Perhaps it was because the Deep Dragon had long since died, leaving its magical organs unable to supply any more power. Perhaps the Elder Brain's parasitism had altered the dragon's anatomy...
This breath attack was nowhere near as sustained or powerful as the first. It lasted only a moment.
But it was still the breath of a Legendary Dragon. Even with its power greatly diminished, it destroyed Renato's Shadow Shield in an instant.
Renato instinctively tried to prop himself up with the Silent Lady, but his legs refused to obey.
All his armor seemed to have suddenly aged a hundred years, turning dull and dark, rusting like ordinary iron. Only the runes shining steadfastly on Mountain's Embrace proved that its enchantment remained.
As he tightened his grip on the sword's hilt, even his mithral gauntlets began shedding fragments, flaking away as though weathered to dust.
Despite taking the dragon's breath head-on, Renato felt no pain. His skin seemed to flow like liquid, and a sludge of blood and flaking skin dripped through the seams of his plate armor, pooling on the ground.
Clusters of gray-white mushrooms sprouted from his cheeks, their caps tiny.
Disgusting. Renato tore the fungi off, ripping away a patch of flesh with them and exposing the dark red muscle tissue writhing underneath.
The female drow lay on higher ground nearby, her fate unknown.
As Renato endured the dragon's breath, that illusory golden chain had suddenly appeared. Vast amounts of life energy surged through it, holding him back from the brink of decay.
It was the Chain of Protection Tristana had learned not long ago, diverting some of his damage to her.
Had Lolth foreseen all of this, just as the priestess had said?
Losing himself in speculation during battle was no good sign. Renato forced himself