“Damn you, Ira.” A lone man crossed the barren territory of the Dark Elves. It was as hot as the deserts of Parv but it was hardly comfortable.

Since the Dark Elves lived underground they didn’t need the land above it to be very fertile or livable since it wouldn’t impact them.

“Ira.” The man clenched his teeth as they marched on. A worn out cloak was the only protection they had from the sun and scorching wind.

The man looked up and saw silhouettes flying in the distance. He rubbed his eyes reflexively, thinking it was a mirage, but the image of flying figures remained. Actually, they moved closer until they were descending toward him and he could finally see they were Valkyries.

“Shit!” The man cursed and looked around for cover but the land was empty.

The first Valkyrie to arrive stopped right in front of him with her spear pointed at him.

“Identify yourself,” She said curtly. It was clear that she would prefer to kill the man and be done with it.

The rest of the Valkyries landed and blocked every angle of escape. Normally, it would be someone’s dream to be surrounded by women but their cold eyes gave the man nothing but fear.

“Casper! My name is Casper. I work for Ira.” Casper identified himself while pouring sweat.

The Valkyries shared a look of skepticism before the hostility in their gazes intensified.

“I’m serious! Please, I need to inform him of the developments in the Grentian Kingdom...I’m under a soul contract,” Casper confessed while pulling his shirt down a little. With one glance anyone could see the black veins spreading over the surface of his chest.

Casper’s plight started right after everyone thought Ira died in the desert. In Casper’s mind, he was free from the contract due to the death of the other party. He wanted to return to the Free City but the trip would be costly.

Being the person he was, he planned on selling the information he obtained from spying on the first prince. Unfortunately, the minute he tried to spread rumors to entice buyers a soul-tearing sensation caused him pure agony. After that, black veins appeared on his chest and every day they increased. He didn’t know what would happen if he waited too long but it obviously wasn’t good.

“Fine,” The Valkyrie said as she nodded toward the others.

“Thank you–” Casper couldn’t even finish his thanks as he was knocked unconscious.

When the other Valkyries looked at the culprit she shrugged.

“I don’t want to carry him while he’s awake, he’ll kick and scream.” She removed his cloak and wrapped it around his torso so it could function as a harness of sorts.

The other Valkyries accepted her explanation and took to the skies before she followed with Casper, who dangled in the air by a flimsy cloak, in hand.

…

Yeramesh, the continent of the higher races, had just welcomed three new and dangerous arrivals.

Ira, Avery, and Raveria all examined their surroundings. They were currently in a lush forest that stretched for miles.

“Ravi, put this on.” Ira handed a grey cloak to Raveria.

“Hmm,” Raveria took the cloak that was far too big for her. Once she touched it, the cloak melted and changed shape.

“Oh!” Raveria exclaimed in surprise. She realized that it was the formless armor that Avery usually wore. As it moved around her, it changed into a small leather chest plate. Since Raveria prefered not to be hampered by weight it was fitting that the armor would take on its current appearance.

“So where are we?” Avery asked.

“We’re at…uh...” Ira rubbed his chin as if he wasn’t sure. “This is the Dragon’s Heart Province if I remember the map correctly.”

“If you remember correctly?” Avery repeated with a doubtful expression. The armor she was wearing reverted back into its pendant form.

“I expected enemies but it can’t be helped,” She said with a shrug.

“Just hold on, I got it.” Ira snapped his fingers and they suddenly appeared in the middle of a road.

Of course, the pedestrians passing by didn’t approve of it at all.

“See we’re...there.” Ira began speaking but he trailed off when he saw a group of Legionnaires who stopped mid-march. Their banners swayed in the wind but they didn’t move at all. Strips of different colored paper were carried on the breeze and there were various civilians holding instruments.

In the background, there were floating castles as well as magnificent stone monuments that stood tall.

“Is this perhaps a parade?” Avery inquired to Ira who remained clueless.

“Hey, you.” Ira pointed at the group filling up the sides of the road. “Is this a parade?”

“Ah...Yes, I don’t know who you are but you should move. You’re blocking the way of the Legionnaires.” An old man replied.

“What are they celebrating?” Ira ignored the Legionnaires who didn’t know what to do.

“They’ve all but eliminated the entire Uprising. The Gods themselves descended and did away with the blasphemers. You should hurry, you seem to have some magical talent but blocking the road is a crime punishable by death.” Someone else answered.

“Move!” A Legionnaire Captain drew his sword and stepped toward Ira.

“I was only gone a few days but Virgil managed to mess up this bad?” Ira spoke to himself quietly. He seemed to remain unaware that it was his own fault. When he went to visit Virgil previously he said he would kill a few dragons. Virgil, being the strategic mind of the Uprising, decided it was the best time to strike. He rallied the higher races involved and struck several key cities all at once.

It was a milestone victory for the Uprising as they had control of several cities. Virgil waited for news of Ira’s exploits and one could imagine his confusion when he learned a town far north of the continent had hundreds of kids go missing. In addition, a riot broke out when weapons literally dropped from the sky and landed in the hands of the oppressed humans. That was all of Ira’s contribution, the fall of a single town. Within a few days, the dragons personally went to take back the fallen cities and the Uprising suffered their biggest losses to date.

“Last warning!” The Legionnaire signaled and his men approached the trio who appeared from thin air.

“Hold.” A voice emerged from a golden carriage surrounded by Legionnaires.

The Legionnaires and everyone present for the parade instantly kneeled down. All except Ira, Avery, and Raveria who just stood where they were.

