NOVEL NEXT Chapter 113: Dragons' Strategy
A thick silence hung in the air, a tense standoff punctuated only by the frantic beeping of David's tablet.
"Your king?" Vancouver's brow furrowed in confusion. "Who is your king? And judging by your tone, he won't agree to spare my nation. Why is that?" His gaze, sharp as a blade, pinned Star to the spot.
"My King?" Star's scoff was a sharp, bitter sound. "Take this in: my king is someone Matilda hurt... Sparing your nation is all up to him." Her eyes fell to the ground, a silent admission of her powerlessness.
"You speak with such boldness, are you truly that powerful?" Vancouver's question was laced with a hint of challenge.
Star's laugh was a low, mirthful sound. She met his gaze directly. "If we weren't, would you join us?"
A frown deepened on Vancouver's face. The woman before him was a fortress of unanswered questions, deflecting every inquiry with one of her own.
'It seems I'll have to wait for this King,' he conceded internally, turning his attention to the cameras. "Okay, but we have a problem."
Star's eyebrow arched in silent question. The answer came not in words but in a piercing shriek.
BEEEEEP!!!
The sound tore through the air, emanating from the drones hidden in the trees. David's tablet came alive in his hands, displaying four pulsating red dots converging on their location from every direction.
"This?" His voice was a gasp of disbelief.
Star rose to her feet with an air of grim resignation. "It seems your energy fluctuations have attracted some unwanted pests." Her five soldiers, a blur of motion, drew their swords, the glint of steel a stark contrast to the deepening twilight.
"Before I ask you this question... allow me to introduce myself and my group." Star gestured to the fox woman standing beside her.
"This is Alexandra. She should be with the Queen, but she chose to come along..." A faint smile touched Star's lips. She turned to the two men. "He is Mike, and this big guy is Joseph... and the youngest lady in the group: Mia..." Her gaze finally settled on Vancouver.
"I am Star Dra... It's nice meeting you."
Both Vancouver and David blinked in stunned silence. Death was closing in, and she was making polite introductions, as if they were at a garden party instead of on the brink of a battle for their lives.
Shouldn't she be focused on a plan for escape?
"You already know who we are, so there's no need for an introduction," Vancouver said, turning to leave.
"About my question," Star's voice stopped him in his tracks.
He turned back, a flicker of impatience in his eyes.
"What did you do to that Giant that froze it? A normal punch can't do that," she pressed.
"I discovered it," David interjected, raising his hand.
"Oh?" Star's attention shifted to him. "Then answer the question."
David's expression grew thoughtful. "Well... although the Giants have strong defenses, their internal organs are still weak, especially the brain." He paused, gathering his thoughts.
"If you successfully land a powerful blow on their heads—forehead or at the side—it will send some damage to the brain, which will freeze them up... To us, ordinary people, such a blow would cause a traumatic brain injury, or TBI, leading to various problems like brain bruising, bleeding, swelling, tearing of tissue, and nerve cell damage. This can result in consequences ranging from temporary changes in brain function and memory loss to permanent disability and, in severe cases, death. But for these guys, it only sends a jolt of electricity, which freezes them... but only for 10 seconds."
"What a big brain," Star murmured, a flicker of approval in her eyes.
"So we have only 10 seconds after the blow..." She fell into a moment of deep thought before nodding to herself.
"It's getting dark, and we don't want those things to destroy the house. We'll need it for the night..." She let out a long, weary sigh. "This is dangerous, but some of us will have to lead them away."
".....?!"
A wave of shock rippled through the group.
"The house isn't of value; what we need to do is escape," Alexandra protested.
"Yes, Commander," Mike, Mia, and Joseph echoed in unison.
Star was silent for a few long moments before speaking again. "Okay... You guys stay behind. I will lead them away."
The four soldiers exchanged confused glances.
"Don't worry, I have another idea," Vancouver said, pulling the hood of his cloak over his head.
"They're here because of me; I'll lead them away."
"But... they're coming from all directions," David said grimly.
"I know," Vancouver said, walking toward the northern edge of the clearing.
"Have you forgotten the Dragons' strategy?" He grinned, then leaped into the air, a shadow flitting from one treetop to the next.
"Dragons' strategy? What is that?" Star asked, turning to David.
"Some days ago, the Dragons visited this planet, I think an expedition group... I don't know, but they came in contact with those things. What Vancouver is planning is what saved their leader," David explained.
WHOOSH!!
A dense surge of energy spread out from the north. David quickly checked his tablet, watching as the red dots began to converge, their movement directed toward the source of the energy.
"Something isn't right here," David said, his voice filled with shock.
"What happened now?!" Star strode over to him, her eyes fixed on the screen. She saw two more dots moving from another direction, right behind one of the Giants.
"Why is one dot blue?" she asked.
"That signifies an ordinary person... It can be anyone from any race," David explained, staring at the red dot beside the blue one. "But any red dot signifies a Giant."
"Then why are this blue and red dot so close to one another?" Star's voice was sharp with suspicion.
"I don't know... But... but it seems they are moving together," David said, his tone filled with disbelief.
"We need to help Vancouver--"
"--No need." Vancouver landed before them, and looked over his shoulder.
"I just hope it is enough," he said, a note of uncertainty in his voice.
"Look... The four Giants are moving towards the two dots," David said, his eyes wide.
"Do your drones have a video?" Star demanded.
"These aren't drones, Miss. They are motion sensors I installed 500 meters from our location... And the trees help provide cover," he said, switching screens.
"I took only one drone with me; we can use it." He pressed the activation button, and a drone shot out from the house, flying toward the location of the dots.
The group huddled behind David, Vancouver, and Star, their eyes glued to the drone's feed. They watched as the drone flew over the trees, revealing a clearing, then continued on until it reached the two dots.
What they saw next stunned Star and her four soldiers into utter silence. Two people were walking hand-in-hand.
"Brother!!"
"The King and Princess!!!"
They all exclaimed, the words a collective gasp of astonishment that left both Vancouver and David completely bewildered.