The dragon had caught them off guard, especially the lookouts of the "Moon Spear." Distracted by the duel between Freydelhart and Valderant, they spotted the dragon too late. The red beast returned, spewing purple flames onto the mainsail where the crow's nest was. The alarm was immediately raised for all the crew. The order and confidence shown during the first attack were replaced by panic.

Runaesthera, who until a moment ago thought the greatest danger on the ship was Valderant, tried to keep her daughter close while raising a shield. They had agreed that in the face of a dragon attack, it was best to allow Eri to absorb its fire, that way there would be no explosion, but for that, she had to be as close as possible.

Eri was throwing her orange flames at everyone who approached to strengthen them. Runa wondered if the little girl's fire had any limit, because according to Mera she had never felt it exhaust or weaken. But right now, the mystery that interested her was why the red dragon had returned and was now hostile. Had it all been a trap? It didn't seem likely. It flew in circles attacking with fire and claws, then retreating again, ready to attack from another direction. But it almost always seemed to be looking for where Eri was.

Master Genwill, who had not been interested in the duel, stumbled onto the deck upon hearing the commotion.

"What's all this fuss about?" he asked in a raspy voice. He had been drinking again. "Can't an old man get some sleep?" He noticed the fire in the sails. "Oh, I see."

With precise movements despite his state, Master Genwill invoked his magic scepter as if he had pulled it out of the sleeve of his tunic. He liked to be theatrical even in the most serious situations. He spun the scepter over his head, the seawater floated towards him, forming streams like ribbons. When the old elf stood still, the ribbons compressed into what looked like two floating bubbles the size of Eri. One of them flew slowly until it crashed into the burning sail, effectively extinguishing the flames. The other collapsed on the deck as if it were a bucket that had been emptied to clean, while the master fell to the ground in a similar way, overcome by his drunkenness.

"Master!" Runa thought about going to his aid, but the red dragon was concentrating on her, despite Frey and Valderant trying to draw its attention by jumping towards it every time it approached. The limited space had prevented them from being precise and reaching it with their swords. Other crew members tried in vain to use bows and arrows, which were deflected by the sea breeze stirred up by the dragon's strong flapping. Jamdar and Oregdor, knowing they were inexperienced in fighting dragons, were the ones who finally took the master below deck and devoted themselves to trying to convey Frey's orders and take care of the non-combatants.

"Mommy," Eri said, "something bad is happening to that dragon, it's saying weird things. I don't understand it, it's like Daddy when he talks in his sleep."

If that was the case, perhaps another force was controlling the beast. Lady Meracina had been taken below deck, as in her human form she was in danger. Runa thought at that moment of how much they had come to depend on her. And how far she had gone to help them in the war. She wished she had her nearby to ask for her advice. The dragon had all the advantage, it wasn't as big or powerful, but every time Frey and Valderant tried to use the masts to gain height, the dragon set fire to the sails. It didn't get closer, but used its fire to attack from a distance. Every so often it would remain motionless in the air, as if weighing the situation before resuming its attacks. Runa could try to attack with magic, but she had to protect Eri. Though she wouldn't resist much longer. Something had to change. Frey and Val were in front of her to avoid a charge, but they couldn't stop the flames. The situation seemed like a dead end. Eri seemed to continue trying to reason with that monster.

Until the beast charged in her direction.

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Eri tried to be brave, everyone was taking care of her while she tried to do her part, but the dragon stayed far away. She could eat its fire, but it would take a long time if it didn't get closer. She had to do something, Mom was getting tired while Dad and Mrs. Valderant weren't achieving anything. She thought, what would Dad do? Surely something brave and brilliant, he would risk Mom scolding him or getting hurt.

She didn't think about it anymore and began to roar at the dragon. Lady Mera had taught her words that couldn't be said in the language of her parents, but that dragons understood. She chose the ones she had been told were to make them angry. And she took the opportunity to call it all kinds of ugly names. Challenging it to come closer.

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Apparently it worked, the dragon went straight towards her. Eri tried to absorb the fire until Mom took her in her arms and jumped to the side, putting one of her transparent shields. Anyway, its wings hit them, the shield broke, and the blow threw them further away, falling face-first on the deck. Mom was hurt, when her magic ran out she always got very tired, but this time she didn't get up. The dragon went right past and flew back up, circling to attack again. The smoke coming from its wings and side showed that Dad and Mrs. Val had managed to hurt it. Eri launched her healing spark and a strengthening one at Mom without anything happening. Eri was very angry, how dare that dragon hurt Mom?

