As I watched Ryone disappear between the wagons, my heart pounded against my ribcage with a mixture of fear and anticipation. The quiet of the night seemed to amplify every small sound, turning the rustle of a leaf or the distant clatter of a mug into a potential alarm. Positioned at the edge of the clearing, concealed by the shadows, I tried to remain as inconspicuous as possible.

Minutes passed, but each second felt like an eternity. My eyes darted around, scanning for any signs of disturbance that might indicate Ryone's cover was blown. The archer was still there, his posture lax, his attention more on the warm glow of his campfire than on his surroundings. It was clear he was not expecting any trouble tonight, which played in our favor, but it did little to ease my growing unease.

I shifted slightly, adjusting my position to better monitor the path Ryone had taken. My scales scraped softly against the dirt, the sound nearly imperceptible under the murmur of the camp. I had to stay alert, ready to spring into action at the slightest hint of trouble.

Suddenly, the archer stood abruptly, his head snapping up as if he had heard something from within the circle of wagons. His previous drowsiness vanished as he grabbed his bow and moved towards the center of the camp, disappearing from my sight. This shift startled me, something was definitely wrong.

Ryone had been gone too long, and the archer's sudden alertness only fueled my sense of dread. Without waiting another moment, I decided it was time to act. With the archer no longer keeping watch, I could approach the camp more directly.

Stealthily, I moved forward, my massive form somehow blending into the shadows of the night. The dim firelight played tricks with visibility, casting large, dancing shadows that helped conceal my approach. As I neared the wagons, the sound of a scuffle reached my ears, a soft whimper, muffled by a gruff voice.

Peeking between the wagons, my worst fears were confirmed. Ryone was being dragged away by her hair by a slaver. His grip was harsh, and her cries of pain tore at my heart. It was another of the mokmire we had encountered in the forest, his face twisted in anger as he pulled her towards a darker part of the camp.

Scanning the area quickly, I noted the archer and the swordsman were the only others visible. I decided to spring into action, I circled around the carts until I found an opening wide enough for me to fit through.

Looking in, I saw the slaver intent on dragging Ryone towards a large cage, and I couldn’t help but notice the tears streaming from her eyes.

With a deep, rumbling growl that I could no longer contain, I burst from my hiding spot. My presence caused an immediate reaction, the swordsman turned just in time to see a dragon barreling towards him. His eyes widened in terror, and he stumbled backward, unprepared for my sudden assault.

"Leave her alone!" I wanted to shout, but all that came out was a thunderous roar that echoed through the clearing. Ryone, released from the grip of her captor, scrambled away from him, clutching her head where her hair had been cruelly grasped.

I saw the slaver scramble backwards in fear as he drew his sword.

“Sarod! It’s the creature from the forest, go get the others!”

He said while squaring off against me, yet no reply came from the archer. Briefly looking around, I noticed the archer had disappeared once again.

Damn it, how does he vanish like that every time…

“... Sarod?” The mokmire repeated, calling for his accomplice, who had seemingly left the scene already.

I guess there truly is no honor amidst scumbags like you.

“I’ve got what I need, let’s go…” Ryone’s trembling voice came from behind me, she was holding a small leather bag in her hands, but my focus immediately shifted to her bruised face. I boiled in anger seeing how the slaver had made sure to beat her before dragging her off to the cage.

Oh we’ll be leaving alright, just let me take care of something real quick.

I turned around towards the mokmire in front of me, his sword quivered in fear as his back was now pressed against a wagon at the edge of the camp.

“Please don’t eat me, I can give you one of the other slaves, you can eat them!”

Other slaves?

I looked around, but the inside of the carts was empty, no other cages were filled. I turned back towards the mokmire and slowly began moving forward.

“... Oh that’s right, we don’t have slaves, but wait! I’ll give you money, you can go buy yourself one at the auction, here!”

Now visibly in panic, the slaver threw a pouch on the ground, which I assumed held his money, but I didn’t even look towards it, my gaze fixated on my prey as I continued my slow approach.

Noticing my disinterest in the money, the mokmire wildly sprung into action, his sword raised high as he attempted what could have possibly been the most predictable strike ever made.

“Screw you, you stupid gemt…”

I didn’t let him finish, gurgled noises coming from his mouth as blood began to spew out of the wound I had just inflicted.

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Shut up, you vile creature.

I turned around as the mokmire convulsed on the floor behind me. Ryone was looking at me, her eyes filled with rage and fear, slightly softened up as I moved closer to her.

Oops, let’s not forget about this!

I thought as I quickly picked up the money pouch that the mokmire had thrown on the ground, and safely put it in my satchel.

In a nod of understanding, Ryone bolted towards the camp entrance, where the carriages were further apart. I followed closely behind her as we left towards the edge of the clearing.

Phytomancer - Experience +23

Explorer - Experience +12

Uhmph, less experience than a crab, truly a worthless being.

I quickly dismissed the notification as I heard voices yelling all around, seemingly approaching our location.

Guess I shouldn’t have roared so loudly earlier…

Right as we reached the line of buildings, I noticed a group of slavers approaching from the road ahead, and I recognized the archer running alongside them. Looking behind, I noticed more mokmire scrambling around the place from the commotion, some of them also heading towards us.

