Morning light filters through the trees, painting the forest canopy in shades of gold and green. Markus kneels beside a small fire, turning a strip of red meat over a pan the king gave them. The aroma rises, rich and smoky, mingling with the cool scent of dew.

  “Oh, that smells wonderful,” Alexia says as she sits up and stretches. “I didn’t know you could cook.”

  Markus smirks faintly. “I mostly cooked cheap food back in my old apartment. Learned how to make the inedible… edible.”

  Alexia leans forward, inhaling deeply. “Knowing how broke you were, I can’t imagine what you did to make it taste like food.”

  He chuckles. “It’s nice to cook with real ingredients for once. The king really spoiled us.”

  “It’s just dried meat,” Alexia says, though her mouth is already watering. “Don’t make it sound so fancy.”

  Liddle steps out of the tent, her green hair catching the early sunlight. “Mmm, that smells delicious.” She settles beside Markus. “Did you cook that?”

  Markus smiles and leans in to give her a quick kiss. “Sure did. Want one?” He holds out a strip of sizzling meat.

  Liddle takes it, her eyes lighting up as she chews.

  Alexia smirks. “I bet Liddle would love your meat,” she says with a giggle.

  Markus groans. “Can we go five minutes—”

  Alexia pokes his nose, grinning. “Nope.”

  Liddle finishes her portion with a content sigh. “That was really good. You should cook more often.”

  “Sure,” Markus says, a small smile lingering. “I bet Sally would love it too. But first…” His gaze drifts toward the forest path ahead. “We need to finish this quest before we can go back to that life.”

  Liddle lifts her hand, a faint shimmer of frost swirling through the air as she extinguishes the campfire. “I’m ready when you are,” she says softly.

  “Oh, Liddle,” Markus murmurs, glancing at her. “You don’t have to hide your tail anymore.”

  “Oh—force of habit.” Her cheeks warm as she lets her tail slip free from beneath her clothes.

  Markus steps closer and gently loosens her hair buns, letting her green hair fall around her shoulders. “I’m sorry you ever had to hide any part of yourself,” he says quietly. “You’re really cute this way.”

  Liddle blushes, brushing a loose strand behind her ear.

  They finish packing their gear and set off down the forest trail. The morning sky fades from blue to gray as they walk, the air growing heavier with each step. Far ahead, the mountain looms, its peak shrouded in smoke, a dark promise on the horizon.

  The trees thin, revealing a vast river stretching nearly a mile across. The water glimmers beneath the pale light, its current fast and relentless.

  “Do you think we can find a bridge?” Alexia asks, scanning the banks. “It’d be a lot harder to fight in wet clothes.”

  “That’s true,” Markus says, following her gaze, “but there’s no telling how far one might be—or if there’s one at all. Swimming might be our only option.”

  Before he can say more, Liddle steps forward, frost spiraling around her fingertips. “Or,” she says softly, “we could just walk.”

  Ice blooms from her boots across the river’s surface, spreading in branching patterns until the patches fuse into a single, frozen sheet. Markus tests it with one foot, then grins and offers her a high-five as he starts across.

  Liddle stays near the front, focusing her magic to extend the frozen path. The crack of forming ice and the roar of rushing water echo all around them—

  until Markus notices something moving beneath the surface.

  A dark shape, gliding against the current.

  “Uh… did you guys see that?” Markus asks, his voice tightening.

  Before anyone can respond, a massive shark-like creature erupts from the water, scales flashing blue and silver as it lunges straight for them, jaws wide.

  “Move!” Alexia shouts, raising her staff.

  The creature slams into the ice with a deafening crash, sending shards flying in all directions. Liddle drops to one knee, frost surging from her hands as she refreezes the fractured surface, keeping Alexia from losing her footing.

  Markus’s Mahoishi flares to life. A whip snaps into existence in his hand, and with a sharp crack he lashes it around the creature’s fin. The pull yanks him forward, and he lands hard on a freshly formed ice platform just as Liddle extends it beneath him.

  The shark thrashes violently, then twists and dives back into the depths, vanishing beneath the churning water.

  For a long moment, the only sound is their ragged breathing.

  Markus straightens, brushing ice from his jacket. He holds out his hand, and the three of them exchange a quick, relieved high-five before continuing across the frozen path toward the opposite shore.

  By the time they reach the base of the mountain, the sky has darkened to black. Smoke pours from the dragon’s lair above, twisting like storm clouds. A steep, jagged cliff rises before them, the final obstacle between them and the beast.

