The Monster King's Legacy

Chapter 73 An Unprecedented Appearance

The morning after the battle, the camp was eerily quiet. The goblins worked in solemn unison, repairing fortifications and tending to the wounded. Though victorious, the toll of the fight was clear—burnt barricades, scorched earth, and rows of exhausted warriors reflected the cost of survival.

Lance felt the need to just heal everyone, but a little pain could be good to reinforce value, or something of that nature. He was still going to heal them though, and he would up doing so before the day was out. In the end, he didn't have the heart to allow such suffering out of a minor cause like pain and gain.

Now, he stood at the edge of the camp, staring out at the wreckage of the battlefield. His eyes narrowed as he traced the lines of crushed grass and churned soil where the battle had been fought, observing with more detail under adequate light. Somewhere out there, the demons could be regrouping and plotting their next move. At least, that was what occupied Lance's thoughts.

But as he stood lost in thought, a low rumble shook the ground beneath him. Lance instinctively placed a hand on the hilt of his sword, scanning the horizon.

"What now?" Rynne muttered as she appeared beside him, spear in hand.

The rumble grew louder, accompanied by the rhythmic sound of massive wings cutting through the air. Shadows stretched over the camp as a colossal figure descended from the sky... lo and behold... it was a dragon, its scales shimmering in hues of black and crimson.

The dragon landed with a thunderous impact, its glowing amber eyes locking onto Lance.

'The final bunch, the interesting ones.' It thought to itself.

...

[Flash back]

A couple days back, after much thought, the dragon had come to a conclusion, a good one at that.

'All I have to do is provide some sort of good deed and experience the world without causing any trouble, right? Then, if the other races are out of the question, I can just use the smaller ones... If I remember correctly, they revere dragons as gods... they won't suspect a thing! I'm so smart... No one will know.' The dragon thought to its self before deciding to get to work.

Following its plan, everything turned out to be rather simple and easy. It first visited the beastkin people, and they welcomed and revered it, even organizing a feast for it in form of worship. Following that, it visited a few ogre tribes that seemed bigger than the rest, and the same treatment was given. It was around that time that it found Lance's tribe of goblins, fascinated at the fact that a human lived amongst goblins, though, it wasn't sure why.

Following close monitoring, it witnessed the battle with the undead monsters and the mutated beasts, fascinated at how they could coordinate themselves and claim a victory against such odds.

Regardless, this was the last tribe it would visit, and it dare say itself, it was good timing, right when they were vulnerable.

...

The day had come.

Its form was sleek yet imposing, with scales that gleamed like polished steel and wings that folded gracefully against its sides.

"The demons are no more," it announced, landing in the clearing with surprising grace. "Their schemes end here, for now."

Lance stepped forward, bowing his head slightly, one hand on his chest. He really didn't know what else to do. "Thank you, Aelyndra. I don't know how we could repay you for this."

The dragon tilted its head, a low rumble escaping its throat. "Repayment is unnecessary. However, I did not return solely to bring you this news. I have a proposition."

Aelyndra's voice softened, though it retained its commanding tone. "I see potential in you, Lance. You have proven yourself not only as a leader, but as a protector of those who depend on you. That is a rare quality among mortals."

The dragon's gaze swept over the gathered goblins. "Your tribe has strength, but it is fragile compared to the forces that threaten this land. Demons are only the beginning. If you are to survive, you will need allies—and protection."

"What are you offering?" Lance asked cautiously.

"My protection," Aelyndra replied. "I will watch over your tribe for as long as I am here, ensuring that no enemy can threaten its existence. In return, I ask for your loyalty, not as a servant, but as a... Vassel... of sorts."

The goblins murmured among themselves, their voices filled with a mix of wonder and apprehension. For he most part, they didn't understand much of what was said, but they understood what was meant.

Rynne stepped forward, her spear still in hand. "And what does loyalty to a dragon mean, exactly?" She said, her voice lower than usual.

The dragon inclined its massive head. "For me, I don't ask for much. Maintain a cordial relationship, and I will lend a helping hand when necessary."

Lance considered the offer briefly. The prospect of a dragon's protection was invaluable, especially with the looming threat of demons. But he also knew it was not a commitment to be taken lightly. In the end, there was little to lose.

"We will honor this alliance," Lance said finally, his voice firm. "But I must ask—why us? Why now?"

Aelyndra's red eyes softened slightly. "Because I see greatness in you, Lance. And because the world will need leaders like you in the battles to come. Besides, your tribe is not the only ones I have made an alliance with."

"I see. We are more than happy to withhold this alliance." Lance said, his voice firm.

'There's no need for any binding is there? This will suffice.' The dragon thought to itself.

"Very well then, it has come to pass."

"Why don't you stay for today, we will hold a feast to celebrate this new alliance." Lance said, a smile on his face.

"If you insist, I will not turn down your request..." The dragon said, glad to be moving forward to the feast, something that has become its favourite part of these meetings. 'I don't know how well goblins can prepare meals... they are a more feral race after all and share most of their diet as beasts... at least, those are what the texts say...' The dragon thought to itself for a second after accepting the invitation for the feast.

'Then again, the human being present may change things, I suppose.'