Chapter 51: Breath of Escape

The faint presence I had sensed earlier was no illusion. Someone was coming — and they weren’t alone.


I knelt near the cave’s entrance, barely breathing. My hand hovered over the hilt of my blade, every muscle taut. The dragon lay further back in the shadows, her gaze sharp despite her weariness. Her body was coiled, ready to move, but I could see the exhaustion in the way her wings drooped and her breaths came shallow.


“How many?” she asked quietly, her voice barely more than a whisper, yet it carried the weight of a battlefield command.


I narrowed my eyes, focusing. The echoes of footsteps multiplied, growing louder and more distinct. Too many. This wasn’t a scouting party — it was a hunting force. Boots scraped against stone, the clink of armor and the low murmur of voices drifting through the winding tunnels.


“Count Vareon,” I muttered. “And he brought company.”


The dragon’s body tensed, her claws curling slightly. Even in her shrunken form, I could see the fatigue weighing her down. She wasn’t ready for another fight. Neither was I.


“We can’t fight them like this,” I said, voice low.


“I know.”


Silence stretched between us. The air grew colder, the cave’s shadows pressing in.


“They’ll search this place,” I murmured. “He knows you were recovering here once. He’s not guessing — he’s certain.”


The dragon’s expression darkened, her eyes flickering with regret. “Because I was careless…”


“No,” I said flatly. “Because he’s obsessive. He wouldn’t leave a stone unturned.”


Her gaze flicked toward the entrance. “Then what’s the plan?”


I paused, considering the options. Fighting would get us killed. Hiding wouldn’t last. The only choice was to escape — but with Count this close, slipping away unnoticed wouldn’t be easy.


“We wait for an opening,” I said. “If they spread out to search, we’ll slip past them.”


She nodded once, her tail curling around her body.


Footsteps grew louder. Voices drifted in, echoing off the stone.


“Search every corner,” a sharp voice barked. Vareon. “That beast’s still injured — she won’t have gone far.”


Another voice followed, calmer but colder. “And what about the masked boy?”


Vareon laughed darkly. “He’s half-dead already. Finish him if you see him.”


The dragon’s eyes locked onto mine, gold burning in the gloom.


“You heard him,” she murmured.


“I’m not planning to die here,” I replied, forcing a smirk.


We moved slowly, keeping low as the voices drew closer. I led the way, careful to place each step with precision. The dragon followed, her breaths steady but shallow. The cave’s irregular walls offered little cover, but every shadow was a potential hiding place.


I spotted the opening ahead — just past a cluster of jagged rocks, a narrow fissure that led to the outside world.


“Wait,” I whispered, stopping her with a raised hand.


A group of mercenaries appeared, crossing the path we needed to take. They murmured to one another, weapons drawn, eyes scanning every shadow.


I counted twenty. Too many.


We stayed still. Seconds felt like minutes. My heart pounded in my chest, the sound deafening in my ears.


Then, one of the mercenaries turned to his companion. “You check that side — I’ll handle this one.”


They split apart, moving away from each other.


“Now,” I whispered.


We moved. Silent. Careful.


I could see the light outside now. Just a few steps more—


CRACK.


The sound of stone shifting beneath my foot shot through the air like thunder.


“Did you hear that?”


“Over there!”


“Don’t let them escape!”


“Run!” I hissed.


The dragon bolted ahead, her smaller form darting past me. I followed, ignoring the burning in my legs.


“Found you,” Vareon’s voice sneered from behind.


I glanced back — and froze.


Vareon’s hand flicked outward, and a searing red bolt of mana shot toward us.


“Move!” I barked.


The dragon twisted her body, narrowly dodging the blast. It struck the wall behind us, shattering rock and sending debris flying.


We barely made it outside when the mercenaries gave chase.


“Fools,” Vareon growled. “You won’t get far.”


The dragon staggered, her steps faltering.


“You okay?” I asked, breathless.


“I’ll manage,” she muttered, her breathing strained.


I could hear footsteps closing in. More mana bolts scorched past us, exploding against the ground and sending up clouds of dust.


“We can’t outrun them like this,” I muttered.


“Then we fight,” she said grimly.


I turned to her. “You’re barely able to run.”


“I don’t need to run to burn them alive.”


I grimaced but knew she wasn’t bluffing.


“You’ve got one shot,” I said. “Make it count.”


The mercenaries appeared, weapons ready. Vareon stood just behind them, a smug smile curling his lips — yet there was hesitation in his eyes.


“Looks like my guess was right after all,” Vareon muttered. “This is where I found her last time. With her injuries… this was her only option.”


He scanned the surroundings again, frowning slightly. “I didn’t think you’d return here, but I couldn’t be sure… Seems luck’s on my side.”


