Duke Pendragon

Woooosh!

A dragon as large as the sailboats of the Arangis Duchy flew across the surface of the sea towards the dense fleet.

“…..!”

The wingspan of the dragon reached tens of feet, and the sight of the creature was overwhelming. Every time the silver wings flapped while reflecting the sunlight, it caused clear, blue walls of water to rise on both sides.

The huge waves created as a result caused the ships of the Arangis Duchy to sway, and several galleys could not overcome the high waves and capsized sideways.

“Don’t panic! All troops, prepare for battle!”

Arigo shouted at the top of his lungs.

“Yes, sir!”

The knights and the soldiers ran around the deck in a flurry. However, the dragon spanned the distance of hundreds of yards in the blink of an eye. There was no possible means to attack the majestic creature.

Kwa-kwa-kwaaaaahh!

The dragon flew by the fleet, flying at only a dozen yards away from the ships.

“Ugh!”

Even though it was a fairly wide distance between the dragon and the ships, the wind and the waves caused by the flapping wings caused even the main ship of the Arangis Duchy, the largest ship in the inland sea, to tilt sideways.

“Huh?”

“W, watch out!”

Everyone’s eyes turned at someone’s shouts.

Kwaaaaaa!

A huge wave of about 30 feet tall came crashing onto the deck, sweeping through Arigo and the other humans.

“…..!”

Dozens of soldiers were swept by the waves without even having an opportunity to scream. No one had been able to prepare for the sudden incident caused by the tilting of the ship.

“Keuk!”

Arigo wiped his face after spitting out seawater. He had maintained his position by tightly holding onto the rope. He looked around hurriedly.

“Save me!”

The ship was still shaking greatly, and soldiers were floundering after being swept overboard. Arigo hurriedly raised his gaze.

Kwaaaaa…!

The silver-white dragon was already flying far distances away.

“D, dammit!”

Arigo widened his eyes. The loss of his ships and soldiers was not the most important problem. The direction of the dragon’s flight had been towards where the sea griffons, the strongest force of the Arangis Duchy, were located.

“Stop it! Stop that dragon!”

A desperate scream escaped Arigo’s lips. However, he never imagined his command would go on to become a matter of eternal regret.

***

“Gaah!”

The members of the 13th regiment and the Winter Storm Fleet became astonished. The sight of the three-horned dragon flying towards them while raising up a storm was fear itself.

They were born and raised in the rough seas, but not a single person had ever seen an actual dragon before. Of course, huge creatures such as whales resided in the sea, and quite a number of them had seen whales before. However, the presence in front of them was much, much larger than a whale. Moreover it was even ‘flying’.

Kwaaaahh!

The creature’s wings were as large as dozens of masts connected together, and huge waves and strong winds were created with each flap of its colossal wings.

The transcendent being was radiating a thunderous glimmer from her eyes, and the thousands of scales on her wings reflected the sunlight brilliantly. No one could possibly have the courage to face the monstrous creature.

Everyone trembled or fell down in shock, as if they were facing a supernatural storm that humans were helpless in front of.

It was then.

“Everyone, come to your senses!”

John Myer shouted out.

“The dragon will not attack us! This is White Dragon Soldrake, the guardian of the Pendragon Duchy!”

They had heard stories before. A story about a dragon who made a contract with the Duke of Penrdagon; a dazzling silver-white dragon called Soldrake, one of the strongest beings in the world.

“What, what?”

At his words, the shaking humans began to raise their heads one by one.

“Oh…!”

Their eyes widened. They had been shocked and filled with fear at the sight of the dragon flying towards them, but the dragon’s target had been something else. It was none other than the sea griffons.

Kwaaah!

Kiyaaah!

At one stroke of the dragon’s wings, several griffons fell straight into the sea. The griffons were helpless against a creature that was dozens of times bigger than them.

Thud! Boom!

The griffons crashed into the surface of the water from a height of dozens of feet. They were unable to come to their senses.

“Harpoons! Throw the harpoons!”

At the command of John Myers, seamen rushed out to the left and right and threw their harpoons toward the griffons floundering in the water.

Fwoosh!

Kiyaaaahk!

The griffons were unable to withstand the flying harpoons. Such weapons were usually used to catch sharks or killer whales.

The sea quickly coloured red from the blood.

Fwooosh! Thud!

John Myers looked up after accurately piercing the back of a griffon with a harpoon.

Kwaaaaa!

Soldrake drove the griffons around the cliff, the natural breakwater. The sea griffons were unmatched in the inland sea, but they were no more than flies in front of the Dragon Queen. The creatures flew around while shrieking.

A thought passed through John Myers as he observed the sight.

“Ballista! Prepare the ballistae please!”

He shouted towards the watchtower.

Soldiers hurriedly began to manipulate the devices and aimed towards the griffons. The creatures were flocking towards one place.

The griffons were fast, and therefore, it was never easy to hit them with arrows or projectiles. However, with Soldrake rampaging around, the griffons were panic-stricken and fleeing along the cliff in long lines. They were not complying with the orders of their riders.

“Ready! The line of sight is ten yards ahead of their flight!”

