For a moment, there was silence. Then, a light breeze picked up and Ezechiel's figure began descending from the sky. He gracefully landed in front of Marshmallow and the Dragon Goat in a few seconds.

"Marshmallow," Ezechiel said, casually stroking his blue goatee. "I get what you're asking. Honestly, after everything you've done for us, helping you out would be the least we could do. But I'm afraid it's not that simple. The Ashenwood folks aren't exactly powerhouses. Remember how you took down the Grimgoat when you were super low-level? Even the strongest satyr is weaker than the Grimgoat. Also, a C Rank could wipe out the whole army. I'd be happy to offer my personal help, but asking the satyrs to fight would be like sending them to their deaths."

The Dragon Goat chimed in, "So what do you suggest, Sage Ezechiel? We can't face BloodLust and his crew alone. Got any ideas?"

Ezechiel nodded slowly. "I can offer you something else. I think the Dragon Goat mentioned this to you. I'm a chimera creator. Not only can I create beings from scratch using two matrices, but if a living being is willing and I have another matrix available, I can even evolve existing creatures into something way superior to what they were before."

At this point, Sage Ezechiel straightened up, putting on an air of importance. "But first, let me introduce myself properly. Hear ye, hear ye, mortals. I am Sage Ezechiel, one of the five Cosmic Gods of the Survivor Game."

Marshmallow looked at him impassively. Sage Ezechiel seemed really proud of what he'd said. Maybe he was expecting a "wow!" or some enthusiastic response. Marshmallow, however, only saw a simple mass of data before his eyes.

"And that's supposed to be...?" He replied calmly.

Sage Ezechiel seemed offended by the lack of reaction. "What? How can you not be fascinated by my magnificence? I'm one of the deities weaving the strings of Sinaiara. If I weren't here, the entire world would collapse."

Meh. Doesn't do anything for me. I'm definitely not in the mood to get excited about something like that.

Marshmallow put his hands behind his head, assuming a relaxed pose. "Nothing incredible. We defeated Serthar."

The Dragon Goat nodded in agreement. Despite being created by Sage Ezechiel, he had evolved both in body and spirit. Maybe he owed his body to his creator, but his spirit was all his own doing. He was like a grown child who no longer needs his dad.

Sage Ezechiel huffed in disappointment. "Do you want my help or not?"

"Of course we do!" they both said in unison.

"Then listen up," Ezechiel continued, regaining his composure. "When I reincarnated the Goat Horse into the Dragon Goat, I started with two matrices: the remains of the Goat Horse I'd collected in the Depths of Vesuvietna and a dragon fang. I can do the same thing with the Ashenwood population, but to do that, you'll need to go to the Dragon Valley."

"And what exactly should we do in this Dragon Valley?" the Dragon Goat asked.

Ezechiel smiled. "It's simple. The Dragon Valley is a place where you constantly see flying lizards of all types. You'll need to collect as many dragon fangs as possible and bring them to me. The more you bring, the more powerful the creatures I can create to help you in your battle against BloodLust and the Novgovians."

The Dragon Goat wrinkled his nose. Noble dragon blood now flowed through his veins, and the idea of having to slaughter dragons alongside Marshmallow didn't exactly sit well with him. He decided to speak up.

"You know what, Marsh? We could also go recruit the survivors from the Wyolands. Surely some must have escaped BloodLust's rampage, right? And don't you also have an active quest in the Depths of Vesuvietna? It might be worth completing it. We still have a lot to think about before the final battle."

"We could also see if Eldrin is willing to help us," Marshmallow replied thoughtfully.

"Eldrin? That name rings a bell," Sage Ezechiel responded. "He's one of my apprentices, an alchemist just like me. Clearly, he's not even remotely at my level, since I am a Cosmic God."

Sage Ezechiel never missed a chance to remind them. He held his chin high while saying it.

"...But he could create useful potions for your mission. If you mention my name, you can be sure he'll help you. In fact, he'll probably jump at the chance."

Marshmallow nodded, absorbing all this information. He realized they had a lot to do before facing BloodLust. But before leaving, he felt the need to pause for a moment.

"Before we go," Marshmallow said, "I'd like to take a moment for our fallen comrades."

Sage Ezechiel and the Dragon Goat remained silent as Marshmallow closed his eyes, remembering the faces of Dam, Samantheye, Lynx, Voltran, Raven, and all the others who had lost their lives in the attack on Overblown Castle. They absolutely didn't deserve the end they met.