She took off her emerald necklace and felt her wings again. She always carried the dagger her dad gave her hidden in the little pouch where she kept her sweets. She opened it and realized the sheath was loose, that she could finally take it out. So she did and could see for the first time since the day she received her name the beautiful golden veins in the steel. Dad was undoubtedly amazing. Eri saw Mrs. Val coming, while Dad ran below deck. In the sky, the dragon was getting closer and closer.

Then Eri had the silliest idea of all that occurred to her. She flapped her wings and before anyone could reach her to attack or protect her, she was flying as high as she had ever reached that day, about five or six Dads tall. The dragon passed where she had been near the ground. Eri let herself fall on its back, holding on with all her might to the red wings of the beast that had hurt Mom.

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Frey's patience was running out. His wife was wounded, and the dragon was looking for his daughter. Waiting to exhaust the fire no longer seemed sensible to him, nor did trying to reason with it, or in general anything other than finishing it off immediately. He needed his Pegasus, together they could end that stupid game they had been playing. He found it below deck in the stables, rearing up and trying to break free. That animal knew it was needed. Frey cut all the ties with his sword in one stroke and opened the narrow corral. Jumper ran straight to the deck, knocking down boxes, sailors, whatever got in his way. Frey followed him and jumped on his back just as they reached the deck. He removed the gem that hid his wings and in seconds they were in the air, looking for the fearsome beast.

He found it flying erratically, falling and flapping like a wounded bull. When he saw it, his heart stopped for a moment. Eri, with her dress torn to shreds by the dragon's spikes, was clinging to its back with one hand while with the other she stabbed it repeatedly with the little dagger her father had given her, disobedient girl, that dagger should be in her drawer in Artemia.

Frey could finish the dragon, it would be easy riding Jumper and being distracted, but he would have to take many risks with Eri. He considered it for a moment until Jumper charged towards the dragon, more determined than his rider, but undoubtedly reaching the same determination, they would trust in Eri's power.

As they got closer and closer to the beast, Eri managed to balance herself, took the dagger with both hands and roared loudly, before burying the dagger with all her might in the dragon's scales. The pain and roar stunned it enough for Frey and Jumper to approach at full speed and cut off its head with a clean movement of the griffin pose.

Smoking blood gushed from the beast's neck but did not ignite. Eri had accomplished her mission.

"Erifreya!" he shouted in his most authoritative voice, that girl was going to be in trouble when she was safe, "Fly! I'm coming for you!"

Eri flapped her wings with force to stay in the air while the lifeless body of the red dragon fell into the sea. Frey managed to reach her just before she ran out of energy.

"My girl," he said in a hushed voice, finally, the relief of seeing her well had replaced the rage and fear, "don't ever worry me like that again," he held her with all his might until they were safe again on deck. The little girl buried her face in his chest, hugging him a little too hard, but he didn't complain. She listened to her daughter's faint sobs that she tried to extinguish with all her might, "calm down Eri, you're safe now."

"It's just," she said, her eyes filled with tears, "my finger hurts."

Frey separated her to examine her hand. She had a tiny cut on the index finger of her left hand. It was nothing of importance, until he realized that it was the first time in her entire life Eri had been wounded. He was undoubtedly concerned about the implications, but dismissed focusing on that when he saw that the wound was not smoking. The little blood that came out was red and didn't seem different. He treated it by cleaning it with fresh water from a nearby barrel, while squeezing her little hand and giving her words of encouragement. He made a makeshift bandage with one of the torn pieces of his dress, though by then it wasn't bleeding anymore. It was a way of telling her that her pain was important, it would be little, but for the little girl might be a new experience.

Runa arrived shortly after, she had been wounded in the attack, Eri's power had stopped the bleeding, but it wouldn't be enough. Frey had barely scratched himself in the fight, he cursed himself for allowing his family to suffer. His wife's arm on his shoulder helped to mitigate the feeling. Although, he still wanted to know something. While giving a comforting hug to his two most important people, he wanted to look at Eri and ask.

"Eri, what did you say to the dragon in the end?"

"Oh," she avoided his gaze, embarrassed, "this... I shouted, 'The dragon pose!'"

Well, it was the harpy pose with the weapon pointing down. But Frey's pride forced him to nod and think about whether or not to add that pose to the training, and what the second move could be. The Master would be upset.