Titan King: Ascension of the Giant

Chapter 1412: Spider and the Hawk

"The people here are cut from a different cloth," Kronos said, his voice unusually grave for a boy his age. "They are harder. Unyielding. Their blood runs hot."

It was a realization born of experience. Kronos had spent his previous years in the army; the clansmen he had fought beside all shared that same jagged edge.

"I don’t get it," Princess Lola said, shaking her head. To the Sea-Drake royal, the nuance was lost.

Kronos shrugged, the solemnity vanishing as he stepped forward to take the lead. "Don’t worry about it. Follow me. I know where to get the best grub, and I know exactly where to find the best view in the city."

He knew Blackstone City well. He had bled on these stones before.

"Yay! Let’s go, let’s go!"

Shortly after Kronos and Lola disappeared into the crowd, another group materialized on the teleportation pad.

"Hah... so that’s what warping feels like?" Bloodear, the Gnoll mercenary, shook his head vigorously, flopping his long ears about. "I didn’t even puke. The bards lie about the dizziness."

"It’s all thanks to the Commander," Stoutgut the Dwarf grunted, his beard bristling as he stared wide-eyed at their surroundings. "If not for his war record, scum like us wouldn’t be allowed within ten feet of a teleportation array."

Stoutgut had heard legends of Blackstone City his entire life. If he hadn’t missed his chance years ago, he might have been working in the Bureau of Weapons alongside Elder Harbek by now.

"It’s not just the Commander’s record," Brundar the Giant rumbled, puffing out his chest. "It’s his contribution to the Horde. They keep ledgers of these things. That’s why we get the VIP treatment."

The mercenary group had made the decision to come the moment they heard about the festival. Where there were crowds, there was work.

"Bwahaha! Look over there!" Stoutgut pointed a calloused finger toward a district billowing with thick, black smoke. "That’s the smell of coal and flux! That’s where my kin are!"

To a Dwarf, that acrid smog was sweeter than perfume. It felt like home.

"Let’s move," Brundar said, taking charge. "I don’t know the layout, so I need to ask around. We need intel on the Bagbirds."

As a Giant, Brundar naturally assumed the role of pathfinder. He intended to show his team a good time while gathering information.

"This Bagbird mission is key," Godfrey, their Commander, added quietly. "We’re not just filling a contract; we need to stockpile some Bagbird pouches for the company."

He looked at his men. "Enjoy the festival for a few days. Rest up. We head into the wilds soon."

Godfrey hid it well, but he was just as curious about Blackstone City as the rest of them. It was his first time here. When he learned that the elusive Bagbirds—rare magical beasts known for their spatial storage organs—had been spotted in the region, he hadn’t hesitated to pay the exorbitant teleportation fees.

Blackstone City was massive, but to some, it was just a small patch of a much larger backyard.

"Ah... this is the life," Lorelia sighed.

Unlike the travelers crowding the streets, Lorelia had long since returned to her lair.

High above the city, on the precipitous ridges of Moonshadow Valley, the Spider Queen rested her carapace against the stone ramparts. She bathed in the sunlight, lazily watching the city below through half-lidded eyes.

She watched the smoke rising from the chimneys, the endless river of people, the beast-blood mounts skittering in panic through the streets, and the imposing silhouette of the Horde Hall.

This was the place she had once protected. And it was the place she would guard forever.

Thump!

Just as Lorelia was drifting into a doze, a piercing eagle’s cry split the air. A massive, insectoid creature fell from the sky, plummeting toward her.

Lorelia’s eyes snapped open. A glint of greed flashed in her multiple pupils.

She raised a hand, shooting a thick web that snagged the falling prey mid-air, reeling it in with a wet thwip.

Moments later, a massive Thunderhawk spiraled down and landed on the battlements.

"Lorelia! A greeting from Rayden," the bird squawked, puffing his feathers. "Do you like the gift?"

It was Rayden. Since retiring from the front lines, the Thunderhawk had been living like a king, roaming the Stoneheart skies without a natural predator in sight. He had spent his time harassing every female avian in the territory.

Like many of the veterans, Rayden was stuck at the peak of the Chieftain rank, unable to break into the Legendary tier. But he lacked ambition. He was content knowing he had the ultimate backer.

With the Abyssal Dragon Xalathar gone to the Abyss, Rayden naturally sucked up to Lorelia. As pets of Orion, they shared a bond. Their power levels might differ, but their status was equal.

"Satisfied. Very satisfied," Lorelia clicked her mandibles, inspecting the carcass. "But I heard Dirtclaw wiped out the bugs in the north. Where did you find this giant cricket?"

Having a Thunderhawk as a lackey was a luxury Lorelia enjoyed. Occasionally, she even bullied him into taking her for flights.

"Caught it way down south!" Rayden bragged. "Heavy bastard, too."

South of the Thunderwood Forest. Outside the Stoneheart borders.

Lorelia frowned, shooting Rayden a warning glare.

"Rayden, don’t cause trouble for the Master," she hissed. "His territory is big enough for you to play in. If you get caught outside the borders, don’t expect me to come save your feathery hide."

Lorelia was risk-averse by nature. She looked down on Rayden’s reckless wandering.

"It’s fine, it’s fine," Rayden chirped, flapping his wings dismissively. "Master is a Demigod now. No one on this continent—hell, no one in this world—would dare touch me."

He was practically radiating arrogance.

"True," Lorelia conceded. "But better safe than dead. You aren’t an Archlord. If you get killed, you don’t come back."

She scolded him because she cared, in her own way. "Besides, some big shots have arrived in Blackstone City recently. Don’t let them outshine you."

Night fell quickly over the north.

As the stars began to prick the velvet sky, the city remained ablaze with lantern light.

The crowd gathered in the central plaza, buzzing with anticipation. Suddenly, a roar shook the foundations of the city. A massive dragon erupted from the Horde Hall, soaring over the square.

It opened its maw, unleashing a torrent of dragonfire that ignited the massive bonfire stacks below.

Whoosh!

The flames roared to life, painting half the sky in orange and gold, igniting the passion of the clansmen below.

Roar!

Mission accomplished, the dragon banked upward, circling the plaza in a victory lap.

Roar!

Another cry answered it. A second dragon launched itself from the Horde Hall, joining the aerial dance.

Below, amidst the cheering crowd, Thundar rubbed his arm. The dragon tattoo etched into his skin was burning, the beast within trembling with excitement at the call of its kin.

"You want to join them, old friend?" Thundar grinned. "Go on, then!"

A flash of red light burst from his arm. A dragon materialized, shrieking its challenge to the heavens as it rocketed upward.

"Hahaha! Why should they have all the fun?"

Dace let out a dry laugh. He slapped the summoning seal on his gear, releasing his own dragon mount into the night sky.