Siegfried, the Dragon Slayer Part III

Siegfried narrowed his eyes, his grip on Balmung steady as he took a step forward. His gaze flickered between us, calculating, assessing.

"So? You've been following me all this way. What exactly do you want?"

I kept my expression neutral and raised my hands slightly, showing no hostility. "We heard some stories about you, particularly about your time in the Ruined Spine."

His expression remained unreadable. "Stories?"

Fafnir crossed his arms. "Yeah. We heard that you fought and killed a dragon there. A dragon named... Umbaxis."

At the mention of the name, Siegfried's eyes darkened slightly, though his posture didn't waver.

"And?" he asked, voice calm but firm. "What of it?"

I stepped forward, watching him carefully. "We just want to know if it's true."

For a moment, there was only silence. Then, Siegfried exhaled sharply, lowering Balmung just slightly.

"Hmph. You came all this way just to ask me that?"

Siegfried let out a deep sigh, lowering Balmung slightly but still keeping a firm grip on its hilt. His eyes, sharp and calculating, studied each of us before narrowing in suspicion.

"You followed me through all this trouble just to ask about some dragon I killed?" His tone carried both amusement and irritation. "What exactly are you after?"

Fafnir stepped forward, arms crossed, his golden eyes gleaming with a faint intensity. "Just answer the question. Did you or did you not slay Umbaxis?"

For a moment, Siegfried was silent. His stance remained firm, but something in his expression shifted—just for a second, as if recalling something unpleasant. Then, he exhaled through his nose and finally spoke.

"Yeah. I killed it. I ran my blade through that beast myself."

The weight of his words settled in the air between us. A sharp tension formed—one that even he could sense.

Zarathorak clenched his fists at his sides, his knuckles turning white, though his expression remained deceptively calm. Ingi, standing beside me, had his eyes locked on Siegfried, his face unreadable. As for me, I felt my stomach tighten at his confirmation.

Fafnir's voice was quieter this time. "You're certain it was Umbaxis?"

Siegfried scoffed. "I don't make mistakes when it comes to my prey." He then rested Balmung on his shoulder and tilted his head slightly. "You keep saying the name like this dragon meant something to you."

I held my ground, my expression unwavering. "It's not about what he meant to us. It's about the truth."

Siegfried chuckled dryly. "Truth, huh?" He shifted his weight slightly. "You're acting like I committed some great crime by killing that thing."

Zarathorak finally spoke, his voice controlled but carrying an undertone of restrained anger. "Tell us exactly how it happened."

Siegfried raised an eyebrow at the demand but didn't argue. He seemed to measure us once again before speaking.

"Fine. I'll humor you."

He turned his gaze toward the vast horizon of the wilderness, his eyes distant as he recalled the past.

"It happened a year ago. I had been traveling through the Ruined Spine, following rumors of a massive creature that had been terrorizing some rogue adventurers. They spoke of an 'abyssal presence'—something ancient and unknown. I didn't pay much attention to their nonsense about curses or void energy, but the one thing I did care about was that it was a dragon. And dragons?" He tapped Balmung against his shoulder. "They're my specialty."

Zarathorak's expression didn't change, but I could tell his patience was wearing thin.

"Go on," I prompted.

Siegfried nodded. "It took me weeks to track it down. The Ruined Spine is a nightmare to navigate, even with a map. The deeper you go, the more it warps around you, making you lose your sense of direction. But eventually, I found it—or rather, it found me."

His grip on Balmung tightened slightly as he continued.

"It came out of nowhere. A massive thing, bigger than any wyvern I had ever seen, its body darker than the abyss itself. Its eyes..." Siegfried trailed off for a moment, then shook his head. "There was nothing in them but endless void."

Ingi muttered something under his breath, but Siegfried didn't seem to notice.

"We fought for hours. I won't lie—it was the hardest battle I've ever had. That thing didn't fight like any dragon I've slain before. It didn't just use brute strength or elemental attacks. It played with reality itself."

Zarathorak's eyes narrowed dangerously, but he remained silent.

"In the end, I cut it down," Siegfried continued. "I pierced its heart with Balmung and watched it collapse. Its body crumbled into the abyss, swallowed by the same darkness it came from. When it was over, I left."

Silence followed his words.

Fafnir clenched his jaw. "And you're sure it was dead?"

Siegfried gave him an irritated glance. "Do I look like the kind of guy who leaves his work unfinished?"

I frowned, exchanging a glance with Ingi. Something felt... off.

"And yet there was no proof of the body," I pointed out. "You said it crumbled into the abyss."

Siegfried shrugged. "That's how it happened."

Zarathorak finally spoke, his voice a low growl. "Or you only think that's how it happened."

Siegfried turned to face him, an eyebrow raised. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Zarathorak's eyes gleamed with something dark. "If that was truly Umbaxis... then you have no idea what you were up against."

Siegfried scoffed. "And you do?"

Zarathorak smirked slightly, though there was no humor in it. "Far more than you."

Siegfried clicked his tongue. "You're all acting like this dragon still exists."

Fafnir turned to me. "What do you think?"

I took a deep breath, considering everything we had just heard.

"If it was truly Umbaxis," I said slowly, "then there's a good chance that he's not dead."

Siegfried raised an eyebrow. "You think I failed?"

"No," I replied. "I think you were fighting something beyond your understanding. If he truly fell into the abyss, then there's a chance he's still there—waiting."

For the first time, Siegfried hesitated.

A cold wind blew through the trees. The Ruined Spine loomed far in the distance, an ominous presence against the sky.

None of us spoke for a long while.