The Divine Hunter
chapter-487

The sky was overcast, with nary a ray of sunshine piercing through the clouds. Cold winds howled across the plains, ravaging the lands. A few miles west of the keep stood a watchtower, and a great beast circled overhead.

Its back and head were grey, covered in thick, rough scales. Its belly and underwings were almost white, and the flaps of its wings roused a gale as it moved through the air. A pair of horns protruded from its forehead, curling backward. Its head was elongated and resembled the visage of a crocodile, only more menacing. It growled and hissed, revealing its haphazard, drool-covered incisors.

The dragon stopped and breathed a stream of orange fire at the ground. The fire—hot enough to melt metal—ignited the shrubs and trees around the ground. The flames grew as the wind blew, spreading across the ground. A stream of flames blew from a window on the watchtower, and black smoke billowed into the skies.

The dragon flapped its wings and took off higher into the air. At the same time, the keep's army came to the watchtower.

"The fires are still burning. It must be nearby. Take cover!" Irileth unsheathed her sword and solemnly shouted, "Prepare for battle!"

The soldiers quickly took cover behind the rocks and boulders as they made their way toward the watchtower. The trio was among them as well, their armor glittering.

The witcher, once again, cast Heliotrop and Quen over himself. He then uncorked Thunderbolt and Petri's Philter and downed both of them. Black veins crawled up his cheeks, turning him into something that looked almost inhuman.

Flynn turned to him and saw what was going on. "Are you poisoned?"

Roy shook his head and looked at the sky. "No. I'm feeling great. That was something to excite me for the battle." That was his first time taking decoctions in this world, and his witcher senses kicked in, battle lust flaring in his eyes.

Even back in the witcher world, only Geralt had experience in slaying a dragon, and the dragon he slew was far weaker than the one Roy would be facing.

"Can I have some too?" Arvel crouched behind the stone staircase of the watchtower.

Irileth and a few soldiers went into the watchtower to search for survivors, while the Companions held their weapons up, staring at the skies cautiously. The keep's soldiers quickly drew their arrows and surrounded the watchtower, their eyes filled with trepidation and anticipation.

"Yeah, sure. Not my fault if this takes you to Oblivion right away." Roy grinned and held down on his crossbow's trigger.

Arvel shuddered and quickly downed his fire resistance potion. "I'd rather die fighting a dragon. Sovngarde is a damn sight better than Oblivion."

Farengar—who'd changed into light attire—cast Courage on the soldiers, light raining down upon them. Courage could increase focus and a bit of Strength and Constitution.

***

A roar came from the skies as the beast came hurtling down at the tower. It had apparently seen the new insects that appeared on the scene, and it could finally vent its fury at them. A great gale blew across the field, and shadows loomed over the watchtower.

"Take cover!" Farkas shouted as he hid himself under the staircase. Farkas and Vilkas couldn't do anything to the dragon until it came closer.

The soldiers quickly retreated and fired off at the dragon. Arrows arced through the air, raining down on the enemy, but alas, they failed to inflict much damage. Some missed their mark, some were deflected by the dragon's scales, and only a few managed to graze the dragon and remain lodged within it.

Roy concentrated his mana into his fingertips, and the Conjuration rune in his head glowed brightly. He then pointed at the ground beside him. A purplish-blue ball appeared out of thin air, and it melted away, revealing a beautiful yet deadly flame atronach within.

The atronach spun around and waved its hand. A beautiful fireball flew across the air and slammed into the dragon, charring part of its scales. The dragon screeched to a halt and glided parallel to the ground, breathing fire at the soldiers.

Its flames burned the ground, its light blinding the eyes of the fighters. Even though they weren't even close to the flames, the heat it radiated still almost suffocated everyone. Three soldiers caught fire, and they rolled around, screaming and shouting in agony. And a few minutes later, they were nothing but charred corpses.

Roy pulled the trigger, and a silver bolt arced through the air, hitting the dragon squarely in its wings. The bolt exploded, and a patch of blood shot up high in the air. The impact from this attack forced the dragon to stop and hover in the air as a layer of beautiful gem dust covered its body.

Roy tossed his crossbow to the clone. The clone kept up the attack while Roy himself cast Observe on the dragon.

'Mirmulnir

Age: ?

Status: Dragon

HP: ? (Mark of the Gemstone)

Mana: 230

Strength: ?

Dexterity: 18

Constitution: ?

