TitoVillar
patreon
TWL Chapter 319: Roar of the Red Dragon
🕑 Added 2025-03-09 22:00:46 +0000 UTCAfter hearing Saskia's outrageous declaration of crossing the Mahakam Mountains directly, Lann fell into deep thought. Meanwhile, Saskia stared at him with a spark of expectation in her eyes.
Gabor, sensing the tension in the air, stepped forward to intervene: "Saskia has been in Mahakam for a while. We all know her here. But she never told us that her final destination was Cintra. Maybe it's just fate, hahaha!" he laughed, trying to lighten the mood.
From the back, Rayla frowned and asked skeptically, "But how could an ordinary traveler access the Mahakam Mountains? It's not like she has the lead ring or is an official ambassador like us."
Gabor waved his hand dismissively. "Every twenty-five years, Mahakam holds the Beer Festival. Even the most conservative Elders approve of opening the gates to travelers from all over. The last time it was held, I doubt you were even born, Rayla," he said with a smile.
"However, this year, due to certain… problems with the Scoia'tael, few dared to come. Saskia was the first to arrive and, so far, the only one."
Gabor looked at Lann seriously. "I can't assure you of anything, Duke Lannister, but I can tell you for certain that Saskia is no threat. We dwarves have a good eye for people, and she can be trusted."
Lann looked at Gabor, then at Saskia. He knew she was not a bad person. What surprised him was how easily she had gained the trust of the dwarves, to the point that Gabor, a man of great reputation, was willing to put his word on the line for her.
After a pause, Lann gestured toward the inn and his own group: "As you can see, my company includes both humans and dwarves. We trust each other with our lives."
"In my kingdom, there are dryads, elves, and other rare races. Cintra welcomes anyone who shares our ideals, regardless of their origin or race. If you wish, you could accompany us to Cintra and judge for yourself if the environment there aligns with your dreams."
Saskia let out a slight sigh of relief.
She first gave Gabor a grateful smile. Then she bowed to Lann and, after a moment's hesitation, gave him a formal curtsey. "Thank you for your trust. It is an honor, my lord."
...
The mood in Lann's group relaxed. If the duke accepted the warrior, there was no reason to continue openly distrusting her.
Meanwhile, Kolgrim, who had been listening to Saskia's introduction, narrowed his eyes and leaned towards Rayla. "Does Mahakam have dragons?"
Rayla watched him and after a brief pause, nodded. "Yes. There is a red dragon named Keltullis. She is said to be the last of her kind on the continent. She came to Mahakam centuries ago and fought the dwarves for a hundred years. Eventually, both sides grew tired of the conflict and came to an agreement. The dragon stopped attacking them, and in exchange, the dwarves agreed to provide her with food and shelter."
Although Rayla didn't speak loudly, Gabor heard her and snorted. "It's not like we provide for the lizard," he said in an offended tone. "It's a mutual agreement. We give him what he needs and in return he protects us from the beasts that roam the area. It's a contract, not charity."
Gabor seemed ready to elaborate on the current relationship between the dwarves of Mahakam and the red dragon Keltullis, but he had no chance to continue.
Because, at that instant, a majestic roar echoed in the sky.
For a moment, it seemed like a bronze horn was sounding next to everyone's ears, drowning out all other sound.
"Roar!"
Lann immediately raised his head and saw a huge shadow moving above them, like a red brick fortress floating in the air.
A towering creature gracefully spread its wings and flew into the depths of the Mahakam Mountains.
Only one word came to everyone's mind: dragon!
The dragon's roar still echoed in Gabor's ears. He shrank his neck slightly, then noticed the shocked expressions on the Cintra men's faces and smiled proudly. He raised his voice as if to dispel the shock left by the creature.
"Awesome, isn't it?! That's Keltullis, the red dragon of Mahakam."
He seemed to be presenting it as if it were a tourist attraction.
"I know Yarpen is known for being a dragon hunter, but Keltullis is much larger and more difficult to deal with than any other dragon. Only we dwarves have managed to keep him calm."
"Luckily, there is only one dragon in the entire mountain range. If another one appeared, Mahakam might not be able to bear it."
"But you don't have to worry. Although this big lizard has terrifying power, it doesn't attack people... at least, it hasn't done so in the past two hundred years."
