“Ahhhh!”
Narna’s scream pierced the forest, drowning out all other sound. “My arm!”
“My fucking arm!” Her left arm was gone, disintegrated by the column of lava that had narrowly missed consuming her entirely.
Thud!
She fell to the ground, clutching at the empty space where her arm had been, her body convulsing in agony.
Keith skidded to a stop and turned back toward her. He could have kept running, but his instincts wouldn’t let him leave her behind. Rushing to her side, he dropped to his knees and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her as her pain-filled cries echoed in his ears.
“Narna, let it go!” he pleaded, his voice desperate. “You’re going to die if you keep holding onto that egg!”
Despite the agony twisting her face, Narna’s stubbornness remained. She shook her head violently, her good arm clutching her Life Key tightly. “No… it’s mine,” she hissed through gritted teeth. “I won’t give it up!”
Keith’s frustration boiled over, but he didn’t have time to argue. He scooped her up in his arms, ignoring her weak protests, and bolted deeper into the forest.
Graaaaarr!!
The Obsidian Drake roared behind them, its fury shaking the very ground. Keith sprinted as fast as his legs could carry him, dodging fallen trees and debris from the previous attacks. Despite his efforts, he knew they weren’t safe.
Just as he feared, a third column of lava erupted from the drake’s maw, shooting through the forest with terrifying speed. Keith glanced back, his golden eyes widening as the molten torrent bore down on them.
He skidded to a halt, his mind racing. ‘It’s going to hit us!’
“Narna, brace yourself!” Keith shouted.
Before she could respond, Keith threw her away from him, sending her rolling to the ground. He planted his feet firmly and drew his weapon, a sleek, curved blade.
Channeling his magic essence into the weapon, he raised it in front of him just as the column of lava reached him.
“Bring it on!” With a roar of defiance, Keith swung the blade, splitting the lava in two. The molten stream split down the middle, one half veering to his left and the other to his right, just grazing his shoulders. The heat seared his skin, the pain biting deep, but Keith held his ground.
When the attack finally subsided, Keith’s breath came in ragged gasps. His shoulders burned where the lava had made contact, but he had survived. Despite the pain, he turned to find Narna, who was struggling to her feet a short distance away.
He rushed to her, his body aching with every step. “Are you alright?” he asked, his voice laced with urgency.
Narna nodded weakly, her face pale and sweat-soaked. Before Keith could say more, the ground beneath them began to quake violently.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Keith froze as the tremors grew louder and more frequent. He didn’t need to turn around to know what was coming. The Obsidian Drake was closing in.
When the beast finally emerged, Keith’s breath caught in his throat. The drake’s colossal form crashed through the forest with terrifying speed, its massive body seeming to defy logic as it moved with a predator’s grace.
“How the hell is it so fast?” Keith muttered, his disbelief momentarily paralyzing him.
Before he could react further, the drake swiped at them with one of its massive claws. Keith barely managed to turn, coating his back in magic essence as he took the brunt of the blow.
The impact sent him and Narna flying through the air like ragdolls.
Boom!!
They slammed into a thick tree, the force of the collision snapping branches and cracking the trunk. Keith heard several of his bones break, a sharp pain radiating through his body.
Despite the agony, he forced himself to his feet. His vision blurred for a moment, but he blinked it away and turned to check on Narna. She lay motionless at the base of the tree, unconscious.
Keith clenched his fists, his anger flaring. “If you’d just listened to me… none of this would have happened,” he muttered under his breath.
The Drake loomed over them, its glowing eyes filled with rage. Keith knew there was no reasoning with the beast. Even if they returned the egg now, the drake wouldn’t stop until they were both dead.
Keith’s grip on his sword tightened. Despite the hopelessness of the situation, he couldn’t just stand by and let Narna die. He planted his feet firmly, his golden eyes burning with determination.
“You want a fight? Fine,” he growled.
“Die!!” With a roar of his own, Keith launched himself at the drake, his blade glowing with magic essence. He swung with all his strength, aiming for the beast’s neck.
The drake blocked the attack with one of its massive claws, the force of the collision sending shockwaves through the ground. Keith gritted his teeth, pushing against the beast’s strength with everything he had.
The drake roared, its head swinging around as it opened its jaws. Keith barely managed to leap back as another stream of molten lava shot forth, narrowly missing him. The heat singed his skin, but he pressed on, dodging and weaving as the drake unleashed a barrage of attacks.
Despite his best efforts, Keith was quickly overwhelmed. The drake’s strength was unmatched, and each of its attacks pushed him closer to his limit.
~~~~~
Far above, Damien rode Aquila, the Griffin’s powerful wings carrying them swiftly toward the source of the chaos.
As they neared, Damien spotted the drake through the smoke and flames. His eyes widened as he took in the scene below—Keith battling the beast while a motionless Narna lay nearby.
“What the hell is going on down there?” Damien muttered.
Aquila let out a sharp cry, sensing its master’s unease. Damien patted the Griffin’s neck, his resolve hardening.
“Let’s go,” he said. “Looks like they could use some help.”
With a powerful beat of its wings, Aquila dove toward the battlefield, its golden feathers glinting in the fiery light. Damien gripped his blade tightly, ready to face the drake head-on.
Keith caught sight of the descending figure and felt a flicker of hope. “Whoever you are,” he muttered, dodging another of the drake’s attacks, “please, help.”
The Obsidian Drake roared again, its massive body twisting as it turned its gaze toward the new arrival.
The battle was far from over, but with Damien’s unexpected intervention, there was a chance—no matter how small—that they might survive.