It was pitch black outside and night had finally fallen over Sol.
After the battle with the orc and mushroom monster both groups began proceeding up the mountain. Sol was too far on foot, and dangerous monsters skulked around in the dark. The humans had no choice but to move upward, towards Zul's peak and the dragon's den. They soldiered on, muscles aching and bodies battered and bruised from their separate encounters. The cold wind whipped at their skin and several howls filled the air.
They marched on and eventually both teams regrouped. Relief washed over them, but it was far from over. They walked on and on and eventually the mountain's peak came into view. "Gragh, I can't believe we're here in one piece." Riley was huffing and puffing, and the cheery girl was no longer smiling. To be honest, she wanted to fall flat on her face and sleep for decades. "Everyone holding up okay?"
Harper didn't even bother answering and instead gasped for breath, his entire body ached. The boy kept close to the back of the group, making sure that no one fell behind and while some of the others chattered and complained, he scanned the surroundings.
Voices made their way towards the peak and two rabbit ears twitched. "I think it might be them." A loud complaint echoed throughout the mountain side and the black rabbit laughed, however, the chuckle turned into a wince when a sharp pain shot through her side. Those elemental wolves had actually taken a lot to chase away and if not for the royal dragoons, Serenade would have most likely become those wolves' dinner. "I'm certain that those are the humans we've been waiting for."
"Saves us the trouble of searching for them," Victoria muttered as she got up from her kneeling position on the ground. She was busy wrapping a line of gauze around her ankle because earlier one of the fire wolves had brushed against it, resulting to unsightly bleeding and more than a fair share of scares. She didn't care much for the pain; the nobody simply wished it wouldn't leave a lasting mark on her porcelain skin. Looks like she would have to run to the Sol apothecary once they return to the city. Still, it was troubling. This was one of the few times they had been cornered by all sorts of elemental wolves; normally they only come in packs of which elements complement each other, but all four at once? Was it caused by the advent of the crazed dragons?
From beside her Avian stirred and then stood up as well. He sheathed his daggers and listened. The two royal dragoons were both bruised and slightly winded but they were still in prime condition, so they bade Serenade to follow and headed down the path. In no time the two groups bumped into each other, and the guides only had to look at the humans for a moment to decide that now wasn't the time to pursue the mission.
"Let's search for a place to rest. None of you look well," Avian murmured and he assisted Hakuren, who still looked very much out of it, while Victoria eyed her whip hanging from Jasper's waist before deciding to carry the dazed Leila on her back.
They all moved on until they found a cave carved onto the mountainside. The humans stayed outside while the soldier duo checked it out; they came out in a few minutes and declared that it was safe. "Well, I'm pretty sure it isn't a dragon's den because if it was you would've heard roaring," Victoria sighed as they ushered everyone inside. Once they were within the cool and somewhat comfortable cave the humans started dropping down like dead flies, and even Victoria and Avian took the chance to break away from their rigid posture and slump down in exhaustion.
"Thank you, for everything." Harper stated before he slumped against one of the walls and slid to the ground. His eyes flitted to Hakuren then Jasper. "How are you both holding up?" He asked with a smile. Harper hadn't had the chance to ask them yet since the moment both groups ran into each other, another howl pierced through the silence. As a result, they clambered up the mountain as fast as they could, the elemental wolves were way out of their league.
Riley was lying on the ground not too far from them, grinning from ear to ear at Lesley and Leon. "That was fun! Windy, Les, Frosty, you guys were amazing and you too Jasper!" As soon as she finished gushing she pushed herself up and focused on Inadi, Ace, and Leila. "Good to see you guys are still in one piece." Riley sat down beside the archer and proceeded to tell them all about the orc with vivid gestures and giant grin. Things continued this way for sometime, the lost souls rested and told stories of the beasts they had faced, all was well...
Until a roar echoed throughout the cave.
Avian cursed under his breath and swiftly got to his feet the same time as Victoria. She turned to the humans, placed a finger over her lips, and efficiently rounded the nearest ones up and hid behind the nearest boulder. She was with the people who were assaulted by the giant mushroom, meanwhile her husband was the one who hid the humans who fought the orc. The two groups were basically hidden behind boulders on opposite sides of the cave; Victoria and Company was at the left side, Avian was at the right. "Dragon," Victoria muttered to the humans with her in case any of them asked the question. On the opposide side Avian was murmuring, "We were sure this cave was empty...!"
The roar grew closer but there were no flapping of wings or thudding of feet.
Riley peered over the boulder and the sight she saw took her breath away, the usually noisy girl had been rendered speechless.
Harper stared at the creature, dumbfounded. "Dragon?"
"Awwwww! It's adorable!" Before anyone could stop her, Riley bolted from behind the rock and raced towards the dragon.
