"Kill!!"
In the next moment, battle cries echoed from all directions as a large group of people emerged from the dense forest.
Erik led the charge, wielding a sword in each hand. With a swift strike, he beheaded a mountain tribesman and shouted, "Leave no one alive!"
"Ula-la-la—!"
The Dragon Guards, clad in armor, fought bravely, slashing and hacking with swords and battle axes, cutting down the mountain tribesmen who barely had time to resist.
In the blink of an eye, the Dragon Guards stormed through the enemy camp, leaving behind a trail of blood in the underbrush.
Facing such well-equipped foes, the mountain tribesmen were terrified. Fear overtook them, and they scattered like startled birds.
"Do not run! Fight back, you cowards!"
Seeing his warriors flee, a burly man roared in fury, brandishing a double-edged axe and charging into battle.
With immense strength, he crushed the skulls of two Dragon Guards, rallying a dozen of his men to stand their ground.
*Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh…*
A volley of arrows rained down from the side, piercing the bodies of the mountain warriors without mercy.
The burly man flinched and grabbed a nearby tribesman, using him as a shield to block the first wave of arrows.
Suddenly, another volley followed.
"Ahhh!!—"
This time, the arrows did not target the last remaining mountain warrior but instead struck down those who had rolled down the slope, attempting to escape through a narrow path.
Amid the agonized screams, the mountain warriors crumbled, suffering heavy casualties.
Erik thrust his sword through the chest of a fleeing tribesman and shouted, "Vanguard, pursue them! Rear guard, secure the battlefield!"
"Yes, sir!"
The Dragon Guards split into two groups. Archers remained hidden in the shadows, picking off the remaining enemies one by one.
In less than fifteen minutes, the battlefield was littered with the bodies of fallen mountain warriors.
"Sir, we captured a chieftain of the mountain tribes."
A tall soldier dragged the burly warrior forward and kicked him to his knees before Erik.
"You bastards! If you've got the guts, untie me and fight me one-on-one!"
The burly man bared his teeth, his face twisted with rage, spewing curses.
*Bang!*
The tall soldier kicked him in the head, his voice deep and unyielding. "Shut up, you fool."
"You dogshit! My name is Shaga—the cunning Shaga!"
Shaga spat dirt from his mouth and cursed furiously.
The tall soldier raised his fist to strike again, but Erik waved a hand to stop him. "Tranger, I'll interrogate him myself."
"Yes, sir!"
Once a member of the Crab Claws, Tranger deeply respected the White Knight and immediately stepped aside.
Erik pulled a white cloak from his back and used it to wipe the blood off his sword. His expression was icy as he asked, "Shaga, which highland tribe do you belong to?"
"And who the hell do you think you are, questioning the great and cunning Shaga?!"
Shaga lifted his chin defiantly, full of disdain.
*Slash!*
With a swift motion, Erik's sword sliced off one of Shaga's ears.
The severed ear fell to the ground, rolling twice before coming to a twitching stop.
"Ahh! Damn you, tin can! You cut off my ear!"
Shaga screamed in agony, clutching his head and writhing in pain.
Erik planted his boot on Shaga's throat, pressing down hard, and pointed his sword at the man's forehead. His voice was chilling. "I'll ask you one more time—what highland tribe are you from?"
"The Stone Raven Clan! Shaga is from the Stone Raven Clan!"
Trembling from the pain, Shaga finally gave in and confessed.
Erik continued, "The Stone Raven Clan is one of the larger highland tribes. Are you involved in the rebellion?"
"That's right! Shaga and his two foolish brothers gathered many warriors, spreading them across the valley."
Shaga admitted everything without a shred of resistance.
"How many of you are there? How many have joined the rebellion?"
"The Stone Raven Clan has a thousand warriors. Together with the Black Ear Clan, the Scorched Clan, the Painted Hounds, and ten other tribes, we number over ten thousand."
"Then why were there only so few of you here?"
"The main warriors were taken by my two stupid brothers. They followed the Fire Witch to besiege Longbow Hall."
"The Fire Witch? Who is that?"
Erik frowned. He was particularly wary of anything related to witches.
Shaga shuddered and said cautiously, "A woman in a red robe. She has… very large breasts. They say she's an envoy of some god and can summon fire."
"Is that true?"
Erik was skeptical.
"Shaga does not lie! The Fire Witch seduced my father. I saw her with my own eyes—she can coat her weapons in flames!"
As Shaga spoke about his father sleeping with the Fire Witch, his eyes were filled with envy.
"Sir, is the interrogation complete?"
The Dragon Guards were still cleaning up the battlefield when Tomond's falcon scouts, having seen the battle end, arrived with reinforcements.
Erik muttered, "More or less, but there are some… unusual details."
As he spoke, he glanced up at the white falcon circling above.
Dragons were magical creatures, and shapeshifters also possessed unique gifts.
Erik was half-skeptical of Xaga's words.
"I will send more eyes to watch the valley," Xaga said.
Understanding the results of Xaga's interrogation, Tomond grew cautious.
The world does contain magic, but few people know of it.
"I've told the truth. Can you let me go now?" Xaga asked, shamelessly, when no one responded to him.
Erik gave him a disdainful glance. "Killing you would dishonor my sword. Get out of here!"
"Smart Xaga will thank you, Tin Man," Xaga said with a grin, his tone lightening as he scrambled toward the exit.
Crack—
Just a few steps out, a double-edged axe flew in, striking Xaga squarely in the back of the head.
His skull shattered, and he died instantly, collapsing with a thud.
Erik shot a sideways glance at Trangel, who had thrown the axe, and asked, "Was he smart?"
Trangel scratched his head and scoffed, "Obviously."
"Bury the body here and set camp on the hillside tonight!"
Erik sheathed his sword, glanced at the sky, and gave the command.
---
A few days later.
In the front courtyard of the castle in Eagle's Nest City.
The Devourer lay on the ground, allowing servants to climb a soft ladder and place various gift boxes.
Rega stood beside its head, gently stroking its dragon kiss, and soothing, "It'll be over soon. Don't get mad."
"Roar..."
The Devourer shook its head lightly, letting out a low, rumbling growl, uninterested in responding to its rider.
"Be good, buddy."
Rega pressed both hands against its scales and smiled, offering comfort.
Renira approached lightly, asking, "Aren't we waiting for Erik and the others?"
"The Ravens from Symbol Stone City sent an urgent message. Janie needs to go ahead and help with preparations," Rega said lightly. "The valley roads are rugged, and Erik's convoy is too large. They've probably been delayed."
King's Landing was far from the valley, and the mountain roads inside the valley were even harder to navigate. Erik's delay was understandable to Rega.
"You should leave him a letter, so he doesn't arrive in Eagle's Nest City for nothing."
Renira placed a hand on his shoulder, suggesting.
"No need. He'll find me."
Rega shook his head with a smile, confident in Erik and Tomond's abilities.
Both of them were his trusted subordinates, skilled in both strength and insight.
After a while, the servants finished placing the gift boxes, securing them with rope behind the saddles.
Soon, Janie walked over with Jensiva, her soft voice asking, "Are we leaving now?"
Rega turned around to see the two of them wearing tightly laced dresses, their expressions quite different.
Janie forced a smile, occasionally glancing nervously at the dark giant dragon beside Rega, her fingers anxiously twitching.
Jensiva, holding Janie's arm, looked at the Devourer with eager eyes.
Noticing their emotions, Rega and Renira exchanged glances and spoke in unison, "Of course!"
(End of chapter)