“—Isn't it the dragon?”

Irushka looked at him as she refuted his guess, “No, it only has two legs with no arms, it’s most likely a wyvern, if it was a dragon that attacked them then there's not even town would be left.”

“Do you know a lot of things about dragons?” Lance looked at the elf only to received a shake of her head.

“I only know how that wyverns and the likes that has similarities to dragons were called sub-dragons or demi-dragons, I am one of the elves that more interested in battles other than history.”

“I thought all the elves was like you, thankfully its not within the race.” Damian muttered out loud granting him another fierce stare from Irushka.

Alexis was surprised when he heard their conversation but what stunned him was when he got to know the creature that attacked his hometown.

“Wyvern..” the hand that holding the cup couldn't help but tighten producing a cracking sounds.

“A monster that attack to destroy instead of attacking for food this looks more abnormal than I thought.” Lance muttered as he started tapping the edge of the table.

“Is this somehow connected with the dragon, something like a ritual to woke him up?” Damian asked escaping from Irushka's gaze.

“If its a sacrificial ritual there’s a need to kidnapped them as even the largest known ritual cannot reach this far from the northern ends but I can't be sure as I am looking at it from a human standards.

“However in my opinion this can seen as an offering or a celebration to welcome the awakening of the dragon, its like offering donation to their God.” The old man said before sipping his tea.

”I agree with his opinion.” The Heretic seconded after him.

“I'll send a letter back to the capital asking if there are places that was burned like the five we saw tomorrow, then we'll know if this truly connected to the dragon or not.”

Alexis noticed the number from what Lance just said. “What five of?”

“What happened to your town also happened in the places we've passed and your hometown was fourth while the one your feet touches is the fifth one.”

Alexis didn't saw due to the darkness of the night and his bad eyesight that there were some debris that suffered from strong heat scattered around the place, he also didn't smell the smoky odor due to the delicious food Tron cooked.

He became quiet but inside he was fighting his stomach to not vomit the food he just eaten, from disgust.

Not minding that he just almost made someone sick Lance clapped his hands gaining their attention. “Go in your tents and sleep as we'll set off early tomorrow, I'll be on the watch first like usual.”

“You don't need to keep guarding the place as I'll be able to notice if someone entered the surroundings of our camp.” Irushka said.

Ezekiel looked at her with pouting face as he complained, “Its been about 7 days in our journey why are you only told it now! I could sleep without being woken up every time if you just said so.”

“I don't want you humans—especially one like you to depend on me, I only told you now because of being disturb when sleeping and also some of you must’ve already noticed that something was wrong when I open my tent before you guys even got near it.” .

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“I have confidence about your skills but its better not to put all eggs in one basket, just to be in safe side we'll continue the night watch except for you.” Lance added the last words were for Irushka.

Irushka nodded not complaining about it before heading towards her tent, the rest also have no objection with it as they head on their assigned tent.

“You are too cautious captain. Good night.” Ezekiel said before heading inside.

Lance did not gave him a reply and instead looked at Alexis that still seated in his chair like became a part of it.

“Are you not going to sleep?”

“I just woke up and I don’t think I will be able to sleep that easily after hearing that many information in one sitting.”

Alexis raised his head and looked at the other end. “What is this dragon that you've been talking about?”

“Something that held our freedoms.”

Alexis did not understand his vague answer but he did not asked about it instead he asked what he wanted to know the most.

“Is that dragon connected to the one that...destroyed my hometown?”

Unknowingly his hands clenched as his eyes started to brighten like small sparks.

Lance rest his back on the chair and looked up the dark sky glittered with stars.

“Maybe, maybe not however if its connected to each other what would you do?” Lance shifted his gaze at the end of the the table.

Alexis met with his gaze before looking down at his bloodied hands.

“...I'll get heal first then I'll...try to become strong....Strong enough to kill the wyvern...”

He proclaimed weakly like he was asking himself as his crimson blood started to flow through the gaps of both hands but Alexis did not even felt pain, he just felt how pathetic he is.

“Hmm, you are still recovering so head back to your tent.”

“Yes, good night sir.”

Alexis followed Lance's order and went back to his tent.

As he laid down the mattress made from leaves he slowly closed his eyes, but he did not see the darkness instead it was the nightmare.

His eyes might have dried after being burnt to coal as he couldn't even shed a single tear as he watch those nightmare unfold.

Back outside Lance who just saw off Alexis spoke, “Come out Damian.”

A figure step out from the shadows of the light it head straight to the table and sat on the seat Alexis been before, “How did you know its me?”

“Guess.” Lance didn't answer his question but instead asked him back.

“So what are you doing out here?”

Damian shrugged his shoulder before mimicking Lance tone, “Guess.”

“...”

“...”

The two of them gaze at each other and it was Damian who lose at their staring battle as he raised his arms in defeat

“Sigh, I am just curios to what you will say to that boy.”

“You already heard it now go back to your tent and sleep.”

Damian did not stood up instead he put on a serious face, “Lance why are you guiding him into thinking that the dragon was the cause for his hometown destruction?”

“I am just giving him a reason to live.”

“But he is a child if he became too passionate about the idea of the dragon has something to do with his situation he will surely follow us.”

What Damian said was right a young adult unknown about dangers about the world would surely think about that.

Lance looked at him as he seriously said, “I will not take a baggage with me.”

Before Damian could even feel the relief Lance continued.

“But a diamond in rough will do.”

“What do you mean?”

Lance said while looking up at the moon flying in the night sky.

“You should not underestimate him, you saw and heard what we talked about right?”

“Hmm.”

“Then you should've seen how he answered once I asked him about his plans.”

Damian looked up at the skies too as he muttered, “He was lacking with confidence…”

Lance lowered his gaze back to him as he asked, “Is that how a child would react from how you describe it.”

“But—”

“He overcame a great trial and survived it without losing his mind, is it due to his hidden power, or could it that he used all of his own luck just to survived, or maybe it was a miracle, even if he was not someone's special after surviving that calamity he became one.”

Damian looked at him and asked, ”In short you want him to join us?”

“I already said I will not accept a baggage. Go back and sleep or would you like to be the one on look out?”

Damian didn't even have time to talked back when he saw him about to stand up he hurriedly went back to his tent but before he disappear inside it his words reached Lance's ears.

“You talk like one of those nobles, you really got infected by them.”

Lance did not chide his humor and continued watching the stars that grew brighter as the darkness deepens.