East of Dragonbone Ridge, near an orc hamlet, Kyel saw something he couldn’t believe. A moss-green dragon was speeding toward him. With so many orc gunmen on the prowl, no sane man would fly at such a low altitude.
What are you doing? Do you want to die?!
Kyel was aware that he had done something stupid. His comrade fell, and he let the blood go to his head. He had seen an orc approaching the fallen dragon, and he could see them pulling his friend’s dead body out from beneath. That was when he lost control. He had no idea what he’d wanted to accomplish. After being crushed under a dragon, the man couldn’t possibly have been alive; that much was obvious.
Still, he was driven by an impulse to do something, and he could no longer see anything other than his friend and the orcs flocking around him. Only when the bullets struck did he remember the orcs in the plaza. Kyel had been an idiot—plain and simple. He was sure he would be abandoned, yet that man was trying to save him.
Stop! That’s enough! Raise your altitude!
He waved his hands trying to send that message, but the dragon’s rider leaned out as if paying him no mind at all. Blinded by his own shortcomings, Kyel had labeled him a madman.
Fine! Have it your way!
He leapt into the arms approaching him. Once he was in position, the man held him lightly with one hand, accelerating his dragon toward the forest ahead. They had just barely enough distance to clear it. The road was fraught with danger, yet that man was laughing. He still smiled even when the orcs appeared ahead. Strangely enough, there wasn’t a hint of madness to his eyes.
Kyel was terrified. Who could possibly enjoy this situation? The orcs fired. The dragon’s wings ran red with blood, and it went down. It slid along the ground, crashing straight into the forest. Kyel was thrown again, rolling along the forest floor. He felt a jolt on his back, and the wind was knocked out of him.
I need to stand up!
Enduring the dull pain, he coughed as he hobbled to his feet, only for pain to race down his legs and his sight to veer to one side. He fell helplessly with nothing to grab on to. His leg was pointing in an unnatural direction.
This time, it really was the end. He lay on his back, staring up at the sky. Through the trees, he saw a dragon pass by. It was probably Oifel’s. It circled the forest a few times before eventually making off in the direction of Dragonbone Ridge. Come to think of it, is the hero safe?
He hoped so. If the hero died due to his mistake, no doubt his grandfather would give up on him for good. When that thought occurred to him, he felt a laugh starting to build up. Why was he thinking of his grandfather’s face now of all times?
A rustling sound brought him to his senses. Something was breaking through the thicket. He reached for the dagger at his hip. The terrible rumors of what happened to the humans caught by orcs crossed his mind.
But what appeared was, in a sense, a face he wanted to see even less.
“What, already given up?”
Looking down over Kyel, the hero spoke with his typical smile. He usually looked so nonchalant, but for some reason, that man with the uninspired expression now had life in his eyes. His words were more casual than usual.
“Finally found you. You flew quite a long way, you know. Took a bit of time.”
In his daze, he saw the hero’s outstretched hand. He was about to take it when he remembered his own situation.
“I can’t walk anymore. Please leave me. You need to survive.”
For the first time, the hero noticed Kyel’s leg. “Oh, it’s pretty busted. No way you can get up like that.”
“Yes, so—”
“Give me a sec. I’ll make a splint.”
Ignoring Kyel, the hero formed a spear of light to sever a nearby branch. Using impromptu bandages torn from his cape, he crudely fastened it to the broken leg.
“Well, it ain’t pretty, but that should do for now. C’mon, I’ll lend you a shoulder. Hold on.”
“B-but, sir…”
While Kyel hesitated, the hero insisted there was no time and hoisted him onto his feet. The sudden movement caused even more pain.
“Ow!”
“Quiet down. There are orcs nearby.”
But the hero was still smiling.
“How—” How can you smile right now? he wanted to ask. But he got the feeling that wasn’t the right question. “Why did you save me?”
The hero’s answer was simple. “Because you’re Rigel’s grandson.”
I see. So it’s thanks to my grandfather’s might. It would be difficult for that man to abandon his patron’s grandchild. While Kyel was a little disappointed, at the same time, he understood. That was why the man’s next words took him by surprise.
“You’re his grandson, and from what I’ve seen, you’re just like the old man. Once you’ve made your decision, you’ll never go back on it. That’s the sort of guy you are. Can’t go against your blood.”
“I’m not my grandfather.”
“I know that. I’m not stupid enough to judge people by bloodline. Just how many worlds do you think I’ve been through?” He looked at Kyel with a grin. “But I know it when I look in your eyes. Trust me, that’s one thing I’m good at. You’ve got the same eyes as that old man. You rushed in without a second thought to help a friend, didn’t you? Granted, you could have gone about it better.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine, I get it. You’re still young; there’s plenty to learn. Go home and let him give you an earful.”
“I’m sure he’ll give up on me.”
“Don’t worry. Rigel’s not that sorta guy. Anyway, I need men like you on my side. You’re worth enough to risk my life for.”
Something warm was settling in Kyel’s chest. No doubt he was working for self-interest, but not the sort of self-interest Kyel was used to. He finally realized the true reason behind the disappointment he felt.
If I return alive, I’m swearing my loyalty to him, he vowed to himself. But would he be able to?
“Hero, do we have any chance of surviving?”
“Of course we do,” the hero answered with a fearless smile. He wasn’t even breathing hard as he shouldered Kyel and moved along the uneven forest floor.
“But Oifel already left.”
“Even if we had Oifel, we wouldn’t be able to cross the mountains with three on one dragon. I already made sure he knows I’m alive. Rigel will send a search party tomorrow. We just have to lay low until then. Thankfully, there don’t seem to be any beak-dogs. We should be able to handle the foot soldiers. You know, you should learn from Oifel. He always thinks of the best measures to save his comrades.”
The situation wasn’t as bad as Kyel had imagined. He grew ashamed as he realized the depths of his own pessimism.