A few days passed. Jacob and Allison skipped school and were now in Serendell on his yacht, relaxing and snuggling on the sun deck as the calm lake waters gently rocked the yacht.
Cogman suddenly appeared before them. "Sir, the S.D.E.S. has located the monster that has been sinking fishing boats and cargo ships near Alaska."
Jacob sat up, his interest piqued. "What is it?"
"A wyrm, sir. A type of dragon."
Allison raised an eyebrow. "Dragon? Is it like Jay?"
Cogman shook his head. "No, my lady. Wyrms are a different classification of dragon—wingless and legless, characterized by long, serpentine bodies. They have thick, scaly hides, formidable jaws, and immense physical strength. There are several varieties. Some live near volcanoes and breathe fire. Others inhabit forests and control plants or earth. River and ocean wyrms command water or ice. And some possess venomous breath."
He paused, then continued. "Wyrms are frequently associated with death, decay, and chaos. They hoard and guard treasure. A wyrm is a relentless guardian of its domain. Few who enter their territory live to tell the tale."
Jacob leaned forward. "And what kind of wyrm appeared near Alaska?"
Cogman said, "There are four types of aquatic wyrms. Glacial Wyrms inhabit arctic regions, frozen lakes, and glaciers. River Wyrms live in rivers. Merwyrms dwell closer to coastlines and coral reefs. These three are smaller, maxing out at twenty meters." He paused. "But the creature near Alaska is an Oceanic Wyrm—the largest of their species. They live in the open ocean and deep-sea trenches, can grow over a hundred meters long, and control the water element."
With a thought, Cogman sent images to Jacob's phone. "I've just sent you the pictures the S.D.E.S. took this morning."
Jacob pulled out his phone, and Allison leaned in to look.
The first image showed a colossal sea serpent, only part of its body visible above the churning ocean. Metallic silver-blue scales covered its massive form, sharp spines ran along its back, and its head was unmistakably dragon-like—jaws built for crushing, eyes gleaming with ancient intelligence.
The second image captured the wyrm attacking a large cargo ship, its enormous head slamming into the vessel's hull.
The third image showed the wyrm using its water breath—a pressurized blast that cut through the ship like a blade, splitting it in two.
Allison said, "It's not attacking them for food."
Cogman nodded. "I believe it's defending its territory. Most likely, there is a treasure hoard at that location—it's the same area where all previous attacks have occurred. The S.D.E.S. shares that theory."
Jacob put his phone away. "How big do you think it is, Cogman?"
Cogman calculated. "Based on the images and comparing its size to the cargo ship, I estimate eighty meters or more. It must be over a hundred years old to reach that size."
Jacob was quiet for a moment. "So. What do you think? Should I kill it or subdue it?"
Allison tilted her head. "Can you actually subdue it?"
Jacob shrugged. "Probably."
She considered this. "Well, killing something that big and old seems like a shame. Try to subdue it if you can. Bring it here—make a new lake for it in Serendell. Fill it with fish so it can feed."
Cogman added, "You should also retrieve whatever treasure it's guarding and place it in the lake for the wyrm."
Jacob's eyes narrowed. "What? Then forget it. I'll just kill it."
Cogman looked confused. "Why?"
Allison smiled knowingly. "Did you forget what Jay is? He's a dragon. He already has his eyes on that treasure and doesn't want to share it with the wyrm."
Jacob crossed his arms. "Yes. As a dragon, I want to hoard treasure too. If other dragons find out I have no gold and no treasure, they'll laugh at me."
Allison's smile widened. "If you subdue the wyrm, it will be your pet. Why not share a little bit with it? Just a little."
Jacob frowned. "That's very hard for me to accept. I'd rather just kill the stupid wyrm and eat it."
Allison raised an eyebrow. "Since it's a type of dragon, would eating it be considered cannibalism?"
Jacob waved a hand. "Fine. I'll just burn it to ash."
Cogman interjected, "How about you contact the S.D.E.S. and ask them to pay you in gold to deal with the wyrm? Then you can share some of that treasure with it when you bring it here. It would still be yours, after all."
Jacob's expression shifted to consideration. "That's actually a good idea." He paused. "But do they really need help? Can't they just blow it to shreds with a mini-nuke or a non-nuclear bomb?"
Cogman shook his head. "They considered that. But the President of the United States refused to authorize it. The location is too close to Russian waters. They don't want to start an international incident—or a war."
Jacob nodded slowly. "I see."
Allison frowned. "What about the Director of the S.D.E.S.? What are they? Can't they kill the wyrm? Or don't they have someone strong enough?"
Cogman's lips curved into a slight smirk as he glanced at Jacob. "The Director of the S.D.E.S. is a woman, sir. And she is actually a type of dragon."
Jacob's eyebrows shot up. "What? How come dragons are popping up all of a sudden like stray dogs and cats?"
Cogman shook his head. "Although she is a dragon, she is considerably weaker than you, sir."