Perception: 14

Will: 15

Charisma: 6

Spirit: 23

Skills:

Dragon Shout Level ?: Knows Unrelenting Force, Fire Breath…

Tail Attack Level 5: Attacks with its barbed tail. Its impact is enough to crush steel and most living beings' bones.

Bite Level 6: When Mirmulnir is enraged, it will tear its enemy apart with its teeth.

Dragon's Eternal (Passive): Dragons have incredible life force and strength. +20 to Constitution, +10 to Strength. When dragons come of age, they gain incredible defense against physical and magical attacks. +50% physical resistance, +30% magic resistance. Dragons cannot be destroyed easily. Even if it loses its physical body, its soul can remain on this plane for an extended period of time.

?'

***

"This one's a lot weaker than the one we met in Helgen." Roy heaved a sigh of relief. He was worried this dragon might be able to summon a meteor rain right away. We'd stand no chance against that.

The flame atronach fired off fireballs at the dragon, the clone fired off bolts, while Roy went with lightning. He made his Sign, and an arc of white electricity jumped off his hand before slithering over to the dragon.

Farengar was hiding behind a great boulder, and his oversized flame atronach was shooting fireballs like a gatling gun. At the same time, the court wizard fired off lightning bolts from his hands. It almost looked like an invisible giant was whipping the dragon with a metal whip.

At Irileth's command, the soldiers remained hidden behind their cover as they fired off at the dragon. No one was stupid enough to charge ahead for the dragon to kill. A round of attacks later, a few dozen bolts hit the dragon on its belly, drawing blood. Still, that damage was nothing to this beast.

Gabriel was the only thing dealing considerable damage. Thanks to the damage increase of the new affix and the bolts' great impact, not even the dragon's scales could stop the bolts. Another bolt flew and hit the dragon in its chest, the impact creating another explosion, taking with it chunks of flesh.

Beset by pain, the dragon flew higher into the air and turned its back toward the insects.

"Good job, Goldeneye!" Vilkas gave Roy a thumbs up, his eyes flaring with fighting spirit. Arvel and Flynn wished to fight as well. They wanted to cut the dragon down, and yet the beast would not land.

The dragon flew higher and perched atop the watchtower like a lizard hanging from a wall. Its barbed tail slammed down on the window, deflecting the arrows attacking it. The dragon covered its sides with its wings, and its belly was firmly protected by the tower. The arrows that hit it couldn't even graze the dragon, and even Gabriel's bolts only managed to pierce its scales.

The dragon looked at its enemies coldly, and it roared, "Fus!" Its roar shook the skies, and debris fell from the top of the watchtower. The shockwave from its shout ran across the battlefield, blowing away five Battle-Born Clan members.

The impact grazed Farengar, and he rolled over, but his robe flashed, and the wizard's silhouette disappeared as he escaped into the air.

The dragon then breathed fire at the fallen soldiers, and once the flames started to lick them, their bodies were aflame, and fire flared from all the openings on their faces. They pranced and ran around in desperation as they tried to put out the flames.

The scent of burned flesh filled the air. Just like that, eight soldiers went down. Roy turned his attention to the people hiding behind their covers. Their faces were filled with fear and excitement, but Roy was worried. A few more attacks like that and we'll be out of soldiers.

While Roy was coming up with a plan, Mirmulnir flew down the tower and circled it, breathing fire along the way. The flames formed circles, and the circles became paths of demise drenched with blood and licked by flames. Just like that, five more soldiers went down. None of the arrows anyone fired could inflict any damage either.

"Dammit, at this rate, not even Sovngarde can house all the dead!" Farkas stuck his head out from behind a boulder, his eyes filled with fury. "I shall strike that lizard down!" Or we can't even hit it!

"Leave this to me! You guys get ready to attack!" Roy shouted imperiously. He held up Aerondight with his right hand and aimed at the dragon with his crossbow. Then he pulled the trigger, infusing the bolt with Guided Arrows and Stun Bolt.

The bolt flew and, for some inexplicable reason, spun in the air before it hit the dragon right in its belly. Roy crouched and disappeared into thin air. The air itself rippled, and then he appeared right before a greyish mountain. No, it was not a mountain, but the dragon's belly. He could feel the gusts of wind clawing around him, and it was suffocating.

However, the witcher was prepared for this. With all his might, he—unbelievably—curled backward and leapt ahead in midair, thrusting Aerondight ahead, and the edge of the crimson blade buried itself in the creature's stomach.

