Amari and the others were still fawning over General Hannibal. Marie had even landed her pterodactyl and came down to join the conversation.

  “I still can’t believe it!” Horace said.

  “This is so cool,” Marie added, eyes shining.

  “A general in our escort. Pinch me,” Amari said.

  Jack glanced between them. “Is it really that big of a deal?”

  “Oh yeah. It is,” Horace said immediately.

  “I just checked online. No reports of a general ever joining an escort,” Amari said.

  “That doesn’t mean it’s never happened,” Rob countered.

  “You think if someone had pulled this off, they wouldn’t brag about it in the forums? Or post a hundred videos? Come on, Rob.”

  “The only question is, how did we get this upgrade?” Horace said, frowning in thought. Then his eyes lit up. “It has to be our legendary title.”

  “Right! Didn’t the NPCs even call us the ‘Defending Heroes’?” Amari added.

  Jack opened his character sheet and tapped the title.

  The Defending Heroes (Legendary)

  Title description: After countless defeats in the war against the beasts, your victory becomes a rallying cry, rekindling hope among other warriors.

  Title effects:

  +10 defense;

  +10 stat points;

  +10 fame;

  NPCs, especially military, show increased respect and loyalty;

  Villagers or NPC fighters may automatically rally to your aid in battles.

  “‘Especially military,’” Jack read aloud.

  “With all five of us here, it must’ve pushed the title’s effect into overdrive,” Horace said. “We didn’t just get one captain—we got two plus a general!”

  “I kind of hope we get attacked,” Rob muttered. “I want to see if generals are as strong as the rumors say.”

  Jack felt a tap on his shoulder.

  “Yes, Dad?”

  “Jack, they’re talking about a title. I have a title too, right?”

  “Yes, Dad. But not this one.”

  “Oh…” José said, a little disappointed. Then he brightened. “Well, the important thing is that you have it.” He gave Jack a proud nod, as if the title belonged to both of them.

  Jack smiled. “Thanks, Dad.”

  While the others marveled at their good fortune, General Hannibal remained stoic, seated tall on his horse beside José and the sloth mount. His gaze stayed fixed ahead. Whether out of discipline or disinterest, he offered no reaction to their chatter.

  “Hey, Jaffar!” Horace called out.

  The NPC approached, noticeably more polite after his earlier blunder. He kept glancing toward the general.

  “Yes, sire?”

  “With the new knights joining, does that mean we can take more stuff with us?”

  Jack’s ears perked up. He’d left behind several things he would’ve loved to bring.

  But before Jaffar could reply, the general himself spoke.

  “My apologies, but with the added number of knights, the logistics become more complicated. Their saddlebags will be full already.”

  “Of course. Thank you, sir,” Horace replied quickly.

  “Was that all?” Jaffar asked.

  “Yes, Jaffar. Thank you,” Horace said, forcing a smile to mask his disappointment.

  Horace had done well to ask. But it seemed the extra fighting power was all that their legendary title would get them.

  Soon, Captain Apollos returned, leading another officer—Captain Diana. Her hair was shaved on one side and swept across the other, and she somehow looked even more severe than Apollod.

  As the captains approached, they exchanged a glance with General Hannibal, who gave a faint nod. That was all they needed.

  “Men, cloaks on! This isn’t a parade. Cover those ugly frowns!” Apollos barked.

  “Yes, sir!” came the resounding reply.

  “Maverick! Nishtal! What’s taking so long? I already have enough sloths in this column—I don’t need two more!” Diana shouted.

  Jack felt another tap on his shoulder.

  “Yes, Dad?”

  “Don’t worry, son. I’m sure that lady isn’t talking about you.”

  Jack paused just long enough to get the joke. “Haha. Funny, Dad.”

  Despite the lame jab, he smiled. It was good to see his dad in a light enough mood for jokes.

  As the captains’ voices cracked like whips, the knights moved fast, pulling on long desert cloaks that concealed their armor, helmets, and weapons. Moments ago, they’d looked like elite soldiers. Now, they resembled a ragtag band of mercenaries.

  Soon, the escort had taken formation. Apollos led at the front, Diana guarded the rear, and General Hannibal rode beside Snowy.

  With over a hundred knights, flanked by two captains and a general, the caravan now felt less like a trade mission and more like a moving fortress.

  “Move out! Look relaxed!” Apollos called.

  “Look relaxed?” Jack echoed under his breath. What did that even mean?

  As the column began moving, he found out.

  Gone was the crisp, synchronized march. The soldiers now moved with deliberate looseness. Posture slouched. Shoulders sagged. A few yawned. Chatter broke out here and there—jokes, banter, even the sound of someone humming.

  Jack had to admit—they were good actors.

