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The snowstorm went on for another day and a half after I reached the unnamed village.
When I first arrived, the gruff old man sent me to the village chief’s house, where his wife served me hot tea as the chief questioned why I was in his village and made sure I was not a danger to his people. I explained that I was a mercenary with business in the Frozen North and was waiting for a friend to join me.
When the village chief was satisfied, he put me up in what I am told is a cabin for military officers when the Valorhelm Dominion army stops by to use the village as a staging point.
Usually, for someone of my supposed station, I would have been put up in the longhouse barracks, but that would be highly impractical due to the amount of firewood needed to warm up the longhouse.
Seeing that this was a very remote village, the age demographic was on the older side. So while waiting for the snowstorm to die down, the village chief’s wife “recruited” a “strapping young man” like me to run errands in the biting cold.
This mainly included going around to the houses to check in on the villagers to make sure nobody had frozen to death, and to deliver supplies and firewood to anyone who needed it.
Even though I did not mind being “recruited” to do these minor chores, the village chief’s wife thanked me by inviting me over for hot meals while I was waiting for my “friend” to join me.
On my third day of waiting in the village, I got a telepathic call from Professor Sageira. [Your target just left the cave and is on his way.]
[How long do I have?] I asked.
[About an hour or so.] she answered.
Well, it's time to suit up.
***
After two days of being drilled on mana circulation by his mother, Thryz thought he was pulling a fast one on his mother by sneaking out of the cave and flying in the direction his great-great-grand aunt had recommended he try and plunder.
A few minutes after Thryz “sneaked out” Sgaer’khathz left her guest room and peeked her head into her host’s room. “Did he take the bait?” she asked.
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In the room, Vruulkthaz was lying on the ground while looking at a huge frozen orb. That frozen orb was currently projecting a bird's-eye view of Thryz flying south. “Seems like it.” Vruulkthaz answered.
“Alright, I will inform my champion.” Sgaer’khathz said as she relayed the information to Luke.
Vruulkthaz waited until she felt the mana fueling the telepathic message dissipate before asking, “Even now, you still would not show me this mortal champion of yours?”
“Nope, I said it would be a surprise, and it will stay as such until Thryz meets him.” Sgaer’khathz said as she reached out and casually popped open another whisky barrel as someone would crack open a cold beer while waiting for a sports game to start.
“Fine, be that way.” Vruulkthaz pouted as she made her way out of the room, “Call me when it is about to start, I will go get us some snacks.”
***
AN: From here, [ ] will be for them speaking in Dragon Tongue.
As I waited for my target to arrive, I was sitting on the cabin’s porch, oiling my blade with a rag.
That was when I heard it, the sound of Dragon Tongue carried on the wind. To most people, it would sound like inane guttural growlings and roars. To me, it sounded like a cheap cartoon villain high on his own farts. [Cower and despair, little mortals! Thryz comes for you. Your walls are but paper before my flames, your spears no more than splinters against my scales! Bring forth your gold, your gems, your trinkets of worth, and perhaps I shall leave your huts standing. Hide them, and I will pluck them off your frozen bodies!]
That's my cue.
I got up and sheathed my sword as the villagers started freaking out and running to their homes. The only one not running home, but instead toward me, was the village chief. “Sir Liam! Sir Liam! Please help us, something dangerous is coming! We may not have much, but if you can chase away whatever is coming, we will pool together a reward for you. Please!”
Oh? A few days ago, I was just a mercenary you had to keep an eye on. Now, all of a sudden, I am Sir Liam. He's lucky that the thing coming toward us is the sole reason I am even here. I decided to make him sweat a little.
Rubbing my chin, I said, “Hmm… I’m not sure.”
Thinking I was trying to squeeze more money out of him, but knowing I was the only real combatant around, the village chief’s face soured as if I was twisting his arm into a bad deal. “Alright, alright, I can promise you five gold on top of what we can scrape together. Please!”
I raised a hand to stop the village chief. “You misunderstand, it is not that I do not want to help. The question is, what can I even do to help? From the sounds of roars, you have a dragon problem incoming, and I am but one humble mercenary.”
I internally relished the sight of the blood draining from the village chief’s face. “Dra- Dragon?! That is the sound of a dragon? They are not supposed to come this far south… we are doomed.” he said as I saw his legs turning to jelly.
I chuckled as I patted his shoulder, “Worry not, I may not be able to chase away the dragon, but I can at least buy you some time to escape.” I said in a jolly voice as I walked past him with my spear resting on my shoulder.
It is time to meet this Thryz and see what he is made of.