Keith and Narna struggled against the overwhelming pressure crushing them in the cavern. The aura of the approaching mana beast was suffocating, its power far beyond anything they had encountered.
Keith gritted his teeth, his muscles trembling as he tried to move. Suddenly, the pressure faltered, easing for a brief moment.
“This is our chance,” Keith said, his golden eyes locking onto Narna’s. “Run! We need to get out of here now!”
Narna, however, didn’t budge. Her gaze was fixed on the eggs perched on the pillar-like structure at the center of the cavern. Keith noticed the glint of determination in her eyes and knew she was about to do something reckless.
“Narna!” he barked, his voice echoing. “What are you doing? If we stay here, we’re dead!”
She turned to him, her face flushed with excitement. “I can’t leave without one of these eggs,” she said, her voice trembling with both fear and greed. “Do you know what they are? These belong to an Obsidian Drake. It’s one of the rarest mana beasts in existence! I won’t let this opportunity slip away!”
Keith’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Are you insane? That’s exactly why we need to leave! Taking one of those eggs will only make it angrier!”
Before he could argue further, the ground shook violently, an explosion of sound and tremors signaling the creature’s approach. Keith could feel its presence closing in on them, the air growing heavier with its sheer power.
“I’m not waiting to die here!” Keith shouted. Without another word, he turned and bolted for the tunnel they had entered through, his feet pounding against the ground.
He hoped Narna would follow, but when he glanced over his shoulder, she was still standing there, her gaze locked on the eggs.
“Narna!” Keith yelled, his voice laced with frustration.
“I’m right behind you!” she called out.
Keith turned back, his instincts screaming at him to keep running. Moments later, he heard the sound of a beast emerging from Narna’s Life Key. He glanced back again and saw her atop one of her tamed creatures, a sleek feline mana beast that carried her swiftly toward him.
Relieved but still wary, Keith increased his pace, urging himself to move faster. He could feel the mana beast’s presence growing stronger, its pace terrifyingly quick as it raced toward the cavern they had just left.
For a brief moment, the oppressive aura vanished, and Keith felt a flicker of hope. ‘Maybe it stopped,’ he thought, though he didn’t dare slow down.
As they neared the exit of the cave, the earth trembled again. Keith felt it before he heard it—the beast had reached the cavern.
Booooom!!
The explosion that followed sent shockwaves through the ground, and Keith didn’t need to look back to know they had narrowly escaped death.
They burst out of the cave and into the open forest, both breathing heavily. Keith spun around to face Narna, his frustration boiling over. “Alright, what does your precious book say this thing is?!”
Narna, still clutching the book, quickly flipped through its pages, her hands trembling. “It’s an Obsidian Drake,” she said, her voice a mixture of awe and fear. “A dragon-like mana beast, incredibly rare. Its ranking peaks at Grade Two, the third highest rank in existence.”
Keith’s jaw tightened. “And you thought it was a good idea to mess with something like that?”
Narna ignored his tone, continuing to describe the beast. “It’s a creature that thrives in volcanic areas and is known for its devastating lava attacks. If raised properly, it can stand against even Legendary beasts, I think.”
Roaaaaaar!!!
Before Keith could respond, a furious roar shook the forest. The sheer power of the sound froze them both in place. Keith’s instincts flared, and he immediately turned to Narna, suspicion in his eyes.
“What did you do?” he demanded.
Narna hesitated, her gaze shifting. “I… might have taken one of the eggs.”
Keith’s face twisted in anger and disbelief. “Are you kidding me?! Why would you—”
His words were cut off as the cave entrance behind them exploded, debris flying in every direction. Keith shielded his face with his arm, and when the dust cleared, his worst fears were realized.
The Obsidian Drake emerged from the ruins of the cave, its colossal form towering over them. Its obsidian scales gleamed like polished stone, crisscrossed with glowing orange veins that pulsed like molten lava. The beast’s massive head swiveled toward them, its glowing yellow eyes burning with rage.
Standing on all fours, the Drake was dozens of meters long, its muscular body exuding raw power. It opened its mouth, revealing rows of sharp teeth, and spewed a column of lava into the air, the heat searing even from a distance.
Keith’s heart pounded in his chest. “We’re dead,” he muttered.
~~~~~
Far away, Damien wiped the blood off his blade, the remnants of his latest battle behind him. His daily routine of slaying mana beasts and demons had become second nature, but as he prepared to move to his next target, something made him pause.
A roar unlike anything he had ever heard tore through the forest, its primal intensity sending a chill down his spine. He looked up, scanning the horizon for the source of the sound.
“That’s not normal,” he murmured, his brow furrowing.
Climbing the tallest tree nearby, Damien reached the top in seconds. His sharp eyes scanned the forest until he saw it: a thick column of lava shooting into the sky from a distant part of the forest.
His eyes widened in disbelief. “Oh, Lord,” he muttered, gripping the tree branch tightly.
For a moment, he debated whether to investigate. Curiosity gnawed at him, but the sight of the lava made him hesitate. Whatever it was, it was powerful—perhaps too powerful.
Still, Damien couldn’t shake the feeling that this was something he needed to see for himself.
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With a determined sigh, he descended the tree and started moving toward the distant plume, his heart pounding with a mixture of anticipation and dread. “I certainly hope I’m not heading to my death.”