Just as Daneel was preparing to go to the staircase himself, the system rang in his head.
[Danger! Highly unstable magical vibrations detected. Host is advised to leave the present location immediately!]
This was the first time the system had given him a warning. Slinging the rucksack on his back, he sprinted down the steps to the ground floor.
At the end of the hallway, Daneel found that this was not the entrance through which the goods and cages had come. This was because he found himself in the poshest pub he had ever seen.
Although the walls and floors were still made of wood, silver and bronze glittered everywhere. Tables were made of expensive hardwood and seemed to be enchanted with auto-clean functions. The bar at the side was coated with s.h.i.+ning gold and bottles of exotic drinks in all colors adorned the silver racks behind it.
There were only 10 people in this extravagant room. Yet, at the entrance stood 2 constables. He knew he would have no chance to pa.s.s them especially with the clothes he was wearing now.
Just as he was wondering what to do, the ground under him shook.
Tables and bottles fell to the ground as the people inside the pub who had been idly drinking rose up in panic. A rumbling sound could be heard which seemed to signal the advent of doom.
Daneel ran to the door along with the others. In the panic, he got out safely and ran into an alleyway unlike the rest who stood outside the pub.
After getting into the alleyway, Daneel turned around and finally saw what it was that had transfixed all the people on the street to just stare with shock on their faces.
An enormous dragon reared its head above the roof on the rear side of the pub. It stood at least 30 feet tall, with a long neck that stretched down into the pub below.
Instead of flesh and bones, the dragon was made completely out of fire. As Daneel looked closer though, he saw a white cloud beside the dragon where its wings should have been. Although only the top part was visible, it was quite clear that where the fiery body of the dragon stopped, the wings made of clouds began.
"This establishment has been deemed guilty of the innumerable sins reported against it. The Priests of Rect.i.tude now pa.s.s down this judgement: this land shall be razed to the ground and no establishments must be set up in this location for a period of 10 years. All those who are responsible or took part in the facilitation of the fighting arena will be punished by immediate death. Glory be to Saint Rect.i.tude."
This was the same voice that Daneel had heard before, from the man in the priest"s robes. Squinting, he noticed that there were actually 2 people standing on top of the dragon"s head.
"Firewind Dragon, destroy!"
With these words, the dragon opened its mouth and roared at the pub. Raging flames erupted everywhere, with a few fireb.a.l.l.s even falling near Daneel and the other spectators.
The roar was actually soundless, but the rus.h.i.+ng fire gave it the sound of destruction.
A few seconds later, the dragon stopped the roar and bent backwards.
2 ma.s.sive clouds that seemed to phase through the surrounding buildings rose from the ground.
The dragon flapped them once, making a tornado appear out of thin air. Placed dead center in the pub, the tornado which now had flames swirling with it destroyed the pub, completely razing it to the ground.
It was all over in a minute. Either the temperature of the flames was immensely high, or the tornado had enough power to accomplish such a ma.s.sive feat of eradication in such little time.
Daneel was staring at the two men on top of the dragon. After the deed was done, the man in mid-air turned towards the direction where Daneel was standing and winked. For some reason, Daneel knew it was intended for him.
The two men instantly vanished just like before after the wink. The dragon simply faded away into the air. In less than 5 seconds, there was nothing there. Only the black smoke coming from still burning materials marked the location of the former top pub of the city, The Dwarve"s Rum.
"System, what was that?", asked Daneel, shuddering. He was still shocked due to what he had just witnessed.
[Replying to host, the legendary spell "Firewind Dragon" was just witnessed. The only data known about this spell is that it is the standard annihilation device used by the radical Church of Rect.i.tude.]
This was magic? Daneel thought that flying through the air or making water prisons was already very awe-inspiring. What he had just seen was on a whole other level that he had never even thought to be possible.
With his horizons widened, Daneel slowly walked home. He first made sure to strip down and wear his original clothes before stuffing the royal garments into a stinky sewer entrance.
His parents had already slept, so Daneel entered using their alternate key hidden near the entrance to enter and sneak into his room. Stuffing the bag under his bed and making sure it was hidden from sight, Daneel drifted into the world of dreams.
Dreams of flying on dragons greeted him, which made a small smile appear on his lips while the whole city was in uproar over the annihilation of The Dwarve"s Rum.