Chapter Six

As the monstrous creatures unleashed fireballs from their mouths, Gorgan turned to face me and instructed me to hold on tightly. Complying with his request, Gorgan skillfully evaded the incoming fireballs. This harrowing experience continued for an indeterminate duration, and I found myself grappling with a rising wave of nausea, my stomach urging me to vomit. I resolutely resisted this urge, determined not to disgrace Gorgan with my predicament, even as my discomfort intensified. All I longed for was to return home, yet I remained suspended in the air, unable to do so.

Suddenly, my bracelet compelled me to release my grip on Gorgan and leap from the dragon. In a state of confusion, Gorgan called out my name as I attempted to communicate with him. However, he could not hear me, and he directed his dragon toward my falling form.

As I plummeted through the air, I realized I was descending toward the lava below, a thought that filled me with dread and the specter of death. I was incredulous that my own bracelet had forced me to abandon the dragon, which had been my means of safety and a path back home. What could possibly be its purpose? Why would it do this?

Yet, my concerns did not end there. Hearing the roars of more dragons, I glanced upward to see the lord and his minions approaching on their dragons. The lord unleashed a spell aimed at me, and my bracelet instinctively guided my movements, assisting me in evading the incoming projectiles.

Breathless, I recognized how perilously close I had come to disaster, but still, the bracelet urged me to leap from the dragon into the lava below. It seemed to lead me toward my demise, and I could not fathom its intentions until it revealed a different plan.

I then experienced a sensation that drained my very essence, as red and black smoke enveloped my entire being. Reflecting on the bracelet encircling my arm, I came to realize its true intention: to metamorphose me into a creature of monstrous proportions. This transformation was presumably aimed at enhancing my strength, with the impending plunge into the lava serving as a testament to that power.

Mere moments later, it became evident that the enhancement of my strength was not the sole purpose of the bracelet. Wings sprouted from my back, and as I flapped them, it dawned on me that I was evolving into a flying beast.

At that point, I was eager to rid myself of the bracelet and return home. I yearned for this nightmare to conclude immediately. My tribulations had persisted long enough, and I could no longer endure them.

Thus, upon my transformation into a monster, I charged directly at the lord. As he unleashed magical projectiles in my direction, I effortlessly evaded each one. The lord commanded his guards in an unfamiliar tongue, gesturing with his staff, which led me to infer that he had instructed them to direct their attacks toward me.

Although I intended to assist in fending them off, Gorgan took it upon himself to confront them on my behalf. I felt compelled to join the fray, as I believed that two against one was an unfair advantage. I did not wish for him to become fatigued from the relentless combat. Unfortunately, the lord continued to launch his projectiles at me, and I was fortunate enough to evade his strikes. Turning my attention back to my adversary, I noticed he was rapidly charging his staff, which had now transformed into a spear aimed directly at me.

As I unleashed my fiery projectiles, my adversary skillfully evaded my strikes. In that moment of frustration, I resolved to shift my approach and engage him directly. However, as I closed the distance, I found myself struggling to overcome him; despite my relentless efforts, I was rapidly depleting my strength. My heart raced within my chest, and my mind urged me to cease this futile confrontation. Nevertheless, I remained steadfast in my determination. The urgency to remove the bracelet and return home outweighed all other considerations, making it imperative that I pressed on.

I prepared to strike with my claws, but he not only deflected my attack but also inflicted a wound upon one of my wings. With a sinister grin, he observed my agony as I extracted the blade from my injury.

Gazing down at the molten lava beneath him, he redirected his focus to me and hurled me into the abyss, uttering something I could not comprehend. I surmised that his intent was my demise, and it seemed he was on the verge of achieving that goal. I could not bear to glance back at the seething lava; all I could do was witness his mocking laughter as I plummeted toward my end.

This appeared to be the conclusion of my journey. Perhaps it was indeed time for me to embrace death. I attempted to flap my wings, but the injury rendered one of them useless. I yearned to find a means of escape, yet my mind was blank despite my desperate efforts. There was no plausibility of survival this time. Not now. Not ever.

“Yurana, hold on!” Gorgan's voice rang out.

I turned to see him soaring toward me, unimpeded by the lord's henchmen. A smile crossed my face, as I inferred that he had already vanquished them and hoped he would evade the lord's onslaught. He appeared to be navigating the situation with relative ease, still intent on reaching me.

When he caught me mid-air, he inquired about my well-being. After I confirmed that I was fine, he expressed his desire to assist me in confronting the lord and traveling to his hometown. Without any hesitation, I agreed, and together we prepared to face the lord. As Gorgan maneuvered the dragon around our adversary, I unleashed a series of magical projectiles at him. Although we encountered some difficulty in our battle and our magical energy began to wane, we knew we had to devise a strategy to overcome the lord and reach Gorgan's hometown. An idea eventually surfaced in my mind, despite the struggle to formulate it.

Upon sharing my plan with Gorgan, we swiftly put it into action and resumed our assault. I managed to strike the lord in the chest with my claws, causing his blood to spill forth. Strangely, the volcano had vanished, replaced by a dilapidated castle. The enemies had disappeared, and the sky had returned to its azure hue.

After pondering the bizarre turn of events for a moment, I realized not only had I returned to my normal state, but I was also on my way to Gorgan's hometown. I expressed my apologies for my earlier doubts and for neglecting to mention the bracelet, to which he graciously forgave me. Thus, we proceeded to his hometown, intending to dispose of the bracelet before I returned home.