RE: ZERON I will return for you, even if it takes a million

chapter 17 : The Dragon’s Pride

​The following day, we finalized our preparations to rescue Frexia. The morning air was biting and damp, clinging to my skin like a bad omen. I wasn’t entirely certain that breaking her out was the "right" thing to do, but if we chose to wait for her to lose control and then tried to stop her after she fully manifested as the Ice Dragon, the mission would be nearly impossible.

​By dawn, we were already in position, monitoring the soldiers guarding the prison. Their movements remained routine and unchanged—a slow, rhythmic patrol that only added to my growing tension.

​"Wait, Aren—are you sure about this?" Ora asked. Her voice was barely a whisper, cutting through the stillness of the pre-dawn light. "If they find out you helped these bandits escape, they’ll brand you an enemy of the state. They might even hunt you down."

​"I'm doing this to save everyone," I replied, my throat feeling unnaturally dry. "This is our only window to get them out."

​I turned to Lavender, urging her to retreat into her Celestial Item for her own safety, but she refused. I insisted, telling her this was my first time attempting something this dangerous and I was terrified of failing her.

​"Master Aren, I know it’s dangerous, but I want to stand by you," she said firmly. "I promise I won't be a burden."

Ora interjected, scolding me for my overprotectiveness. "She’s a Musang A****n, not a normal human. Stop treating her like a porcelain princess. To be honest, she’s physically stronger than you are."

​I knew Ora was right. I accepted that Lavender had more raw physical power and mana than I did, but I couldn't shake the fear that she would end up as a wanted criminal because of me.

​"If you're so worried," Ora said, her voice turning dark, "just kill all the guards. Dead men tell no tales. No one will recognize Lavender then."

​"You're joking, right?" I shot back. "I took this mission to be a hero for the future, but you're talking like you want me to be a common murderer."

​Ora snapped back, insisting she wasn't ordering me to do it, just pointing out the most efficient path. She accused me of being obsessed with Lavender’s safety. "The moment you brought her on this mission, you entangled her in this danger. She is already an accomplice to everything we do."

​Lavender nodded in agreement. "I didn't follow you just to be protected, Master Aren. I am here to help you as your follower."

​I sighed and finally relented. Then, a thought occurred to me. I asked Ora if it was possible to use someone else's Celestial Item. If we could merge our weapons, perhaps I could use Lavender’s power while she remained safely inside her item.

​Ora pondered this. "I’ve never seen a master wield an item that wasn't their own. However... it might be possible if there is a profound connection between the two masters—enough for the weapons to recognize each other. But even then, Lavender would still control the abilities. The weapon obeys the soul, not the hand holding it."

​I understood, but I still wanted to try. If I could wield her item, we could fight together without her face ever being seen by the guards. I took Lavender’s hand and asked her to trust me with this plan.

​"If that is your wish, Master Aren, I am ready to do whatever you ask," she replied.

​Minutes later, the infiltration began. I wore the Magic Ring containing Lavender’s essence on my finger. It felt unnaturally cold against my skin.

​Unlike the previous night’s stealth, I took a direct approach, using the Time Sword to incapacitate the guards before they could sound an alarm. The metal of the sword hummed with a low vibration that made my teeth ache. Reaching the cell of the older bandits, I shattered the lock with a sharp crack that echoed through the stone corridor.

​"I’m here to get you out," I told them.

​They were hesitant, worried that their escape would bring the government's wrath down on their tribe in the eastern forest. I calmed them, promising that we would evacuate their entire village once they were clear. "What matters now is getting you out of these cages."

​I then raced to the solitary confinement block and kicked in the door. Frexia looked up, her eyes narrowing. "You again? What are you doing?"

​I swung the Time Sword, shattering her chains. The iron links clattered to the floor, sounding like thunder in the confined space. "I'm taking you out of here. You don't have to accept this death."

​To my surprise, she erupted with a terrifying aura. The air in the room instantly dropped several degrees, frost spider-webbing across the damp walls. She didn't want to be saved. She told me to leave, insisting that her death was necessary to appease the soldiers' anger and protect her tribe.

​"You know nothing!" she screamed. "It’s my fault why the government are angry. If I die, my people might live. I will accept my punishment."

​Despite her words, I could see the conflict in her eyes. "Stop it!" I shouted. "Stop lying to yourself! This isn't what you want!"

​I told her that as a proud Dragonaire, she shouldn't die like a dog in a hole. I told her a master who orders their follower to die for nothing is a master not worth following.

