The red dragon, who can see beyond the blizzard with powerful eyes, led us to a nearby cave, saying that we should rest first.
The entrance was cleverly concealed by an ancient coniferous tree, so it seemed suitable for hiding for a while.
While the red dragon lit fire with its breath, I opened a barrier and sealed the entrance from enemies who might come and from the cold.
“First warm up your body. There is a long way to go.”
The red dragon carefully laid Cassena on the ground and said.
Each and every movement was kind and delicate like the mother of a child, which was the first of many red dragons I had ever seen.
In the silence of peace that seemed to have been felt for the first time in a long time, Lane sat down next to Cassena and examined her condition.
Since the miasma had descended to the ankles, it seemed that even Friede’s possessed healing ability would have to be outdone compared to this red dragon.
“Thank you so much, so… … Oh, my name is Lane Ludwig.”
Wrapping a bandage on the arm whose flesh had been ripped off by the dead man’s teeth, he lowered his head deeply, and the red dragon nodded.
“The name given to me by Karendel, the creator of the great Fire Dragon Bel’Dakidun, is Arakish. You can call it that too.”
Arakish… … If my knowledge is correct, it must mean mission in ancient language.
It was a name he was given by Shinryong when he was born, and it felt meaningful for some reason because it is Jinryong who lives a life worthy of that name.
Anyway, it was this Arakish.
During the war 300 years ago, there were only four red dragons I saw. I’ve only heard that one went north on a different mission.
“It’s amazing how you aren’t afraid of this Arakish. Are all humans like that these days?”
“I had something to see often.”
Of course, I don’t speak half words. In Yoshhar’s case, it was possible because Rista told her to speak comfortably from the moment they met.
“I don’t know what the situation in the south is like, but even though I’m young like you, I have a lot of things to do with my own people.
You might think how you can let go of your guard already when you’ve just met, but the dragon race itself was created to protect the world, so it’s friendly to mankind.
Unless you do something useless like black magic.
After slowly stroking Pipi in front of the fire, which had stabilized her body temperature, I thought that I should solve the question I had felt earlier.
“I Alakhish, by the way, can you tell me where this place is?”
He carefully licked his chapped lips with his tongue and waited for an answer. Honestly, I’m already making my worst guess… … I just hope not.
“Well, this is Harbadonia.”
However, Arakish turned that speculation into reality by reciting the dreaded name.
「North of the Wall, it is a continent of snow, darkness and madness.」
I knew it… … I touched my forehead with a deep sigh. There were only two places in the world where the word barrier was used.
The boundary of the North Pole, ＜Seolryeongjangseong＞.
The Antarctic Boundary, ＜Fire Bay＞.
Beyond the barriers protecting the civilized world… … Because it was a land of abyss, it is a land of death where humans can never communicate.
And there was only one place in the land where the harsh cold, not the tropical night, raged like this.
If the Red Dragon Corps built ＜Fire Manli＞, the White Dragon Corps built ＜Seolryeongjangseong＞. Now the ‘white wolves’ are guarding it… … .
How on earth could he have come all the way to Harvadonia from the Kalnal Peninsula in the southeastern part of the continent?
All of the space-time magic that black magicians use by borrowing the power of Abyss is short-range. What can cause such a long-distance time-space transfer… … There are really only gods.
“This time, I, Arakish, will ask. Who are you guys? How did you get here?”
Arakish looked back and forth between Rain and Cassena as if he were very suspicious.
“I felt the presence of the gods and came in a hurry, but it was you guys who were there.”
“A sign of the gods?”
“All humans on this land are gods who have carved light into the bodies of beasts… … But for some reason, your souls smell like gods.”
Light on the beast’s body… … ?
I didn’t know what the preceding words meant, but for some reason I immediately recognized the latter words.
“Maybe it’s because of this?”
From noble mtl dot com
When he lifted up the black sheep he had been carrying around his neck with a chain, Arakish’s eyebrows twitched and his eyes widened in wonder.
I felt that I had to dispel any doubts, so I explained how I had obtained it and how I had come here (even though I don’t know much about it myself).
Alaqish, who carefully listened to all the explanations while touching his chin, quietly narrowed his eyes.
“As expected, Anridal was involved in the commotion that occurred south of the wall.”
“Anridal?”
“It is the true name of the Lord of Time. The use of power by an evil god who should have been sealed would mean that something is happening south of the wall as well… … .」
Even south of the wall?
Then, is something happening in the north as well… … That question was fierce, but now there was another urgent task.
“We must return to the Empire. as soon as possible. How could there be no way?”
Right before the incident, I wondered what Yoshhar was trying to tell me about Turaina.
And he was worried about what had happened to Rin’s body from this attack. If they had the power to summon the ＜Forgotten Kings＞ again, it would not be a problem for them to serve a special purpose with their bodies.
Also, incidentally, I couldn’t keep taking Cassena with me in such an extreme land.
Arakish, who had been caressing the black sheep in awe, finally returned it and opened his mouth.
“If it is true that the Black Sun personally chose you and sent you here under these circumstances, then there must be a meaning to that.”
“… … !”
「According to the mission given by the Fire Dragon, this Arakish will guide you to the wall.」
Do you think things are going so well?
With Jinryong’s help, it would take less than a month to reach the barrier. You can ride on its back and fly through the sky.
Perhaps reading the hopeful observation in his gaze, Arakish shook his head briefly as he tilted his golden dragon face towards the bonfire.
“I understand the urgency, but it will be a long journey.”
“yes?”
