"Damn it all! The entire mountainside has turned into a sea of lava! How are we supposed to pursue them now?!"

  ‘Lord Aldridge Darenford’ roared in frustration. A middle-aged man with a stout build and a bald head, he stood clad in massive silver plate armor, glaring at the path ahead with eyes full of spite. His cavalry could no longer give chase; the ground before them had been liquefied into a molten deathtrap. To move forward was to embrace certain death.

  High above the retreating knights, a colossal dragon circled like a harbinger of doom, relentlessly breathing torrents of fire upon the formation. With every fiery blast, the surrounding terrain was instantly incinerated, turning solid rock into glowing magma in the blink of an eye.

  "If you don't come out and face me soon, I'm afraid that ancient armor of yours won't hold out much longer," Lord Marcus Burnshaw murmured to himself. He stood calmly upon the dragon’s back, his gaze fixed on the knightly procession that refused to break its stride.

  ***

  Below, amidst the chaos

  Lord Teeps glanced back at the devastation before turning his eyes to the road ahead. Their destination was still a long way off. He could see the strain on the faces of the ancient mages; beads of sweat were pouring down their foreheads. The flames from this particular dragon were far more intense than any dragon fire he had ever encountered. If this bombardment continued, his mages would surely lose consciousness and collapse mid-journey.

  "Continue until the last knight is aboard the ship," Lord Teeps commanded, turning to a black-haired maid riding a horse to his left. "If I do not return, set sail immediately."

  "Understood, my Lord," replied Flora Harford. Her long black hair billowed in the wind, and her cute features were set in a mask of grim determination. Her blue eyes sparkled like jewels under the reflection of the moonlight.

  "Taiga!" Lord Teeps bellowed.

  A brilliant golden light erupted from the diamond ring on his left pinky finger.

  Phrup! Out of thin air, a golden-furred cat—twice the size of a warhorse—manifested into existence. It leaped into the sky, its paws treading upon the air itself as it followed closely behind Lord Teeps.

  "Let’s go, my old friend!" Lord Teeps stood atop his saddle and leaped with practiced grace onto the giant cat’s back.

  "Meow!!!" The beast let out a thunderous roar as it felt its master's weight. With all four paws, it galloped through the air, ascending rapidly toward the massive dragon circling above.

  ***

  "To think you’d go so far as to deploy a Blood-Red Dragon..."

  Lord Teeps narrowed his eyes as he looked at the dragon’s massive back. The moonlight revealed scales of a terrifying, deep crimson hue.

  "I thought you were never coming up," Lord Burnshaw greeted him with a nonchalant air.

  "When you’ve set my entire mountain ablaze... it would be rude not to come up and say hello," Lord Teeps retorted.

  "I’ll give you two choices," Lord Marcus threatened, his eyes flickering toward the horizon where the armies of other lords were desperately trying to bypass the lava. "Surrender peacefully, or stay there until my dragon burns that Ancient Mantra Barrier of yours into nothingness. Which will it be?"

  Lord Teeps gazed at the swarm of dragons in the distance, closing in at high speed. Below on the ground, the massive army was desperately scrambling to extinguish the lava, searching for any way to resume their pursuit of the knights.

  The Ancient Mantra Barrier, despite its legendary strength, was not invincible; it had its breaking point. To Lord Teeps, the other dragons or wyverns held no terror, and even the two Heroes were of little concern. There was only one true threat: this Blood-Red Dragon. It alone possessed the power to shatter his ancient magic.

  Phrub! With effortless grace, Taiga’s paws touched down upon the broad back of the Blood-Red Dragon, the landing as light as a whisper.

  Lord Teeps dismounted from Taiga and stood to face Lord Burnshaw. He cast a brief, lingering glance back toward his retreating knights, his face clouded with a profound sadness, as if he were preparing for a final farewell.

  "If I surrender to you..." Teeps began, his voice low and trembling with suppressed emotion. "Can you promise me? Will you keep your word that your dragon will cease its attack on my knights?"

  "My goal has always been singular," Lord Marcus replied, a cryptic, unreadable smile spreading across his face.

  Teeps gazed at that smile with lingering anxiety, but the shadows of the approaching enemy armies left him no room for hesitation.

  Shing! With a swift, decisive motion, he drew his knight’s sword from its scabbard.

  Chuk! He plunged the blade deep into the thick, crimson scales of the dragon beneath his feet. It wasn't an act of rebellion, but a silent vow—a marker of his surrender and a plea for the pact they had just formed.

  Far in the distance

  "That lecherous Lord! Where on earth is he going?!" ‘Lord Emeric Wilderford’, a young lord with short blonde hair from the frozen north, spat the words in fury. He sat atop a brown dragon the size of a heavy truck, watching the massive crimson dragon change its course in confusion.

  "He has already captured Lord Teeps," Kirk replied, maneuvering his wyvern to pull up alongside Lord Emeric’s right side.

