A loud screech echoed through the air, causing the crew to scream and panic. The ground shook as a Crimson Fang landed in the clearing before them, its dark red scales glinting in the moonlight. Reef, Moss, and Coral immediately tensed, ready for a fight.
Aurora took a step forward, her face lighting up in recognition. “You’re the one who gave me those spicy berries!” she exclaimed with a wide smile, much to everyone’s shock.
The Crimson Fang guard, panting from his frantic flight, gave a weak nod. “I’m not like the others,” he rasped, his voice trembling with exhaustion. “What the Crimson Fang leader is planning to do will disrupt not only the balance of Draconia, but the balance of life itself."
Aurora gasped. "What was she going to do?"
The guard, now visibly more relaxed in Aurora’s presence, stepped closer. “She was going to use this to become the new ruler,” he said quietly, opening his talons to reveal the shimmering relic, glowing faintly in the fading light.
The crew gasped, their eyes widening in disbelief. Reef quickly stepped forward. “You have it? Why didn’t you give it to us earlier?”
“I had to get it out of the leader’s grasp,” the guard explained, his voice low and urgent. “She’s too strong right now. If you had tried to take it from her directly, you wouldn’t have stood a chance.”
Coral glanced at the glowing relic, his expression serious. “So, what’s the plan now? What do we do with the Dragon’s Heart?”
The guard looked around, as if to make sure no one else was around, before looking back at the travelers. "There is a forgotten temple hidden deep within the mountains," the Crimson Fang guard continued. "It’s a place where the Dragon's Heart can be purified. Only there can we destroy the corruption that the Crimson Fang leader has infused into it. But it’s not an easy journey.”
Reef clenched his fists. "Of course it’s not easy. Nothing about this has been easy."
Moss stepped forward, her eyes narrowing with determination. "We’ve come this far. We’re not backing down now."
The guard gave a faint smile, nodding in agreement. "I can guide you there. But we have to move quickly. The leader is already searching for the relic, and it won’t be long before she realizes where I’ve taken it."
Aurora, still beaming from her recognition of the guard, spoke up. “Thank you for helping us. We’ll make sure the Dragon’s Heart is safe.”
The guard nodded but then looked around with concern. “We should go now. This place isn’t safe. The leader’s forces will be closing in on us soon.”
Splash, always one to break tension, nudged Coral. “Well, at least we’ve got a guide now. Maybe this won’t be so bad.”
Coral gave a half-smile in response. “Let’s hope you’re right, Splash.”
The group gathered their belongings, their hearts still racing from the recent encounter, and followed the Crimson Fang guard. As they moved through the dark forest, the guard kept a cautious eye on their surroundings, occasionally glancing at the relic glowing faintly in his talons.
Reef walked up beside the guard. “What’s your name, anyway?”
The guard hesitated for a moment before answering. “I’m Sable.”
“Well, Sable,” Reef said, “you’re risking a lot to help us. We won’t forget that.”
Sable nodded but kept his eyes focused on the path ahead. “Let’s just hope we make it to the temple before the leader finds us.”
As the night grew darker, the group pressed on, their steps silent but filled with purpose. The fate of Draconia—and perhaps all of life itself—rested in their hands.
The group trudged forward through the dense forest, the moonlight barely breaking through the thick canopy. An eerie quiet had settled around them, broken only by the occasional snap of a twig underfoot or the rustling of leaves in the wind.
Sable led the way, his wings tucked tight to his sides as he moved with surprising grace for a dragon. Behind him, the others followed in silence, each deep in their thoughts about the dangerous journey ahead—well, almost all of them.
“Ow! Who put this branch here?!” Cole yelped as he tripped over an exposed root, his face colliding with the ground in a less-than-graceful fashion.
Elanor stifled a giggle, extending a hand to help Cole up. “Pretty sure the tree’s been there for a few hundred years, Cole. Just a guess.”
“Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up,” Cole muttered, brushing dirt off his clothes as he straightened. “I’m just testing the terrain. You know, making sure it’s safe for everyone.”
Moss rolled her eyes with a smile. “Well, your sacrifice is noted, brave Coal. Now try to keep both feet on the ground this time.”
