Chapter 29, Isolation and Break

Chapter 29, Isolation and Break

-And so, due to breaking not only the wall and large parts of the prison, but also a promise not to cause a mess, the board has decided to penalize Inmate Wiedemann by isolation for a week and no longer. Should you choose to verbally or physically oppose this, the penalty will be far harsher than mere isolation. -So spoke the voice in the speakers.

Isolation.

Kreig did not fight it, of course. He just sort of sat there all day while confused but silent construction-workers fixed his wall and a few Fighters (including that little one thatd been there during his meeting with his family) stood around staring at him, thumbing their weapons. The little one in the robe seemed upset but wouldnt say anything.

He had a rather high level though, Kreig had to admit that. The wall was, by the magic of great hurry, finished in a mere day.

And then, his isolation began. It started out okay. Kreig sat and drew, painted portraits (mostly of his two new subjects, his brother and sister), and tried to make the most of the situation. But it didnt go well for long. Two days went by. He grew unhappy. After having had the pleasure of human connection for entire days at a time, after tasting such sweet nectar after years of abstinence, he now found himself in withdrawal.

He sat there, genuinely considering the pros and cons of breaking out to speak to his friend, when there was a change. It was the fourth day of his isolation.

The speakers came on. The voice that spoke was neither the head observer that hed painted nor the usual speaker. His voice was more refined, with a slight accent that Kreig couldnt place. Inmate Wiedemann. A situation has occurred. You will soon be escorted to the site of a disaster. Follow the directives of the authorities present and the terms of your incarceration may change. Prepare yourself.

Brief, strong-worded, with no room for any sort of objection, not that Kreig had any. He just sat up straighter. He knew the tinge to those words. Something was going on, and he wasnt about to mess up again.

Strangely, the sound of the human voice again made him feel bubbly, and the idea of meeting people Why, it downright made him happy. And he couldnt tell why.

As per the voice, within mere seconds, the Dragonheart door slid open, revealing three people at the forefront of a train of Fighters and guards. The man at the very front, who wore a dark navy suit adorned with countless medals and a matching hat, barked orders at the people behind him. These people were neither Fighters nor guards, but military in uniform and movement. They ran inside the cell, and once Kreig stood up, they surrounded him, shoving the barrels of guns in his face and chest.

Human, Lv.637

Human, Lv.22

Human, Lv.345

Wyrms usually lived in marshes and swamps, where they ate pretty much anything they came across. Once they got a meal, be it a swamp biter or a dragger, it would attack immediately, taking its time to digest the whole thing. That meal would feed the wyrm for several weeks, if not months. If a wyrm found two meals, it was in luck, and it would eat twice. Thats the thing about wyrms. It doesnt have any internal sign of when its eaten enough. So when it finds a lot of prey, it just keeps eating.

If it stumbles across a village, it wont stop eating until its been killed or its stomach bursts from overeating. That is, if it wasnt too big for that.

This wyrm was big enough to eat many villages over and over again. It was dark green, with purple colourations around the eyes. An adult, overfed as an adolescent. An adult, still hungry.

Kreig saw it coming around the side of a building. It crushed a car beneath its bloated scaly stomach, lighter in colour than the scales on its back. A thick, forked tongue flicked out of its closed mouth, hovered in the air for a bit before darting back inside its mouth. It turned towards them where they stood beside the recently parked helicopter. Frank prepared a spell or skill, Craig raised his spear. The many soldiers there did not react, as the general had not told them to. He, in turn, merely stood there. Arms crossed.

It was up to Kreig to react. And they hadnt even given him his armour or weapons. Maybe they assumed hed be able to fight off a wyrm without it, maybe they hadnt been able to move it.

Either way, they were correct. A wyrm would prove no more difficult for him to battle than a young dragon would. And still, he hesitated.

Something here felt off. As he looked into the eyes of the wyrm, those eyes still frenzied with the blood and flesh of countless humans, he found them somewhat intelligent. Far more intelligent than any reptile hed ever seen. Reptiles were not intelligent. Dragons were only as intelligent as the stupidest humans available, and drakes werent even worth mentioning. Yet this creature Something was off about it. It didnt attack immediately.

It stood there, half-exposed, staring at Kreig, sizing him up as if it knew his strength. And then, it turned around. Slithered off in the other direction, leaving Kreig to stare at its leaving form.

The hell are you doing, prisoner? Go after it without further ado! the general said, pointing at the wyrms tail. Kreig turned to him and showed off his metal mittens. Huh? Youre gonna look at me and tell me you cant get out of those yourself? He was right, but Kreig didnt want to ruin them. Though, fighting without hands was Even to Kreig, that would be difficult. So, he slowly pulled out one of his hands, feeling how the metal inside the glove groaned and snapped. With one hand out, he removed the other and handed the mittens to a nearby soldier. Freedom.

He stepped towards where the wyrm was going. -And, remember! If you so much as try to escape, the kid gets it! the general warned. Fighter A and B, follow him or you get it too!

Frank and Craig nodded and prepared to follow Kreig. Guess he wouldnt be alone. Not that he minded much. He continued walking.

Wyrms could be very fast, but that was in the muddy marshes. On dry land, their numerous flippers and the paddle-like twin tails were just baggage that it couldnt remove. Yet, this one was rather fast. Level 700. An elder wyrm, likely older than even Kreig. But not old enough to gain intelligence. No lizard could do that.

Something was off about this wyrm, and Kreig was interested in knowing what.