The Dragon Knights and every other soldier on the field stood wide-eyed.
In the center of it all, the three White Aura commanders were carving through the battlefield like death itself had taken form. Sir Arthur's whip-like blade slicing through the air. Sir Rodrick's frozen Frost Sword. Sir Kaelin's blazing Combustive Sword.
Every slash came with a devastating impact.
*Slashhh! Whooshhhhh! Booommm!*
The knights behind them felt their skin crawl. Those three were cutting through the corrupted like weeds. The smoke, the corrupted energy, the heat of the flames and the bite of the frost had merged — filling the entire field with a strange, heavy fog.
Then — all three of them stopped.
As the fog cleared, they stood there — auras still flickering, swords still drawn, breathing ragged. Around them in every direction lay nothing but burned, frozen, and shattered remains.
From above, the smaller dragon-like creatures let out sharp, piercing cries — *"Kyiaaaaaghhhh!"* — tongues flickering as they circled.
---
Then Sir Rodrick's Wolf Knights slammed their swords against their shields in unison.
*Klanggg! Klanggg! Klanggg!*
A single, disciplined roar —
*"Howl!"*
A heartbeat later, Sir Arthur's Falcon Knights drove their fists hard against their chest plates.
*Thuddd! Thuddd!*
*"Soar!"*
Two orders. Honoring their commanders. And their victory.
---
Standing in the middle of the field, Sir Arthur looked down at his sword — that new, fluid, whip-like blade — and let out a quiet, half-delirious laugh.
"Heh... hehe..."
Sir Rodrick and Sir Kaelin wore quiet smiles of their own.
But then —
A single drop of blood fell from Sir Arthur's mouth and hit the snow.
The veins in his hands had swollen, glowing faint blue beneath the skin. The awakening technique had driven his body far beyond its limits. Without warning his legs gave out — and he dropped slowly to his knees, trembling.
Sir Kaelin caught him immediately and pulled him upright, then signaled Sir Rodrick with a glance. The three of them moved away from the field together.
Sir Kaelin looked up. *"Karakkhhannn!"*
The massive dragon rose. It turned its head toward the sky and released a deep, violent roar —
*"Kyiroaaaarrrrghhhh!"*
The ground shook.
It drew a long breath — and unleashed a massive torrent of fire across the battlefield. Within moments, every corrupted corpse had burned to ash. The surrounding snow melted. The heat spread so intensely that knights who had been shaking from cold minutes ago were now breaking into a sweat.
---
Miles away. On a frozen peak overlooking the battlefield.
A figure stood.
Wrapped head to toe in a deep black cloak, staring down at the ash below. It ground its teeth.
*"Tch."* A whisper. *"Another failure... because of those Dragon Knights."*
---
Back on the field, Karakkhan snapped its head sharply toward that distant peak.
Sir Kaelin felt something too — and turned his gaze the same way.
But there was nothing there.
Only ash and smoke. The smell of burned remains drifting through the cold air.
Sir Arthur — still leaning on Sir Kaelin's support — asked between labored breaths —
"That dragon... Karakkhan... is it a summon?"
"Yes, Sir Arthur." Sir Kaelin smiled. Then he glanced at Arthur's sword. "How does it feel?"
"It's amazing..." Arthur said — pain and exhilaration tangled in his voice. "And fantastic."
Both of them began walking slowly. Smiling.
"What will you name it, Sir Arthur?" Kaelin asked. "Your new sword — will you give it a Naming Sword?"
"We'll see..." Arthur's eyes stayed on the gleaming blade.
Sir Rodrick joined them quietly.
---
After that brutal battle — in which hundreds of corrupted creatures had been wiped from existence — a wave of something moved through the remaining knights. For a brief moment, exhaustion and casualties were forgotten.
They were alive. They had won.
But the commanders knew the threat hadn't fully passed. They stayed for several more weeks — securing the region, ensuring nothing remained.
---
By the time they were ready to leave, the cold season had already begun spreading across Velrend as well.
---
**[Velrend Estate — House Falcon Manor]**
Viscount Rudious was at his desk as usual — buried in work — with Hans nearby.
Outside, Sir Jorald was running training sessions with the newer recruits. Clad was being taught to focus and sense energy. And Leo was showing Veil the proper way to hold a wooden sword.
---
Evening. The dining hall.
Viscount Rudious set down his fork. "Hans — any word from the Falcon Knights?"
"No, My Lord. Not yet."
Sir Jorald set his wine glass down. "If no news has come, that means everything is fine. But..."
"But what?" Rudious's tone shifted slightly.
A quiet smile crossed Jorald's face. "My Lord — I gave Arthur the awakening technique. Our version. But that technique burns through energy very quickly."
Viscount Rudious looked at him steadily.
"Don't worry," Jorald said. "I warned him not to use it unless his body had already pushed past every limit and he could still feel the strain."
"I see." Rudious settled back.
His eyes moved to Veil and Drake sitting nearby — feeding each other like real brothers, but this time Veil was looking after Drake just as much.
"Veil." He looked at the child. "Where have you two been going in the evenings? You keep coming back covered in dust."
Drake immediately tensed. "Father... we were just—"
Rudious raised a hand.
Veil answered directly. "We go to play with our friends."
Drake braced himself.
But instead — Rudious laughed. "Good. You should be playing. It's getting colder now — both of you, go to bed."
The two children took each other's hands and walked out together.
---
After they were gone, Rudious looked toward Hans. "How is the awakening training going?"
"Everything is proceeding well, My Lord. We are giving them high-quality potions with their meals, and Clad is training them to focus and feel their energy."
"Good."
Then Jorald asked — quieter now. "My Lord... what do you think? Will Drake take to the sword... or will a mage's talent awaken in him, like his mother?"
Rudious lifted his teacup. "Only time will tell. But honestly — it's not Drake I'm curious about." A pause. "It's Veil."
"Hmm. Same," Jorald said quietly.
---
More days passed.
The cold had fully settled in. No snow yet — but the temperature had dropped sharply.
Rudious was sitting in the tea house outside when Hans approached.
"Greetings, My Lord."
"Greetings, Hans."
Hans extended a letter. "The Falcon Knights have departed and are on their way back. This is their report."
Rudious read it.
As he finished, a quiet, unreadable smile crossed his face.
---
A few days later.
The Falcon Knights returned home to Velrend.
Sir Arthur went directly to Viscount Rudious's office. He stood at the door and knocked.
"My Lord... are you inside?" A slow breath. "It's Sir Arthur."
---
**[Chapter 18 — End]**
*He's back. And something has changed. Add the story to your library and don't miss what comes next. See you in Chapter 19.*
---