Chapter 71: Destruction of Ferm

Chapter 71: Destruction of Ferm



The team spread out, taking in their surroundings. Vincent's heart was still pounding from the adrenaline of their escape. He glanced back at the tunnel entrance, good thing that exists.

In the distance, Vincent spotted movement. Squinting through the smoke, he saw the familiar shapes of the M939 Truck making their way toward them. Relief washed over him as they were not seen by the Flame Dragon. But the M-ATV Oshkosh, well they are left there, undamaged. The relief was short-lived as the sound of the dragon's roar echoed through the air once more. It was still flying over the city of Ferm, its massive wings beating furiously. Vincent watched in horror as the dragon unleashed another torrent of fire from its gaping maw, incinerating a quarter of the city in a blazing inferno.

Normally, Vincent would see this in movies or TV series with a genre of fantasy and science fiction. But witnessing a dragon, a real dragon, in the flesh was a different kind of reality. The sheer scale and power of the creature left him awestruck and terrified.

Vincent was so fixated on the sight of the Flame Dragon that he didn't notice Eamon coming toward him.

"Sir Vincent... so you have seen the Flame Dragon. That's a terrifying creature. We must leave before it sees us. Sir Vincent? Sir Vincent?" Eamon's voice finally broke through Vincent's trance.

Vincent shook his head, snapping back to reality. "Yeah, I see it. It's... it's incredible. But you're right, we can't let it see us."

He turned to his team, who were anxiously watching the dragon's every move. "Listen up, everyone. It's impossible that the dragon would see us if we stay at this distance. We'll just observe it for now and gather as much intel as we can. At some point in the future, we might have to fight it, so we need to be prepared."

The Special Forces nodded in acknowledgement and promptly spread out, finding vantage points where they could watch the dragon without being seen.

Vincent found a spot behind a large boulder and went over there. He trained his binocular

"Yes, there was a time, but that was long ago," Eamon replied. "The dragon was felled by one of the strongest warriors of that era. It took a combination of cunning, magic, and sheer bravery to bring it down. Without those elements, our chances are slim."

"Maybe if you are thinking the old ways, it will be slim," Vincent said.

"Do you plan on defeating it?" Eamon asked.

Vincent shook his head. "No, there's no way our small caliber guns would dent its scales. We are just observing it."

After what felt like two hours, the Flame Dragon had burned the entire city of Ferm to the ground. The once-thriving city was now a smoldering ruin, with flames still licking at the remnants of buildings and thick black smoke billowing into the sky. The dragon, seemingly satisfied with its destruction, let out a final roar before flying off towards the horizon. Vincent and his team remained hidden, watching as the beast disappeared from view. The team emerged from their hiding spots, gathering near the tunnel entrance. "Okay, Alpha 2, you are to remain here and watch over these people. We will get back and retrieve the M-ATV Oshkosh. We can't use the route you used to get here because, you know, safety first," Vincent instructed.

Alpha 2 nodded, acknowledging the order. "Understood, sir. We'll keep an eye out and make sure everyone stays safe."

Vincent turned to the rest of his team. "Alpha 1, Alpha 3, you're with me. We're retrieving the M-ATV Oshkosh. Stay alert and move quickly. We don't know if the dragon will come back." The selected team members nodded, their expressions determined. Vincent led the way, navigating through the tunnel.. As they emerged back into the open air, the devastation of Ferm lay before them. The house that was covering the tunnels was already gone, reduced to rubble and ash.

Vincent scanned the area, ensuring it was clear before signaling his team to move forward. They advanced cautiously, weapons at the ready, eyes scanning the skies for any sign of the dragon's return. The heat from the smoldering ruins was intense, making the air thick and hard to breathe.

Reaching the M-ATV Oshkosh, Vincent quickly inspected the vehicles, ensuring they were still operational. "Get in and let's move out," he ordered.

As they climbed into the vehicles, Vincent took one last look at the charred remains of Ferm. Condolences to the city.