Jacob leaned forward, curiosity piqued. "What is she, exactly?"
Cogman explained, "She is an Amphiptere—a winged serpent that lacks limbs other than its wings. There are many varieties. Some have feathered, bird-like wings; others have leathery, bat-like wings. Like true dragons, Amphipteres are born with elemental power control. Some control fire, some lightning, and some possess dual elemental powers. Their full forms range in size from three meters to fourteen meters."
Jacob's eyes narrowed. "What's her name, and what element does she control?"
Cogman consulted his internal database. "Her name is Maria Argyros, from an old Greek family. According to S.D.E.S. files, she controls both earth and wind elements. As a serpent, she can also produce venom."
Allison asked, "Can't she deal with the wyrm herself?"
Cogman shook his head. "No, my lady. The wyrm is far stronger than her. Moreover, the wyrm can hide in the ocean depths. Even if she wanted to fight it, she would have to engage underwater—which would be suicide. The ocean is the wyrm's domain."
Jacob asked, "What other strong supernatural creatures does the S.D.E.S. have?"
Cogman listed them efficiently. "The ones worth mentioning are her husband—a griffin, and also the Vice Director. There is an ancient vampire, various witches and wizards, five manticores, several lamias, different types of kitsunes, and a few varieties of fairies. However, most of their agents are simply shapeshifters who can turn into normal animals." He paused. "They also have some elite agents who are off the records—their identities protected from hackers like me, kept as trump cards. I don't know what they are." He concluded, "None of them are strong enough to deal with the wyrm. Not even their elite agents."
Jacob said, "Alright. Contact that agent we met—Frank. The one we spoke to after I killed the yeti. You can get his number, right?"
Cogman nodded. "Give me a moment." He teleported to the palace and returned with a phone, handing it to Jacob. "Here, sir. Use this phone from now on to contact people you don't want to have your personal number. It can also alter your voice. I've already loaded Frank's number. You can call him. Don't worry—they can't track this phone, even if you're outside Serendell. You can also make the call anonymous if you prefer."
Jacob took the phone with a satisfied nod. "Since they can't track it, let him keep my number. In case he wants to call me to help with something they can't handle—for a price, of course."
He dialed Frank's number.
---
Aboard a Large Naval Ship – Pacific Ocean
In a conference room, a group of agents gathered around a long table, deep in discussion about how to deal with the wyrm. Their attention was fixed on the woman at the head of the table. Screens lined the walls—some displayed still images of the creature, while others showed real-time sonar scans of the ocean depths, satellite imagery, and looping footage of the wyrm's brutal attacks.
Director Maria Argyros was a blonde woman who appeared to be in her forties, though her eyes held the weight of centuries. She wore a tailored gray blazer over a white blouse, her posture commanding and unyielding. She was mid-sentence when a phone rang.
Frank, an African-American man in his thirties sitting near the middle of the table, fumbled nervously for his phone as the director's gaze landed on him.
Maria's voice was cool. "Do you need to take that?"
Frank declined the call. "No, ma'am. Sorry." He switched it to silent, mumbled, "I'll put it on silent," and shoved the phone back into his pocket.
Maria nodded and opened her mouth to continue—but Frank's phone vibrated, the buzz cutting through the tense silence.
Maria sighed. "Take it. It might be important."
Frank checked the screen. "I don't even recognize the number, ma'am. It's probably not important. I'll turn it off."
A man sitting to Maria's left smirked. He wore a striking red and black suit, with thick, dark-and-gray shoulder-length hair and a heavy beard that framed his sharp features. "Take it, Frank. Put it on speaker. Let's all hear."
Maria nodded. "Take it."
Frank sighed, answered the call, and put it on speaker.
A deep voice came through. "Hello, Agent Frank. You finally answered. I was thinking I might need to call your boss, Maria, instead."
Everyone at the table exchanged uneasy glances. Frank's voice was cautious. "Who is this?"
"I'm the man who killed the yeti-like creature in California a couple of months ago."
The room went silent. Every agent there had seen the reports—the corpse of the yeti, the footage of the battle's aftermath. They all knew the man on the phone was powerful. Dangerously powerful.
Frank's jaw tightened. "I don't remember giving you my number. Or telling you my boss's name."
"Don't worry about that," the voice said smoothly. "I don't mean you or your organization any harm. I just want to make a deal."
Maria leaned forward, her voice cutting through the silence. "I'm Maria Argyros, Director of the S.D.E.S. I'm curious—what kind of deal?"
Jacob got straight to the point. "I'm willing to deal with the wyrm for you. For a price, of course. As they say—if you're good at something, never do it for free."
Maria's eyes narrowed. "First, tell me how you know my name and how you know about the wyrm."
