Chapter 456: City of Black Iron
Acacia Everflame Highlands.
This plateau was covered in wild, untamed flames, with magma flowing through surface cracks and clouds of scalding steam rolling across the ground.
It was a death zone for creatures from the Material Plane but a paradise for the native inhabitants of the Fire Elemental Plane.
In one part of the Acacia Everflame Highlands stood a sizable city—Black Iron City.
Within the city, the Shrine of Penance dedicated to the Evil Fire Prince Imix and the Temple of the Great Flame Lord Kossuth indicated clearly that this city belonged to the fire elementals.
"By the Great Flame Lord..."
"Imix..."
"How could there be such a massive dragon? When did we provoke such a monster?"
At this moment, fire elemental officers and soldiers stood on the walls of Black Iron City, gazing into the distance with serious, even fearful expressions.
On the horizon, a dark silhouette flapped its wings through the scorching air, kicking up waves of ash.
"The Soul-Devouring Dragon."
A heavy voice rang out, accompanied by steady, powerful footsteps.
The soldiers on the wall parted, making way for a towering, burly fire elemental flanked by guards.
He was the Emir of Black Iron City—Maceij Gallan.
Unlike Hamid, this Emir wasn't an idle noble born into privilege. He was a seasoned Warrior, recently transferred from the front lines.
He had once been an honored "Kapikulu," a member of the Sultan's elite guard.
He wore a gilded, patterned face-veil helm with a leather neck guard attached at the back. A large feather from a phoenix adorned the crest of his helmet.
In his hand, he held a crescent-shaped scimitar known as a shamshir, its blade razor-sharp and its surface shimmering with magical light.
Upon hearing Maceij's words, the fire elemental soldiers on the wall erupted into fearful chatter.
"It's—it's him!"
"That's the Soul-Devouring Dragon! It's real!"
"They say that terrifying dragon devoured thirteen Emirs and over a thousand fire elementals! He was sent by the Sacred Flame Prince to punish us!"
"Silence—"
Maceij frowned and struck his bronze shield with his scimitar, producing a sharp, resonant sound.
The fire elemental soldiers immediately fell silent, waiting for the Emir's address.
"By the Great Flame Lord, you cowards! Are you seriously scared of a dragon?"
"As far as I know, that dragon only allied with those filthy fire dwarves, sneaked into the City of Iron, destroyed half of it, and killed that useless fool Hamid."
"The so-called Soul-Devouring Dragon is just a myth! He is not an invincible enemy."
Maceij raised his scimitar high, its silver blade gleaming under the firelight.
"Shing—"
He slashed the air, the crescent-shaped blade leaving behind a trail of dazzling flames.
"We are noble fire elementals! The rightful masters of the Fire Elemental Plane! We are the ones who plunder and destroy, instilling fear in others!"
"There is no reason for us to fear any living being!"
Maceij pointed his blade toward the distant silhouette.
"For the great Sultan—defend Black Iron City and slay that winged reptile!"
Fire elementals were a warlike, highly prideful race, and Maceij's rallying cry reignited their fighting spirit.
"For the Sultan!"
"Defend Black Iron City!"
"No one can defeat us fire elementals on the Fire Elemental Plane!"
The fire elemental soldiers worked the winches, loading massive black metal bolts into their ballistae and aiming them toward the sky.
Below the walls, other fire elementals released the massive beasts caged within. The creatures exhaled scorching clouds of steam and let out low growls.
Maceij merely waved his hand, and a terrifyingly large flame wyvern clad in brass armor soared toward him.
"For the Grand Sultan!"
The fire elemental noble roared and leapt onto the wyvern's back, followed by over a hundred fire elemental cavalry.
Unlike Maceij, most of these soldiers wore uniforms made of flame sheep's wool or silk, wielding ten-meter-long bronze spears and carrying leather-bound, riveted shields.
To the vast fire elemental kingdom, the City of Iron was a mere border town—Black Iron City, however, was a significant military stronghold.
Several kilometers away, the red dragon flapped his wings again, stirring up a gust of hot wind filled with ash and embers.
Cassius narrowed his eyes, his golden pupils reflecting amusement.
"Interesting."
"Magic ballistae, elemental beasts, fire elemental cavalry—even the empire's elite would struggle against this fire elemental force."
"And these aren't even their elites, just the city's garrison. What terrifying power."
"Too bad they're facing me."
Cassius flapped his wings forcefully, lifting his massive body into the air. He raised his head and let out a thunderous roar.
"Roar—"
"Boom!"
Thunder cracked loudly.
The steam clouds above quickly gathered, and bolts of lightning—alien to the Fire Elemental Plane—flickered within the dark clouds.
Under the surge of Cassius's power, the dense clouds spread rapidly, soon hovering above Black Iron City.
A colossal figure weaved and circled through the clouds.
"Boom!"
"Boom! Boom!"
Bolts of lightning struck down, killing several fire elemental soldiers on the city wall, leaving only smoldering remnants of their elemental flames.
"Lightning!"
"Quick! Get out of the way!"
"By the Great Flame Lord, what is that?"
"Damn it, shoot down that dragon!"
The fire elemental soldiers panicked. Under the threat of death, they scrambled to aim their ballistae at the sky.
Massive bolts, trailing fiery tails, shot into the clouds but failed to hit their target.
"Boom!"
Thunder roared again, and an overwhelming aura spread, suffocating the fire elementals like an invisible boulder pressing down on them.
The giant beasts recently released trembled violently, their chains clanking.
The usually ferocious monsters now whimpered like newborns, retreating into their cages within the city.
"Boom! Boom!"
More bolts of lightning descended.
The massive shadow flickered within the clouds, striking fear into every creature present—even the fire elemental Emir wasn't immune.
"Awooo~~"
The flame wyvern beneath the fire elemental noble shivered uncontrollably, while its companions had already fainted and crashed to the ground.
"Hold on, my old friend."
"It's just a red dragon, Akriya. We once faced an ancient gold dragon together. This is nothing."
Maceij gently stroked the wyvern's neck, speaking softly.
But as he lifted his head to gaze at the shadow within the clouds and the lightning-filled sky, his expression turned grim and heavy.
"How could this be..."
"By the Great Flame Lord, it's supposed to be just a red dragon."
The battle-hardened fire elemental noble tightened his grip on the Sultan's gift, the enchanted shamshir, his entire body tense.