32 Caught Up

Everything was frozen. The world seemed to have stopped on a single heartbeat. The noise of the crowd was missing. The hustle and bustle of the lively market seemed to have evaporated at the unexpected appearance of the dragon in town. Everyone was looking up at the gigantic beast.

I stared up dumbfounded at the sight of a gargantuan creature right out of a fantasy novel (right, I'm living in a fantastical world now) until a shrill scream knocked me back to my senses.

With the shriek, the world seemed to start moving again as chaos erupted around me.

I mean, holy shit, this really put things in perspective. Sure, I met elves (alf, whatever) and saw flora move and twist by itself. Yeah, I can now make a <Fireball> and <Fly.> But those things were nothing compared to seeing a living and breathing creature larger than an elephant and made a T-Rex fossil look like a toy in comparison.

The dragon probably was the size of a blue whale. And it could fly.

[Nori, that's technically a drake.]

'Now's not the time to be talking semantics, Thirty-Seven!' I exclaimed though I did read the description pop-up he brought up since I was too off-kilter to think to Scan the drake myself.

Of course, I thought, of course this thing had a breath attack. Wind-natured magic.

I'm not even sure how I felt about the fact it was categorized as a creature rather than being.

"N-Nori?"

I turned back and saw Jonas, standing there instead of running away like the (sensible) people knocking into me. "Find a cellar and hide under something sturdy!"

"But—"

"Go!"

Considering that dealt with, I looked around and figured the situation was rather grim. The walls protected the town from outside attacks but also trapped them and were useless against a flying enemy. The drake basically had a ready-made kill box.

Even if it was only after the soldiers, some of the assholes had fled with the townspeople and merchants, mixing in with the civilians. And, considering the description said its diet consisted of humans (which was probably why there was an expedition to exterminate it in the first place), I rather doubt this would be anything short of a massacre.

But seriously, why a wind-aligned magical creature? I was in the middle of the marketplace, the worst possible location to be right now. If I could head to the wall—

[Nori, we must save these people.]

Why did the AI I get stuck with had to be programmed with a conscience?

'Oh yeah? Do you have any ideas how I can manage that?' I sarcastically wondered as I ducked when the drake spread its wings, casting the town in shadow with its wingspan, and sent stalls flying from the wind created as it flapped the enormous leather limbs.

Well, I said that but I knew that I really was cornered. There was no "safe" route in this SNAFU I found myself in.

This town had maybe 10 to 15 minutes before it would be a ruin, judging by the description I read. One could survive the initial wreckage but there was no guarantee the drake would leave after. If I were a man-eating flying lizard, I'd stay and pick the humans out—a ready-made garden of Happy Meals.

That left running but the far wall was more than 15 minutes away and flying would attract its attention. Of course, it might ignore me for easier pickings but I'm just going to assume the worst-case-scenario and that it might chase after me if I tried to flee in the sky.

[Nori…]

'Well, it was nice knowing you, partner.'

[Nori, maybe we should leave. I want to help these people but the drake really is too strong for us now. I'm sorry for asking the impossible.]

'It's a bit too late, Thirty-Seven. There really isn't a way to leave safely. Better to be proactive than retreat at this point.'

A part of me was surprised that the AI apologized and suggested we run away. I felt the distress when he observed the injuries and death around us, so knew he went against his morals (protocols?) to say it.

'Hey, hey! I thought you weren't going to doubt me anymore,' I thought while a grim smile emerged on my face. An expression in stark contrast to the light tones I addressed 37 with.

[I'm not doubting you, Nori. It's impossible for you to defeat the wind drake with the resources at hand.]

Nothing is impossible under the right conditions. But, I admit, I'll likely not come out of this alive. There's over a 95% chance I won't survive this.

'Anyway, if I'm going to die… Considering the circumstances, might as well go out with a bang and possibly save these people while I'm at it.'

[Nori—]

"Haha," I gave a little laugh before I bent my knees and got into a ready position.

Time to do something stupid.

I pushed off and flew straight up.

[Nori!]