  Despite the pretense, their sheer numbers still drew attention, though.

  As they moved out of the fortress grounds and into the bustling streets of Sunsgate, heads turned. People stepped aside in a hurry. Others paused mid-task to stare. Jack sat a little taller on Snowy, feeling the weight of all those eyes. It was hard not to, riding at the center of a formation like this.

  But the real star of the show was Marie and her pterodactyl.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  Sunny glided low over the rooftops, wings stretched wide. Marie kept her mount flying slow and smooth, just high enough to be out of reach, just low enough to draw every pair of eyes.

  “Is that a flying mount?!”

  “Oh man! Where do I get one of those!”

  “Dream on! Cheapest one I saw was 100k—and even that guy wasn’t selling.”

  Jack smirked. While the crowd looked up in awe, no one seemed to notice the general or the second captain. Even the knights in formation were mostly ignored. The disguise was working better than he’d expected.

  They reached the food market, where the smells of grilled meat and fried bread hung heavy in the air. Captain Apollos rode up beside Horace.

  “Anyone need a meal stop before we depart?” he asked.

  “No need. We’ve eaten already. Please, continue,” Horace replied smoothly.

  Jack blinked. Right. The sandwiches. That had been to avoid a pit stop here.

  Horace glanced back at him and winked.

  Jack read the message immediately. “You’re not the only one who can handle logistics, Jackie.”

  He rolled his eyes but couldn’t help smiling.

  As they approached the main gate, the city’s symbol came into view, etched into the arch above: a circle of golden leaf with radiating lines. The city of the sun: Sunsgate.

  Beneath it, the usual bottleneck of players waited for clearance. A trio danced while a fourth clapped along, delighting the guards. But the moment Captain Apollos rode up and exchanged a word with them, everything shifted.

  The lounging guards snapped upright. In an instant, they were barking orders.

  “Clear the way!”

  “Open the main gate!”

  It was fascinating. Jack had seen the same kind of transformation earlier with the knights, only in reverse. Back then, soldiers had disguised themselves as mercenaries. Here, the shabby-looking guards had turned into proper soldiers.

  The massive gate mechanism roared to life. Gears turned, wood creaked and with a deep groan, Sunsgate’s main gates opened.

  Jack had never left the city like this. Normally, he exited through the narrow side door, just wide enough for a small wagon. But today, the entire city seemed to be making way for them.

  Beyond the walls, red rock and dry scrub stretched out ahead. Jagged crags rose in the distance, forming a natural ridge. The morning light cast long shadows across the path as Apollos led them toward the widest pass, the only one with a properly paved road.

  Jack remembered something Amari had taught him when they first quested together: don’t take the main roads unless you’re ready for a fight. That was why, whenever he left the city, the first thing he did was veer off the beaten path.

  Apollos didn’t slow down.

  Behind them, a crowd of players had gathered to watch them go. Their voices carried faintly across the road.

  “What do you think they’re carrying?”

  “Water and food, probably. It’s gotta be a supply run for the big guilds.”

  “That big?”

  Jack didn’t look back. Let them wonder.

  As the cliffs rose around them, the caravan enteredthe canyon, and the city gate disappeared behind a curtain of rock.

  Captain Apollos raised his voice. “Hendrix. Percy. Ride ahead.”

  Two knights broke formation without hesitation and urged their horses forward, disappearing around the bend.

  “Scouts,” Jack muttered, satisfied. Knowing what lay ahead was always better than guessing. And even if something slipped past the ground patrols, Marie still had the sky covered.

  He glanced back at his father, who was taking in the canyon with wide eyes and a quiet sort of awe. Jack didn’t blame him. The landscape was impressive.

  It reminded Jack of the Breach, though the feeling here was different. The Breach had been all cold mountain stone—gray, rough, and dusted with frost. These cliffs were red and sunbaked, layered like dried clay. They weren’t as steep either. From Snowy’s back, Jack could almost see over the edge.

  The air blowing through the canyon was dry and hot, like walking into a giant hairdryer.

  The column stayed on the main road, ignoring the smaller paths that veered off.

  From one of those side paths came the sudden rush of motion—swooshing sounds, a guttural roar, and shouts.

  “Get it! Get it!”

  A group was fighting a dinosaur. It looked similar to the hadrosaurs they had seen back in Red Lake, though this one was smaller and compact. A few of the players turned their heads to glance at the caravan, and that moment of distraction was enough. One of them took a tail swipe to the chest and went tumbling backward.

  “Focus up! It’s just a guild caravan! Don’t lose aggro!” the party leader shouted, loosing another arrow as he kept his aim on the target.

