Northwestern Seleucia, Forest Hawk City.
In the skies outside the city, wyverns beat their wings in chaotic disarray, screeching incessantly. They rose like dense, churning dark clouds, their leathery wings buffeting and scraping against one another in a cacophony of sound.
Across the earth, thick mist rolled over the fields. Beasts bearing dragon bloodlines—basilisks, guard drakes, forest landwyrms, green hydras, blight drakes, and more—roared toward the heavens from within the fog, deep, sinister light glinting in their slit pupils.
Swaths of cultists clad in dark green and black robes gathered below the city walls, muttering prayers in low voices like a mottled tide.
Green dragons coiled atop the battlements, and perched upon the highest parapet was the renowned "Venom Emerald," the eldest daughter of the Lord of the Rotting Bog—Ulrichia.
She possessed a colossal form, bright emerald-green scales, and a massive, prominent crest shaped like a crown of thorns. Her golden vertical pupils radiated arrogance and disdain.
She was an ancient female green dragon: cruel, ruthless, insidious, and cunning, with a penchant for devouring elven maidens alive. The Kingdom of Serenia had once placed a bounty of over ten thousand gold coins on her head.
During the expansion of the Green Dragon Sect, Ulrichia had disguised herself as a shaman wielding the powers of nature, winning the trust of the Duke of Forest Hawk City.
At the duke's daughter's grand wedding, Ulrichia and her minions slaughtered all the guests, butchering the local nobility to the last person. She had even devoured the poor bride alive before the groom's very eyes, seizing control of Forest Hawk City in one fell swoop.
That "Blood Wedding" became a terrifying tale recounted throughout the continent, striking dread into countless hearts and spreading Ulrichia's notorious name far and wide.
Ulrichia swept a somber gaze over the multitude of cultists and dragonbeasts below. After letting out a raspy, lingering roar, she spoke in a deep voice: "My people, those vile humans seek to shake our dominion! They dare dream of slaughtering those who carry the noble blood of Tiamat!
"Yet that is nothing more than a fool's delusion! Her Majesty the Dragon Queen's wings shall blot out the sky, and Her divine form shall reign over the earth, returning true dragons to their rightful rule over the mortal realm!"
A dragon-headed scepter appeared in the ancient green dragon's talons. She raised it high, its gem-inlaid features gleaming as an ear-piercing shriek resonated with the altars in the dragon hatchery, sending pillars of black light surging into the sky from deep underground.
In an instant, thick, foul divine power gathered in the sky, churning like storm clouds before solidifying into a terrifying, colossal figure—five-headed and chromatic, with fearsome scales and horns. It was Tiamat Herself!
The cultists amassed outside the city gates instantly grew fanatical. Wave upon wave dropped to their knees, praying frantically, chanting, and shouting at the top of their lungs in an earth-shaking roar.
"Tiamat!
Mother of Five Heads, Mistress of Scale and Claw, Empress of the Dark Throne!
With blood and fire as our sacrifice, with wailing and fear as our tribute, grant our fangs and talons strength to tear our enemies' throats! Grant our breath power to burn the vermin to ash! Grant our dragon wings might to cast shade across the earth!
All who defy You shall become the dust beneath Your crown!"
Before their voices faded, the five-headed chromatic apparition unleashed a thunderous, world-shaking roar, and eerie beams of light shot from its five pairs of deep, slit pupils.
The sinister light swept over the land, wreathing the body of every devout Dragon Cultist and dragonbeast. A murky aura shimmered on their flesh, and wild bursts of crimson light flared in their eyes, radiating a bloodthirsty stench.
"All who defy You shall become the dust beneath Your crown!"
"For the Mother of Evil Dragons!"
"Roaaar—"
Their fanatic cries grew louder and more frantic, shrill and hoarse, while the dragonbeasts and dragonblood monsters within the mist turned their gaze to the sky in unison, braying and howling into the air.
Roars and battle cries melded together into a tsunami-like clamor that shook the soul, enough to make any mortal tremble.
Inside Forest Hawk City, the humans treated as livestock huddled in dark corners, caked in grime and trembling with terror as they lay in dirty pools of bloody water.
They looked up toward the apparition of the Dragon Queen blotting out the sky, their dim pupils swimming with despair and dread.
"What is that?"
"Gods, oh gods..."
