Lawrence blinked, taken aback. "Wait, that's… Ace?"
"Yes," Ace's voice echoed from the tiny form, his tone a mix of disdain and annoyance. "Thanks to you, I've been forced into this ridiculous shape. If your body weren't such a weak vessel, I could have appeared in my full dragon form."
"But no… instead, I have to walk on this little four legs," he finished, casting an indignant look at Arlon as he sat down and curled his tail around his paws.
Arlon held back a grin, eyeing the dragon-now-cat with mild amusement. "I'd say it suits you."
Ace flicked his tail, his red eyes narrowing. "If it weren't for the fact that I don't want to completely drain your pitiful reserves of energy, I wouldn't be here, like this. But," he sighed dramatically, glancing up at Lawrence, "I suppose introductions are in order."
Lawrence's eyes narrowed as he studied the black cat pacing beside them. "So this is the Sky Dragon's Soul?" he asked cautiously.
"It's… not what I expected."
"I assure you, human, I'm not thrilled about this either," Ace replied, flicking his tail. "But I'll make do—for now."
Lawrence shot a wary glance at Arlon. "Can you really control him?"
Arlon hesitated. "Let's just say… we're figuring that out."
"I think it's… kind of fitting. You're certainly… memorable this way."
Ace scoffed, flicking his tail. "Memorable? I was legendary. I've split mountains, summoned storms, brought kingdoms to ruin. Now I'm—"
"—adorable," Arlon interrupted with a smirk, and Lawrence actually chuckled this time, unable to hold it back.
Ace shot Arlon a look that would have been deadly if he weren't, in fact, an unimposing black cat. "Laugh all you like, but remember that I hold the power of calamity, mortal."
Arlon raised an eyebrow. "So you say."
Clearing his throat, Arlon returned his focus to Lawrence. "In any case, Lawrence, no one can know about Ace. His presence, his form—everything has to stay secret."
Lawrence nodded seriously, though he kept glancing back at Ace, his expression a mix of awe and amusement. "I promise," he said finally. "But… Ace, right? Can you… turn into anything else?"
Ace bristled. "Anything? Not with this frail vessel I'm bound to," he muttered, shooting Arlon an irritated glare. "Just be thankful I don't have to wear a collar."
Arlon snorted. "Noted. Shall we move on?"
The unlikely trio resumed their walk down the mountain path, with Ace muttering under his breath about the indignity of it all as he prowled gracefully beside them. Lawrence followed, still stealing glances at the now-small, now-temporary "Dragon Soul" as they made their way back to the village, all three bound by their secret—however absurd it may have seemed.
Arlon pulled his hood over his face as they approached the village, the shadows from his cloak shielding his identity. Only Lawrence and Ace could see his face now.
There's still time, he thought. But deep down, Arlon knew it wouldn't be long before they were drawn into the struggle he'd hoped to escape. And as he walked forward, he wondered just how many more secrets Ace was hiding—and if he could survive the price they'd both have to pay.
"Let's wait and see how it goes…"
The group reached the village center just as dawn was breaking, casting soft pink and orange hues over the makeshift camp. Villagers stirred, slowly waking from their rest, and a murmur of relief passed through the crowd as they noticed Lawrence and Arlon had returned.
Although Arlon kept his face concealed, the villagers were grateful for any help they could get in these troubled times.
Arlon was still processing the fatigue from the night's events when a loud, desperate cry broke through the morning calm.
"Help! Please help us!"
He turned to see a woman stumbling out of the forest, her face pale and frantic, followed by a tall man who bore a massive sword on his back.
Flutter—
["—The woman had striking blonde hair with a faint orange-yellow tint that glinted in the early morning light.]
['Her robes, emblazoned with faint mystical symbols, marked her as a mage of considerable skill. Beside her, the man had the same bright hair, with intense green eyes that scanned the surroundings, alert and ready—"]
Arlon felt a pang of dread. No way… it's them, he thought, his mind racing. He had expected to encounter these two much later in the story—if he was following the original plot at all.
Ace, perched on Arlon's shoulder, glanced down at him, sensing his unease. "Looks like fate didn't get the memo about your plans to keep things simple," the cat muttered dryly, his tail flicking in amusement.
Lawrence, already stepping forward to assess the situation, didn't seem to notice Arlon's hesitation. "What's happened?" he asked, his tone calm but urgent.
The woman caught her breath, clutching her chest as if reliving the horrors. "They came out of nowhere—black-robed figures with magic that twisted the air. They took the children, caging them like animals. We barely escaped with our lives as the village burned behind us!"
The tall man, who had been silent, lowered his head and spoke with a gravelly voice. "Please… we need help. They were using some sort of ritual magic… the village was burning when we left."
Arlon clenched his fists, forcing himself to focus. He remembered these two—Alice, the mage blessed the next guardian of the World Tree, and her brother, Anthony, the first blessed mage knight who wielded mana stone in battle.
According to the novel, they were supposed to meet Lawrence much later, while he was en route to the Empire. Their sudden appearance here was unsettling.
Am I throwing everything out of balance? Arlon thought, feeling a slight chill. He knew Alice and Anthony played a vital role in aiding the villagers during the war, guiding them to safety while Lawrence and the second prince forces fought against the Celestial Clan.
And now… they were standing in front of him, way ahead of schedule.
Lawrence glanced at Arlon and nodded. "We'll help," he said with a grim determination, and Arlon felt his stomach twist at the thought.
