The clanging of swords echoed through the dense jungle, mixing with the rustle of leaves and the cries of humans being devoured.
A female dragon-kin warrior locked blades with a human opponent.
But she wasn’t like other dragon-kin-her gray skin was a little darker, with more scales around her neck and a small pair of white horns.
Her golden eyes were fierce, her breathing steady despite the intense battle.
Her opponent, a tall man with broad shoulders, moved with the grace of a veteran. His sword was a blur as it slashed through the air.
His foot slid forward as he swung his sword in a wide arc toward her side.
The dragon-kin warrior anticipated the move, stepping back with her right foot, her body twisting as her tail lashed out to counterbalance her movement.
Her sword, a curved blade, rose to meet his strike.
The clash sent sparks flying, the force vibrating through her arms.
She gritted her teeth, shifting her weight onto her left foot. With a burst of speed, she pressed forward, her right arm driving her sword down in a diagonal slash aimed at his shoulder.
The man parried, his blade catching hers with a metallic screech. He twisted his wrist, attempting to disarm her, but she was ready.
With a quick push of her legs, she launched herself into a spinning motion, her tail whipping around and striking his ribs with a thud that sent him stumbling back.
“You fight well for a human,” she said.
“And you for merchandise,” he spat, charging forward.
The man lunged back in, his boots skidding on the muddy ground.
Unfortunately, his foot caught on a vine tangled around his boot, causing him to stumble.
The dragon-kin warrior took the opportunity, charging forward with her blade aimed directly at his chest.
Before her sword could land, a deep voice echoed.
“Void Rend.”
VOOSH-
A brilliant beam of energy shot forth from the trees, splitting the human in two before he could react.
The beam was so thin yet powerful it created a deep gash in the earth, red-hot and letting out smoke that smelled of burned flesh and scorched soil. It was obvious whoever made the attack didn’t want to harm the dragon-kin.
The man’s body was severed cleanly, falling to the ground with a thud as the jungle fell silent. The dragon-kin warrior froze, her sword lowering as her golden eyes widened in awe.
She took a step back, her chest rising and falling rapidly as the dissipating energy’s glow illuminated her astonished face.
“This… this is dragon magic,” she murmured, her voice shaking as her gaze followed the path of destruction left by the attack.
From the shadows of the jungle emerged a figure.
His presence was overwhelming, his aura radiating like the raging sun.
White and black scales covered his humanoid frame like armor, glinting with an intense
sheen. His long white tail swayed behind him gracefully, and his wings, a blend of white and gold, shimmered as they caught the sunlight.
His yellow eyes burned brightly like beacons.
The dragon-kin warrior’s breath hitched as she saw him.
“By the ancestors… H-He exists!”
She dropped her sword and fell to her knees, bowing her head deeply.
“I-I pay my respects to the Overlord,” she said, her voice trembling.
Of course, the figure was none other than Alister.
Alister stopped a few paces away, his gaze softening slightly as he looked at her trembling figure. He could sense her respect, hope, and a touch of awe.
“Are you uninjured?”
The woman hesitated, her awe rendering her momentarily speechless.
She raised her head slightly, her golden eyes locking onto his radiant form, but she didn’t dare meet his gaze directly.
“I… I am unharmed, thanks to you, my lord,” she managed to say.
Alister fixed his intense golden gaze on her.
“Good. You may rise, warrior,” he commanded.
“And explain. Since when have humans dared to hunt dragon-kin in this manner?”
The warrior hesitated before taking his offered hand, her fingers trembling as she allowed herself to stand.
Her golden eyes, suddenly filled with sorrow, met his briefly before looking downward out of respect.
She clasped her hands tightly in front of her, gathering her thoughts.
“It has been going on for hundreds of years, my lord,” she said, her voice filled with
bitterness and pain.
“When we venture out to hunt, some of us never return. At first, we thought it was the work of monsters-beasts prowling the wilds. But as time passed, the truth became clear. Humans
have been hunting us, capturing us, killing us.”
Her voice shook for a moment, but she pressed on, her tone becoming steadier as she
continued.
“We often tried sending stronger warriors to hunt instead, but even they would not return. We did this so often that the best of our best were no longer with us, discouraging hunting
altogether.
“But we couldn’t just starve to death. Then we received a prophecy. Our ancestors always believed in the legends-the stories that spoke of the Overlord’s return. They said that in your presence, our people would be empowered, our strength restored. We clung to that hope, to the belief that you would return one day to lead us.”
Alister’s expression darkened, his tail flicking sharply behind him-a clear sign of his simmering anger beneath his calm demeanor.
“Your tribe has been searching for me?” he asked.
“Yes, my lord,” she replied, her eyes briefly flickering up to his before looking away again.
“We traveled far and wide, seeking any sign of your presence. But our search only brought us into contact with… them.”
“Who are they?”
Her hands clenched at her sides as she recounted the encounter.
“A strange group of humans, my lord. They bore a black aura, unlike anything we had ever seen. It felt… unnatural, as though it didn’t belong in this world. When we first encountered them, we were lucky to escape. But after that, everything changed.”
‘Black aura…’ Alister wondered. ‘Are they the same as the ones Cinder told me about… We’re they led by that man as well?’