Chapter 397: Meet Ivy, The Thorn Empress

Vex remained on his knees for several long moments after Noah dismissed Nyx, the red mist dissipating into the cavern air. When he finally rose, his eyes held a fervor that made Noah’s skin crawl—the look of a man who’d found religion in all the wrong places.

"Extraordinary," Vex breathed, brushing imaginary dust from his clothes as he composed himself. "Absolutely extraordinary. Your dragon... he’s different from any I’ve encountered before. The power signature, the dimensional manifestation, even the way he carries himself." His smile returned, but now it held edges that hadn’t been there before. "Right then, let’s talk business. How much do you want for him?"

"I’m not here to sell," Noah said flatly. "I want information."

Vex’s eyebrows rose with apparent delight. "A man after knowledge rather than profit? How refreshing. Ask away, Mr. Eclipse. I’m something of an expert on these matters."

Noah gestured toward the corridor they’d come from, where dozens of Category 4 beasts were held in containment. "First question—why capture them alive? Everyone knows beast cores are the valuable component. Keeping them breathing just increases your risks, your costs, your logistics nightmares."

The question seemed to energize Vex, his academic enthusiasm bubbling to the surface. "Ah, but that’s where most people get it wrong, you see. A dead beast gives you one core, one transaction, one profit margin." He began walking as he spoke, leading them along a path that wound around the central spring. "A living beast? That’s an investment that keeps paying dividends."

Sophie frowned. "How so?"

"Breeding programs, for one," Vex explained, his tone taking on the cadence of a professor delivering a favorite lecture. "Two Category 4 specimens can produce offspring with enhanced characteristics. The hybrid vigor often results in creatures that are more powerful, more adaptable than either parent. And some species..." His eyes gleamed. "Some species can be trained to perform tasks that make their living value exceed their core worth by orders of magnitude."

They passed an enclosure containing what looked like a crystalline spider the size of a small car, its faceted body refracting the artificial sunlight into prismatic rainbows. The creature’s web stretched across the entire cage, and Noah noticed that the strands seemed to have streams of fluid flowing through it.

"That beauty there can weave filaments stronger than any synthetic material we’ve developed," Vex continued with obvious pride. "Her silk sells for more per gram than processed void crystals. Why kill her for a one-time core extraction when she can produce that silk for decades?"

’He’s not wrong,’ Noah thought, watching the spider work like an unpaid civil servant. ’From a purely economic standpoint, living specimens would be worth more than cores in the right markets.’

"Transportation is challenging, certainly," Vex admitted as they walked past more enclosures. "But that’s what makes this business so... exclusive. Anyone with enough firepower can kill a beast and crack out its core. But capturing them alive, keeping them healthy during transport, maintaining proper containment..." He spread his hands. "That requires expertise, resources, and most importantly, understanding."

They had reached another section of the facility, where the enclosures were larger and the creatures within them noticeably more docile. A massive bear-like creature with fur that seemed to be made of living metal dozed peacefully in a corner of its cage, despite being large enough to tear through the reinforced walls with minimal effort.

"Which brings me to dragons," Vex said, his voice taking on a reverent quality that made Noah’s attention sharpen. "Tell me, Mr. Eclipse, what do you know about the hierarchy of beasts?"

"I know humans are generally considered apex predators in most ecosystems," Noah replied carefully. "Beyond that, it varies by planet and local conditions."

"True enough for the current era," Vex nodded. "But you’re thinking too small, too recent. Step back and consider the larger picture. Throughout the galaxy, across hundreds of worlds where beasts have emerged, there are certain species that consistently dominate their local food chains. Apex predators, as you said. But even among apex predators, there are hierarchies."

They had stopped beside a viewing platform that overlooked a section of the facility Noah couldn’t quite see into. Vex leaned against the railing, his gaze growing distant.

"At the bottom, you have your Category 1 and 2 specimens—dangerous to individuals or small groups, but manageable with proper equipment. Category 3 beasts require military-grade responses, specialized teams. Category 4..." He gestured toward the enclosures around them. "Category 4 beasts can devastate cities if left unchecked. They’re the apex predators of their respective ecosystems."

