Heroes of Might and Magic: Grand Consul

Chapter 296 Dragon's Relic
After leaving the battlefield, Orlando did not stop for a moment. It first flew southeast, and after reaching the border point, it turned back north.

They didn't linger in Cloud Mist City, nor did they dare venture north.

Orlando was well aware that Cloud Mist City was now the target of everyone's attacks. After resting, Su Mu would likely send troops to occupy Cloud Mist City, since it was now an empty city, and everyone would be tempted by such a tempting target.

Even though he still had some personal belongings in Cloud Mist City, he didn't care about retrieving them now; his life was more important than treasure.

The dragon's target is so obvious that if it returns to the city, it will surely be watched by those with ulterior motives.

In the current disastrous situation, no one is truly loyal. Even Isildur's generals hesitate when faced with death, let alone the fickle human types. It's likely that the moment he appeared in Cloudmist City, news of him reached Sumu.

The same applies to the North. Although they have occupied Winterfell, the surrounding area is mostly populated by humans, making it impossible for him to hide his whereabouts.

Instead, heading south, avoiding the hinterland and plains, is currently the best option.

Orlando sat by the campfire, looking at the blood-stained armor, the broken helmet and weapons, and couldn't help but sigh.

The high and mighty elven dragon knight had never suffered such humiliation. He abandoned his army and fled the battlefield alone, a stain on his military career.

Even so, he chose to leave, after all, one only has one life, and no matter how strong the past, once a person dies, there will be no more follow-up.

Think about it carefully, none of Isildur's legendary heroes had a completely smooth journey; many of them suffered repeated defeats but never gave up.

Failure is not terrible; this setback cannot defeat him. Facing such a formidable opponent, he needs to pick himself up, hone his skills, and wait for the next opportunity to take revenge.

Orlando also faced near-death experiences at Dragon Cliff. As one of the elite selected from among the elite, with a will as firm as steel, he quickly recovered.

But he faced a problem: the dragon had flown such a long distance that it was exhausted and needed to rest for a night.

Since the Phantom Dragon is formed from dragon balls, it needs to be replenished with magical energy; it doesn't actually need to eat meat. However, since they are currently in a human kingdom, there are no magic towers to provide replenishment. They can only hunt for the Phantom Dragon and use the meager magical energy within the magical beasts to maintain the dragon's functions.

Although it's a drop in the ocean, the illusion of Dragon Ball is still very real. The dragon feels like a complete green dragon on every level, so as long as it eats some monsters and rests, it can set off again.

Perhaps after flying for a while, the Phantom Dragon will disappear completely due to the depletion of its magical power. By then, it will likely have returned to the lands controlled by Isildur, so there's no need to worry.

While Leven launched the Battle of Sunset, Lloyd also launched an offensive on the Eastern Front. Elton's new commander transferred all his cavalry to Conrad's command, resulting in the loss of high-mobility units at the front, forcing them to defend.

While Conrad's return from the North to the heartland to defend the capital was a significant asset, Lloyd, sharpening his sword, had finally found an opening and was preparing for a major operation.

This is why Orlando decided to retreat; after all, Sunset Fortress was a possibility, but not the overall battlefield. From an overall perspective, Isildur still held the advantage.

Even if he escapes back, he can atone for his sins at this critical moment.

"Alright, let's rest for a while. We can't stay too long. We'll have a proper rest after we cross the plains."

Orlando affectionately stroked the dragon's head, soothing the phantom dragon.

It merely hunted and devoured some magical beasts nearby, without actually replenishing its magical power. However, it inherited the characteristics of the green dragon, believing that it could recover by eating and sleeping, which could be considered a kind of wishful thinking.

As the dragon slowly closed its eyes, Orlando's gentle demeanor turned ferocious. He was determined to avenge this humiliation.

Once he reunites with Lloyd, he will have the Elders send a large army over so he can personally march into the plains and destroy Kuraki Castle.

Just as he extinguished the flames and prepared to sit quietly for a while, the sleeping dragon suddenly opened its eyes and looked into the dim distance.

The night sky was quiet, and it seemed that a few birds were flapping their wings.

Orlando looked closer and saw that it was a bat.

His hair stood on end instantly, and he flipped over to ride the giant dragon: "Quick! Run! It's a vampire."

Unfortunately, it was already too late. Before the dragon could take flight, a large number of vampire princes pounced on it, numbering in the hundreds, launching a deadly attack with their venomous blood.

The phantom dragon only lasted a moment before falling from the sky, landing as nothing but a skeleton.

A stunningly beautiful woman with graceful figure and pale skin walked from afar, accompanied by two alluring maidens, who simultaneously began to charm the dragon knight.

