Ashen Dragon

Near Northwind Castle, in a hidden spot in the Zereya Hills.

More than twenty members of the Lionheart Knights lay in concealment, quietly waiting.

They were clad in heavy armor, with breastplates shaped like the roaring head of a lion, appearing mighty and imposing, and red cloaks bearing the emblem of the Boske House with two crossed swords and a lion.

One knight, watching the bipedal wyverns patrolling the sky, asked uneasily:

"Captain, we haven't seen the signal from His Grace, Duke Leo. Could they have already failed?"

"Keep waiting, Jaden, we have time."

The voice was calm and steady.

The knight who spoke stood out from the others, with a circle of black lion's mane around his neck, and the lion on his breastplate looking more lifelike—he was Frederick Orbi, one of the original seven Knight Commanders of the Lionheart Knights, known as the Black Lion Knight.

Now there were only six Knight Commanders. His childhood friend and brother-like comrade, the White Lion Knight Tarik, had perished in that tragic event, leaving him in deep sorrow. He swore revenge against that Red Dragon, and so volunteered for this mission against the Ashen Kingdom.

"Tarik, the evil dragon will soon be beheaded, and your soul will find peace in God's realm."

Frederick stroked the pocket watch in his hand, silently making a vow.

It was a gift from Tarik ten years ago, engraved with the emblem of Heronis, the God of Bravery, constantly reminding him to be a brave and fearless warrior.

Jaden was still a bit worried, as they had already penetrated deep into enemy territory, with their safety not guaranteed. Enjoy exclusive adventures from My Virtual Library Empire

"But this is near Northwind Castle, and the patrols of the Ashen Kingdom are frequent. I'm afraid that..."

"Are you afraid we might be annihilated here?"

"So you must always remain vigilant about the surroundings. Rest assured, according to the Duke's orders, if we encounter a life-threatening situation, whether or not the task is completed, we must immediately retreat."

Frederick spoke calmly.

As an experienced Lionheart Knight, he was fully aware of the perilous and challenging nature of this mission, knowing that their enemy was the "Infernal Calamity" that had crushed thirty thousand from the Allied Forces,

but he kept reminding himself to hold firm belief, trusting in his ability to complete the mission successfully, or at the very least, retreat safely.

"Yes, captain."

"Wait, look—isn't that the signal from His Grace?"

In the distance, golden ripples appeared in mid-air—clearly the signal arranged by Duke Leo. Only Paladins with Divine Sense could see these subtle radiant energies and react quickly, ensuring their communication went unnoticed by the Ashen Kingdom.

Faint dragon roars seemed to drift from afar, already drawing the attention of some Ashen Kin.

"Could they really have..."

"Succeeded?"

Frederick's face lit up with excitement.

Even the always composed Black Lion Knight was thrilled at this possible reality—the Red Dragon had been subdued or even killed, and the enormous shadow looming over the Northern Countries had dissipated!

"That is the signal of success! Quickly, go to support those heroes!"

"Yes, captain!"

Under the effect of the invisibility screen, the Lionheart Knights advanced rapidly along the pre-planned route, camouflaged by both terrain and spells, towards the signal's origin—the dense forest.

The journey was surprisingly unimpeded, without the anticipated heavy obstruction from wyverns or the Goblin Corps.

In just a few dozen minutes, the concealed Lionheart Knights quickly entered the designated area.

"Captain, is this the place?"

"It should be. The signal was sent from here. My perception can't be wrong, those remnants of holy energy are still lingering in the sky."

"But why..."

"Is it so quiet here?"

"I don't know either. Let's maintain our guard and continue to approach."

In Frederick's estimation, after the Red Dragon was restrained, the Knights of Justice might have engaged in a fierce battle with the Ashen Kingdom's retainers, with swarms of wyverns chasing behind them.

Even the rumored "Man-Eating Mage" Ramp, "Slaughtering Warlord" Dolores, and "Gold-Crazed Demon" Jin Ya, leaders of the Ashen Kingdom, might be frantically hunting them down.

The other Lionheart Knights thought the same, already gripping their Silver Swords and shields, repeatedly reciting the Holy Oath Magic in their minds.

They were ready for a hard battle, even mentally prepared to die heroically and gloriously.

But events did not unfold as the Knights expected; the forest felt like an ordinary woodland, so quiet that one could hear the sound of leaves rustling in the wind.

Yes, it was too quiet.

So quiet it was eerie.

No signs of a fierce battle were evident.

In the battle-hardened eyes of Frederick, this looked more like a trap, luring them in.

But if the signal was real, only Duke Leo and Schroeder would understand its significance. What if it was a genuine call and their mission failed?

Then he would be the one who trapped heroes, placing them in jeopardy.

This plunged him into inner turmoil.

In this seemingly calm and safe atmosphere, beads of cold sweat appeared on Frederick's forehead.

When facing unknown dangers, he felt fear.

He wished to be as brave and fearless as his childhood friend Tarik, facing death without hesitation.

But Frederick knew that even after defeating hundreds and becoming a renowned Knight Commander of the Lionheart Knights, deep down, he harbored a sense of inferiority—unlike the radiant Tarik, he had, to some degree, relied on Tarik's goodwill to become the Black Lion Knight.

"We must retreat."

Frederick ultimately chose to trust his intuition.

He told his trusted aides, "There's something strange here. We should retreat quickly. Once we reach the previous safe zone, I'll activate the portal I prepared there, and we will all leave immediately."

"What about those we were supposed to meet?"

"Trust my intuition. We don't have time to worry about that. They might have already... perished in the Dragon's Maw, or released the signal in panic."

"Yes, captain."

Under the cautious leadership of the Knight Commander, disregarding mission completion, the Lionheart Knights retreated.

Enclosed by an invisibility screen crafted by a court mage, distorting the incoming light, they moved stealthily, undetected by patrolling wyverns and Goblins.

Just as the Lionheart Knights were quickly moving.

A massive shadow fell from the sky, engulfing them entirely—the screen had failed!

Frederick looked up in bewilderment.