Chapter 62 – The Weight of Freedom and the White Dragon
**[UNKNOWN LOCATION – JULIA UNCONSCIOUS ]**
**Darkness** — absolute, formless, soundless, timeless.
**Voice** — distant, muffled as if coming through deep water, familiar yet unrecognizable:
"Julia…" Pause. "Julia…" Closer. "**Julia**…"
---
**Julia** — consciousness **returning** slowly, physical sensations materializing: pain (faint, manageable), warmth (sun on her face?), texture (soft moss beneath her body), sounds (wind through leaves, nearby breathing).
**Voice** — now **clear**, young male and recognizable:
"**JULIA**! Wake up! Please!"
---
**Eyes** — snapped **open**, green-golden light flooding her pupils, vision **adjusting** and focusing.
And she **screamed** — voice bursting with pure **panic**:
"**GARRETT**!"
---
Body **shot** upright violently, hands **planting** on the ground to propel herself vertical, head **spinning** frantically searching for the threat, breathing **gasping** irregular, heart **pounding** wildly, muscles **tensed** ready for combat or flight.
She **looked** — left (giant trees lit by sunlight filtered through the canopy), right (more trees, glowing moss covering the ground), ahead (**San** kneeling five meters away looking worried, **Jessica** sitting propped against a tree trunk ten meters distant breathing weakly).
**No** sign — of Garrett, Marcus, black smoke, immediate danger.
---
**San** — rising slowly with hands raised in a **pacifying** gesture:
"Calm **down**, Julia!" Soft, controlled voice. "Everything is **okay** now! We're safe!"
---
**Julia** — did not calm immediately, eyes still **sweeping** the area for hidden enemies, hands **touching** her body checking wounds.
She froze — confusion crossing her face:
"I… I let Garrett **escape**…" Voice trembling with frustration and guilt. "How did I not restrain him **before**?! I had a sword pressed to his forehead! Evidence recorded! And I let him **get away**!"
Hands **clenching** into fists:
"I failed **again**! After everything, he still…"
---
**San** — gently interrupting, kneeling beside her, hand touching her shoulder:
"Don't **worry** about that right now." Reassuring tone. "The important thing is that we're all **alive** and okay. You managed to **keep** your promise to save us. That's what truly matters."
Pause — small smile:
"Garrett escaped, yes. But he's injured, disarmed, and we have **complete** evidence against him. The Church will hunt him down eventually. You **won**, Julia."
---
**Julia** — processing the words, tension gradually **leaving** her shoulders, breathing **steadying**, small **smile** curving her lips:
"Thank you, San. I…"
She stopped — realizing something, hands **touching** her body again not to check wounds but to **feel**:
"Wait!" Surprised tone. "I don't feel any pain in my body at all anymore!" She moved her arms (no stiffness), flexed her legs (no pain), touched her side where there had been a deep laceration (skin **intact** and smooth). "And it feels like everything inside me is completely **recharged** as if I never fought!"
She looked at San — confused:
"What happened?! I was at fifty HP, practically dead! How am I…?"
---
**San** — smile **widening**, proud tone:
"It's **true**!" Excited gesturing. "I just discovered a little while ago while desperately trying to find a way to help you that the system has these special **coins** called Velpoints!"
He summoned the interface — showing it to Julia:
```
╔════════════════════════════════╗
║ VELPOINTS: 240 → 0 ║
║ ║
║ SYSTEM SHOP: ║
║ • Full Life Potion: 80 VP ║
║ • Full Mana Potion: 60 VP ║
║ • Stamina Potion: 40 VP ║
║ • Universal Antidote: 50 VP ║
╚════════════════════════════════╝
```
"You can **buy** various potions and items directly from the system using these coins! I had two hundred forty Velpoints saved from previous missions. I used **eighty** to buy a Full Life Potion for you, sixty for Mana, forty for Stamina, and sixty for Jessica too!"
He gestured toward Jessica propped against the tree — breathing better now, eyes open and focused.
---
**Julia** — looking at her own HUD:
```
╔════════════════════════════════╗
║ JULIA SILVA ║
║ HP: 3000/3000 [FULL] ║
║ MANA: 500/500 [FULL] ║
║ STAMINA: 250/250 [FULL] ║
║ STATUS: HEALTHY ║
╚════════════════════════════════╝
```
Genuine smile **widening**:
"San… thank you." Sincere voice. "You literally saved me."
