The Greatest Fight [progression cultivation isekai]

X2.4.6: The Iron Dragon of Heaven's Balcony



X2.4.6: The Iron Dragon of Heaven's Balcony

The crew had left the Thousand Step Village several weeks prior, still shaken by what had happened with Master O. Roa especially had been unusually quiet in those days following. His old teacher turned out mad. However, it was his revelation about Eralay that had left him most shaken.

"He could have just said that stuff by mistake. I mean, he was pretty off the rails from the get go. I wouldn't let it get to you," said Rosso, as the boy shook his head.

"No. He knew her name. How could he possibly know her name?" Roa said, without getting a response from his friend.

The green, alpine forests began to disappear with each day and the environment began to grow colder and more hostile. Frozen castles dotted the peaks, and the locals of the towns they passed through around those parts were peaceful but more distrusting of foreigners.

"This cold—it's piercing through my clothes," said Indigo, shivering.

The Yellow Tree Road continued on, snaking its way up through jagged peaks and frozen rivers and lakes. Giant goats with curled horns covered in bells hopped from one rock to the next, filling the air with their jingle, nibbling away at trees and shrubs that called that hostile environment their home.

"That down there must have been Overlook Keep," said Roa pointing at a fortress as the snow and winds blew. "We passed Glass Lake a few days ago, so this must be—Ghost Peak."

"Hopefully, just a name—with no ghosts," said Indigo with a worried look, as the others stared up at her. "What? I'm afraid of ghosts."

"Anyway, night is coming and we are ill-equipped for this weather. There should be some caves here somewhere—there!" Roa said, pointing at a hole in the rock. "The Caves of Murmurath."

The weary travelers gathered some wood before entering the cold, dark and damp cave. Shivering, they sat, huddled next to one another and the fire they did their best to keep alive.

"What was that?" said Indigo, turning around towards the pitch-black darkness of the recesses of the cavern. Distant noises echoed through the rock walls, causing a chill to run their spines. The circus singer stood up and manifested a light from her index finger.

"How did you do that?" asked Rosso.

"Vesper used that Gift too, remember?" Roa pointed out. "You'll have to teach us."

"Shush! I hear something," said Indigo with her eyes wide open, as she moved the light around and the shapes of the rocks danced between the darkness and the light. "Something big is coming," she said, whispering as the other two stood up, their eyes wide open like those of two owls.

It sounded like crushing rocks at first, but eventually the Jumpers realized that they were giant, heavy steps—and they were getting closer, and faster. Roa's heart was racing when he finally managed to blurt out, "we need to get the hell out of here!"

It was too late, however. Out of the darkness, Indigo's light reflected upon thousands of metal scales.

"Dragon!" screamed the three as they grabbed what they could and darted for the entrance of the cavern.

Everything turned bright and hot. Activating their auras, they ran out just in time, as an explosion of fire shot them out of the hole and into the snow. They rolled around, putting out the flames on their clothes, but as soon as they turned around, they saw the beast towering above them.

"Filthy, greedy, lying Humans!" said the dragon, its orange eyes burning with hatred. "You come to steal our iron, again?!"

Roa stood up and raised his hands. "We are not trying to steal anything from you! We were just looking for a warm place to rest."

"Lies! You Humans speak nothing but lies. Each time you speak, you lie and you steal from my kind," the monster said, charging at them.

The Jumpers had no choice but to attack back. However, no amount of punches, or blasts from their Gunhands left any damage. The beast burned the surroundings until no snow was left, trying to roast the intruders, who kept on evading the fireballs. When the monster charged at them again, the three of them took flight using Pan's Gift. Rosso, still unable to levitate on his own, held on to his friends' hands as they escaped, narrowly missing rocky protrusions and dead trees sticking out of the cliffs.

The night was freezing cold and the blizzard was blasting incessantly. The travelers had managed to escape the wrath of the fire-breathing lizard, but to what end?

"We—are going—to die here," said Indigo, her teeth chattering.

"Never give up. Let's—keep going," said Roa, pushing on in the darkness.

"Li—li—lights," Rosso pointed up. "I see lights."

The three decided to use Pan's Gift one last time with the remaining energy they had left, cutting through the blizzard's cold. They reached an immense, beautiful balcony that gave way to a massive villa that towered in the darkness. They rolled on the cold ground as they landed, collapsing over and over as they tried to walk. Eventually, even the last of them passed out.

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Roa's eyes opened slowly, looking around, trying to make sense of where he was as he regained consciousness. Heavy, warm, bear skins covered his whole body. He noticed his friends still asleep, also tucked in two separate beds as the crackle of the fireplace broke the silence. They were inside of a small room. The head of a deer adorned the walls. Soon after, the boy passed out once again.

The three were taken care of by several attendants who fed them, clothed them and allowed them to bathe. Eventually, they were brought into a large hall where a tall man wearing a tight-fitted black suit and sparkling blue shoes stood.

"Welcome to the Teal Chateau. My name is Count Teal," he said, smiling. "Please sit."

"Thank you for saving us. We were one step away from death," said Roa.

"My pleasure. What brings you to these parts of Elevar's Heights?" he asked.

"We are trying to reach the Peak of Peaks," said Rosso, digging into a large chicken leg.

"That's a mighty goal, although I am not sure if it's a realistic one."

