Robert roared like a wounded beast, and the mighty warrior pounced on the dragonman.

The bamboo strips were shattered, and the shards cut and scratched his skin. His heart was filled with the urge to kill, and Calamon didn't even blink an eye. As the warrior passed in front of him, Robert threw himself on his back, and Calamon shook him off like a bear.

"Calamon, you stupid—" Stone muttered as he pounced on Calamon with the river wind, and an enraged Calamon continued to charge the two of them forward without care.

Turning, one of the dragonmen raised his weapon, and Calamon knocked his sword flying with a punch - the monster was instantly knocked unconscious by Calamon's punch.

In a matter of seconds, six dragonmen surrounded the warriors with bows and arrows. Stone and River Wind whirled Calamon to the ground. Stone sat on Calamon's shoulder and pressed his head into the mud until Calamon gave up his resistance and let out a sobbing sound.

At that moment, a shrill sound resounded throughout the camp. "Bring that warrior here!" said the dragon.

Robert felt the hairs on his back stand on end. The dragons laid down their weapons and turned to face them, and they watched in amazement, muttering to themselves. River Breeze and Stone stood up. Calamon was still sobbing on the ground.

The dragonmen looked at each other uneasily, and the approaching dragonmen quickly backed away, forming a semicircle around it. One of the dragonmen, assumed to be a captain or something from the armor and the way he wore it, walked up to a dumbfounded, wide-mouthed dragonman.

"How?" asked the captain. The dragon people speak Mandarin. Robert listened quietly, guessing that they belonged to a different race, and that the robes were clearly both priests and mages.

The two monsters couldn't communicate directly in their own words, and the dragonman, who was good at fighting, looked very frustrated.

"Your Pastor Fisdal is not here. The robed dragonman quickly regained his composure. "The dragon has flown here and brought it with him to discuss the Crystal Staff with Lord Fernan. ”

"But the dragon never speaks when the priest is away!" the captain lowered his voice. "My men don't like that, you'd better think of something to do it. ”

"Why is it so slow?" the dragon's voice was like a shriek wind. "Bring the warriors here!"

"Do as the dragon says. The robed dragonman gestured with his claws. Several dragonmen quickly rushed forward, pushing both Robert and River Wind back into their broken cages, and they pulled the bleeding Calamon up and dragged him to stand in front of the dragon, with their backs to the raging fire in the center of the camp.

Next to him were the blue crystal staff, the staff of Rodlis, and their weapons and backpacks.

Calamon looked up at the monster, his eyes filled with tears, and his face was stained with blood from many bamboo shards. The dragon looked down at him, shrouded in smoke from the fire.

"Despicable humans, I'll take care of you," the dragon hissed. When it spoke, it slowly flailed its huge wings. The dragons were taken aback and began to retreat, some of them accidentally falling. Clearly, they knew what was going to happen.

Calamon glared at the monster fearlessly. "My brother is dying," he shouted. "Do whatever you want with me. I only ask for one thing, give me the sword so that I can fight to the death!"

The dragon shrieked and laughed, and the dragonmen joined it, purring terribly. As the dragon's wings vibrate, its body began to sway back and forth, as if to pounce on the warrior and swallow it in one gulp.

"It's going to be fun, let him take up arms," the dragon commanded. Its huge wings fanned out gale winds, blowing many sparks from the flames.

Calamon pushed the dragonman guard away, wiping his eyes with his hand as he walked over to the pile of weapons and picked out his sword. Then he faced the dragon, a sad and helpless look on his face. He raised his sword.

"We can't let him die like this!" Stone said hoarsely, stepping forward, ready to jump out of the cage.

Suddenly, a voice came from the shadows behind them.

“...... Robert!"

The half-elf turned. "Hubble!" he said in surprise, then looked at the dragonman guards. But they all watched intently as Calamon took on the spectacle of the dragon alone. Robert quickly ran to the back of the cage, where the dwarf was hiding.

"Get out of here!" the half-elf commanded. "There's no place where you can help. Rodrith is dying, and that dragon is ...... again."

"That's Wade," Hubble said simply.