Dragon blood spilled from the gash, drenching Roy's head. Some even trickled into his mouth, and his stomach felt like it was on fire.

Pain shot up the dragon's head, and it stopped breathing fire, yet it stubbornly flew, trying its best to claw out the blade from its belly.

Quickly, the dragon descended and flew around the tower. Roy's world started to spin faster and faster, and the wind almost made him lose his grip.

In disbelief, Flynn pointed his sword at the sky. "Goldeneye!"

The soldiers, Irileth, Battle-Borns, the Companions, and Farengar stared at where Flynn was pointing, and they too couldn't believe what they were seeing. The silhouette of a human—small as an insect—flew along with the dragon, wobbling and shuddering like it would fall from the cliff of the belly at any moment. The only thing tethering him to life was his blade.

"How did he do it?" Vilkas roared. "Can he fly?"

"Don't just stand there! He put himself in danger to create this opening!" A hint of excitement flared in Irileth's eyes. "Fire at the beast!"

"Get ready, people!" Farkas was reminded of Roy's message, and he slammed his sword on his shield. "That lizard's landing soon!"

Right on cue, Mirmulnir landed. No longer could it hold on against the pain, and it growled, rubbing its wound against the ground. Crimson blood drenched the thistles, but the witcher was not killed.

Right before the beast could land, the witcher let go of his blade and rolled to lessen the impact. The moment he got up, he clenched his fist, and Aerondight returned to his hand, then he held himself up with his sword, kneeling on one knee. His chest was heaving, and his limbs shook uncontrollably. Beads of sweat poured down his chin, drenching the ground.

The dragon turned its head to Roy, its eyes filled with venom and fury, and it opened its mouth. Flames charged ahead at the witcher, but he quickly made a Sign, and a light shield surrounded him, keeping the flames out.

Even though Roy had high fire resistance, blisters still formed in a mere moment, but the barrage of arrows, fireballs, lightning bolts, and attacks stopped the dragon's breath.

Heliotrop disappeared, and Roy could barely hold himself up. His whole body felt like it was on fire, and a deep-seated exhaustion kept him from recovering.

'HP (180 ↓/320) (Dragon blood mutation, soft tissue injury, fire breath injury)'

Roy downed a dose of Swallow and stopped his HP from falling further.

"Fus Ro Dah!" Mirmulnir roared Unrelenting Force, and the three soldiers attacking it were sent flying away. They fell with a sickening thud and stopped moving, but that didn't stop anyone's attacks.

The remaining warriors surrounded its head and left flank, giving their all with every swing and thrust. Arrows rained down on the dragon as well, assisting the warriors in the front line. Still, even with the Skyforge's best items, it was hard to break through the dragon's scales, much less inflict any damage.

Only Farkas, Vilkas, Arvel, Flynn, and Torvar managed to damage the dragon, and it was thanks to their extraordinary skill and strength.

Mirmulnir looked at the quartet before it, and it raised its neck before slamming it down. First, it went for Flynn. Noticing the dragon coming at him, Flynn held up his shield, but the dragon easily clamped down on it, and he held the Dragonborn high up in the air.

The Dragonborn shouted and thrust his sword ahead, puncturing the beast's left eye. Arvel quickly thrust his dagger into the dragon's neck, and Vilkas slammed his blade into its chest, while Farengar commanded his atronach to blast the dragon's wings with some fireballs. Farkas held his blade high over his head, glaring at the dragon, and with all his might, he swung his blade down.

A gash opened itself on the dragon's neck, and blood spilled forth, while sparks flew. In pain and anguish, the dragon flung Flynn away and flapped its wings, pushing the other warriors off it. At the same time, it raised its tail.

Roy shouted, "Look out for the tail!"

Too late. The dragon swiped its tail across the battlefield. Like a great hoe, it left a deep mark on the ground, and five soldiers were hit. They flew into the distance and fell with a thud, coughing up blood and innards. Their bodies were bent at unnatural angles, and they had not long to live.

The dragon breathed fire again, and the moment the flames touched anyone, they screamed, blisters breaking out on their bodies. Quickly, they downed healing potions and scrambled to take cover.

Now that the insects were gone, the dragon turned its eyes to Roy again.

"By Talos, why me?"

