Dragonlord

Ep 143. This Cannot Be Mere Coincidence. (2)

Ep 143. This Cannot Be Mere Coincidence. (2)

“Hmpf!”

In the midst of Asarda’s snowfields, an Asardan warrior leapt into the air and swung his battleaxe with all his might, its metal blade splitting through another yeti’s skull. The giant ape soon fell backward with a powerless groan, its body fading to mana and dissipating without a trace.

Orkaan raised his head, hunting eyes keenly overseeing the battlefield. Although the current year’s Frosthunt was an embarrassment compared to their other years, the veteran warrior and his small party had still managed to slay at least a few dozen monsters throughout the previous week.

But soon, Orkaan witnessed the strangest behavior he’d ever seen in a pack of yetis.

The giant apes turned their glaring red eyes in unison, specifically towards the east. Many powerlessly fell to the warriors’ attacks while their attention was occupied elsewhere.

Then, those that weren’t attacked began to rush eastward, leaving a trail of giant footsteps behind them.

“…What in Star’s name…?”

Orkaan then looked towards his fellow warriors. Unfortunately, every single one of them seemed just as confused, each blankly staring at the fleeing yetis.

As far as they knew, the yetis were fierce and unforgiving, even amongst monsters – they weren’t ones to turn away from an ongoing battle.

So, to see them suddenly flee in unison for no apparent reason was quite the shocking sight.

“Chief Orkaan! What’s going on? Where’re they going?”

“…I’ve no answer to give you, Tannis. I’ve never seen yetis fleeing from battle.”

“…Shall we give chase? If they continue in that direction…”

“…”

‘Where ARE they going?...To Chell?’

While Orkaan and his party had departed their villages for this year’s Frosthunt, the chief warrior couldn’t help but grow worried of his younger brother.

Urgus was a capable warrior himself, and Chell’s warriors were nothing to scoff at. In fact, Chell was heavily fortified from preparing against the empire’s invasion; it was practically filled with Asarda’s finest warriors. There was no justifiable reason for a small hunt party to give chase to a half-slain pack of yetis.

Hence, as the leader of the hunting party, it was only right that Orkaan decide to ignore the strange behavior and continue their hunt. But…

“Orkaan?”

“…”

✧   ✧   ✧

Try as he might, Urgus couldn’t help the hints of despair from showing in his eyes.

“Chief Urgus! Lady Aymeia is…!”

“If you’ve time to talk, then swing your axe!”

Swallowing his own fears, Chell’s chief warrior flung his handaxe into the yeti leaping at him, burying the weapon right between its crimson eyes. While the monster momentarily flinched with a horrifying shriek, Urgus leapt at the furred monster’s head himself, barbarically clawing into the bloody gap of his axe before splitting the yeti’s skull open.

But even as another monster fell before him, two more began to creep from the distance.

No, two was an understatement. There were dozens more – if not, hundreds. And it wasn’t just yetis, either.

‘…We should’ve forced this year’s Frosthunt.’

Urgus had always known that his brother’s party of warriors wouldn’t be able to cull out Asarda’s monsters all by themselves. With their yearly hunt being so lackluster this time around, the coming winter was bound to be dangerous.

But even then, the number of monsters gathering into Chell was far beyond the warrior’s understanding. He may as well have been on an island, with the ocean slowly creeping in from every direction.

With the situation so dire, Chell’s occupants had naturally huddled together, with warriors circling around those who couldn’t fight themselves.

As the army of monsters approached them, the Asardans looked to their guardian deity in unison.

With Aymeia being physically present amongst them, it didn’t seem that farfetched to expect their fervent prayers to come true. They prayed that she’d step forth and cleanse their settlement of the surrounding horde, just as she would in the legends they’d passed for centuries.

But contrary to their hopes, the sea of monsters wasn’t what Aymeia’s flames were threatening to burn.

“…Tch!”

“…”

Not far from the circle of Chell’s warriors, a steel dragon was gritting her teeth.

As Aymeia wordlessly stroke the air before her, another fiery pillar erupt forth to blast at Raizel’s figure.

Covering her face with both arms, the steel dragon reluctantly retreated back a few steps, lest the former deity’s flames melt through her skin. A low growl slithered out from between the youngling’s lips.

But even then, Raizel refused to fight the deity in earnest. She’d instead maintain a relatively relaxed demeanor, her expression merely annoyed as if facing an annoying insect.

And this infuriated Aymeia to no end.

“…Step aside, dragon.”

“Pft. Make me.”

“If you refuse, I’ve no choice but to incinerate you whole.”

“Go ahead and try, but I’ll have to transform if you do. Don’t blame me if I accidentally step on a couple of your followers.”

“…”

“You don’t want that, do you?”

Even when the monsters had appeared around Chell, Serenis hadn’t seemed bothered.

In her usual indifferent tone, the dragonlord had ordered Ilias to take Light to safety, and defend Chell with its warriors thereafter.

Following suit, she’d ordered Raizel to keep Aymeia at bay – which was exactly what the youngling was doing.

If Serenis had wanted Aymeia dead, she would’ve said so.

Hence, there was no reason for Raizel to fight the former deity in earnest. And with so many Asardans to hold hostage, she could practically hold Aymeia at bay for as long as she wanted to.

“You know, I’m kind of glad you took your stupid Reaper’s side. Now I don’t have to pretend I like you anymore. I mean, look at you: your followers are needing you so much, and what do you do? You turn your back and ignore them.”

“…Please, let me through. I’m only trying to mediate things. There’s no reason for us to fight! If I just talk to Lord Felicir, I’m sure he’ll have the monsters disperse!”

Having reached an impasse with the steel dragon, Aymeia began to appeal to reason instead. It was painfully clear she couldn’t just force her way through Raizel.

Unfortunately for her, the appeal was even less effective than trying to force her way through.

“Who cares?”

“…Huh?”

“Who cares if there’s a reason? I sure as hell didn’t have a ‘reason’ every time I fought someone, and I used to fight all the time. Trust me, you don’t need one.”

“…”

“Besides, lord told me to keep you here. That’s reason enough for me.”

Aymeia’s jaw slowly dropped open at the youngling’s ridiculous reasoning. Although she’d never spoken much to Raizel before, she’d never expected the steel dragon to be THIS eccentric.

“…Are you not worried about your lord? What if she requires your aid?”

“Against that feathered scum? I doubt it.”

“…It’s not just him. Lord Felicir is in control of that body. Your precious king is facing against the Twelve’s ruler!”

This time, Raizel burst into laughter from Aymeia’s words. The youngling gripped her belly, waving her hand as if she’d just heard the world’s funniest joke.

“Hahahaha. Hah…ah, that’s actually hilarious.”

“…Why’re you laughing? Are you not worried about your king?”

“No?”

Even as Aymeia angrily questioned the youngling, Raizel merely shrugged back with a relaxed smile curving her lips.

The youngling wasn’t worried one bit about what was going on behind their backs. In fact, she was surprised herself at how unconcerned she was.

“I guess I trust her more than you trust your stupid Reaper.”

“…”

“So glare at me all you want. You’re not getting past here.”