"Roar!!!"
A low growl swept through like a gale howling past the ears. A rapidly gathering brilliance beneath the Black Dragon's two glowing eyes grew larger and larger. This light finally illuminated the dragon's head, its wings spread in a dive, its massive body, and the gaping maw preparing to unleash dragonfire.
"Take cover!!! Activate protection skills!!!"
Wayne shouted, immediately ducking behind Shadobreak. Shadobreak gripped his two-handed hammer, having already activated Divine Shield—commonly known as "Bubble" or invincibility!
The two hunters pressed themselves against the stone fortifications. Their blood pumped with the thrill of fighting a legendary Black Dragon, even as they cursed themselves for taking on a job that could end their lives at any second.
On the first floor, Amy and the other two mages clung to the raw stone walls, pale blue Mana Shields shimmering around them. Raymond chose to sacrifice the Voidwalker he had just summoned, turning its essence into a protective barrier to absorb as much of the coming dragonfire as possible.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Behind the Lion's Pride Inn, the great bell in the clock tower was struck rapidly. This was the alarm for an imminent threat. Residents still on the streets scrambled into the nearest buildings, while those inside their homes bolted their windows, praying to survive yet another impending disaster.
"Roar!!! Crack!!!"
The Black Dragon shrieked as it dived. The flame energy in its mouth, accompanied by a bone-shattering roar, turned into a waterfall of fire that poured down upon the construction site!
In the cellar, some of the crouching workers crossed their fists over their chests, silently praying to the Holy Light. Others closed their eyes, as if waiting for the verdict of fate.
[Extreme Threat Detected] [Threat Level: Dragon] [Entering Super Defense Mode] [Note: This mode will rapidly consume power. Once power is depleted, the defense mechanism will fail.]
Wayne, hiding behind Shadobreak's Divine Shield, heard the familiar electronic voice in his ear. The vending machine was finally taking action!
Just as the dragonfire was about to consume the building, a massive, hemispherical dome of purple magical energy expanded, enveloping the entire site and blocking the flames completely!
The combatants, who had been bracing themselves against the walls and fortifications to tank the dragonfire with their own skills, stared in awe.
Andromath couldn't help but exclaim, "The... The Kirin Tor?! Dalaran's magical shield?!"
Indeed, the scene at the site resembled the massive magical barrier used by the Archmagi of the Kirin Tor to isolate Dalaran from the world after its destruction and during its reconstruction.
"Holy crap..." Wayne was equally stunned. He hadn't expected that after less than a month of players constantly charging the machine by playing games, it could actually block a Black Dragon's breath.
"Quick! Counter-attack! What are you standing around for?!" Andromath shouted. Instantly, a barrage of Arcane Missiles flew from his and Amy's hands toward the Black Dragon as it pulled up from its dive.
This was no time to study who had cast this incredible protection spell. They had to do everything in their power to repel the beast to ensure the hundred or so people on site survived.
The two Dwarven riflemen aimed from behind the walls at the dragon's soft underbelly. Zaldimar and Ana chanted Incinerate and Frostbolt spells, hurling them into the sky.
Wayne shouted at Raymond, "Are you an idiot?! You're using Immolate to burn a fire-breathing Black Dragon?!"
Raymond slapped his forehead, looking as if to say How could I be so stupid? He quickly switched to chanting Curse of Agony and Corruption to attack the dragon.
Wayne didn't reach for the two-handed axe on his back. Instead, he brandished his Phoenix Feather Wand and shouted a spell from Heroes of Might and Magic III at the dragon: "Ice Bolt!"
Simultaneously, at Stormwind Keep.
Regent Lord Bolvar Fordragon stood up abruptly from his seat after hearing the urgent report from a messenger who had run in gasping for breath.
"What?!"
Despite his shock, he paused for only a second or two before regaining his composure and beginning a series of rapid deployments.
"Immediately mobilize two squads of Gryphon Riders and one squad of Royal Priests! Tell the mages to find a way to teleport the troops to Goldshire for rescue as quickly as possible!"
"Transfer King Anduin to the underground shelter! The First Legion is to go into full lockdown. Order General Jere'sta to protect Stormwind Keep and the King's safety! No one is to leave their post without my command! No one is to enter the shelter or approach the King, including the nobility!"
"The naval forces at the harbor are on Tier 1 alert. Cancel all leaves. Watch for any Horde attempts to take advantage of this!"
"As of now, Stormwind City is under a state of total emergency! All non-military personnel are to return to their homes immediately. No unauthorized persons are to enter or exit the city gates!"
With every sentence he spoke, a messenger clutching a command token rushed out of the war room.
"Immediately invite the Archbishop and—"
Before he could finish, Mathias Shaw entered from outside.
Fifteen minutes prior, at SI:7.
"Boss! It's exactly as you said! A massive Black Dragon is flying toward Goldshire! But not from outside the city—it came from the sea!"
Even for a renowned spymaster and master assassin, the fact that a Black Dragon had been lurking within Stormwind made his blood run cold. But facts were facts. Everything Wayne had told him during their private chat in the game world was coming true. He could no longer afford any doubt or hesitation.
He looked up at his deputy, the "Second-in-Command" of SI:7, a goblin nicknamed "Razor" Rejiek, and said two words: "Action!"
Rejiek immediately stepped out of the command room to give the order to the waiting elite squads to raid the Cathedral of Light and Blackrock Depths for rescue missions.
Bolvar frowned and gave a cold smile. "What can we thieves do? Throw throwing knives at a flying dragon in the sky?"
He stood up, adjusted his clothes, threw on his cloak, and walked toward the door. He looked back at his two lieutenants and said his final words before leaving:
"I'm leaving this place to you. What we must do now is defend this city and then drag out the true mastermind behind all of this."