8 A Successful Attempt

Anasthasia poised with grace as she successfully captured an enormous creature right in front of her.

The men approached in a frenzy, panting with their eyes almost gouged out of the sockets as they witnessed the scene. Liam's spine stiffened when he got a closer look at the appearance of the mighty dragon. His eyes gleamed from the thickness of scales up to its jagged, near-crystalline horns.

"Impossible!" Liam howled in distraught, firmly gripped his navy blue hair, "There's no way I can process all of that!"

"You have seen for yourself, brother." Levi slowly wiped his forehead.

She made a long face while she snorted. 'You thought it was all talk? You've got to be kidding me.' Glanced back at the frozen dragon and chortled.

Trembling lips parted, "Not an ordinary dragon..." Michael spoke as though he was breathless. Eyes remained smitten by the spectacular performance.

"I know." Anasthasia laughed once more, "When it released a breath of ice, I was momentarily caught off guard!"

"It's even scary when you think about it!" Liam flailed his arms. "It wasn't just an ordinary fire dragon!"

The dignified woman countered, "I beg to differ. Fairly and relatively easy compared to the dragons I have fought before." She slightly blew off her fingernails.

"I'm starting to lose my common sense."

"Don't sweat it." Anasthasia rolled her eyes, then had gone for several stretches on her body, "That felt so good!" Corners of her lips lightly rose and glanced at them. Their faces screamed which was difficult to comprehend.

'Times have changed, and my guts are telling me it changed for the worse. I hope it isn't that dire at all!' Her eyes surveyed the gloomy sky and sighed deeply.

Anasthasia shook her head, peered back to the gigantic crystal-clear iceberg that imprisoned the enormous dragon. She drew a closer look, noticed the lava skin in between dark scales.

From the tail up to its majestic head, golden eyes glazed across its body reflected small images of her impeccable face.

Anasthasia took her time with her hands and touched the ice. She continued to fancy over it. While the rest prowled near her, they jolted when her mouth muttered in awe, "What a beautiful creature!"

No rebuttals, all of them nodded.

It was an indisputable fact that not only this dragon was beyond fierce in their eyes, but exuded a strong charm that was hard to resist!

But Levi began to unsheathe the sword when its eyes gazed upon them with its pristine color. Bodies stunned, although the minds screamed to run for their lives. They readied themselves in a combat stance except for Anasthasia.

Liam noticed her hands gracefully reached out to the cold surface, which had him hissed, "Lady Anasthasia, look out—!"

"It must have been so uncomfortable for you in this thick wall of ice." Hands caressed the coldness; she patiently waited for its eyes to engage hers before she leaned with her forehead.

"What—!" Levi and Liam shouted on top of their lungs.

Anasthasia watched them. She sweetly replied, "Trust me, I got this." Then peered back to the dragon. "Come out now."

Michael remained silent all this time, but his pupils dilated when he heard those insane words. "You can't do that—"

Amber eyes blinked a couple, then several cracks from the iceberg spread out at a tremendous rate. When shattered, it growled with intensity. Grows traveled the distance, which disturbed the masses. Vibrations comparable to aftershocks and lasted for more than a minute.

The twins had cowered, firmly sealed their ears. Anasthasia rolled her eyes as she flicked her finger, 'Wind Shot!'

The dragon flinched, then whimpered from pain. It had sudden convulsions. The dragon wanted to roar once more, but Anasthasia grunted.

"Stop putting on an act! You're scaring nobody in this area."

Liam tilted his head with eyebrows further creased, "Pardon?"

The dragon glanced in quite a turn, eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Human, How did you know that?" Its head leaned closer to her.

Anasthasia cringed from his nose that strongly flared, "That should be none of your concern, right?"

"Impossible!" The mighty dragon roared in anger, "To learn an ancient, draconic language, it's blasphemous for a puny human—"

"Puny human enough to slay a grown ass dragon?" Anasthasia giggled, "I think so too!"

The dragon whined, slowly leaned back, and only glared out of frustration. "What do you want from me?"