The dragon held itself up with its wings and hind legs, then it leapt a great distance ahead, but Roy fired off a bolt and blinked out of the attack. However, the soldiers behind him were not so lucky. Before they could do anything, the dragon had slammed them into the watchtower's walls. The ground rumbled, and the soldiers exploded like tomatoes getting slammed to the ground, and the walls were painted with their blood and innards.

***

Roy's breathing was labored, and he quickly made two Signs with both hands. A clone leapt out of the void and took the crossbow from Roy to keep up the attack. The atronach was still firing off fireballs, yet that wasn't enough to kill the dragon.

When Roy was done, the injured dragon turned around again. It flew into the air and dive-bombed the witcher. The dragon's landing created a crater on the ground, and dust flew high up into the air.

Irileth roared at her soldiers, telling them to shoot, while Flynn and the Companions rushed to Roy's aid.

The dragon turned its attention to the witcher, who was recovering from the attack, and it opened its mouth. At the same time, the witcher took a deep breath as well, the power of Thu'um rising in his mouth, and the silhouette of a black dragon appeared behind him, breathing at the enemy.

The witcher met the dragon's eyes, and sparks flew.

At the very same moment, at the very same time…

"Fus!"

"Fus!"

The earth itself rumbled as its bones resonated with the Shouts. The shockwave went hurtling by each other, and the witcher felt like a siege weapon just slammed into his chest. He flew high into the air, coughing up blood, and his armor caved. The moment he landed, the life in his eyes seemed to disappear, and pain filled his body. His bones and innards felt like they'd been crushed, and the only sound he could make were hisses. The pain was killing him.

Activate. A surge of warmth swam across his body, and his life—that was so close to zero—climbed back up to ninety percent. His innards and ribs were healed by the element of water, stopping the damage from worsening. The witcher's eyes refocused, and he got up.

The dragon was suffering from the Shout as well. It didn't get blown back, of course, but the dragon was lying on the ground, stunned and unable to move. Knew it. Shouts are effective.

The warriors who came quickly attacked the stunned beast, especially its head. They knew the dragon had shouted, but they didn't realize that Roy had used a Shout as well.

Farkas and Arvel made it a point to attack the dragon's eyes, and its eyeballs started to bleed. The pain woke the dragon from its stupor, and it chased the maggots away with a flap of its wings.

Roy blinked again, appearing beside the dragon's throat, but this time, the beast did not notice him right away, and Roy's eyes flashed crimson. Fear.

Crimson tentacles danced and wriggled, this time, their numbers far higher than the last time they appeared. It looked as if a red forest had appeared right where the dragon was standing, and the tentacles quickly turned the beast into a big, red ball of tentacles. Even the beast looked friendlier than this horrifying scene, and the fighters were stupefied.

The tentacles dragged up their deepest, darkest memories, and Roy leapt into the air. He swung his crimson blade down, the stars on the blade's body losing their light. A red beam of energy appeared on the edge of the blade as Roy swung it down on the dragon's neck.

The energy cut through its scales, skin, and even its flesh, but the bones stopped its progress. Still, the dragon's neck was cut open, and blood spilled like a fountain, and the soil was drenched with hot liquid.

The dragon roared and howled, struggling to break free of its entrapment, and yet the octopus was far stronger than it was. No matter how it tried, it couldn't break free.

Roy switched his blade out for Gwyhyr and cut down at the same spot again. The attack eventually came to a stop, but the dragon's bones were still standing strong, yet there was barely anything left of Mirmulnir's neck.

Roy felt a chill run down his spine. This was the first time his energy attack failed to cut down something. These bones are a lot harder than I thought. He held up both swords, ready for the final strike.

The tentacles kept the dragon ensnared, and the beast glared at his killer with bloody, hate-filled eyes, cursing him with the worst agony possible.

Roy slammed his swords into the dragon's eyes and pierced its brains, and all life was snuffed out of the dragon. Mirmulnir's head slumped as it fell before Roy, seemingly prostrating itself at its executioner.

Blood from its neck and eyes flew into the air and rained down on Roy. Mist floated up from the ground, and Roy stood proudly in the mist of blood. The dragon's blood was pricking his skin, searing it, but he quickly collected the blood and tucked it away in his inventory.

His character sheet seemed to be bugging out. There were a lot of messages jumping around, though the first one read, 'You have killed a legendary creature—Mirmulnir the dragon. You… You have gained…'

And the Dragonborn charged at his comrade.

***

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