Isolde wanted to see Montaron... She didn't know whether she was a prisoner or not... In any case, Marise was.

The poor dragon was half conscious and was crying for her mother. She was 20 metres tall with her tail and she was chained up in a dungeon with bars on one side.

Isolde had a bucket of water and a cloth and she wiped Marise's wounds, removing one by one the arrows stuck in her body.

Marise didn't even flinch, insensitive to the pain, masked by her grief.

Then, raising her head a little: "Sorry Isolde... I don't know what happened, I was revolted, angry at myself and at everyone else. I was unjust and I would like to apologise spontaneously to Vaillant..."

Isolde: "Save your saliva, I saw Vaillant... I had a spell to detect lies and it's rotten to the bone... If it is done, he gave the order, or at least he knows about Tullius. I agreed to marry him in exchange for your life and peace..."

Marise said nothing, just a thank you to Isolde... then she looked at the wall...

"Pardon....." and she froze, closing her eyes, crying for a loved one who had disappeared.

She was preparing for a long period of mourning. She thought back to all the adventures they had together, as she took her under her wing...gave her a job and gave her back her freedom...as she became her adoptive mother. In fact, Tania was her only family...she now realised that she was all alone...like Hirrax who lost her daddy and separated from her mummy. She only had Tiamat as her adoptive mother...

Then she exploded again with grief, like bubbles of suffering that swelled up in the bottom of her chest and the bottom of her skull and then exploded into tears...

The whole castle was shaking and Vaillant began to feel the grief he was causing by his radical decisions.

Remorse was generated in him, and his old ego reappeared a bit like a returnee. And he bit his finger. Tullius manipulated him. And everyone around him was a pawn. He hadn't ordered Tania's death...It was for Tullius to provoke a diplomatic incident and an excuse to declare war. But it was too late. Tulluis was with his men and started their tanks.

These vehicles had only the name. It was a mixture of the Leonardo da Vinci tank and the 19th century cannon. Let's be nice, an armoured car from 1800.

Let's be nice, an armoured car from 1800 [https://img.wattpad.com/41d754c105f15933ec47fbe3785a1e02fe062378/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f716b367069637a4a6a384c5835513d3d2d3938363831353638302e313634616530326162666432653165373637343238363431373635322e6a7067?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]

Other models as crazy as each other.

These tanks were a bit like the ramparts of the towers, the armouring being mainly against arrows and swords [https://img.wattpad.com/7c4a9a036888f6a704f237852096a49ae1c8fbc6/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f33705050513241684573683959773d3d2d3938363831353638302e3136346165303334306265363461373635353937353931393438342e6a7067?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]

These tanks were a bit like the ramparts of the towers, the armouring being mainly against arrows and swords.

The men here were equipped with flintlock pistols, trumpets and muskets.

Made of wood, they were light and relatively effective on the plains of earth and hard stones and dry rivers.

A few horses and they were easily dug out.

By the time Alban reached the capital, Tullius' forces were at the foot of the dwarf fortress. By the time the warning of the metal dragon took effect, the troops outside were cut off from the troops inside the Baltic castle.

But the castle was not fooled and had in reserve the Orcs and refugees of the ancient Dragon lord.

(Be careful, I say Dragon lord instead of Demon lord, because George is not a demon unlike White who is Arch-Demon).

Vaillant did not know how vast the network of the Baltic was due to the excavation by the hydra.

The separate troops entered through hidden underground passages and joined the Baltic forces.

Tullius saw that his plans were compromised when the enemy troops disappeared instead of trying a breakthrough.

To besiege a castle, it is known, even with guns, that it takes seven times as many troops...

This was the basis of the strategy.

Signals from spies deterred Tullius from attacking, and instead he asked for free passage in exchange for gold...

The dwarves could not resist the gold. In fact the kingdom of Midas was well named after him. And the legend was not a legend, but a reality... gold was flowing. And when he couldn't take what he wanted, he bought it...

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

And so the army went on towards the kingdom of Altus...

Many dwarves and soldiers were thinking of joining Tullius, who promised them that they could take all the gold they could carry in their hands. A strategy to attract the strongest. And reward them too.

Meanwhile...

Isueult: "Valiant, I had come on a mission... here are the official documents... and the authorisations. We only arrived to save Tania, we learned that mercenaries had captured her and led her to the fire mouth...".

Valiant: "It's true... But it wasn't me who asked for her execution and all those on the list." (Which he held in his hand and read... astonished...)

Deep down he admired the systematic and highly organised work of his general. He didn't even hold a grudge against him...

"You see... it's all my knowledge and advice... Thank you, Isolde, for opening my eyes".

Isolde calmed down, feeling that Vaillant approved, but when the spell to detect lies was cast, everything turned red and she cleared her throat. Every word had to be weighed and the slightest misstep meant her ruin.

As usual, she took her prince by the arm...

"Since I am to become your queen, I suppose I must put my affairs in order first. I had to see Montaron. He has some medical knowledge about dragons and I would like to ask him some questions."

Valiant: "HAHAHA... Is that all???" I guess it's to cure Marise...

Isolde: "The dragon didn't kill anyone and didn't break anything. She was a berserk. But she was a human like us, before... She insists on asking for your forgiveness. She insists on asking you to forgive her, but she is mad with grief and seriously injured (lie). I don't know anything about reptile balms."

