I Only Tame Dragons

Nightshade glared up at him, his lips curling into a weak snarl. "You think . . . this is victory?" he rasped, blood bubbling from his lips. "You've won nothing. You're cowards hiding behind that titan's back!"

"Said the guy who brought in dozens of players to kill us four," Von replied, his tone cold as ice. He pressed the barrel of his pistol against Nightshade's forehead. "Keep making excuses in hell. Goodbye, Nightshade."

The shot was quick, the sound echoing across the battlefield. Nightshade's body slumped to the ground, lifeless.

The remaining Veilborne watched in stunned silence, their weapons hanging limply in their hands. They barely had time to react before Lydia descended on them, her daggers a blur of motion.

"Move!" Kael shouted, but it was already too late. One by one, they fell under the combined assault of Von's relentless gunfire and Lydia's surgical strikes.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Kael managed a desperate swing with his sword, but Lydia sidestepped it effortlessly, her dagger slicing across his throat. He stumbled back, his hands clutching the wound as he collapsed.

Stormcaller, defiant to the end, raised her staff in one final stand, but Von's pistols spoke again, two precise shots dropping her where she stood.

Val, the last of Nightshade's inner circle, tried to flee, but Lydia was faster. She appeared in his path like a phantom, her daggers flashing. A single, brutal strike ended his attempt at escape.

Von lowered his pistols, exhaling slowly as the battlefield fell silent once more. Lydia wiped her daggers clean on a fallen Veilborne's cloak, her expression calm and unbothered, as if this were just another day's work.

"That's the last of them," Lydia said, her voice quiet and she sighed with disgust. "Serves you right for targeting us.

Von nodded, holstering his pistols. "Good work. Let's clear out before reinforcements show up."

As they disappeared into the cave's shadows, the frozen battlefield stood as a testament to Veilborne's hubris—a silent reminder that pride, without strength to back it, leads only to ruin.

===🐲===

Meanwhile, back to Horizon.

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The freezing realm was a stark contrast to the blistering desert they had just escaped. Where the sands had been suffocating and burning, this place was open and frigid, its icy winds slicing through their clothes as if to freeze their very souls.

The biting wind of the Frostbound Expanse greeted the group as they stepped out of the shimmering gateway. What they had just endured in the Desert's Maw seemed like a distant memory in the face of this unforgiving tundra. The air was frigid, and every breath left a visible cloud. The landscape stretched before them in desolate whites and blues—vast fields of snow interrupted by jagged ice formations and frozen rivers. The horizon seemed endless, the harshness of the terrain evident in the silence that enveloped it.

Snowflakes drifted lazily from the heavy, gray sky, but their beauty was deceiving. Every step forward crunched against the frost-covered ground, the sound echoing into the vast, desolate expanse.

Horizon took point, his eyes scanning the terrain. The group followed, their expressions wary. They had survived the desert guardian and the chaos with the other players, but this realm felt different. There was no immediate threat, no visible enemy. And that made it even more unsettling.

"This place is too quiet," Velvet muttered, pulling her scarf tighter around her neck. She was fast, nimble, and strong, but even she was feeling the oppressive chill that seemed to sap the strength from their bodies.

"It's not just quiet," Seraphina said, her tone grim. "It's lifeless."

Horizon didn't respond. His focus was sharp, his instincts screaming that something was wrong. His undead servants, Damon, David, and Ford, were gone—sacrificed in the desert.

Without them, the group was down to raw skill and magic, and their vulnerabilities were painfully clear.

Fiora shivered, her fingers twitching as she tried to conjure a small flame to keep herself warm. "This realm isn't just cold—it's draining me. My magic feels . . . sluggish.

"Sluggish?" Aria asked, concern in her voice. She clutched her staff, her knuckles white against the dark wood. "Is it affecting your casting?"

Fiora nodded, her face pale. "I don't know how long I can hold out."

"Keep moving," Horizon said, his voice steady. "We can't stop here."

They trudged on, the landscape changing subtly as the snow-covered ground gave way to jagged ice formations. Massive glaciers loomed in the distance, their crystalline surfaces reflecting the faint light of the sun that barely peeked through the heavy clouds. The group's progress was slow, the freezing wind gnawing at their exposed skin and chilling them to the bone.

