Cold, damp air against his face pulled Lucas back to consciousness. He was mounted atop a golden griffin, slicing through a sea of clouds. Ahead, the sun sat right on his eyeline, a brilliant crown resting above a grey horizon.

  Then the creature took a dive. It tucked its wings tight against its body and plunged into the clouds. The wind shifted, no longer a pleasant breeze but a violent force that battered Lucas’s face. With every second, the speed increased. But Lucas didn’t panic. With his left hand, he was clawed into the griffin’s golden feathers, each one an anchor helping him keep his seat atop the beast. In his right, he held his spear.

  He felt powerful. Powerful and free.

  The griffin beneath him and the confidence of the trusted weapon in his hand only amplified the sensation. He didn't question the vision. He didn't ask where he was or why he was there. He simply let the exhilarating feeling take him over.

  His grip on the feathers tightened as they finally broke through the veil of clouds. Instinctively, Lucas tightened his legs around the griffin’s waist. It was a lucky reflex; the creature dove hard to the right, circling a charred expanse of earth.

  In the center of the blackened field, a dragon roared.

  The dark brown lizard was covered in deep wounds that leaked an emerald sheen. It exhaled a green vapor - a toxic rot that melted everything it touched.

  Just a few steps away, Lucas saw five familiar figures sheltered behind a double layer of magical barriers. The outer shell was a blazing red fire; the inner was a bright silver.

  Evelyn stood with her hands extended, her palms glowing with that same silver light. Beside her, Felix held up a lantern, its flame casting a red hue over the group of Unbowed.

  The griffin aimed for them, flying toward the group without waiting for Lucas’s instructions.

  Lucas was puzzled. Now that the inevitable, dangerous fight had replaced the beauty of the flight, his mind began to work. He started to ask the questions he had ignored. Where was he? Was this really a dream?

  It certainly didn't feel like one.

  Before, he had felt the wind on his skin, and now he could smell the smoke and burnt meat. As he focused, he noticed the griffin’s breath against his inner thighs and the heavy, rhythmic thrum of its heartbeat. Even the scent - the musky smell of a wet dog.

  Yet, despite the danger, Lucas didn't even think about turning back. He jumped from the creature as it touched the ground and walked toward the group.

  “It took you long enough,” Qalda greeted him with a pat on the shoulder as the magical barriers faded.

  “I departed as soon as Cellia told me you’d left,” Lucas explained with an awkward smile. The words came out on their own; he had no idea what he was saying.

  Evelyn pressed her lips together tightly. Qalda chuckled.

  “You have some explaining to do,” she said, tilting her head slightly toward the mage. The gesture was enough for Lucas to notice, yet subtle enough to remain hidden from Evelyn, who stood behind her. “Did you learn it?”

  Lucas nodded, “Yes. It took a while, but…”

  “Enough chattin’!” Edir barked as he planted the hilt of his axe onto the ground with a dull thud. “Tell me - do we give this beast a taste o' steel, or do we stand and listen to lad’s tale?”

  “Lucas will take the lead,” Qalda ordered immediately, as though the drukyr’s grumpiness had reminded her of the urgency of the situation. “Edir, stay with Evelyn and Felix until the dragon’s attention is on me. Gio, you follow me.”

  Lucas’s body moved without his consent. He nodded and took a step toward Evelyn. She glanced to the side, avoiding his gaze.

  “Eve, nothing happened…” Lucas began, but Evelyn’s eyes snapped toward him. The anger in those dark irises was enough to choke the words in his throat.

  She studied him for a brief moment, then clicked her tongue. “We will speak after. Do not die!”

  Lucas sighed and turned toward the lizard without another word. He felt a familiar ache in his chest as his eyes landed on the dark brown creature, though the pain wasn’t as unbearable.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  [???? has been activated.]

  A golden aura exploded from his body. Sparks of lightning danced around him and the spear in his hand, crackling deafeningly. The discharge hit the surrounding surfaces chaotically, charring and igniting everything it touched.

  Lucas kicked off the ground and blurred into a yellow streak of light, crashing into the dragon’s massive frame.

  He felt the soft tissue and then the crunch of the beast's bones as his spear tore through the dragon’s frame, leaving a giant hole in its wake.

  The beast roared as an emerald light surged from the open wound, though no blood came. Its head snapped back, eyes fixed on the ground where Lucas had landed. Its chest swelled as it drew a deep breath, preparing to exhale its rot, but it never finished the attack.

