Chapter 47 - Intertwined Destinies, Crossed Paths
Rygar moved swiftly through the mountains, ready for any ambush, his figure barely discernible due to his speed as he followed the sounds of battle.
As he approached, the smell of blood, scorched rocks, and dragons—many dragons—grew stronger. His master had taught him that all dragon species lived in groups. Now, seeing it firsthand, he realized she hadn't been exaggerating when she said she hadn't met a single person who returned alive after venturing into a dragon's lair.
And he hadn't even truly entered the blue dragons' territory yet. He was only on the outskirts. His master had described their true territory as being filled with dragons everywhere. He wouldn't venture there today, but he had plans to do so in the future. Secretly, he harbored a dream of taming a dragon. After all, what man hadn't dreamed of riding a dragon?
As he drew closer, the echoing roars gave way to the metallic clash of steel against scales. Confusion settled over him. It wasn't just dragons fighting—there was steel? How? Each step brought him nearer to the source of the conflict but also heightened his sense of confusion and caution. His brow furrowed, his senses on high alert. The sound of weapons was unexpected—who could possibly be fighting dragons in such a dangerous place?
"This could be a trap," Rygar thought, his gaze sharp as a predator's, assessing the terrain. The name of the Human God echoed in his mind as a constant warning. His instincts were tingling with danger, though it wasn't as intense as when he'd first met Hitogami. He remained wary of him because of that encounter, but nothing was going as wrong as he'd expected. Slowly, he began to consider the possibility that he might be mistaken.
Rygar had already decided not to bring Skoll with him—a calculated precaution to avoid unnecessary complications. If things went awry, he wanted the freedom to retreat without having to protect or abandon his wolf companion, whom he had grown fond of.
As he got closer, new information reached his senses. A new scent. A dense, pervasive odor of dragons—many of them—hung heavy in the air. But there was something more. He sniffed again, this time focusing. Intertwined with the sulfuric stench of dragons was something familiar. A scent he would recognize anywhere. It was someone of the beast race! Rygar's heart quickened, and his thoughts raced. Someone of his own kind was in that cave. And from the sound of clashing steel and dragon roars, that person was fighting.
Clicking his tongue in frustration, he muttered, "A beast race member... but who? And why?" A wave of sulfur hit his nose, and he instantly knew the dragons had used fire in the battle. The smell of nearly solidified molten earth indicated the fire had been unleashed hours ago, suggesting this battle had been raging for quite some time. This only heightened his caution. Even for an experienced warrior, fighting in an enclosed space against high-level dragons was a recipe for disaster. Whoever was inside had to be incredibly strong to endure this long.
Rygar stopped at the cave's entrance. Strangely, there were no blue dragons guarding it. The gaping opening in the mountain was large enough to accommodate massive dragons, yet the darkness inside was oppressive, as though the mountain itself sought to swallow anyone who dared approach. His frown deepened, his thoughts racing.