Jacob's voice was calm, unapologetic. "To be honest, I hacked the S.D.E.S. Not because I was targeting you specifically—but for my own safety. Don't worry, I've hacked every organization related to the supernatural side of the world, not just yours. After all, we both know that some organizations love to hunt supernatural creatures—to sell them, experiment on them, harvest their body parts and blood." He paused. "Like your S.D.E.S. You experiment on people too."
Maria's voice was measured. "We only experiment on criminals. To grow our strength to fight against criminals and dark forces."
Jacob acknowledged, "I know you're not a completely evil organization. You're a necessary evil to keep the world in balance. Otherwise, I wouldn't be talking to you. Now, tell me—do you want to make a deal or not?"
Maria asked, "Are you sure you can kill the wyrm?"
Jacob's confidence was unwavering. "Yes. To you, it's a powerful monster. To me, it's just an oversized sea snake. But I don't want to kill it—I want to keep it as a pet."
There was a pause. "Keep it as a pet? Are you sure you can control something that powerful? Can you guarantee it will not harm innocent people?"
"Yes."
Maria was silent for a moment, then asked, "What's your price?"
"Five billion dollars' worth in gold."
Maria's voice tightened. "That's too much."
Jacob countered smoothly. "An empty cargo ship is worth between one hundred and three hundred million dollars. When loaded, it carries cargo valued anywhere from five hundred million to over a billion dollars per trip. The wyrm has already sunk two. If you don't deal with it, more ships will sink, and normal humans will learn about the wyrm. Panic will follow." He let that sink in. "Five billion to deal with the wyrm isn't too much to ask."
Maria tried to negotiate. "Can you lower the price a bit?"
Jacob considered, then said, "Fine. Let's consider this a gesture of goodwill—making friends. Three billion worth of gold. That's my bottom line."
Maria's tone shifted. "Making friends? Does that mean you're willing to help us again in the future?"
Jacob confirmed, "Yes. As long as you pay me a satisfactory price, I'll help. But only with creatures like the wyrm and the yeti I killed before. I'm not free to deal with normal threats. If you need me, contact me through this number."
Maria said, "Okay. Give me a few minutes to make some calls. I'll call you back."
Jacob ended the call. "Alright."
---
Maria looked around the conference table. "Before I call and ask for the gold, I want your opinions. Should we accept the help of this mysterious man?"
The man in the red and black suit beside her—Cassian, an ancient vampire—leaned back. "He sounds dangerous. And he probably knows all our information by now. But if he can deal with the wyrm, I think we should accept his help. Let's see if he's as strong as he claims." His eyes glinted. "If he's badly injured after the fight, we may as well deal with him—kill him or plant a curse on him."
Before Maria could respond, Frank spoke up. "I advise against that, ma'am."
Maria turned to him. "Why?"
Frank's expression was grave. "Even if he's injured after the fight, he's not alone. When I met him, he was with six other people—like I told you before, ma'am. They're probably strong too. They flew away with no wings, no wind—they just flew. You all know how rare that is." He paused. "And after his fight with the yeti, he wasn't injured. Neither were his people. I didn't smell blood on any of them."
A woman sitting next to Maria nodded. "He's right, Maria. We should not make enemies of someone that strong. After I used that yeti's blood in potions, I created some powerful concoctions—even I was scared by their effects. That means the yeti was terrifyingly strong when it was alive."
Maria tapped her nails on the table, thinking. After a long moment, she said, "I never planned to make enemies of him or his people. But I'm not going to lie—I'm nervous about the fact that he hacked us and knows everything about us." She looked at Frank. "Tell us everything you know about him and his people."
Frank shook his head. "I don't know much. When we met him, he could tell we were shapeshifters—and he didn't care at all. As for his people, I could only tell that one of them was a werewolf. I couldn't identify the others." He frowned. "Before they left, he felt like an ordinary human. The most ordinary human I've ever met. But when they flew away, I felt this terrifying feeling from him—like nothing I've ever experienced. All my instincts screamed at me to run. But when I looked at my team, they didn't feel a thing, so I thought I was overthinking it." He shrugged helplessly. "That's all I know, ma'am."
Maria nodded slowly. "Alright. Let's hope he's not an evil person—and let's make friends with him." She stood. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to talk to those bloodsuckers in the White House and see if I can get the gold." She glanced at Cassian with a wink. "No offense, Cassian."
Cassian smirked. "None taken. Compared to me, those politicians are the real vampires."
---
Back in Serendell, Jacob waited.
An hour passed before his phone rang. He answered. "So. Do we have a deal?"
Maria's voice was tired but resolved. "Yes. I'll give you three billion worth of gold—but it will take a week to arrange."
Jacob said, "Then I'll come to your ship a week from now to deal with the wyrm and collect my gold."
Maria hesitated. "Can you come tomorrow? The wyrm is attacking more frequently now. We don't know what damage it might cause in a week. I promise you'll get your gold within a week—even if I have to pay it from my own pocket."
Jacob considered for a moment, then said, "Alright. I'll be there tomorrow."
To be continued… 😊
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