Empire of Blood

Chapter 14: The Dragon and the Wolf

The Hinterlands grew restless under the fading sun as two warhorses galloped through the twisted trees with a ball of blue light guiding their path—the first rider tightly held on to a leather satchel concealing the stolen paragon. Kiba had been hunting the dwarf thieves like a stealthy assassin for a week since they robbed Artio's shrine. After almost encountering the dragon rider, she ordered her unit to return home; she wouldn't risk her pack members on this mission.

When the She-Wolf reached a reasonable distance ahead of the robbers, she switched to her human form, carrying her self-made bow and a few crafted arrows dipped in Marcupo venom resting in her quiver. Giving a toothy grin, she quietly jumped up the branches of a nearby tree, using the shadows to hide her murderous intentions before drawing an arrow and holding her bow taut, aiming it at the rider holding the egg. Yet, Kiba suddenly felt a gush of wind brush against her backside. The hair on her neck and spine stood up on end when a large shadow drifted over the earth.

The two horseback riders stopped when a massive green dragon soared overhead, its thundering roar making the Mustang Mountains and Hinterlands tremble in fear. Its bat-like wings caught the evening sun like stained glass windows, glimmering against its brilliant scales like sparkling emeralds. Its crown of horns gave it a regal appearance as if it were the god of all dragons, as it was proper for Ulrich, the Divine of destruction, war, and technology.

Ulrich swooped down and belched out a torrent of green fire with tendrils of lightning striking the earth nearby; Kiba hissed and roared as she lost her footing, and the two horseriders escaped her wrath and fury. Yet, the Emerald Dragon's destruction knew no bounds, as his fire quickly blazed across the land, consuming the Hinterlands within seconds.

Kiba jumped out of her tree to avoid his emerald inferno, but now she lost the thieves as they made their hasty return to Rhumbek, not far from there. Without Artio's golden egg, she couldn't regrow the forest or stop the dragon god's cataclysm from scarring the landscape. Instead, she ran after Ulrich. Kiba readied her makeshift longbow and nocked three poisoned arrows, aiming at the rampaging Divine, but he was too quick for her; Ulrich disappeared behind the sea of trees through his thundering roars.

Kiba growled and swore under her breath before rushing after the green dragon, frustrated with how it toyed with her. Artio will not be pleased.

Kiba looked up at the skies and saw the outline of the Emerald Dragon flying overhead once more, its wings translucent against the twilight sky. She readied her arrows and aimed again at the dragon as he continued dancing above her. Her shots whistled upon release, but they missed as he swerved. Kiba growled and pulled out another arrow while she ran, chasing the dragon's shadow. She fired with a deep breath and careful aiming when the timing seemed right. This time, it hit.

The Emerald Dragon cried in pain as her poisoned projectile pierced his armored hide, but he withheld further destruction to the forest as he fled; Kiba howled in agony as the blazes burned before resuming her hunt for the bandits.

Kiba traveled a few hours more until she reached the outskirts of Rhumbek; when she stumbled upon a meadow outside the dwarven city, she caught the familiar scent of the boy and his dragon named Doragon from her previous encounter, plus two more. Kiba slowly approached the clearing, staying well hidden within the bushes, but flinched upon seeing a lovely maiden accompanying the young man.

The She-Wolf sniffed and growled; the copper-kissed-skin lady smelled and looked familiar and yet, different. At first, Kiba believed she was a former member of the pack, but she knew it couldn't have been possible: the Betrayer left the Aynu to remain behind in Alfheim shortly after the elves rebelled.

Though she was tempted to jump out and attack, she withheld after noting the two dragons taking guard. The humans were armed and equipped with weapons of their own, and they were close to the city limits; these two dragon riders would destroy the entire pack.