I Only Tame Dragons

Chapter 133 Through Ice and Forest

Horizon stood alone now, his undead legion shattered and absent. The battlefield felt strangely silent, yet tension coiled in the air like a predator waiting to pounce.

He could feel their eyes on him, assessing, measuring. Surely they would attack now, with him seemingly at his weakest.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

But he was calm. If they dared to make a move, he would show them the folly of underestimating him.

Among his enemies, Seraphina and Aria were the most dangerous—their skills and synergy made them a nightmare to face. Still, Horizon was confident that he could take them on.

Horizon clenched his fists, feeling the faint hum of power resonate within him. The dragon gifted by the Apple Tree Dragon pulsed faintly in his mind, a comforting presence alongside his Dracolich—a skeletal beast of fury and destruction.

With the two dragons unleashed, he could win the battle against Wingless Valkyries.

He would take out Fiora first. Without her, the others would crumble under the sustained damage. Then, he'd set his sights on Seraphina, cutting off the strongest of them. Without her, Wingless Valkyrie was good as dead.

The two dragons would buy him time, engaging the rest of the group in a chaotic melee while he executed his strategy.

Though it would be such a shame since, their partnership would end at that instance.

Horizon's muscles tensed as he prepared to make his move, but to his surprise, the women didn't attack. Their weapons remained in hand, their stances wary but not aggressive.

Though it was fortunate that they didn't seem to want to attack him, he didn't let his guard down for even a second. These were no ordinary foes, and one misstep could be fatal.

Yet, for now, the uneasy stalemate held.

If they didn't attack, he wouldn't provoke them. But if they so much as twitched in his direction, they'd learn that even without his undead, he was no prey to be hunted.

Horizon was a predator. And predators didn't cower—they struck.

Horizon and the others moved across the frozen wasteland, the chill seeped deep into their bones, each step crunching against the icy ground.

The vast expanse of white stretched endlessly before them, with jagged peaks looming in the distance like teeth.

Horizon's gaze flickered between his companions, noting their fatigue and shivering forms. Despite the bitter cold, no one seemed welling to rest.

They had survived the desert against impossible odds, and though the freezing region promised its own dangers, they pressed on.

As the group ventured further into the freezing region, the landscape grew more hostile, the air thicker with frost. The winds howled like wild beasts, whipping snowflakes into their faces.

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Each gust of cold seemed to gnaw at their skin, draining the warmth from their limbs.

Here, the dangers were minimal, and the group had taken the opportunity to relax. Wild fruits and beasts caught by Von provided their meal, though the mood remained subdued.

The four huddled in a hidden cave, a natural sanctuary that Frigid guarded diligently. His imposing frame and skills ensured no threats would catch them unaware.

Lydia paced near the entrance of the cave, her brows furrowed with concern. "Do you think Horizon will make it to the exit in time?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Von, leaning against the cave wall, was scrolling through the map interface on his device. He gave her a reassuring glance. "This is Horizon we're talking about," he said, his tone steady with confidence. "He's probably already three steps ahead of everyone. If anyone can handle this, it's him."

Despite his words, Von's eyes remained glued to the map. Horizon's marker was distant, far removed from their current location—a reminder that he was traversing a completely different region.

The communication feed confirmed he was alive, but the distance between them was a silent weight pressing on all of their minds.

Silphie, sitting cross-legged on the cave floor, fiddled absentmindedly with a small twig. Her childlike demeanor masked a subtle unease that seeped through her words. "I'm hungry," she mumbled, curling her knees to her chest. "I want some ice cream."

Lydia knelt beside her, brushing a strand of Silphie's hair from her face. "We'll get all the ice cream you want once Horizon clears this first game," she said softly, her tone warm and hopeful. "Just hang in there a little longer."

Von chuckled, his voice a low rumble that lightened the tension. "Ice cream, huh? Guess that's as good a motivation as any, my sweet Silphie."

Frigid let out a low, rumbling sound, an acknowledgment that they were safe for now. The sound reverberated through the cave, a grounding presence in the face of the unknown.

As the group settled back into a fragile calm, Lydia cast one last glance at the map, her heart clinging to the faint hope that Horizon could really get them out of here and go to the next challenge.

The cave's calm was shattered when Von and Frigid suddenly went rigid, their senses heightened like predators spotting danger. The shift was palpable, the once-still air now charged with tension.

"What is it?" Lydia whispered, her voice barely audible as she picked up on their unease.

Von quickly brought a finger to his lips, signaling her to stay silent. His expression, sharp and alert, left no room for questions.

Moving swiftly but soundlessly, he approached Frigid, who stood like an unyielding sentinel at the cave's entrance.

"We've got company," Von muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed the darkness beyond the cave.

Lydia's heart skipped a beat, worry etched across her face. "Company? Who?"

"I don't know yet," Von replied tersely, his gaze fixed on the forest beyond. "Stay here and don't make a sound. Frigid, no matter what happens, guard this entrance. Nothing gets past you."

The towering figure of Frigid nodded once, his voice a low rumble. "Understood."

With a final glance at Lydia, and the others, Von slipped into the shadows without as much as a sound. He melted into the dense foliage like a phantom, navigating the forest floor with the practiced ease of someone who had lived on the edge of survival for far too long.

Soon, he found himself perched on a thick branch, concealed by a canopy of leaves. From his vantage point, he could see the approaching figures.