"Grandma?!" A certain silver-haired girl rushed inside her house, her face paler than usual as she didn't stop by any maid or answer them.
One could sense the panic in her voice or the way she moved.
Her heart was trembling; inside her head, she kept repeating that the report was wrong...that the only person from her family about whom she cared was safe.
"Oh, Rin-" someone was about to greet her, who came right out of the room where she hurriedly entered...and froze.
"Huh?" Her eyes widened, mind failing to register what her eyes were showing to her.
Her grandma was on the bed, holding a cup while staring back at her in shock.
"Rinne? What happened? Why are you here?" She asked, and it was obvious.
Rinne was supposed to be in the academy rather than standing here, hundreds of miles away from the school while looking out of breath.
Rinne collapsed on the ground, panting wildly, ushering the maid and the old woman to rush toward her.
"What happened to you?! Rinne, respond to me?" the older woman shook her, cupping her cheeks.
The silver head finally looked up, her eyes slightly moist before she hugged the woman, and whimpered, "I am glad you are safe...so glad..."
The older woman couldn't understand what just happened, but her priority was to first calm her down, so she held her back and whispered, "Yes, I am fine. It's all okay now, child."
The maid brought some water as the older one brought Rinne to the bed and helped her drink some water.
Once she drank and moistened her dry throat, she heard her grandma asking, "What just happened? Why were you in a panic?"
Rinne finally gained enough strength and composure to answer her without hesitation, "I got a report...the stamp and signature of the head maid on it...stating that you were attacked and were gravely injured."
The maid nearby gasped. "I-I never sent such a report!" She panicked.
"I know Diana," The oldest one in the room assured her.
"Someone tricked my poor Rin to rush back home..." With her eyes turning serious, she mumbled under her breath, "But who...and why?"
Rinne suddenly spoke, "I think I know," and not only lips spoke, but so did her eyes.
Those eyes held something sinister.
....
It was a dark and damp cave.
Everyone was on high alert for obvious reasons.
They have seen three solitary-ranked dragons racing to the cave as if they were taking shelter in the hope of escaping their ultimate demise.
The group of five was slowly making their way through the Darkness, with the only source of illumination being the green orb Jasmine summoned over her magical staff.
She haven't been of any use and that was a relief. Since she can only be useful when there is someone injured. But her teammates were very cool and strong.
The strong smell of burnt flesh could be sensed but that didn't stop them.
Hades would be lying to say that he wasn't nervous, however, before he prioritized the mission at hand.
He continued to move forward, his sword raised and all senses on high alert
On his left was Graham, his shield, and behind him were Cedric and Taylor. And in the far back was Jasmine.
*CLINK*
They heard something sharp dropping and they flinched with their eyes trained on the source of the sound.
Hades had his sword pointed, ready to charge—however, the moment he noticed what had just fallen his mind went numb for a moment
It was a part of a dragon's maw, torn from its mouth with a sharp canine tooth.
The flesh and fresh blood told them that the dragon had been ripped into pieces just now.
The moment Hades saw the torn dragon maw, something in him froze.
Still warm. Still dripping.
Something had just killed a dragon. A solitary-ranked dragon.
He opened his mouth to speak— retreat—but the words never came.
Because that's when it hit them.
A crushing weight slammed onto their backs like an invisible mountain pressing down. It was heavy. Suffocating. As if the air had thickened into sludge.
Jasmine staggered behind them, clutching her mouth. She dropped her staff. The green orb flickered—and with a sickening sound, she vomited on the cold, wet stone.
Taylor gasped, grabbing her shoulder, but his hands were trembling.
Cedric's eyes darted around, lips pale, body shivering like he'd been dunked in ice.
Even Graham, solid as stone, grit his teeth as his knees buckled for a second.
Something was watching them. No—studying them.
The cave suddenly felt alive. Breathing. And all of it...was hostile.
Hades couldn't breathe. His heart pounded like a war drum, and for a second, all he could hear was his own pulse screaming in his ears.
Then—eyes.
A pair of glowing golden eyes opened in the dark.
No sound. No roar. Just silence and those burning ancient eyes.
Hades's breath caught in his throat.
He recognized them.
Duke-ranked.
A disaster-ranked dragon has appeared!
"Everyone move!" Hades barked, but it was already too late.
The dragon opened its mouth and the temperature of the cave shot up.
Jasmine fell on her butt, her legs shaky.
There was no way out.
Taylor couldn't squat to help her...he was too overwhelmed by the presence of the dragon.
While their mind was registering what they were facing, hell turned loose.
**SHUAAAAAK**
The funnel of flames came rushing toward them.
Graham knew there was no point in running
The cave was long and they all couldn't rush away.
He slammed his shield on the ground and increased his body size to cover others.
"NO!!" Hades cried, knowing that his friend couldn't take it.
"Guhh!!" Graham grunted, his body being pushed back, his shield melting instantly by the hell flame of the Duke-ranked.
His body was burning and before he could have cried for everyone to run—
"AHHHHH!"
—his body was consumed by flames as they continued to move towards the others.
Hades didn't have time to mourn for his friend's death. He had people he must protect.
He stepped forward, spread his arms, and used his magic,
"Absorb!" All the flames suddenly started converging towards him, not a single ember passing through him.
"Guhh..." Hades groaned, intense pain shooting through his body as he trembled all over.
His body grew red within seconds as his limitations were touched instantly.
His body started to burn, the smell of burnt flesh reached his nose and his legs started to give out.
Through sheer will he kept standing, doing whatever he could do to give others time to run away.
His face burned, body cried in agony, every fibre was begging him to stop...to embrace death since that would be less painful. However, he fought with everything he had...he must...he had to...
"*GHUOG* " The dragon suddenly stopped and let out a startled sound.
Hades didn't know what happened since his mind was failing to register anything.
And before he knew,
*Thud*
...he fell on the ground—unconscious.
°°°°°°°°
A/N:- Thanks for reading. Add the book to your collection.