Defeating the World with the Power of One Dragon!

Chapter 82: Divine Guardians, Comet's Trail

Fine silver threads descended from the sky as a misty rain curtain enveloped Howling Cliff. Behind Warlord Bloodfang, another figure emerged from the rocky cavern - a hunched, stooped gnoll with jet-black fur devoid of any markings, distinctly different from the mottled coats of other gnolls.

Rotclaw the Priest, devout worshiper of the gnoll deity.

Leaning on his white bone staff, the priest shuffled forward with slow steps to stand beside Warlord Bloodfang, followed by two silent gnoll guardians who matched his every move. Their muscular builds rivaled the warlord's in stature, with twisted runes faintly visible beneath their rain-slicked fur.

The two guardians' composed demeanor stood in stark contrast to normal gnolls. They were warriors selected by Rotclaw, transformed through sacrificial rites to receive their god's blessing - gaining combat prowess rivaling magical beasts of equal rank, at the cost of mere ten-year lifespans, diminished intellect, and loss of reproductive capacity.

Garoth's gaze sharpened as he noticed the two guardians.

These were [Gnollguards], mighty warriors created through divine blessing.

Not just the gnoll deity either. Most gods possessed similar 'blessing' abilities to create utterly loyal servants by sacrificing longevity, reproductive capability, and rational thought. Take the Evil Dragon God's [Dragonblights] - requiring only one year from hatching to maturity, gaining power comparable to thousand-year ancient wyrms within a century, yet living barely past one hundred years with no thoughts beyond serving their draconic deity.

Priests could also create divine guardians, though at steep costs. With low ritual success rates, these two gnoll guardians likely represented dozens, even hundreds of sacrificed lives. Moreover, only priests reaching certain devotion thresholds could wield such abilities.

Garoth studied Rotclaw with growing distaste.

Gods - the true rulers of planes and worlds - could alter mortal fates with mere thoughts, elevating them to heaven or casting them into hell. Garoth never trusted his luck to fall favorably, always preparing for worst-case scenarios."A priest devoted to the gnoll god... utterly loyal, obeying divine will above all. Even if I subjugate the Redeye Clan and demonstrate worthy strength, he might still feign allegiance while plotting against me to please his deity."

Garoth found no sense of security around this god-touched priest.

'Sacrifice this dragon to our god' - the gnoll priest might well be thinking exactly that. Lightly devout priests were manageable, but one capable of creating divine guardians was no casual believer. Garoth had assumed this Redeye Clan priest followed his deity only for survival benefits in the wilderness, but reality proved otherwise.

The Howling Moon werewolves hadn't mentioned this detail. One couldn't expect deep insight from wild monster clans - recognizing warlords and priests already exceeded expectations. Without their own priests, the non-devout werewolves naturally lacked specific knowledge.

"Priests... highly devout priests..."

"Kill him? Ancestral knowledge warns that slaying priests risks drawing divine attention - endless repercussions. Can't kill him directly."

As Garoth pondered, Rotclaw positioned himself slightly ahead of Bloodfang. Mirroring the warlord's respectful tone but with a voice like grating sandpaper, the priest slowly intoned: "By Yeenoghu's grace... noble wyrm... we offer fine drink and fresh meat... to welcome your arrival."

What a robust young dragon. Sacrificing it to great Yeenoghu would surely please him. Beneath respectful appearances, the priest struggled to suppress this thought.

Meanwhile, Garoth observed Bloodfang's reaction. The thick-furred, burly gnoll warlord clearly disliked the priest taking precedence, instinctively baring fangs yet holding his tongue.

"The Redeye Clan's warlord and priest don't get along."

Garoth began calculating. He understood Bloodfang's petty schemes perfectly - typical gnoll behavior, thinking themselves cunning while every twitching ear and shifty eye betrayed their thoughts to draconic observers. Their 'cleverness' was superficial at best.

Gnolls loved following dragons. Yet they'd happily hunt unproven wyrmlings. Conversely, demonstrating overwhelming power easily secured their allegiance. Nearly every overlord dragon kept gnoll vassals - breeding like weeds with short growth cycles, making perfect cannon fodder or emergency rations to draconic minds. Their innate mix of awe and terror toward powerful dragons fostered peculiar 'loyalty.'

"Redeye Clan, I demand your allegiance. From this day forth, you shall follow my wing's shadow."

Garoth fixed his gaze upon the gnoll warlord.

Bloodfang immediately prostrated himself without hesitation. "Serving mighty dragonkind is every gnoll's honor! My life's purpose was meeting you today to become your vassal."

More gnolls knelt in waves. Only the priest and two Gnollguards remained conspicuously standing in the drizzle.

"My apologies... a priest kneels only to his god. But know my respect and awe for you ranks only below great Yeenoghu's. The Redeye Clan yearns to follow dragonkind."

Rotclaw maintained his obsequious manner.

Bloodfang's eyes gleamed as he suggested: "Dragon Lord, descend upon your loyal Redeye Clan! Let me guide you through your new domain and present all our hoarded treasures."

If Garoth landed, the warlord would instantly activate his commanding aura, emboldening all gnoll warriors to overcome draconic majesty and swarm the young dragon alongside the priest's curses and divine spells, dragging him down for the kill.

After several silent seconds, Garoth suddenly grinned.

"Very well, I'll land now."

Instead of descending, he beat his wings and shot skyward, tearing through the rain curtain to carve a crimson trail across the stormy heavens. The gnolls rose, tilting heads back as dwindling scarlet speck reflected in their reddish-brown eyes.

"Did he sense danger and flee?" Bloodfang wondered.

Suddenly -

A shrieking roar froze the warlord's expression, choking his breath as if an invisible fist clenched his heart.

Garoth plunged downward, massive wings shredding the rain. His wing membranes' fine scales rang like countless drawn swords, exploding raindrops into mist that vaporized instantly from heat, creating swirling steam trails reminiscent of a comet's tail.

As he slowed his descent, each wingbeat no longer shrieked but instead boomed with dull detonations.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Like distant thunder forcibly dragged overhead, announcing Garoth's arrival.