Near Northwind Keep, in a hidden hollow among the Zereya Hills.
More than twenty members of the Lionheart Knights concealed their figures, waiting in silence.
They wore heavy, ornate suits of armor. Their breastplates were sculpted into the likeness of roaring lion heads, giving them an imposing presence, while their crimson cloaks bore the crest of House Bosque: crossed twin swords and a lion.
One of the knights watched a patrolling wyvern glide across the sky and asked uneasily, "Captain, we still haven't seen the signal Archduke Leo spoke of. Could they have already failed?"
"Keep waiting, Jayden. We have plenty of time."
The voice was calm and steady.
The knight who spoke differed from the rest. Around the collar behind his neck was a mane of black lion fur, and the lion's head upon his chestplate was sculpted with even greater lifelikeness. He was one of the former seven knight commanders of the Lionheart Knights, known as the "Black Lion Knight," Fried Olb.
Now, however, only six knight commanders remained. The "White Lion Knight," Tariq, who had grown up with him like a brother, had perished in that tragic massacre. Grief-stricken, Fried had sworn vengeance against the red dragon, volunteering for this mission against the Kingdom of Cinders.
"Tariq, that vile dragon will soon meet its end. Your soul will find peace in the realm of the gods."
Fried caressed the pocket watch in his hand and made a silent vow.
—Tariq had given it to him ten years ago. Engraved upon the watch was the holy symbol of Heironeous, the god of valor, constantly reminding him to be a brave and dauntless warrior.
Jayden was still worried, for they had ventured deep behind enemy lines where their safety was far from guaranteed.
"But we're right near Northwind Keep. The Kingdom of Cinders patrols here constantly. I fear that when the time comes..."
"You fear we will be wiped out here? That is why you must remain constantly alert to our surroundings. Rest assured, by the Duke's orders, should we encounter any life-threatening peril, we are to retreat immediately, regardless of whether the mission is accomplished," Fried said calmly.
As an experienced Lionheart Knight, he knew all too well how perilous this mission was. After all, their enemy was the "Infernal Scourge" that had obliterated an allied coalition thirty thousand strong.
Yet he reminded himself time and again to hold firm in his conviction, believing that he could carry out the mission successfully—or at the very least, pull back intact.
"Yes, Captain."
"Wait, look—could that be the signal the Duke mentioned?"
Ripples of gold appeared out of thin air in the distant sky—clearly the prearranged signal from Archduke Leo. Only paladins with Divine Sense could perceive such faint radiant energy and react swiftly, ensuring their communications would go undetected by the eyes and ears of the Kingdom of Cinders.
In the distance, the faint, indistinct roar of a dragon seemed to echo, already drawing the attention of some Cinder scions.
"Could they have actually..."
"Succeeded?"
Fried's face flushed with excitement.
Even the Black Lion Knight, renowned for his composure, felt a surge of exhilaration at this possibility—the red dragon had been bound, perhaps even slain, and the towering shadow that had loomed over the Northern lands would finally vanish!
"That is the signal of victory! Move out to support those champions!"
"Yes, Captain!"
Cloaked beneath a veil of invisibility, the Lionheart Knights followed their preplanned route. Shielded by both the terrain and the spell, they advanced swiftly toward the source of the signal—a lush, dense forest.
The journey proved completely unimpeded, devoid of the wyverns and heavy hobgoblin patrols they had braced themselves to face.
Within barely half an hour, the cloaked Lionheart Knights reached the designated area.
"Captain, is this the place?"
"It should be. The signal originated right here; my senses do not deceive me. Residual sacred energy still lingers overhead."
"Then why..."
"Why is it so quiet here?"
"I do not know either. Stay alert, and let us move closer."
In Fried's estimation, after the forces of righteousness entrapped the red dragon, fierce clashes would likely erupt with the Kingdom of Cinders' scions, pursued by swarms of wyverns.
Perhaps even the rumored commanders of the Kingdom of Cinders—the "Man-Eating Mage" Trump, the "Slaughter Warlord" Duoluo, the "Gold-Crazed Fiend" Jinya, and the rest—would be in frantic pursuit.
The other Lionheart Knights harbored similar expectations. Their hands had long gripped their silver swords and shields, mentally rehearsing their Oath spells over and over.
They were fully prepared for a grueling battle, having even braced themselves to sacrifice their lives in glorious death.
Yet events did not unfold as the knights had anticipated. The place was like an ordinary forest, so quiet that one could hear the rustle of leaves in the wind.
Yes, it was far too quiet.
Uncannily so.
There was not the slightest sign that a fierce clash had taken place.
To battle-hardened Fried, this resembled a trap set to lure them in.
Yet only Archduke Leo, Schroeder, and their inner circle knew the true significance of the signal. If the signal was genuine, what if he failed the mission?
He would become a sinner who abandoned heroes and left them to perish in peril.
A storm of conflicted thoughts consumed him.
Beneath the deceptively peaceful, safe veneer, cold sweat beaded on Fried's forehead.
Confronted with unknown danger, he was afraid after all.
He dearly wished he could be fearless like his childhood companion Tariq, facing even death without flinching.
Yet Fried knew that despite defeating hundreds of rivals to become a knight commander of the famed Lionheart Knights, an inferiority complex still lurked deep in his heart—he had never been a radiant, dazzling figure like Tariq. Even earning the title of "Black Lion Knight" had owed something to Tariq's goodwill and connections over the years.
"We need to withdraw."
In the end, Fried chose to trust his instincts.
He whispered to the guards at his side, "Something is wrong here. We pull back immediately. Once we reach our previous safe staging ground, I will open the portal prepared there. Everyone leaves with me at once."
"What about the people we came to extract?"
"Trust my instincts. We have no time to worry about them. They may already have... fallen into the dragon's maw, or perhaps sent the signal in sheer panic."
"Yes, Captain."
Led by their cautious knight commander, the Lionheart Knights abandoned the completion of their mission and began an outright retreat.
The veil of invisibility crafted personally by the court mages enveloped the company, bending the incoming light so they could move undetected, without fear of being spotted by the wyverns and hobgoblins patrolling the region.
Just as the Lionheart Knights were hastening away—
A colossal shadow fell from the heavens, engulfing them all—the veil had failed!
Fried looked up, dazed.
Chapter 154