Chapter 153: The Guardian of the Ruins
The moment Kael finished speaking, Darius was already moving.
"Sound the summons."
A Black Dragon soldier outside the manor immediately obeyed.
The horn echoed through Blackwood.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Across the training grounds, soldiers stopped what they were doing.
Darius stepped into the courtyard.
"Black Dragon!"
Fifty soldiers gathered within moments.
Kael approached them.
The soldiers straightened.
Darius looked toward Kael.
"Orders?"
Kael’s eyes moved across the assembled warriors.
"The western observation post has encountered an unknown creature."
Murmurs spread through the formation.
Kael raised his hand.
Silence returned.
"Five scouts are currently facing it."
Grom Ironfang stepped forward.
"Then we should go."
Kael looked at him.
Grom’s large hands tightened around his spear.
"They are Black Dragon."
His voice was firm.
"We do not leave our own behind."
Kael nodded.
"Agreed."
He looked toward Darius.
"Take thirty."
Darius frowned.
"Thirty?"
"The remaining twenty stay here."
Darius understood immediately.
"To protect Blackwood."
"Yes."
Grom stepped forward again.
"I will go."
Kael looked at the goblin.
"I expected you to say that."
Grom grinned.
"Then you know me well."
Within minutes, the western road filled with soldiers.
Darius rode at the front.
Grom remained close beside him.
Kael followed behind them.
The remaining twenty Black Dragon soldiers stayed at Blackwood under Captain Roland’s command.
Lily stood near the gate as they departed.
"Be careful!"
Kael raised a hand.
"We’ll return."
Darius looked toward him.
"You shouldn’t make promises like that."
Kael smiled.
"You think we’re going to lose?"
"No."
Darius looked toward the western horizon.
"I think we’re going to discover something."
The journey took most of the day.
The further west they traveled, the quieter the land became.
Kael noticed something strange.
The usual sounds of the forest were absent.
No birds.
Few insects.
Even the wind seemed weaker.
Grom sniffed the air.
"I smell blood."
Darius immediately raised his hand.
The column stopped.
Kael looked ahead.
"How far?"
Grom pointed.
"Not far."
Darius signaled two scouts forward.
They disappeared between the trees.
Several moments passed.
Then one returned.
"Commander."
"What did you find?"
"Tracks."
"Human?"
"No."
The scout hesitated.
"Large."
Darius exchanged a glance with Kael.
"Continue."
They eventually reached the observation camp.
It had been destroyed.
The fire pit was overturned.
Several tents had been torn apart.
Weapons lay scattered across the ground.
Kael’s expression hardened.
"Where are the scouts?"
Darius dismounted.
"Search the area."
The soldiers spread out.
Grom crouched near the ground.
His fingers touched the soil.
"Blood."
Kael approached.
"Human?"
Grom examined it.
"Yes."
Kael’s jaw tightened.
"Dead?"
Grom shook his head.
"No."
Kael looked at him.
"How do you know?"
"The blood trail continues."
Darius immediately followed the trail.
It led toward the ruins.
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
"So they’re alive."
"Perhaps," Darius said.
"Then we bring them home."
The ancient ruins appeared through the trees.
They looked different now.
The faint blue glow beneath the stone door had intensified.
Kael could feel the mana in the air.
His skin prickled.
The system appeared.
Ancient Mana Detected
Concentration: Increasing
Warning
Unstable magical phenomenon detected.
Kael stared at the ruins.
"What are you?"
Darius looked at him.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Suddenly—
A roar shook the forest.
The soldiers raised their weapons.
Grom’s eyes narrowed.
"There."
The creature emerged from behind the ruined tower.
It was even larger than Kael had seen through the Azure Scout Bird.
Dark scales covered its body.
Its horns curved backward from its skull.
Its claws dug into the earth.
A thick tail dragged behind it.
The creature’s eyes glowed with an unnatural blue light.
Darius slowly drew his sword.
"Formation!"
Thirty soldiers moved as one.
Shields locked.
Spears lowered.
Grom stood at the front.
Kael remained behind the formation.
The creature stared at them.
Then—
It spoke.
"Leave."
Every soldier froze.
Kael’s eyes widened.
Darius looked at him.
"It speaks."
The creature’s voice was deep.
Ancient.
Almost human.
"Leave this place."
Grom raised his spear.
"You attacked our men."
The creature looked toward him.
Its eyes narrowed.
"A goblin..."
Grom’s grip tightened.
The creature continued.
"Yet you stand beside humans."
Grom snarled.
"I stand beside my commander."
The creature stared at him for several seconds.
Then its attention shifted to Kael.
Its eyes suddenly widened.
"You..."
Kael felt something inside his body react.
The system appeared.
Unknown Entity Detected
Ancient Dragon Energy: Confirmed
Classification: Incomplete
Warning
Target possesses extraordinary magical power.
Kael’s expression changed.
"Dragon..."
The creature’s eyes narrowed.
"Your blood..."
It stepped forward.
The soldiers tightened their formation.
"You carry the scent."
Kael didn’t understand.
"What blood?"
The creature stared directly at him.
"The blood of the old ones."
Before Kael could respond—
A scream came from the ruins.
"Commander!"
Everyone turned.
One of the missing scouts stumbled from behind the stone structure.
His armor was torn.
Blood covered his shoulder.
Darius immediately shouted.
"Bring him here!"
Two soldiers rushed forward.
The scout collapsed into their arms.
"What happened?"
The soldier struggled to breathe.
"The door..."
He pointed toward the ruins.
"It opened."
Kael looked toward the ancient stone entrance.
The blue light was now shining brightly.
The creature suddenly turned toward it.
Its expression changed.
For the first time...
Kael saw fear in its eyes.
"No."
The creature stepped backward.
"No... not yet."
Kael stared.
"What is inside?"
The creature looked at him.
Then toward the glowing ruins.
"The thing that should never awaken."
The ground trembled.
A crack appeared across the stone door.
Darius raised his sword.
"Everyone prepare!"
The crack widened.
Ancient light poured through it.
Kael felt his Ice Power react violently.
His blood stirred.
The system began flashing warnings.
Ancient Dragon Energy is increasing.
Unknown magical presence detected.
Warning.
Sealed entity beginning to awaken.
Kael’s eyes widened.
"Darius..."
"I see it."
Another tremor shook the valley.
The creature roared.
"RUN!"
The stone door exploded outward.
And something ancient opened its eyes beneath the ruins.