However, Orlando possessed both strong willpower and magical power, and in a moment of distraction, he broke free and roared as he engaged in a fierce battle with the vampires around him.

"Why don't boring men die a more pleasant death? Why must they be brutally dismembered?"

Liliana shook her head helplessly. She did not step forward to fight, but gently stroked Meiji's head as if petting a small pet.

The usually unruly Meiji was now like a docile rabbit, not daring to resist at all, and even offered up the softest fur on her head.

Since being sent to the Dark Queen, they have learned what true allure and torment are. After being disciplined, they completely submit and become very obedient.

The elven dragon knight was indeed powerful. Despite being surrounded by dozens of vampire princes, he held his own, relying on powerful treasures and superb agility to fight back.

Keep in mind that this is a dragon knight who is nearly exhausted after a series of battles. If he were in his prime, he would probably be even stronger.

"Isildor has no grudge against the ancient ruins, so why are you targeting the elves like this?"

I know where you want to occupy. That area is Su Mu's territory, and it's very difficult to conquer.

Let me return to Isildur and lead the army to conquer the plains, leaving the entire northern region to the undead. What do you say?

Previously in the North, the Dragon Knights had fought against the undead forces, including a Night King; it was all part of a vampire army. I never expected to encounter them again on the way back.

Orlando regretted not being able to annihilate the enemy last time, but now he had to stabilize the situation first and escape back to Isidore.

Liliana couldn't help but laugh when she heard the dragon knight's words.

"Let you go? If you really escape, my master will probably beat my butt to a pulp."
While I enjoy those moments, you would be a better choice as a gift!

Orlando frowned, puzzled: "Master? You can take me there, and I'll explain to your master myself!"

He truly didn't understand what deep-seated hatred Isildur had for the dead.
Humans have the Church of Light, so if it were a matter of cooperation, the undead would never choose the castle faction. He simply couldn't understand why the other side would want to ally with humans.

However, he was confident that if he could meet the person behind the scenes, he could persuade them to change their mind. After all, Isildur was a stronger nation and could offer more terms; even the dead would be tempted by treasure.

But the vampires didn't stop at all and continued to launch fierce attacks on the dragon knights. The corrosive effects of the poisonous blood were intense, and even though Orlando had super resistance, he couldn't withstand the accumulation and began to feel dizzy.

Before he could say anything more, a dark shadow flashed past his side, stabbing him in the waist with a sharp dagger before quickly dodging and retreating.

Severely wounded, Orlando barely managed to support himself with his sword, glaring angrily at the assassin.

The man in black removed his mask, revealing himself to be a human being, someone Orlando knew.

"You're going to explain this yourself? Didn't the Dragon Knight just meet with our lord? If he missed him so much, why did he run away so quickly?" Hearing Wayne's words, Orlando's pupils dilated, his face filled with disbelief. He looked around at the undead soldiers and finally understood everything.

"You are all Su Mu's people!"

Orlando had some suspicions when he was in the North, but based on the relationship between humans and the cemetery, he didn't think about it that way.

Who knew that Su Mu would do things completely unpredictably, actually taking in a vampire queen as his subordinate? Wasn't he afraid of being betrayed?
Just as Orlando was in shock, Liliana transformed into a ghostly wind and fatally bewitched the Dragon Knight. As a hero specializing in bewitching, her skill effect was significantly stronger.

Orlando stood frozen in place, his thoughts in disarray.

The Night Queen extended her fangs, bypassing the protective shield, and attacked the opponent's neck directly, injecting deadly blood poison.

Wayne stepped forward again and attacked Orlando's abdomen with a dagger.

"what!"

Having suffered a fatal attack, Orlando finally awoke, jolting the two heroes away. He staggered backward, coughing up blood, covered in wounds, his eyes beginning to dim.

Orlando knew that this time he probably couldn't escape it; his ambition for power and his legendary path would be cut short.

The glory of the dragon was completely out of his reach.

Orlando struggled for a moment, trying to unleash his magic to destroy himself and the treasure, but how could Liliana give him the chance? With a wave of her hand, hundreds of vampires pounced on him, devouring the dragon knight in a whirlwind.

Isildur, a great dragon general, has fallen.

Alongside him were shattered dragon bones scattered all over the ground.

Who could have imagined that the dragon, appearing for the first time in a thousand years, would end up like this?

Liliana stepped forward and began sorting through the treasures left behind by the dragon knight, revealing a massive serpent-patterned shield in its original form.

[Guardian Shield (Level 4 Treasure): Hero Defense +12, Attack -3. One of the four components of the Titan's Arrow combination treasure.]

Review: A strange box piqued your interest. The moment you reached out and touched it, the box opened automatically, revealing a gleaming shield.