  "Damn it all!" Emeric cursed under his breath. Their true objective wasn't just Lord Teeps, but the young heir who was barely two years old. Having that child as a hostage would ensure the citizens' submission, making the city much easier to govern. But now...

  "What is the plan, my Lord?" Kirk asked. "That magic is too powerful. Even with my level being over 100, I still can’t break through."

  "And what about Lady Natsuki?" Emeric asked, his eyes scanning for the other Hero.

  "She was attacked and has lost both of her eyes. She’s been sent back to the city for urgent treatment," Kirk answered bitterly. He didn't know exactly what had happened, but losing Natsuki made capturing the child significantly harder.

  "Natsuki?! Defeated?!" Emeric looked as if he couldn't believe his ears. He quickly barked out a new command, "Everyone! Focus all your weapons and magic on a single point in the knight’s formation! Strike without ceasing until their protective barrier shatters!"

  Fiuuu! Dozens of brown dragons and swarms of wyverns dove toward the knightly procession, unleashing a barrage of everything they had. No matter the cost, they had to seize that child.

  ***

  Several hours later, as the sun neared the horizon

  Woom!!! Tens of thousands of knights began to disappear, one by one, into something invisible—like a train entering a hidden tunnel that defied the eyes.

  GAZZZ!!! The pursuing dragons and wyverns shrieked in shock. They slammed into something solid in mid-air, sent spinning and tumbling through the sky as if they had hit a wall of pure force.

  Phrub! Suddenly, an entire mountain manifested before the pursuers' eyes just as the last of the knights vanished into the cave.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  "What in the world is this?!" Kirk cried out as he tumbled from his wyvern's back, staring at the surrounding forest in utter confusion. "Is this... the true power of the Teeps?!"

  Before they became Lords, the Teeps family had been legendary pirates—raiders who plundered the wealthy and other pirates alike, only to distribute the gold to the impoverished villagers.

  "The rumors that the Teeps are masters of traps... they were true after all," Lord Emeric muttered, his face pale with frustration. He swung his lightning-infused knight’s sword, hacking through the thick vines that were beginning to crawl toward them.

  Vines erupted from every direction, lashing out at the pursuers. The air was filled with agonizing screams as the bodies of the ninja-like assassins were torn limb from limb by the sentient greenery.

  ***

  Inside the Hidden Cavern

  The knights galloped through the pitch-black cave with unwavering confidence, as if they knew every twist and turn of the path by heart.

  Hee-hee-hee! The horses neighed as the knights pulled back on the reins. In less than ten minutes, the vanguard reached their destination.

  Flora dismounted and walked toward a wooden pillar. She placed her hand upon it and whispered, "Let no one find us."

  Phrub! Phrub! Phrub! Numerous torches ignited simultaneously along the walls, revealing a gargantuan ancient pirate ship docked in the center of a massive underground lake.

  ‘Oh my god...’ Creed thought, staring at the vessel in awe. It was colossal—larger than any ship he had ever seen in his life. But the surprises didn't end there. As Guia led him and Elian across the wooden bridge and down a wide, darkened ramp, Creed’s jaw dropped. Beyond the darkness lay a hidden city of breathtaking proportions, capable of housing tens of thousands of people.

  "So this is Verdana... the Cursed Pirate Ship my grandfather used to tell me about," Elian remarked, his voice trembling with excitement as he nudged Guia forward.

  "Creed!" The Lady of Teeps leaped from her carriage the moment it stopped, sprinting toward her child and scooping him into her arms. "Are you alright, my sweet boy?"

  Creed gave her a wide, bright smile to show he was perfectly fine.

  ***

  On the Ship’s Deck

  Flora watched the last knight ride onto the ship, her heart heavy with hesitation.

  "Meow!" Taiga’s voice echoed through the dark. The giant cat galloped through the air, landing softly on the deck.

  "And where is your master?" Flora asked, her voice trembling with unspoken fear.

  "Meow..." The beast let out a low, mournful whimper, looking like a lonely kitten that had lost its world.

  Flora lowered her gaze for a moment, then looked up and shouted with all her might, "Set sail!"

  Clang! Clang! Clang! The ship’s bell rang out, echoing through the cavern. The wooden bridges were retracted.

  Suuuu... The massive ship began to sink into the water. Despite the descent, the people on board remained calm. As the water reached the deck, it didn't flood the ship; instead, an invisible barrier held the ocean at bay. In moments, the ship vanished without a trace, leaving the bewildered pursuers to stand in the hollow silence of an empty cave.

  ***

  Early Morning at the Shore

  Over a hundred armed galleons lay anchored just off the coast. On the ship with the crimson sails, Lord Marcus ordered his Red-Armored Knights to lock Lord Teeps inside a large cage within the captain's quarters.

  "I hope you don't get seasick," Lord Marcus teased, flashing a playful smile as he stood before the cage.

  Lord Teeps sat on the floor, his expression unreadable as he looked at the young Lord. He closed his eyes in silent peace. His wife and son were safe. Whatever fate awaited him now, he would accept it gladly.

