Author's Noted
Hi to everyone!^^
We're almost there! Only four more chapters (excluding epilogue) to the end!
I'm terribly sorry, this time the chapter is really long, but there were plenty of things to say, and even if I did my best to be exhaustive and brief at the same time I couldn't do better.
Get ready, the action of the last part is nothing if compared to what is about to come.
I hope you enjoy it!^^
See you soon!^_^
Cj Spencer
9
«Your sister!?» Radika repeated
«I had never seen her since when I came back to this world. I thought she was dead.»
«Probably she thought the same thing about you.» Anthelea said.
«The masks she and the other elves were wearing…» Pharmenon said. «They were your people, right?»
«I don't understand. I saw the few ones left die with my own eyes by Reich's hand. I always thought I was the only one left.»
«It seems you were wrong, indeed.» Agrippa commented. «Even if I think that maybe it was better for them to die instead of becoming Reich's servants.»
«No, I refuse to accept it! There's no way that my sister and my people have voluntarily chosen to become slaves just to save their lives!»
«People can do the most unexpected things when their own life is at stake.» Pharmenon said. «You know it, right? You saw it with your own eyes in Calibria.»
Sadee couldn't believe it: of course, being an elf she had always seen her species as someone above common mortal weaknesses like fear for death and lack of self-respect; on the other side, everything she had spent the last year trying to avenge a people of which she considered herself as the sole survivor.
All of a sudden, all those efforts and thoughts seemed so useless: somehow she was happy to know that her people still lived, but deep in her heart she felt the obscure idea that maybe it was better for her to think them all death instead of enslaved to their enemies.
«Anyway, they were about to kill us all.» Agrippa said «Why did they withdraw all of a sudden?»
Answer came the moment Radika's sensitive ears picked up a familiar noise approaching from south.
«Probably because they knew something that they couldn't defeat was coming.»
In a few minutes that noise became clear even for humans, and moments later an LVM appeared from behind a curve of the road, with a soldier over the turret and the other ones regrouped around the vehicle and ready to fire. There were even a female cobold and a little fairy of the flowers.
They were all new faces for Radika, but Sadee had no problems in recognizing them.
«It's the Falcon-9.»
«Don't shoot!» Radika said with raised hands and speaking Italian. «We're not enemies!»
«Who are you?» Dante asked. «Where's the Falcon-1?»
«We're the Falcon-1.» Sadee said coming out of the crowd. «Or what remains.»
«Lady Sadee.» the Major said in amazement, and at that point he and the others lowered weapons
«It's good to see you, Major. You're the first friendly faces we see in months.»
«What's happened? Who are these people?»
«It's a quite long story, Major. In short, Calibria has…»
«Fallen. We know it. Where are Flavio and the others? Are they safe?»
«We don't know it.» said Radika «When the Reichians took the city, we've been divided. Right now, we don't know if they managed to leave the city.»
«And you are?»
«This too is a long story. These people are refugees from Calibria and an Imperial embassy. There are even the current heir to Calibria's throne and her uncle among them.»
«An ambassery!?» said a surprised Major
«They're here in the name of the Vicequeen of the North to negotiate a truce between the Empire and the Green People.»
«The Green People!? But we…» Dante tried to say, stopping immediately when the elf made him sign to stay silent
«And even if they're not worth of the lives we lost» Radika said quite severely taking a book and a bit of parchments from a cart. «We have what we came for.»
Dante and the others didn't know a lot about the Falcon-1's mission, but right now that was the last thing on their minds.
«These people are at their limit.» Sadee said again. «They need to reach Castria as soon as possible.»
«We already warned Castria.» Major said. «Orders are to escort you to the watch post. The HQ will send an helicopter to retrieve you and other VIPs and take them back to Castria.»
«Thanks, Major.»
Sadee and Radika then came back to Agrippa and the others to communicate the newcomers' dispositions, leaving Dante and his squad free to discuss each other.
«You think they're still alive, Sir?» asked Betton
«If they've been able to survive till now, there's no reason to think that Lunardi and his guys didn't. Call Castria. Warn them that we're coming back to them with very important news.»
«And this is the whole story. Now, you know the truth.
I'm sure you can understand the reasons for our having tried to protect this secret for so long. Before me, dozens of people swore over our flag to assure a correct use of this bless appeared from nowhere in the heart of our Country. Exactly like them, we did all this with the main purpose to assure the best interests for Italy, without forgetting however that our people's safety came first.
