I Only Tame Dragons

Dawnfire scoffed, eyeing Horizon's undead with a mix of wariness and disgust. Damon, David, and Ford—all reanimated and staring back at them with blank, lifeless eyes—stood like grim sentinels by the tent entrance.

"They're . . . unsettling. And to be honest, they stink. If you're going to do your ritual or whatever it is, could you at least command them to stay outside the tent? Kind of hard to relax with these guys hovering over us."

Horizon raised an eyebrow but gave a slight nod. Without a word, he signaled his undead to move back. It was a trivial matter, not worth arguing over. If it would keep them quiet, then so be it.

The three minions shuffled back, moving out of the tent and standing just beyond its entrance, their watchful gazes still fixed on the group.

As soon as they were outside, Velvet let out a sigh of relief, shooting Horizon a wary look. "I still don't trust him," she murmured.

Dawnfire let out a weary sigh. "We've already established that," she said, brushing off the lingering tension.

Nearby, Aria began handing out rations, distributing what little they had managed to gather in the forest before entering this barren wasteland.

The group had wisely stocked up on meat from the beasts they'd hunted in the forest earlier. If they hadn't, they'd be in real trouble now, facing both the unforgiving desert and a lack of provisions.

"Just focus on eating and regaining your strength," Aria urged. "We need to be in top shape, no matter what happens."

Dawnfire glanced over, concern etching her features. "How are we doing on supplies?"

Aria gave a quick nod. "We've got enough for a few days if we ration carefully, but we'll need to hunt soon to replenish our stock. Finding beasts to kill will be crucial if we're going to make it through this desert."

"We need to be mindful of our rations since we have no idea how long we'll be stuck here," Fiora said.

The rest of the team nodded in agreement. None of them had chosen to fill their limited inventory slots with food—doing so was usually seen as a waste.

In previous competitions, the terrain had been rich with prey and edible plants, allowing them to hunt and forage freely. But this desert was different, and the lack of visible wildlife was unsettling.

"Normally, we wouldn't be too worried about food and water," Velvet chimed in, chewing on a piece of dried meat. "In previous competitions, there were plenty of beasts to hunt, fruits to pick, and rivers to refill our canteens. But here . . . it feels like a different game entirely."

Dawnfire looked around, her eyes narrowing at the endless stretch of sand and rock. "We can survive without food for a week if it comes to that," she said. "But we'd be too weak to fight or defend ourselves. We can't afford that, especially not now."

Seraphina, listening quietly, added, "We need to keep moving. The longer we stay in one place, the more we're at risk of running out of resources. And who knows what else is lurking in this place?"

The group fell silent, the weight of their situation settling in. They couldn't rely on past strategies; this new environment demanded a different approach.

As they ate, they kept their weapons close, eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of movement. In this desolate landscape, every shadow felt like a potential threat.

While the women were resting, Horizon moved over to the bodies sprawled on the ground. With a simple flick of his fingers, a faint dark glow pulsed from his hand as he activated his [Raise Corpse] skill.

One of the corpses twitched violently before slowly rising, its dried, lifeless eyes now animated by an unnatural force.

Velvet, observing the scene, couldn't help but mutter, "That's it? That's all it takes? I was expecting something more . . . ominous."

Dawnfire shot her a sidelong glance, raising an eyebrow. "What exactly are you hoping for? A show with chanting, dark magic flares, and the bodies convulsing before coming to life?"

Fiora shuddered and turned away, trying her best not to look at the grotesque scene. Just the thought of reanimated corpses made her stomach churn.

Velvet gave a half-hearted shrug. "I mean, yeah. I thought there would be some kind of elaborate ritual. He just raised it in seconds. Isn't that a little terrifying?"

Seraphina and the others exchanged uneasy glances. This was their first encounter with a necromancer of Horizon's caliber.

They had seen necromancers struggle to reanimate corpses in the past, often taking time to perform complex incantations or offer sacrifices to ensure the dead would obey. Especially when it came to powerful creatures or warriors with high stats, convincing their dead bodies to return as puppets was no small feat.

But Horizon? He made it look effortless. There were no enchantments, no summoning circles, no blood rituals. Just a wave of his hand and the dead stood at his command like they had been waiting for his call all along.

"Just who is this guy?" Dawnfire voiced the question that was on everyone's mind, her eyes narrowing as she watched the newly risen corpse stagger forward, awaiting orders.

"I hate to admit it," Velvet grumbled, her lips curling into a reluctant frown, "but he's stronger than he looks. To summon the dead with a mere gesture . . . it's unsettling."

"It is impressive," Seraphina noted. "But did you notice? He only just now used his skill. There must be a cooldown or restriction, like with any powerful ability. He couldn't raise them until this moment, which suggests it's not something he can spam at will."

"That's reassuring to know," Aria said.

The others nodded, still keeping their distance from the undead minion that now stood among them.

Despite the lack of theatrics in his summoning, the raw power was undeniable. It was clear they would have to remain cautious around Horizon.

"And did you notice that little lizard with him?" Velvet whispered, glancing toward the small creature perched on Horizon's shoulder. "I don't know why, but every time it looks at me, I get chills. It's like there's something off about it."

"It's not just any lizard," Fiora muttered, her face unusually somber.

Seraphina shot her a questioning look. "What do you mean?"

Fiora hesitated, lowering her voice as if afraid the creature could hear her. "It feels . . . wrong. Like it's hiding something. I can sense it—it's more than just a flying lizard. There's an unnatural aura around it."

Velvet's brow furrowed. "You're saying it's not a familiar or a mere pet? What else could it be?"

"It's a disguise," Fiora continued, a shiver running down her spine. "I don't know what it truly is, but it's not as harmless as it looks. It might be a construct, a spirit, or even a lesser demon masquerading as a simple creature."

The rest of the group fell silent, their gazes shifting to the lizard, which now flicked its tongue in the air, as if sensing their scrutiny.

For a moment, its eyes glowed faintly, an eerie, almost sentient gleam that sent a wave of unease rippling through the group.
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Aria swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper. "Whatever it is, we should be careful. If Horizon can control something like that so casually, we have no idea what else he's capable of."

Dawnfire gave a curt nod, her hand unconsciously tightening around her weapon. "Noted. Let's keep our distance from that thing. Until we know more, treat it like another threat—just in case."

The group exchanged wary glances. The small lizard, now seemingly disinterested, turned its head away, but the unsettling feeling lingered. There was no doubt left in their minds—Horizon's pet was far more dangerous than it appeared.

"Whether we like it or not, he's not someone we can underestimate," Dawnfire concluded. "We need to keep our guard up. For all we know, he could turn on us next if things go south."

Aria nodded in agreement, her eyes still wary of Horizon as he began his interrogation of the reanimated corpse.

They might be allies for now, but the line between friend and foe was thin in this forsaken place, and with a necromancer as powerful as him, that line could vanish in an instant.

Unaware of their hushed conversation, Horizon stood beside the corpse he had raised, his eyes narrowing as he murmured a string of questions. The undead's lifeless mouth moved slowly, giving him the information he needed.

It was as he suspected—they had been trapped here, endlessly running in circles, unable to locate the monolith that served as the gateway to the next region. Some strange force was at play, distorting their sense of direction and obscuring the monolith's presence.

Satisfied with the answers, Horizon stood up, brushing off the dust from his hands. He glanced over at the group of women, noticing how they huddled together, whispering amongst themselves.

Their occasional side-glances made it obvious—they were talking about him. He didn't need enhanced perception to catch on to their unease.

"Bad news," Horizon announced, interrupting their quiet discussion. His tone was casual, but there was a sharp edge to it that made the group fall silent.