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

One thing was certain. Marshmallow would avenge them at all costs.

After a moment of silence, Marshmallow reopened his eyes. "We're ready, let's go."

"Then I bid you farewell," Sage Ezechiel said, taking flight. "I'll be waiting for you in the Ashenwood with the dragon fangs. We'll make a super powerful army."

"Count on it, Sage Ezechiel," Marshmallow shot back. Then Sage Ezechiel took his leave, returning to the Ashenwood, floating through the sky at supersonic speed.

The Dragon Goat, meanwhile, had already returned to his draconic form. The duo also took to the air, soaring above the ruins of Overblown Castle, with Marshmallow riding his steed. The sky was a leaden gray as if reflecting the mourning for the fallen.

Marshmallow began to think out loud about their next moves. "We have several possible destinations," he said. "The Depths of Vesuvietna for my pending quest, the search for surviving Wyolanders, the Dragon Valley for the fangs, and the Gear Savannah to retrieve Eldrin."

Mentioning the Dragon Valley, Marshmallow noticed the Dragon Goat wrinkling his nose. It was understandable: now that he had dragon blood in his veins, the idea of going to massacre his own kind didn't excite him.

"Dragon, I've been thinking," Marshmallow said. "How about if I go to the Dragon Valley alone? You could take care of recruiting Eldrin. I know you don't like the idea of harming dragons, and I understand your reluctance."

The Dragon Goat looked surprised. "Well, yeah, you're right. The idea of participating in a massacre of my own kind doesn't sit well with me at all. But how will you manage? How will you get to the Dragon Valley alone? It's hundreds of miles away, you know."

Marshmallow smiled confidently. "Alone? You underestimate me, Dragon. Remember, I'm the Jolly Rank of the Wyolands, I single-handedly disintegrated Serthar, the Final Boss of the Survivor Game. Have you already forgotten what I'm capable of?"

Without waiting for an answer, Marshmallow extended a hand downward. A black patina appeared around his fingers, and suddenly the remains of the Wyolanders scattered among the ruins began to contort unnaturally.

What followed was a spectacle as macabre as it was fascinating. One by one, most of the bones of his companions rose from the ground, grinding and creaking as they interlocked with each other. Shreds of decomposed flesh and solidified, rancid blood attached themselves to the forming skeleton, creating a pulsating, foul-smelling mass. The stench of death permeated the air and was so intense that it brought tears to the Dragon Goat's eyes.

The bones elongated and deformed, assuming the same proportions as the Dragon Goat. You could hear tendons and ligaments recomposing into a bony armor. In a few seconds, where there were only scattered corpses before, now stood a colossal bone dragon. It had empty eyes that glowed with necromantic energy, and a black, putrid substance dripped from its gaping jaws.

The Undead Dragon now hovered right in front of the Dragon Goat, who stared it straight in the eyes, unable to look away. He couldn't decide whether to be more nauseated by the sight and smell of the creature or stunned by Marshmallow's power.

Or maybe he was just... jealous?

"Hey, you're not planning to replace me, are you?" The Dragon Goat said irritably, still staring intently at the new dragon.

"Hahaha, as if!" Marshmallow had responded with a big laugh, composing himself in an instant. "First off, the Undead Dragon can't even be compared to you in terms of stats and speed. You're extremely more efficient in everything, not to mention that summoning it requires a lot of corpse remains and, most importantly, a ton of Stamina."

Marshmallow continued to explain: "You see, the Undead Dragon is just a construct. It doesn't have the intelligence or adaptability that you have. Plus, its existence is temporary and completely dependent on my energy. Conversely, you are a living being with the capacity for growth and learning."

The Dragon Goat seemed to relax a bit at these words, but Marshmallow still sensed a shadow of doubt in him.

"But even if it were possible, I still wouldn't replace you," Marshmallow added. "You're the only one who's always been by my side during the Survivor Game. I wouldn't replace you with anyone in the world."

"Really?" the Dragon Goat said moved.

"Really," Marshmallow replied. "Our partnership goes beyond simple abilities or skills. We have a bond that no undead construct could ever replicate."

Marshmallow had been sincere and honest in the words he'd used. The Survivor Game pushed you to the limit in every way. It wanted you dead at all costs.

A true friend was crucial to moving forward in this adventure, and the Dragon Goat's presence kept Marshmallow's mental health in acceptable condition. And that, certainly, was no small thing.