“Dragons never surrender, human.” Typhoon laughed it off, “We are being who rival even the mightiest of gods. What possibly can-“

“And I am someone who hunts them down like a hobby. Do you still wanna talk about what we have can or can not do?” Arnold cut the dragon queen off midsentence while reloading his rifle, “I’m gonna ask you one last time. Will you fight or surrender?”

“This is my answer!” Typhoon yelled again as the dragons once again hurled a hailstorm of fire at them. 

“You never learn…” Arnold shook his head and stood there motionless. 

Since he had planted the sapling of the world tree there, no matter what the dragons did, everyone inside the barrier would remain safe. 

Arnold then ignored the dragons and turned towards Nina who even after being drenched in monster blood, looked just as beautiful as she did on the night they confessed their feelings for each other. 

“Sorry, I had to put you through all that…”

“What are you even talking about? We’re married for fck’s sake. Your problems are my problems and I wouldn’t back down just because of some stupid reptiles. No offence!” She looked at Tiamut and Scylla, realising that they too were dragons.

“None taken.” Tiamut smiled back and so did Scylla, or at least all of them assumed that she did. 

“Are you hurt anywhere? Anyone?” 

Though it was clear to Arnold that they were definitely hurt, none of them wanted to burden him with their mild wounds. He had already done enough for them by saving their lives. 

“We’re fine. Just go and do what you have to.” Nina nudged him towards the dragons.

Arnold smiled before shaking his head in defeat. Nina and his sons were the only ones he could never win against, even though he was probably the universe’s strongest individual.

After making sure everyone was actually okay, he walked out of the barrier along with Scylla and Tiamut. But not before he had called forth Yan and Anubis. This place was about to get littered with corpses of dragons, which was the perfect opportunity for him to further improve the battle power of his army. 

The masters of death got together and immediately knew what they had to do. Typhoon could also tell what they were trying to do but she had no way of stopping them. The barrier was blocking out most of their attacks. 

The few attacks that managed to get through the barrier turned useless against a meat shield made of the fire giants. A moment later the fourteen dragons who Arnold had killed sometime before were back to life, but this time, they stood against their allies in support of their new master. 

However, the dragons were not just shocked because of that. All of them had their attention on Tiamut. She was their queen… well that was until she met her demise and seeing her there in front of them caused several thoughts to go berserk in their heads. 

They were also intrigued to know who the other dragon was, because she seemed awfully close to Tiamut, judging by how close they were walking with each other. 

‘Perfect.’

It was just like Arnold had planned. He didn’t know much about the dragons and their way of living. But what he could gather from Tiamut and other gods, they were being who believed in the absolute hierarchy, just like the giants. Which meant if one of their past kings or queens were to reemerge in front of them, they would feel conflicted.

On one hand, there would their recent patriarch, which in this case was none other than Typhoon and on the other hand, would their former king or queen whom they had sworn to serve in life and death. 

This confusion would eventually end up causing a battle amongst themselves. One faction would support the recent ruler while the other one would support the other one. Right now, the dragons were debating within themselves what their next course of action should be. 

But it didn’t take long for them to turn against each other. It happened so fast that Arnold was honestly surprised. Tiamut nor Typhoon had spoken a word, and yet the dragons were ready to fight each other. 

However, the one thing Arnold did not know was that Typhoon had already foreseen such an event and prepared several contingencies for the same. 

“Do not believe for a second the Tiamut you’re seeing is same as our queen!” Typhoon roared at the top of her lungs, “We all saw her dying by the hands of that filthy human, and if she had died once, it means she has died for real. There is no need to cause bloodshed over someone who wasn’t even real!”

Her words had started swaying the crown in her favour. However, it wasn’t like she was the only one with a plan. Tiamut had her own piece of mind that she wanted to say.

“What is your definition of being ‘alive’, Typhoon?” She asked, “I would like to know that since you are so hellbent on declaring me dead, just like you did right after I was defeated at the hands of the Immortal one.”

“You…”

There was nothing she could say to counter Tiamut. Tiamut was alive and well in every sense of the word. There was nothing she couldn’t do that someone alive could do. She could walk, talk and even fight. Thus she could be considered as someone who was ‘alive’. 

“As for the one you blame to have killed me, is the man who actually saved me and freed me from the curse the Immortal one had placed on me.” Tiamut continued hammering the iron while it was hot, “if anything, he is my saviour who helped me grow strong enough to stand by his side and you people are believing the lies Typhoon says?”

“She is the one colluding with the gods, our enemies since the beginning of time. The goals of Deathless and the Dragons are one and the same.. Complete annihilation of the gods or at least the only of those who absolutely loath. So what’s it going to be? Are you going to fight with the gods or with the human who can free all of you from a curse?”