Chapter 1: Prologue

“Fire again! Aim for the eyes!”

A volley of projectiles made from various materials flew through the air, striking the monstrous creature ahead of us. It closed its eyes, trying to protect them.

Unfortunately, we wanted to blind it, not just make it flinch. The massive, 30-meter scaled beast—a magma drake—roared in frustration. We had succeeded in luring it from its lair, but we hadn’t managed to do any serious damage.

This was the perfect time to deal with it—while it was still weak from hibernation but before it could harm our lands.

But our efforts weren’t enough. Maybe we lacked firepower, or our strategy wasn’t right. Perhaps I wasn’t leading well enough.

“Damn, it’s not enough. First and second parties! Focus on its right flank!”

Sixteen figures rushed up the right flank, spreading out into formations. They coordinated their attack on the massive lizard, enduring the heat from its sizzling scales while trying to cut through them with swords and spears. Mages provided support, casting spells on the enemy or enchanting their allies.

The party leaders and their assistants worked hard to coordinate their troops, but their efforts were in vain.

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The magma drake barely noticed them, treating them like flies. Instead of dealing with the soldiers attacking its flank, it focused on the command group and support units—where I was standing.

The drake drew in a deep breath, signaling its next move.

“Mage units! Barrier, front and center!”

I yelled at the defensive mages with my unit. Without hesitation, three robed figures formed a tight group in front of us and erected a magical barrier large enough to shield everyone.

Just as the barrier went up, the magma drake unleashed a torrent of fire. We were engulfed in light and heat, but the barrier held strong.

A dozen seconds later, the flames dissipated, leaving behind scorched earth and a perfectly circular oasis where we stood.

The barrier dropped, and the mages took a deep breath but stayed on alert. They were disciplined, ready to follow any order for the glory of our nation and leader.

Realizing its fire attack had failed, the magma drake roared and charged.

“Fall back! I’ll stop it!”

The mages’ barrier was great against ranged attacks but wouldn’t hold against a full-on charge. I stepped in front of my unit, raising my shield to protect my comrades from the charging beast. The mages immediately cast support spells on me, strengthening my resolve.

I was grateful for my excellent subordinates, though I was disappointed I hadn’t been able to use them effectively.

I dug my feet into the dirt, bracing myself to stop the drake’s charge. Then, I heard it.

“Glasgow, seven steps left.”

I followed the command without hesitation.

I knew that voice, as did everyone here. It was the voice of our goddess, and it was absolute.

Just in case, I re-braced myself as the magma drake neared.

Out of nowhere, a flash of blue and white shot past my right side, followed by a hellish screech and a rumble that shook me to my core.

When I opened my eyes, I realized I was staring at the drake’s eye. But it wasn’t looking at me—it was focused on something above, and I saw fear in its eyes instead of anger.

A shadow flitted from above to the other side of its head.

The drake let out another screech, desperately trying to retreat, but it was pinned in place.

The light faded from its eyes as its cries grew weaker.

I dropped my shield and rushed around the drake’s head. As I circled it, I saw a giant lance of ice impaling its left foreleg. When I reached the other side, I saw a small figure cloaked in robes blacker than the abyss standing at the drake’s neck. A soft sucking sound came from the figure.

Every part of this person’s body was covered, shielding them from the light of the sun.

This was our goddess—a creature of the night. Yet, she didn’t shy away from the day, using it as effectively as the night.

I stopped and knelt, lowering my head.

Even kneeling, I was still taller than her. She was small—almost childlike—but to us, she was greater than any being in the world. I felt it was almost unpardonable for my head to be above hers, but lowering it further might seem disrespectful. So, I pushed aside my feelings and waited.

“Ah, sorry for taking first blood,” she said.

I looked up as best as I could without raising my head. Under her hood, I could just make out her white skin and a single streak of blood dripping from the corner of her lips, curved into a faint smile. I felt blessed to see her up close.

“The first blood to the last drop—the entire kill belongs to you, as do our lives!” I declared.

It almost felt like blasphemy to refuse her apology.

“That’s right,” she replied.

“It’s as the commander says,” someone added.

Before I knew it, the rest of my unit was behind me, bowing to our master. I almost felt ashamed I hadn’t noticed them, but our goddess came first—above all else.

“Well, if you feel that way, just make sure not to waste any of it.”

“Understood!” we all answered, raising our heads and looking at our goddess.

With a small wave, she rose into the air to join her aides, who were waiting in the sky, before they all flew off to wherever they were headed.