"What?" said Robert, glaring at the dwarf. "Don't talk nonsense. ”

"That dragon is Wade," Hubble repeated patiently.

Robert was speechless for a moment, and he looked at the dwarf.

"That dragon is a deception. The dwarf whispered quickly. Wade snuck up behind it and found a mechanism inside! Anyone sitting in it could flap their wings and speak into an empty tube.

I guess that's how those priests keep order, and Wade is now sitting inside the dragon flapping his wings, threatening to eat Calamon anyway. ”

Robert was taken aback. "But what can we do? There are still hundreds of dragonmen here. Soon they will know what's going on. ”

"You and Stone still have River Breeze, run to Calamon's side. Grab your weapons, crystal staffs, and backpacks. I'll help Scarlet Moon get Rodrith into the forest. Wade had an idea. Be mentally prepared. ”

Robert wailed.

"I don't want that either. The dwarf grumbled. "Leave our lives to that small-headed Kander, but, no way, he's the one who plays the dragon. ”

"Of course he is," Robert said, watching the dragon scream and wapple its wings and bob its body back and forth. The dragonman looked at it with its mouth wide open, as if it were as crazy as Rodris, and the river wind shook its head.

"Otherwise, do you have a better plan?" asked Robert.

The two men looked at the dragon and looked back at Robert, both shrugging.

"Crimson Moon walks with the dwarves. River Breeze said.

She opened her mouth to protest, and he looked at her without any emotion in his eyes. She swallowed what she was about to say and shut her mouth.

"Yes," said Robert, "stay here and take care of Rodrith, and please, we'll bring you the crystal staff." ”

"Hurry up. Her lips whitened. "He's dying. ”

"We'll do it as soon as possible. Robert said solemnly. "I have a feeling that if something happens, we have to move very fast!" he touched her hand. "Come on. He stood up and took a deep breath.

River Breeze's eyes were still following Scarlet Moon, and he was about to speak, but he shook his head in annoyance and turned to stand beside Robert without saying a word. The three of them stealthily stood behind the dragonman guards.

Callamon raised his sword, its blade gleaming in the firelight. The dragon began to move more and more violently, and each of the dragonmen followed back, striking their shields with their blades. The wind from the dragon wings fanned out a lot of sparks from the fire, setting some bamboo houses on fire.

The dragonman was expecting the next kill, but didn't notice it. The dragon screamed, and Calamon felt his mouth start to dry, and the muscles in his abdomen twitched. It was the first time he hadn't fought alongside his brother, and it hurt his heart.

He was about to raise his sword and charge at the dragon, when Robert and Stone and River Wind crept up behind him.

"We won't let our friends die alone!" the half-elf shouted defiantly at the dragon. The dragons cheered wildly.

"Get out of here, Robert!" Calamon frowned, blushing and tears streaming down his face. "This is my fight. ”

"Shut up and listen to me!" Robert ordered. "Stone, pick up your and my swords. Riverbreeze picks up your weapons and any dragonman gear that can replace our lost weapons. Karamon, pick up two canes. ”

Calamon glared at him. "W-"

"The dragon is Wade," said Robert, "there's no time to explain, do as I say!" grab your cane and run into the forest, where Scarlet Moon is waiting for you. He put his hand on the warrior's broad shoulder, and Robert pushed him away. "Hurry! Rodrith is dying! You are his only hope!"

This sentence touched Karamon's heart. He ran to the pile of weapons and grabbed the blue crystal staff and the Mage Staff of Rodrith, and when the dragons began to shout, Stone and Riverwind picked up the weapons, and Stone took Robert's sword to him.

"Prepare to die, human!" the dragon screamed. With a powerful flick of its wings, the dragon suddenly flew into the sky and floated in mid-air. The dragonmen shouted alertly, and many ran towards the forest, while others lay on the ground.

"Now!" shouted Robert. "Calamon, run!"

The sturdy warrior scurried into the woods, in the direction where Scarlet Moon and the dwarves stood. A dragonman appeared in front of him, and Calamon struck it aside with a wave of his hand.

He could hear a frenzied noise coming from behind him, Stone chanting Sorenia's war song, the dragonmen shouting, the other dragonmen lunging at him, he wielding his crystal staff as a weapon, and blue flames erupted from the staff, causing the dragonmen to keep back.