Splash couldn’t resist chiming in. “Don’t worry, Coal. If you trip again, I’ll be here to catch you. Well, maybe. Depends on how funny it looks.”
The group chuckled, the tension breaking slightly as they continued their trek. Aurora, walking next to Sable, caught up to him and grinned. “Is it ever this lively with the Crimson Fangs?”
Sable blinked, clearly not used to the more relaxed banter. “No… not exactly. We’re a bit more serious most of the time.”
“Well, you’re in for a treat,” Splash chimed in from behind them. “We’re all about mixing life-or-death situations with bad jokes.”
Sable glanced back at him, his mouth twitching into what almost looked like a smile. “I think I could get used to it.”
A few hours passed as they wound through the trees, the dark forest starting to take on an even more ominous feel. The air grew cooler, and strange howls echoed in the distance, making even the bravest members of the group a bit uneasy.
“Please tell me those are just the wind,” Elanor said, her eyes darting around.
“Sure,” Reef said dryly, “if the wind growls and has sharp teeth.”
Cole glanced nervously around the forest, his steps becoming more hesitant. “Okay, but seriously… what was that? Because I’m starting to get the feeling that we’re not alone here.”
Coral, always the practical one, moved a little closer to the group. “Stay close, everyone. The forest here is known for… surprises.”
Aurora’s eyes widened. “Oh, great. Surprises in creepy forests. My favorite.”
As they kept moving, the howls seemed to get louder, and soon they noticed glowing eyes watching them from the shadows.
“Uh, Coral?” Moss said, her voice low. “I think we’ve got company.”
Before Coral could respond, a loud thud echoed from behind them. The group whipped around just in time to see Cole flat on his back again, having tripped over yet another root. This time, however, he wasn’t alone. Out of the shadows, a group of shadowy wolves crept toward him, their eyes glowing an eerie green.
“Coal, get up!” Reef shouted, drawing his sword as he and the others rushed to surround him.
“I’m trying!” Cole yelped, scrambling to his feet as the wolves advanced.
Sable snarled and stepped forward, his wings flaring wide to intimidate the creatures. “These aren’t normal wolves,” he muttered. “They’re enchanted. Stay sharp.”
Splash grinned. “Sharp is my middle name! Well, actually, it’s not, but—”
“Not the time!” Moss hissed, elbowing Splash as the first of the wolves lunged.
The group sprang into action, fighting off the enchanted wolves with quick strikes and dodges. Despite their best efforts, it quickly became clear that the wolves weren’t backing down easily.
"Okay, these things are tougher than they look!" Splash grunted, narrowly dodging a set of snapping jaws.
"Tell me about it!" Elanor called out, using a tree branch to fend off a wolf that had gotten too close for comfort.
Amid the chaos, Cole tripped once more, landing hard on his backside. This time, however, he managed to swing his sword upward just as a wolf lunged at him, accidentally knocking it back with surprising force.
"Ha!" he shouted, getting to his feet with newfound confidence. "Told you I was testing the terrain!"
Despite the chaos, the group found their rhythm, slowly but surely pushing the wolves back into the forest. As the last of the wolves retreated into the shadows, panting and snarling, Coral lowered his weapon and turned to the others.
"Is everyone alright?" he asked, scanning the group.
"Apart from Coal kissing the ground every five minutes, we’re fine," Reef said, grinning.
“Hey, I was just keeping things interesting,” Cole shot back, brushing dirt from his clothes for what felt like the hundredth time.
Sable, still catching his breath, gave a nod of approval. “You all fought well. But we need to keep moving. The wolves are just a taste of what this forest holds.”
The group regrouped and continued on their way, the mood lighter despite the lingering danger. As they moved, Splash patted Cole on the back. “You know, you might actually be getting better at this.”
Cole raised a brow. “Really?”
“Yeah,” Splash grinned. “You managed not to trip over that last wolf, at least.”
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The group laughed, their spirits lifted as they pressed on toward the temple, knowing that their toughest challenges were still ahead.
ns 18.68.41.177da2
