Chapter 112: Chapter 105: The Knight Before the Storm

[This is a parallel Chapter thank you]

The war had not officially begun yet.

No infantry assaults. No artillery bombardments. No rivers of blood across the snow.

The southern coalition had only recently arrived near Elarion’s frontier and established massive encampments outside the northern defensive lines.

Both armies watched each other across the frozen valleys while tension spread through the mountains like an approaching storm.

And during those first days—

The southern nobles feared one thing above all else.

Aurethar.

Because everyone understood a simple truth:

If a dragon entered the battlefield—

Entire armies could collapse.

The coalition commanders knew Lucien possessed only one city.

One territory.

One main defensive front.

But with Aurethar supporting him from the skies the equation changes entirely

So before the first battle even began—

The coalition acted.

They hired a monster to distract another monster.

Deep inside the southern command camp, a secret meeting gathered beneath heavy canvas walls lit by lantern fire.

Only senior nobles remained present.

No servants. No guards nearby.

The atmosphere inside felt tense and cold.

Kassian Valcriox stood beside the central battlefield table silently observing while several coalition nobles argued in low voices.

"Did you find him."

"He is asking too much."

"And if Aurethar joins the battlefield?" "What then?"

Nobody answered.

Because no one present possessed a solution for a dragon.

Mana cavalry could not stop one. Mages could not guarantee killing one. Even elite knight regiments would be slaughtered in open terrain.

The coalition needed time.

And time required keeping Aurethar away from the battlefield.

One elderly noble finally reached into his cloak before placing a silver token onto the table.

A wolf crest.

Ancient. Scarred. Recognized instantly.

Several nobles stiffened immediately.

One younger commander whispered softly:

"...You actually found him?"

The old noble nodded slowly.

"He accepted the contract."

Silence spread afterward.

Because only one man still carried that crest openly across the continent.

Kieran Wolfblade.

Legends about him varied wildly depending on the kingdom telling them.

Some claimed he defeated entire knight companies alone. Others claimed he once survived a dragon attack. Several stories described him as:

mercenary,wandering swordsman,monster hunter,cursed knight and battlefield demon.

Most stories contradicted each other.

But one detail always remained consistent.

Kieran Wolfblade never accepted contracts he believed impossible.

Late that same night, heavy snowstorms swept across the southern camps while soldiers reinforced fortifications beneath freezing winds.

And through that storm—

A lone figure approached the command camp.

No banners,no escort

Just one man walking calmly through deep snow with a massive sword across his back.

The guards noticed him immediately.

And instinctively stepped aside.

Because the man radiated danger that sent chills up their spine.

Inside the command tent, the nobles waited quietly as the stranger entered.

Snow followed briefly through the entrance before the tent closed again behind him.

The man removed his hood slowly.

Gray hair. Scarred face. Sharp golden-brown eyes.

Older than expected.

But worn down by countless years of violence.

For several moments—

Nobody spoke.

Then the stranger sighed heavily.

"This weather is terrible."

Several nobles blinked.

One finally cleared his throat carefully.

"Kieran Wolfblade."

The knight looked mildly annoyed.

"I still hate that name."

The legendary swordsman casually approached the fire before warming his hands like a tired traveler rather than a warrior feared across kingdoms.

Kassian studied him carefully.

"You came quickly than expected"

Kieran shrugged.

"You offered enough gold to temporarily ignore common sense."

One younger noble hesitated briefly before speaking.

"The stories about you." "Are they true?"

Kieran glanced toward him.

"Depends." "Which ones?"

"The dragon stories."

The knight sighed immediately.

"Oh." "Those."

The tent quieted further.

One older commander leaned forward slightly.

"You truly fought dragons before?"

Kieran stared into the fire briefly before answering.

"Yes."

Several nobles exchanged uneasy looks.

"And survived?"

Kieran looked toward them flatly.

"I’m standing here so I guess that counts as a yes"

That answer somehow felt less reassuring than expected.

Kassian finally spoke calmly.

"We are not asking you to kill the dragon."

"Good." "That would have increased the price dramatically."

"We only require you keeping him away from the battlefield."

Kieran remained silent briefly afterward.

That made far more sense.

Dragons were prideful creatures.

Especially ancient dragons.

Challenge one properly— and it might focus entirely on the challenger rather than the surrounding war.

Eventually Kieran nodded once.

"How long?"

"Long enough for us to destroy elarion"

The knight sighed deeply.

"...This is going to become annoying."

By the way what is the name of dragon Kieran asked.

They call him "Aurethar."