Valiant calmed down.

"You know very well that I hate these creatures, but as she is your friend, as you will become my wife and my queen, I am willing to close my eyes on her. Nevertheless, she will have to serve our kingdom and help us hunt and exterminate the other dragons. In any case, I want Ignar and Ruby's heads... I am less interested in the others, but they must pay for the dead and the children massacred in our tropical colony".

Isolde : "What do you mean???? Children? A dragon that EATS children?"

(Detection of lies: Green)

Valiant: "Yes, we had Ignar who wanted to take power and massacred half of my family and mutilated my father who survived by a miracle and a strong constitution with burns to his lungs. Then Ruby, who was nice like Marise, saved herself by freeing her father from the executioner? For fear of not being able to have descendants.

These incest pigs only deserve a place in hell. But that is not their crime.

They came to the aid of an orphanage attached to a small fort. There was a small town, a port and a trading post for sea trade between the colonies of the different nations. It was also a place for holidays and resorts and the place was known for its volcanic waters and therapeutic sanatoriums.

Many nobles went there and the orphans had a less harsh life there than here on the continent, colder and subject to localized wars and battles.

A group of pirates had attacked the convent, wanting to rape the sisters and capture the children to sell them as slaves. The dragons came to liberate the city and everything was back to normal. People knew that dragons, unlike wild wyverns, were gentler by nature and never attacked children.

But the spectacle was sickening. The dragon rested on a pile of children with their throats cut and she nibbled at them like a praying mantis...

Her parents would go around screaming and grunting, probably to stop help from arriving and let their monstrous daughter eat human flesh. Her sister also went around with her parents.

All the expeditions sent never came back and the island was completely cut off from the world. We don't know if they left or not...

Isolde : "I'm going to investigate this case!".

Valiant: "Then an escort will accompany you... Marise stays here... I don't trust her. Who knows if she's still crazy...

Isolde had run out of arguments.

She was hoping to have her brother's protection but he was busy, very busy defending his country.

He knew that if he intervened on the battlefield that was about to happen, Tullius would not hesitate to use Isolde and Marise as hostages.

He was trapped and Altus knew it too.

He didn't have an underground network like the Baltics and his army, decimated by years of battles against the Orcs, meant defeat.

Plans... Yes the Zergians... Holding...

He was discussing with his advisers...

Then he summoned all the remaining zergians. A hundred men at the most.

Their base and equipment being resistant to spice and Iberium, a plan was drawn up.

"As your leader is no longer, General Tania..., I don't know the exact circumstances, but She perished saving us all from a terrible death.

She was an ally but also a friend. In spite of her dragon raptor body, when we were talking, I forgot that I had a creature of another race in front of me...

She too was a Christian, but from a branch that has been extinct for thousands of years, but Christian, even though she came from another world...

All this brought us closer together and we were able to erase our differences. And it is for this reason also that I and all our people will regret it.

I will ask for a moment of silence...

....

As these documents attest, You are our allies and it is in this capacity that we offer you hospitality. Since you no longer have the means to defend yourselves or to survive at all.

Your army should be under Marise's command, but she too is being held captive by the deceitful Vaillant.

It goes without saying that he will play the hostage card and thus turn the battle in his favour. Even without these ploys, he will crush us.

So it is not your army that will join ours, but the other way around.

We will surrender, keeping only the spiritual power and you will go into hiding, strengthen yourselves and prepare to counterattack. I am sure you have the means and the technology. My men will learn how to drive the vehicles you will build and so, when the time comes, you will take back what belongs to you.

Beware of the gold he offers you. It is cursed and death and disease await those who possess it. Do not forget where this gold comes from. From its victims transformed into statues and then melted down.

This gold is impure, unholy and bears the curse of the victims transformed into ingots. I know you are not superstitious but perhaps these papers and documents might give you pause for thought.

He gave the mentats a comparison between the amount of gold introduced on the market and the number of victims probably killed in this way. The graphs were convincing.

The mentats agreed.

Altus: "Alban...you are our last hope...run away with them...find a plan to save your sister and save her baby. If he sees an egg, he will kill them both. Find allies, even the Hydra... I know it's hard for you, but we are your family... Listen to your heart and save your hatred for the battlefield.

Andromedus... go with Alban..."

"But, Sire...I am only a scientist, not a politician..."

"Valiant has scientific advisers... Your life is at stake... You know the Baltics, try to deal with them..."

Andromedus: "Baltics, yes, but his men are crazy about nuggets, gems and minerals... They are certainly with the kingdom of Midas... Valiant Midas..."

Altus: "It's an order: Flee with Alban... He too may need your help. You must teach him magic, or at least perfect it. Don't forget your daughter too..."

Andromedus was shocked... Altus was right... It was the only solution. By surrendering, Altus saved his people from the torments of war and looting and also guaranteed to keep his head on his neck.

A long column of soldiers, living and raw material resources left the city in the direction of the fields of Iberium, a simple and effective fortress against the enemy troops.

A collector opened the way and a truck dumped the deadly crystals behind them.

After a few dozen metres, any man would be set ablaze by the radiation from the Iberium field.