The Dragon's Shield

The winged lion's voice echoed through the air as it explained the consequences of Lynaria's failure to tame the Sacred Dragon Sword.

"If you don't perform the ritual, the sword will drain the life from anyone who dares touch it. But that's not the worst part. The souls of the wicked will corrupt its aura, making it more bloodthirsty, while the souls of the good will only satisfy it briefly."

The ancient dragon then left the decision in Lynaria's hands, acknowledging her as the sword's rightful master.

"The choice is yours, my lady. Whatever you decide, I trust you've thought it through."

Lost in thought, Lynaria suddenly felt the presence of the man who had been trailing her. Emerging from the shadows, he lunged toward her, aiming to seize the sword.

Lynaria reacted swiftly, pulling the sword away to keep it out of his reach. But in her moment of distraction, the man managed to touch it. A violent tug-of-war between the man and the sword ensued. Lynaria fought to hold on, but before she could stop it, the man's body began to wither rapidly, his screams echoing through the air. Within moments, he vanished, leaving nothing behind but a faint echo of his agony.

Stunned, Lynaria dropped the sword she had been gripping so tightly, her mind reeling from what she had just witnessed. The words of the two legendary creatures rang in her ears.

"So it was true... what should I do now?"

Confusion washed over her, unsure of how to contain the sword's overwhelming power. The old dragon's voice broke the silence.

"Offer me as a sacrifice. If my soul merges with the sword, it will become more stable."

Lynaria froze, her heart pounding at the thought. The idea was too much to bear.

"No! There has to be another way. I won't sacrifice anyone for the sword!"

The ancient dragon's tone softened, but it remained firm.

"This is the only way. You cannot sacrifice the innocent. I have already lived my life. It is my fate to protect this sword."

Lynaria felt a weight in her chest, torn between defying the dragon's plea and accepting it. After a long moment, she made her decision, though it broke her heart.

"Alright. I'll do as you ask."

Turning away, she couldn't bear to watch as the dragon's spirit entered the sword, leaving her with the haunting knowledge that it would never leave again.

When she returned to the palace, the celebration was still in full swing, but Lynaria couldn't bring herself to join in. She retreated to her room, seeking solace in the quiet. On her bed, she hugged Glosbe, who sensed her sorrow.

"Oero is at peace, my lady. He's content to remain with the artifact he protected. Don't grieve. He wouldn't want you to mourn his sacrifice."

Lynaria fought to hold back tears, but the floodgates finally opened. After a while, she fell into an exhausted sleep. Unknown to her, Kaelron had quietly entered her room to check on her. As he stepped in, Glosbe immediately tensed, warning him not to approach. But Kaelron spoke softly to the creature.

"I only wish to see how she is."

"You followed us in the mountains. Why didn't you show yourself when she needed you most?"

Kaelron sighed, his expression unreadable.

"I didn't want to make her more frightened or push her away."

With that, the brief conversation ended, and Kaelron quietly left. The following day, news of the Sacred Dragon Sword spread like wildfire throughout the kingdom, reaching even neighboring lands. Many royals and dignitaries from foreign nations arrived, eager to witness the legendary weapon's power — and perhaps take it for themselves.

"The sword is the greatest power in the dragon kingdom. If we seize it, the entire kingdom will fall under our control."

After waiting for what felt like an eternity, Lynaria entered the palace hall with Kaelron. Together, they walked past the gathered crowd, every eye on them as they made their way to the throne. Kaelron sat with the air of a ruler, and Lynaria stood beside him with quiet strength.

Kaelron leaned over to whisper in her ear.

"Place the sword."

Lynaria nodded obediently, walking forward to set the sword down on a sturdy table in front of the king. As she stepped back, the sword's aura radiated through the room, sending a chill down everyone's spine. Kaelron's voice broke the silence.

"I'm sure you're all curious. Whoever can lift the sword—or even get within an inch of it—will claim it as their own."

The crowd fell silent, some skeptics among them, but many felt emboldened. Among them, the higher-ups in the dragon kingdom exchanged worried glances.

"Do they not know only the sword's master can touch it?"

"They're courting death. We'll have trouble after today, mark my words."

A large, tattooed man from the wolf clan stepped forward with a determined look. With confidence, he began walking toward the sword. Before he could even get close, the sword's aura struck him, sending him flying back with immense force.

The room gasped in shock. Unfazed, others began to step forward, eager to try their luck. One by one, they were all repelled before they could even reach the sword.

"What fools," muttered one of the wolf clan members. "Do they think they can just touch it? This sword is no ordinary weapon."

A man from the wolf clan, a trusted lieutenant of their king, stepped up. Using his inner energy, he walked toward the sword, making it to within a few inches. Just as he reached for it, Lynaria whispered to Kaelron.

"My lord, isn't he the wolf king's trusted man? If something happens to him, won't the wolf kingdom declare war on us?"

Kaelron shrugged nonchalantly.

"Let him make his own choices. Everyone here is a witness."

The wolf man reached for the sword, and in an instant, his inner energy was drained by the sword. His body disintegrated into ash before anyone could react. The room fell into stunned silence, the fear palpable in the air.

But the wolf kingdom's representatives weren't about to let it slide. They charged at Kaelron, furious. Without hesitation, Lynaria drew the sword and fought back. One swing was all it took—every attacker fell, defeated in an instant.

The surviving leaders of the wolf kingdom fled, but not without a parting threat.

"We will not forget this. The dragon kingdom will fall for this. Our king will have his vengeance."