「First of all, this Arakish cannot fly. As we saw earlier, the wings were damaged during the long fight.”
I think in the despair of hope being broken. Come to think of it, it looks like the wings were deformed earlier… … .
Is there such a thing as a true dragon that cannot fly? If I had visited Shinryong just once, he would have fixed it right away.
Unless you haven’t met a new dragon during the ‘long fight’ Arakish said, how?
“And the situation in Harbadonia is also not something to be taken lightly.”
Is it because the dead are swarming?
I knew the notoriety of Harvadonia vaguely from various books, but if Jinryong warned me like that, did it mean it was more serious… … .
It was about that time. The reason why Alaqish had signs of wriggling in the basket on his back.
“I was curious about it before, what the hell is that?”
The question suddenly felt like Arakish laughed.
For a moment, I doubted my eyes. Red dragons rarely smile due to the nature of the battle race.
The answer came back with new bewilderment on top of such bewilderment.
“This is the daughter of Arakish.”
A daughter… … ?
And at that moment, it was also the moment when the answer was given as to how Alaqish was able to treat Cassena so kindly.
It was a huge egg that Arakish carefully took out of the basket with both hands, as if handling the most precious treasure in the world.
A dragon egg with three golden stripes on a red background, the size of my sitting height.
“This, this… … ?”
Even with Rin’s knowledge, he couldn’t help but blink his eyes.
Jinryong lays eggs?
Wasn’t that something only Shinryong and Biryong could do?
「Although you say you have had a lot of fellowship with this Arakish’s own people, you don’t seem to know this much either.」
Arakish caressed the egg gently, and the egg, the creature within, wriggled vigorously.
“A true dragon gives birth to a new life when its lifespan ends. And let that life inherit its own mission.”
Until they become full-fledged adults, they accompany you, teach you their mission, and guide your character. so that they can carry out their duties instead.
“There will be nothing to be surprised about. If you know that this Arakish has spent over 1,400 years in Harbadonia.”
thousand thousand? 1,000 years?
Is it a true story? No, there’s no way dragons can lie… … But that means you’ve lived here alone since the beginning of the Tercian era.
I thought about how I had endured all those eons of time alone in this land of madness, but I dared not catch my breath.
Arakish seemed to have had similar thoughts, and he gently pressed his forehead to the egg and smiled sadly.
“That’s why I’m a little worried. Will this child be able to endure the mission that Arakish had to handle… … .」
* * *
Arakish caressed the egg all night and recited dragon words as if singing.
Only dragons could contain power in language itself, without secondary elements, but Arakish’s dragon words penetrated deeper into the soul than any other sacred psalm or hymn ever heard. Like a campfire on a winter’s day.
Is it prenatal education, or is it considerate of us? maybe it’s both
As the tone of the flame resonated in the cave, Cassena’s face began to turn red, and the fatigue of several days poured into my body, and my consciousness gradually faded.
It was the smell that awakened my drowsy consciousness. really terrible… … The smell made me wonder if the dead had attacked.
“Lin, Lin, Lin.”
When she regained consciousness, Fifi, who was sitting on top of Cassena’s head, flew over and rubbed her face against the cheek.
Without even time to welcome the reunion, I followed the source of the smell.
“What is this?”
Beside the bonfire, the bizarre meat was skewered and completely burned.
And on top of that, something bubbling bubbling on an old helmet that I don’t know who used it or when.
Something dark, mixed with all kinds of organs, blood and meat… … What the hell is this?
“Are you awake?”
At that time, Arakish walked in from behind, filled a porcelain bowl filled with something he didn’t know where he got it from, and brought it to Cassena.
“Me, over there? Arakish? May I ask what you are doing?”
Then Arakish tilted his head, as if asking some obvious question.
“Humans are weak. You have to supply nutrients. This Arakish has been hunting.”
Then, as he gently embraced Cassena’s body and tried to pour liquid into her lips, Lane groaned.
“I-I! But I’m more hungry! Can’t you eat me first?”
As if there was nothing wrong with Arakish, he held out the bowl.
Seeing it up close… … What kind of intimidation is this? Cold sweat flows like rain.
If I had to compare them, the venomous cookies Christa made were at the level of aegyo.
“Emergency, emergency, lean emergency!”
Pipi, who was staring at it together, flew around busily and tried to wrap her body in flames. You may have strongly misunderstood this.
“Don’t do it, Pippi! Arakish prepared it for us from dawn… … Persimmon, thank you, you have to eat… … .”
I remember having as much courage as I did when dealing with the warlocks, closing my eyes tightly and holding the liquid in my mouth.
But when I opened my eyes, the horizon was tilted, my head was dizzy, and Pippi was wailing that I had died.
It was a huge disrespect to the person who had done him a favor, but Arakish raised his eyebrows as if he was puzzled rather than embarrassed.
“Don’t human children eat like this? It’s really tricky.”
“I’m not picky, but this is… … .”
“They are such a pitiful, weak tribe.”
From the moment a dragon becomes an adult, it is natural that it does not know the concept of gastronomy because it obtains nutrients from the energy flowing in Mother Nature… … Even when I was young, I would just eat raw meat a few times.
“Then, what should I do about this? I need to supply nutrients so that my body can find stability.”
Just bring me the ingredients and I’ll do the cooking… … He tried to say that, but Arakish, who was looking out of the cave, made up his mind first.
“The snowstorm just stopped. Get ready to move, human boy. I will go to the village.”
village? what village?
There’s no way there’s a village of humans here… … You’re not referring to the village of cursed prisoners, are you?
“Of course it is, but is there a problem?”