It wasn't long before they encountered their first obstacle. A chasm stretched out before them, its depths obscured by a swirling mist of frost. The bridge that spanned the gap was made of delicate ice, its surface slick and treacherous.

"Great," Velvet said, crossing her arms. "Because walking on a death trap in the middle of a frozen wasteland is exactly what I wanted to do today."

"We don't have a choice," Horizon said. "Fiora, can you stabilize it with magic?"

Fiora hesitated, her breath coming in short puffs of mist. "I can try, but the cold—"

"You can do it," Seraphina said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "We'll get through this."

With a nod, Fiora stepped forward, her hands trembling as she began to weave a spell. A faint warmth emanated from her palms, spreading across the ice bridge. It creaked and groaned under the pressure, but it held.

"One at a time," Horizon instructed. "Velvet, you first."

Velvet smirked despite the tension. "If I fall, I'm haunting you."

She darted across the bridge with her usual agility, her steps light and precise. The ice groaned but remained intact. One by one, the others followed, each crossing with varying degrees of success. Fiora was last, her magic flickering as she took cautious steps.

Just as she reached the midpoint, a loud crack echoed through the air. The ice beneath her feet began to splinter.

"Fiora!" Dawnfire shouted, reaching out from the other side.

Horizon didn't hesitate. He sprinted back onto the bridge, grabbing Fiora by the arm and pulling her forward just as the section beneath her gave way. The two of them tumbled onto solid ground, gasping for breath.

"T-thanks," Fiora said, her voice shaky.

Horizon gave a curt nod, already scanning their surroundings. "Let's not stay here. The exit is already within reach."

Nyx soared gracefully above Horizon, her wings slicing through the frigid air. "The cold and ice are slowing us down," she called out, her voice steady despite the howling wind. "But with less than four days left, we can afford to pace ourselves—just a little. The exit to this dimension is here."

Horizon's sharp gaze cut through the frost-laden landscape as he countered, his tone firm. "We can't afford that luxury," he said, his breath visible in the icy air. "We don't know what challenges are waiting for us ahead—or what enemies might already be watching. If we don't move faster, the cold won't just slow us down—it'll claim our life."

The next few hours were grueling. The icy wind seemed to grow fiercer with every step, and the group's exhaustion was beginning to show. Velvet, normally full of quips and energy, was quiet, her movements slower than usual. Aria's illusions flickered intermittently, a sign that even her magic was struggling against the cold.

As they pressed on, a new threat emerged. Strange creatures began to stalk them, their forms barely visible in the swirling snow. They were massive, their white fur blending seamlessly with the environment. Their eyes, however, were unmistakable—glowing a sickly yellow in the dim light.

"Wolves," Seraphina whispered, drawing her weapon. "Big ones."

"They're not just wolves," Aria said, her voice trembling. "They're ice wraiths. Their bites can freeze you solid."

"Fantastic," Velvet muttered, pulling out her daggers. "Anything else we should know?"

"They hunt in packs," Horizon said. "Which means we're already surrounded."

The wolves lunged from the snow, their movements silent and deadly. The group scattered, each member forced to fight against the icy predators. Horizon's sword clashed against one of the beasts, its blade biting into the thick fur but failing to slow the creature.

"Focus on their eyes!" he shouted. "It's their weak spot!"

Velvet was quick to adapt, her daggers flashing as she targeted the glowing orbs of the nearest wolf. The creature let out a pained howl before collapsing, its body disintegrating into shards of ice.

"Got it," she said, her breath visible in the frigid air.

The battle was brutal, the wolves relentless. Dawnfire struggled to cast her spells, her fire flickering and weak against the overwhelming cold. Aria's illusions managed to confuse a few of the creatures, but the effort left her drained.

Horizon fought with everything he had. He protected the others, intercepting attacks and drawing the wolves' attention when they were overwhelmed.

Eventually, the pack was defeated, the last of the wolves shattering into icy fragments. The group stood in the aftermath, battered but alive.