Giant Valley.
Raylo sat cross-legged on a black rock, toying with a piece of rubble in his hand. Behind him, the Giant Dragon Expeditionary Army—a force capable of destroying any kingdom—was resting quietly. The Fine Steel Dragon, Agares, lay a few hundred meters away.
Time trickled by. A whole day passed, and there was still no news from Austin Sage.
Raylo casually flicked the rubble away. It hit a distant rock wall and shattered into powder with a CRACK.
Coal Ball, who had been lying on Raylo's lap, was startled by the noise. It lazily rolled over, exposing its pitch-black belly, and let out a PURR.
Only Raylo knew that beneath this seemingly peaceful wait, an earth-shattering war was raging in the world he lived in. At this moment, the eternally surging Yellow Mud River was likely no longer flowing with yellow muddy water, but with a rolling, endless soup of blood.
The next morning, the first ray of sunlight pierced through the gray clouds.
