Inpar stood at the top of the world.

When he looked to the south, he saw the plains and forests, which humanity called its own.

When he looked to the north, he saw the continuous rows of mountains, blocking the horizon. He was currently located between two mountain peaks, between which a lake had formed.

This lake was currently filled to the brim with the melted snow water that had accumulated since the end of winter.

Located next to the lake was a cave entrance, which led directly down into the underbelly of the mountain.

This cave wasn't directly connected with the sleeping chamber of the drake, but it would allow the water to seep into its sleeping chamber because the drake's chamber was the lowest in the entire cave network.

The water would travel through cracks and thin seams in the rocks. Inpar currently wore a bronze chest plate, sadly it remained unenchanted.

He was also connected to four bronze knives, each of them enchanted with the basic enchantments he had discovered.

The knives were located at strategic locations, connecting the lake and the cave entrance.

The sun crested the horizon in the east.

From this high up, Inpar almost felt like he could see the blue of the ocean.

He was feeling a truly peculiar mood today. After all these years he would be able to get his revenge, and yet his only part was to detonate a way for the water to flood the caves.

He wouldn't even get to see the drake in its final moments, wouldn't have the chance to redeem himself for his previous failures.

He watched the golden rays slowly spread across the land, illuminating the world around him.

The ring around the planet was well visible on this day. It was visible south from him, a floating wall stretching over parts of the horizon.

Inpar spread his arms and let out deep laughter.

He gazed into the sky and whispered ever so quietly beneath his breath.

"Are you watching, god? Will you help us achieve victory or will you leave everything to fate? Just like last time, and the time before that? Tell me, if you don't care what happens to humanity and refuse to interfere, then does it mean that if we were to kill that drake today, then it would be our achievement? Solely ours and ours alone..."

Inpar wore a complicated expression.

His lips were curved into a smile, yet his eyes betrayed a deep sadness and desperation.

"What does it mean, if god is impartial? It means that everything that happens, whether good or bad, is our fault and responsibility. It means that there is no predetermined fate and that anything can be achieved. Even the killing of a powerful and terrible monster."

Inpar clenched his fists and his expression drastically shifted.

There were no vulnerabilities left, no uncertainty. In its place there remained only determination.

Inpar activated all four knives at once, creating a connection between the lake and the cave entrance.

Stone splinters flew everywhere and a cloud of dust emerged.

Once the dust settled, Inpar witnessed the water from the lake spilling into the makeshift channel and flowing into the cave.

He nodded in satisfaction, before leaping from the side of the mountain.

He didn't have the power to fly, but he had enough strength to break his fall.

Four bronze knives followed after him.

Deep beneath the earth, Stella slowly floated along the cavern floor, a torch in one hand, while a reinforced copper spear was in her other.

She was located within the sleeping chamber of the drake, the lowest point of the entire cave system beneath the mountain.

The drake was once more curled up on its pile of ores slumbering.

Each breath it took let out a deep rumble, which reverberated throughout the entire cavern.

Stella could see old scars from the previous two attempts, visible as uneven breaks in its otherwise smooth scale pattern.

Stella halted before a tunnel entrance, one of three remaining connected to this room.

There used to be four, but the one connecting to the south side of the mountain was collapsed by Feidi and Stella when their first attempt at killing the drake failed.

All the remaining tunnels led to the northern side of the mountain.

Stella was now located next to the westmost tunnel.

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She glanced to the far side of the cavern, past the drake, and saw another flickering light.

This was the torch of Feidi, who was now waving the torch back and forth.

Stella mimicked the gesture, signaling that she too was in position.

She descended to the ground and placed the torch and spear on the floor.

She would need her full concentration and power for this next step. She felt around the tunnel with her powers, finding minute cracks in the rockwall.

She then grabbed the edges of all these cracks and waited.

After a few hundred heartbeats, she could feel a faint rumble emanating from the top of the cavern.

The drake stirred but didn't wake yet.

Inpar had just blown up the path to the cave, allowing the water to start flooding the cave network.

This was their agreed-upon signal, and Stella yanked as hard as she could upon these minute cracks.

Because she had taken the time to focus and dig deep into these cracks with her powers, she was able to cause a massive destabilization almost immediately.

The tunnel collapsed with a massive roar, kicking up a dust cloud while sending rock splinters all around.

One of these grazed her cheek and left a shallow cut.

She used her arm to wipe the cut, seeing a faint trace of blood. She didn't have time to lose though, so she grabbed her spear and torch and flew to the remaining tunnel.

Feidi had collapsed the far tunnel, so there was only one remaining.

Unfortunately, all that noise had awoken the drake, and Stella could faintly make out its silhouette in the torchlight, as it shook itself and let out an ear-piercing screech.

She winced as the loud noise dug deep into her skull, leaving her disoriented for a brief moment.

She shook the headache away and continued along the edge of the cavern, hoping to avoid the drake.

If all goes smoothly, then they wouldn't even need to confront the drake in a head-on battle.

