The Dragon's Shield

The dragon's voice was low and resonant as he explained the origins of the sacred water.

"The sacred water is a bright white surrounded by blood-red hues. It was born from the endless battles between dragons. Then, a knight appeared and stopped the fighting, swearing an oath to bring peace. He sacrificed his soul to end the dragon wars, plunging himself into this waterfall. Since then, the battles ceased, and his soul has lived on," the ancient dragon explained.

"So, the sacred water... is the knight's soul?" Lynaria asked, disbelief in her voice.

"Exactly," the dragon confirmed.

"But what does this have to do with the Holy Dragon Sword?" Lynaria pressed, curiosity piqued.

"The sword belongs to the knight. After his sacrifice, the sword was cast far away, embedding itself in the stone you found. No one—dragon or otherwise—can pull it from its place. Only the one destined to wield it can," the dragon replied.

Lynaria nodded, now understanding. "So, how do I obtain the sacred water?"

"Touch the sword to the water," the dragon instructed. "It will absorb the sacred water."

Without hesitation, Lynaria did as told. But as soon as the sword touched the water, a massive shadow appeared, charging toward her. She dodged just in time, and the shadow took form—a giant, black lion with white wings.

"Who are you, and why attack me?" Lynaria demanded, her dagger ready.

"I am the guardian of the sacred water," the lion's deep voice rumbled. "You've no permission to take it. You must die!"

Before the lion could strike, the dragon spoke firmly. "Stop, Glosbe."

The lion turned, his eyes narrowing. "Oero, you're in the sword? Why follow this human?"

"Can't you sense the aura surrounding her? The power radiating from her?" the dragon asked.

The lion hesitated, inspecting Lynaria closely. Moments later, her body began glowing with a mixture of blue and golden light. The lion immediately knelt, his head lowered.

"Forgive me, my lord. I did not recognize you," the lion said, bowing deeply.

Lynaria was taken aback. "What's happening?" she asked the dragon.

"He is the knight's protector beast. He swore to serve the one destined to wield the sword," the dragon explained.

"So, he's joining me now?" Lynaria asked, surprised.

"Yes, my lord. I swear my loyalty to you," Glosbe said, his voice earnest.

Lynaria paused, concerned. "How will I live peacefully if you follow me?"

"Do not worry, my lord. I can transform into an object, unnoticed by anyone, even the dragon king," Glosbe assured her.

Lynaria blinked. "Did you just read my thoughts?"

Glosbe flinched. "Apologies, my lord. I did not mean to."

"Fine, you may come with me," Lynaria agreed, somewhat reluctantly.

In a flash, Glosbe transformed into a beautiful silver bracelet, which Lynaria immediately wore. The sword finished absorbing the sacred water, and they hurried back to the palace.

"The sun is setting. I must hurry," Lynaria murmured.

"We can help, my lord," the dragon and lion said in unison.

"How?" Lynaria asked, skeptical.

The two creatures released their power, and a glowing portal appeared before Lynaria.

"What's this?" she asked.

"It's a time dimension," Glosbe explained. "Step through the circle, and you'll be at the palace gates."

Hesitant but trusting, Lynaria stepped through the portal. In an instant, she found herself standing before the palace gates.

"That was incredible. Thank you," she said, still in awe.

"It is our duty to protect you, my lord," both creatures replied.

Lynaria rushed to the competition arena and placed the magical items on the table, just as the king had instructed. But when someone tried to move the items, they couldn't. The crowd gasped as the truth of the earlier claim was proven. Even the strongest among them failed.

The king, unfazed, asked Lynaria to bring the items closer for inspection. With ease, she lifted them and approached him. The king declared that the three magical items belonged to Lynaria and immediately made her the general of the dragon army for winning the competition alone.

The dragon citizens were displeased, especially the royal soldiers, but none dared voice their objections.

After her new appointment, Lynaria was given a private residence, separate from the palace but close to the royal soldiers' quarters.

"How do you like the place?" Altarf asked during his visit.

"You don't need to visit me personally, my lord. You can send a royal guard to summon me," Lynaria replied politely.

Altarf left, clearly irritated. Lynaria, unaware, had unknowingly made an error.

The next day, a royal messenger delivered a summons for Lynaria to report to the training grounds. She hurried there and found Altarf already in his training attire, warming up.

"You're late. Hurry up, we train together today," the dragon king said upon noticing her arrival.

"Sorry, my lord. Wasn't I supposed to train with the royal advisor?" Lynaria asked, slightly confused.

"So, you refuse to train with me and prefer Ares instead?" Altarf asked, his tone sharp.