A man with dark red hair and androgynous features emerged from the carriage and stepped down. In response, the huge line of Legionnaires parted in synchronicity giving a regal and dignified impression. From his eyes, Ira could tell he was a dragon.

“That woman is beautiful beyond compare.” The man raised his hand and pointed at Avery. His voice was so alluring that it gained the fear and awe of the spectators.

Ira looked at Avery and nodded his head in agreement. Avery’s divinity grew slightly every day and her body changed with it. Her facial features were nothing short of divine and anyone would find themselves pausing to look at her with admiration. In fact, all of the people that talked to Ira had glanced at Avery more than a few times in order to remember each and every detail about her. Seeing so many people looking at Avery with praise caused Ira to feel proud.

That was until the man spoke again.

“Bring her to me,” The man ordered.

The Legionnaires stood up in an instant and tried to move toward Ira but something had flown ahead of them faster than they could react. When they looked to see what it was they saw that the dragon who had given them orders was caught in Ira’s grasp.

“Ah, that won’t work at all,” Ira said with a chuckle. “That’s my wife, you see.”

Avery who stood next to Ira didn’t even blink. She just rested her hand on the pommel of her sword while undoing the shield strapped across her back. It was only then that everyone seemed to realize she was carrying weapons in the first place. Still, they weren’t able to pay it much attention as a dragon that they thought was a God couldn’t break free of Ira’s hold. Though that wasn’t to say he wasn’t trying.

The man put strength into his legs and the ground underneath him cracked, but it did nothing to stop Ira.

“And you say you’re a God?” Ira laughed as he effortlessly held the man in place.

“Insolent...fool!” The man squeezed out as he tried to transform into a dragon but Ira lifted him into the air and then slammed him down.

A small tremor shook the nearest spectators and caused them to fall while the man had his body lodged into the road. The Legionnaires were now frozen in pure shock. There was only one person they heard of who could kill dragons easily and that was…

“The dragon slayer?” Someone whispered.

Ira paid no mind to his strange title and raised his foot. “Well, good try.”

He stomped the head of the dragon who hadn’t changed from his humanoid form. A loud crunching sound was heard and blood gushed through the cracks in the road.

“Ok,” Ira said with a refreshing smile. “...None of you can leave now.”

After he finished speaking, Avery drew her sword and stabbed it in the ground. A huge ring of fire appeared and surrounded the entire area leaving no exit. Anything in the path of the ring was burned into ash in an instant.

“Well, you can.” Ira pointed to a random Legionnaire.

“M-Me?” He seemed very relieved. Unlike most of those in the dragon’s heart province, he put stock in the rumors about Ira and wasn’t willing to fight him for a single second.

“Yeah, you. Go tell someone about this, get them riled up. Tell them that I’m here and I won’t be leaving until a few dragons come to visit. You got it?” Ira intoned his conditions and the Legionnaire carefully remembered all of them before nodding.

“Good.” Ira snapped his finger and the lucky Legionnaire had vanished. “Now…”

Ira clapped his hands together and the entire legion was forced to the ground by an overwhelming amount of gravity.

“You all get a choice...If you can win a fight against any of us, you can leave.” Ira gestured to Avery and Raveria.

The spectators remained silent and kneeling but of their own volition. They hadn’t moved since they watched a dragon die in front of them in the way a small bug would. It was the Legionnaires who would be forced to fight Ira, Avery, or Raveria.

“You’re first.” Ira picked a Legionnaire at random.

The one selected had the massive weight pressing down on him lifted. He stood up and looked around nervously.

“Come on then. Make your choice,” Ira spoke in a friendly tone.

Of the three possible opponents, the obvious one to avoid was Ira. Although he wore simple black clothes, the ever-present grin and mischevious gaze gave off pure terror, especially considering what he just did. Avery seemed to be slightly better but she was the one who caused the massive ring of fire to surround a portion of the city. All that was left was the small and innocent looking Raveria but to pick her would look cowardly.

“You’re taking too long.” Ira urged the man to make his choice quickly.

“Her!” He pointed at Raveria who blinked with surprise.

“Really?”

“Really?”

Ira and Raveria both asked at the same time. Funnily enough, they both tilted their heads ever so slightly.

“Well, you made your decision. Move forward and get it over with.” Ira shrugged. In all honesty, he expected Avery to be the first one selected but it couldn’t be helped since he included Raveria.

The man could feel judgmental eyes sticking to him but he just breathed to steady himself and moved forward with his spear in hand.

The road was wide and had enough room for the two to fight so all Ira and Avery did was take a few steps back.

“Alright, Ravi do your best.” Being the enthusiastic parent that he was, Ira cheered Raveria on.

“I will,” Raveria nodded with determination. She didn’t know any martial arts but she had Ira’s memories for reference as well as a natural talent for learning.

Raveria lowered her posture and then accelerated forward. She reached the man before he could blink and jumped into the air so that she was eye level. After that, she placed a palm on his head and transferred the acceleration to his body.

What happened next was a sight to see. The man crumpled into a pile of flesh as if a giant mallet squashed him.

Once again silence took hold of those watching.

“Woo!” Ira broke that silence by clapping excitedly.

Avery said nothing but she nodded with approval when Raveria looked at them.

“That was good, Ravi.” Ira smiled.

Avery flicked her hands and sent a ball of fire to dispose of the remains. Ira looked over the Legionnaires that numbered close to a thousand in total.

“Who’s next?” There was so much friendliness in his voice that is was just purely misleading. With one glance everyone realized that they were in the presence of a monster.