She arrived at the remaining cave entrance but didn't find Feidi as she had hoped.

She looked in her direction, and to her dismay saw the shadow of the drake pass in front of the light cast by Feidi's torch.

Feidi was flying towards Stella, but between them was the drake.

Stella could use her powers to feel around the darkness to be able to "see" things in her proximity, but she couldn't detect things far away, which is also why they had brought the torches with them.

She now threw her torch high in the air, and with her powers held it near the ceiling.

The torch illuminated the cavern, revealing the hidden form of the drake, coiled and aimed at Feidi, ready to strike.

The drake launched itself towards Feidi, maw wide open and sharp teeth on full display.

Feidi's eyes widened as she was still flying directly at the drake.

At this distance, halting her momentum and backpedaling was impossible.

Feidi released her torch and thrust her spear forward, aiming at the inside of the drake's mouth.

The drake, moments before the spear struck into its unprotected mouth, narrowed its eyes and bit down, shattering the spear.

Both of their momenta carried them forward, making them collide, but luckily for Feidi, since the drake had closed its snout, it only felt like being charged by a boar instead of like getting devoured whilst still alive.

Feidi bounced off of the drake and let out a groan.

She got flung to the side and fell to the ground, winded and struggling to draw in a single breath.

Her eyes were wide and her mouth was agape.

The drake dug its claws into the ground and slowed its momentum.

It spit out the wooden splinters and turned to Feidi.

"Oh no you don't!"

With this shout reverberating within the cavern, a reinforced bronze spear was launched directly into its side.

The drake's tough scales were unable to fully stop this spear and the spear dug into the flank of the drake.

Unluckily the strike wasn't deep and didn't strike anything vital.

The drake let out a pained and angered roar, before gripping the spear with its maw and pulling it out.

Hot blood splattered on the ground. Meanwhile, Stella dashed to Feidi grabbed her from beneath her armpits, and dragged her away.

The drake shook itself once more and let out another roar.

The roar shook the cavern and threatened to burst Stella's ears, but she persisted.

Water was starting to trickle down the walls, as it started to seep from cracks found in the ceiling.

The blocked tunnels also had a small stream make its way between the collapsed rubble.

The drake once more charged at Feidi, who was being dragged, and Stella, who was carrying Feidi.

Stella was about to grab Feidi with her powers and dodge to the side when Feidi raised her arms and used the bleached bones on the ground to form a large protective shield in front of her and Stella.

"I'm good, I can walk on my own."

Saying sol Feidi quickly squirmed out of Stella's grip, when the drake crashed into Feidi's shield.

Half the bones were immediately pulverized or flung to the side.

I can't hold it, we must hurry."

Saying so, Feidi turned and ran towards the remaining entrance.

Stella was quick to follow as one glance over her shoulder revealed the drake swiping with its claw, removing the remainder of the shield Feidi had conjured.

They were now on foot, as Feidi had used most of her energy on forming that one shield.

They assisted themselves with their powers, however, giving them superhuman speed.

They reached the cave mouth and turned, intending to collapse it.

Already an ankle-deep stream had formed, flowing into the cavern from the tunnel, which the sisters intended to collapse.

The drake was charging at them but was still a little away.

"We can make it!"

Shouting so, Stella, using her powers, grabbed the rocks and boulders sticking out of the cave wall, pulling at them with all her might.

The drake, while continuing to sprint at them, gazed at the two accursed humans as they stretched their arms toward the ceiling, before looking at the rush of water flowing from the escape tunnel.

The drake narrowed its eyes before letting out a defiant roar.

The scales around its neck emanated a glow, which quickly traveled from its upper chest up its neck to its mouth.

"We have to go!"

So shouted Inpar at Stella, as she saw the approaching drake.

"No! I almost have it!"

Stella gritted her teeth while continuing to tug at the rocks buried in the cave entrance.

They were starting to get loose, but before a cave-in could occur, a red jet consisting of superheated and burning gas escaped the drake's mouth, aimed directly at the two sisters.

Time seemed to slow, as Stella watched the flame approach her at breakneck speeds.

Countless possibilities and options flashed before her mind's eye, but all wouldn't be enough to save herself from the coming flame.

Just when the flame was about to fully engulf her, she felt a rough pull on her body, launching her deeper into the cave.

Her body screamed in pain, as the heat had seared her skin and burned her hair.

She was dumbfounded for a second, as up became down and left became parallel to right.

She grabbed herself with her powers and stabilized herself.

Her head was spinning and she felt the need to vomit.

"Next time I tell you we need to go, you better listen! Now, I'm telling you again, we need to go."

Feidi grabbed Stella by the wrist and all but dragged her up the cave.

From behind they could hear the sound of claws ripping into stone, as the drake was hot on their tails.

Their plan to collapse the caves and let the drake drown had failed.

But they didn't have time to lament their failure, as they would first need to escape with their lives.

Another roar came from behind, letting them know that the drake hadn't taken too kindly to their visit.