The three stand in front of the giant rust leaking gates. None of them budge a single inch, as if they are expecting them to move on their own. Mina, who is usually more curious and eccentric, stands timidly and anxious. Just how she was before she met Roth. Silence, they stood in silence for what felt like an eternity until Katsumi broke it.
"Well... you were right Roth. You uh... you ready to go in...?"
"Yeah... no time like the present, right? Help me with the door"
"sure...sure...cool, cool, cool." Katsumi tries to comfort herself as she cautiously walks towards the iron gates. They both position themselves signaling on the count of three. Once the third number was signaled, they pushed on the gates. At first they did not move, but loud noises suddenly began to emit from the door. Loud grinding and crunching sounds can be heard on its hinges. The clanking of large gears turning as every click began to echo the cavern walls. Mina crossed her arms as she felt goosebumps from all the noise. As the door swung more and more open gusts of wind shot out of the doorway as if it was keeping all the airflow sealed shut.
Katsumi and Roth gritted their teeth as they push the doors farther until they were satisfied. They all looked into the cavern walkway beyond the gate, dark cold and eerie was what they felt in that darkness. Roth took the lead as the two followed close behind him.
"This isn't scary, this isn't scary, you faced way worse before. Yeah, this is nothing, easy peasy." As Mina kept talking to herself looking at every direction with a cold sweat.
She stays close to Roth to not steer off the trail. The pathway seemed to stretch on forever. But soon their eyes became more adjusted to the dark and saw and opening straight ahead. What also was up ahead seemed to be glowing, a small crystal of sorts, several of them in fact. They were low and dim but were scattered around the walls of the cave. Roth looks more and sees that the path just ends in a sudden drop-off.
"Great, now what do we do big brother?" As Mina gets closer to Roth feeling very uneasy.
He looks into the massive open area beyond the drop-off. He couldn't tell what was in the distance. Collums? Rock formations connecting from the celling to the ground? It was hard for Roth to see. Katsumi held onto Mina's shoulder allowing Roth to inspect further without distraction. Near the edge of the drop-off was a large dim glowing crystal that stood in place. it was no larger than the size of a football. He knelt down and slowly reached out to touch it. As his hand got closer the area that was near his finger began to glow slightly brighter then back to its low dim as he removed his hand away.
He looks at his hand and back into the glowing crystal. THOOM, Roth falls back disoriented and looks up to see what had just happened. A wyvern had just landed aggressively on top of Roth as it roars loudly in the sky. Roth tries to crawl backwards keeping his vision on the large beast. But the wyvern follows on his crawl just nearly on top of him. Mina screams for Roth but Katsumi holds her back. Roth can't get an opening and use his magic against the beast. If he did, the risk of getting bitten is high. He crawls as fast as he can backwards, but the beast is too fast. Now the wyvern's snout is extremely close to his face. The hot rancid smell of its breath is nauseating. The wyvern snarled showing its teeth as it let out a large roar in his face. Saliva droops down as he looks away waiting for the inevitable. Yet, nothing happens. He opens his eyes slowly looking at the beast. The wyvern stares as it hisses at him and looks at the other two. Katsumi places Mina behind her and guards her waiting for it to strike.
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The wyvern stares then back at Roth only to flap its wings and soar off away somewhere in this cavern. The noises of other wyverns can be heard in the cold dark and damped area. Roth still sits in disbelief on what just happened to him.
"Big brother! I thought you were dead! I thought I was going to lose you!"
Mina rushed to his aid and gave him the biggest hug she has ever given him. Roth was happy to see her care for him so much as he hugged her back.
"I'm alright Mina. More importantly why didn't that wyvern attack me at all?"
"I did find that quite strange too Roth. I almost sure it was going to gobble you up then come for Mina and me."
"Something is affecting this area, and we need to find out what it is. You guys with me?"
The two agreed with still worrying faces but with determination when suddenly their expressions went blank then slowly to horror and despair. Roth was confused on their faces, but he turned around slowly and saw what was behind him. Slowly emerging from the drop-off was a large scale claws that were massive. It rested on the ledge and shook the area. Soon an enormous body slowly emerges, with large horns that went straight back, black scales with yellow crevices that looked like the flow of lava. A glowing red serpent's eye that pierces their soul. Now its body towers over them. The beast looked like something out of a monster movie film. Towering over them with such immense powerful aura was a dragon. With four powerful limbs and wings so powerful just using them could create hurricanes. The low soft rumble vibrated their chest as the dragon stared at them.
The dragon took in a deep breath and roared inside the cavern. The three of them covered their ears as the dragon screech with immense power. The entire cave system was shaking rocks were falling everywhere like a giant earthquake was splitting the mountain apart. Their ears were ringing so loudly, Roth was sure that their eardrums were ruptured. As soon as the dragon finished its roar Roth quickly healed the two and himself from their ruptured ear drums. Mina crawled back in fear while Katsumi held her tightly. Roth looked at the dragon and yet the dragon did nothing else, only stared back. Roth was terrified but had the courage to walk towards the edge and face the dragon.
"ROTH ARE YOU CRAZY!!! LETS GO, WE KNOW WHAT'S IN HERE NOW LETS RUN FOR IT!"
Katsumi yells at Roth but he only looks back seeing the two coward in fear. Roth feels terrible but he needs to find out about that vision on what it means. He takes a step further and looks directedly into those demonic red eyes.
"A dragon huh? I bet you were the one who sent that vision."
The dragon remains silent.
"I'm here now! Say something... anything damn it!"
The dragon stays silent, until finally, Its jaws open.
"So you are the one that has defeated the wyverns. I am impressed, little human."
That voice was so loud and so commanding. It wasn't coarse or rough, but its voice rang inside the three's body.
"It seems not even my call of despair had deterred you away. I must say I commend you on your bravery. Although, bravery and foolishness can be one in the same."
Roth stared holding onto his fear trying not to break from this immense aura. All he could think to himself is how the hell did the Fidelity got their hands on an intelligent dragon.