Kieran eyes went wide at this answer.

"Say the name again which dragon exactly"

"Umm it’s a Aurethar the golden dragon."

Kieran brain stopped functioning at this moment,he suddenly started regretting accepting this mission,his mood kept changing every second but outwardly he tried to remain calm .

The nobles still detected it, a slight tremor of his right hand and a shudder when they said the dragon’s name.

Far north beyond the trenches of Elarion, Aurethar rested atop a frozen mountain ridge overlooking the valleys below.

The golden dragon appeared immense beneath the moonlight.

Massive golden scales reflected silver light while smoke drifted lazily from his nostrils into the freezing air.

Even resting— he radiated terrifying power.

Below him sat Lucien, Cedric,Malen and Ironbreaker beside a large fire reviewing military reports.

"The southern coalition continues expanding camp fortifications," Cedric said calmly.

Ironbreaker snorted.

"They’re scared already."

"They should be after all they are facing the mighty Aurethar" Aurethar rumbled lazily.

Lucien quietly ignored all of them while studying battlefield sketches.

Then suddenly—

Aurethar lifted his head.

The joking stopped immediately.

Golden eyes narrowed toward the distant western ridges.

Lucien noticed instantly.

"What is it?"

The dragon remained silent briefly.

Then slowly stood.

Snow and ice slid from the mountainside beneath his enormous weight.

"...Interesting."

Cedric frowned.

"What?"

Aurethar’s eyes sharpened.

"Someone strong."

Several kilometers away—

Kieran Wolfblade climbed the frozen ridge alone through the snowstorm.

No fear or hesitation despite knowing the creature he is facing is a entire different species even among dragons.

One that has actually killed legendary existences with efficiency and brutality bar none.

The knight’s boots crushed frozen snow beneath steady steps while storm winds whipped his cloak violently around him.

And eventually—

He reached the summit.

The moment Aurethar saw him—

The dragon narrowed his eyes.

It was a recognition between predators.

Kieran stopped roughly thirty meters away from the dragon and rested one hand against the massive sword on his back.

For several seconds—

Neither moved.

The mountain winds howled around them while snow drifted across the ridge.

Then Aurethar finally spoke.

"Aurethar"

The knight answered evenly.

"Kieran wolfblade"

Lucien quietly observed the exchange.

Even from a distance— the tension felt heavy.

The kind forged between powerful beings who crossed paths before and never enjoyed it.

Aurethar slowly stepped forward.

Each movement caused the frozen ridge to tremble slightly beneath his weight.

"So they called you to deal with me,you really came a long way to die."

Kieran’s expression remained calm.

"You always talk too much."

Cedric blinked slightly.

Ironbreaker muttered quietly:

"...Oh this is bad."

The golden dragon lowered his massive head slightly toward the knight.

"And yet you still came."

"I was paid."

"That explains the poor decision."

Kieran’s hand tightened slightly against the sword hilt.

"I’m not here for the conversation."

"No." "You’re here because frightened nobles fear I’ll enter the battlefield."

Silence.

Then Kieran answered honestly.

"Yes."

Lucien finally understood completely afterward.

This was not an assassination attempt.

This was delay.

The coalition wanted Aurethar occupied far away from the battlefield before the war truly began.

And they hired someone dangerous enough to attempt it.

Aurethar’s golden eyes narrowed further.

"And you believe you can stop me?"

Kieran slowly unsheathed the massive blade from his back.

Dark steel emerged beneath moonlight covered in faded runes and countless battle scars.

The pressure radiating from the weapon changed the atmosphere immediately.

Even Malen expression changed after seeing it.

A dragon-killing sword.

Not a myth.

But the real deal.

Kieran lowered the blade calmly.

"I don’t need to defeat you."

The storm winds intensified around the ridge.

"I only need to keep you busy long enough"

For several moments—

Nothing moved.

Then Aurethar slowly spread his massive wings.

Snow exploded outward across the mountain beneath the force.

The dragon’s voice deepened.

"You should’ve stayed away from this war."

Kieran adjusted his stance slightly.

"You should’ve stayed away from humans."

Neither smiled.

Neither joked.

The air itself felt heavy with pressure now.

And beneath the falling snow—

The golden dragon and the legendary knight prepared to clash while far below them the greatest war in the north waited to begin.

"Let’s go somewhere else, so I can properly teach you about the saying "

"Which one"

Kieran asked

"-Its good to have money and the things money can buy,but it’s good to, check once in a while and making sure that you haven’t lost the things money can’t buy."