---
**Jessica** — voice coming from the distant tree, stronger than before:
"You were absolutely **incredible** back there, Julia!" Genuine admiration tone. "Where did you **learn** all those tricks?! That white aura! The insane speed! Dual swords! Throwing a sword like a projectile! I've never seen **anything** like it!"
---
**Julia** — turning toward Jessica, **thoughtful** expression:
"I don't really know how to **explain** it exactly…" Honest, confused tone. "It just… **exploded** inside me at the moment I needed it most. As if… as if my **conviction** had materialized into real power."
Pause looking at her own hands:
"Sacred Vow. That's what the system called it. Honor finally unlocked after all this time."
---
**San** — about to reply when he realized something, expression **turning** serious:
"Guys!" Urgent voice. "We still have one **important** thing to do! Don't forget!"
---
**Julia** — eyes **widening** with sudden recollection:
"**YES**! That's right! The **dragon**!" She stood quickly. "Cassandra is still with the egg trying to use it to destroy Kend! We need to…"
She stopped — looking at San and Jessica:
"Jessica." Serious tone. "Do you **want** to come with us? It could get really complicated there. Dragon, Cassandra, possible combat in a populated city…"
---
**Jessica** — standing as well despite her still-weak body, **determined** expression:
"Of **course** I'm coming!" Firm voice. "You're going to protect me like you promised, right? And besides… I'm also an official **knight** of Nellis now. I have a duty to protect the innocent."
---
**San** — couldn't resist, **mocking** grin:
"And now the CEO is even more **useless** in direct combat!" Playful teasing tone.
---
The three — **laughed** genuinely for the first time since entering the cave, accumulated tension **releasing** through laughter.
And they **ran** — northeast toward Kend, three kilometers away.
---
**[KEND – SKY ABOVE THE CITY – SIMULTANEOUSLY]**
**Cassandra** — floating one hundred meters high via *Arcane Levitation* spell, giant egg (one meter eighty tall) **floating** beside her controlled magically by both extended hands, purple robe **torn** in multiple places from earlier combat, black hair **disheveled** by wind, face showing **conflicted** expression — not determination but deep hesitation.
**Dragon** — twenty meters behind following at equal speed, wings beating slowly to maintain altitude, electric-blue eyes **fixed** on the egg not on Cassandra, not attacking (protecting its child).
---
**Cassandra** — looking down at the approaching city of Kend, voice **whispering** to herself:
"I'm about to destroy an entire **city**…" Trembling tone. "Set it **ablaze** exactly like they did to my village when I was six years old…"
Tear **sliding** down left cheek, hot against cold high-altitude skin.
Pause — shaking head, wiping tear with back of hand:
"I **can't** hesitate now!" Voice forcing false firmness. "My **brothers** are giving their lives for our freedom! Garrett fighting two knights! Marcus gravely injured! I **can't** fail them!"
---
**Suspension bridge** — massive structure connecting western mountain (devastated forest) to eastern mountain (city of Kend), five hundred meters long, twenty meters wide, built of magically reinforced stone, thick steel cables supporting it, normal traffic (merchants, citizens, carts).
**Cassandra** — flew **over** the bridge one hundred meters above, dragon's shadow **projecting** onto the structure.
---
**Child** — seven-year-old boy walking the bridge holding his mother's hand (thirty-year-old woman, simple blue dress, shopping basket), looked **up** casually.
And **saw** — massive silhouette blocking the sun momentarily: twenty meters long, thirty-meter wingspan, shining white/black scales.
He tugged his mother's sleeve — innocent excited voice:
"**Mom**!" Pointing skyward. "What's **that** flying?! Is it a giant bird?!"
---
**Mother** — looked **up** following her son's finger.
Processed — shape, size, shining scales.
**Dragon**.
Eyes **widening** in absolute terror, face **paling**, breath **catching**.
She **grabbed** her son — arms wrapping around small body, turning and running toward Kend at maximum speed without looking back, shopping basket **falling** spilling fruit across the ground.
She **screamed** — hysterical voice:
"**DRAGON**! DRAGON IN THE CITY! **RUN**! SAVE YOURSELVES!"
---
**Domino effect** — instantaneous.
**People** on the bridge (fifty civilians, ten merchants, five guards) — looked **up**, saw the dragon, **panic** exploding.