A knight spoke after raising his sword into the air, carefully studying the movements of the griffons as they flew through the sea breeze. Soon, the distance between the two groups narrowed to about 100 yards, and the knight shouted while lowering his sword like lightning.

“Now! Fireee!”

Boom boom! Boom boom!

More than 20 ballistae and hundreds of quarrels were fired simultaneously.

Kiwwwaaek!

Human-sized bolts penetrated the griffons’ wings, and quarrels buried themselves in the creatures’ bodies. In an instant, more than ten sea griffons crashed into the cliffs and the sea.

Thud!

“Whoaaaaa!”

The soldiers shouted with elation. They had knocked down the sea griffons of the Arangis Duchy, creatures who were known to be unrivalled in the inland sea.

But one man, John Myers, maintained his calm.

“What are you doing!? There are still numerous griffons left! The battle is not over!”

The soldiers came to their senses and turned their heads at his shout.

However,

“O, over there…!”

The soldiers became shocked at the sight. Dozens more griffons flew up from the fleet of the Arangis Duchy and were heading towards them.

“Dammit!”

John Myers always treated everyone with respect, however, a frown appeared on his face and a rare profanity erupted from his mouth at the sight.

***

“Send them all! Get all the griffons out there!”

“Your Grace! We cannot!”

Manuel attempted to dissuade Arigo, who was shouting with bloodshot eyes. However, the griffons were already departing from the decks.

“Your Grace! Without the sea griffons, our forces will be reduced by half! Now is the time to retreat and examine the situation! We should head behind Malta Island and…”

“What are you talking about!? That dragon belongs to Pendragon! If we do not kill the dragon, we don’t have a chance at victory. You should know that!”

“How can a man kill a dragon!?”

Manuel shouted with a hopeless expression.

“This…”

Arigo attempted to retaliate, unable to hold back his fury.

Whooooooooooooh!

A powerful wind blasted towards them and caused the figures on the deck to sway.

“What?”

Arigo became stunned and jerked his head.

The dozens of griffons he had sent were seen trying to surround the White Dragon Soldrake.

“Hm…!”

A groan escaped someone’s lips.

Fwooooosh!

The dragon levitated in the sky with its huge wings spread.

The White Dragon glared down at the sea, at the entire world under the brilliant sun in the middle of the sky. Even from a far distance, one could see the translucent, blue energy that surrounded the White Dragon’s figure.

The wind was originating from the dragon.

“T, that is…?”

He had never seen a dragon other than Biskra before, and Arigo’s anxiety reached its peak when the enormous spirit started to fluctuate around Soldrake’s body.

And his anxiety soon took form.

Woosh!

The current around the dragon’s giant body shot up like a whirlwind towards the three horns located on her head.

The dragon opened her large mouth.

For an instant, the fierce energy surrounding her horns disappeared.

Then,

Whaaaaaaaaa!

“Ugh!”

Arigo frowned as a brilliant wave of light penetrated his retina.

But he could still see.

From his obscured view, he could see the eruption of a fire burning with a luminous light.

Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

It was the pillar of a god’s fire.

No other words were suitable to describe the flames that spewed out of the dragon’s mouth and swallowed the entire surroundings blue. The sky and the sea. Everything was erased by the Dragon Queen’s pillar of flames.

Even after she closed her jaws, the remnants of the blazing flames scattered like hundreds or thousands of blue snow petals. The domineering sights imprinted on everyone’s minds.

“D, dragon Breath…”

The accursed words came out between Manuel’s lips. As soon as Manuel spoke, Arigo finally realized.

The proud sea griffons of the Arangis Duchy had all disappeared without a trace.

Paaa…

The snowflakes of blue pulsed like small bolts of lightning as they slowly settled down in the sea. Above it, the brilliant silver-white dragon remained floating in her place with her wings spread out.

“…..!”

Humans watched her with blank looks. They had seen an amalgamation of an overwhelming fear and beauty - an unbelievable sight they had never laid their eyes on before.

“Heu…”

A small groan flowed from Argios’ slightly open mouth.

All anger and fear had disappeared.

The only thought remaining in his head was disbelief.

This was not a fight.

This was not a battle to decide life and death.

This was something that should not exist.

“God…”

Yes, that being was a god.

And a god should never be involved in human affairs.

“Your grace!”

Manuel’s shouts crashed into Arigo’s eardrum.

“…..”

Arigo turned his head with a dazed expression. The family advisor was crying with red, bloodshot eyes.

“Turn the fleet around right now! Even if you send in hundreds of more griffons, you will not be able to kill that dragon! Soldrake, the guardian of the Pendragon Duchy, is the Queen of all Dragons! Even if she is not in her own territory, even if she cannot express all of her powers, she could decimate our entire fleet with her strength!”

“Then how…”

Arigo stuttered due to the huge shock.

Manuel grabbed the future duke of the Arangis Duchy and shook his shoulders violently.

“Get it together, Your Grace! First, we need to have the fleet retreat towards Malta Island! Then send an urgent request to His Excellency the Duke! Him! It is time for him to come!”

“By him, you mean…”

Arigo was still trapped in his daze, and Manuel shouted with all the strength he could muster.

“The Arangis Duchy’s ally! We need to call the Guardian of the Inland Sea, the Sea Dragon Biskra!”