Staring at Ryone for a long moment, I decided to give in to the innate pride of my dragon heritage. If it had to be someone, at least it was her. Lowering my body forward, I motioned to her to climb onto my back. At first, Ryone looked at me dumbfounded.

“... Really?” She mentioned, hesitating at the sight.

I visually scoffed, the sound of voices and footsteps growing louder by the second.

“Alright, alright!”

She gave in as she began climbing onto my back, positioning herself on the makeshift saddle that I had created as part of my disguise.

As soon as Ryone secured herself, I noticed the mokmire nearly upon us. In a desperate attempt to evade capture, I activated one of my newer abilities for the first time: "Spore Cloud." As I mentally triggered the ability, a thick cloud of spores erupted from the ground around us, enveloping the area in a dense fog that obscured the vision of our pursuers.

Seizing the moment of confusion, I bolted forward into a side alley. My Trailblazer ability was in full swing, allowing me to navigate at full speed despite the tight confines of the city's streets. The spores lingered behind us, a natural smokescreen that delayed any immediate pursuit.

The pounding of my heart matched the rapid pounding of my paws against the cobblestones as we zigzagged through the alleys of Kyrekeep. Ryone clung tightly, her body tense with both fear and adrenaline as we maneuvered through the dimly lit paths.

Behind us, the shouts of the mokmire grew fainter, their confusion giving us the precious seconds we needed to put distance between us and them. I mentally thanked my great sense of direction as I navigated the side alleys until I emerged back onto the main road where we had come from.

Once clear of the city’s confines, I kept running until the familiar coolness of the forest enveloped us. I continued to push forward, my powerful limbs carrying us swiftly through the undergrowth until we were finally surrounded by the serene whispers of the night forest. It was only when the soft moonlight filtered through the trees, casting a peaceful glow, that I finally slowed to a walk, allowing my racing heart and heaving lungs to catch their breath.

The forest's calm seemed to blanket us, a stark contrast to the tumult we had just escaped. In this tranquility, I could hear Ryone’s soft sobs from behind. Her body shook with each quiet cry, the stress and exhaustion of our ordeal finally catching up to her.

“Thank you,” she managed between sobs, her voice trembling with both gratitude and the strain of pent-up emotions. “Thank you for saving me again.”

Her words, muffled by her tears, were filled with a raw sincerity that tugged at my heart. Despite my inability to respond in words, I felt a deep, comforting sense of duty fulfilled. As I continued to walk, the steady rhythm of my steps seemed to gently soothe her.

The forest around us was alive with the night sounds, crickets chirping and the occasional call of a night bird. These sounds, so typical of the world I knew, provided a lulling backdrop to Ryone's dwindling sobs. Gradually, her cries subsided, and the tension in her body eased. The only sounds that remained were the gentle rustling of leaves and her steady breaths as she finally drifted to sleep, exhausted from the day’s fears and flights.

-_-_-_-_-

[Pov: Marshal Olog]

I sat in the quiet solitude of my office within the keep, poring over the latest reports on the slave trade with the neighboring kingdom of Ignistan. As I scrutinized the details of the agreements and the troubling rise in unauthorized activities noted in the margins, my keen ears picked up the sound of approaching footsteps. Quickly, I closed the most sensitive documents and turned my attention toward the door, ready for the disturbance.

The door opened, and one of my guards stepped through. His face was tense, an indication of urgent news.

"Marshal, there are reports of a commotion at the caravan clearing in the city below," he informed me, his voice steady despite the apparent urgency. "Witnesses have described a luminar girl escaping the city."

Her again? How can those imbeciles lose that kid twice.

"Apparently, she was seen with a large creature that looked like a gemtail," the guard continued, which only raised my brows in surprise. "But sir, there's more to it. The creature was described as having amber scales and small horns."

I paused, intrigued by this unusual description. "Did any of the witnesses mention seeing a gem at the end of its tail?" I asked, the details sparking a peculiar interest in me.

The guard shook his head. "No, sir. No such thing was reported. It seems this creature doesn't fit the typical characteristics of a gemtail."

“Any deceased?” I asked, raising my gaze to meet the guard’s.

“Only one, a slaver from the caravan in charge of the girl.”

I leaned back in my chair, my mind racing with the possibilities. Something about this didn't sit right. Not many creatures would fit this description, and even less would be leaving without causing mayhem and destruction on their way.

"Interesting," I murmured, my curiosity now fully piqued. I made a quick decision, knowing well the kind of attention this could draw and the potential threat or opportunity it represented. "Tell whoever is in charge of the slaver caravan to stand down and report back to their master in Ulv. Inform them that I will handle this matter personally."

The guard nodded, a firm "Understood, sir," escaping him as he turned and exited swiftly.

As the door closed softly behind the departing guard, I stood from my desk, walking towards the window with a malicious grin spreading through my face.

If I present the creature alongside the girl to the council, I will finally be able to get reinstated in Ulv and leave this shithole of a town for good.

This was an opportunity I could not let slip through my fingers. I looked over the city sleeping below, I felt the weight of my impending task, and I was ready to seize the moment.