**Ran** — in every direction chaotically: most toward Kend, some back toward the forest, some **freezing** in paralyzing terror.
**Carts** — abandoned blocking passage, horses **rearing** in panic trying to flee, merchandise **scattering** across the ground.
**Guards** — trying to maintain order shouting instructions but voices **lost** in the cacophony of screams.
---
**Kend** — city receiving refugees running from the bridge, panic **spreading** like a virus: main streets (people abandoning activities running to homes), central market (stalls **toppling** as merchants fled), square (children **crying** separated from parents in the chaos).
**Sirens** — began **sounding** throughout the city, magical alarm activated by guards: deep pulsing sound echoing between buildings, universal signal of **emergency evacuation**.
---
**Cassandra** — flying over the city now, looking **down** at the chaos the dragon's presence had caused, tortured expression:
"Look what I've **done**…" Broken voice. "I haven't even attacked yet and I'm already terrorizing innocents… exactly like the soldiers did to my village…"
More tears — flowing freely now.
---
She continued **flying** — toward the center of Kend, searching for the maximum strategic target.
And she **saw** — the tallest tower in the city: the **Governor's Palace**, elegant white-stone building five stories thirty meters high, topped with a circular panoramic balcony, blue-gold Kend flag **fluttering** in the wind, exact central location allowing view of the entire city.
Perfect **symbol** — destroy the palace = destroy hope, morale, leadership.
---
She **landed** — not on the ground but on the **top** of the palace, boots touching the stone balcony, egg **floating** beside her, dragon **hovering** fifty meters above watching.
---
Looked **down** — city **emptying** quickly, people running like scattered ants, main streets turning empty as populations hid in homes or fled to surrounding mountains.
Voice **whispering** to herself:
"Garrett…" Pleading tone. "You had to leave the **hardest** job for me…"
Tear **falling** — dripping from chin, falling thirty meters to the balcony floor below.
---
She wiped her **face** — with the backs of both hands, breathing **forcibly** steadying.
Turned — looking **up** at the hovering dragon, voice coming out **loud** and firm:
"Do you **see** this city below us?!" She shouted. "And don't **pretend** you can't hear me perfectly! Because you're an **ancient** dragon over a thousand years old! And as an ancient dragon, you understand **exactly** what every word I'm saying means!"
Pause — arm **pointing** at the city:
"If you want your **child** back unharmed and alive…" Voice gaining desperate threatening edge. "Let me **climb** on your back and then **burn** this entire city to the ground! Not one stone left on another! No survivors! That is the price of your child's life!"
---
**Dragon** — floating motionless, electric-blue eyes **focusing** on Cassandra, reptilian expression **unchanging**, not responding verbally, only **watching** silently.
**Ten** seconds — absolute silence, only wind blowing.
**Twenty** seconds.
**Thirty**.
---
**Cassandra** — frustration **exploding**, right hand **summoning** a fireball (bright orange-red, melon-sized, heat distorting air), arm **pointing** not at the dragon but at the **egg** floating beside her:
"You **don't** care about your child?! Is **that** it?!" Hysterical screaming voice, tears **streaming** down her face. "Then maybe I need to **prove** I'm serious!"
Fireball **approaching** five centimeters from the egg.
---
**Dragon** — immediate **reaction**.
It **flew** — not away but **closer**, descending rapidly reaching the palace balcony, landing five meters in front of Cassandra (claws **cracking** stone under weight), head **lowering** to her level, wings **folding** against body, submissive posture offering its broad **back**.
Electric-blue eyes — **fixed** on Cassandra, not rage but **resignation**.
*I accept. Climb. But don't harm my child.*
---
**Cassandra** — processing victory, fireball **dissipating**, body and egg **floating** via spell, reaching the dragon's back between the wings, **landing** on smooth white scales (cold to the touch, hard as metal).
Egg **floating** beside her.
Voice coming out **broken**:
"Forgive me…" Whispered to the dragon. "I'm not a **monster**… just desperate…"
---
**Dragon** — wings **opening**, beating once (explosive wind), body **rising** from the balcony, climbing one hundred meters above the palace.
---
**Cassandra** — looking down at the palace below, voice **commanding** despite trembling:
"Just **destroy** this palace first…" Pause. "Show the city what happens to their symbols of hope…"
---
**Dragon** — head **turning** looking down, mouth **opening** revealing long fangs, throat **glowing** intense blue accumulating heat.
