The Dragon Soaring Through the Sky!

While the Golden Oasis flourished, the Ratmen Kingdom faced dark days. Aubrey, the Rat King, hadn't slept for nights.

The battle at Shalin had cost the Ratmen Kingdom tens of thousands of its elite warriors. Though more than twice that number had returned, they were plagued by necrotic infections, leading to various debilitating conditions. The lucky ones were merely weakened; the unlucky ones died within a night, transforming into undead creatures and spreading terror throughout the kingdom.

But these issues alone weren't keeping Aubrey awake. What truly disturbed his sleep was the undead army establishing a stronghold in the Shalin area. This wasn't just a food crisis; it threatened the very existence of the Ratmen Kingdom. Located in the Stonemount Range adjacent to Shalin, the Ratmen Kingdom faced an imminent threat. The undead army was like a lich's sword hanging over Aubrey's head, ready to decapitate him at any moment.

"How can I sleep peacefully under these circumstances?" he muttered. "Our only hope is to seek the protection of Master Charles. Only the powerful Master Charles can help us overcome this crisis."

With this resolve, Aubrey crawled out of bed, leaving his puzzled rat queens behind. In the Ratmen Kingdom, where fat was considered beautiful, Aubrey's queens were enormous black rats, each three to four meters tall. Clad in ornate gowns, their appearance was a blend of fantastical and nightmarish. No wonder the black-robed figure had vehemently refused Aubrey's offer of rat-women beauties.

"What's the matter with His Majesty?" one queen asked.

"Probably can't sleep because of the kingdom's troubles," another replied. "I hope this undead crisis ends soon. I miss sunbathing in the sand."

"Will it end soon?" a third queen inquired.

"Past undead plagues lasted no more than a month," a fourth queen reassured. "Hopefully, this one will be the same."

"Seventeenth Sister, where are you going?"

"Oh, I can't sleep either. Just going for a walk."

Meanwhile, Aubrey ventured alone to the forbidden cavern. The black-robed emissary hadn't appeared since the battle at Shalin, having been severely injured. Inside the cavern, Aubrey found the dark dragon Charles sprawled on the altar, surrounded by heaps of beast meat. The dragon clan were natural gluttons, and the Ratmen Kingdom had paid a steep price to sustain Charles. Their people had endured extreme rationing, leading to the starvation of countless ratlings in just two years.

As Aubrey approached to kneel before the dark dragon, he noticed a pile of white bones in a corner of the cavern. Given a dragon's formidable digestion, these bones were out of place. They carried a faint necrotic aura—remnants of undead creatures. Aubrey's face darkened. Those damn undead had dared to invade the dragon's lair.

The dark dragon Charles slowly lifted his head, his ancient golden eyes coldly appraising the trembling Aubrey. In those eyes, there was only indifference and disdain for a lesser being.

"Why are you here, Aubrey?" the dragon's voice rumbled.

"Great Master Charles," Aubrey began, his voice trembling under the dragon's oppressive presence. "The vile undead have defiled your domain, an affront to the dragon's dignity. As your loyal servant, I should destroy them, but my strength is insufficient..."

"I beg you, great Master Charles, to intervene personally. Let your dragon breath annihilate those wretched undead!"

"I am aware," Charles replied indifferently, clearly dismissive. He cared only about recovering from his injuries, not the fate of the Ratmen Kingdom.

Pressing his forehead to the ground, Aubrey pleaded, "The undead have established a stronghold in Shalin. Their necrotic magic forms a canopy, shrouding everything. Soon, they will invade our kingdom and disturb your slumber."

Charles' golden eyes narrowed. He rose, unfurled his massive wings, and with a powerful beat, sent Aubrey crashing against the cavern wall.

"Forgive me, Master!" Aubrey cried, ignoring the pain as he knelt again. He knew this was Charles' punishment, but as long as the dragon agreed to fight, he could endure it.

"Gather your army," Charles commanded in a deep, resonant voice. "Tomorrow, we march on Shalin."

"By your will, great Master Charles!" Aubrey fled the cavern, his heart elated. Yet Charles was seething with rage. The audacity of that rat to threaten him! Once he recovered, he vowed to annihilate the entire Ratmen Kingdom.

"Damn rats!" Charles growled. "Damn undead! Why must they disturb me now?"

With a roar, he unleashed a searing dragon breath, incinerating the pile of undead bones to ash.

The next day, Charles emerged from the underground for the first time in two years, his vast wings lifting him into the sky. Despite the agonizing pain from the emerald arrow embedded in his chest, the exhilaration of flight was intoxicating.

The Ratmen army assembled below as Charles soared above, his scorching breath sweeping across the land, incinerating all in its path. A new war erupted in the Shalin region.