Chapter 23 - The Bone Dragon
The fortress bells rang without pause.
DONG! DONG! DONG!
"Battle stations!"
"Archers to the eastern wall!"
"Healers to the inner courtyard!"
The entire Dragonbone Fortress came alive.
Kai followed Commander Arcturus and Lyra Frost to the eastern battlements.
As they climbed the final staircase, a freezing wind swept across the wall.
Then Kai saw it.
Far beyond the valley...
A colossal creature flew through the crimson clouds.
Its wings stretched over two hundred metres.
Its body was formed almost entirely of gleaming white bones.
Blue ghostly flames burned within its empty eye sockets.
Every beat of its wings stirred a storm of ash and dust.
The Book of Infinite Beasts appeared instantly.
---
Ancient Beast Identified
Name: Bone Dragon
Rank: Mythic
Status: Corrupted
Bloodline: Ancient Dragon King (Incomplete)
Warning: Direct combat not recommended.
---
Kai frowned.
"Corrupted?"
The fox looked uneasy.
"It's not acting naturally."
"Something is controlling it."
---
Commander Arcturus drew his greatsword.
"All heavy ballistas!"
"Fire!"
Dozens of giant dragonbone ballistas launched their spears into the sky.
WHOOSH!
The massive bolts struck the Bone Dragon.
CLANG!
Every spear shattered.
Not a single crack appeared on the dragon's skeleton.
The soldiers turned pale.
"It's invincible..."
---
The Bone Dragon opened its jaws.
Blue flames gathered inside.
"Incoming!"
A beam of ghostly fire swept across the valley.
BOOOOM!
An entire watchtower disappeared.
Stone melted.
Steel turned to ash.
Kai instinctively shielded his face from the intense heat.
---
Suddenly, Lyra stepped forward.
"Snowfang!"
The white wolf leapt onto the battlement.
Its fur glowed with icy light.
"Frozen Moon!"
A massive wall of ice erupted before the fortress.
The dragon's blue flames collided with the barrier.
The explosion shook the heavens.
Although the wall eventually shattered, it had weakened the attack enough for the fortress to survive.
The soldiers cheered.
"Captain Lyra!"
---
Commander Arcturus nodded approvingly.
"Excellent."
"But we can't keep defending forever."
He looked toward the dragon with grim determination.
"If we don't stop it..."
"The frontier will fall."
---
Kai silently observed the battle.
The Eye of Insight activated.
Golden lines spread across the Bone Dragon's body.
Most of its skeleton shone with overwhelming power.
Except...
One place.
At the centre of its chest.
A tiny black crystal pulsed like a heartbeat.
Kai's eyes widened.
"There..."
"The corruption originates from that crystal."
The Book confirmed his observation.
---
Weakness Discovered
Corruption Core
Destroying the core will free the Bone Dragon from external control.
---
Kai hurried to Commander Arcturus.
"I found its weakness!"
The Commander listened carefully.
When Kai explained about the crystal, Arcturus frowned.
"None of us noticed that."
Lyra looked at Kai with surprise.
"How did you?"
Kai hesitated.
"I... observed its movements."
Arcturus didn't press further.
"Even if you're right..."
"No one can reach its chest."
Everyone fell silent.
The Bone Dragon was flying hundreds of metres above the battlefield.
---
The little fox suddenly tugged Kai's sleeve.
"Look."
High above the dragon...
A small black silhouette hovered among the clouds.
It wasn't the dragon controlling itself.
Someone was riding it.
A hooded figure stood upon the dragon's skull, holding a black staff crowned with a crimson crystal.
The fox growled.
"The Divine Temple."
Kai clenched his fists.
"So they're behind this."
---
The hooded rider raised the staff.
Dark chains spread from the crystal, wrapping tightly around the Bone Dragon's neck.
The creature let out a roar of agony.
It wasn't attacking out of hatred.
It was suffering.
Kai felt a surge of anger.
"They're enslaving it."
The fox nodded.
"Just like Orion warned us."
---
The Book of Infinite Beasts glowed brighter than ever before.
Golden letters filled the page.
Emergency Mission
Free the Bone Dragon
Objectives:
- Destroy the Corruption Core.
- Defeat the Beast Controller.
Reward:
- Ancient Dragon King's Scale.
- Bloodline Awakening +3%.
- Second Beast Contract Unlocked.
Failure:
The Dragonbone Fortress will fall.
---
Kai looked at the impossible battlefield.
Then at the tiny fox beside him.
He smiled.
"We've never chosen the easy path."
The fox grinned back.
"Then let's save a dragon."
Just then, the sky darkened.
A familiar golden cry echoed across the frontier.
Far above the clouds...
A pair of radiant wings emerged.
The Celestial Roc had returned.
But it was not alone.
Behind it flew three other colossal beasts, each carrying an ancient aura.
The age of legends was awakening once more.