  They passed other players along the way. Some were solo hunters, though most moved in small groups. The clash of weapons and monster cries echoed through the canyon, bouncing off the rock walls and leaving little space for quiet.

  The NPC soldiers didn’t acknowledge any of it. To them, the players might as well have been part of the scenery.

  Not every dinosaur was fighting. Some nested in high crevices, while others crouched in shallow caves or perched along the ridgelines, still and alert. They took off the moment the convoy came into view, disappearing between rocks or vanishing into side paths.

  At first, the attention had felt like a reward. Players’ expressions of shock and admiration gave Jack a rush, and watching beasts scatter at the mere sight of them made him feel strong. But that thrill faded quickly.

  Before long, he was bored and quietly hoping the trip would end before he and his dad had to log off and head to the clinic.

  The farther they traveled, the fewer players they saw. Those they did pass barely gave them a second look. These were veterans. For them, this wasn’t a spectacle. It was just another caravan on the road.

  Even the dinosaurs changed. They stopped running away, but lingered near the path, watching the column with curiosity. Maybe even calculation.

  Then, finally, something changed.

  One of the scouts Captain Apollos had sent ahead returned, reining in beside Captain Apollos. They exchanged hushed words quickly.

  “You five. Follow after Hendrix here,” Apollos ordered.

  Five knights broke formation at once, riding after the scout. Others shifted seamlessly to fill their places, keeping the column tight.

  A few minutes later, a distant squeal echoed through the pass. It was sharp and pained, but over quickly.

  “What was that?” José asked.

  “I think the knights just killed a dinosaur,” Jack guessed.

  The knights returned moments later, calm and unhurried.

  “Yeah,” Jack added, watching them settle back into formation. “They’re clearing the path ahead.”

  He tried to sound casual, but was a little disappointed. He had been curious to see the NPCs fight.

  Before long, another scout arrived, and the same routine played out. A brief exchange. The knights rode off. Shriek. Return.

  The scouts began coming and going more often, and the terrain changed. Cracks spiderwebbed across the cliffs, and the paved road beneath them crumbled into loose gravel. The air grew hotter with each step.

  They had to be getting close to the desert.

  A distant “Yah! Yah!” rang out—sharp, urgent—followed by a deep, rhythmic thudding.

  Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom.

  Jack stretched his neck, trying to get a better view. Beside him, his father did the same.

  “What’s going on?” José asked.

  “I think one of the scouts is coming back and is bringing company,” Jack said, a grin already forming. He was finally going to see some action.

  A message pinged in the party chat.

  Marie: Hi guys, there’s a baryonyx coming your way.

  Amari: Really? So weird to see one this far from the desert.

  Marie: Maybe the scout was just really far ahead?

  Jack didn’t bother typing. Instead, he called out to the nearest teammate.

  “Yo, Horace! Is a baryonyx strong?”

  “Oh yeah. Level 40 carnivore. Pretty aggressive too.”

  “Level 40…” Jack repeated, frowning. That was way above their level, and carnivores usually hit harder than a herbivore of the same level.

  He glanced at the ring of knights surrounding the sloths and relaxed. Whatever this thing was, they could handle it.

  Up ahead, the scout rounded the bend.

  His horse came at a full gallop, hooves kicking up dust. But neither beast or man showed panic. The rider kept low and focused, guiding his mount with steady hands.

  A roar tore through the canyon, making Jack wince and cover his ears.

  The source of the booming came into view.

  A massive bipedal dinosaur charged after the scout, its claws raking through gravel, its tail sweeping wide. It barely fit in the narrow pass. Mottled brown scales scraped the canyon walls, shaking loose slabs of rock with each step.

  Jack swallowed. It looked even meaner than an allosaur.

  He turned toward Captain Apollos. Surely he’d give the order now. Twenty knights? Thirty?

  But Apollos said nothing. Instead, he spurred his horse forward, spear in hand.

  Jack frowned. What was he doing?

  The captain leaned into the saddle, gaining speed. He passed the retreating scout without slowing, eyes fixed on the target ahead.

  He leveled his spear like the charging monster was just a training dummy.

  “He’s going to fight it alone?” José asked.

  Jack didn’t respond. He couldn’t.

  Then came the strike.

  In a single, fluid motion, Apollos swept his spear across the creature’s side.

  A clean diagonal line split the baryonyx from shoulder to hip.

  The beast stumbled mid-charge. Its body folded with a deep, shaking thud.

  The sound of the impact echoed through the canyon, followed by the rumble of falling rock.

  Jack stared, mouth open.

  “Was it supposed to be that easy?” José asked from behind him, his voice low with disbelief.

  Apollos did make it look effortless.

  “Awesome,” Jack added, still watching the captain ride on as if nothing had happened. “He just one-shot a level forty dinosaur.”