At the Pentagon, following the detection of the dragon, the Secretary of Defense had immediately ordered the deployment of military satellites to maintain surveillance on the creature. A dedicated team watched tirelessly, aiming to pinpoint its location so that the armed forces could deploy more potent weaponry to apprehend the beast.
Despite the dragon effortlessly dismantling an elite squad and decimating three Apache helicopters, to the world's leading superpower, this was a minor setback. The United States had a plethora of high-tech armaments yet to be utilized, one of which was bound to be effective against the dragon.
Knowing the beast's whereabouts was paramount for the military. The dragon, although ten meters long, was a mere drop in the ocean compared to the vastness of Earth. Losing sight of it in the dense Amazon would make relocation a daunting task.
On the satellite feed, the dragon did not linger after its encounter with the U.S. soldiers. Instead, it charged north, tearing through the Amazon as if it were nothing, leaving a visibly clear path in its wake.
The observation team leader, perplexed by the dragon's actions, sipped his coffee, and continued to monitor the screen, marking its progress on the map.
"Why isn't it flying? Why is it running instead?" someone in the observation team questioned, but no one had an answer. Given its swift defeat of the helicopters, the dragon should have been capable of fast flight, yet it chose to traverse the jungle on foot.
Eventually, the dragon halted, and the team leaned in close to the screens, hoping a closer look might reveal its next move. They watched as the dragon stood still, seemingly muttering something. Abruptly, a ghostly portal appeared before it. The gate, formed of a pale gray light, rippled like a lake's surface and was etched with twisting, indecipherable runes. The dragon then stepped through the gate, and as its body vanished into the portal, the gateway rapidly shrank and disappeared, along with any trace of the dragon.
The entire observation team rose to their feet. The officer in charge shouted, "Quick, scan the surrounding area with the satellite. Where did the dragon go?"
Operators frantically typed commands, and the screen split, scanning a hundred kilometers around the last known location. Images and videos flashed by, but there was no sign of the dragon.
Sweat trickled down the team members' faces.
"What was that? Could it be the 'teleportation magic' of legend?"
"Oh, God!! I swear my eyes aren't deceiving me. That dragon just teleported away right before us."
"Our sensors detected nothing. That mode of transport is beyond our understanding."
"I feel like I'm dreaming. Dragons, magic... will we see demons and angels next?"
The discussion descended into chaos. Some clutched their crosses, praying for forgiveness for past indiscretions, hoping for divine mercy.
"Sir, here's the satellite image, enlarged..."
An operator brought up the image of the portal, the most precise the satellite could capture, allowing a closer inspection of the runes.
"Get me theologists, occult experts, historians. Print these runes and find out who recognizes them! And bring in linguists, too. It might even be a language."
The team leader reacted swiftly, issuing orders. Unbeknownst to him, these actions were in vain; these runes had never appeared on Earth before. They were part of a magical system from another world.
Swallowing hard, the officer sensed an ominous unknown. Locating the dragon again would be a monumental challenge, especially with the dragon wielding such unfathomable magic.
Spatial teleportation was several technological magnitudes beyond Earth's capabilities, existing only in science fiction. Such a skill, if used in warfare, would be unstoppable. The enemy could deploy forces directly into one's homeland, supply materials effortlessly, and even execute 'decapitation strikes' at will. The mere thought was terrifying.
Perhaps the world was on the cusp of change.
...
Drake, on the other hand, could guess the shock of those observing him. He had purposely used the 'Teleportation Spell' in full view of his watchers.
Before leaving Saint Soren, Drake had taken his spoils of war—a collection of magical scrolls—to Earth, a contingency for unforeseen crises. Among his treasures were many high-level spells, which, as Magus the Archmage—a servile contract-bound minion—had claimed, were precious items rarely used even by the most powerful spellcasters at their peak.
Yet, the teleportation spell was not high-level—it was a mere fifth tier. Difficult for lesser mages to grasp but commonplace among archmages. On Earth, such teleportation was deemed fearsome, capable of delivering forces directly into the enemy's stronghold. In the magical world, however, many counters existed, rendering it a mere convenience for travel.
Emerging from the portal, Drake found himself above the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean—the largest body of water on Earth. Precise teleportation required detailed coordinates, and aside from his familiarity with China, Drake knew little of other lands. Not daring to appear in the heart of a Chinese city, he chose the ocean as his destination, fitting for the plans he had in store.
"Once I pull off this big heist, I can return to my Dragon City. I just hope when I get back, no one has starved..."
Drake murmured to himself, his voice carrying over the waves.