Malus' Atomic Breath

"If you are to slay Malus, just know that your choice on how to slay him bids gruesome misfortune onto many of us. Slay him above the clouds, and risk his atomic breath bringing ruin to the skies, and rain down upon us. If he wins, then it spells total annihilation for us all. Bring him below the seas, and condemn all subterranean lives. Malus' breath brings rot, and ruin. There is nothing more terrifying,"

- Doctor Lethlec, when consulting Professor Elara.

Malus, the Charred Colossus, is an Ancient Wyrm within Aitso. Said to be the last Ancient Wyrm on the planet, Malus holds this title with valour and with pure evil within his very nature. Despite being born as a Red Dragon, Malus' time as a destructive force of draconic nature had been witnessed across time, having been the victor in dozens of battles against other cataclysmic foes. Having won so many battles, Malus' eternal rival until death was a Black Dragon, just as ancient as Malus himself. The two wyrms had faced off in a year-long battle, both being given long-lasting scars and grievous wounds that have lingered on for centuries. At the end of the battle, Malus had emerged victorious, within Hellarus (Or the Hellands, known in certain regions) - a Dark Plane where death and decay are more prevalent than life and growth. Dark Magic is a common occurence in this realm, often believed to be where the fundamental origins of necromancy came from. Malus' exposure to this realm, along with the acidic scars along his body, had warped him into a Shadow Dragon. One of the few Ancient Wyrms with a dark, twisted soul, both in the figurative and literal sense, it had enabled Malus' fire breath to gain a radioactive element. Atomic breath, a unique form of a breah weapon, had been discovered, holding the essence of Hellarus within his own heart, able to be used to bring true ruin to Aitso.

After this battle, Malus had emerged with a new perspective. As much as he enjoyed the constant battle, his scarred, wounded form had to take time to grow stronger. Centuries passed in hibernation, within his own lair, posed above the Thevagon Isles. Malus only awoke when it came to pressing matters. His dormancy had him unconscious for decades. The source of his energy was his very breath. For what should've been a month long dormancy, was instead much, much longer. From this, Malus drew a conclusion. He had only needed air to survive. Air to fuel the source of his atomic breath, and nothing more. With no need for food, sleep, or warmth, Malus became a wyrm that was hellbent upon conquering. His 'Final Act' had formed from this revalation, as a way to have his last battle against non-draconic beings. He deemed it his core act - and has been preparing it for the last century.

Since then, Malus has only used his atomic breath twice. Once was to kill Everblight, an Ancient White Dragon that was killed for their incapacity to have perfect dragon children. Everblight, instead, had asexually reproduced to form eggs, which only caused dragonborn to be hatched. Riree, an adventurer of incredible renown, a defier of Death herself, was one of this children, as well as 'Deformis', a malformed dragonborn known for breathing an onslaught of hail, rather than a breath of frost - making him a unique dragonborn. Most of the other eggs that were scouted by Malus in the Blighted Chambers had been destroyed, or feasted upon by other Dragons - or parasites, to create Draconians such as Zorpindral. Whilst there may be more direct or indirect children of Everblight - these are the only ones that are known. Due to Everblight's death by atomic breath, the three have resistances to atomic energy.

Malus' atomic breath can be preserved, contained, or even have it's residue destroyed by the use of Lethlec Atomic Pylons , designed by Doctor Lethlec himself. The only other method, known to the Coalition, or Aitsonians at all, to destroying the residue is through divine intervention, or something of the same scale within the arcane. 

Malus' Atomic Breath can cause decay at an unprecedented level. It can cause long-term damage to both life and materials. Appearing in a luminescent purple, fumes can erupt upon contact with any material deemed nonmagical. Smog is produced from the absolute heat, making fume clouds that rise into the atmosphere. Malus used this to lure in one of his children, to try and finish off the Port Town of the Coalition. 

"Our mother's weakness - it was no fit for a dragon up here. I do not miss them. Hell, I am happy for his death. She made me this way. Anyone who makes another like this should be killed. Malus simply did me a favour," 

- Deformis, to Riree, talking about the murder of Everblight by Malus, the Charred Colossus. 

The other time that he used his atomid breath, before his penultimate fight, was to annihilate the Coalition's Port Town, in a last-ditch effort to stop the coalition from faltering his plans any further. Whilst the attack could be considered a success, by some, it hadn't completely wiped out the resistance. It had successfully killed Torr, a brutish barbarian from Elfar, Adrián, Barkeep of the Coalition , and Salar, partner to Gormand, and Great Battle Master. The entire town had been left in ruins.