Beholding her minions, brimming with battle lust and savage frenzy, Ulrichia nodded slightly and gave a low roar of her own: "Our foolish enemies draw near! People of Her Majesty the Dragon Queen, rulers of the earth, prepare to crush them!"
"Crush them!"
"Feanso belongs to the dragons!"
"Grind these insolent humans to dust!"
The cultists brandished their weapons, chanting almost hysterically. The city walls began to shudder violently, and the gates swung open slowly. Accompanied by dull rumblings, mountain-sized dark shapes crawled out of the city one after another.
*Boom!*
Amid plumes of flying dust, the colossal behemoths emerged outside the walls. Standing nearly fifteen meters high at the shoulder, they looked like dragons bearing hills on their backs. Special howdah-like saddles were mounted on their towering spines, carrying nearly twenty heavily armed cultists apiece. True mobile fortresses, each step they took made the ground shudder.
These were the dragonblood colossi—constructs stitched together from dragon flesh and bone. Possessing both titanic scale and abilities akin to a dragon's dragon fear and breath weapon, they were the most lethal war engines in the hands of the Cult of the Dragon, capable of crushing an army of a thousand men with ease and battering down tall city walls.
In the Cult's expansion, the dragonblood colossi had brought down over a hundred human cities, becoming an enduring nightmare for the survivors of Seleucia.
Seeing these monstrosities, the green dragons on the ramparts laughed sinisterly, wild and unbridled: "Hahaha! Those stray dogs still dare challenge our Green Dragon Sect? Pure delusion!"
"Before the mighty power of dragons, those puny humans will only be mashed into paste and ripped to shreds by our claws and fangs! How foolish they are—rather than remaining docile slaves, they insist on seeking their own deaths."
"Later, let's see who can kill more humans. The loser coughs up ten gold coins—how about it?"
"Hmph, Clauer, don't think I don't know you're a master of illusion and lies. You'll definitely find a way to cheat when the time comes!"
The green dragons flapped their wings, wheeling through the air and playfully chasing each other without a care in the world, letting out jubilant shrieks. Even when splashed acid occasionally killed an unlucky cultist, they paid it no mind.
This was Forest Hawk City, the stronghold of the Green Dragon Sect and the domain of green dragons.
They were the masters here; all other living beings were merely slaves existing to serve them. Apart from their own kin, these treacherous dragons had no reason to care about anyone.
Yet atop the city wall, the ancient green dragon Ulrichia's eyes flickered, her expression turning dark as she gave an imperceptible frown.
*Something is wrong... Why are there three fewer dragonblood altars active?*
She summoned the adult green dragon Grutar, who oversaw the inner city, and asked in a low voice, "Grutar, has there been any unusual movement in the inner city?"
Grutar flew forward and replied with deference, "Mother, Kazul sent an emissary—a fledgling red dragon whose scales haven't even fully hardened. He claimed he wanted an audience to apologize to you, so I had him locked up in the Tower of Sins."
He paused, looking slightly embarrassed, before continuing, "It's just that those worthless humans failed at their duties... They actually let the red dragon whelp escape. Don't worry, Mother, I have already executed every last one of those wretches."
Ulrichia frowned, her gaze turning suspicious. "The Red Dragon Sect has never once admitted to their shameless deeds. They even detained the slaves we sent, to say nothing of voluntarily coming to apologize."
"Wait—"
Her expression shifted abruptly, fury and anxiety flaring in her golden eyes. "Fool! That was no emissary from the Red Dragon Sect! You were duped!"
Grutar stepped back a few paces, shaking his head in defense. "Impossible, Mother! That red dragon whelp had a servant whose aura was identical to the dragonborn sorcerer who ambushed me earlier. They have to be in league with each other!"
Ulrichia closed in, striking the adult green dragon across the face with a heavy claw. Warm blood and shattered scales flew into the air. "By Tiamat, how did I birth a son so idiotic!
"Did it ever cross your empty skull that the sorcerer from the beginning was never from the Red Dragon Sect?!"
Just then, a cult priest overseeing the dragon hatchery flew over in a frantic rush, crying out in panic, "Lady Ulrichia! Disaster! The sacrifices in the hatchery have rebelled!
"Someone released those filthy humans and started a riot! Three—no, four altars have been destroyed already!"
"Useless trash! What do I even keep you around for? How could a bunch of weak, unarmed humans contend with you?!"
The cult priest wiped the sweat from his forehead, stammering, "M-My Lady, they have strange iron rods in their hands! The projectiles they fire can punch clean through the thick hides of guard drakes! They seem to be... guns, from the north."
