Leveling Up With My Dragon System

They geared up, the weight of their armor a constant reminder of the responsibility on their shoulders. As they climbed into the waiting hovercraft, Kai took a moment to breathe in the city's air, the scent of their home mixing with the faint metallic tang of the Gormorker's presence. Frode's hand hovered over the controls, his knuckles white with tension. "Ready?"

Kai nodded, the engine's whine drowning out his reply. The hovercraft shot into the night sky, the city lights receding below them as they headed toward the danger. The mission was simple: locate the Gormorker scouting party and report back with intel. The engagement was strictly forbidden unless escape was impossible.

The journey to the outskirts was fraught with tension. Frode piloted the hovercraft with a confidence that belied his nerves, while Kai reviewed the intel they had been given, his mind racing with strategy. They approached the coordinates, the once vibrant cityscape giving way to the desolate outskirts. The ruins of buildings scarred the landscape, reminders of battles long since won and lost.

"There," Frode whispered, pointing to a cluster of movement in the distance. Kai's eyes narrowed, the heat signatures on his HUD confirming the presence of Gormorkers. "We're not supposed to engage," he reminded Frode, his voice tight with anxiety.

Frode nodded, his grip on the controls tight. "I know," he murmured. "But let's be prepared for anything."

They hovered low over the wasteland, the craft's stealth mode silencing its engines. The Gormorker camp grew closer, the flicker of alien technology lighting up the night. Kai's heart hammered in his chest as he saw the enemy patrols moving below them. Frode's hands were steady, the hovercraft moving with the grace of a predator stalking its prey.

"Remember the plan," Frode murmured into his comm. "In and out, no heroics."

Kai nodded, his eyes glued to the HUD display. The Gormorker camp grew larger, the details becoming clearer. They could see the alien forms moving about, their strange language echoing through the night. Frode brought the hovercraft closer, their shadows blending with the ruins.

"We're going in," Frode said, his voice low and determined.

Kai took a deep breath, his hand on the release of the hovercraft's side hatch. The air was thick with anticipation as they descended into the heart of the enemy camp. The Gormorkers were unaware of their presence, their attention was focused on the tasks at hand. The two recruits dropped silently to the ground, the thrum of the engines fading into the night.

They moved swiftly, sticking to the shadows cast by the towering wreckage that surrounded them. The alien camp was a maze of metal and lights, the air humming with an eerie energy. Frode's hand was steady on his laser rifle as he scanned the area, his eyes darting from one heat signature to the next.

Kai followed closely, his mind racing with the layout of the camp and the best path to avoid detection.

As they approached the central command tent, they heard the murmur of Gormorker voices, discussing something in their guttural tongue. Frode signaled for Kai to hold position while he crept closer to listen. The conversation grew more animated, and Frode's eyes widened with shock. He signaled for Kai to join him, his expression grim.

"They're planning an attack on the city," Frode whispered urgently. "They've discovered something—something big."

Kai's jaw clenched. "We need to find out what," he murmured. They moved closer to the tent, the fabric rippling slightly with the aliens' agitated movements inside. The Gormorker's deep voices grew clearer, the words foreign but the intent undeniable.

They had to act fast. Frode nodded, his eyes darting around the camp for a way to gather intel without being seen. Kai spotted a small drone hovering nearby, its sensors likely tuned into their presence. He signaled Frode, and they both took cover. Frode pulled out a hacking device from his pocket, his thumbs dancing over the screen.

The drone beeped once, twice, then went silent. Frode grinned, and the device overrode its protocols. They watched as it hovered closer to the command tent, its camera feed appearing on their HUDs. The Gormorkers' conversation grew clearer, the urgency in their tone-setting their nerves on edge.

The aliens spoke of a new weapon, something that could decimate the city in a single strike. The words sent a cold chill down Kai's spine. He had to get this information back to the Academy before it was too late. He tapped Frode's shoulder, their eyes meeting in silent agreement. They needed to leave, now.

As they retreated, Kai kept his gaze fixed on the HUD, his mind racing through the intel they had gathered. The drone followed them, its tiny form inconspicuous in the shadowy chaos of the camp. They moved with the grace of ghosts, slipping past patrolling guards and dodging the piercing beams of searchlights. The city's skyline grew closer, a beacon of hope and urgency.

Once clear of the camp, Frode brought the hovercraft into a steep ascent. The wind howled around them as they sped back towards the safety of the city. The drone's feed remained stable, transmitting every word of the Gormorker's conversation back to the Academy. The weight of their discovery sat heavy in the pit of their stomachs, each second feeling like an eternity.

The city grew closer, its lights a stark contrast to the darkness of the mission. Frode's flying skills were put to the test as they dodged through the sky traffic, the adrenaline from the mission still pumping through their veins. They touched down in the Academy's hangar, the sound of the engines cutting through the quiet night.

The head instructor met them on the landing pad, his face a mask of urgency. "Report," he barked, not bothering with pleasantries. Frode handed over the data chip, panting slightly from the exertion.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"They're planning an attack," Kai began, the words tumbling out of his mouth. "They have a new weapon—"

The instructor's eyes narrowed as he inserted the data chip into his device. The holographic display flickered to life, revealing the Gormorker's heated conversation. Frode filled in the gaps, his voice steady despite the gravity of the situation. "They're talking about a single strike that could destroy the city."

The instructor's expression grew grim. "You two did well," he said, his voice tight with tension. "But the real battle is about to begin. Get some rest; we'll brief you on the counter-strategy in the morning."

The recruits nodded, their exhaustion forgotten in the face of the looming threat. As they made their way to the dorms, the Academy buzzed with activity. Soldiers rushed through the corridors, and holographic maps flickered in the strategy rooms. The urgency of their mission had not only been felt by them but the entire Academy was now alive with the impending danger.

In their room, Kai and Frode sat on their bunks, the adrenaline of the day slowly draining away. Frode's eyes kept darting to the time display, counting down the hours until the briefing. "We're going to need all the rest we can get," he murmured.

The two recruits lay down in their bunks, trying to force their bodies to relax. Frode's eyes remained open, staring at the ceiling. "Do you think they'll be able to stop it?" he whispered.

Kai's gaze was fixed on the same spot. "We have to believe they will," he replied, his voice laced with determination. "We gave them the intel. Now it's up to the Academy."

The night was restless, filled with the distant echoes of the city's preparations for war. Despite their fatigue, sleep eluded them both, their minds racing with the gravity of what they had discovered. Frode kept checking the time, the minutes stretching into hours as the city's defenses mobilized below them.

Finally, the call for the briefing came with a stark alert that pierced the early morning air. They dressed quickly, the weight of their armor feeling heavier than ever. The corridors of the Academy were a blur as they rushed to the strategy room, their boots echoing on the cold metal floors.