Now, in consideration of the actual situation and the unexpected changes in the global scenario in the other world, we reached the conclusion that our sole force could be not enough to face the threat standing upon us.
I know that maybe at this point the best thing to do would be simply destroy the gate, but we cannot ignore the fact that an important part of the problems now threatening the people of the Special Region lies upon our shoulders, and even if we're speaking of another world, we cannot simply ignore this fact. Reich exists because of our ancestors' errors, and we have to do all we can to make sure that our mistakes will not have to be paid by innocents.
For all these reason, I'm here to ask our allies, and to Japan and its government in particular, to assist us in this unexpected situation, to protect the Special Region from the plague we unleashed on the other world. I'm sure that… No! No! No!»
Rigamonti threw the papers away so violently that he almost fell from the chair; his angered shout pursued Giovanardi to look at him from the sofa in the angle, while Ivana on contrary kept on looking at the ground at the desk's side.
«Who wrote this shit? What means, "ask"? I have no intention to ask! My gate, my rules!»
«Right now, it's vital for us to catch other major powers' interest, Prime Minister.» coldly said Ivana. «And unfortunately, we have nothing better to offer better than the Japanese, not at the moment. Theoretically, the free lands of the plains and deposits of the Mountain Range should be enough to ensure a bit of international support, but first we need to solve Reich's problem once and for all.»
«And the President have already said that he'll not authorize any military operation against them if without someone to assist us on our side, no matter the world.» said Giovanardi
«With the civil was ready to explode, it's impossible to reach an agreement with the Empire.» said again Ivana. «So, if we want to keep this operation alive, we need a NATO or European support, even at the cost of making some concessions.»
Rigamonti felt a wave of disgust growing inside him: he had started all that mess to make Italy a first class nation of the world, and now he had to beg for help the same ones above whose he had always dreamed to stay.
At a certain point, Rigamonti's secretary opened the door of the office.
«It's time, Prime Minister.»
Sergio remained sat for a brief moment, trying as possible to remember to himself that he was doing all this just to save what remained of his dream.
«Hell to speeches. If I have to kiss those bastards' asses, I'll say it with my own words.»
Once he left, Ivana and Giovanardi remained alone for a long time, unable to accept that all sacrifices made in those twelve months had been almost useless.
«Billions of euros threw into the wind… for this?» Giovanardi said in rage and discomfort. «Now we'll have to share the Special Region not only with the Japanese, but with the others too?»
«As he said, we played this game knowing the risks.»
«I suppose this is be the end even for our careers as ministers. The other parties will torch us even before Sergio has come down from the stage.»
Suddenly, both Ivana's and Giovanardi's phones rang at the same moment, but Ivana was the faster to answer.
«Yes?» she said, but in a few seconds her face changed completely. «What did you say!?»
It was quite usual for the Italian Prime Minister to call all journalists from the five Continents to assist his press conferences. The same journalists and public opinion in general were interested in Rigamonti, because since his first day as Prime Minister, and even before, his unorthodox way to speak and act, not to say his whole being, had caught everyone's interest like few other times in Italian politics.
However, the look Rigamonti showed when he finally crossed the official door and reached the reading desk was dramatically different from other times, even considering he had plenty of occasions in those last months to proclaim proudly his government's achievements, especially in fighting terrorism.
This time however, there was certainly something big in store nevertheless, judging by all those flags placed behind the desk.
«Good evening.» he said calmly, trying as possible to hide his true feelings. «Thanks for coming here despite the short notice.
Now, before I start talking… what I have to say you is really important and complicate, so I beg you to wait until I finished before making your questions.»
Such request did nothing but make tension rise even more, but right when Rigamonti seemed about to talk, Minister Giovanardi entered the room as if he had to communicate the beginning of a war. He quickly reached Rigamonti and murmured him something; just a few words, but surely important, because all of a sudden his eyes started shining once again.
«I'm sorry gentlemen, there's been an unexpected problem. Please wait me here, I'll be back as soon as possible.» and once said that he left, totally ignoring everyone's protests and requests for an explanation.
«Is it true?» Rigamonti asked even before Giovanardi could close the door of the office.
«Yes, Prime Minister.» Ivana answered. «General Pedersoli called me personally.»
«Where is now this embassy?»
«An helicopter has retrieved the Imperial General from Arlea Forests minutes ago. Also Lady Sadee and Professor Radoni are on board, with the historical documents we sent them to search with them. They'll be back in Castria in a few hours.»