"We have to find the Ex—" Roa paused, "we are looking for someone near those parts."

"Your clothes—they were burned when we found you," Teal asked.

"Yes, we were attacked by a dragon," Rosso pointed out.

"Those horrible creatures have been attacking Iron Town and the chateau for years now. They've even kidnapped some of the villagers a few days ago. It's been terrible," he said.

The Jumpers looked at each other and Rosso sighed as soon as he noticed the Sunflower eyebrows raise.

"Let's not—" Rosso started to plead. It was too late, however. Roa agreed to help the villagers out, and defeat the Iron Dragon.

"Why—" Rosso said, as they entered the Caves of Murmurath again. "Why, is what I want to know."

"Because we have the power to help, so we need to help," Roa said, his eyes darting around for danger.

"Be on the lookout. That Teal guy said that the Iron Dragons can only be defeated with Rust Powder," she said, pulling out a small satchel. "He said to throw it on the beast when close enough."

"There! It's coming again!" Rosso shouted as steps grew louder in the darkness.

"Hide behind the rocks!" Roa said.

The monster came out, its long neck swinging about the cave looking for the intruders, sniffing around for their scents.

"Now!"

The Jumpers leapt on the dragon, pouring the orange powder in between its scales as it screamed and thrashed around, pinning the fighters between the rocks and the metal skin of the beast.

"I'm—going to—suffocate," Roa tried to escape to no avail. He was pinned against the wall, but just as he was about to lose consciousness, the monster released him and collapsed to the ground with a echoing thud.

"Are you still in one piece?" asked Indigo.

"Yeah, I think so. My Scutum saved me again," the boy said. "What?" he asked, noticing Indigo's serious look on her face.

"Nothing. Your—infection. It's on your neck."

Roa caressed the side of his throat, feeling the rugged, dry skin, he now had so often become used to. The dragon tried to move. A deafening noise caused the travelers to duck and cover their ears. The sound of metal screeching against metal echoed in the dark cave as the beast attempted to move, until eventually, it stopped.

"You—evil beings," said the Iron Dragon with a deep voice. "You know no satisfaction. Your hunger is insatiable. You will never know peace."

The boy from Earth stood up and walked in front of the beast's face.

"Where are the hostages?" he asked.

"I have no hostages," the monster said.

"Why are you attacking the village?"

"Because you are attacking my caves. Because you keep taking my iron—the iron I feed on. And because you continue to kill my kind."

The Jumpers glanced at each other.

"Who's taking your iron?"

"The villagers and that man with the blue shoes," said the dragon. "Now, kill me, as you have killed my brethren for years now. Soon, there won't be any iron left, and my kind will die regardless."

The trio checked out the rest of the cave. Not finding any hostages, they went back to the chateau where the count had thrown them a party and invited the whole village.

"Has the monster been slain?" he asked, raising a glass.

"Yes. The monster is dead," lied the Sunflower.

"Good. Let's celebrate, then!" Teal announced as the music started playing and the drinks came out.

As the villagers mingled on the giant balcony of the chateau, Indigo kept the count busy, noticing his interest in her. That allowed the other two to sneak in through the giant villa and look for clues.

After almost a half hour, Rosso got an idea.

"I can use my Compass," he said.

"Wouldn't it point to wherever your dad is though?" Roa asked.

"Yes, unless—I can concentrate enough, temporarily, to really want to find the hostages."

They entered a small pantry where Rosso sat cross-legged, concentrating on his new goal. The boy from Earth, meanwhile, kept a close eye through the keyhole, in case anyone was passing by. After several minutes, the desert heretic manifested the Compass and said, "let's hope this works."

The magic flame led them down the stairs and into a crypt, where they had to force a lock open, and where they finally found what they were looking for.

"Stop the music!" shouted Rosso, as they returned to the balcony where the festivities continued unabated. "Count Teal—we found the hostages," he said, pointing at a group of five prisoners.

The family members of the missing people ran to them, crying, hugging their loved ones who had disappeared several days prior.

"Thank goodness! They have been saved from the monster!" Teal said in an uneasy tone.

"The only monster here—is you. We found them in the crypt of your chateau," Roa said, pointing at him.

"Is this true?" asked one of the relatives to the captives, who responded with a nod.

"Wait, you don't understand. They're lying!" pleaded the count, as he took several steps backwards, toward the edge of the balcony as the villagers grew more and more furious.

"You've been pinning the blame on the dragons so that you could keep having the villagers plunder their caves. We found your stash of ore underground, Teal. The jig is up, you greedy bastard," said Roa.

"You've been causing all this suffering—to make yourself—rich?" said one of the villagers.

The crowd lost all sense of civility and rushed towards the noble, who struggled to break free and escape, but was outnumbered and over powered by the mob of angry people. They grabbed him, and threw him down the balcony, down thousands of meters. His screams faded as he disappeared through the clouds. Not even a thud could be heard.

"Thank you for freeing us from the count's lies," said a woman with curly, red hair as she hugged her daughter.

"The dragons won't attack you if you coexist with them. There's enough for everyone's needs—just not everyone's greed," said the Sunflower.

The villagers agreed to find a balance with the dragons, thanking the three travelers for all that they had done for them. In return, they were given plenty of supplies, as well as a map to the end of the Yellow Tree Road, to a temple full of yellow-clothed hermits. Elevar's Hermitage.


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