And it **spat** — not a thin jet but massive **torrent**: blue flames three thousand degrees Celsius, five meters wide, fifteen meters long, roaring sound like a jet engine.
---
**Palace** — **IMPACT** instantaneous.
**Top** (balcony where Cassandra stood seconds earlier) — literally **vaporized**, white stone turning into superheated plasma dissipating into air.
**Fourth** floor — wood **incinerating** instantly, furniture turning to ash before touching ground, stone walls **cracking** under extreme thermal shock.
**Third** floor — same devastation, expensive tapestries **burning** producing thick black smoke, windows **exploding** molten glass raining down.
**Second** floor — structural beginning to **collapse**, wooden support beams **carbonizing** losing integrity, ceiling **falling** onto floor below.
**First** floor and ground level — **crushed** under weight of collapsing upper floors, stone columns **splitting** vertically, outer walls **toppling** outward in massive sections.
---
**Five** seconds of flames — entire palace **completely destroyed**.
**Result** — smoldering pile of rubble: broken stones still glowing with residual heat, charred wood, thick ash covering everything, smell of burning saturating the air, black smoke rising three hundred meters forming a column visible kilometers away.
---
And **people** — three palace staff (cook, guard, scribe) who didn't evacuate fast enough.
**Caught** — in blue flames, bodies **burning** screaming in agonized pain for three seconds before voices **cut** off abruptly, human forms **collapsing** into ash scattered by wind.
---
**Cassandra** — watching everything from the dragon's back one hundred meters above, eyes **fixed** on people dying, face **freezing** in horror, hand **covering** mouth stifling sob.
**Flashback** — uninvited but **forced**:
---
**[16 YEARS AGO – CASSANDRA'S VILLAGE]**
**Cassandra** — six-year-old child, hidden under wooden table in small house, hands **covering** ears blocking external screams, eyes **squeezed** shut trying not to see.
But she **saw** — through broken window: houses **burning**, people running pursued by soldiers in red armor, flames **consuming** everything, sky **orange** with smoke.
**Mother** (thirty-year-old woman, black hair like Cassandra's, simple torn dress) — **grabbing** Cassandra from under the table:
"Come, my **daughter**! We need to escape **now**!"
**Father** (thirty-five-year-old man, blacksmith, strong muscles from work) — holding hammer trying to defend the door:
"**GO**! Take her to the forest! I'll hold them here!"
---
**Door** — **exploded** inward, soldiers entering, swords **cutting** father before he could react, body **falling**.
**Mother** — **screaming**, pushing Cassandra toward back window:
"**RUN**! DON'T LOOK BACK!"
---
**Cassandra** — climbing out window, running, looking **back** once.
**Saw** — mother grabbed by soldier, knife **cutting**, body **falling** beside father.
**Flames** — consuming house seconds later.
---
**[PRESENT – KEND]**
**Cassandra** — tears **streaming** abundantly, body **shaking** violently:
"No… no… I **repeated** it…" Broken sobbing voice. "I did exactly what the soldiers did to me… I burned… I killed… I **destroyed**…"
Looked at her hands — imagining blood covering them despite being clean:
"Come soon, **Garrett**…" Pleading whisper. "You're **better** at this than I am… please come carry this **horrible** burden… I can't… I can't…"
---
**Voice** — feminine, young, coming from **fifty** meters to the side:
"**STOP**!" Shouted. "STOP this **NOW** before it's too **late**!"
---
**Cassandra** — head **snapping** around, eyes **focusing**.
**Julia** — **floating** at the same height (one hundred meters), not by her own ability but through external magical levitation (obvious from the rigid unnatural movement), sword **drawn** pointing at Cassandra, face showing **absolute** determination but also compassion.
---
**Cassandra** — processing the presence, confusion **mixing** with rage:
"**YOU**?!" Shouting voice. "How are you…?!"
Realized — Julia shouldn't be able to fly alone:
"My **brothers**!" Rage mixed with fear shout. "Where are my **brothers**?! What did you do to Garrett and Marcus?!"
---
**Julia** — **firm** honest voice:
"They **fled** so they wouldn't be arrested!" She answered. "They're alive but injured! Garrett escaped during the final confrontation!"
