I Only Tame Dragons

The sun hung low in the sky, casting a golden hue over the endless dunes.

The Desert Guardian, a towering behemoth of sand and stone, roared as it moved with terrifying speed, its sheer presence radiating an aura of menace. The ground trembled with each step it took, sending ripples across the sands.

Horizon narrowed his eyes, his mind already calculating their dwindling options. He turned to Damon, David, and Ford. Each wore a grim expression, sensing what was about to come.

They had firsthand experience of Horizon's strategies before; his genius was unquestionable, but his decisions were often ruthless. The three of them were the proof of that.

"This will be your task," Horizon said, his voice cold and sharp as steel. He gestured toward the Guardian and the rival guilds hovering at the edge of the battlefield.

"You three will keep the Guardian and the players busy. Draw their attention. Buy us as much time as you can."

Damon, David, and Ford couldn't speak, their voices stolen by the curse that bound them to Horizon. There was no room for argument, no space for dissent.

If they could, they would've protested—would've begged for another way—but silence was their only companion.

They knew exactly what Horizon wanted from them: sacrifice. The cruel reality was clear: they were being sent to die. Not as soldiers on the battlefield, but as pawns in a game where their fates were sealed before they ever had a chance to escape.

But what choice did they have? They were undead, bound to Horizon's will. Their lives—or what remained of them—belonged to him.

A twisted fate had tied them to him, and now they fought not for their own survival, but for the cold, unyielding command of their master.

They had no voice, no freedom. Only obedience.

Seraphina frowned. "You want them to fight that thing?" He glanced at the Guardian, its eyes glowing with an eerie light, and then at the massing guilds. "They'll be torn apart."

Horizon wasn't perturbed. "That's exactly why it has to be them. I can regenerate them using mana. If we all go together, we won't make it. You three are strong enough to hold them off until all of us could reach the other side."

David, Damon, and Ford all nodded without any will.

Horizon gave them a brief, almost imperceptible nod of before turning away.

As Damon, David, and Ford charged toward the Guardian, the players from rival guilds hesitated, taken aback by the bold move.

Seeing three undead coming out of nowhere, anyone would be shock about the turn of events.

The trio engaged the colossal beast, their weapons clashing against its hardened exterior. Damon unleashed a flurry of strikes with his swords, each hit sparking against the Guardian's stone skin.

David followed, using his defensive skills to absorb the counterattacks while Ford attacked its feet, trying to slow the creature down.

The ground shook as the Guardian retaliated, slamming its massive fist into the sand. Damon narrowly dodged the attack, but the shockwave sent him sprawling. Horizon was there in an instant, pushing mana into him to heal his broken body.

"It's time," Seraphina shouted. "Aria, now."

Aria stepped forward, her hands weaving intricate patterns in the air. Her lips moved rapidly, whispering the incantation for her illusion spell. A shimmering light enveloped her, and moments later, mirages began to appear across the battlefield.

Phantom copies of Horizon's team materialized, sprinting in every direction. The rival players, already confused by the chaotic battle, hesitated, unable to distinguish between real and fake.

"Good, they're falling for it," Horizon noted, his eyes flicking to the Guardian. "Fiora, you're up next."

Fiora closed her eyes, her staff glowing with a bright, golden light. She slammed it into the sand, and the ground beneath them shifted, responding to her command.

The dunes rippled, moving like waves, creating a temporary barrier that momentarily held the Guardian in place. It struggled, its massive limbs sinking into the shifting sands.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"That's our window!" Horizon shouted. "Velvet, take Dawnfire and Fiora. Get to the monolith!"

Velvet nodded, her agility unmatched. With a swift motion, she activated her skill, [Wind's Step], a movement ability that allowed her to traverse large distances almost instantly. She grabbed Fiora and Dawnfire by their arms, her speed a blur as she sprinted toward the distant monolith.

Seraphina moved next, taking Aria's hand. With a powerful kicked of her legs, she lifted off the ground, soaring high above the chaos, making a beeline for the monolith.

But the plan didn't go as smoothly as Horizon had hoped.

The Guardian, sensing their escape, let out a thunderous roar. It thrashed violently, breaking free from the sands that held it. Its massive arm swung wide, creating a shockwave that knocked Velvet off balance. She stumbled, nearly losing her grip on Dawnfire and Fiora.