Rigamonti at that point looked above, thanking God for that unexpected miracle.
«How much time will we need to settle everything for an official encounter?»
«I fear this will require a bit of time.» Giovanardi answered. «The Imperial senator that was accompanying the embassy to treat with us in the name of the Vicequeen has been killed in an ambush.»
«We can still treat with the Vicequeen herself. Where is she?»
«In a borderland city, Tarvisium. She was waiting for the embassy's return.»
«I want her here as soon as possible. Send someone to take her right now.»
«It's not so easy, Prime Minister.» Ivana said. «According to General Pedersoli's words, they think they're going to speak with the Japanese. What will they do when they find out we're not who they're searching for?»
Rigamonti reflected for a moment, searching for a solution: that was the opportunity they had waited for so long, and he had no intention to lose it.
«What do we know about the terms of the peace talks between Japan and the Empire?»
«We have a preliminary report, but it's a bit old.» Ivana replied. «It's highly probable that they'll change most of terms when Princess Pina will have taken the throne and talks will start again.»
«It doesn't matter, the important thing is to make it credible. Call Castria, order Pedersoli to settle everything.»
«We'll need a bit of time to settle a safe passage across the Plains, now that Reich controls them.»
«And Mancuso's orders about this are still the same.» Giovanardi pointed. «No shoots against Reich if not provoked.»
«I don't care what they have to do! This is the occasion we were waiting for! Our last chance to turn the table. Come on, on work!»
«But what should we do right now? The conference room is still full of journalists.»
«Who cares about them? Go out there and tell them something. Tell them that we've arrested some dangerous terrorist. The list is quite long thanks to the FASI.»
One-hundred and seventy days after, the Falcon-9, or what remained of it at least, had finally arrived in sight of Castria.
Their mission had been longer, and surely most troublesome than expected, and right for this the moment Santalba spotted the walls of the city from the turret, everyone embraced each other, paying their thanks to God for having protected them all that time.
When the jeep ultimately crossed the doors of the inner courtyard, stopping right on front of the HQ, Zori was the first one to jump off of the vehicle, launching herself directly among her lover Pietro's arms.
«Welcome back home, Major Dante.» Florenzi said saluting him. «General Pedersoli wants to see you. He said it's really important.»
Dante thought that the General simply wanted a report of the mission directly from him, and before leaving he formally discharged the squad from its duties, leaving them free to run taking the first good shower and meal after months.
But the truth was completely different, and even a trained and respectful officer like Dante was unable to control himself once listened what Pederdoli had to tell him.
«Depart again!?»
«There's been a sudden change of tides, Major. On the other side they want to meet the Vicequeen Kanaria as soon as possible, and there's need for someone to take General Agrippa in Tarvisium to make report and come back here with Her Highness for an official meeting with our authorities.»
«With all respect Sir, we just came back from an over five months long mission. My men are tired and exhausted, not to mention that half of them are still out there waiting for extraction.»
«I sent an helicopter to take them back. I'm sorry Dante, but these are orders from the high chiefs. Right now we're still on state of alert. All Falcon Units have to remain inside our territories to provide protection both for locals and the same Castria. You're the only ones formally off duty right now, so the High Command has chosen you for this task.»
«Maybe we're really off duty, but who can deny that we deserved?»
«It's nothing difficult Dante, trust me. Right now our scouts are setting a safe route from here to Tarvisium, so you'll neither have to fight. It's a roundtrip mission and nothing more. You'll be home before the end of the month, and you have my word that after this I will sign your thirty days long license personally.»
The Major was all but happy to say his men that their duty was not over, but after all he was not the kind of soldier prone to disobey orders.
«As you command, General.»
«Thanks, Dante. We'll need a couple of days to prepare the pathway to Tarvisium. Since that time, you and your men consider yourself off-duty.»
Lunardi and his men were well aware of the fact that the few ammos still in their hands wouldn't been enough to face whatever Reich had sent against them, not to mention that even admitting that no one knew how much time had to pass before being spotted and assisted.
Then, using the weapons found in the fort's armory, Rocco and the others spent most of those days training with bows, daggers, lances and short swords, combining their use with martial arts and their soldiers' experience.
