An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori

“Damn it! This punk’s tougher than I thought. We’re in real trouble if this keeps up,” Connor said, swinging his twin blades relentlessly. Every strike was aimed at Axel’s vital points.

But Axel was quick. He weaved in and out of reach and avoided direct confrontation. It was obvious he was just stalling for time.

“Sir Prescott should be far enough by now. There’s no point dragging this out. Let’s fall back.”

Sensing the futility of their efforts, Dave considered retreating. He didn’t fear death, but he wasn’t about to waste his life for nothing.

Since Warrick had escaped, their interception mission was also completed.

“You guys hold him off. The rest of you, fall back with me.”

Connor was decisive. Realizing they weren’t making any progress, he quickly ordered a retreat and left a few decoys behind to buy time.

They had barely run a hundred yards when a wave of soldiers suddenly appeared at the alley’s entrance. Hundreds, maybe even thousands, filled the narrow space and completely blocked any chance of escape.

“Fall back!”

Connor and Dave exchanged a glance.

Without hesitation, they turned and bolted in the opposite direction. With fewer than a hundred men, charging into an enemy several times their size would be suicide.

The sound of perfectly synchronized footsteps echoed from ahead, and the ground beneath them started to shake.

Connor and Dave skidded to a halt. Their eyes widened in shock as they stared at the distance.

end of the road, a wave of

They were tall, their eyes sharp, and radiated a deadly authority. Their presence was even more

“Draken Guardians?”

face paled when they saw the

Dragon Army of West Lucozia was already the most

Draken Guardians were something else entirely. They were the cream of the crop, handpicked from thousands of Black Dragon Army

in their own right. Any single member could stand

the situation was dire. Neither had expected the legendary Draken Guardians to be deployed

and

facing thousands of soldiers, they were confident they could fight their way through. But against

now, Axel had regrouped with the reinforcements

their hundred Red Legion soldiers were trapped. They were caught

or

the Draken Guardians came to a stop. A

over Connor and Dave before he spoke in a cold, commanding voice.

words were simple, but they carried a powerful

who achieved great feats during the castle’s crisis

target wasn’t Connor or Dave-he two small fry-but Warrick, who was halfway to becoming an

that caliber was enough

“What should we do?”

and his grip tightened

need to live on the

we do?