Fafnir, the immense fire dragon of molten scales, nodded softly upon hearing Vlad's last words. He offered no spoken response, choosing instead to keep his thoughts private while he watched the weary soldiers gathering the remains of their fallen.
Hours ago, this place had been ravaged by unending conflict, drenched in the blood of both humans and Leviathans. Now, it stood as a somber memorial to the price of survival: men and women kneeling beside the still forms of their comrades, preparing them for one final journey home.
Standing aloft the draconic head, Vlad noted the subdued compassion in Fafnir's gaze. Despite the dragon's towering size and overwhelming power, the Depravita of Envy was newly forged, a being unversed in the complexities of human emotion. Yet something in Vlad's explanation had sparked a deeper awareness within him: humanity's bonds were not merely about duty or survival—they were also about risking heartbreak to discover hope.