  They begin to climb, leaping from ledge to ledge as the wind howls around them. Ash stings Markus’s eyes as he grips the rock wall, his muscles burning while he searches for purchase. His fingers press against a stone—

  and it shifts.

  “Careful where you put your hands—!” he starts, but the warning comes too late.

  Alexia’s foothold crumbles. She slips with a sharp cry.

  “Hold on!” Markus shouts.

  He hurls himself from the wall, activating his Mahoishi midair. The gem flares green, and the whip shoots forward, wrapping around Alexia’s arm. He yanks hard, swinging her toward him as gravity drags them both down.

  In one smooth motion, Markus twists, using the whip’s momentum to fling them sideways toward a nearby cave opening.

  They crash through the entrance and tumble across the stone floor, landing hard—but alive—inside the cold, shadowed cavern.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Markus tries to stand, pressing a hand to his ribs. When he pulls it back, his fingers come away red.

  “Hold still,” Alexia says, raising her staff. A soft green light spills from the gem, washing over the wound. “How are you feeling?”

  He exhales slowly as the pain fades. “Much better. Thanks.”

  Liddle climbs down into the cave, her boots clattering against the stone. “Oh my goodness—are you two okay?” she asks, hurrying toward them.

  “Yeah, we’re fine,” Markus says, coughing as a haze of smoke drifts in through the entrance.

  The air thickens fast. All three of them cover their mouths as the smoke grows denser, curling like black fog.

  “Look at this,” Alexia says between coughs. “It has to be coming from—”

  “The dragon,” Markus finishes grimly. He pulls his bag over his mouth and nose, using it as a makeshift mask. “Come on. We need to move before this place fills up.”

  They run through the winding tunnel, the walls glowing red with reflected light. The deeper they go, the hotter the air becomes, heavy with ash and the stench of burning stone.

  Then the tunnel opens into a massive cavern.

  Before them lies the dragon.

  Its scales burn crimson, each plate gleaming like molten metal. Smoke coils from its nostrils with every slow breath, and its eyes—vast and golden—glow like twin suns in the darkness. Claws the size of swords scrape against the stone, carving glowing gouges into the floor.

  When it exhales, the heat alone makes the air shimmer.

  Markus takes an involuntary step back, sweat beading on his brow.

  “Oh,” he mutters. “Looks like we found the baby dragon.”

  The dragon roars.

  The cavern trembles.

  Markus freezes.

  The sound alone rattles him to his core.

  A vision crashes through his mind—an endless sky torn open by wings, a dragon devouring the world, fire swallowing cities whole. His breath locks in his chest. His body refuses to move.

  The dragon’s tail lashes out, striking like lightning.

  “Markus!” Alexia shouts.

  She sprints forward and drives her staff into the ground. A barrier flares to life—but the dragon’s tail coils around it, wrenches the staff free, and hurls her across the cavern. She slams into the wall, stone cracking on impact.

  Gritting her teeth, Alexia forces a burst of healing light through her body and staggers back to her feet. “Come on, Markus!” she yells. “This isn’t the time to freeze up!”

  Liddle rushes in, frost spiraling from her hands. She slams them to the ground, ice surging upward into a wall just as the dragon strikes again.

  “He’s in shock,” she says, her voice trembling but firm.

  She grabs Markus’s wrist, feeling his pulse racing beneath her fingers. “Markus—please—look at me!”

  “Liddle…” His voice shakes as he clutches his chest, gasping for air.

  “It’s okay,” she says softly, even as her own breath quivers. “Focus on what’s right here. Name five things you can see.”

  His eyes dart wildly. “A… a dragon. A cave.”

  “Not those,” she says gently, stepping closer. “Look at me. Four things you can touch. My hands. My lips. My horns. My tail.”

  Her voice cuts through the chaos, warm and steady.

  But Markus keeps hyperventilating, his body locked in place. The dragon roars again, the cavern shaking as rocks rain down from above.

  Alexia’s gaze snaps from Markus to the dragon closing in.

  She slams her staff into the ground.

  A portal tears open behind them, light swirling violently.

  With a sharp shove, Alexia pushes Markus through the opening.

  “Go!” she yells.

  Liddle throws one last look over her shoulder—then runs after him, diving through the portal just as the dragon’s tail crashes down where they stood moments before.

  As the portal seals shut, the dragon’s roar fades into a distant rumble. The air on the other side is cold and still—too quiet after the chaos they leave behind.

