I Only Tame Dragons

Chapter 165 Line of Resolve

a collective shiver ran through the group, and even trisha, who was still new to this life, felt a sense of dread at the mention of the queen's wrath.

she had heard whispers of the queen's punishment, but no one dared speak openly about it. the mere thought was enough to make her heart race with fear.

"it's not just about winning anymore," aeloria continued, her voice steady despite the fear in her chest. "it's about survival. we can't back out now. not unless we want to face the consequences of forfeiting this game."

theron, liora, and trisha exchanged uneasy glances, their minds racing. aeloria's words weighed heavily on them, but none of them could deny the truth of what she was saying. there was no turning back now. they were too deep in this to retreat.

discover more content at empire

"it's either fight or face the wrath of cedrick and the queen," aeloria said, her tone cold and resolute. "so we fight."

liora swallowed hard, her eyes still locked on von. "if we fight, we're not just battling a cursed creature. we're risking everything."

"and that's the reality of it," aeloria replied. "but we have no choice." she turned to face her team, her expression hardening. "we win, or we lose everything. now, gather yourselves. prepare for what's coming."

the team fell into a tense silence, each of them contemplating the choice ahead. there was no easy way out of this. no matter what they decided, the consequences would be dire. but in the end, they had no option but to push forward, to fight with everything they had left.

"understood," lydia said, forcing herself to steady her trembling hands. she glanced at silphie, who gave her a curt nod of agreement. the tension between them was thick, but they shared the same thought—von was their best chance at holding the line.

"von," silphie said quietly, stepping closer. her voice was calm, but her eyes betrayed the concern she felt. "are you sure you can handle this? you're already walking a fine line with that curse."

von didn't answer immediately. he glanced down at his hands, where faint tendrils of dark energy flickered before vanishing into nothingness. "i'll manage," he said, his voice quieter now.

he then raffled silphie's hair and grinned at her. "don't worry, i will be fine. it's a promise."

silphie nodded silently, choosing not to say anything more. there was something different about von now, something that unsettled her. compared to how he was before—calm, teasing, and often lighthearted—this version of him felt distant and serious, almost as if he were an entirely different person. even his voice had changed, carrying a depth and crispiness that hadn't been there before.

she wasn't sure how to feel about it. this side of him, cold and commanding, felt unfamiliar, and it left her uneasy. though she trusted von, being around this new version of him—this darker, more dangerous identity—made it hard for her to relax. still, she knew now wasn't the time for doubts. whatever he had become, he was still their von, and they had no choice but to follow his lead.

von couldn't afford to let doubt creep in—not now, not when they were all depending on him. he had fought alongside these people long enough to know that trust was their greatest weapon, and he couldn't let his fears undermine that trust.

taking a deep breath, von shifted his stance, his muscles tensing as he prepared for the inevitable clash. the opposing team was already regrouping, their leader barking orders as they prepared for another assault.

von's eyes narrowed, focusing on the movements of their front-liners. he didn't want to kill especially the women, but if push came to shove, he would have no choice but to do it.