  Qalda charged in, targeting the leg Lucas had already damaged. Beside her, a streak of red closed in.

  The dragon screeched as Gio sliced the side of its face, and Qalda unleashed a barrage of punches. Still, the beast didn't even lose its balance. It swept its long tail in a wide arc, trying to swat Lucas and Qalda away, while its jaws snapped at Gio, who was still hovering in the air.

  Both attacks missed.

  Gio blurred into a red streak while Qalda and Lucas avoided the tail by jumping over it.

  A crackling sound echoed from behind them as Evelyn launched a massive silver orb. The sphere rose until it hovered directly above the dragon, then exploded. Dozens of silver rods surged out of the explosion, connected by shimmering, magical chains. They nailed into the ground, casting a net of silver light over the beast and rooting it to the earth.

  “Lucas, now!” Qalda yelled, but Lucas was already in mid-air.

  He had jumped high over the dragon, his spear raised like a javelin. The tip was covered in a golden aura, the light intensifying as the lightning around it began to scream.

  Lucas threw it.

  The spear crashed into the dragon’s back. The creature thrashed and screeched as golden and emerald lights churned within the giant, gaping wound, clashing until the darkness swallowed the glow and the beast finally stilled.

  [You’ve gained 50,000 Experience Points!]

  “Only 50,000?” Lucas muttered, disappointed. He landed a step away from the carcass, the golden aura already fading from his body.

  “Well done, little one. You were positively radiant out there, a regular little sunbeam of destruction!” Gio praised him, draping an arm around Lucas's shoulder. “Tell me, did Cellia show her appreciation? I’ve heard she’s quite... spirited when it comes to rewarding her favorites.”

  The smile Gio’s first comment had earned vanished instantly. Lucas’s hair stood on end and a cold sweat broke across his skin. He tasted metal in his mouth as he saw his own shadow stretch out against the silver light behind him.

  Both men dove to the sides as a silver sphere hissed through the space where they had been standing. It slammed into the dragon’s husk, creating a crater in the chest. A silver blaze continued to eat at the edges of the wound - an emerald orb glowed deep within.

  “Eve!” Lucas barked, anger seeping into his voice. “You almost killed us!”

  “In magic, as in life, ‘almost’ is a negligible margin,” she said, her chin raised high. “I should certainly hope that two such... energetic men could manage to sidestep a simple blaze spell without falling over their own feet.”

  Lucas sighed, a small smile returning. He walked to Evelyn, gently tilting her face up to look into her eyes. “I swear, nothing happened.”

  She stared into his gray eyes until her tensed body finally relaxed.

  “Go and retrieve the core,” she mumbled. “I shall oversee the awakening of your mana myself. I have no intention of letting that wretch lay a single finger on you.”

  Her expression turned cold again, but it didn't last. Lucas chuckled and pulled her toward him. She allowed it, leaning her head against his chest. She smelled of morning dew. Lucas could feel her heartbeat through the thickness of his leather armor.

  He enjoyed the moment until his vision began to blur. The sounds around him started to scramble, and the red, yellow, and blue bled together until the black took over once more. He fell back into the darkness.

  Lucas slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was the apple tree, and that instantly reminded him of everything that had happened. The Coward’s Eye had fed him a lie, the snake had been a distraction, and the apple - rather than a food source - had been a trap that plunged him into that intoxicating but impossible dream.

  Anger flooded his mind.

  He sat up, cursing internally, but the movement was followed by a sharp pain in his right arm. He pulled his limb into view and started shaking it violently as he saw a small snake latched onto his skin, its fangs buried deep.

  He shot up. The serpent fell to the ground, and Lucas pounded its head with his boot until he heard a wet crack.

  [You’ve gained 5 Experience Points!]

  He glanced back at his arm, his heart racing and mouth drying from fear of venom. If he was poisoned, there was no chance he would be able to save himself.

  There was no blood. There wasn't even a puncture wound. Instead, two black, dagger-like symbols sat against each other on his skin. It looked more like a fresh tattoo than a mark left by a snake's bite.

  What the fuck is this place? he thought, his frustration peaking.

  As if in answer, a blue window flashed before his eyes.

  [

  Quest 1/3

  Objective: Clear as many chambers as you can (min. requirement: 3)

  Reward: Exit permission and a new skill generated based on your performance

  ]

  The next chapter on Wednesday!

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