As the group approached the watchtower, the air grew thick—like something unseen was pressing down on them. Each step forward felt heavier than the last, the distant hum of wind replaced by a suffocating stillness.
Haise could feel the tension crawling up his skin, like invisible fingers brushing against the nape of his neck.
He glanced at Athena.
She walked ahead, calm and unwavering—her posture straight, her eyes sharp.
Not a flicker of fear showed on her face.
'
A seasoned war captain…'
Haise thought to himself, both impressed and curious.
The ruined tower loomed closer now. Black scorch marks streaked its stone surface, and the surrounding trees were nothing more than skeletons—charred and lifeless.
The once-proud structure now looked more like a dark, twisted monument to destruction, as if it had been frozen in time, caught in the moment of its fall.
Every step forward felt like it brought them closer to something ancient—something violent.
"Halt!"
Athena's voice cut through the stillness like a blade. The group stopped instantly, the sound of boots crunching on the earth suddenly the only noise that broke the eerie silence.
Athena moved ahead on her own, stepping purposefully toward one of the blackened trees.
Her eyes scanned the surroundings with precision, like a hawk looking for prey.
Haise watched her closely.
She knelt down slightly, brushing aside a fallen branch that had been reduced to ash.
Her gaze locked on something, and her expression tightened.
Silence fell over the group—heavy and suffocating.
The only sound was the crackling of the trees, distant and faint, almost like the echoes of a forgotten battle.
Then she stepped back.
The group leaned forward—some with morbid curiosity, others with dread.
Haise's heart beat a little faster.
He narrowed his eyes as he saw it too.
A mangled corpse.
The soldier's armor was scorched and twisted, his body impaled high in the tree as though flung by some monstrous force.
Limbs bent at unnatural angles.
Helmet crushed in, barely recognizable.
The body's twisted form suggested a violent, chaotic end.
The smell hit them moments later—burnt flesh and metal—sharp and acrid, filling the air with the stench of death and decay.
"May the Makers guide your soul."
Athena muttered, her voice quieter now, almost reverent.
There was a faint hint of sorrow in her tone—
not weakness, but respect.
The soldier's death was not forgotten, but mourned silently in that moment.
Athena turned away, her arm raised, signaling for the group to move forward once more.
Without a word, they obeyed.
The mood had shifted—tension, grief, and determination hanging heavily in the air.
They moved, quieter now.
No one spoke.
No one dared.
The weight of what lay ahead settled deep in their bones.
Whatever lay beyond the trees, beyond the tower,
it was waiting.
And they were walking straight toward it.
They were now in front of the tower,
and from the looks of it, Haise could tell that it had been through several battles.
Burnt stone and deep claw marks marred the once-pristine surface, evidence of the dragon's fury and the tower's resistance.
Haise observed the damage more closely, tracing the scars of war with his eyes.
'This place has seen hell,'
he thought, wondering just how much destruction the dragon had wrought.
"So, dragon slayer… any ideas?"
One of the soldiers questioned him, his sarcasm cutting through the air like a knife.
Haise glanced at him, a small flicker of annoyance rising in his chest.
He didn't appreciate the tone, but he couldn't deny the soldier's desperation.
They were all on edge, and that sarcasm was likely a shield against the fear creeping into their hearts.
"We wait."
Haise replied seriously, his voice unwavering. He didn't have the answers.
Like the rest of them, he was waiting for the dragon to make it's move.
He could feel the tension in the air, thickening with each passing second.
The group stood there, eyes scanning every shadow, every creak of the ruined tower, waiting for something to give.
'It could strike at any moment,'
Haise thought, his gaze narrowing on the horizon.
'Or it could be waiting for us to make the first move.'
He clenched his fists.
There was nothing more to be said.
They all knew the danger, knew that the next moments could be their last.
The only thing left to do was wait.
…..
…..
…..
An hour passed, the soldiers were done setting up their weapons, preparing for the inevitable clash with the dragon. Athena stood atop the tower, her sharp eyes scanning the horizon, serving as a lookout for the group below.
"Argh!"
Haise suddenly felt a sharp burn shoot through his wrist.
Instinctively, he pulled up his sleeve and stared at the mark on his arm.
It was glowing.
The pain that pulsed from it made his heart race.
'This can only mean one thing.'
"Athena! The dragon!"
Haise called out, his voice urgent, panic starting to edge into his tone.
Just as he shouted, a massive roar split the air, reverberating through the stone of the watchtower.
ROAR!!!
"Men, get ready!"
Athena's voice rang out, sharp and commanding, cutting through the chaos.
The soldiers snapped into action, sprinting to their designated posts, weapons drawn and faces grim, ready to face the beast.
Haise didn't hesitate.
He ran outside, his boots pounding against the ground as he unsheathed his sword, the metal gleaming cold in the light.
He looked up to the sky, and a fierce gust of wind slapped his face, making him squint as the wind roared through the trees around him.
His eyes narrowed.
There, high above him, the dragon appeared.
It circled the area, its wings creating gusts strong enough to shake the earth beneath Haise's feet.
The beast's massive form blocked out the sun as it descended.
With a deafening crash, it landed in the center of the clearing, the ground shaking under the weight of its enormous body.
CRASH!!!
Haise stared at the dragon, his mind racing as he tried to keep his feet grounded.
The beast's eyes locked onto him, its amber gaze piercing through the air, burning with primal fury.
It didn't hesitate for even a second before it began to stalk toward him, its massive claws digging into the earth with each step.
'Just like Shadros,'
Haise thought, his breath catching in his chest.
The memory of the world-ending dragon, the one whose very presence had shaken the foundations of the world, flashed through his mind.
He shook of those thoughts as he gripped his sword even more tighter.
Athena stood there, shocked, as the dragon paid no attention to them.
"You godforsaken dragon, you will notice us!"
Athena's voice cracked through the air as she signaled the archers to shoot at the beast.
SHWOOK!
Countless arrows rained down, embedding themselves into the dragon's thick scales.
GRRR!
The dragon growled in pain, its focus now fully shifting to the soldiers atop the watchtower.
Haise, sensing the dragon's distraction, seized the opportunity to strike.
With swift, practiced movements, he rushed forward, positioning himself in front of the dragon's eye.
Before it could even react, he thrust his sword deep into its massive eye.
ROAR!
The dragon howled in agony as it reared back and shot into the sky, its wings flapping powerfully.
Haise was yanked along with it, his body dragged through the air, his sword still lodged in the dragon's eye.
"AGAIN?!"
Haise screamed, struggling to hold onto his sword as the dragon soared higher, the wind tearing at him.
"Sasaki!"
Athena's voice echoed in the distance, her eyes wide with horror as she saw Haise dangling from the dragon's eye.
"Soldiers! Get the catapults ready! We're going to shoot it down until it drops Sasaki!"
Athena's command rang out sharply, and the soldiers scrambled into action. They quickly readied the massive catapults, their faces tense, knowing that every second mattered.
"Fire!"
Athena commanded as the catapults fired huge rocks at the dragon.
BOOM!
The large rock landed a direct hit as the dragon roared and flew uncontrollably.
ROAR!
"May the makers guide me!"
Haise screamed as his grip was faltering.
BOOM!
Another rock crashed into the dragon's body causing it crash into the ground, creating a large crater.
Haise stared at the sky, as he managed to let go in the nick of time again.
"De ja vu"
He muttured to himself as he got up to see the dragon, shaking it's head.
"Hey! You got something in your eye"
Haise quipped as the dragon looked at him.
He didn't know why, but his confidence was growing. Whatever it was, it felt good to him.
Haise stood as the dragon got ready to attack him.
'give me your best shot'