Laughter erupted over the Azure-Dyed Forest, startling a flock of unknown birds in the distance.
The bone dragon tilted its head in the clouds, the eerie green soul fire flickering in its eye sockets, as if wondering what its master was laughing at.
“Thirty-one million battle merit!” Blood Bone held up three fingers, waving them in front of Meltbone. “First place on the Battle Merit Ranking! Negotiating with the World Tree! All of this was done by an apprentice of my Blood Bone Tower! A Third-Tier Apprentice!”
“That's enough!” Meltbone's face was now as dark red as his robe, the cracks on his skin glowing blindingly bright.
“Meltbone, what did you say earlier again?” Blood Bone withdrew his fingers and crossed his arms, looking down at Meltbone, who was a head shorter than him. “Did you say Command had lost their minds? That a Third-Tier Apprentice wasn't worth three Tier 3 Wizards making a special trip?”
Meltbone's mouth opened and closed.
“And now?” Blood Bone leaned in slightly.
Meltbone clenched his fists, released them, and clenched them again.
Beneath his dark red skin, a lava-like glow pulsed, slightly distorting the surrounding air with the intense heat.
He opened his mouth several times, finally squeezing a few words out from between his teeth.
“Blood Bone, just you wait. Once we get back to the fortress, I'm going to report you to Lord Jade Shadow.”
“Report me for what?” Blood Bone raised an eyebrow.
“Report you for—” Meltbone choked on his words. He thought for a long moment, only to realize there was actually nothing he could report him for.
Blood Bone patted Meltbone on the shoulder. “Alright, don't be mad. I'll buy you a drink later.”
“Who wants to drink with you!” Meltbone slapped Blood Bone's hand away. “Do you even call that alcohol? That's embalming fluid squeezed out of undead creatures! Last time, I couldn't get out of bed for three days and three nights!”
“That just means it has a kick,” Blood Bone said.
Frostfall watched the two bicker, her ice-crystal eyes devoid of any emotional ripples.
She turned her head, her gaze landing on Ethan.
“Ethan Leo.”
Ethan immediately stood at attention. “My Lady.”
“You have conveyed the World Tree's terms to Command.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
“Did the World Tree mention the defensive deployments inside the Sacred City once the core barrier is deactivated?”
“Replying to My Lady, the World Tree only said that once the core barrier is gone, the Sacred City's defenses will only consist of the runic arrays on the walls and the faith barrier maintained by the temple's Priesthood. Those two layers won't be enough to stop the Wizards.”
Frostfall nodded slightly and asked no further questions.
By now, Meltbone had recovered from his bickering with Blood Bone.
He glared at Ethan, his lips twitching a couple of times as he wanted to scold him but didn't know what to say.
Scold the kid for causing too much trouble?
Scold himself for ranting on the bone dragon's back about Command losing their minds, only to end up looking like the clown?
Curse Blood Bone for having the sheer luck of picking up a monster of an apprentice?
He took a deep breath, swallowing all the curses that rushed to his mouth.
“Kid,” Meltbone said in a muffled voice. “First on the Battle Merit Ranking with thirty-one million, negotiating with the World Tree and actually pulling it off... For a Third-Tier Apprentice, you certainly have some nerve.”
“Thank you for the compliment, My Lord.”
“I wasn't praising you!” Meltbone glared at him. “But pulling it off is a good thing. Once this mission is over and you go to Fortress Command to claim your reward, remember to mention that the three of us escorted you here.”
Blood Bone cleared his throat from the side.
“What are you looking at?” Meltbone said, completely unashamed. “An escort mission still counts as a contribution, alright? If a Third-Tier Apprentice can negotiate with the World Tree and succeed, our protection as three Tier 3 Wizards definitely played a part in that success! Frostfall, wouldn't you agree?”
Frostfall did not answer.
“Frostfall, say something!”
“Oh.”
“Aaaaaaargh!!!!! Blood Bone! Damn you!!!!!!”
Frostfall glanced at Meltbone. “Enough. You're hundreds of years old, act more mature.”
Meltbone's mouth twitched downward. “Tch.”
Frostfall didn't reply, only staring at him quietly.
Meltbone felt completely uncomfortable under her gaze. The cracks on his dark red skin flickered a few times, and he finally waved his hand. “Fine, I'm the bigger man here, I won't argue with you.”
Blood Bone stood nearby, the curve of his lips not yet fully faded.
Just then, the Wizardry Tools on their right ears vibrated simultaneously.
“The new battle plan has been finalized. Prepare to attack in ten minutes. Our objective is to seize the Sacred City of Amons.”
The three Wizards instantly wiped the expressions from their faces.
“Understood,” Blood Bone replied.
Meltbone rolled his shoulders, the cracks on his dark red skin brightening. “Finally, it's our turn to act.”
Frostfall glanced at him.
Meltbone's eyelid twitched at her look. “What are you looking at me for again?”
“Because you talk too much.”
“Sigh, why do you always target me? Just because a hundred years ago...”
“Hmm?” Frostfall's voice was completely flat, but carried a distinct chill.
Meltbone's words caught in his throat. He opened his mouth, closed it, and finally let out a dry cough. “Cough, just pretend I didn't say anything.”
Blood Bone glanced at Meltbone, recalling the events from a hundred years ago, and his lips couldn't help but twitch upward again.
But seeing Meltbone's hostile look, he quickly coughed. “Cough, alright, let's go.”
As soon as he spoke, Ethan felt his body grow light.
An invisible force wrapped around his torso and limbs, and the tree canopy beneath his feet abruptly receded.
The Azure-Dyed Forest in his vision shrank in an instant, turning from a boundless emerald ocean into a hand-sized patch of color.
When his vision cleared again, he was no longer standing on wooden branches.
Beneath his feet was a smooth, grayish-white bone surface, and stepping on it made no sound at all.
He couldn't feel even a whisper of wind around him.
Ethan looked down and realized he was actually standing on the back of the bone dragon. Faint, dark gray runic patterns flowed across the surface of the bone beneath his feet, slowly pulsing within the bone matter.
Overhead, a translucent gray light membrane enveloped the entire back of the bone dragon.
Beyond the membrane, clouds surged in the sky as the bone dragon's massive body slowly turned in the sea of clouds.
At this height and speed, the wind pressure should have torn an ordinary person to shreds.
Yet standing here, not even a single strand of his hair moved.
“Incredible,” Ethan murmured.
Time passed quickly.
Meltbone crossed his arms, the cracks on his dark red skin pulsing with his breathing. He looked down at the Sacred City below, his mouth turned downward. “How much longer?”
“Three minutes,” Blood Bone said.
Meltbone said no more.
Frostfall stood directly atop the bone dragon's head, her light blue cloak gently swaying in the wind.
Frostfall stood directly atop the bone dragon's head, her light blue cloak gently swaying in the wind.
Ten minutes passed.
The brightest emerald-green light membrane surrounding the Sacred City suddenly vanished.
The runic arrays on the city walls still glowed, and the light on the temple's spires still flickered, but the core barrier connected to the World Tree's root system dissolved silently.
Emerald-green light particles emerged from the air, drifting in all directions like a silent, green snowfall.
Meltbone grinned.
He took a step forward.
Rate on N.U.