---
**Julia** — continued, voice gaining **emotional** urgency:
"Cassandra, **listen**!" Pleading tone. "Do you **really** want to do this?! Burn?! Kill?! Destroy this entire city full of **innocents**?!"
Pause — gesturing at the city below:
"Do you really want to **sacrifice** innocent people and repeat the **same** horrible massacre that happened to your village sixteen years ago in a city that did **nothing** to deserve this?!"
---
**Cassandra** — face **contorting** in pain, voice coming out **defensive** and broken:
"Don't **talk** about what you don't **understand** at all!" She shouted. "You don't know what it's like to be a **slave** since you were six years old! To be a simple **disposable** tool for powerful people! To lose your **parents** murdered right in front of you!"
Tears flowing:
"— Never again feel the warmth of your parents' embrace! Never again see that annoying aunt who always teased you but deep down loved you! Never again walk down that street where you played with your friends!"
Her voice completely broke:
"You have **no idea** what it's like to lose **ALL** of that in a single night of fire and blood!"
**Julia** — listening, expression softening, head tilting downward in humility:
"You're completely right…" Sincere voice. "I don't know. I didn't have my parents murdered. I wasn't enslaved as a child. I didn't suffer what you suffered."
Pause:
"And I feel like a hypocrite trying to lecture you about morality when I've never gone through your hell. I'm sorry for presuming to understand."
**Movement** — Julia's body suddenly jerked, not of her own volition but because the external magical control failed; her levitation became erratic: rising two meters, dropping one meter, tilting sideways, random uncontrolled motion.
**Cassandra** — eyes widening as she realized:
"Wait!" Confused tone. "You're not a mage! Knights don't have levitation! So who is…?"
She looked down — quick scan of the buildings.
And saw — on the rooftop of a three-story commercial building one hundred meters south: **Jessica** standing with her grimoire floating open in front of her, both hands raised trembling with extreme effort, face showing absolute concentration, sweat running down, clearly controlling Julia's levitation from a distance.
**Cassandra** — realization hitting her, hand moving to prepare a counter-attack:
"Wait a second, so Julia is the distraction and the mage is…"
**Julia** — shouted, interrupting:
"**SAN**! NOW!"
**Movement** — blur of speed from above.
**San** — had silently climbed the adjacent building, reaching the top of a five-story structure (forty meters high), leapt horizontally twenty meters through the air, activated *Shadow Step* mid-jump to teleport the final ten meters, materializing two meters behind Cassandra on the dragon's back.
Hands grabbed — the floating egg beside Cassandra, yanking it away from her.
And leapt — off the dragon's back, body free-falling one hundred meters, egg held firmly against his chest.
**Cassandra** — processing too late, head turning to see San falling with the stolen egg.
She screamed — explosive rage:
"I WON'T LET YOU!"
Right hand extended — summoning a fireball (orange-red, melon-sized), hurling it directly at falling San holding the egg.
Trajectory — perfect, would hit in two seconds.
**Dragon** — seeing fire approaching its child, body thrashing violently, wings beating chaotically, head turning snapping at the air trying to reach the fireball but far too distant.
**Cassandra** — lost balance, body slipping off the dragon's smooth back, free-falling one hundred meters with no magical flight of her own.
**San** — seeing the fireball coming, seeing the ground approaching fast (fifty meters, forty, thirty), shouted:
"**JESSICA**! DROP my body and LEVITATE THE EGG!"
**Jessica** — from the rooftop one hundred meters away, shouted back:
"Are you **SURE**?! You'll **FALL**!"
**San** — twenty meters from ground:
"**YES**! DO IT!"
**Jessica** — hands moving, magical control transferring from Julia to the egg.
**Julia** — levitation cut off abruptly, body also free-falling.
**Egg** — began floating stably, controlled by Jessica.
**San** — released the egg, body falling separately.
**Julia** — falling, saw the egg floating, shouted:
"**JESSICA**! THROW ME TOWARD THE EGG!"
**Jessica** — hands gesturing, magical control grabbing Julia again, her body shooting horizontally through the air at controlled speed, reaching the egg in three seconds, arms wrapping around the smooth one-meter-eighty warm surface (sixty degrees).
**Dragon** — seeing Cassandra falling, seeing fireball approaching the egg now held by Julia.
Instant decision — protection.
