Alice and her friends continued their trek up the rocky path, the climb becoming increasingly difficult as the angle got steeper and the heat more oppressive. As they trudged on, the girls noticed something ahead - a small cave, partially hidden by a cluster of large boulders. They could hear faint, guttural sounds coming from inside.

"Looks like we found the dragon's abode," Alice said, her voice a bit shaky.

They slowly approached the cave, the sounds growing louder and more clear as they drew closer. There was no doubt now that there was definitely a dragon in there. Before any of the girls could step forward, a sudden flash blinded them, forcing them to shield their eyes. When they unshielded their eyes, a dark-brown-skinned girl with a dragon's tail, wings and horns appeared before them, her gaze stern and determined. She sized up the 'intruders' before them, her bright orange eyes piercing through them.

The girls, still recovering from the unexpected appearance of the girl, took a moment to collect themselves. They all stared at her in awe, mesmerized by her unique appearance. Gradient red, orange, and yellow hair flowed down to her thighs, and wisps of flame surrounded her otherwise bare body underneath like a dress made of fire, making the grueling heat the other girls experienced even more so.

"Who...who are you?" Alice finally managed to ask.

The girl's gaze softened ever so slightly as she looked at them, but her expression remained firm. "I am Esato," she said, her voice sharp and commanding. "Guardian of the volcano and its treasures.”

The girls exchanged glances, clearly intimidated by Esato's fierce demeanor. The heat that surrounded her only seemed to amplify the tension in the air.

"We... we mean no harm," Alice ventured, taking a step forward. "We've come here to seek your help. We know there's a dragon in here and—”

Esato cut her off, her eyes narrowing. "You seek help? From a dragon?"

She took a step closer to them, and the girls involuntarily took a step back.

"Do you have any idea what you're asking?" she continued, her voice growing in volume. "Dragons are powerful, dangerous beings. You mortals are nothing but worms in our presence. Why should I even consider helping you?”

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The girls stood there, stunned by Esato's harsh words. Noelle swallowed hard, gathering her courage.

"Please," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "We are in dire need. We have come from a far-off land, facing perils and hardships along the way. We wouldn't ask if there was another way."

Esato looked at them for a long moment, her expression softening, but only a bit. She seemed to be considering their plea, weighing the sincerity in their words.

Esato circled around the girls, sizing them up once more. Her gaze lingered on their exposed midriffs and legs, a hint of curiosity in her eyes.

"You're not from this land," Esato finally said, her voice still sharp, but lacking some of its harshness.

"I can see that in your clothing and your mannerisms. But you have a boldness in you, a courage I do not often see in outsiders.”

The girls looked at each other, a glimmer of hope igniting in their eyes. They were being taken seriously by this dragon girl, which was a relief.

Alice took a tentative step forward, standing a bit straighter. "We are not familiar with this world," she admitted. "But we have proven ourselves in many ways since coming here. We are not cowards.”

Esato chuckled softly, a hint of approval in her voice. "You may not be cowards, but you're certainly very stupid."

The girls couldn't help but feel a bit offended at her words, but they held their tongues. They needed her help, and pissing her off would not help.

"You come to this world, knowing nothing of its dangers and challenges, and then you ask a dragon for help," Esato continued, her tone now more amused than harsh.

"It's either foolishness or courage. Perhaps a bit of both.”

The girls shuffled their feet, feeling both chastised and seen. They knew it was a risk to seek out a dragon in an unfamiliar world, but they were out of options.

"We need your assistance if possible," Alice said bluntly. "We know what's going on with the dragon in this volcano. Apparently, if it wakes up, all the volcanoes in the world will erupt at once, leading to unimaginable consequences…”

Esato's eyes widened for a moment, taken aback by the revelation. She quickly composed herself, but the news clearly shook her. "You... you know about the dragon's awakening... ?" she asked, her voice betraying a hint of concern. "How do you know this? Who told you?”

The girls exchanged nervous glances. They knew they had to tread carefully with the information.

"We overheard it from some locals," Noelle said, choosing her words carefully. "There were whispers, rumors about the dragon stirring in its slumber…”

Esato regarded them for a moment, studying their faces.

"And you believe this... rumor?" she asked, clearly skeptical.

The girls glanced at each other, their doubts resurfacing. It all sounded so crazy, a single dragon awakening causing all the volcanoes in the world to erupt at once…

Esato smirked, seemingly reading their thoughts.

"You're doubting yourselves now, aren't you?" she asked, her tone still sharp. "Let me tell you something, mortals - legends and rumors are often based in truth, even if the details may be exaggerated.”

The girls looked at her, their eyes wide. They knew she was right, but the idea was still so far-fetched.

"So you believe it too?" Noelle asked hesitantly. "You believe that the dragon awakening will... make all the volcanoes erupt?”

Esato nodded slowly, a solemn expression on her face. "I do believe it," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I have sensed disturbances in the volcanic energies, whispers of the dragon's stirring presence. It's real, and the consequences if we don't keep her asleep...they will be catastrophic.”

The girls felt a chill run down their spines, the gravity of the situation sinking in. They looked around nervously at the volcano, as if expecting something to happen any second now.

"So...so what do we do then?" asked Rachel, her voice shaking.

Esato sighed heavily. "There's only one way to prevent the dragon from awakening…”

Noelle perked up at this, leaning forward and asking, “Really? Please tell us, what is it?”