"And Category 5 requires army-level responses," Sophie added.

"Precisely. But here’s what the EDF classification system doesn’t account for," Vex said, his eyes gleaming with the fervor of someone sharing a closely guarded secret. "There’s a species that sits above even Category 5 threats. A species so powerful, so intelligent, that they didn’t just dominate their ecosystems—they ruled them."

Noah’s pulse quickened. ’He’s talking about dragons.’

"Long ago, before the current classification systems, before the EDF, before humanity even began to understand what we were dealing with, there was a Beast King," Vex continued, his voice taking on the cadence of ancient storytelling. "Not a single creature, you understand, but a title. A position of absolute dominance in the galactic ecosystem. And for millennia, that title belonged to the dragon species."

Kaia, who had been silent during their tour, shifted uncomfortably. Even the boys from the beach, who had been following at a respectful distance, seemed drawn in by the gravity of Vex’s words.

"They weren’t just powerful," Vex said, beginning to pace along the platform. "They were intelligent. Strategic. They could manipulate dimensional energy in ways we still don’t fully understand. They commanded the respect—or terror—of every other species they encountered. When a dragon claimed territory, that territory remained claimed until the dragon chose to relinquish it."

’Dragons existed before the beast emergence,’ Noah realized, his mind racing through the implications. ’That’s why Nyx isn’t properly categorized in the EDF system. Why his power readings don’t fit the standard scales. He’s not a beast in the same sense as the others—he’s something older, something that predates our understanding of what beasts even are.’

"But dragons..." Vex’s expression grew melancholy. "Dragons were also proud. Territorial. They didn’t work well together, preferred to rule their individual domains rather than unite under common cause. And one by one, over the course of centuries, they began to disappear."

"Disappear how?" Noah asked, though part of him already suspected the answer.

"Some say they retreated to hidden dimensions, sleeping until the galaxy was ready for their return. Others believe they were hunted to extinction by coalitions of lesser species who feared their power." Vex’s smile returned, but now it held something cold and predatory. "Still others think they simply evolved beyond the need for physical forms, ascending to some higher plane of existence."

They had reached the large doorway Noah had noticed earlier, and as they approached, he felt his system ping with increasingly urgent alerts. The energy signature was massive, familiar in some ways but distinctly different from both Nyx and Storm.

Noah stopped dead in his tracks.

’That’s... that’s definitely draconic energy. But it feels wrong somehow. Muted. Suppressed.’

"What’s the matter?" Sophie asked, noticing his sudden stillness.

Vex had stopped as well, and when Noah looked at him, the older man’s smile had transformed into something genuinely unsettling. "Ah, you can sense it too, can’t you? The presence of another one."

The admission hit Noah then and there. ’He has another dragon. That’s what I’ve been detecting since we arrived.’

"I was wondering if you were simply a lucky amateur who’d stumbled across a dragon egg," Vex continued, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, "or if you truly understood what you were dealing with. Your reaction tells me everything I need to know."

He moved toward the massive doorway, his hand hovering over what looked like a biometric scanner. "Would you like to see? See my prize?"

The energy signature beyond the door pulsed like a heartbeat, and Noah felt his system responding with increasing urgency:

[DRACONIC PRESENCE DETECTED]

[STATUS: DISTRESS SIGNALS DETECTED]

[WARNING: SUBJECT APPEARS TO BE UNDER EXTERNAL CONTROL]

"Yes," Noah said quietly, his hands clenching into fists. "I would."

Vex pressed his palm to the scanner, and the massive door began to iris open with a deep, rumbling sound that seemed to come from the mountain itself. As it did, a wave of pressure washed over them—not physical pressure, but something deeper. The weight of an ancient power in pain.

The others gasped and staggered as the presence hit them. Kaia’s hand went to her weapon instinctively. The boys from the beach actually took several steps backward. Even Sophie swayed on her feet, her face going pale.

