The former Empire had once been the height of prosperity, and at its peak, it had been at the cutting edge in any number of different fields, bioengineering and medical technology among them. It had also created a variety of amalgamate magical beasts. Alec and Shiori had seen two firsthand, and could not deny that the Empire had been capable of astounding feats. Nils and Ellen’s hypothesis could not be ruled out.
“If it is true that this is the work of transplants, such a thing simply cannot be called surgery. If anything, it...”
Nils’s words petered out as he fell into silence.
It was done out of curiosity... Were they simply playing God?
Alec’s mind supplied the words that Nils didn’t say, and he groaned as a hatred that verged on physical nausea welled up in him. He pulled Shiori in closer to him and felt her trembling in his grip. Rurii, by their feet, remained completely still, while Violid bared his fangs and growled.
Their riches and their greed took them beyond limits, and it warped their sense of morality...
If their assumptions were correct, then the words “inhumane” and “grotesque” could not adequately describe what had happened to this creature. Alec looked up at the sky; he felt as though he’d caught a glimpse of the reason behind the abyss that existed in both the eyes and heart of the dragon. It was a clear summer morning, and the sky was so beautifully blue it felt almost heartless. The dragon had awoken, and now, even under the sparkling rays of the summer sun, it remained an ice-cold abyss—a void.
“All this is still just speculation,” said Zack, raising his voice. “We’ll see the truth for ourselves later, up close. For now, we need facts. Have you tried a barrier with combined magic?” he asked the knights. “That should work against even a beast with magical resistance. It could stop the thing.”
“Easier said than done,” said the commanding officer, raising an eyebrow. “We’re not yet at the level where that’s an option for us. The chances of an explosion are simply too high.”
Zack was so used to Shiori’s magic that he hadn’t thought his suggestion through, and it suddenly hit him that he was asking a lot.
“Oh, right...” he said awkwardly, scratching his cheek. “Makes sense. Sorry. In that case, we’ll give it a shot on our end. Shiori, all good?”
“Leave it to me.”
“And on that topic, let us slow the dragon down,” said Nadia. “We’re capable of more than just offensive spells.”
She looked at the mages with her, all of them ready to try out what they’d been working on since Shiori’s lecture in the spring. Zack trusted them completely.
“I’ll be counting on it,” he said, giving them his full permission. “Which leaves the rest of us to focus on putting the dragon down. I assume there are no objections? When we reach the endgame, we’ll launch a full-scale attack, but until then, no interference. Are we clear?”
He was stating things once more to ensure no misunderstandings, and the commanding officer was quick to nod his consent.
“No problem. We’ll have your back. Even if the target can fly, we won’t let it get far. We’ve got supplies, so you can fight hard, but...”
The knight’s voice trailed off unexpectedly. A few moments later, he spoke again.
“But the truth is, we knights want to be out there, fighting. You’re adventurers, I know, but you’re civilians too, and I wish we didn’t have to put you on the front lines.”
There was a slight trembling in his voice, and a frustration in his features. Perhaps he was irked by the top brass, who had put aside their own knights and left things in the hands of a civilian organization.
“You mad about it? You don’t like us taking the credit?” grunted Zack.
“It’s not that,” replied the knight. “The battlefield is a place where life hangs in the balance. Engaging with danger is our duty, as knights.”
“You are earnest to a fault, my friend,” said Zack, chuckling at the knight’s sour expression. “But in times of crisis, it’s not about knights and civilians. It’s about who can get the job done. We’ve got experience when it comes to dragon slaying, and when it comes to assault, we’re as good as it gets. But we’re not as skilled when it comes to protection. And the more you have to protect, the truer that fact is. When you’re talking about defending whole domains and even an entire nation, we’ve got nothing on you lot in terms of resources and reliability.”
For Zack, it was all about making sure you used the right tool for the job, and the knight knew this. He nodded.
“Yeah, I get it,” he said. “Just don’t lose anybody out there. I want you all back alive. I’ll be kicking myself for the rest of my days otherwise.”
Come back safe.
The commanding officer, just like Kristoffer, offered the same message in different words. And the moment they were spoken, he pushed his personal feelings aside and he raised his voice to command his troops.