Calamon rushed to the forest and saw Rodrith lying at the feet of Scarlet Moon, breathless. Crimson Moon snatched the crystal staff from the warrior's hand and placed it on the mage's weakened body. Hubble looked at it and shook his head. "It's useless. The dwarf muttered, "It's running out of power. ”

"It has to work!" Scarlet Moon said firmly. "Please," she murmured. "Whoever the owner of this rod is, please heal this man. She read it over and over again, confused. Calamon looked at it for a moment, blinking, and then the surrounding woods suddenly lit up with a huge fireball.

"Damn!" Hubble gasped. "Look at it!"

Calamon turned around and saw the huge false head falling into the fire. Burning wood flew into the air, and the whole camp was littered with sparks. Some of the dragonmen's bamboo huts had already begun to burn, and now they were burning even more. The fake dragon finally screamed and burned.

"Wade!" Hubble cursed. "That damn Khand—he's still in there!" Before Calamon could stop him, the dwarves rushed into the burning dragonman camp.

"Calamon. Rodrith muttered as the warrior knelt beside his brother, his face still pale, but his eyes were very clear. He sat up weakly and leaned against his brother to look at the fire in front of him. "How?"

"I'm not sure either," Callamon said. "Wade turned into a dragon and made those monsters dizzy. You just have to get some rest. The warrior watched the smoke and unsheathed his sword in his hand, beware of the approach of the dragonman.

But now the dragonmen barely had time to pay attention to these prisoners. The smaller dragonmen saw the dragon on fire and fled into the forest in panic. A few robed, larger, and distinctly intelligent drakes tried to restore order in the midst of the chaos.

Stone fought his way out of the dragonmen, encountering little organized resistance. As he walked to the bamboo cage, Hubble happened to pass him and ran towards the camp.

"Hey, you're going—" Stone shouted to the dwarf.

"Wade—still in the dragon!" replied the dwarf without looking back.

Stone turned his head and saw the flames on the black fake dragon. Smoke from its body obscured the entire camp, and the stagnant air of the swamp area allowed the smoke to settle. Many sparks exploded from the dragon's body, scattering throughout the camp.

Stone flapped the sparks that landed on his cape, followed closely behind the short-legged dwarf, and easily caught up with the panting Hubble.

"Hubble," he gasped, grabbing the dwarf's arm. "It's useless! no one can survive that flame! we have to go back-"

"Let me go!" Hubble roared angrily, Stone let go of his hand in surprise, and the dwarf ran towards the burning dragon again, Stone helplessly followed, his eyes beginning to tear from the smoke.

"Wade Bervolt!" Hubble shouted. "You idiot! Where are you?"

The murky air vibrated faintly, and there was no answer.

"Wade!" Hubble shouted. "If you keep us from escaping, I'll kill you, let me—" Tears of anger and sadness streamed down the dwarf's cheeks.

The heat was getting more and more unbearable, it was tearing at Stone's lungs, and the knights knew they couldn't stay here for long, or they would all be doomed sooner or later. He resolutely grabbed the dwarf and decided to knock him unconscious if necessary.

Suddenly, he saw something moving by the fire. He rubbed his eyes and looked closer.

The dragon lay on the ground, its head still attached to its burning body against a long prosthetic neck. The head has not yet burned, but the flames have begun to engulf the neck. The head will also burn up soon. Stone saw something moving again.

"Hubble!" shouted Stone, "come out! this head is about to burn!"

"I can't help it! I'm stuck!" said a muffled voice.

Stone looked at his head on the ground, scrambling to figure out how to rescue the Kander, while Hubble grabbed the exposed leg and pulled hard.

"It hurts! stop him!" Wade shouted.

"It's useless," said the dwarf. "He's stuck. ”

The flames burned the dragon's neck.

Stone drew his sword and said, "I might cut off his head." He told Hubble, "But that's the only chance." ”

Estimating the size of the Kande, guessing where his head was. Praying that his hands were not raised above his head, Stone raised his sword in front of the dragon's neck.

Hubble closed his eyes quietly.