"Velvet!" Dawnfire yelled, grabbing her arm just before she fell.

"I've got it!" Velvet hissed through gritted teeth, her face pale with strain. She steadied herself, but the delay had cost them precious time. The players from the rival guilds, realizing the deception, began to rally, their leaders barking orders.

"They're using us as bait! Don't let them reach the monolith!" one of the rival guild leaders shouted. A group of players charged toward Velvet, their spells lighting up the sky.

"Seraphina!" Horizon barked, his voice carrying across the battlefield.

Seraphina, already airborne with Aria, spotted the incoming threat. She veered sharply, releasing Aria mid-flight with a spell that softened her landing. Then, without hesitation, she dove back down, intercepting a barrage of fireballs aimed at Velvet.

The explosion rocked the air around them, but Seraphina's barrier held. She gritted her teeth, feeling the heat sear through her defenses.

"Hurry up!" she yelled at Velvet.

Velvet didn't need to be told twice. She pushed off the ground, using every ounce of her speed to rush toward the monolith.

Fiora, exhausted from maintaining her sand manipulation spell, stumbled, but Velvet caught her, practically dragging her the rest of the way.

Meanwhile, Horizon was still holding the rear, fending off the players who had broken through Aria's illusions. He weaved between attacks, his sword flashing in the fading light as he struck down anyone who got too close.

A rogue managed to slip past his guard, slashing at his side. Horizon didn't feel anything nor the damage to great because of his armor and high CONS. He retaliated with a brutal counterattack, sending the rogue flying.

"We're almost there!" Aria shouted as she reached the base of the monolith, her breath ragged.

"Keep moving!" Horizon yelled back, cutting down another player. He glanced over his shoulder and saw the others struggling to keep up.

Damon, David, and Ford were still battling the Guardian, while Horizon's mana was depleting fast to mend their wounds.

Horizon clenched his teeth. He had to buy them just a bit more time. Raising his hand, then the Dracolich coiled around his arm forming a weapon. He unleashed a blinding flash of light, the necrotic spell halting the players with poison and necrotic damage.

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The sudden burst disoriented everyone nearby, causing the rival players to reel back in surprise.

"Go!" he bellowed. "Now!"

Velvet, Fiora, and Dawnfire reached the monolith first, their hands pressing against its ancient surface. The runes carved into the stone began to glow, reacting to their presence.

Seraphina landed beside them with a heavy thud, her legs scorched but intact. Aria arrived moments later, panting heavily.

"Horizon!" Seraphina called out. "We're going to enter ahead!"

Horizon glanced back one last time at Damon, David, and Ford. They were still fighting, but it was clear they wouldn't last much longer as he already stopped supplying them with mana.

He met their eyes, offering a silent farewell before turning away. It was a sacrifice he wouldn't forget since they were truly a lost.

With a swift motion, he activated the monolith's teleportation sequence. The ground beneath them pulsed with a bright blue light, engulfing them.

Just as the Guardian's colossal fist came crashing down, the light swallowed the group, and they vanished from the desert.

When the light faded, they found themselves standing on a vast, icy plain. The air was frigid, biting through their armor and chilling them to the bone. Snowflakes drifted lazily from a gray sky, and the ground beneath them was a solid sheet of ice.

Velvet shivered, rubbing her arms. "We made it . . . but where are we?"

Horizon looked around, his breath visible in the cold air. "The Freezing Region," he muttered. "We're far from safe here."

Aria hugged herself, her teeth chattering. "From one extreme to another . . . This place is even worse."

Seraphina wrapped her arms around herself, shivering. "We need to find shelter quickly. We won't survive long out here without warmth."

Horizon nodded, his expression grim. The battle had taken a toll on all of them, and the freezing cold only added to their exhaustion.

But they were alive, and they had made it through. For now, that was enough.

"Let's move," Horizon said, his voice steady despite the cold. "We can't stop now. The monolith to the next region won't be far. We'll rest when we're safe."

Nyx shook above Horizon's head and shivered. "Let's get out of here before we freeze to death."

As they trudged forward, the icy wind howling around them, Horizon glanced back one last time, as if seeing the faces of Damon, David, and Ford lingering in the swirling snow. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, and walked ahead.