The Missing Legion

Having sensed no blood fluctuations from worm-like monsters within the city, Lonzell finally signaled for everyone to follow him toward the ruins.

The road to the ruins was not far. After all, during Valyria's heyday, while those Dragonlords often behaved in ways no human would, they had built their public infrastructure quite well. Though the Doom had destroyed everything, the surviving Valyrian roads remained remarkably smooth.

If horses could have survived the poisonous air of the ruins, they might have traveled even faster.

"Lonzell, I can feel the magic's effects fading." Valar felt heat building in his nose and mouth, a sign that the protective magic was gradually failing.

"Anyone who feels something is wrong, drink the second vial." Lonzell could feel changes in his own blood as well. It seemed they truly could not venture too deeply into the ruins. They had only come this far, yet the magic was already nearing its limit.

Understanding, everyone took out their potions and drank them. Some could have held on longer, but they still took the medicine out of caution.

"The magic will last about seven days." Lonzell issued his orders. "This city is our search area. Lynn and Ago, stay with us. Sebastian, Aslan, Amos, Hofa, each of you lead a team. We will make camp at the ruined tower and split up. Search for anything valuable. Do not touch anything glowing or hot. If you find something, return to camp and report it together. Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

The red priest stood silently at Lonzell's side, his eyes gleaming with incomparable excitement.

Everyone efficiently set up a crude camp at the designated spot, then Lonzell's group set out first. They had the strongest magical protection in the party and were responsible for expanding the search area and identifying safe zones.

"My lord, this is most likely the legion that disappeared back then." Malach had studied at the Great Temple for twenty years. He was not only familiar with theology, but also possessed some knowledge of Essos's history and geography.

The red priest carefully examined the humanoid stone before him and called Lonzell over from where he was searching the nearby ruins.

"Master Malach, this is...?"

Malach did not touch the stone. Instead, he pointed at the two protrusions atop its head. "If I am not mistaken..." His voice had recovered shortly after entering the ruins, something Lonzell attributed to the dense magical elements within.

"These are Qohor's Black Goat riders," Malach continued. "The Dragonlords would never have allowed colonial soldiers to appear on their doorstep, so these soldiers must have come from elsewhere."

"Gods." Lonzell looked at the densely packed humanoid stones scattered throughout the ruins and could not help sighing. "What exactly happened here?"

"Too much time has passed." Malach sounded regretful. "Magic can no longer affect the stones."

"Did you find anything here?"

Lonzell called out to the others still searching through the ruins.

"Brother!" Rey shouted back. "Come help! We found something good!"

Lynn and Valar were helping over there, while Ago carefully supported a strange object that still had a vaguely human shape, though it was impossible to tell what it had once been.

"This is..." Lonzell immediately spotted what Lynn and Valar were removing.

It was a suit of black plate armor as smooth and reflective as a mirror.

"Valyrian steel armor—a complete suit of Valyrian steel armor!" Valar was ecstatic. Even the Valaerys family did not possess a complete suit of Valyrian steel armor.

"This was likely a commander at Emperor Aurion's side," Malach judged. "Most likely a branch of the Valaerys family. Given how lavish the Dragonlord families were in those days, equipping their trusted retainers with Valyrian steel armor and weapons was perfectly ordinary. So..."

"Brother, look at this." Rey dragged a longsword over to Lonzell as though claiming credit.

"A Valyrian steel sword?" Lonzell accepted the sword that had slept beneath the ruins for centuries. Strange red-and-black traces spread across its blade. It had likely been assaulted and contaminated by magical elements when this legion was destroyed, but that did nothing to diminish the divine weapon's sharpness.

A griffin, also sculpted from Valyrian steel, roared skyward at the crossguard. Rubies formed its eyes, amethysts its teeth, and traces of gold still clung to its wings.

"Looks like even if we fail to find dragon eggs or clues about dragons this time, we'll still make a fortune." Lonzell smiled and helped the others strip off the armor. They continued searching the area.

Their gains were plentiful.

Beside a cavalryman whose entire body had exploded apart, Ago found a plain arakh made of Valyrian steel.

Rey's good fortune brought the group another suit of Valyrian steel lamellar armor, as well as a Valyrian steel spearhead. The shaft had long since vanished.

After searching the outskirts of the ruins, they began heading in the dragon's direction.

Only when they reached the remains beneath the dragon did they realize just how enormous the shattered, incomplete carcass truly was.

Even in its ruined state, it was still like a mountain.

"The family histories recorded that Emperor Aurion's dragon was a cunning red dragon of one hundred and forty years. Our ancestor once rode it to sweep away the remaining Rhoynar and won twelve dragon duels against other families." Lonzell stared blankly at the dragon. "I never imagined it would be this large."

"Maybe our ancestor is still on its back," Valar joked.

"I think he really is." Rey's voice trembled as he pointed toward the dragon's back.

A mass of ashes, impossible to identify in its original form, remained there, barely holding its shape with the aid of a still-glittering suit of scale armor.

A pure silver Valyrian steel longsword was embedded beside the ashes. Two dragons roared from either side of the crossguard, their wings overlapping around a massive ruby that cast a blood-red streak down the blade.

The Valaerys family sword, Silver Blood.

There was also a lance embedded in a dragon saddle whose original appearance could no longer be made out.

It too was made of Valyrian steel.

"Forgive me, Ancestor. Forgive me," Lonzell prayed silently. "It is all for the family."

Then the group of "bandits" climbed over the dragon's carcass like monkeys and stripped Emperor Aurion's ashes clean.

"Didn't we find any dragon eggs?" The moment he climbed down from the dragon's back, Rey stubbornly went around asking everyone.

"Our ancestor would not have been stupid enough to carry dragon eggs on him while riding into battle." Lonzell bitterly held his forehead. "Let's search the area nearby."

"My lord, we can rotate to the next group," Malach reminded him. "Everyone needs rest, and you need time to recover your magic."

Only then did Lonzell realize that the blood in his body had begun to turn faintly cold.

That was not a good sign.

So he readily agreed that they would search the dragon's corpse once more before returning.

In an unseen corner.

A rough stone suddenly flashed with a glimmer of light.

Then it fell silent once more.