“Get the message to the squads at the front lines! They’re to swap out with the suppression team and pull back to our first line of defense! Take position next to the suppression squad! We’ll give the adventurers all the support they need!”
A moment later, Zack barked his own orders.
“Our first task is to lock down the dragon’s movements. We’ll hit the tail and the wings. If we can take them out of the picture, the monster’s mobility will be severely compromised. My team will work on lopping off the tail. Alec, you’re with us. Severing the tail will wreck the dragon’s balance. Clemens, your team will take the wings—you just need to sever one of them. If Nils and Ellen are right, then the area where the legs are connected to the body should be weaker, and we’ll have to confirm that on-site. But if it’s true, those locations are targets.”
“Understood.”
“Linus, if you can do it, hit the dragon’s eyes. Nils, Ellen—you’re going to investigate the possible connection points at the legs. I want a doctor’s eyes on this. Kai, sorry to pull you away from the action, but you’re on bodyguard duties for those two. I want you to take them where they need to go. Your team will fall under Clemens’s command until you’re done.”
“Zack, put Vio with them,” said Alec. “He can carry people over short distances.”
The snow wolf was fleet of foot and smart to boot—he would make a fine bodyguard of his own, and he’d agreed with Alec to act as such. Zack needed a second to take in this suggestion, but no longer than that.
“Then you’re on protection, bud,” he said.
Violid, ever the trusty sidekick, barked in reply.
“Nadia, Daniel, your teams will lock the dragon down and provide support. How you do it is up to you. Healers, I want you on standby with each team—you have to be ready to get to the injured quickly, and carry away any who are critically wounded. Ellen, Nils, I’ll be counting on you.”
“Understood,” said Nils.
“We’ve got it,” added Ellen.
“Your team leaders will issue any other necessary orders. I’ll give follow-up orders pending any changes on the battlefield, but we’ll be dealing with a dragon out there—do not expect things to go according to plan.”
Dragons did not exist in large numbers. They were also not known to appear in fixed locations. In the last twenty years, the total number of dragons fought within Storydia did not even reach ten. The fact of the matter was, useful information was incredibly scarce. Fighting a dragon was therefore extremely difficult—adventurers and knights had no choice but to gather all intel on-site and assemble their strategies on the fly.
“Got it,” said the adventurers.
“Other than that... Frol, Julia. I’ll put my faith in you and your weapons. Frol, you’re with Clemens. Julia, you’re with Nils. You’ll be in the thick of it, but I believe in you.”
The two Imperials nodded resolutely. Frol’s sword and Julia’s wand had been left behind in Silveria Tower, but when the local garrison knights had investigated the location after the snow melted, they’d gathered the equipment and, thinking the Imperials would be sad to have lost their weapons, had them sent to the refugee camp. Frol and Julia were intent on seeing that kindness repaid.
“We’ll do our utmost,” said Frol. “We won’t let you down.”
“I don’t mind if you give it all you’ve got,” said Zack, “but don’t risk your lives for anything, you hear? I can live without those regrets, and more to the point...I don’t want to see how sad the camp will get with the two of you gone.”
“You Storydians really are amazingly kind,” said Frol. “But I like it. It’s nice.”
He looked down, tears dribbling from the corners of his eyes as Alec gave him a pat on the shoulder.
“I’m fine,” said Frol, wiping his eyes. “Good to go. I’ve never fought a dragon, but I’ve experience with wyverns. You can count on me.”
“Good to hear.”
When Zack received the signal that all the squads were ready, he grinned and waved. It was almost time for battle. Everybody stood up a little straighter.
“One last thing,” said Zack. “When you’re in battle, do not stand directly in front of the dragon. You will not be able to avoid its charge. Always stay at its sides. If you’re in the vanguard, you jump in to attack, and then you get clear. Don’t get pinned down. Be careful of the tail too. Even a glancing blow can break bones. All right, let’s do this!”
The battle with the dragon—or at the very least, a monster that took the form of a dragon—was about to begin. It would require not just the ability to fight, but keen awareness, split-second judgment, and flexible strategies.