"A simple task only you can do at this point." Anasthasia rubbed her chin. "Take us, and fly to the kingdom..."

Michael met her eyes and cleared his throat. "The Navarre Kingdom."

"Thank you for that." Eyes slowly flickered as she shifted back to the mighty dragon who looked livid. "To the Navarre Kingdom."

"Of all things, you out to tame a dragon as a mere courier?" Harrumphed as its dark wings unfurled so wide enough to cover their vision of the sky, "Human, I have never stooped that low in my entire life!"

"I'm not exactly taming you." Her lips thinned from his reply. "I'm leaving you no choice."

"Oh?" Smoke blew from its nostrils. "How pretentious, If you tell me right now that's a lie then I'll be lenient this time around!"

"I don't have to do that. I'll show you something."

The dragon remained stoic and calm."And what if I don't—?" Its head forcefully slammed on the ground with its sears in pain.

Trembled in fear, unable to break free from her invisible clutches. The sudden weight of the entire world bestowed upon. The amber eyes rattled with every playful finger that danced.

"Again, you're in no position to make a choice." She slowly approached, letting her fingers glide across its head. "Don't make me force you by doing this."

Michael watched how things unfurled; it cast doubt and turmoil in his head. None of their conversations were understood. He could barely discern through their gesticulations, and his two subordinates fared worse.

The Prince had intrigued when he noticed her fingers touched those scales oozed with opulence. Though a sudden eruption of glitters and colorful smoke permeated the area, it surged towards the dragon.

Evident how its sharp pupils contracted, flinched in horror. Legs quivered and prowled backward.

"You can't run away from me." Anasthasia hummed in a sweet tone; she strutted with every step he took.

Liam and Levi looked at each other as their lips crooked. In the end, they sighed deeply. Meanwhile, Anasthasia grimaced as she witnessed his arrogant stature transformed into an obedient, yet frightful lizard.

"No!" The dragon roared in panic, "You're not coming closer! You're not human at all!"

"I'm human, silly dragon." She cringed while she stared. "Do you believe in me now—?"

"Yes! Yes, I do believe you!" It jerked, whimpering out of fear. "I'll do anything! I'll do anything!"

Anasthasia chortled as she had achieved her objectives. "You made our negotiations easy from now on."

The once-mighty dragon turned out traumatized for life, claws that clung deep on its head. Legs and wings continued to rattle at a prominent rate. The three of them died to know what they had talked about.

"Lady Anasthasia, I—" Levi scratched his nape with eyes averted. "May this honorable knight grace enlightenment with the conversation you had thus far? I understood virtually none of the words that left your lips moments ago."

Anasthasia smiled. "I simply asked him a favor."

'Looking at their cringed faces, they seemed to doubt my words.' She then sighed.

"However, this dragon is too big." Liam arched his neck. "We will be seen in a distance."

Anasthasia glared at the dragon. "Don't worry! I can fairly transform however you wish! I can be your pet— Ah!"

"Pet?" She snickered in silence, and the poor dragon trembled once more.

"I can cast invisibility—"

Levi had all fired up, "You can do that?!"

"I sure can, all I need is to reflect and refract a portion of light..." She glanced at them with familiar looks so she waved her hand. "Nevermind, although this big guy right here claimed he can transform much smaller."

"What's your name?"

"Freidmirth..."

"Alright, everyone!" She turned around and spread her arms. "His name is Friedmirth! Call him Fried—"

"Freid! It's Freid!" Freid's nostrils flared once more but stumped when her eyes glinted cold.

"Fried! Transform now!"

Freid has left no choice but to transform to an adequate size with negligible changes of his majestic features. He lowered himself for them to hop on. She was perched atop the majestic dragon.

Michael watched silently with her with sharp eyes that exuded all the absolute seriousness of an ancient empress. Hair falling in long and billow curls was brownish as the most fertile soil. Her torn yet elegant blue dress draped and danced to and fro by the chill winds. Her eyes glinted like a shine of gold as she spoke,

The Prince smiled with twins abroad, as he came last.

She smiled back, "How you like that?"