  Alexia whirls on Markus, her eyes blazing. “What is going on with you?” she snaps. “The one time you don’t play hero—it’s now?”

  She takes a step closer.

  The anger drains from her face.

  Markus isn’t answering. His breathing is shallow and uneven, his eyes darting wildly as if he’s searching for something that isn’t there.

  “Hey… Markus?” Her voice softens. “You okay?”

  No response. His hands tremble at his sides, his chest rising too fast. Alexia hesitates, caught between frustration and fear. The silence presses in—heavy, fragile.

  “Oh…” She kneels beside him, understanding dawning. “I see.”

  Her grip tightens around her staff. “You were always talking about the Morgi Dragon. I didn’t realize…”

  Liddle nods, her expression heavy.

  “I couldn’t stop thinking about Mauna Loa,” Markus says at last, the words tumbling out unevenly. “What it was like facing that dragon. I’ve been trying my best to help, but… I don’t know what to do anymore.”

  Alexia exhales slowly. “I’m sorry,” she says, voice low. “I wish I could just wave this thing and fix it—but some things don’t work like that.”

  Markus squeezes his eyes shut, forcing his breath to slow. “I’m sorry,” he murmurs, voice trembling. “I was weak. I can’t do this. I can’t be the wielder of the Life-Giving Blade.”

  Liddle places a hand against his forehead, her touch cool and steady. “I promise you,” she says softly, “you are a great wielder.”

  She leans closer. “Think about Sally. Think about where her life would have ended up if you hadn’t picked her up off the street. And all those other kids—they’re not out there getting beaten by cops anymore because of you.”

  Her voice wavers, then steadies. “When the Alien Department had me and Demono locked up… when they were ready to execute us in that mock trial—” She meets his eyes. “Who got us out of that, Markus?”

  “Don’t worry, Markus—we’ve got this fight,” Alexia says, gripping her staff. “When it’s over, we’ll find someone to help you. A doctor, a healer—whatever it takes. We’ll do this one for you.”

  “No,” Markus says, shaking his head. “You’ll die.”

  Alexia gives a crooked smile. “Relax. This isn’t my first rodeo—and Liddle’s better backup than most of the people I’ve worked with. We’ll take care of it.”

  Markus hesitates, then nods. “Okay… but if things go wrong, come back. I can’t lose you too.”

  Both girls nod before turning back toward the distant roar of the cavern.

  Markus watches them go. His gaze drifts to the Life-Giving Blade at his side. He exhales, shoulders sagging under the weight of it all.

  No.

  This isn’t right.

  I need to fight with my friends.

  The air around him shifts.

  The cave dissolves into an endless field of stars. The ground vanishes beneath his feet as a voice echoes through the void.

  “I know you’re dealing with a lot right now,” the voice says coolly, “so I’ll keep this brief. We’ve made our decision. You’re entering Brewark Mode—for the dragon.”

  Markus spins, panic flaring. “What do you mean? I’m not ready—I can barely stand, let alone fight that thing. I don’t even know if I can do this, Sapientia!”

  “Funny,” the voice replies, a sharp edge cutting through her tone. “Didn’t you want Brewark Mode before? You were ready to use it to kill that priest.”

  Her words harden, each one echoing like distant thunder.

  Markus clenches his fists, his voice shaking. “You’re right. I let my anger control me—and I almost made a terrible mistake. But this isn’t about anger anymore.”

  He swallows hard.

  “I’m scared,” he admits, the words barely louder than a whisper. His voice trembles, fragile against the vast silence. “I know I’m supposed to be brave. Fearless. Everything I’m not. But I can’t keep pretending.”

  The blue lights surrounding Markus slowly shift to green.

  Another voice rises in the void—calm, steady, and deep.

  “Then stop trying to be fearless, Markus,” the voice says. “I know there’s more in you than just fear. Sometimes taking the next step is hard—but that isn’t cowardice. Courage isn’t the absence of fear. It’s what happens when you move forward despite it.”

  The green stars around Markus shimmer, pulsing gently in time with his heartbeat.

  “Don’t overthink it,” the voice continues. “Remember why you’re fighting. Let that reason drown out the fear.”

  Markus’s eyes snap open.

  The cave floods back into focus, bathed in flickering red light. For a heartbeat, his lungs refuse to work—

  then it hits him.

  The dragon.

  He stumbles to his feet, heart hammering, and breaks into a run toward the roaring cavern. He doesn’t know what he’ll do or how he’ll win.

  But he knows one thing.

  He has to be there for his friends.