Beneath the Red Dragon

The concept of fixed time no longer existed for the people of this world; they only knew another day had passed when the sun rose and set.

A massive wall, built from irregular stones yet fitted together seamlessly, surrounded the entire Valerian Peninsula, tracing the erratic coastline of the island.

This monumental construction was built by the remaining Valerians, who had allied with the Golden Empire, wielding the Demon Dragon. They used the flame of the Demon Dragon and the residual magical power to create it.

The surface of these walls was densely covered with rock particles, which were lightly frosted at night due to the influence of the Cold God’s power from the Westeros Continent, eliminating the climates of spring, summer, and autumn.

The Essos Continent was now entering a perpetual winter like the Westeros Continent. However, compared to the other entirely snow-covered continent, the Valerian Peninsula, under the Black Dragon Lord’s protection, still maintained a relatively mild climate.

On the walls that undulated like mountain ranges, many battle-hardened warriors stood guard, not only Legion Warriors of the Golden Empire but also the original Valerian Legions and the remaining armed forces of the Free Trade City-States.

Many refugees from Westeros had gathered on this once-great island, all rallying under the massive Royal Banner of the Giant Dragon atop the walls to resist the common enemy of all living things—demons.

The Empire that once invaded the world had now become the Savior defending it, a reversal that even Sakaro, the leader of the sect who converted to the faith of the Ancestral Red Dragon, found quite astonishing.

The Dragon Legion, once intent on cleansing world order, had now become its defender.

Nevertheless, it did not hinder Sakaro’s respect for his faith. Thus, this nameless Pope always appeared before the people with a Code in his left hand and a Dragon Horn Hammer in his right.

Although he outwardly explained that the Dragon God he believed in had the benevolence of civilization and the might of divine power, in truth, it was more about maintaining order.

Many women in linen and the elderly, holding baskets woven of vines and bamboo, followed behind this Pope, slowly ascending the wall, and among the endless procession were armed forces of the sect for escort.

The Red-robed Witch, now the Saintess Nalia, guarded the rear of the food convoy, deterring the hungry from doing anything foolish to these unfortunate lucky ones.

In the cities near the walls, atop towering roofs and ruined spires, perched and roosted enormous Demon Dragons.

These giant Demon Dragons, smelling the aroma of food, instinctively opened their vertical pupils, scanning the ground below and the small human procession.

Yet upon seeing the familiar but tiny emblem of the Dragon’s Eye, the habitually restless Demon Dragons closed their eyes, needing to restrain their claws and restore their strength before the next battle.

Sakaro lightly swung the short and thick Dragon Horn Hammer, his keen perception sweeping over the ragged and hungry crowd. Valeria now gathered survivors from two continents, nearing a million in number.

The food consumed by these people daily had already become a heavy burden in this increasingly scarce environment. If not for the foresight of the Black Dragon Lord and the Empire’s leaders, who had amassed and stored massive quantities of food in advance, even the Legion Warriors might struggle to get a full meal now.

With all the Empire’s might focused on combating demons, much of the internal order of the entire peninsula was entrusted to this former monk who had turned to light.

Sakaro did not disappoint the Empire’s expectations.

He propagated the faith of the Red Dragon among these people, incorporating some believers into this unnamed sect. He applied to the Empire to establish the Defender Army as an armed force to maintain city order, managing the city efficiently without causing trouble for the Empire.

He also took the lead in adhering to the Empire’s food distribution plan, two meals daily, with those yet to battle subsisting on thin gruel with a few slivers of fish.

While the former Demon Dragon Knights and Flying Dragon Battle Corps rode Flying Dragons and Demon Dragons to hunt at sea, Sakaro led a body of followers through the passage in the wall every so often, fishing for whales and sea beasts on the opposite side of the peninsula to supplement food reserves.

But even Saintess Nalia had never seen the Pope eat anything other than the allocated rations in private.

This genuine dedication earned Nalia and other followers’ respect for the sect leader’s leadership and admiration for the Pope’s noble ideals.

Yet Sakaro did not consider his ideals particularly noble; he felt it was more about habits of endurance formed from his childhood in the slums.

Most importantly, Sakaro wished for this Dragon Empire to hold on for just a little longer. The order brought by this Dragon Empire was something no nobility or kingdom could provide to the common people, and he hoped that this remaining beauty would not be broken.

He, like the Legion Warriors, was waiting for the return of the once-descended Giant Dragon to lead the lost people back to the dreamt paradise.