Chapter 830: Soaring into the Blue Sky

The name was indeed simple and straightforward.

But much of Cecil’s work was like that—simple and direct. Behind that simplicity lay either convenience and practicality or overwhelming power.

Maggie had grown to somewhat appreciate this unique “Cecil style.”

“You can transform now,” Rebecca stepped back to a safe distance, grinning as she said to Maggie, “Don’t worry, this place is spacious enough. I even reserved some space outside the workshop for you to come and go, and for takeoff.”

Maggie nodded and closed her eyes slightly.

The power born of her bloodline began to stir within her body. Magic reshaped her flesh and blood, breaking the boundaries of matter and elements. A shimmering veil of flowing light enveloped the dragonborn’s form, rapidly expanding until it spanned over ten meters. Within the shimmering curtain, the faint outline of massive dragon wings flickered.

When the light faded, Maggie stood before them in her black dragon form.

Even though they had seen this transformation more than once, Rebecca and her technical team couldn’t help but marvel at the incredible change. The strength and mystery of dragons fascinated these engineers and researchers in white coats, who instinctively gathered around, voices filled with awe as they discussed the power of dragons—

“How does she even transform like that?”
“Is that huge body structure filled with magic?”
“The extra weight is a real mystery…”
“Where do all her human belongings go when she shifts?”

—Undoubtedly, their admiration was expressed in their own professional jargon.

Maggie shook her massive, armored head, a bit helpless as she listened to the ongoing chatter around her. After spending so much time together, these guys no longer bothered to lower their voices when discussing such matters.

Not long ago, she would have felt embarrassed or even a little offended by these conversations. But after all this time, she realized that Rebecca’s team were simply overly focused researchers. They meant no disrespect; they just lacked social grace—and, unsurprisingly, every single one of them was single.

Maggie silently wished that their curiosity would keep them single for a while longer.

She lowered her huge, horned head toward Rebecca. “How do I put on this gear?”

“Step onto that platform over there—see those red markers? They’re positioning points for your limbs,” Rebecca pointed nearby. “Then just spread your wings. We’ll handle the rest.”

Following Rebecca’s instructions, Maggie stepped onto the platform, steadied herself, and slowly unfurled her wings—wings that were naturally malformed due to a genetic defect.

Suddenly, nerves crept in. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest, even audible in her ears.

The clinking of chains and sliding rails joined the rhythm of her heartbeat. The metallic sounds of collision and friction filled the air as the magitech engineers and mechanists controlled the hovering machinery around her. The cold, imposing black steel wings gradually approached, their icy touch pressing against Maggie’s own wings.

A mechanist already stood on a suspended beam above. As soon as the steel wings were in place, they activated the beam to move forward, using various tools to align and lock each clasp and bracket on the massive equipment, securing them one by one.

The clatter of metal and the rattle of chains echoed loudly, calming Maggie’s nerves. She suddenly felt like a knight preparing for battle—these honorable technicians were arming a mighty dragon with advanced machinery, and for a dragon, this was her new armor.

“Hey, Maggie! This gear’s a bit heavy! So we had to use a lot of brackets to secure it, mainly around the wing roots and your back and belly,” Rebecca called up from below, tilting her head back. “Is it uncomfortable anywhere?”

“It feels light,” Maggie lowered her head slightly, her voice deep. “For a dragon, it’s about the same burden as a human wearing light leather armor. Actually, I have a suggestion—you could drill holes into some of the special bony plates and scales on my shoulder blades and wing edges, then bolt the armor directly. That might work better.”

Rebecca’s voice rang out excitedly, “Whoa—that sounds intense!”

“But it doesn’t hurt at all. Many of our keratinous and exoskeletal structures are numb, like human fingernails.”

“Great! I’ll consider that next time!” Rebecca’s enthusiasm was infectious.

“Wing armor secured!” a mechanist shouted from the command platform, interrupting their conversation. “Begin attaching the backplate, breastplate, and auxiliary guards!”

More rails and bearings whirred to life. The custom-made black steel armor was assembled piece by piece onto Maggie’s body: the belly plate supporting the defensive shield, the backplate carrying spare power units, and the neck guard loaded with numerous testing instruments.

Maggie watched the dizzying array of devices being strapped onto her. Some she recognized, some she could only guess at, and others… she couldn’t even fathom their purpose. When a sharp, pointed device approached her jaw, she couldn’t help but ask, “Rebecca, what’s this thing for? Why don’t I see any runes on it?”

Rebecca glanced up, scratching her head. “Honestly, I don’t know… The ancestor added it after seeing my design. Said it’s a symbol of the black dragon…”

“Do black dragons even have such a symbol…” Maggie muttered in confusion, just as the black steel jaw guard was fastened in place.

It looked like a strange mask—or maybe just an iron chin. Maggie thought to herself.

She quickly pushed the doubt aside. If it was His Majesty King Gawain’s arrangement, it must have a purpose. The wisdom and vision of that legendary hero were beyond ordinary comprehension. For someone like her, not skilled in strategy, following his orders was enough.

Now… she was fully equipped and ready.

“All locks secured, steel wings mounted!” the mechanist on the platform shouted. “Ready for test flight!”

Maggie lifted her head, feeling her heart race again.

Rebecca’s face lit up with excitement as she called out, “Open the gates!”

