorrupted if he choose to do this?
Or would he simply be another 'Dark Dragon' that future generations would use as a cautionary tale?
Mortis waited patiently for Storm to voice his decision.