Chapter 81: Frost-Forged Dragon
Chapter 83: Frost-Forged Dragon
At the farthest frontier of the Scorching Frost Silver Tundra, deep within the snow-capped mountains that bordered the Fiend’s domain, a rudimentary camp stood tall, housing thousands of the People of Silver Frost.
The Platinum-haired Dragon Maiden rose early to patrol the camp, her footsteps crunching on the snow as she navigated the rugged mountain path.
“Lord Enesyin!”
“Sir Knight!”
“Good morning!”
The People of Silver Frost she passed offered her sincere greetings.
Though Enesyin was a disgrace to her Dragon Species within her family, to the People of Silver Frost, a knight was a knight, especially one who had saved them from dire straits.
Had it not been for Enesyin’s decision, they would all have perished under the Unified Empire’s pursuit. How could they not be grateful?
The respect she had never received before caused Enesyin to puff out her chest and enthusiastically return the salute to the people.
At the edge of the encampment, a Dragonborn knight in silver armor and white robes stood like a statue. The Platinum-haired Dragon Maiden hurried closer.
“Father… I intend to patrol the surroundings with my sister. There may be beasts and Fiend-corrupted Zombies nearby. I hope you can guard the camp during this time.”
The resolute Dragonborn knight nodded. “Mm.”
Enesyin’s father was an extremely stoic, taciturn Dragonborn knight. Even within the Sword of Blazing Sun, he was known as a fringe member, but he was a veteran and an impeccably dedicated Royal Knight.
The familial bonds of Dragon Species were quite weak. Once children reached an age where they could care for themselves, parents generally no longer concerned themselves with their offspring, and they would live separately. Siblings rarely interacted, making Enesyin and Aseran’s long-term closeness a rarity.
During this fragmented guerrilla operation, the sisters’ father had joined their group. He was originally in a different unit, but under the assault of the Unified Empire, his unit was merged into Aseran’s command.
Within the illusion, Enesyin gazed at her father’s back, filled with emotion.
Her memories of her father were vague. This Dragonborn knight, as silent as a mime, had raised her as if it were a routine duty. He had neither raged about her being a “Dragon without Fire” nor prided himself on her being a “prodigy.”
He simply fulfilled his responsibilities silently, without subservience or arrogance, without complaint or praise.
Enesyin and Aseran’s patrol continued until evening. Just as the Platinum-haired Dragon Maiden was about to return to camp, Aseran suddenly pushed her sister to the ground.
“Sister!”
Enesyin turned in confusion, met by Aseran’s meaningful smile. The Golden-haired Dragon Lady raised a slender finger to her lips.
“Shh… look over there.”
Following her gaze, Enesyin’s breath caught in her throat. She saw the clouds at sunset, their dim yellow light stained a ghastly pale, as a colossal, indistinct form slowly moved through them.
The scales on its body emitted a disorienting sheen. Each flash made Enesyin’s heart skip a beat, her blood run cold.
The Frost-Forged Dragon!
A Fiend that had been an enemy of the Sword of Blazing Sun family for a thousand years!
But rather than an enemy, it was closer to the Sword of Blazing Sun unilaterally viewing it as such. The Frost-Forged Dragon never even acknowledged these Royal Knights. Their perceived victories were merely skirmishes with the enemy’s Kin.
Throughout the thousand-year history of the Sword of Blazing Sun, few, if any, had ever seen the Frost-Forged Dragon.
But a Fiend was a Fiend, a being that once called itself a Celestial God. Merely catching a glimpse was enough for its existence to be imprinted upon one’s mind, making it impossible to forget.
Enesyin’s mind even conjured the verses that had been passed down for countless ages in the Scorching Frost Silver Tundra:
“Ah, peerless frost, unfeeling steel, descending from the heavens.”
“All beings, remember this—”
“If you have ears, listen; listen to the sound of destruction.”
“If you have mouths, wail; tell of infinite despair.”
“If you have hearts, tremble; accept eternal cold.”
“The Fiend of Frost and Steel is unstoppable, irreversible!”
Overwhelming fear and chaos assaulted her mind, leaving the Platinum-haired Dragon Maiden’s thoughts blank.
“Thump, thump, thump—”
Her heart pounded wildly, threatening to burst from her chest.
Only after the giant dragon traversing the clouds vanished from sight did Enesyin slowly steady herself with Aseran’s help.
But before she could compose herself, a jolt ran through her, and she looked into the distance.
“No, our camp!”
“Are you still going? I think it’s too late.”
Aseran said to her sister, but Enesyin no longer heard her. Without regaining her composure, she sprinted towards the camp.
An hour, two hours, three hours… until nightfall descended.
Despite any lingering hope, when she finally reached the camp, the scene that greeted her eyes was indeed utter devastation.
This was, of course, not the work of the Frost-Forged Dragon’s deliberate action. The arrogant Fiend would never concern itself with a gathering of ants.
It had merely passed by, a casual sweep of its presence bringing unimaginable pollution and distortion to the camp.
Perhaps the knights of the Sword of Blazing Sun could resist the corruption, but the other People of Silver Frost who had followed them were not so fortunate.
Horrific mutations appeared on the bodies of the People of Silver Frost. Frost-like, steel-hard crystals tore through flesh and covered limbs and faces, turning them into beings akin to Zombies.
These shambling figures began to attack the normal, uncorrupted individuals, piercing their bodies, tearing their flesh, and feeding on their blood.
Enesyin charged into the camp with all her might, hoping to save even a single comrade. However, all she saw were either irreversibly mutated Zombies or disemboweled corpses.
Upon reaching the center of the camp, Enesyin’s footsteps suddenly stopped, her pupils constricting. Gazing at a corpse on the wall, she murmured,
“Father…”
In the heart of the camp, the Dragonborn knight, wielding a silver sword, was pinned to the wall by ice crystals. The surrounding mutated creatures had pried open his chest cavity and were ravenously devouring the blood within.
The frost-cold Zombies intensely craved the Dragonborn’s hot blood to drench their bodies.
“Thud—”
Enesyin immediately fell to her knees, collapsing onto the ground.
Slaughter, mutilation, torture, maniacal laughter, wails… they erupted from within the camp, tightly enveloping the Platinum-haired Dragon Maiden.
It was an almost hellish scene, but Enesyin was not so terrified as to lose her senses. She stared blankly at everything before her, a wave of unspeakable bitterness and regret washing over her.
“Did I… cause their deaths?”
“Ah, yes, you caused their deaths.”
The answering voice arrived with a Gale. In the blink of an eye, the Zombies lunging at Enesyin were swept away.
Flames engulfed the camp, and within the inferno, Aseran walked as if strolling through a garden.