The heavy alloy doors of the workshop creaked and groaned as magical mechanisms powered the gears and levers. Sunlight streamed through the opening, bathing the “giant dragon armory” in warm light. Maggie took a deep breath, steadying herself, then stepped down from the platform. Her heavy body clad in steel armor, she walked toward the open gate.

Squinting against the sunlight, the clear, endless blue sky shimmered before her.

“Remember how I explained the controls?” Rebecca’s voice boomed from below. “Nothing’s changed! Most functions just compensate for the missing runes on your wings, so you don’t have to worry about controlling them! For your first flight, just focus on balancing the wing power and overall load!”

“I will!”

“Alright then! Take off, Maggie!”

A gust of wind swept up, brushing against the black dragon’s tough scales and outstretched wings. Feeling the airflow ripple across her body, Maggie activated the magical capacitors embedded at the base of her wings with her innate mana control.

A surge of magical energy was channeled into the steel wings, flowing rapidly along the edges of her original wings. The additional metal framework shimmered with intricate streams of light as runes on each component ignited in sequence, resonating with Maggie’s own malformed wings—

The missing draconic runes were instantly restored. A sensation she had never experienced before—one of elemental mastery and skyward command—washed over her.

The feeling brought back memories of the leap she took years ago from Dragon Leap Cliff—

She took two steps forward, but the unprecedented lightness nearly threw her off balance. Turbulent air swirled chaotically around her, stinging her eyes.

“Take it slow, Maggie! No rush! Step by step, then fly!” Rebecca shouted from behind.

The black dragon inhaled deeply, regained her balance, and summoned her magic again.

This was nothing difficult—dragons were born to soar the skies. Flying should be as natural as eating or drinking.

Maggie took another step, spread her wings, and after a short run, suddenly leapt into the air.

She had tried this a thousand times before, falling a thousand times.

But this time, she didn’t fall.

The roaring wind rushed past her, then was guided backward by an invisible magical field. Maggie opened her eyes to see the earth moving away beneath her feet, while magic gathered around her, lifting her higher and higher into the sky.

This was a completely different experience from riding a dragon knight—different from gliding off Dragon Leap Cliff, different from soaring on the storm summoned by Victoria.

This was the feeling of flying with her own wings, soaring into the blue sky.

Maggie wanted to cheer out loud. It went against the calm, composed demeanor she had maintained for years in front of others, but… there was no one else here.

A deep dragon roar echoed from above. Startled birds took flight from the nearby forest, flapping wildly in a chaotic flock.

Rebecca looked up at the sky and laughed, turning to those beside her. “She looks really happy!”

…

The vast fields and forests receded beneath her, clouds seeming almost within reach. Wrapped in magic, Maggie stretched her wings freely. Along the edges of her naturally twisted wings, the magitech alloy and steel framework gleamed brilliantly in the sunlight.

Dragonborn would definitely be interested in this—especially the younger ones, especially the friends she knew.

Maggie was certain of this in her heart. She even thought this might sway the stubborn councilors and elders, even the dignified Duke Balogur.

Perhaps the “upper dragons” of Tal’Rond had mightier powers, and perhaps this flying technology wouldn’t impress the true dragons. But for a malformed dragonborn, this was something that could change her fate.

Adjusting her flight posture, she pondered how to negotiate with her kin while testing more functions of the gear, attempting increasingly challenging maneuvers.

Suddenly, she sensed a slight discordance.

Something on the left wing’s midsection seemed to have come loose—maybe a rune had shattered. The sudden loss of balance made her body tilt sharply, and then she began to plummet rapidly downward—

A thought flashed through Maggie’s mind: new technology always comes with countless failures.

The next moment, she fought to regain her balance, struggling to right herself.

During her earlier attempts with the “Dragon Rider,” she’d crashed more than once. From the start, she’d been mentally prepared for the prototype to malfunction in all sorts of ways. This sudden imbalance only startled her for a brief second. As an experienced test pilot, she was no stranger to crashing.

After several desperate adjustments, she realized she couldn’t climb back up. Her only option now was to glide in for an emergency landing.

Maggie forced herself to stay calm and focused, doing everything she could to maintain control. She spread her wings, trying to enter a glide—a task far more difficult than usual. The heavy steel armor she wore wasn’t much of a burden under normal conditions, but during a forced landing, it became a serious handicap. Straining against the chaotic air currents and the unfamiliar weight, she barely managed to avoid a vertical nosedive. Below her, the town and the nearby Whitewater River came into sharp view.

She kept adjusting her wings, steering away from the town, aiming instead for the river—

At least that way, no one on the ground would get hurt… and she might escape with only minor injuries. Hitting the water at high speed would still be a brutal impact, but it was far better than crashing onto solid ground. With her draconic physiology and the deceleration she’d managed on the way down… the damage should be survivable.

Maggie’s mind quickly weighed the options, and the next second, the Whitewater River rushed up to meet her—

Tyr sensed something hurtling through the sky at high speed. She had been planning to spend a lazy afternoon soaking in the water, but curiosity got the better of her. She poked her head out and looked up toward the horizon.

A massive dark shape came crashing straight down.

The last thing Tyr saw was a blurry iron jaw barreling toward her at breakneck speed.

“Ah—gasp—”

Year 2 of Cecil, Month of Awakening, Day 12.

Prototype Steelwing takes flight.

Dragonborn test pilot Maggie completes one hour of flight before mechanical failure forces emergency landing in Whitewater River.

Siren Tyr is fatally struck by falling iron jaw (1/1).

(End of chapter)