In the foothills of Dragon Peak, we live.
Beyond the sea of clouds.
Huff, puff, with every step, I catch my breath.
Even though I intend to breathe deeply, for some reason, I feel out of breath.
It’s not just me; everyone seems a little breathless.
Ever since entering the high mountains, our stamina has been rapidly depleting. Accordingly, the number of breaks increases. We advance a little, then rest a little. Repeating rest and advance, we nevertheless steadily approach our destination.
It’s the third day since we entered the Dragon’s Mausoleum.
Finally, the altitude has risen considerably. We emerged from a world of pure white, neither fog nor cloud, to the other side of a ridgeline where sparse vegetation was scattered.
Rough, precarious rocky terrain. If I slip, I could disappear into the valley floor far below in an instant. I advance step by careful step.
Looking back, the tips of sharp mountain ranges that had emerged from the sea of clouds were visible here and there, like islands floating on water.
Below the sea of clouds, the weather might be bad. Low, rumbling thunder, like the growl of dragons, occasionally echoed from beneath our feet.
I’ve ridden on the backs of Nimia and Asher countless times above the clouds.
But this experience, crossing the sea of clouds on my own feet and aiming further upward, is something I’ve hardly ever done.
Or rather, whether counting from when we stayed at Mistral’s village or not, I’ve only ever climbed down mountains entirely on my own a very small number of times. Perhaps only when I went hunting?
Walking on my own feet makes me keenly aware of how fortunate Nimia’s wings are.
I reach out to Ruiseine, who almost lost her footing in the raging wind, and support her.
If Laira deploys her clinging dragon art, we’d be free from the danger of falling, but the risk of being discovered by dragons would immediately present itself.
Having crossed the clouds, we no longer need to strain our eyes and follow the shadows of wyverns overhead. However, earth dragons still roam.
Just yesterday, we caused a huge commotion because we didn’t notice a giant earth dragon lurking in the rocks, completely hiding its presence, until it was too late.
Even Mistral, Ruiseine, and Ares-chan can’t fully detect the presence of dragons. After continuing such a dangerous journey for three days, we were quite exhausted.
However, looking ahead.
The green has vanished, and the mountain range, now a desolate palette of white snow and gray and black rocks, awaited us as if to say, “This is where the real challenge begins.”
And then, scattering the snow clouds we’d stirred up, deep within the mountain range where strong winds swirled.
Dark clouds, clearly not of natural origin, had gathered.
Even from a distance, I could tell.
A mass of miasma. Dark, murky, stagnant clouds unfurled ominously, unmoving in the wind that intricately intertwined with the mountain peaks and valleys.
Squinting, I could discern several streaks of pale blue lightning within the dark clouds.
“Is that the dead volcano where the Dragon Altar is said to be?”
“Probably. I’m also coming here for the first time, so I’m not sure. We won’t know until we arrive. However, given those miasma clouds, it’s likely the correct guess, isn’t it?”
We stopped and gazed at our destination.
“Let’s rest here for today.”
Following Mistral’s instructions, we search for a suitable campsite.
We find a rocky overhang a little ahead that can shield us from the wind, and everyone begins preparations.
We build a fire in a spot enclosed by rocks, trying not to stand out from our surroundings, and set up our portable pot. We put in dried meat, a few wild vegetables, and the ordinary potatoes we brought, flavoring them simply with salt. We mix water with cornmeal, knead it, and spread it on heated rocks to bake.
During our journey, we can’t be picky about meals. As long as it fills our stomachs and provides energy for tomorrow, anything is fine.
However, the women, whose cooking skills have improved at Mistral’s village, manage to create delicious meals from simple ingredients using all sorts of tricks. Thanks to them, Priscilla-chan hasn’t complained and has been able to come this far.
Occasionally, we’ll turn a blind eye to Ares-chan pulling out sweets from some mysterious space and sharing them with Nimia and Priscilla-chan.
“I’ll take the first watch tonight.”
It was the spring when I, at fifteen, entered Dragon Peak alone. That was last year. I traveled with irregular hours, sleeping during the day and walking all night, but for such a large group, it seems better to walk during the day, make camp before sunset, and spend the nights quietly.
