Lettarongan saw the wave and then the dragon, which flew first to the edge of the plateau, destroying a part of the mountain, and then rolled down the slope together with the remains of the ruined fortress. It fell into a deep ditch with sharp spikes at its foot, drowning in the muddy, blackened water, and when it stretched its head to keep from drowning, a rockfall hit it. The monster’s raging cries were loud and pitiful. Ghoton heard the enemy’s last phrase in his head. They never spoke again.
Tough, thought Lettarongan.
The army of the western fortress, which was about three miles away, for the first time saw the dragon.
“It seems huge,” said one player. “Look at the surviving towers, the size of them. It’s about ten times their size.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means his foot is probably like a third of our unit.”
About fifty players ran away at once, not daring to test their fate, and hid two miles away and continued to watch from afar. Others tried to stop them, and they retaliated by using magic. In order to nip the conflict in the bud, Ramzai ordered the deserters to be released.
“If they’ll win,” said one, “we’ll come back. I’m level 14 and not ready to lose experience, one step away from 15.”
The dragon, wounded and weakened, tried to crawl out and take off, but Lettarongan, who teleported onto its head with a magical spear of the lightning element and an extended robot-like tip in his hands, caught it. He delivered a stabbing blow, hoping to pierce its brain through, but the 3-yard thick scales stopped the blade one-third of the way through. The military commander did not stop there and used the «Piercing Lightning» to finish the dragon with a powerful spell. It did not work. The magic parameter 4 turned out to be too low. Lettarongan left a wound, but not a deep one, with no brain damage. The dragon, not expecting the attack, roared and yelped and fell to the ground while the military commander continued to deliver blow after blow. Then the creature rolled over and threw off the pesky flea.
“Calling it tough is an understatement,” admonished Lettarongan, and with the next manoeuvre put himself at the creature’s hind paw. He was barely half the height of its claws, but the military commander was not the least bit embarrassed. The ball of lightning crackled and spiraled around the tip and shaft of the spear. Mana overwhelmed his body. His heart was beating like crazy. He delivered one stab after another to throw the creature out of balance. The blows pierced the skin, and «Piercing Lightning» shattered the top layer of muscle tissue. The dragon fidgeted and twisted and spewed flames, but there was no way it could reach the swift military commander. Then the monster flapped its wings and jumped back and tried to take off again, but Lettarongan used «Furious Rhythm» and sprinted to stab his opponent in the knee. He would have succeeded if the monster had not twisted at the last moment and swept the military commander away with its tail.
Don’t let it take off! Lettarongan shouted into the voice chat.
Ramzai, Dora, Jack, and Bellona looked up to see the thick, mountainous clouds glowing with a bright, dark blue fire. A heavy downpour fell, covering the ground with the noise of water currents and the roar of thunder. They coordinated their actions and gave the order.
The dragon staggered, front and hind legs trembling, but it could rise and, without taking its eyes off the military commander, released a lava jet that burned through a deep ditch in the ground and then collided with a light shield. About fifty healers appeared on the slope of the plateau, ready to join the battle. They used magical chains and restrained the mighty enemy and connected mana to the raging elements, which unleashed a hundred sights of lightning. The deafening blasts shook the ground, shattered the trees, pierced the dragon’s scales, and inflicted multiple stab wounds. There was a terrifying roar. No one could hear themselves, only the monster’s heart-breaking screams.
Once again, the dragon’s magical scales saved its life. It stretched its neck and opened its jaws and released a jet of fire into the sky, which pierced through the thick clouds and then rained liquid drops of lava down on the players. The wet grass erupted like straw, the trees turned into torches, their trunks groaning and bursting. Terrible fires broke out on the plain. The yellow smoke rose in large puffs. Then the dragon broke the magical chains with a wave of its wings and surrounded itself with a wall of flame.
“Smart bastard,” Lettarongan said coldly and saw the “minor teleportation” skill was ready to use. He moved to the creature’s eye and raised his spear for another attack and froze for a second as he heard the dragon’s voice in his head, then lost his balance and fell.
Jack, Dora, Ramsay, and Bellona watched through their binoculars, and they gasped in fright and reached forward as if that would help them get a better look at what was going on. The fire, meanwhile, was expanding. A couple more hours and the first flames would reach the forest. Bernavi combined the magic of light and the element of lightning to create an electric forest around Lettarongan, saving his life. Then the three deputies of the officer of the support squads grew angel wings and three spheres lit up above their heads. Like falcons, they launched themselves down a cliff. Their eyes glowed, a thin layer of magical protection covered their long white robes.
The dragon flapped its wings, and the wind magic transformed the wall of fire into a tornado that rose from the ground and flew straight into the enemies. They released the spheres forward, and these small, light and harmless orbs swallowed up the fire attack like multi-ton cores and collapsed into a meteor storm on the ground.
The teleportation cooldown ended, and Lettarongan evaded the healers’ attack and return to his army. They greeted him like a hero, with cheers and shouts, but the result did not satisfy the military commander. The dragon was still alive. Though weakened, still strong enough to withstand the most skilled healers in the eastern fortress.
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We’ll join the battle in five minutes. Hold on, Ghoton wrote to the first military commander.
Bernavi and the rest of his subordinates jumped down and created an arena of light.
What the fuck is he doing? Lettarongan asked in the voice chat.
He’s trying to take all the credit, Jack replied.
Doesn’t want us to take part, added Dora.
Greedy bastard, Bellona snapped, and turned to Camerc and Onzaa.
Greed is the beginning of all sorrows, they answered.
Let them fight, said Ramzai. If they win, so be it. At least we won’t lose anyone.