Ace, still on his shoulder, huffed in annoyance, his tail swishing. "What did you expect? Fate's not about to go easy on you."
Arlon shot him a look, muttering, "You could at least sound supportive."
The siblings, visibly relieved, quickly explained more details to Lawrence. "They had children… in cages," Alice whispered, her voice shaking. "I think they were setting up a ritual. They mean to use them as… sacrifices."
Lawrence's jaw tightened, his eyes darkening with a cold resolve that Arlon rarely saw. "Then we need to act quickly," he said, motioning to Arlon. "Let's go."
Arlon winced internally. His role had become inevitable, whether he liked it or not. Despite his inner resistance, he nodded reluctantly, glancing back at Ace.
"Can't you help me get through this?"
Ace's voice echoed in his mind. "I'm not holding your hand. But I'll allow a fraction of my power—if you bring me to somewhere interesting, that is," he purred. "Or, maybe, I'll even teach you a trick or two. Let's see if you're worthy."
Suppressing an eyeroll, Arlon sighed. "Fine. Let's do this."
Alice approached him at that moment, bowing with a grateful expression. "Thank you… I'm Alice, and this is my brother, Anthony. We owe you so much for this."
Lawrence introduces. "I'm Lawrence Hill and this is Arlon Throndsen."
"...!"
Alice stiffened, her eyes widening momentarily. Arlon noticed the slight flinch and held his breath, wondering if she had recognized his family name.
But after a moment, she looked away, brushing it off, likely dismissing it as coincidence.
Once reassured that the villagers would be safe, they set off, following the path through the woods toward the wolf village. As they reached a clearing, Alice raised her hand, whispering an incantation. A portal began to form, its light swirling with faint sparks.
Arlon felt a rush of relief. No need to walk the whole way? Finally, something's going right. But as they stepped into the portal, a strange sensation washed over him, making his vision blur.
The light surrounding them was almost overwhelming, and he felt himself momentarily losing his balance, grasping at nothing as they shifted across space.
Shoom—
The light finally faded, and they stumbled out onto the edge of the wolf village, where smoke curled into the sky, thickening the air with an acrid smell. Cries echoed faintly through the trees, and the distant clanging of weapons could be heard.
Arlon's mind raced as he took in the scene. The village lay in partial ruins, its houses crumbling under the weight of the flames. Villagers scattered in a desperate attempt to escape, their fear palpable as the dark figures in robes pursued them.
Anthony unsheathed his sword with a steely determination, mana shimmering along its edge. "We'll distract them and keep them away from the villagers. Lawrence, take Arlon help them escape to safety," he instructed, before plunging forward with Alice by his side.
Lawrence glanced at Arlon, the fierce determination in his gaze unyielding. "Let's move," he said, already leading the way.
Arlon felt a spark of adrenaline as he followed, urging himself to stay focused. He wasn't a hero, but for now, survival and escape were the only things that mattered.
As the battle raged around them, Lawrence and Anthony were deep in combat, cutting through the black-robed cultists with deadly precision. Alice, standing back-to-back with her brother, cast defensive spells to shield the villagers who fled from the chaos.
Dooom—
Explosions of light and waves of energy pulsed across the village, clashing with the dark magic emanating from their enemies.
Fwooosh—
Her fingers wove intricate patterns, and radiant beams erupted from her palm, piercing through the ranks of enemies. Her face was fierce, her jaw clenched with resolve as she focused on keeping the villagers safe amidst the chaos.
Anthony and Lawrence tore into the heart of the enemy lines, leading the charge with brutal efficiency. Anthony swung his sword, its mana-charged edge cutting through robed figures as if they were nothing but air, while Lawrence moved like a shadow, every strike precise and lethal.
The figures in black robes, Pry members, scattered in their path, struggling to regroup.
The cultists retaliated, chanting spells in low, guttural voices as they raised twisted staves, but Lawrence and the siblings held them at bay. They chanted in deep, guttural tones, their staves crackling with dark energy as they unleashed spells into the fray.
They attacked with relentless savagery, launching cursed projectiles and summoning shadowy creatures to harry the defenders. Explosions of light clashed with waves of dark energy, filling the air with the smell of scorched earth and the bitter tang of burnt magic.
The cultists' eyes glowed beneath their hoods, driven by a twisted zeal as they raised their staves again and again, attacking with dark determination.
"Push forward!" Lawrence commanded, his voice strong above the chaos. He sidestepped a cultist's thrust, driving his sword into his opponent's chest before whirling to parry another attack from behind.
Anthony was a step ahead, his sword ablaze with mana energy as he cut down two cultists in a single stroke. The two moved in unison, a coordinated wave of lethal force as they tore through the heart of the enemy ranks.
Meanwhile, Arlon and Ace slipped through the chaos, moving toward the cages at the far end of the camp. Ace, in his black cat form, perched lightly on Arlon's shoulder, his sharp eyes surveying their surroundings as they approached the metal cages lined up in grim rows.
Each cage was battered and small, clearly meant to hold the young wolf villagers, their small forms huddled together or lying limp.
Arlon's stomach twisted as he opened the first cage, the acrid stench of burnt fur and blood hitting him like a physical blow.
His breath caught in his throat as he stared at the lifeless bodies inside, their small forms huddled together, singed fur clinging to thin frames. With each cage he opened, his chest grew tighter, the weight of helplessness pressing down on him.