Head turning toward falling Cassandra, mouth opening, throat glowing blue preparing flames to incinerate the woman who threatened its child.
**Cassandra** — seventy meters high falling, saw dragon focusing on her, flames accumulating, face freezing in absolute terror.
Thought flashing through:
I'm going to die… exactly like my parents… burned alive… maybe this is justice…
Tears — flying upward as her body fell.
Voice whispering:
"Forgive me, Marcus… Garrett… I couldn't… twenty years for nothing…"
**Julia** — seeing Cassandra about to be incinerated, shouted:
"**JESSICA**! MOVE ME IN FRONT OF CASSANDRA! NOW!"
**Jessica** — from afar, shouted back:
"**WHAT**?! You want to **DIE** too?! The dragon will burn you **BOTH**!"
**Julia** — shouting louder:
"JUST **DO IT**! TRUST ME!"
**Jessica** — hesitated half a second.
And obeyed — hands moving, magical control launching Julia (still holding the egg) downward and forward, positioning her between the dragon and falling Cassandra.
**Dragon** — mouth open flames ready, saw the egg (its child) now in front of Cassandra.
Hesitated — flames held back, unable to risk hitting its child.
**Julia** — fifty meters high, holding the egg, looking down seeing Cassandra falling thirty meters below her, shouted:
"**JESSICA**! USE your magic to LEVITATE CASSANDRA TOO!"
**Jessica** — voice returning stressed:
"She **CAN** do it herself if she wants! She's just **choosing** to die!"
**Julia** — shouted even louder:
"JUST **DO IT**! PLEASE!"
**Jessica** — frustrated exhausted voice:
"I **CAN'T**!" She shouted. "Besides levitating you holding an eighty-kilo egg, I'm also helping San land softly! **THREE** simultaneous targets is my absolute **LIMIT**! I don't have enough mana for **FOUR**!"
**Julia** — looking down, seeing Cassandra falling (forty meters remaining, three seconds to fatal impact), face showing helpless despair.
**Cassandra** — eyes closed, body relaxing accepting death, final thought:
This is my deserved end… I just wish I could have said one last goodbye to my brothers… Marcus… Garrett…
Thirty meters high.
Twenty meters.
Fifteen meters.
**Shadow** — appeared from the side at impossible speed.
**Arms** — grabbed Cassandra's body mid-air ten meters above ground, stopping her fall with pure strength, body spinning in air absorbing momentum, landing softly on the ground holding Cassandra in princess-carry style.
**Julia** — from fifty meters above, eyes widening in recognition:
"**GARRETT**…"
**Garrett** — ten meters below on the ground, holding Cassandra in his arms, broken sword (only sixty centimeters with hilt) tucked in belt, armor cracked in multiple places, face showing deep exhaustion but also absolute determination, looking up making eye contact with Julia.
**Cassandra** — eyes opening, seeing Garrett's face five centimeters away, processing the rescue:
"Garrett…" Broken relieved voice. "You… came…"
And hugged — arms wrapping around his neck, face burying in his shoulder, uncontrollable sobs escaping.
**Garrett** — arms tightening protectively around Cassandra, voice whispering only to her:
"It's okay, sister." Rarely shown gentle tone. "I'm here now. I won't let you fall ever again."
He raised his head — looking up at Julia floating holding the egg, then sideways at Jessica on the building controlling levitation, then twenty meters sideways at San (softly landed on ground by Jessica moments earlier, unharmed).
Eyes focusing on each one — expression not rage but calculated hostility mixed with… respect?
And he **ran** — not attacking but fleeing, Cassandra still in his arms, at maximum speed through Kend's streets, leaping across low building rooftops, disappearing into a narrow alley, vanishing from sight in ten seconds.
**Julia** — did not pursue, simply watched Garrett escape with Cassandra.
Voice whispering to the wind:
"Go…" Tired tone. "Run and live far away from here. You've already lost the freedom you sought. No need to lose your lives too."
Looked down — toward Jessica on the building:
"**Jessica**!" She shouted. "Float me to that tall building over there!" Pointed to the top of a five-story commercial tower one hundred meters north (tallest structure in the area after palace collapse).
**Jessica** — hands moving, magical control guiding Julia (still holding the egg) slowly through the air, reaching the rooftop in twenty seconds, soft landing.