Of course, even considering that it was still possible to be forced proceeding further in Imperial territory, it was necessary for Flavio and his men to remain unnoticed; fortunately, weapons were not the sole thing the garrison had left behind when left. Apart for old and uncomfortable Imperial armors, in the chests of the dormitory the squad had found what the soldiers probably used to wear to protect from cold during patrolling nights, a bit old and stinky but surely useful.
At that point, dressed with wolf's and bear's furs and wielding swords and lances, one could easily misunderstand Lunardi and the others for locals.
The fort too had been implemented and repaired meanwhile, while the bridge had been preemptively mined by placing a rudimental bomb made with three grenades tied together right among the support beams of the north side.
Undoubtedly, that prolonged stop was making good to everyone's morale: finally free from the never-ending sensation of being hunted preys, Stefanini and the others tasted for the first time after months a pleasurable sense of hope. Of course a belly filled with something different from those disgusting but extremely precious military rations helped a lot, and even if he was still not completely sure of his final decision, for Lunardi the sight of his men finally free from fear was enough to feel a bit more relaxed.
Everyone's hopes were still pointed to the radio, now placed under a small canopy built for the occasion; Amato had also built some sort of antenna to try making the signal stronger, but now the main problem was the battery taken away from the VM-90, whose energy was decreasing day by day.
One morning, almost one week after having reached the fort, something finally happened.
Rocco and the others were practicing with short swords while Stefanini and Tymlin mounted guard over the walls. In the meantime, Cassetti was still attached to the radio, continuously moving the tuner in search for a good signal.
«Mayday! Mayday! This is Falcon-1. Six. Zero. Six. Nine. One.» Cassetti kept on repeating like a robot. «Is anyone there?»
Then, suddenly, the soldier thought he heard something among interferences.
«… Q… eav… fy…»
After all that time it was normal to start hearing voices by desperation, but after just a couple of seconds, those apparently meaningless sounds turned into a true response.
«This is Castria. We're receiving you. Identify yourselves.»
«Sir! Sir! I did it!» Cassetti shouted, that did his best to clean the signal the best he could before passing the phone to Flavio.
«Do you hear me, Castria?» Lunardi said. «This is Falcon-1! Six. Zero. Six. Nine. One. I'm Captain Lunardi.»
Florenzi almost broke the door into Pedersoli's office.
«We found them, Sir! They're still alive!»
«What!?» the General said, and with unusually hasty he run out of the room.
Together, Pedersoli and Florenzi reached communication room, and the General literally stole handcuffs to the operator.
«Falcon-1, do you hear me? I'm General Pedersoli!»
«I hear you, General. I'm Captain Lunardi.»
«It's good to hear your voice, Captain. I was about to lose hope.»
«I have bad news, General.»
«We know about Calibria already. Where are you?»
«I'm afraid I don't know it exactly, Sir. Right now we're somewhere along the Imperial border, over the Vardenia Pass. We gained control of an abandoned Imperial fort, but probably there are some Reichian units following us. We need extraction, and we need it right now.»
«Can you find them?» Pedersoli asked to the operator.
«I'm trying to trace their position Sir, but the signal is really week. I need a bit of time.»
«We don't have a bit of time! Hurry up!»
«General.» Lunardi said again, trying to hide his true feelings «I lost most of my squad during evacuation from Calibria, and some of them, including Lady Sadee and Professor Radoni, are actually missed in action. Right now we're eight, counting the local Tymlin.»
Hearing this, both Pedersoli and Florenzi felt a shiver along their spine. Just seven survivors: even including the other ones came back in meantime, it meant that over half of the Falcon-1 was officially lost in combat.
«For what it's worth Captain, Lady Sadee and Professor Radoni have been able to return here safely. Even soldier Tassoni is in Castria right now.»
Maybe it was not a great news for true, but the moment Lunardi heard that some of his friends, and Sadee in particular were safe, he felt his heart healing a bit from pain.
«Received. T…»
But suddenly, both his and Pedersoli's voice started fading again, hidden and distorted by noises and a signal.
«General. Ge….! … losing you…»
«Captain Lunardi!»
«The signal is fading, Sir!» the operator said
«Fix it, dammit!»
«I can't sir, it doesn't depend on me!»
«Do something, Christ! We cannot lose them again!»
The operator did his best to track the radio signal, but at that point transmission was so weak that all he could do was to mark an area with a two hundred kilometers long radius between the Plains and the Empire.
«They're here, Sir!» he said pointing Pedersoli's attention to the main monitor on the wall.
«Here where? This place is fucking huge!»
