The Nest

The forest blurred around them. Trees became streaks of green as Nino sprinted through the wilderness. Each step covered several meters. Roots, fallen trunks, and boulders disappeared beneath his feet before they could become obstacles.

The wind roared past them. Cael tightened his grip around Nino's shoulders. He had never moved this fast in his life. The ground was little more than a blur beneath them.

Alicia, cradled securely in Nino's arms, smiled as the rushing wind danced through her hair.

"So this is what flying feels like."

"We're not flying," Nino replied without slowing.

"It feels close enough." Cael swallowed. "I think I'm going to be sick..."

"You'll survive."

"I hope so..."

The sound reached them before the river did. A distant roar. Deep and constant. Growing louder with every passing second.

"The waterfall," Cael said.

Nino nodded.

Moments later, the forest opened before them. A wall of white crashed from the cliffs above: Elora Falls.

Water thundered down from a height that seemed to touch the sky, exploding against the rocks below and covering the entire valley in drifting mist. The river churned violently before disappearing deeper into the forest.

Nino finally slowed to a stop. He gently lowered Alicia and Cael onto the ground. For a long moment, no one spoke.

The roar of the waterfall swallowed every other sound. Alicia stood perfectly still. She slowly turned her face toward the cascade. Her expression softened.

"It sounds beautiful..." Then she flinched. The endless roar filled her ears from every direction. It wasn't painful, just overwhelming.

Every drop. Every current. Every splash against the rocks. Together they became a single endless voice. She instinctively covered one ear.

"It's... loud."

Cael pointed toward the waterfall.

"The entrance is over there."

Hidden behind the falling water, barely visible through the mist, was a narrow opening carved into the cliff.

"You have to dive underneath first," he said quietly. His eyes remained fixed on the darkness beyond the water. "I just..." His voice faltered. "I hope they're still alive."

Silence. Alicia tilted her head slightly.

"They are."

Cael turned toward her.

"What?"

"They're alive," she said with complete certainty.

Nino looked at her. There was no hesitation in her voice. Only conviction. For a brief moment, he considered asking how she could possibly know. Instead, he said nothing.

"There isn't much time." His gaze shifted back to the waterfall. "You two stay here."

Cael frowned.

"What?"

"If all three of us go inside..." Nino looked toward the cavern entrance. "Protecting you will become another battle." He glanced once toward the dead Vulkar lying far behind them.

"The male is dead." His voice remained calm. "That makes this place considerably safer."

"What if other creatures come back?" Cael asked.

Without answering immediately, Nino reached over his shoulder. The Noctrium blade slid free with a metallic whisper. He closed his fist.

Pulse flowed from his body into the sword. Deep violet veins of light spread across the black blade. The weapon began to hum, its glow rising and fading like a heartbeat. With each pulse, the light intensified.

Nino drove the sword into the ground. The earth trembled softly beneath it. The blade continued pulsing with quiet waves of light.

"Stay close to the sword."

Cael stared at it.

"What does it do?"

"It will keep the creatures away."

"For how long?"

"At least thirty minutes."

"I'm coming too."

He looked down.

Alicia had wrapped both arms around his leg.

"I'm an adventurer," she declared. "Adventurers don't wait outside."

Nino sighed. With one hand, he grabbed the back of her hood and effortlessly lifted her off the ground.

"Hey!" Her feet kicked helplessly through the air.

He carried her the short distance to the glowing sword and gently set her down beside it.

"No."

She folded her arms.

"I'm still coming."

Nino looked at her for a moment. Then he nodded toward Cael.

"I need someone to protect him."

Alicia hesitated.

"Me?"

"You're the only adventurer here besides me."

She turned toward the sound of Cael's breathing. The frightened boy looked back at her. Slowly, Alicia straightened her posture.

"Leave him to me."

"..."

Cael's expression stiffened. He looked from the sword to Nino. Then to the empty sheath on his back. Realization slowly spread across his face.

"You're going in..." His voice barely escaped his throat. "without your sword?"

Nino didn't answer. He simply stepped toward the waterfall. The rushing water swallowed him whole. For a brief moment, everything became a chaotic blur of foam, rushing currents, and stone.

He dove. For a heartbeat, nothing existed except the crushing force of the waterfall. The current tried to hurl him back into the river, but one powerful push against the rock carried him through.

An instant later, the water was behind him. His boots landed on solid stone. Water streamed from his clothes as he straightened.

Silence took its place. The only light came from the entrance, now little more than a distant glow beyond the curtain of falling water.

The cavern was enormous. Far larger than Cael had described. Its ceiling vanished into darkness. The air was thick with heat and moisture. Every breath carried the scent of sulfur mixed with decaying flesh. Water dripped slowly from the stalactites.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Nino took a few steps forward and clenched his fists. Pulse flowed through his body. Dark violet lines began to glow beneath his skin. First his shoulders. His arms next. Finally, his hands. The faint light radiating from his forearms illuminated only a few steps ahead.

He kept walking. The grooves carved into the ground were deep. Wide trenches, worn by something massive following the same path over and over again.

CRACK.

The sound echoed through the cavern. Nino looked down. Beneath his boot lay a massive broken shell.

It wasn't stone or wood. It was an egg.

More shattered shells littered the ground. All enormous.

A faint sound came from the darkness to his right. Small and fast.

Nino turned just as a creature burst from the darkness. It was only slightly larger than a man.

Black scales, incandescent eyes and small horns — not yet fully grown. Its jaws opened. Molten magma dripped between newly formed fangs. It lunged.

Nino twisted at the waist. His right fist slammed into the creature's chest. Pulse erupted at the moment of impact.

BOOM.

A massive hole tore straight through its body. The creature was hurled into the cavern wall. It never even had time to scream.

Another roar. Two more shadows emerged from the darkness. Nino didn't even change his stance.

The first came from the left. One punch. The second leaped from above. Another. Each strike sent Pulse exploding through the creatures' bodies: scales, flesh and bone.

Everything was torn apart as though it were made of paper. Within seconds, silence had returned.

The bodies lay scattered across the cavern floor. Nino looked down at one of them: hatchlings.

Their horns were still short. Their scales hadn't fully hardened. Even the magma flowing between their fangs burned weakly. They had only recently emerged from their eggs.

His gaze drifted across the cavern. Broken shells, claw marks and fresh blood. On the far side of the nest, torn pieces of human clothing lay scattered across the stone, too shredded to tell who they had belonged to.

None of it surprised him. The female remained with the nest while the male hunted. She needed food to survive while protecting the eggs, and humans were no different from any other prey.

What troubled him was something else. The chances of finding Cael's brother and the others alive were almost nonexistent.

“...”

The temperature began to rise. A suffocating heat filled the cavern. Far hotter than before. Droplets falling from the ceiling hissed into steam before they could reach the ground.

THUD.

One step. The entire cavern trembled.

THUD.

Another. The sound came from deep within the mountain. Slow and heavy. Each footstep made the mountain itself seem to breathe.

Molten magma flowed across the stone. First came the light. Followed by two enormous folded wings. A moment later, a colossal head emerged from the darkness. Its eyes slowly opened: they were incandescent.

It looked at the bodies scattered across the ground, at the shattered eggs, and finally, at Nino.

More magma spilled between its fangs. Its black scales slowly took on a deep crimson glow. The roar that followed shook the entire cavern. Dust rained from the ceiling. Even the water behind the waterfall trembled.

During this terrifying moment, from a narrow opening in the cave wall, a small face cautiously peeked out. Covered in dirt and terrified: a child.

They're really alive...

Nino thought.

The Vulkar lowered its head and Nino raised his fists. Each waited for the other to make the first move.