Since we can take turns on watch, there’s no need to push ourselves to walk in poor visibility at night. Even if monsters appear, we can handle them sufficiently.
We might encounter dragons day or night, but there’s nothing we can do about that.
After quickly finishing our meal and cleaning up the cooking utensils, the women immediately went to sleep.
We take out thick clothing from our luggage and huddle together to avoid getting cold.
I also lift the collar of my worn clothes, preparing for the coming cold.
The regular breathing of everyone soon began to fill the air behind us.
I place Ares-chan on my lap and watch over them while meditating.
Ares-chan is also quite exhausted.
It’s understandable, I suppose. Even if it’s just deploying illusions around us, doing that for three days and three nights without interruption must be tiring.
While sending dragon energy to the exhausted Ares-chan, I diligently completed my assigned watch.
The sun sinks into the twilight-colored sea of clouds, and the curtain of night descends.
The beautiful starry sky, unlike anything visible from flatlands, appears so close it feels within reach.
However, as my gaze sweeps across the sky.
Obscuring the twinkling stars, the miasma clouds spread a darkness darker than the night.
Tomorrow, we will finally enter those miasma clouds, I believe.
What role will the Ryūhōken held by Yufilia and Nina play, and what awaits us at the Dragon Altar?
I intend to put forth my utmost effort to resolve the curse of the Dragon’s Mausoleum. It’s not just to prevent many dragons from appearing, afflicted by the curse and turning into Rotten Dragons, but also because I want the elder dragons to spend their remaining years in peace.
But. If there is danger ahead that I cannot handle.
If even one member of my family is in danger.
I will prioritize the safety of my kin over the peace of the dragon race.
Yes, no matter what means I take.
“Elnea, it’s my turn.”
Before I knew it, my watch had ended. Technically, I was supposed to wake someone to relieve me, but Mistral woke up on her own and sat down in my place in the rock shade.
“Please have this before you sleep.”
Mistral’s hand held a cup emitting warm steam.
I thank her and take a sip.
Ares-chan moves from my lap to Mistral’s.
Ares-chan is a spirit, so they don’t need sleep. They enter the watchkeeper’s embrace like this and use spirit arts throughout the night.
The person on watch is healed by the warmth of Ares-chan clinging to them.
Truly, I can’t thank the young girls enough for their efforts.
Warmed by the drink, I have no reservations about going to sleep. I slip into the spot where Mistral had been sleeping.
On my right is Ruiseine. On my left are Priscilla-chan and Nimia.
I lie down without waking those who are sleeping and close my eyes.
Perhaps it’s the sense of security from having a watch, but I fall asleep quickly.
I think it was in the middle of the night.
I quickly awaken to a faint presence in my surroundings.
It’s strange. A year ago, I wouldn’t have noticed the immediate crisis without Ares-chan protecting me, but now, I can wake up to even the slightest anomaly.
I sit up, my upper body, and check on Nina, who is on watch.
“I think it’s a yōma…”
Nina’s expression betrays her inability to hide her tension.
She senses a foul presence but can’t confirm it visually, so she cautiously peeks out from the rock shade and surveys the surroundings.
It wasn’t just me and the watchman, Nina, who reacted quickly to the yōma’s presence.
Mistral, Ruiseine, Yufilia, and Laira had all woken up in that order, without anyone needing to wake them.
We are made invisible by Ares-chan’s magic. Unless they get too close or we dig a pit, they shouldn’t find us easily.
However, whether this will work against yōma is unknown.
Therefore, we all maintain our guard.
Ruiseine hugs the sleeping Priscilla-chan, who is still letting out cute snores, while Laira and Yufilia pack our belongings. Mistral and I ready our weapons, prepared for the worst.
“Oooohhh… oooohhh…”
A disturbing vibration in the air, unlike the strong wind blowing through the mountain range, echoes.
A shiver-inducing sound, like an unpleasant sensation crawling up my spine. A vibration in the air that felt as if the undead were calling out to the living.
Just hearing that sound, or voice, makes my hands, holding the White Sword and the Spirit Tree Wooden Sword, tremble.