**Julia** — knelt, gently placing the egg on the stone rooftop, hands still touching the warm surface, looking at the dragon hovering fifty meters ahead.
She stood — arms raising the egg above her head offering it, voice loud and clear:
"We deeply **FORGIVE** you!" Sincere shout. "For the **DANGER** we caused to your innocent child! It was never our intention to involve it in human conflicts!"
Pause:
"Here it is **UNHARMED** and safe!" She offered. "Take it back home and live in peace!"
**Dragon** — flew closer, landing on the rooftop five meters from Julia (structure cracking slightly under massive weight but holding), head lowering to inspect the egg, sniffing (nostrils flaring), checking integrity.
Satisfied.
And it **glowed** — not flames but pure white-golden light emanating from its entire body, intensity rapidly increasing, forcing Julia to close her eyes against blindness, San and Jessica (distant) also closing eyes, light expanding one-hundred-meter radius illuminating the entire city turning afternoon into artificial midday.
Ten seconds of intense light.
Dissipated — gradually, allowing eyes to open slowly.
**Julia** — eyes opening, blinking to adjust.
And saw — not the reptilian dragon but a woman.
Human form — one meter seventy tall, ageless appearance (could be twenty or a thousand years), pale almost translucent skin faintly glowing, pure white hair long to waist (not gray from age but natural snow-white), electric-blue eyes identical to dragon form (vertical pupils retained), wings still present but smaller (three-meter wingspan): left wing black with dark feathers absorbing light, right wing white with shining reflective feathers, simple seamless flowing dress constantly shifting colors subtly (white → gray → black → white like flowing water), bare feet (not touching ground but floating five centimeters above).
Expression — not hostile but neutral and calculated, looking directly at Julia without blinking.
Approached — silent floating steps, reaching the egg (still on ground where Julia placed it), long slender hands with sharp black nails extending, taking the egg with extreme maternal care, bringing it to her chest in an embrace.
Stepped back — three floating steps, wings opening preparing flight.
Paused — looked over right shoulder, focusing on San (twenty meters distant on ground) and Julia (same height on rooftop).
And tilted — head thirty degrees downward, slow deliberate movement, universal gesture of respectful gratitude.
Turned — full body, wings beating once (gentle wind not explosive), body rising into the sky, egg held firmly.
Flew — westward, returning to the devastated forest, silhouette shrinking against the orange-golden sunset sky beginning (late afternoon, sun touching mountainous horizon).
**Julia, San, Jessica** — watched silently until the silhouette became a tiny point and completely disappeared.
**Julia** — whispered to the wind:
"Go in peace… and protect your child from this human madness."
---
**Meanwhile in the dragon's cave — time before the dragon returned. In the room where the massive explosion of the crystal destroyed by San and Julia occurred.**
A hooded figure in a dark cloak wearing a plain white mask with small neutral eye holes and a neutral mouth arrived there and began analyzing the entire place, walking in circles around where the crystal had been.
Then she picked up a broken shard of crystal from the ground, examining it with great attention, and said:
"Nothing left here… a wasted effort."
She raised two fingers and touched the forehead of the face hidden beneath the white mask, initiating a mental conversation, saying:
"Look, I still don't understand why you gave me the job of creating that high-rank dungeon in the Kingdom of Zordis containing the great general Thegg…"
"And now you send me to bring this crystal to this place and even openly expose the Church of Nellis to the connection between the Death Cult and my Fear Mages."
The person she was speaking with simply began to smile, replying:
"Calm down, Jafim."
"Let things happen and connect on their own. You know I always execute my plans based on chaos."
"Besides, something tells me that from among these groups clashing, a very interesting new pawn will emerge."
"So don't get frustrated — everything is proceeding exactly according to my plans. Just like the chess game I'm playing right now."
The woman said:
"I truly hope you know what you're doing, Cassius."
She then placed the broken crystal shard back on the ground and simply disappeared in black smoke from that place.
Leaving the emptiness as if she had never been in that room.
**[KEND: DESTROYED PALACE, CITY EVACUATED]**
**[GARRETT/CASSANDRA: ESCAPED]**
**[DRAGON: RETURNED TO FOREST]**
**[EGG: SAFELY RETURNED]**
**[JULIA/SAN/JESSICA: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED]**
**[NEXT: CONSEQUENCES AND RETURN TO ELLIS]**