But Noah stood firm, his jaw set in determination as the door finished opening.

Beyond the threshold lay a chamber that reached all the way to the mountain’s peak, its domed ceiling easily a hundred feet above them. And in the center of that vast space, surrounded by containment fields that crackled with energy, was one of the most beautiful creatures Noah had ever seen.

The dragon was smaller than Nyx—perhaps two-thirds his size—with scales that seemed to shimmer between deep forest green and rich jade. Her hide caught the light in patterns that reminded Noah of sunlight filtering through ancient canopies. Thorny ridges ran along her spine and wings, giving her an elegant but dangerous silhouette. Everything about her spoke of nature’s dual aspects—both beautiful and deadly.

"Magnificent, isn’t she?" Vex said proudly. "I call her Ivy. The locals where I found her called her the Thorn Empress, though I prefer my own nomenclature. Her species specializes in botanical warfare—living weapons, natural toxins, regenerative capabilities. In the wild, she could have turned an entire forest into her personal arsenal."

But as Noah looked closer, his initial awe transformed into cold rage. The dragon—Ivy—bore marks that spoke of prolonged captivity and worse. Scars crisscrossed her flanks where restraints had rubbed her scales raw. Her thorny ridges had been partially clipped, clearly to reduce her natural weaponry. Her eyes, which should have burned with draconic pride and intelligence, were dulled with exhaustion and defeat.

And she was motionless. Not the stillness of sleep or rest, but the frozen posture of a creature held in place against its will.

[SUBJECT ANALYSIS COMPLETE]

[NAME: IVY, THE THORN EMPRESS]

[SPECIES: THORN ASSAULT DRAGON]

[STATUS: CAPTIVE - SEVERE PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA DETECTED]

[WARNING: SUBJECT IS EXTREMELY VOLATILE IN IT’S DISTRESS STATE]

’A female dragon,’ Noah realized, his fists clenching tighter. ’The first I’ve ever seen. And this bastard has been torturing her.’

"She’s beautiful," he said aloud, his voice carefully controlled. "How long have you had her?"

"Oh, many years ago, Mr Eclipse" Vex replied with obvious satisfaction. "Took me two years to track her down to a planet called Verdania she had what I’d class as an entire continent covered in carnivorous forests under her domain. Another six months to devise a capture method that wouldn’t damage her permanently. The cage alone cost me a fortune, but it was worth every credit."

The others were still staring in awe at Ivy, but Noah was studying every detail—the containment system, the scars, the way her natural thorns had been systematically clipped to reduce her danger.

"While she’s all beauty, please do not be deceived," Vex continued with academic enthusiasm. "Razor-sharp vines that can extend up to fifty meters, toxic breath that can paralyze a Category 4 beast in seconds, and those spine projectiles of hers can punch through military-grade armor. But perhaps most impressive is her regenerative capability—she can regrow lost limbs, heal from wounds that would kill most creatures, even restore damaged plant matter around her."

Noah noticed something else—small scorch marks around Ivy’s clipped thorns, evidence that they’d been cauterized to prevent regrowth.

"As you can see," Vex continued, turning back to Noah with renewed enthusiasm, "I have considerable experience with these magnificent creatures. I would be more than pleased to add your Nyx to my collection. The breeding possibilities alone would be worth a fortune, and I can guarantee he would receive the finest care."

’Breeding possibilities.’ The words hit Noah like ice water. ’He wants to breed them. Like livestock.’

"No," Noah said simply.

Vex’s smile faltered slightly. "I’m sorry?"

"I said no. I’m not giving you Nyx."

"Mr. Eclipse," Vex said, his tone becoming patronizing, "perhaps you don’t understand the full scope of what I’m offering. I’m prepared to pay—"

"And I’m telling you that dragons aren’t beasts," Noah interrupted, his voice rising slightly. "They’re intelligent beings. Keeping her like this..." He gestured toward Ivy. "This is slavery, torture!"