«I'm sorry Sir. I can't do more than this.»
All in all, the area was not that vast, barely including the whole Vardenia Cliff; the main problem was that even the Free City of Lyrnessus was inside that range, and reports said that it was among the cities now officially sided with Reich. And Pedersoli knew that it was not the sort of risk his superiors were ready to take for just a bunch of survivors.
But maybe there was another solution.
«Captain, go to Tarvisium! There will be someone to wait for you! Did you hear me? Go to Tarvisium!»
In a few seconds the signal disappeared completely, and everyone in the room stayed still to look at the map.
«Where are Dante and his men?» Pedersoli asked
«On the other side, Sir.» Florenzi answered
«Fasten preparations. I want everything ready by tomorrow evening!»
«Hello? Hello? Do you hear me, General?»
«It's useless, Captain.» Cassetti said looking discouraged to the ground. «I fear we're out of energy.»
Fortunately, before losing contacts definitively, Flavio had been able to understand two vital words: "go Tarvisium".
That was enough.
Meanwhile, the news that someone had finally answered the radio had already reached everybody's ears, so when Lunardi left the barrack he found Rocco and the others waiting for him.
«So?» Amato asked. «What did they say?»
«Prepare yourselves. We're going.»
Hearing this, everyone exulted, embracing each other in happiness, but Lunardi needed just a second to bring his guys back on earth.
«Don't rush. They're not coming here.»
«What!?» Rocco said
«We have still a bit of road to make. General Pedersoli has given the order to reach Tarvisium.»
«But why?» Wang protested. «Why don't they come to get us right away?»
«Probably because we're still too much close to enemy lines. But if they told us to go Tarvisium, this means there will be someone already there waiting for us.»
Considering the hundreds of miles already made, the less than two hundred kilometers between them and Tarvisium were nothing serious: however, the idea of leaving that safe point to start running again in a territory maybe less dangerous but still unfriendly was enough to scare most of them.
«This is our last quest, guys. Just one more effort and we'll see our homes again.»
At the end, they obeyed: after all, what else could they do? Not to mention that, as Lunardi had said, this time they knew that there was someone waiting for them at the end of the race.
«Valenti. Stefanini. Go take the horses on the other side. For the other ones, recover only what's strictly necessary. We travel light.»
«Yes Sir.»
In less than thirty minutes the Falcon-1 was set up and ready to depart.
In those days, Lunardi and the others had been able to collect a good amount of rainwater and meat, but by Flavio's order only a small part of them was loaded on horses, leaving the remaining ones deep buried to avoid smells capable to attract wild animals or leave traces.
There was a strange atmosphere, and everyone worked silently, each of them lost in its own feelings. But right for this, the moment a strange and far noise broke that silent, Rocco and the others immediately searched each other with glances in search for an explanation.
«What's that?»
It was some sort of air movement, the kind of one could hear while beating laundry in sunny days. There was some sort of rhythm on it, and for everyone's concerns, it seemed approaching.
«I don't like this sound.» Lunardi said with increasing fear.
The noise became stronger and stronger, and at that point, all of them understood that it wasn't coming from forest or the cliff, but… from sky.
Moments later, a shadow appeared from behind a close mountain on the other side of the valley, far bigger than anything Lunardi and the others had ever seen in their lives.
«Dragon!» Tymlin shouted while that enormous red mountain was flying right against them.
It was not a common dragon however: there were no dragons so terribly massive. Except one.
«It's a fire dragon!» Lunardi yelled. «Everyone, take cover!»
Fortunately, the first time that the dragon attacked the fort it was more interested in gaining food than incinerating everything. In a few seconds, the beast was above them, and moving its long neck like a whip it caught one of the horses, literally swallowing that poor beast in a moment, but providing enough time for Flavio and the others to take cover in the underground storage.
«The smoke bombs, quickly!»
The Falcon-1 had finished stun grenades yet during the siege; however, thanks to a bit of herbs found in the forest, a bit of gunpowder and a candle made with bamboo, Valenti had been able to create a certain number of handmade bombs that Cassetti had named almost immediately "Wasabi Package".
When the dragon was already half-way from launching a second assault all of them launched a bomb, and in a bunch of seconds the whole area was covered with a thick and green cloud. The dragon initially ignored it, but the moment it understood that just trying to get closer its eyes seemed about to explode it had no choice but stay far.
«Now!» Lunardi ordered.
