Chapter 129: Threat
Seeing the crowd’s morale surge, Brandon quickly stoked the flames, his voice rising even louder.
"Comrades present! Four hundred years ago, Lord Trie Lakanman rode upon a Giant Eagle, leading our ancestors to this very land and founding the first Northwind Keep—back then, we numbered only three hundred souls!"
"For four centuries of storm and blood, we have endured countless trials of fire and fury. Countless ancestors gave their lives in sacrifice, forging this mighty, magnificent city into a monument upon the Earth. This is the city that carries the glory of our forebears. This is the city that shelters our present lives. This is our home."
"Now, every single one of you holds but one status—citizen of Northwind Keep."
"We—will not let it fall into the hands of the Evil Dragon!"
Brandon’s Silver Sword slashed through the air in a sweeping arc.
"For Northwind Keep!"
The crowd erupted in fervor. They hadn’t yet seen the enemy—only heard a speech so masterfully delivered it felt like a battle hymn straight from the pages of history. And Baron Brenden’s impassioned words had stirred their hearts.
Gazing at the roaring sea of faces, the Baron panted slightly. Just hold on a little longer, he thought. Just long enough for Lord Duke to complete the ritual.
"For Northwind Keep! For Northwind Keep!"
"Kill the Evil Dragon! Protect our loved ones!"
The cries echoed. Soldiers raised their Spears, vowing to fight for their daughters’ futures. Traders waved their arms in defiance, swearing to defend their wives and livelihoods.
Then—
A long, guttural roar split the sky.
A wave of primal dread washed over the crowd.
Two-Headed Dragons poured across the horizon in endless swarms, blotting out the sky and swallowing the sun’s light. They surged forward like a black tide, their chaotic, grating roars shaking the very air.
"Damn it—City Trebuchet, aim!"
"Bring them down!"
But the monsters flew too high. Even the city’s crossbow bolts could barely reach them—only one, flying low, was struck down, crashing to the ground with a shriek of agony.
Then, the sky parted. The Two-Headed Dragons cleared a path.
And there, suspended in the heavens, the massive Red Dragon descended—slow, deliberate, wings unfolding like a shadowed storm.
Backlit by the sun, its body seemed to burn with a halo of fire, its shadow stretching impossibly far across the ground, warped by magic. The sheer scale of its presence crushed the spirit.
People stared upward. Even from a hundred meters away, the golden vertical pupils of the beast glowed like molten fire—familiar to those who remembered the legend of the Purgatory Cataclysm, when fire had reduced thirty thousand Allied Forces to ash.
A soldier dropped his Spear, trembling. A merchant clutched his wife, trembling in terror, shrinking behind her as if hoping to vanish.
The grand resolve of moments before crumbled into dust. Baron Brenden’s stirring speech was forgotten.
Because—this was real.
And death was certain.
Then, from the heavens, the Red Dragon spoke.
"Not bad, for a speech. A bit too cliché, though. I half-expected to be back in the Second Age."
Brandon stared up, his jaw tight. Even as a seasoned warrior, the sheer presence of the Red Dragon made sweat trickle down his temple.
"Evil Dragon! You will not corrupt the citizens of Northwind Keep!"
Summoning every ounce of courage, he roared into the sky.
"Corrupt?" Kai Xiusu’s voice carried a hint of mockery.
"You’re the one who’s been corrupted. Using half-truths and hollow justifications to twist these people into cannon fodder for your noble master—a vampire lord. What a clever little plan."
The truth had been buried for years, but many had long suspected. Now, the Red Dragon had spoken it aloud, casual as a passing remark.
Brandon could no longer contain himself. He pointed at the sky, voice cracking with fury.
"Falsehood! You’re lying!"
"You’re the one who’s lying!"
Kai Xiusu ignored him. With a flick of his claw, he projected an image onto the sky—scenes from the underground bastion.
"Look, citizens. This is what your beloved Lord Duke has done. This is what he’s turned your cherished family members into—bloodthirsty monsters. Serving the Nobles is absurd. But serving this? That’s the ultimate joke."
"If you wish to keep fighting for him, to die for him—be my guest."
A cruel smile twisted the Red Dragon’s face.
"But I’m not here to debate. I’m here to deliver a message. Before twilight falls—if I do not see the City Gate open, if I do not see the White Flag raised—then fire will reduce this city to ash. Your parents. Your partners. Your children. All of you. No exceptions."
"Listen—"
"This is not a negotiation. It is a declaration."
The wave of Wyverns receded. The Red Dragon spoke its final words—and then vanished, as if swallowed by the wind.
Alone in the sky, Kai Xiusu mused inwardly: Who writes these scripts? Some twisted minstrel, I reckon. Am I really this kind of dragon?
Even if I eat people, I at least maintain basic standards. This kind of mess would make even the Ogres gag.
No—this storyteller needs to be caught. And punished. Properly.
The Red Dragon had no desire to destroy Northwind Keep. To him, this city was the pearl of the north—the future Player Capital City, the cradle of his empire. He would not lay waste to it with brute force. Instead, he chose siege by threat, psychological warfare—keeping the city trembling without breaking it.
The demonstration of power at the Tiriel Battle had already established his dominance. Now, he needed to consolidate leadership, to build a true, multi-faceted empire.
In the square, Baron Brenden stood rigid, his face like stone.
He scanned the crowd—faces alight with fear, doubt, hesitation. He knew the situation was beyond his control.
The Red Dragon’s threat had been devastatingly effective. The beast had just annihilated thirty thousand Allied Forces. And now, Brandon’s speech—once a rallying cry—had become undeniable proof of the Red Dragon’s credibility.
"Lord Duke said we must hold until nightfall."
"This is my duty."
A cruel edge crept into Brenden’s expression.
He shed the mask of "approachable, kind-hearted" leader. His gaze turned cold, imperious, descending from above like a storm.
"Citizens. Remain calm. Do not listen to the Evil Dragon’s lies."
"Any who defy the order—execute them."
His trusted guards moved instantly to secure the square.
But it wasn’t just the Eagle Square. Across the city, every ear had heard the Dragon’s words. Reactions varied: some hid in their homes, silent and afraid. Others rushed to the City Wall, seeking allies. A few even turned on the Lakanman Family’s Gray Robe spies—violent, desperate acts born of fear and fury.
Under the surface, the city stirred with unseen currents.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
