"The sky, look at the dancing lights up there!"
John led his friends back toward the massive hill they had ascended earlier. On their initial trek toward the Dragon zone, they had taken over two hours, moving with caution and curiosity.
Now, fueled by the urgency of John's command and the chilling retreat of the Draconic race members, they crossed that same distance in less than thirty minutes.
John resisted the urge to push his body to its absolute limits. He knew he could outrun the wind if he used his top speed, but he couldn't leave his friends behind, not when an unknown threat was closing in. Once they reached the plateau of the hill, he didn't waste a second.
"Lay out the defences, secure the perimeter!" he barked. "Walls, towers, cannons, turn this height into a fortress!"
Because he still lacked the Mana gemstones Goven had mentioned, John kept his truly elite defences in reserve. He didn't want to overextend his best assets before he knew what he was facing.
