Divide and conquer

Morning came without bringing hope.

Rain still drummed softly against the towering windows of Blackthorn Manor, the gray sky outside matching the mood inside. The manor, usually filled with Harold's dry observations and Crystal's sarcastic commentary, had become unnaturally quiet.

Even Harold seemed to understand.

**"Mr. Malcolm's condition remains stable,"** the AI announced calmly over the dining room speakers. **"Unfortunately, stable is not synonymous with improving."**

No one corrected him.

They all knew he was right.

---

Doctor Mercer stood before the large dining room table, several ancient books spread open beside him. One yellowed map had been weighted down with coffee mugs to keep it from curling shut.

Joey, Cassandra, Taylor, Crystal, Greta, Valerie, Elias, and Malcolm's empty chair surrounded the table.

The empty chair bothered Joey more than he cared to admit.

Doctor Mercer adjusted his glasses.

"I spent most of the night verifying every source I possess."

Greta folded her arms.

"And?"

The doctor exhaled slowly.

"There is only one known cure capable of halting advanced basilisk venom."

He reached into one of his books and carefully removed a pressed, silver-blue leaf.

"The herb is called **Dragon's Mercy**."

Taylor leaned forward.

"It really exists?"

"It does."

Doctor Mercer gently placed the dried sample onto the table.

"It is one of the rarest magical plants still living."

Crystal frowned.

"So..."

She pointed at the leaf.

"We just go pick some?"

Doctor Mercer gave her an apologetic smile.

"I wish it were that simple."

---

He walked to the large map Harold had projected onto the wall.

A vast mountain range appeared.

Deep within it...

A single glowing red circle pulsed.

"This," Mercer said quietly, "is known as the Dragon Graveyard."

Even Cassandra's expression became serious.

"I had hoped it had become only a legend."

"It has not."

Doctor Mercer looked around the room.

"Thousands of years ago, before humanity built its first kingdoms, dragons fought their final war."

His finger traced across the mountains.

"When they died, they flew here."

Joey frowned.

"They... chose where they died?"

"They understood what their deaths meant."

Mercer nodded.

"Their bones saturated the land with ancient magic."

He pointed toward the glowing location.

"Dragon's Mercy grows nowhere else."

Crystal blinked.

"...Nowhere?"

Mercer slowly shook his head.

"Not a single sprig."

He looked directly at Greta.

"I've consulted every known archive."

"The herb cannot be cultivated."

"It cannot be transplanted."

"It cannot survive outside dragon remains."

Silence filled the room.

"The last living colony grows from the skeleton of the Dragon King himself."

Joey let out a slow whistle.

"...Of course it does."

---

Greta rubbed both hands over her face.

"So all we have to do..."

She looked at the map.

"...is sneak into Leviathan's territory, locate the most dangerous place in his kingdom, steal the rarest plant on Earth, and leave before anyone notices."

Doctor Mercer nodded.

"Essentially."

Crystal sighed dramatically.

"I miss worrying about the milkshake machine."

---

For several long moments...

Nobody spoke.

Finally Greta broke the silence.

"No."

Everyone looked toward her.

"No one is going."

Joey raised an eyebrow.

"Greta—"

"No."

Her voice was absolute.

"I lost Malcolm because I underestimated Leviathan."

She jabbed a finger toward the map.

"I'm not sending anyone else into that death trap."

---

Joey looked across the table toward Malcolm's empty chair.

Then quietly asked,

"What would Malcolm do?"

Greta froze.

Nobody answered.

Because everyone already knew.

Malcolm would have gone.

Without hesitation.

---

Cassandra finally stood.

"There is another option."

Greta sighed.

"I know that tone."

Harold immediately projected a second map beside the first.

Cassandra pointed toward a fortress several miles west of the Dragon Graveyard.

"Leviathan maintains an outpost here."

Valerie leaned forward.

"The western watchtower."

Elias nodded.

"Lightly defended compared to the capital."

Cassandra continued.

"If that outpost came under attack..."

"...Leviathan would send reinforcements," Greta finished.

"Exactly."

Joey's eyes widened.

"A diversion."

Cassandra nodded.

"We divide our forces."

---

Greta immediately crossed her arms.

"No."

Valerie looked disappointed.

"I liked it."

Greta ignored her.

"I'm not splitting our strength."

"You don't have enough strength to attack Leviathan directly," Cassandra replied calmly.

"But we don't need to."

She tapped the map again.

"You create enough chaos that every commander starts looking west."

Then she pointed toward the Dragon Graveyard.

"While Joey and I enter from the east."

---

Taylor immediately shook her head.

"No."

Crystal joined her.

"Absolutely not."

Joey looked between them.

"I wasn't asking."

Taylor stood.

"Joey—"

He gently took her hand.

"If Malcolm dies because I stayed home..."

He couldn't finish the sentence.

Taylor lowered her eyes.

She understood.

---

Greta stared silently at the map.

Then at Malcolm's empty chair.

Then back at Cassandra.

"...You really think two people can slip through?"

Cassandra nodded once.

"If anyone can."

---

Valerie grinned.

"So while they sneak around stealing flowers..."

She cracked her knuckles.

"...we get to kick the front door in."

Greta finally looked at her.

"You understand that you'll be fighting an entire military outpost?"

Valerie's grin somehow widened.

"I know."

---

Elias sighed.

"I should begin preparing defensive circles."

"Please do," Greta answered.

---

For another minute...

No one spoke.

Finally Greta pushed herself away from the table.

"Fine."

Everyone looked toward her.

Her expression had become hard again.

Focused.

Determined.

"The Wrecking Crew attacks the western outpost."

She looked toward Cassandra.

"You and Joey infiltrate the Dragon Graveyard."

Then toward Joey.

"You are not heroes."

"You are thieves."

"You get the herb."

"You do **not** engage Leviathan."

"You do **not** try to prove anything."

"You steal the plant..."

"...and you come home."

Joey nodded.

"I promise."

Greta held his gaze for another long second.

Then finally nodded once.

"Good."

She turned toward Valerie and Elias.

"Gear up."

Then toward Cassandra.

"Meet me in the armory in one hour."

Finally she looked toward the rain-covered windows.

"The war has already started."

Her eyes hardened.

"It's time we made Leviathan look in the wrong direction."

Outside, thunder rolled across the mountains.

Somewhere beyond those distant peaks...

The Dragon Graveyard waited.

And growing from the bones of a long-dead king, the last patch of Dragon's Mercy held Malcolm's only chance of survival.