"Firearms?"
Ulrichia's face fell, shock and unease surging in her eyes. "Not good—it's the Cinder Empire! It's that red dragon's minions! Cinder Emperor Cassius! How dare he sabotage Her Majesty's grand designs?!"
As she uttered that name, the ancient green dragon's voice actually trembled.
As a high-ranking member of the Cult of the Dragon, Ulrichia was well aware that this Cinder Emperor was no loyal "Dragon Prince" as church propaganda claimed, but Tiamat's most rebellious offspring.
If the Cinder Empire's retainers infiltrated the dragon hatchery and demolished the dragonblood altars, the consequences would be catastrophic. Even she would not be able to endure Her Majesty the Dragon Queen's wrath.
Worse, the Imperials had chosen their timing with diabolical precision, striking just as the battle outside was about to commence.
The ancient green dragon had to concentrate her focus on the front lines and could not pull away.
At this realization, Ulrichia whipped her head around and glared viciously at Grutar, snapping, "Look at what you've done, you imbecile!
"The battle is about to begin; we have no time to spare! Take your subordinates to the dragon hatchery immediately and slaughter every one of those intruders—along with any disobedient sacrifices!"
"Yes, Mother," Grutar replied gloomily. Flapping his wings, he flew toward the hatchery, his chest boiling with smothered rage.
*Damned humans!*
*How dare they deceive me like that, making a fool of me!*
*I, Grutar, will tear every last one of those wretched creatures to pieces and show them the meaning of true agony and despair!*
...
*Wuuu—*
A clarion horn blared as a tide of steel gradually crested the distant horizon. Polished silver armor shone in the light, and holy symbols of the Sun God fluttered high in the air.
This was Duke Franz's main host, assembled from remnant forces gathered across Seleucia, numbering over eighty thousand men.
Over the past month and more, Duke Franz had purchased vast quantities of standardized arms and armor from the Imperials and integrated numerous disparate units, ultimately forging an iron army of battle-hardened veterans with unshakeable resolve.
At the vanguard, Sun Priests draped in gold and crimson robes raised their scepters and chanted prayers, their voices impassioned:
"Great is Amaunator, Bearer of the Ever-Burning Wheel, Marker of the Golden Sundial, Incarnation of the Flames of Order!
"Your chariot shall crush the spines of foul beasts; Your spear shall pierce the throat of darkness! Wherever Your blade points, Your cone of light shall pierce every shadow that defies the order of time!"
Count Adrian raised his longsword high, unleashing a warm brilliance imbued with the divine power of the Sun God as he roared:
"For Holy Fadelan! Victory!"
The soldiers roared in chorus, fervor sweeping through their ranks. Their spears, blades, and steel armor clattered crisply against one another.
Yet at that moment, the battle-ready men caught sight of the nightmarish spectacle in the distance.
Over Forest Hawk City hung the ghastly, colossal silhouette of a five-headed dragon. Flying dragonbeasts blotted out the sky like churning storm clouds, beating their wings in a frenzied mass.
And within the thick mist sweeping the earth, countless dark forms stirred restlessly, pairs of deep, predatory eyes glinting in the gloom...
The sight was so terrifying—like the apocalypse descending upon the mortal world—that it brought back memories of the Dragon Calamity striking their homelands, the despair of evil dragons burning towns and butchering villages.
"Amaunator preserve us..."
"Oh gods..."
"Great Lord of Eternal Radiance, how can we possibly defeat such monsters?"
Men murmured under their breath, praying instinctively. Before the overwhelming might of the Cult of the Dragon, even eighty thousand strong seemed desperately small, unable to shake the enemy in the slightest.
Even Duke Franz wore a grave expression as he gazed upon the distant, titanic apparition. "An apparition of the Dragon Queen... To think the Cult of the Dragon has advanced to this stage. If left unchecked, that evil deity may truly descend upon the mortal realm."
Behind Duke Franz, despair flickered in an aristocratic officer's eyes. "Your Grace, an army like a living catastrophe... can our troops truly overcome them?"
Indeed, even the Seleucian army at its peak might not have prevailed against the draconic host before them, to say nothing of the remnant forces gathered here today.
Adrian looked behind them toward the boundless swamps, forests, and plains, murmuring softly, "We are far from the only ones standing against the Cult of the Dragon."
Chapter 787