Nina covers her ears and tries to pinpoint the source of the sound.
Mistral and I move forward, scanning the surroundings alongside Nina.
The same starry sky, and the distant miasma clouds.
No change from the scenery before I went to sleep.
Except for the unsettling vibration in the air, echoing through the mountains.
“Oooohhh…”
“Uooohh…”
“Oooohh…”
Echoing…?
No, this is different!
It’s not an echo, it’s multiple voices!
Straining to see what lies ahead, my body tensed with caution. Beyond the rugged rocky terrain, multiple bizarre shadows writhed and appeared. Their movement crawling on the ground was as repulsive as a marine mollusk emerging onto land. Their worm-like bodies were semi-transparent, allowing the starlit sky clinging to the rocks and the ground to be seen through them.
Yōma!
And there are many of them.
The yōma are about the size of a cow’s torso. As they undulate and advance, their surfaces are crisscrossed with red veins, visible even at night, pulsing ominously. And there were more than ten of them in a swarm, emitting their peculiar, voice-like sounds.
With a slight pfft, Nina averts her gaze from the appearing yōma.
Certainly, just looking at them is unpleasant. But more than that, the aura emanating from the yōma is strange, and the women are backing down.
Should I be the one to step forward? Even before they notice us, if more than ten such yōma are milling about nearby, sleeping peacefully would be impossible.
Gripping the White Sword and the Spirit Tree Wooden Sword anew, I prepare to leap out from behind the rocks.
“Elnea-kun, please wait a moment.”
Ruiseine places a hand on my shoulder from behind, stopping my movement.
“Oooohhh…”
“Uuuu… Aaaah…”
The worm-like yōma wriggle their entire bodies, crawling up the mountainside. As they do so, they begin to spread out to the right and left beyond our hiding place in the rocks.
Their movements are frantic.
They don’t seem like they’re just roaming Dragon Peak at night or appearing in search of something. Rather, as if desperately trying to escape some danger, they are fleeing with screams… And if Ruiseine has moved, it means.
A tremor that shakes the entire mountain, a deep rumbling, occurs. It was immediately after I recognized it. The rock face beneath the yōma, which were moving erratically, suddenly shot up like sharp needles, impaling them.
Letting out ear-splitting death cries, the yōma explode in a spray resembling water splashes.
The yōma, having narrowly avoided the rock-made sword mountain, crawl desperately to escape. Then, a colossal shadow approaches.
With a fierce roar that slices through the night, an earth dragon descends from the sky!
“Filthy insects. Do you think you can simply get away with defiling this quiet moonlit night?”
Why is the earth dragon from above!? Before I could even wonder, the earth dragon, landing with a thud, destroys the sword mountain it created and turns its sharp fangs on the fleeing yōma. It tears them apart with its jaws, crushes them underfoot, and sweeps them away with its thick tail. The yōma, as large as a cow’s torso, are annihilated by the earth dragon before our disbelieving eyes.
Viscous red and semi-transparent liquid splatters on the earth dragon’s massive mouth, limbs, and tail. The earth dragon moves with apparent disgust, but the liquid cannot be wiped away. It then rumbles and draws forth dragon energy. A dense dragon energy, like steam, envelops the earth dragon’s entire body. The visible dragon energy evaporates, stripping away the yōma’s bodily fluids clinging to its body.
Yōma are considered more dangerous than monsters and magic beasts. To see the earth dragon, which faced more than ten of them, annihilate them unilaterally, sent a shiver down my spine. I was ready to fight too, but it likely wouldn’t have been an easy victory. In some cases, Mistral might have had to join in. Yet, it was done unilaterally. As expected of an elder earth dragon.
But then, why from the sky?
Earth dragons, of course, cannot fly. Even if they could, they wouldn’t be able to go above the clouds. Perhaps it leaped from the foot of the mountain, relying on its immense dragon energy? That’s ridiculous!
The earth dragon, having blown away the remnants of the yōma, approaches us with heavy, rough footsteps.
“Tonight is quite noisy. Now, why are brats like yourselves in a place like this?”
Ah, we’ve been found.
The earth dragon glares down at us hidden in the rock shade from above.
