This scene shows Malcor facing Cor'tanos, the Shadow Dragon Patriarch from outside the flow of Time. The artist, Darko/Paganus, did a great job on all main aspects. As an author, I have very rigid ideas about how these characters look but with the art, I give scene suggestions and let the artist do their thing. In the Dragon Wars, where Tiamat separated from Bahamut - which also split the metallic and chromatic dragons - Cor'tanos refused to pledge to either. He led the shadow dragons down the flow of Time to see where it ended. They found the end, which they named the Gates of Oblivion, what everyone else named the Realm of Shadow. The problem with Shadow is that it represents inertness. When created, all life and matter has a certain dynamic potential as creation, chaos, and warp act on upon it. Sentient beings, like us, are essentially victimized by it but can choose the course of our lives within the boundaries of our creation. Monsters, those who are or fell into Set's Nightmare, are bound entirely by Chaos. Rocks, dirt, water, air, etc do not really get to choose much of anything but still, creation's light falls upon them and they are used by or are part of all. Oblivion represents a degradation of all dynamic potential. The Shadow Dragons, at first, were overjoyed because the Shadows Realms act like the universe did in the eldar times. The exertion of will transforms it. However, the longer it lingers past the Gates of Oblivion, the more inert it becomes; this happened to the shadow dragons as well. To come back, Cor'tanos needs either a host or worship. He experimented with Dar Kell (Malcor's father) but it angered the Queen Tiamat and contributed to the Kell Conflict.
I love the armor, head, and sword. If you missed the references to the Apprentice Sword... think of a sword-shaped club. Malcor forged this under divine influence. It's actual blade is dull. Draconian scripture in gold embellishes the edge where a blade should be. It's sharpness comes from Malcor's faith. In truth, a paladin does not actually need a sword. They could pick up a blade of grass or a stalk of wheat and their faith would make it a deadly weapon. Some fight by faith alone, their weapon becoming whatever is most appropriate to strike down each particular foe, but the paladin experiences it as a holy avenging blade.
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