"What a powerful treasure!"

Liliana gripped the Guardian Shield, completely shielding her from all angles, preventing any enemy from attacking from any direction.

More importantly, the Guardian Shield is one of the components of the Titan's Arrow. Su Mu has already collected both components and is only one step away from creating the combined treasure.

In addition, there was a pair of magical shoes lying under the shield.

【Holy Boots (Level 4 Treasure): Hero Attack, Defense, Spell Power, and Knowledge +2 each. One of the six components of the Angel Alliance Combination Treasure.】

Evaluation: A nomad, fearing a tribe of demons, sought your protection. In return, he crafted a pair of shoes from soft fur. Upon closer inspection, you discovered beautiful patterns on the shoes.

These shoes are incredibly light and possess a special magical power that provides the wearer with all-around enhancements.

"Orlando is incredibly wealthy; they have so many amazing things!"

Dragon Tooth Crown (Tier 4 Treasure): Increases Heroic Spell Power and Knowledge by 4, enhancing Dragon Magic Abilities. One of the nine components of the Dragon King's Divine Power combination treasure.

Evaluation: Your army is invincible, and morale is high. During your journey, a mysterious crown hanging in the air in the distance catches your attention. Your attendants retrieve it and present it to you. Inscribed on the crown are: "Wisdom surpasses brute force, magic surpasses attack." Remember this, and you will be invincible.

Orlando's skeletal body, adorned with a slightly worn crown, exuded a powerful dragon's might.

After all, he is a dragon knight, so it's only right that he possesses a dragon treasure.

Aside from these three high-level treasures, there were basically only some small items, many of which were damaged in the battle.

The most regrettable thing is that the Dragon Balls were completely destroyed when Orlando exhausted their energy to replenish the curse power of the last dragon.

[Magic Scroll - Joyful Inspiration: Increases the morale of the selected friendly unit by 1 point. The duration of the effect is affected by the spell's power.]

[Magic Scroll - Nature's Summoning: In battlefields near forests, heroes can summon Treants to fight. The number summoned is equal to 4 times the spell power. The treants wither after the battle.]

【Deadwood Guardian (Bastion Level 5 Tier 1 Unit): Attack 9, Defense 12, Damage 10-14, Health 55, Speed ​​3, Huge Size】

Element: None.

Tree Root Entanglement: Attacks have a chance to summon tree roots to entangle enemies, trapping them in place for a certain period of time (attacks and counterattacks are still possible).

As expected of a hero of the stronghold, he also carries a special magic scroll that allows him to recruit withered tree guards.

For heroes with high spell power, using them as consumable meat shields is a decent option. Furthermore, the Withered Tree Guardians have special skills that can restrain enemy forces.

The sheer number of gains exceeded Liliana's expectations, and Wayne's surprise attack plan was also a success. Without the effects of the deadly bewitching and blood poison, given the dragon knight's agility, they would likely have been left with nothing.

Liliana packed up the treasures and sent a vampire squad to accompany Wayne to deliver them to Sumu.

These were all the lord's spoils of war, and no one dared to embezzle them.

Akasha watched the Queen hand over the treasures without much reaction, even though she had discussed with the Queen the night before whether she could obtain some exclusive treasures to strengthen the vampire army. Liliana, however, was very discreet; these expensive treasures were naturally allocated to Su Mu, and to obtain high-level treasures, one would have to distinguish oneself in battle.

Isildor's siege was clearly doomed, and Sumu's severe injury to the dragon knight greatly increased his influence in the heartland. If the lord wished, he could occupy vast territories.

However, Liliana also knew that humans had their own rules and could not simply steal like the undead.

But then again, regardless of the faction, might makes right. If the kingdom truly fails to reward the lord as he deserves, and Su Mu develops other intentions, then Liliana will be the happiest person.

"Alright, Lord Wayne, I'll send some men to escort you back. Next, I'll head to the Northern Territory to complete the follow-up tasks assigned by the lord."

"Thank you, Ms. Liliana!"

Wayne watched as the Queen of the Night departed, and a large number of vampires transformed into ghostly bats, disappearing into the night sky.

This woman's charm was truly top-notch; even Enchantress could completely control her. But Wayne had no intention of overstepping his bounds. As the boss of the underworld, he knew very well whose woman she was.

Moreover, setting aside his charm, the other party is also a terrifying hero. Apart from legendary figures, it is unlikely that anyone can truly subdue him.

Wayne stepped forward and patted Orlando's skeleton, which instantly shattered and turned to dust.

The mighty Dragon Knight has become a part of Kuraki's honor book, and this is only the beginning.

(End of this chapter)