He and the others covered eyes and mouth the best they could with kufiyah soaked in water and went outside, but since the remaining horses were scared to death and incapacitated by the smoke, they lost precious time to calm them.
«Leave! Leave now! Pass the bridge and go hiding in the forest!»
Finally, the first ones started crossing the bridge, but doing like this they became visible once again to the dragon, which immediately pointed them.
«Shit!» Rocco shouted, and without thinking twice he opened fire against the beast.
Bullets succeeded in catching the flame dragon's attention once again, but at that point the cloud started fading, making everything even worse.
Lunardi, Rocco and Amato, the only ones with rifles still working, did their best to keep the dragon occupied, aiming to the wings and eyes to keep him at bay while the others evacuated.
«Come on, there's no more time! Amato, you're the next! Go!»
The soldier obeyed, but the sight of one more prey running away pursued the dragon to try an assault ignoring both the bullets and the few smoke left.
«Rocco, watch out!»
At the end the cloud was still too much for the dragon, that due to blindness fall to the ground not too far from the fort. However, his massive tail smashed part of the frontal wall, and some of the debris dramatically fell over Rocco, that found himself half buried by stones and trunks.
«Rocco!»
The soldier felt almost immediately a tremendous pain on the left leg, and the moment he managed to look he found it crushed by a very big stone.
«Shit!»
«Don't worry, I'm here!» Lunardi said reaching him and trying to help
«Never mind! Leave me here!»
«Bullshit! Come on, just help me!»
Working together, the two soldiers managed to free the leg, but just trying to get up Rocco felt so much pain that he was forced to lean on Lunardi to avoid falling.
«Don't worry my friend! I'm holding you!»
Then, trying to run as fast as possible, even Lunardi and Rocco started crossing the bridge, but at that point the cloud was completely vanished, while the dragon as the opposite was completely enraged. Seeing the two last prey leaving, the beast launched a tremendous roar, and once got up he launched a wave of fire against them.
Both Lunardi and Rocco were sure that it was the end; however, fire reached the bomb still placed under the bridge before reaching them, and in the blink of an eye a tremendous explosion make the whole building collapse. The explosion caught the dragon unprepared, scaring it and moving it to fly away, while Rocco and Lunardi literally felt soil disappear under their feet.
«Captain!» Wang shouted seeing them disappear beyond the edge of the valley.
In a desperate attempt to survive, Lunardi managed to grab one of the bridge's axles with a hand, using the other one to catch Rocco's backpack before he fell; the pain he experienced feeling all muscles and tendons of both arms at the point of exploding was one of the worst things ever faced, but still he had no intention to surrender.
«Rocco! Are you all right?»
«More or less.» he said while seeing the over sixty meters of nothing under his feet. «I've been better.»
«Captain! Sergeant!» they heard above them. «A rope! Find a rope!»
Rocco uselessly tried to reach something to grab just to relieve Flavio from the pain he was suffering, but they were too much far from the valley's walls, and meanwhile Lunardi's hand was starting to bleed, excavated till the bones by the axle's sharp board.
«Come on, Flavio! Just let me go!»
«Shut up! I'll never do it!» he answered in anger, but he had to bite the bullet like crazy to not started crying for pain.
In meantime the others had found a long enough rope and were about to start lowering it, when that terrifying roar echoed again.
«It's coming back!» Valenti shouted.
Since it was impossible for it to use its usual approach of plunging from above, the flame dragon was now flying just a few meters under the edge of the valley, and once came out from the rocks he pointed right at the two men, now completely hopeless and ready to become its dinner.
Now it was really over.
But maybe, there was still hope.
For a moment turned into an endless time, Rocco looked everywhere, while images of his whole life came back to his mind, as if his heart had already accepted the fate waiting for him.
«What are you doing?» Lunardi shouted when he saw him taking out his knife
«Bring them home, Flavio!» Rocco answered looking right into his eye.
Then, without further words, he sliced the straps of the backpack, putting at the same time the other hand under vests and removing the safety to one of the four grenades left to him.
«No!»
The flame dragon caught him on midair and swallowed him, but less than three seconds later its neck was literally opened by a powerful explosion, and the rest of the body loudly collapsed at the bottom of the valley, producing a giant cloud of dust that covered almost everything for hundreds of meters in all directions.
Everything happened so fast that Lunardi and the others didn't fully realized what was just happened until the dragon's dead body appeared from dust.
«Rocco!»