Two red-scaled dragons, each more than forty meters long, descended from the sky. One had a spiral horn and a slender, almost graceful figure—it was the horned lizard dragon the Obsidian Dragon had sent to Lothar's side.
Although Lothar generally did not include the two fire dragons in his battle plans, that did not mean they were weak. They were mature high dragons; reducing a town to ruins with dragonfire was commonplace for them.
Rumi saw three beautiful women leap down from the dragons' backs. Their agile bodies landed lightly, and after merely bending their knees slightly, they straightened.
He knew they had to be the witches beside the "heretical king who sold his soul to demons and witches" denounced by the Zoroastrians.
They truly were beautiful. If demons looked like that, who knew how many people would be willing to fall at their feet?
But his gaze soon moved away from the witches. Since the new king had decided not to let these extraordinary beings intervene in the coming battle, they were far less appealing to him than the warriors about to appear.
They wore plain yet gleaming plate armor, three-colored surcoats embroidered with crosses, and simple bone rosaries. Their faces bore expressions of compassion and kindness, like the most devout of monks.
Yet every one of them carried the aura of a warrior tempered through countless battles.
They climbed down from the dragons' backs by iron chains and swiftly gathered around Lothar.
They were the elite of the Order's knights. Each possessed considerable power of holy radiance, nearly equal to an unenhanced five-star retainer. They were also the largest extraordinary force under Lothar's command.
Rumi clearly did not know that, however, and asked somewhat disappointedly, "Your Majesty, are these our first reinforcements?"
"What? Do you think they are