***
When Ghoton and the Top Secret mages stood on the edge of the ruined plateau, they saw the light arena crack and then heat and collapse. A dragon burst from there and soared into the sky, and disappeared behind the clouds. The ground in that place turned black, and red-hot lava bubbled in the cracks. No one survived.
“Damn,” grinned Ramzai.
Lettarongan, at the last moment, saw the dragon descend on them. The soldiers of the western fortress saw the enemy up close, enormous and monstrous. In fright, many of them froze, others became dizzy and fell, losing their balance. The infernal flames reduced Bellona’s fourth squad to ashes. No one escaped alive.
“What the hell!” shouted Lettarongan. “Where is the protective dome?”
Dora looked at the black soil and ash and said:
“In reality, they’re not soldiers, they’re ordinary people; they can’t set their emotions aside.”
“Dammit.”
The formation of the other units was disrupted immediately. The players screamed and ran for their lives.
Stop! Ramzai wrote in the army chat room. You’re all going to die! You can’t run away!
Yet they did not listen to him and left the alliance. Not a couple of minutes later, a new dragon attack left the deserters in ashes.
“Everyone! Regroup! As long as you act according to plan, nothing will happen to you! All trouble comes from fear.” Lettarongan shouted as hard as he could.
Dora, your squad is in charge of defense. Don’t let me down. Jack and Ramsay, you’re with me on the attack.
The dragon in the sky flapped its wings, and the clouds parted. It reappeared, completely covering the blinding sun with its carcass, spewed flames, and disappeared. The army of the western fortress repulsed the attack. The players rejoiced, nearly all realizing that the dragon was weakened, not strong enough to withstand their combined strength. However, the longer they adhered to the defense strategy, the clearer it became that they were not dealing any significant damage to the dragon, and mana was not made of rubber. The battle dragged on.
During the tenth raid, the magical power of the players was not enough. The dragon defeated the defensive unit. Dora was the only one who escaped, and that was thanks to the timely teleportation of the military commander.
With these attacks, it recovers his strength, said Ramzai, and exhausts us.
The seeds of fear, like annoying weeds, sprouted again in the hearts of most. The dragon terrorized Lettarongan’s army with endless stealthy attacks. There were fewer and fewer players. It was necessary to devise a new strategy and keep the monster from taking off.
***
“What do we do, officer?” The magician asked.
Ghoton, like the others, felt confusion, fear, and the weight of responsibility for his decisions. All of this clouded his judgment and planted in his mind the single thought of survival.
“Let’s destroy it,” he answered without hesitation. “There are no more options. Not anymore...”
“So, how do we deal with it?”
***
Beyond the thunderclouds came the roar of the dragon. It flew over Ramzai’s squad, releasing a stream of lava. The players had not expected a spell of such power, and another squad fell. Two hundred and fifty men remained, of whom forty fled, saying they did not stand a chance. Lettarongan sank. The ground was slipping from under his feet. His head was spinning. The fire was everywhere; there was no way to put it out. As if plunged into the underworld for the sins of the past. The military commander sadly said it was time to retreat, but Dora and Jack stopped him and urged action, either glory or death.
Lettarongan’s memories flashed through pictures from his past, the proceedings, the distrust, the spoiled attitude of people, and the depression. He stared at one point.
“Listen, brother,” Jack began, “let the past stay where it belongs, start forging the future. Whatever happens, we’re with you to the end.”
“They hate me,” Lettarongan said.
“Turn around,” Dora answered.
The military commander saw his last troop, young men and women. They all looked at him with hope in their eyes. No one said a word to him.
“They need you,” Jack said. “We need you.”
***
“What is stronger than fire?” Ghoton asked.
“Perhaps... earth, sir?” The mages asked in an uncertain voice.
The officer turned around and said:
“In certain circumstances, it is. But the worst enemy is air. Fire without air is nothing.”
The others looked at each other and agreed.
“Why didn’t we think of it before?”
“Because we didn’t have time.”
***
Lettarongan gathered his thoughts and said to himself, it’s time to stop being afraid. He shook with anger at himself. He scrolled through his mind to where the dragon was attacking from. Flying cross to cross, how predictable. During another attack, he anticipated the dragon’s actions and merged with his spear and lightning shot forward and hit the monster in the wing.
“He’s got it all the way through!” shouted the warriors of the western fortress. “He’s got it! Did you see?”
Many embraced their friends with joy, took one shot each into the sky, and yelled.
The monster collapsed like a stone. Ground shook and sagged under its multi-ton weight. The dragon whimpered and tried to rise, but could not. A voice sounded in Lettarongan’s head, to which he paid no attention and recoiled, dreading to go all the way. The most dangerous opponent is the one on death’s doorstep.
Ghoton wrote to the military commander in PM and told him he had a plan to defeat the enemy.
After reading it, Lettarongan replied:
You are a genius! This is our chance!
The officer of the attack squads headed toward the military commander’s army. The dragon, exhausted and broken, shot small fireballs and weak jets of flame in different directions, just to keep the men away from it. It tossed and turned from side to side, trying to rise, but was not strong enough. The thunderclaps muffled the sound of the downpour. Lightning struck the fiery ground. The last players surrounded the monster, standing at a distance of three hundred yards around it. Ghoton used a magical dome over everyone, including the dragon. Top Secret mages supported him by amplifying the spell. The sounds of the raging nature were muffled.
The dragon spoke out loud. The players froze in surprise. Ghoton was confused. Lettarongan smelled victory and ordered his men to assemble. The players held their breath. The warriors of the western fortress all cast the “Vacuum” spell together. It put out the fire. The officer of attack squads prepared to finish the enemy, but something in his heart screamed at him not to. He hesitated, then saw a message from Mercyaa.