No matter how many times he failed—no matter how often he was crushed, battered, or thrown—Zack always came back.
Now, however, he lay sprawled across Lancelot's back, barely conscious. Pain radiated from every fiber of his body. He couldn't even feel his arms or legs anymore. His breath was shallow. His vision flickered.
His body was failing.
"Lancelot is nearing its limit... this is our final chance…" Silva's voice trembled as she clung to the dragon's back beside him. Even the normally composed noble of House Steinert could no longer hide her desperation.
If Lancelot exhausted the last of its magic, it would crash. And if that happened—everything would be lost. Roshar would fall. Ico would die. And the refugees… none of them would survive the collapse.
"Tch… what the hell do I do…?" Zack clenched his teeth. His body screamed for rest, for surrender. His hands trembled—he couldn't even lift his sword anymore.
And then—
"You're the one who shouldn't give up!" The voice rang out in his mind—full of fire.
"Ico?!" Zack's eyes snapped open. "You're still alive!"
It had been several minutes since she'd been swallowed by the necrotic beast. He'd feared the worst. But now her voice echoed through the Astral Flow, vibrant and full of energy.
"Of course I'm alive, dumbass! What kind of dragon would I be if I let myself get eaten for good?" she scoffed, her voice full of heat. "I still haven't found a replacement for my idiot of a pet dog. So… consider this a gift."
"A gift?" Zack blinked. "Wait, what are you—"
A blinding light exploded around him.
"Wha—?!"
The world around him gleamed with radiant energy. His battered form was bathed in magic, pure and powerful. A silhouette formed within the light—a sleek, godlike armor, radiating with divine energy.
"A-Amazing… That's an Ark!" Silva gasped, turning to see him now standing, transformed. Her eyes widened in awe and disbelief. "It's… beautiful…"
The armor pulsed with an otherworldly glow. It looked heavy—ornate silver and white plates etched with glowing runes—but when Zack moved, it was light as a feather. As though it were an extension of his will, not a burden on his body.
Magic surged through him like a tidal wave, revitalizing his broken form. He breathed in deeply. A smile slowly curved his lips.
"With this… I won't lose." He raised his head, looking toward the massive dragon that had swallowed Ico whole. "Thank you, Ico… I can feel your heart in this."
Her response was instantaneous—and irritable. "D-Don't get full of yourself, dumb mutt! That's not even the original! It's just a mimic! I never said I was giving you anything!"
Despite her tsundere denial, Zack chuckled. Even from inside the beast, she was still Ico.
"Let's go, Princess Silva!"
"Understood!" Silva replied, her voice clear, her expression now steeled with purpose.
Reinvigorated by the Ark and by Ico's return, Zack stood tall. The magic burned around him like a second sun.
Silva didn't waste a heartbeat. She gave the command. "Lancelot! Dive!"
The dragon roared in response, mustering the last of its strength. Though its mana reserves were nearly drained, it still obeyed—its wings tensed, and then with a thunderous gust of wind, it shot downward like a silver spear.
"Princess Silva!" Zack called, leaning toward her as they descended.
"…What is it?" she replied, her voice cautious.
"Lancelot is a damn good dragon."
"…What does that have to do with anything?!"
"That's why… you should never ride another dragon again."
Her cheeks immediately flushed, eyes darting toward him. "Y-You idiot! What kind of thing is that to say at a time like this?!"
"This is the best time to say it. You already have the best Par. So… what more could you possibly be looking for?"
"I-I… I know that!" she shouted, trying to sound angry, but the tremble in her voice betrayed her emotions.
Lancelot roared fiercely in response, as if moved by their shared resolve. Their speed increased. The monstrous gray figure grew larger—closer.
"Now's the time!" Zack jumped from Lancelot's back, his body slicing through the air. For a heartbeat, he felt weightless—then one with the wind.
He landed on the enemy's head with perfect precision, the Ark absorbing the impact. The armor hummed with raw magic, anchoring him to the creature's rough scales. He could feel it now—the beast's heat, its breath, its soul.
At that moment, Zack became one with the dragon.
The Ark was drawing out every ounce of his potential—his gift—and pushing it to its zenith. From his feet, his consciousness extended like roots sinking into the earth. If he was the tree—then this dragon was the land it claimed.
But then… a resistance. He felt it in his mind—a pulse of rejection. Zack clenched his fists, planted his feet, and roared back:
"I don't care if you're a god… or a devil…" He stood tall, a radiant warrior framed between the beast's massive horns. "Every dragon will bow to me eventually!"
Suddenly, the creature trembled. Its folded wings snapped open. Its roar shook the heavens as it began to rise—flying into the sky once more.
.˳·˖✶𓆩𓁺𓆪✶˖·˳.༄
"…Looks like we've walked right into an ambush."
Dazno exhaled slowly, watching from the high cliffside as the Necromancia—his monstrous creation—flew off, its jagged wings slicing through the clouds, retreating from the burning skyline of Roshar.
The massive sword in his hand pulsed with faint energy. It wasn't just a weapon—it was a control device. A tether to the beast he had conjured. And yet, that very beast was now flying without his command.
That boy… had done the impossible.
Despite the failure, Dazno remained eerily calm. Not a single twitch of emotion crossed his face beneath the polished mask. As if he had predicted this all along.
Standing beside him was Shae, her skin glistening with sweat beneath her tight combat attire. The clinging fabric revealed the subtle curves of her back and hips as she stood still, nervous.
She tried to suppress the chill running down her spine. That boy—the one who was now flying off atop the Necromancia—was him.
Zack.
She had seen him before. Spoken to him, even clashed with him… But she had never reported it. Back then, she had assumed he was just a curious outsider. But now? Now he was riding a monstrous dragon like it was his birthright.
Dazno tilted his head slightly, his voice distant.
"Where exactly… have I seen that boy before?" Shae's breath caught in her throat.
A single line—casually spoken—was enough to make her entire body tense.
Did he know?
"…Well, no matter." Fortunately, he didn't press further.
She exhaled slowly in relief.
"The experiment might've failed," Dazno continued, his voice low and cool, "but we've gained valuable data." He turned, his crimson gaze hidden behind the mask. "That boy… and more importantly—that girl."
"Girl…?" Shae repeated, confused.
Was he referring to Roderika, the Ark Dragonborn? Or maybe Princess Silva, the proud Steinert heir who rode the majestic Lancelot?
But Dazno shook his head slightly.
"No… I'm talking about her." He gestured vaguely to the direction the Necromancia had flown. "The one it captured. The horned girl."
Shae's eyes widened slightly. Ico.
She remembered now—during the chaos, the creature had swallowed a young woman with ivory horns and emerald eyes. She looked human… but felt wrong. Or rather, something more than human.
"She's likely the one who granted him the Ark," Dazno said, narrowing his eyes behind the mask. "Even if she wears a human form… she might be a dragon's descendant. Or perhaps… something even more ancient."
"I… I didn't know…" Shae murmured, guilt and confusion swirling inside her.
She hadn't realized how important the horned girl might be. She'd assumed she was just another unfortunate soul—maybe even bait.
Dazno said nothing more. With silent grace, he slid the massive sword into its holster across his back. Then he turned to her slowly. Those crimson eyes locked on her through the visor.
"We withdraw for now."
Shae dropped to one knee, her curves accentuated as her tight leathers creaked beneath her, her head bowed in submission.
"…Understood." But in the back of her mind, a question echoed. Just who—or what—is that girl?
And why did Zack have her…?