𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐧 𝐎𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰 𝐏𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐱

𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐬

The sound of a rushing river filled the ears of the group as they made their way around the ground level of the cavern, looking for Stella and Brandon.

Walking down the hall for what felt like hours, Cyprian and Ares kept each other entertained as the other three grew irritated by their long journey. "I remember that passageway" Aisha pointed to a single tavern as she ran, urging the others to follow.

After slowing their pace, Ares turned to Cyprian a concerned look on her face. "Do you guys hear that?" She turned to look behind the group as growls and roars echoed behind them. A majority of the group shook their head no for only a second as a pair of monsters chased after them.

The silver-haired boy turned to his favorite fairy with a smile and quickly returned as she nodded. Both turned back to face the two monsters "we got this, you guys go ahead" Cyprian chuckled as he slid his sword from its sheath.

"You get the uglier one?" He looked at her as she smiled, nodding quickly before launching herself towards the creature. Spiny scales lined its back as it slowly approached, the light roars sounded more like purrs as the harsh intent radiating off its body nearly vanished entirely.

She pulled out one of the knives that sat strapped against her vest, quickly stabbing it through its skull. Turning to Cyprian as he looked over at her nonchalant, leaving a divided corpse laying behind him. "I win" he stuck out his tongue as she rolled her eyes.

A light floating down from the hole in the ceiling catches their eye, "Stella?" She turned to the blonde with an excited smile as she dispersed her transformation. Bloom ran to hug her as the others turned to Cyprian and Ares "did you two take care of it?"

"Yeah, I won" Cyprian smiled as Skye nodded proudly "you did not, you never even told me it was a challenge" Ares crossed her arms at the boy who stood looking falsely offended "are you saying I cheated?"

"Yes," she laughed for a second but quickly stopped as something caught air, the feeling of overwhelming dark magic hit her. "Cyprian?" Her vision went blurry as she turned to the boy, a worried look plastered on his face at her odd movements "somethings wrong..." she whined lightly as the ground began to shake, immediately being lifted by the boy as he followed the others, trying to make their way out of the cavern that was caving in.

Worried chatter filled her ears, "is she alright?" Bloom looked over her passed-out sister's body, Cyprian held her hand as worry overloaded his senses.

He tapped the side of her face gently, "do you think it was magic sense overload? Like last year when she first came to Alfea?" Stella crossed her arms as she looked over the boy, a light nod signaling his answer as Bloom turned to Stella "magic sense?" Stella laughed.

"Why else do you think she passed out when you came to rescue me at black lagoon?" Stella laughed as Bloom held a confused face as she looked down at her sister. "Darling you have to get up, it's not safe here" Cyprian lightly tapped the side of her face as she scrunched her nose in discomfort, opening her eyes slowly to see the bright sky.

"What happened?" She sat up with some help from Cyprian, "we're not too sure either" he smiled sadly as he helped her to her feet. Cyprian stood next to Ares ensuring her comfort as the others found ways to get back down into the cavern, Brandon being nowhere in sight.

"Where's the squire?" She looked to Skye who lightly chuckled before revealing he had been captured by the princess of a kingdom somewhere down in the trenches.

"Oh," she sighed lightly after thanking Cyprian, the pair seconds later turning to Aisha. Holding boards of wood next to her face as she pitched an idea, almost immediately agreeing to it, Ares took a board before riding it down the side of the tavern in a similar fashion to skateboarding.