"Blood Sign: The Heiress"

Chapter Eighteen - Rocky Managarm.

The monster that has Rocky Managarm resembles a huge, lizard-like dragon. Short legs, feathers on the head and tail, long claws and a deadly look... The first days of expeditions on the mountain were terrible, dozens, if not hundreds of Lux warriors died in the battle with the monster. The creature lived in the very heart of a huge rock and, as it later turned out, fed on the energy of all the crystals that were there. Because of them, the monster was stronger, faster and smarter than anything that obeyed instincts.

"Where did Rock Managarm come from?" Good question if anyone knew the answer. The creature is the main mystery of the mountain and to this day frightens the workers who mine precious crystals that bestow powers.

"I can't believe that Mister Lux would do this." One of the paladins said wearily when they were alone.

"This is our last chance, if Managarm cannot cope, no one can cope." The second one shrugged.

-Do you think it will work out?

-Well... it's not for nothing that this creature has been a nightmare for us for years? She, as far as I know, is terribly strong." The paladin said, looking at his right palm, in which the crystal from the mountain clearly shone with blackness.

"Isn't the creature under the complete control of Lux?" the other was surprised.

-Don't you know? We tried to kill Managarm many times, but, realizing that it would not work, we decided to try to subdue him...

-Well?

- Don't interrupt! In short," the guy sighed. "It didn't work out for us, I still don't understand what went wrong." He's either too big, or smart, the devil knows... In short, the only option was the crystal, any other part of the body simply wouldn't have been able to withstand it. - A short pause. - And Lux ​​decided that he could completely secure the city only if such power was with the one whom he completely trusts... Well, he drove this damned needle into his chest. All.

The other paladin nodded in understanding.

"Listen, is Managarm sleeping?" he clarified a little later.

"Kind of like that," the guy shrugged. "The workers say they sometimes hear a roar, but I think it's snoring."

"Yeah... I see." The paladin nodded quietly.

Suddenly, the door they were standing at opened.

"Guys," Lux left the room. "Everything is ready, but... the birdhouses are still sleeping, and I need the exact location of the creature, could you...

"Anything for the sake of you and the city!" both paladins blurted out at once.

"Thank you." Lux nodded sadly.

The snowstorm died down, only fluffy snow flew from the sky, gently falling on the heaps of corpses in the forest. The paladins walked outside and took a deep breath. It was a deep night, there was silence and calm all around, but my soul was still stuffy and scary.

Standing directly opposite the gate that stood at the entrance to the city, both paladins gazed into the snowy haze that had settled in the air after the storm.

"Listen, somehow I don't feel right," one whispered to the other.

"Calm down, everything will be... it will be fine." The second one answered, not believing himself.

-Are you sure? Lux after that... well... sort of...

"I know, but... do we really have any other choice, I think..." He was interrupted mid-sentence by a shadow that flashed in the distance of the snowy darkness.