Chain sighed, rubbing his temples. "Seriously, Bianca? How many times are we going to do this routine?"
A slow, rare smirk touched her lips. "Chain?" She tilted her head, observing him more closely. "You look different. More hair, taller… more muscle too. What are you now, 182?"
"Close enough," Chain replied impatiently. "Forget the height comparison. Get up and get ready. We have a priority mission. We're hunting an ancient dragon."
Bianca's smirk faded, replaced by practiced indifference. "We hunt dragons all the time, Chain. What makes this one special?"
"This one is Vaelor," Chain said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "The Order is on the verge of unsealing him. Their forces are spreading, and this is bigger than anything we've handled solo. That's why the core team is meeting at Star's Bridge. It's our only real shot at stopping this before it completely goes off the rails. So, move. Get dressed. We're already behind schedule."
While Bianca vanished presumably to find something clean amidst the chaos, Chain navigated towards the back room – ostensibly a garage space, though now it resembled a hoarder's den crammed with dusty, forgotten artifacts and salvaged tech.
He mentally shook his head. 'The only thing I appreciate about Bianca is her obedience… when it matters. Told her years ago not to touch anything back here, and judging by the dust layers, she actually listened. Or just didn't care what junk was stored away.' He located a large object hidden under a heavy tarp. 'Ah, there she is.'
He pulled the cover off just as Bianca reappeared, now clad in her signature long, black patent leather coat with the stylized red smiling skull emblem emblazoned on the back – the very picture of a hunter ready for work. The revealed object was a sleek sport motorcycle, black with sharp red accents, low-slung and aggressively designed for speed.
Bianca walked over, eyeing the bike. "I never touched it after you left it here," she commented. "Figured you'd kill me if I took it for a joyride."
"I gave you the damn bike, Bianca," Chain said, exasperated. "The instruction was 'take care of it,' not 'leave it buried under junk because you thought I'd take it back.' It's yours."
Before Bianca could respond, Chain's phone buzzed insistently. He answered, his expression hardening as he listened. "Seif? What is it?"
He listened for a moment, his eyes narrowing. "About 50 kilometers from your position," Seif's voice crackled, "Major engagement detected. Dragon signatures – over two hundred – clashing with suspected demonic forces. We've deployed Hunter teams."
"WHAT?" Chain barked into the phone. "Why wasn't I notified before you sent troops in?"
"Eisen is leading the deployment," Seif quickly clarified. "We had to respond; intel suggested Knight patrols were also converging. Didn't want Leox claiming Hunter kills again. We have drones recording everything for verification. But reports indicate heavy resistance. Your proximity is critical."
Chain ended the call, turning to Bianca with a grim nod. "Change of plans. We have a battle to join."
Bianca didn't need further explanation. They both swung onto their respective bikes, engines screaming to life.
"Alright," Chain said over the roar, "Let's see if you remember how to handle that machine. We'll be there in minutes."
They accelerated simultaneously, two blurs of black and red tearing out of the small town and racing towards the distant conflict at full speed.
Back on the road the next morning, Ash found himself enjoying the stunning landscape again. Sunlight streamed through breaks in the clouds, glinting brilliantly off the ice-covered mountains. It was breathtaking. Then, far in the distance, he saw it – the unmistakable silhouette of buildings clinging to the peaks.
"Finally!" Ash exclaimed aloud, relief washing over him. "That was one hell of a ride, even on the fastest bike around." He squinted, trying to make out the structures. "What kind of city builds like that?"
As he got closer, Dragon's Heart revealed its impossible nature. Narrow, twisting roads seemed to defy gravity, weaving between massive castles and houses that hung precariously from bridges and sheer mountain faces. It was a layered, vertical cityscape where roads passed under and over each other constantly, connecting towering stone structures adorned with ancient dragon statues. The vibe was a strange mix of ancient fortress and modern ingenuity.
Ash found a designated parking area at the city's edge. He quickly realized why – the city proper had no roads wide enough for bikes or cars. Transport within Dragon's Heart was solely by an intricate network of trains. Stepping out, he walked towards the nearest transit hub, utterly amazed by the architecture, the sheer audacity of building a major city so high among the peaks, seemingly reliant only on the sky above and the rails below.