I narrowed my eyes. He wasn’t certain. He was just gambling on a hunch.


“We’ve still got a chance,” I whispered to the dragon.


Her gaze flicked toward me. “Then let’s make it count.”


The mercenaries advanced, weapons gleaming. Vareon stood just behind them, his aura crackling.


“You think you can escape me again?” Vareon’s voice dripped with arrogance. “Pathetic.”


I glanced at the dragon. “Now.”


She inhaled sharply — and unleashed a wave of searing black flames.


The mercenaries scattered, some diving aside, others raising mana shields just in time. The air blistered, the ground scorched black.


But Vareon didn’t flinch.


“That’s all you’ve got?” he sneered, stepping forward through the fading embers.


His hand shot out, chains of mana spiraling toward the dragon.


“Look out!” I shouted.


She twisted away, but one chain caught her hind leg, pulling taut. She roared in pain.


“You’re mine,” Vareon growled. “Again.”


I rushed forward, drawing my blade. One of the mercenaries stepped in my path — I struck low, slicing his calf. He crumpled with a curse.


“Keep moving!” I shouted to the dragon.


She thrashed against the chain, struggling to pull free. Vareon twisted his hand, and the crimson bind tightened.


“You’re not leaving,” Vareon sneered.


I grabbed a fallen spear from the ground, spinning it in my grip.


“Hey, Count,” I called out.


Vareon turned — and I hurled the spear straight at his face.


He twisted away just in time, but the sudden distraction was enough. The dragon let out a guttural snarl and snapped the chain, sending Vareon stumbling back.


“Go!” I barked.


We ran — both of us battered, both of us barely holding on.


Behind us, Vareon’s furious voice echoed through the air. “You won’t escape me!”


The dragon stumbled beside me, her strength fading fast.


We stumbled out into the open, the cold night air biting against my skin. The rocky terrain gave way to uneven ground, patches of dry grass and scattered boulders stretching ahead. Moonlight bathed the landscape, offering little cover.


“Keep moving!” I urged, gripping the dragon’s arm as she staggered beside me.


Bolts of mana streaked through the air, searing past us and bursting against the ground. Dirt and debris sprayed everywhere, forcing us to duck and weave.


“We’re exposed out here,” the dragon muttered through gritted teeth.


“Just run,” I shot back.


The shouts of mercenaries grew louder behind us, their footsteps crunching against the loose gravel. Another blast struck a nearby rock, shattering it and sending jagged shards flying.


“We can’t keep this up,” the dragon gasped.


“We have to,” I said firmly.


A sharp voice rang out behind us — Vareon’s. “Surround them! Don’t let them get away!”


I cursed under my breath. The mercenaries were spreading out, closing the gap.


“We need a way to lose them,” the dragon muttered.


“There isn’t one,” I said. “Not yet…”


But I knew we couldn’t outrun them much longer.


We darted between boulders, using the uneven terrain for cover. I risked a glance back — Vareon was closing in, his aura flaring like a beacon in the night. His mercenaries fanned out, cutting off every escape route.


The dragon stumbled, nearly collapsing. I caught her, slinging her arm over my shoulders.


“Don’t stop,” I urged, half-dragging her forward.


She gritted her teeth, pushing herself onward.


A mercenary appeared ahead, sword raised. I let go of the dragon, lunged forward, and drove my blade through his gut. He fell with a grunt, and I grabbed his dagger, tucking it into my belt.


More footsteps. More shouts.


The dragon’s breathing grew ragged. “I can’t—”


“Yes, you can,” I snapped. “Just a little farther.”


We reached a narrow ravine, the ground sloping steeply downward. I glanced at the dragon.


“Can you slide?”


She nodded, barely.


We scrambled down the slope, rocks tumbling beneath our feet. The mercenaries hesitated at the edge, wary of the unstable ground.


Vareon’s voice rang out, furious. “After them! Don’t let them escape!”


We reached the bottom, breathless, and pressed ourselves against the ravine wall. The dragon slumped beside me, eyes closed.


We hit the ground hard.


I pulled her up again.


"Almost... almost there..."


"To where?" she rasped.


"I don’t know. Just away."


The night grew heavier. The moon overhead began to disappear behind dark clouds.


I felt something shift.


Not the wind. Not the ground.


The pressure.


It was subtle at first. Like a hand pressing down gently. Then firmer. The air thickened. Mana in the environment quivered.


The mercenaries slowed. Even Vareon paused.


And then —


A voice.


"The sun sets for rebirth, and we are the eclipse — only through chaos can true order bloom."


My breath caught.


That voice.


I knew it.


And I knew exactly what it meant.


It was a threat.




To be continued