The Dragon Prince's Warrior

When fear vanishes

The carriage swayed from side to side, moved by the energy emanating from Prince Yun. With great care, the driver had placed Siu back in her original position, and as cautiously as he could, he took the front seat to peer through the carriage's entrance. His eyes widened, and he was frightened by what he saw.

The beasts stalking Prince Yun were taller than a human, at least twice the size of an ordinary person. They had mouths filled with sharp teeth, not to mention their front and rear claws; there was no doubt it was a sight that would terrify anyone.

The prince, wearing the armor, looked unrecognizable, and more than that... His anatomy seemed terrifying, and the driver thought he heard his voice grow hoarser as he unleashed a growl before lunging to attack with the sword.

"These don't seem to be Mei and Gao; as beasts, they are smaller, but I still shouldn't let my guard down. I must get home and keep Siu and the driver safe."

Yun felt somewhat unsure with the sword, but he couldn't afford to doubt himself, especially when they could harm Siu and the driver. The sword made a loud sound as it collided with the monster's skin. Quickly, the other dragon swiped at him, causing him to fall, but the prince got up immediately.

"If I use the lethal shout to stun them, I'm sure I'll hurt them as well, and I can't allow that," Yun pondered as he lunged toward the animals' legs, but they evaded him quickly.

The dragons blended into the shadows, and Yun looked in all directions, but it seemed they had devised a strategy that worked against his attacks. When he least expected it, one of them lunged and struck him hard with its tail. That left Yun very disoriented and on the ground. He could barely get up, and another dragon emerged to thrust him away from the carriage.

Yun felt dizzy, and his vision blurred. He slapped his own head to clear his sight. When he regained his vision, he noticed that both dragons were gradually approaching the carriage.

"No!" Yun began to rise in distress because from inside the carriage, the terrified cry of the driver could be heard.

Adrenaline coursed faster through Yun's veins, allowing him to get up as quickly as he could and run with a speed that didn't seem human. With a kick, he sent one of the beasts flying, which tumbled down a cliff, unable to stop.

Without even analyzing his movements, he leaped onto the other dragon's head, plunging his sword right into its skull. The beast let out a shrill scream and shook violently, throwing Yun to the ground, specifically to the side of the carriage, where he fell unconscious due to the fall.

The beast continued to scream in pain, unable to free itself from the sword that was deeply embedded in its flesh. Despite its attempts to pry it loose with its claw, it was nearly impossible, and it seemed to be losing energy gradually.

"Your Highness!" the driver shouted and exited the carriage to check if the prince was still alive. Indeed, he was breathing but remained unconscious. "Your Majesty, please wake up."

The man removed the helmet from the prince's head, but due to the armor, he couldn't proceed with any resuscitation action. He thought he had no alternative but to take advantage of the moment when the beast was dealing with the embedded sword to save Yun.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness, but I have to help you," he muttered with distress as he began removing the crimson armor. He couldn't help but keep glancing at where the beast was since it might free itself from its pain and counterattack.

Once Yun was free from the protective armor, the man began pushing on his chest to allow oxygen to flow into his lungs. He tried multiple times, and it seemed to work. The prince opened his eyes, but by that time, the beast had managed to pull free the sword, which fell a meter away from the carriage.

A strange blood-like liquid oozed from the dragon's head, and this terrifying sight left the driver trembling and unsure of what action to take.

The beast, possibly disoriented by the lethal wound inflicted by the sword, became enraged. It let out a deep and strident growl, starting to walk, very weak but filled with hatred and a strong intention to annihilate the humans who had wounded it.

Suddenly, the man who continued to struggle to revive the prince was surprised when he looked inside the carriage. As if it were a miracle, the girl had woken up, and she was as disoriented as the beast. She attempted to jump out of the carriage.

"Miss!" the driver exclaimed and hurried over to her to prevent her from jumping out. "There's a beast; it's dangerous for you to go out. It's very weak. Stay inside."

"I must go out," Siu affirmed, and the man didn't understand her true intentions.

"You can't just go out like that," he responded and held her by the shoulders to keep her inside. However, she struggled, and he could do nothing but let her do as she wished, so he helped her down from the vehicle.

—Yun... wake up, please —she said in a faint voice, and the man helped her get to where he was.

Amidst all the commotion, the beast, which was crawling towards them, was only a few steps away. It opened its jaws as if it intended to swallow them all and end their lives.

Siu turned her gaze to Yun's sword, which was closer than she thought. She stretched out to try to grab it, but her weakened body wouldn't make it in time.

The driver noticed immediately, and despite the trembling of his entire body, which made him move slowly, he headed towards the sword.

The beast was getting closer and closer. It grabbed one of Yun's metallic boots with its snout and teeth, starting to drag him.

Siu let out a cry of fear as the dragon drew very near, and suddenly, the driver handed her the sword with his trembling hands. She received it immediately, using her other hand to try to revive Yun.

"It's futile," Siu said in her thoughts as she took the sword with both hands. "If only I knew how to use swords or at least move quickly. I'll have to try."

Siu crawled towards where the beast was. The dragon, noticing the young girl, let out a cry that seemed to shake the earth. She swung the sword wildly in an attempt to intimidate the dragon, but it seemed futile. The dragon grabbed the sword's tip with its teeth and began to drag her, letting out a painful cry as its wounds had not yet healed.

When she felt that everything was lost, hands landed on hers, and when she looked to the side, there was Yun, weak and battered but alive, with a complicit smile that she immediately reciprocated. As if they could read each other's minds, they both nodded and let out a cry, summoning the strength needed with the little energy left in their bodies.

And so, both young people delivered a single but powerful blow. They exerted so much pressure that it shattered the dragon's teeth and then buried the sword deeply into its throat, piercing it completely. The beast tried to scream, thrash, and free itself from the sword, but it was all in vain. In a matter of seconds, it collapsed to the ground, creating a cloud of dust that momentarily obscured Yun and Siu's view.

"Yes! You're heroes!" the driver exclaimed, celebrating that these two young people had defeated the fierce beast. He started to get up to assist them.

As the dust cloud dissipated, Yun and Siu remained clutching each other, their breaths heavy but with a feeling of victory. No words were exchanged between them, they just kept looking at each other intently. As if by instinct, their eyes moved to each other's lips, and they slowly began to lean in. It was something they had been desiring, born from their hearts, which were racing.

"Your Highness!" a voice called, pulling both young people out of their momentary enchantment. The driver knelt down to make sure everything was "well."

"We're fine... well, as fine as we can be," Yun said, noticing how bruised they both were. Siu chuckled quietly, echoed by the prince, and the driver breathed a sigh of relief.

"Let's continue; there's still a long way to go to the Forbidden City," the man emphasized, hurrying to help them back into the carriage.

"One moment..." Yun said, walking over to where the lifeless beast lay.

"The sword," Siu mentioned in a faint voice, feeling suffocated by all her wounds. The driver held her by the shoulders as they watched the prince's actions.

Yun extended his hand and removed the sword from the dragon's throat, where it was lodged. He raised it slightly to check for any damage or the like. He smiled and placed it back in its proper place, right next to his belt.

The three of them hurried to get back in the carriage to continue the journey. The pile of scales was left in the middle of that path, and the environment that witnessed that scene was left in silent darkness. The carriage carrying Prince Qing Yun, along with the young villager, moved away from the location without looking back.