Vex’s expression shifted, the academic enthusiasm replaced by something colder. "And how would you know that, exactly?"

"Because I’ve fought side by side with two of them," Noah replied. "They’re not mindless animals. They think, they feel, they have personalities and preferences and..." He stopped, realizing he’d said too much.

But Vex had caught it immediately. His eyes widened with renewed hunger. "Two of them? You have two dragons?" He clapped his hands together like a child who’d just been promised a second dessert. "What a special day this has turned out to be! A Red Death Dragon and... what’s the second one?"

Noah remained silent, but his expression must have given something away.

"Oh, this is wonderful," Vex continued, beginning to pace excitedly. "Two dragons! The applications alone... imagine Ivy’s area control combined with a Red Death’s raw destructive power. I’ll need to expand my facilities, of course, but the investment will be worth it. Name your price, Mr. Eclipse. I’m prepared to make you wealthier than you’ve ever imagined."

"Not happening," Noah said flatly.

Vex stopped pacing, his expression growing serious. "Mr. Eclipse, I think you may be misunderstanding the nature of our situation here. This isn’t exactly a negotiation where you can simply walk away."

As if summoned by his words, armed guards began filing into the chamber. They moved with military training, taking positions that effectively blocked all the exits. Their weapons were clearly beast-tech hybrids, and Noah’s system immediately began cataloging threat levels.

Noah grabbed Sophie’s hand. "We’re leaving. Now."

But even as he spoke, Ivy suddenly threw back her head and roared—not in defiance, but in pure agony. Her body convulsed within the containment field, her wings beating frantically against barriers she couldn’t break.

Noah spun to see Vex standing with his arms extended toward the dragon, his eyes glowing with an eerie light. The expression on his face was one of casual concentration, like someone adjusting the volume on a music player.

"Stop," Noah commanded, "Stop hurting her. Now."

Vex glanced at him without lowering his arms. "Make me."

The challenge hung in the air for a heartbeat. Then Noah’s expression shifted, becoming something that made several of the guards take involuntary steps backward.

"Wrong answer," he said quietly.

[VOID BLINK ACTIVATED]

Reality folded around around him instantly. One moment he was standing beside Sophie; the next, he was directly in front of Ivy’s containment field.

[EXCALIBURN EQUIPED!]

[VOID EDGE ACTIVE]

The sword materialized in Noah’s hand like a piece of the universe itself taking physical form.

Noah raised the blade and brought it down on the containment field’s primary projector in a strike that carved through matter, energy, and the space between them. The projector didn’t just break—it ceased to exist, leaving behind a perfect sphere of nothingness that made the air around it ripple with distortion.

But Ivy remained motionless, still trapped despite the ruined containment system.

"Impressive," Vex said, his voice filled with genuine admiration even as he continued to torment the dragon. "I was wondering if you had one too."

He began removing his outer clothing with casual disregard for the tension in the room, revealing what lay beneath.

What Noah had taken for simple garments had been concealing armor unlike anything he’d ever seen. The pieces weren’t manufactured—they were grown, each scale and plate looking like it had been taken directly from some massive creature.

The armor was deep green with veins of gold running through it, and as Vex secured the final piece in place, the energy signature Noah had been detecting since their arrival suddenly made perfect sense.

[ARMOR ANALYSIS COMPLETE]

[CLASSIFICATION: CATEGORY 5+ THREAT LEVEL]

[MATERIAL COMPOSITION: DRACONIC SCALE ARMOR]

[SOURCE: MULTIPLE DRAGON SPECIMENS]

"Only a dragon’s core could forge a weapon like that," Vex said, gesturing toward Excaliburn with obvious appreciation. "The the reality-cutting properties... yes, you definitely harvested that from one of them. Didn’t you. How did you do it?!!"

Noah stared at the armor pieces—scales that had once been part of living dragons, now worn as trophies by the man who had killed them.

Just then he made another realization on top of the mounting heaps of things he’d realize today.

Vex wasn’t a collector.

He was a dragon hunter.

And Ivy wasn’t his first victim.