  "Hmph..." Marcus shrugged at the cold reception and turned to leave.

  GAZZZ!!! The dragon roared as it took flight. Soon after, the three crimson-sailed ships departed the island, heading toward the capital on the mainland.

  ***

  Nighttime at a Mainland Pier

  Fiuuu!!! A violent wind gusted as the dragon flew overhead.

  "Lord Marcus has reached the mainland. The way is clear," a man in a brown cloak reported, touching his ear to relay the message via telepathy.

  The Heart of the Great Ocean

  Thirty small rowboats, propelled by wind magic, closed in on the galleons. Armed men in black used grappling hooks to scale the hulls, silently assassinating the Red-Armored Knights with brutal efficiency. The decks were quickly stained crimson as hundreds of assassins slaughtered every knight in sight without mercy.

  Inside the captain's quarters:

  "An Anti-Magic Cage," the leader of the assassins noted, eyeing the metal. "Bring the Shackles!"

  Two men entered the cage to restrain Lord Teeps. Pak! Lord Teeps suddenly lunged, headbutting the man on the left and snapping the neck of the one on the right. He had surrendered to Marcus Burnshaw, but he would never submit to anyone else!

  "Don't let him out!" the leader screamed. Seven assassins piled into the cramped cage, struggling to subdue him.

  "Four are unconscious. What now?" one of the 'dead' Red-Armored Knights whispered to his comrade lying nearby.

  "I think that’s enough," the other replied.

  Then, the knights who should have been dead rose once more. Limbs that had been severed and heads that had been lopped off miraculously reattached themselves!

  Shick! Shick! Shick! The red-armored knights slaughtered the distracted assassins in a heartbeat. Only the leader and four unconscious men remained. Lord Teeps stopped fighting and stood still, watching the undead-like knights in shock.

  "Out of breath, are you?!" the assassin leader sneered, unaware of what was behind him.

  Shick! A small dagger slit his throat from behind. He collapsed, clutching his neck in silence.

  "Hey, was I supposed to be dead right here?" the knight who killed the leader asked his comrades. He then stabbed himself in the chest and lay back down in his original position.

  "Whoever was supposed to be stabbed, cut my head off for me, will you?"

  The knights meticulously reset the scene of their own deaths, making it look exactly as it did when the assassins 'killed' them. Lord Teeps walked out of the cage, utterly stunned.

  Grik! A red-armored knight pointed toward the sea. Lord Teeps understood the gesture. He rushed out of the cabin toward the railing.

  "Wait, Lord! Your armor looks expensive. Can I have it?" a knight leaning against the railing asked. Lord Teeps realized the heavy armor would drown him anyway.

  "Y-Yes, of course," he stammered, stripping off the armor and leaving it for the 'corpse.'

  He hesitated, looking back at the knights one last time. A 'dead' hand waved him away. Splash! Lord Teeps dived into the ocean. He watched the three ships sail away, confused. Marcus was his ally... but how would the man claim the right to rule Teeps without his head?

  The reward for Lord Teeps's head was the temporary governorship of the city until his son turned nineteen.

  Phrub! Phrub! As Teeps pondered his next move in the vast ocean, the water behind him exploded. A black horse emerged, standing perfectly still upon the surface of the waves.

  "Hee!" the horse greeted its master.

  "Guia!"

  "Hee!" The horse gestured for him to climb on.

  "What has happened to you?" Teeps asked in wonder. Guia didn't answer, but instead leaped back into the depths of the sea, vanishing with his master.

  ***

  Inside the Verdana

  Deep beneath the ocean, the citizens watched the wonders of the deep through the magical barrier.

  "Look!" Creed pointed from his mother's arms. A black horse was charging toward them.

  Fuum! Guia burst through the transparent wall, landing on the deck.

  "Ramierus!" Deliana cried out, tears of joy streaming down her face as she saw her husband. Lord Teeps leaped from the horse and pulled his wife into a tight embrace.

  He had prepared for death to protect his city from being sold off to cruel lords. He had hoped Marcus could use his head to claim the governorship. He didn't know how Marcus would do it now, but he was home.

  ***

  Several Days Later, in the Shadowed Circular Chamber

  Lords from ten provinces sat around a grand stone table. Above it, a magical hologram played the memories of the four surviving assassins captured by Burnshaw’s men.

  Two of the lords in the room looked incredibly uncomfortable. The assassins were their men. Even without proof of a direct order, this involvement was a political disaster—especially since it allowed the 'traitor' to escape.

  The air was thick with tension. Only a few smiled, and among them was Lord Marcus Burnshaw.

  "It seems we are all in agreement," Lord Vernon Lanceford, a red-haired man in black armor, broke the silence. "The city of Teeps shall be placed under your temporary care, Lord Marcus."

  The two suspect lords were too valuable to lose; this compromise was the only way to save face.

  "Hehehe..." Lord Marcus flashed a triumphant grin. "Thank you."