Chapter 35: Myrain Viscounty [2]

The howling winds of the high atmosphere whipped furiously against Craig’s skin as Dark Sister tore through the upper sea of clouds.

Thousands of feet above the earth, the world below was reduced to a vast expanse of emerald forests, winding silver rivers, and jagged mountain spines.

High upon the massive dragon’s broad back, Craig leaned into the tempest, his gloved hands anchored tightly to the thick leather harness.

His long crimson hair fluttered wildly in the gale, catching the harsh rays of the sun like strands of burning copper.

The sheer velocity of their flight sent surges of adrenaline coursing through his veins, the raw, ancient draconic aura from the soul-bond humming directly within his chest.

Looking out over the endless blanket of white mist, a cold, exhilarated grin broke across Craig’s face.

He threw his head back against the roar of the wind and unleashed a sharp command in the tongue of his ancestors, his voice echoing over the thunder of flapping wings:

"Drakarion, Dark Sister!"

(Dragonfire!)

Responding instantly to her rider’s will, Dark Sister threw her massive reptilian head skyward.

Her purple and green scales shimmered with intense heat as an ethereal, violet-tinged magma core flared deep within her throat.

ROAAAAAAAAAAAR!

With a sky-rending howl, the 4th-Tier beast opened her jaw and unleashed a blinding sea of flames into the open heavens.

The brilliant, crimson-and-purple inferno tore through the clouds, scorching the air and turning the surrounding mist into rising plumes of steam.

Mid-flight, Dark Sister twisted her massive body in a majestic, acrobatic roll, executing a fluid barrel-roll through her own fiery wake.

The violent twist of the dragon’s aerial maneuvers caught Craig offward.

His face flushed bright red from the sheer physical strain, his arm muscles bulging beneath his sleeves as he dug his boots firmly into the stirrups, struggling with all his strength to maintain his grip on her back as she danced wildly through the sky.

"Easy, girl!" Craig gasped, laughing through his grit teeth as he fought the centrifugal force pulling at his frame.

It wasn’t long before the jagged northern peaks gave way to the fertile plains and sprawling settlements of the Myrain Viscounty.

ROAAAAAAAR!

The thunderous, lingering echoing of Dark Sister’s roar rippled across the valley long before her shadow ever touched the earth.

Down in the bustling outer towns, farmlands, and trade roads, thousands of common folk instantly froze in their tracks.

Farmers dropped their tools, merchants abandoned their stalls, and children pointed up into the sky with wide, awestruck eyes.

Above them, breaking straight through the lower cloud layer, the towering, imposing silhouette of Dark Sister cast a massive, sweeping shadow over the rooftops.

Gasps and excited murmurs flooded the streets.

News travels fast across the trade networks of the Rynchester Duchy, and the stories of yesterday’s historical Dragon’s Calling Ceremony had already reached the borderlands.

"Look! Up in the sky!" an elderly craftsman shouted, shading his eyes.

"It’s the dragon! It’s the Seventh Young Master!"

"Our new Lord Viscount has arrived!"

The faces of the common people lit up with genuine hope and excitement.

For years, the Myrain Viscounty had been an administrative border zone, but now it was governed directly by a recognized Successor of the Darkstar Lineage.

A fifteen-year-old prodigy who had accomplished the impossible by bonding with three wild, top-tier dragons in a single morning.

To the ordinary citizens, his presence was an absolute guarantee of martial strength and prosperity.

High above, Craig looked down through the passing haze as a colossal stone fortress came into view on the horizon.

Perched atop a massive rocky plateau overlooking the entire territory was Heaven’s Net Castle—the official viscounty seat and administrative heart of the Myrain Viscounty.

Seeing his destination directly ahead, Craig leaned close to the dragon’s ear, his voice ringing with absolute authority as he barked his next order in High Darkstarian:

"Valthor, Dark Sister! Valthor!"

(Descend, Dark Sister! Descend!)

Dark Sister obeyed without a second’s hesitation.

Tilting her broad wings inward, she went into a steep, controlled dive, plunging straight toward the grand courtyard of Heaven’s Net Castle.

SWOOSH!

The air shrieked around them as the massive keep rushed up to meet them.

At the absolute last moment, Dark Sister flared her gigantic wingspan wide, catching the air currents to violently check her speed.

BOOM!

Her massive, iron-hard talons slammed onto the heavy cobblestones right before the main entrance of the castle, sending a tremor through the stone foundations and kicking up a massive gust of wind.

Panic erupted across the front gates.

Dozens of heavily armored guards threw their spears aside and scrambled backward in sheer terror, tripping over their own cloaks.

Maids and house servants shrieked, ducking behind stone pillars and pressing themselves flat against the outer walls, trembling wildly.

Not a single soul dared to step within fifty feet of the monstrous 4th-Tier beast, whose glowing violet eyes swept menacingly over the courtyard.

Craig patted the warm, armored scales of her neck, speaking in a low, soothing tone in the Darkstarian tongue:

"Zha’klor, Dark Sister... rha’mon."

(Relax, Dark Sister... peace.)

The dragon let out a low, huffing breath of hot air that melted the frost on the nearby cobblestones, settling her massive body onto the ground and lowering her shoulder to allow her master to dismount.

Unbuckling his harness, Craig smoothly swung his leg over and stepped down off the dragon’s back.

He pulled down the cuffs of his royal crimson cloak, his soft black leather gloves snapping into place as his boots clicked against the stone pavement.

The moment his feet touched the ground, the spell of sheer terror hanging over the courtyard transformed into absolute, instinctual reverence.

The captain of the guard was the first to fall to his knees, slamming his right fist over his chest plate.

Within seconds, every single guard, scribe, attendant, and maid who had been hiding behind the pillars rushed forward, dropping to their knees in unison and pressing their foreheads toward the stone.

"We greet our Lord Viscount!" their voices echoed in a resounding, harmonious chorus across the grand courtyard.

Craig stood tall, his golden eyes scanning his new subjects with a calm, unreadable expression.

CREAK...

Before he could utter a word, the towering, iron-reinforced double doors of Heaven’s Net Castle slowly swung open.

Stepping out from the shadowed grand hall into the bright morning light was Ser Hughway.

Having utilized the Duchy’s high-speed transportation magic array, the Guardian Knight stood at the top of the entrance stairs with a broad, smiling face, adjusting his sword belt as he bowed his head toward his master.

"Welcome to your new home, Lord Viscount Craig," Hughway greeted smoothly, his voice carrying easily over the silent courtyard.