​"You aren't trash to be thrown away," I said. "You are a Dragonaire. Live like one!"

​She looked away, shaking her head. She told me how she had lost everything in a past tragedy, and how her current "Master" had saved her life. She felt a debt of gratitude so heavy she was willing to die for it.

​Realizing words wouldn't work, I had no choice. I signaled the ring. A clawed gauntlet—Lavender’s weapon—manifested on my left hand, the metal glowing with a faint, pulsing light.

​"Time to move, Lavender," I whispered. Then, turning back to Frexia: "If you won't walk out, I'll drag you out by force."

​Using Lavender’s power, I unleashed a concussive blast that blew a hole through the cell wall. The explosion sparked a fire that quickly began to consume the prison, thick acrid smoke billowing into the room. Frexia was forced to leap through the hole in the ceiling to avoid being buried alive.

​I followed her out into the smoke-filled yard. "See? You don't want to die in a hole after all."

​I reached out my hand. "Come with me. Let’s get out of here."

​But again she refused. After that, Lavender’s voice echoed in my mind, telling me that Frexia wouldn't listen to a stranger and that her resolve was tied to her pride. There was no time left for talk—the shouting of guards was converging on our position.

​I braced myself, my aura flaring. "Fine. If you won't listen, I'll drag you out kicking and screaming."

​"You?" Frexia hissed, her eyes glowing a feral, icy blue. "A mere human thinks he can challenge me?"

​Ora warned me that even with Lavender’s help, we were outmatched. "A Dragonaire is a different league entirely, Aren!"

​I didn't care. "The prison is gone. The soldiers are coming. We have to fight her now or lose her."

​Frexia’s transformation deepened. Blue scales shimmered like jagged glass across her skin, wings unfurled from her back with a sound like tearing silk, and a long, powerful tail whipped the air. The markings on her forehead pulsed with a blinding, rhythmic light.

​"You have a lot of nerve challenging a Dragonaire," she said coldly.

​The ground beneath her feet shattered as she lunged. She moved like a blue blur, ice trailing in her wake. I tried to parry with the Time Sword, but the impact sent me flying.

​I skidded ten meters across the dirt, slamming into a stone wall with a sickening crack. I felt my ribs shatter, the sensation sharp and blinding. The pain was so intense I vomited blood, the copper taste filling my mouth.

​"She’s a monster..." I gasped, immediately using Time Heal to knit my bones back together. A sickening warmth spread through my chest as the magic worked.

​A second later, Frexia’s fist was an inch from my face. The impact leveled the wall behind me and encased half the building in thick ice. I barely escaped by using Rewind to dodge, my head spinning from the rapid temporal shift.

​I was breathing hard, my lungs burning. My mastery over the Time Sword was growing, but the energy drain was becoming unsustainable; I could feel my strength flickering.

​"To dodge my strike at that speed... impossible for a human," Frexia mused. "Who are you?"

​She lunged again. I swung my blade to match her, but her arm swept me aside like I was a toy. For the second time, I was sent tumbling. I plunged my sword into the earth to arrest my slide, sparks flying from the blade.

​Ora’s voice came from the crystal. "You can't trade blows with her! She’s ten times stronger than any human!"

​I knew that, but I couldn't find an opening. Frexia was relentless. Every time I parried, my arms went numb. Every time I blocked, I was thrown back. Even with my magic barriers, every impact felt like being hit by a falling mountain.

​I managed to build up enough energy for one more Time Freeze. I stopped the world and sprinted toward her, searching for a weak point. I noticed the only spot not covered in dragon scales was her underarm, exposed as she was mid-punch.

​"Why is that the only unprotected spot? Whatever, I'll take it!"

​As time resumed, I lunged with a piercing strike. But my blade didn't go through. It clanged against an invisible force with a jarring metallic ring.

​Frexia stepped back, startled. "How did you get in front of me so fast?" She looked at her underarm. "Were you aiming for the gap in my scales?"

​She laughed, and a massive wave of energy erupted from her, freezing the ground for yards. "Unlucky for you, my entire body is wrapped in a magic barrier. A human like you has no hope of breaking it."

​She stared at me with glowing dragon eyes. I felt a cold sweat break out. I was trembling, my legs heavy. I couldn't wound her, and I couldn't keep up with her speed forever. This wasn't a fight; she was playing with me until my energy ran dry.

​"I can't beat her," I whispered to myself, my grip tightening on the Time Sword. "What do I do now?"