His target, Carlos, was likely hiding out in the highest, most remote mountains. Ash boarded a northbound train, noticing only a handful of other passengers. Few people ventured this far out due to the extreme cold, lack of development, and scarce job opportunities. The journey was slow, rattling along tracks clinging to the mountainside.
"Damn it," Ash muttered, watching the landscape crawl by. "If there were roads up here, I could've ridden the bike. Would've been there hours ago."
Eventually, the train shuddered to a halt at his destination: a small, quiet town nestled high in the peaks, snow falling gently. Ash stepped out onto the platform and looked up. The highest mountain, where he suspected Carlos was, loomed above, its summit completely shrouded in thick clouds and swirling fog.
"Right," Ash sighed, pulling his collar tighter against the cold. "Why bother wandering around freezing my ass off searching? Time to hit the local bar and ask around."
He spotted a likely looking establishment – a cozy building with warm light spilling from the windows. Entering, he was greeted by the welcome warmth and the comforting smell of woodsmoke and mulled drinks. The interior was all aged wood and sturdy beams, creating a sense of safety and tranquility. Ash took a seat at the bar, facing the bartender – a stout, older man with a thick brown beard.
"Give me the best and hottest cup of chocolate you've got," Ash ordered.
The bartender chuckled, his eyes twinkling. "Ah, a man who knows what he wants! Right away, sir." As the bartender started preparing the drink, Ash pulled out his phone and showed him a picture. "Ever seen this guy around here?"
The bartender leaned in, peering closely at the screen. "Hmm, maybe… wait a tick! Aye, I know him! Beard's longer now, mind you, but that's him. Used to come in here regular, ordered the same thing – hot chocolate, extra strong. Haven't seen him in a good while, though. We'd chat sometimes, you know how it is. Old fellas find things to talk about."
"Do you know where he lives?" Ash asked hopefully.
The bartender's friendly expression turned cautious. "Sorry, friend, can't just be giving out folk's whereabouts. Don't know you from, do I?"
"Trust me, old man, he's an old friend," Ash insisted, quickly scrolling through more photos. "Look, here's us together – yeah, I was way skinnier then, but it's me. Here he is driving that old truck of his, me taking the picture…"
"Alright, alright, I believe you," the bartender relented, though he still looked shrewd. "But I still reckon there might be trouble followin' him. Why else would a man flee this far north, eh? How do I know you weren't sent by some big outfit from Lord's Vault? Hunters, Knights, whatever they call themselves these days?"
Ash raised an eyebrow. "How did you know i came from there?"
"Your clothes, lad," the bartender explained patiently. "Only folk from the Middle Lands dress quite like that. And most anyone who comes up here on serious business, asking questions… they're usually from Lord's Vault."
"Fine," Ash sighed, putting his phone away. "Don't tell me. He probably knows I'm close by anyway."
"And here's your chocolate," the bartender said, placing a large, steaming mug in front of him. "Piping hot, highest quality ingredients."
"Well, let's see if it lives up to the hype," Ash murmured, taking a careful sip.
His eyes snapped wide open. The world seemed to shift focus. The rich, velvety chocolate wasn't just hot; it was divine. Stress, cold, weariness – it all melted away in an instant of pure, unadulterated bliss. It felt less like a drink and more like a direct infusion of warmth and peace from heaven itself.
"Holy shit," Ash breathed out when he could speak again. "I don't think I'll ever taste anything this good again. How is that even possible?"
The bartender chuckled heartily. "Hehe, hear that reaction near every time someone new tries it. This shop, son, it's been in my family for 252 years. We've spent generations perfecting our drinks, our sweets. Why, the King himself stops by sometimes when he's up North."
"No way!" Ash said, genuinely impressed.
The bartender leaned closer, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Don't spread this around, mind, but… folk say even Rellen Lowsea himself visited here once, maybe 150 years back."
"That's insane," Ash muttered, taking another reverent sip.
He sat there, slowly savoring the incredible chocolate, the warmth spreading through him. Suddenly, he heard a rhythmic thwacking sound coming from outside, near the back of the bar. Curious, he got up, taking his mug with him, and pushed open the back door.
In the snowy backyard "there's no way"