The road to Sylmira was long.
The forests had grown lush and green, filled with creatures like rabbits, squirrels, and little lambs.
Tryon was silently rehearsing his plan in his mind.
He hadn't told anyone yet, but he was sure everyone would be shocked by what he was about to do.
"Well, my lord, what's your plan to increase the country's gold?" Blanitas asked Tryon.
"I don't have a plan just yet, but one thing's for sure—we need gold to buy ships," Tryon replied.
Blanitas was about to ask more questions, but Tryon cut him off and said, "If there's a translator there, don't say you're the translator—introduce yourself as an advisor."
Blanitas nodded in agreement.
Syroc, who hadn't received any letters from Tryon, had lost hope in negotiation and had already ordered his warships to prepare.
But the Sylmira sea wasn't the best place for ships. It was surrounded by dangerous snakes and sharks.
Still, the ships of Sylmira were considered high quality, each worth about a kilogram of gold.
Sylmira hadn't had many mineral resources before they conquered parts of Drakholme.
Drakholme was rich in gold and oil, but they didn't have the budget to extract them.
The continent's main bank, Dravonthar, refused to loan them money for extraction because their economy was weak—they couldn't pay it back.
Meanwhile, the Dravonthar Council was thinking of conquering Drakholme but couldn't act, fearing the Dragon's life would be at risk.
So they hoped Syroc could take the dragon from Tryon, so the council could conquer Drakholme together.
It seemed like Tryon was fighting the whole world alone.
Tryon and his companions were approaching Sylmira, visible from the Sylmira star tower.
Tryon's dragon was now about the size of a cow—small for a dragon but impressive, since dragons had been extinct for two thousand years.
Dracarus, with his red scales, tough hide, big eyes, and large horns, looked like an ancient Darkenad dragon from old paintings in ancient places.
"Finally!" Tryon said after seeing the golden gates of Sylmira.
They were let in, but Syroc was nowhere to be seen.
As soldiers guided them to the castle, people gathered around, staring in awe at the dragon.
When Syroc learned Tryon had arrived, he ordered them to host him first, then discuss the deal.
The dining table set for Tryon and his companions was loaded with steaks, fresh fruits, wine, and a whole roasted pig.
The main hall was decorated with peace flags, and soldiers stood ready.
Syroc couldn't contain his excitement.
He was usually impulsive, but this time he had a plan.
Sylmira's soldiers were known to follow orders blindly, almost like prisoners.
Blanitas and two soldiers with Tryon still had no idea about Tryon's plan.
Tryon and Syroc started talking, with Syroc's translator interpreting.
That's when Blanitas realized he needed to introduce himself as an advisor.
"Well, Syroc, why did you suddenly decide to give me most of your army?" Tryon asked.
"I'm seeking peace with you," Syroc answered.
"And how do you know we won't go to war with you after you give us your army?" Tryon said.
Tryon's question was a trick; everyone thought Tryon's plan was one thing, but they were completely wrong.
"Believe me, you can't," Syroc said with a smile.
Tryon said nothing.
After lunch, Syroc's soldiers led Tryon to a hall where 190,000 troops were ready.
These soldiers were skilled in sword fighting, archery, defense, and more, and they were highly trained.
"I really hate this arrogant guy," Syroc muttered.
"I'll tell them," his translator said.
"Skelee?" Syroc asked.
Tryon heard everything.
"Tell them to hand over the dragon, and I'll tell these soldiers to attack Tryon," Syroc told the translator, who relayed it to Tryon.
"When he gives the dragon, I'll tell the soldiers to kill him," Syroc said.
Tryon understood everything.
The translator said, "Your soldiers now work for Tryon."
Tryon handed the dragon over to Syroc and shouted, "DRACARUS!"
The dragon flew and burned Syroc.
Syroc was screaming and burning, shouting, "Soldiers, kill him!"
But the soldiers didn't move.
Tryon spoke in Sylmira's language, "You bastard, you can't fool a Drakholme."
Then he and his soldiers quickly left Sylmira.
Syroc was badly burned but was saved just in time.
He was furious at the betrayal.
He decided to go to Velmoria once he recovered.
Doctors gathered around Syroc to heal him.
Syroc was angry at his loss and at Tryon's cleverness—he never thought Tryon could be so smart!
Syroc was known for making hasty decisions.
"The rest of the soldiers must capture Tryon's wife and bring her to me. I'll make sure to disgrace Tryon so he never tries this again. Also, send the ships toward Drakholme's sea to destroy the area," Syroc said angrily.
"But my lord—" one advisor tried to speak.
"Shut up, bald!" Syroc snapped.
Meanwhile, Tryon and his companions…
"I didn't expect you to do this, my lord. I'm proud of you," Blanitas said excitedly.
"Blanitas, I don't just give my beloved dragon to anyone," Tryon said with a smile.
They were nearing their country.
When they arrived, Elanor was shocked to see Dracarus.
They assigned places for the soldiers, and Tryon asked,
"Who do you think would be the best leader for the army?"
Everyone stepped aside and pointed to Pepper.
"What's your name?" Tryon asked.
"Pepper, my lord," Pepper answered.
Pepper Persi had dark skin, was 178 cm tall, with black eyes and hair.
He was very trustworthy and loyal—a ruthless man toward criminals and better than most soldiers.
The Dravonthar Council, informed about these events, told Syroc not to worry and promised to help him.
The Dravonthar Council consisted of leaders from Atlantis, Lemuria, Hyperborea, Oz, and Narnia—some of the strongest countries on the continent—and they made major decisions for Dravonthar.
Syroc's father tried hard to get Sylmira into the council but never succeeded.
This time, however, the Dravonthar Council invited Syroc because of recent events and promised their support.
All continents were after Tryon's dragon, but no one acted like Syroc.
But time was running out; Dracarus was growing bigger and stronger.
To celebrate his great victory, Tryon decided to hold a small feast and help the needy.
He gave supplies like flour, chicken, beef, and pork to the people.
Drakholme's population was about 670,000.
Compared to big, powerful countries, that was small—the population of Oz was around 56 million.
Most of Oz's people hated their king and often betrayed him, but Drakholme's people loved Tryon and never abandoned him.
Amidst these events, one of Syroc's warships unpredictably approached Drakholme's harbor.
Archers started shooting and setting fire toward the people.
It was turning into a battlefield—the archers kept shooting at the ship but couldn't overpower them.
Dracarus sensed the danger, flew high, and set the ship on fire from above.
The fire looked like a bomb—everything turned yellow, red, and black.
It was the first time Tryon released such a powerful fire, and the whole ship burned—a shocking moment.
Everyone who saw it was terrified.
Drakholme was growing strong again, but one dragon alone wasn't enough to stop all enemies.
Tryon realized he would face many more enemies and wasn't ready yet.
Elanor was scared, having received no replies to her letters from her father.
Velmoria's king, Elanor's father, decided to visit Syroc instead of replying to her letter