I Have a Task Log

The rain slowly lessened, until only an almost imperceptible drizzle remained.

"ROAR!"

The earth-shattering roar echoed once more as the White Dragon lunged forward, assailing its opponent with both claws and its gaping maw.

Colin calmly weaved and dodged across the rooftops.

His footing was steady and his movements were swift, like a matador facing a bull.

The White Dragon’s claws tore open one hole after another in the roof, but it couldn’t seem to touch the enemy before it.

But anyone could see that for Colin, this was a deadly game with no room for error. If the Giant Dragon found even the slightest opening, it would spell his doom.

WHOOSH!

A massive tail swept toward him.

Colin chanted another Spell, and with a flash of silver light, the eggshell-shaped Magic Shield created by his Shield spell appeared at his side.

He crouched low, pressing his blade against the roof and gripping the hilt with both hands. His body, the roof, and the sword formed a perfect triangle.

The dragon’s tail slammed onto the blade.

Aided by his Elf Dance Cloak and the Shield spell, the force of the blow was deflected the moment it struck the blade, sending Dragon Scales scattering into the air.

His Speed far surpassing the dragon’s, Colin shot to his feet the instant the tail swept past.

He swung his Giant Sword again, the Emerald Flame Sword leaving another gash on his opponent’s hind leg. Bright red dragon blood gushed out, flowing freely across the tiles.

The White Dragon quickly used the momentum from its tail swing to turn and lash out with a claw.

Colin dodged to the side.

The massive claws grazed his shoulder and slammed onto the rooftop, punching straight through the tiles.

Colin responded with a backhanded slash at the dragon’s claw.

In that instant, he could clearly see the White Dragon lowering its body as the muscles in its chest slowly expanded, their contours visible even beneath its scales.

’It’s going to attack from below,’ Colin thought.

Relying on his superior Speed, he prepared to leap back while simultaneously Casting the Shield spell.

Just then, a Crossbow Arrow shot in from the side, striking Colin’s Wrist Guard and knocking aside the arm he was using for Casting.

’It’s those flying Cultists!’

The next instant, the tiles by Colin’s feet exploded, and a White Dragon’s claw shot out from the shattered debris.

The strike was too fast and precise. Even though he’d reacted, Colin couldn’t dodge.

A tremendous force struck his calf, launching him into the air as intense pain shot through his leg.

The sharp dragon claws had pierced straight through his forged steel greaves and dug into his flesh.

The intense pain seized Colin’s mind, and he could no longer maintain the Haste spell.

He could clearly feel the world returning to its normal speed.

Colin gritted his teeth and, with all his might, pulled a feather and a small tart from his component pouch.

BAM!

A violent impact struck him from behind.

The White Dragon smashed Colin into the ground. He felt as if his organs had been rearranged as a fresh wave of pain shot up his spine, spreading a tingling numbness over every inch of his skin.

He glanced at the nearby clock tower, quickly getting his bearings.

The White Dragon had slammed him onto the other side of the roof.

Lying on the ground, Colin mustered the last of his strength. With trembling hands, he tossed the feather into the air and began chanting a Spell: Tasha’s Hideous Laughter.

A deep purple Magic Radiance instantly enveloped the White Dragon, converging on its massive head. The crest and scales on the dragon’s head emitted a faint white light, as if resisting the Magic that was slowly taking hold.

Colin could feel the claws gripping his calf slowly loosen.

"Heh heh heh..."

The White Dragon took two steps back, letting out a low, cold laugh.

’I can’t believe it actually worked,’ Colin thought, surprised. ’After all, Dragon Species have a natural resistance to Magic—and the older they are, the stronger that resistance becomes.’

Leaning against the clock tower behind him, Colin slowly got to his feet.

The instant he was on his feet, the White Dragon’s laughter stopped abruptly. It then twisted its body violently, whipping its massive tail in his direction.

’So it wasn’t enough to control it?’ Colin chanted a Spell.

Silver Light Sharp Words!

A flash of purple Spiritual Light burst from the White Dragon’s mind and surged into Colin.

He focused all his energy on Defense, shielding himself with his Elf Giant Sword and bracing the tip against the clock tower wall. He hoped to use the angle of the blade to deflect the fatal blow, or at least make the White Dragon hesitate to use its full strength.

SQUELCH!

The White Dragon didn’t lessen the force of its swing in the slightest. The blade shattered its scales and embedded itself deep in its flesh.

Blood gushed out, steaming with white vapor.

The white vapor wasn’t steam from heat, but a freezing mist produced by extreme cold.

The dragon’s tail drove the blade forward, and the remaining force slammed into Colin’s chest, whipping him against the clock tower. The impact shook the entire structure, sending a cloud of water vapor into the air.

A dull ache radiated from his chest as all the air was instantly forced from his lungs.

He couldn’t even manage a scream, only a ragged, wheezing gasp like a broken bellows.

Waves of dull pain welled up from deep within his bones. A sweet, coppery taste of blood flooded his mouth.

The White Dragon retracted its tail, and Colin slid down the wall, collapsing to the roof.

He could see a large dent in his Plate Armor Chest Guard. Every breath felt like inhaling shards of ice, and a sharp, cutting pain filled his chest. His muscles began to spasm uncontrollably.

RIIIIING—

A loud ringing drowned out most other sounds. The edges of his vision began to blacken as golden spots bloomed from the darkness, converging toward the center.

Colin tried to move his legs, but his feet felt as if they were made of lead.

He forced his eyes open and looked down.

The White Dragon’s blood had splattered near his feet. Raindrops fell upon it, instantly freezing solid from the Magic Energy within the blood.

Now, Colin’s feet were frozen fast to the roof, completely immobile.

Just then, the sharp whistle of rapidly moving air overpowered all other sounds.

’The dragon used its blood to freeze me in place, and now it’s planning to finish me off with its breath. This must be its killing blow...’

’The only way to escape now is to use Misty Step,’ Colin thought.

’No. I can’t.’

’If I want to kill this dragon, I absolutely cannot use that spell.’

Colin struggled to raise his head, looking at the dragon’s maw so close to him, and the White Frost slowly gathering within it.

’Barring any surprises, this should be the dragon’s final breath attack.’

Colin could feel time start to slow down around him again.

But this time, it wasn’t the effect of a spell; his senses were beginning to shut down.

The sound of the rain, the wind, the thunder, the battle cries, the screams...

Countless sounds seemed to be siphoned away by the White Dragon’s maw, growing smaller and smaller.

The air currents surged and converged, becoming part of the dragon’s breath.

Even the bravest and most reckless mortal in the world would have chosen to flee such a sight.

But in that moment, Colin stood his ground, unmoving.

He guided a soft tube from his chest into his mouth and drank the Healing Potion inside. Then, with a trembling right hand, he drew a Mica Plate and silently aimed it at his opponent.

FWOOSH—

A white mist erupted from the dragon’s maw.

Raindrops were instantly frozen solid by the frigid mist and shot forward. The sound of ice cracking and freezing filled his ears.

Colin felt no pain, only a creeping numbness that spread from his extremities up toward the core of his body.

In an instant, he could no longer feel his arms and legs.

Amid the howling storm, Colin felt an inexplicable sense of peace. He looked at the blizzard before him and thought silently.

’I hope this is enough to kill you, you savage beast.’