The next moment, another roar, as loud as a war horn, resounded across the sky.
In the crowd, Saskia's face suddenly changed.
The witchers also stood on guard. Their pupils contracted as they first looked at the dragon roaring in the distance, then scanned their surroundings: the piled-up snow, the rocks of the mountain...
"Gabor, no offense," Geralt said coldly, "but even though I can't communicate with dragons, I can discern emotions in the roars of beasts. And this... doesn't sound like the roar of a harmless creature."
Kolgrim narrowed his eyes. "It sounds more like the roar of a creature eager to fight, tear and burn."
Lann exchanged a glance with Coen and immediately drew his sword. "It seems that the dragon's mission of protecting the dwarves from monsters is not going very well. Pay attention, something is coming!"
The icy wind howled through the mountains, accompanied not only by the dragon's roar in the distance, but by other shrieks that were rapidly approaching.
Rocky figures began to emerge from the rocks, disturbed by the dragon's roar. They staggered, confused, and ran uncontrolled towards where Lann and the others were.
The dwarves of the inn had already gone out to witness the dragon's flight and now they saw the monsters approaching. Without wasting any time, some of them ran back to the inn and returned armed with hammers and axes, distributing them among their companions.
Clearly, this was not the first time they had faced such a situation. In addition to being miners, tavern keepers or simple residents, dwarves could become experienced warriors in the blink of an eye.
Gabor spat into his palm and flexed his arms, numb from the snow and cold. "They're not ice trolls... they're Shaelmaar. Damn it! I thought this year's big cleanup had wiped most of them out. I almost lost an arm to them last time!"
...
Every year, with the arrival of spring and the melting of the snow, the monsters hibernating in the Mahakam Mountains awaken and begin a frenzied hunt to regain the energy lost during the winter. During this period, many creatures that normally remain hidden in the depths emerge to the surface, causing a drastic increase in the number and variety of monsters in the region.
Dwarves, unfortunately, are part of the menu for many of these creatures, which inevitably leads to constant conflict.
Gabor's claim of an agreement where the red dragon helps exterminate monsters is true, but the reality is that the beast is not really committed to the cause. Its contribution is limited to hunting more than usual and causing the occasional collateral damage, which, considering the sheer number of monsters in Mahakam, hardly makes a difference.
So the dwarves have developed a strategy over the years. Before the monsters fully awaken, they organize a great hunt known as the Great Cleansing to reduce the threat and ensure safety for the rest of the year.
However, this year the situation is different. The number of monsters is exceptionally high, and their aggression seems to be out of control. Despite the Great Cleansing, attacks on dwarven settlements continue.
And so we come to the current scene...
…
Lann, who had studied the Griffin School bestiary in his spare time, recalled the characteristics of the Shaelmaar.
Shaelmaars spend most of their lives deep underground, having no contact with the world up above. At times, however, a Shaelmaar will dig its way to the surface and devour any men within its reach. Some Shaelmaars also burrow tunnels close to the surface, collapsing buildings and causing tremors in the process.
Since Shaelmaars are blind, they find their way by sensing vibrations and listening for sounds. Thus the best tactic when fighting such a monster is to hurl something heavy or noisy against a nearby boulder or wall. Then pray silently that the beast will roll towards the sound and knock itself out upon striking into the obstacle.
Clumsy Shaelmaars might seem easy targets to hit, but when even your strongest blows bounce off the thick armor plating their backs, you realize they've little need to dodge. When threatened, a Shaelmaar will curl up in a ball and roll forward with tremendous impetus, becoming an unstoppable force crushing everything in its path.
A witcher's best bet is to stay out of a charging Shaelmaar's way and strike after its charge fails, revealing its vulnerable underbelly.
The Aard Sign or a Samum Bomb works particularly well to cause the Shaelmaar to crash into an obstacle at full speed, significantly reducing its ability to fight and opening the Warlock's path to victory. Attempting to disorient a Shaelmaar in this way is a risky maneuver, but can be effective, especially when third parties are threatened.
In theory, Shaelmaar should not emerge to the surface in large numbers.
For Lann, however, this kind of unusual behavior as well as the abnormal increase in the number of monsters was no longer a surprise. He knew perfectly well what was causing it: the cursed Elder Blood.
