The Princess of Light and The Knight of Shadow

Year 2: Fifth Month, Part 6

They had just rounded the final bend of the tunnel when a roar shook the air.

"What is it this time?" Nox swore, gripping Erebos readily. He looked at Galos, but the Ice Wielder simply shook his head, his brows knitting together. He swore again. "How far are we?"

"Past this chamber. Then another tunnel."

And then freedom. It would be an easy sprint, at least for him and Galos, but Ireela wasn't in a fit state to go on, her mind and body too exhausted from her ordeal. And he could already hear the stomping growing louder; a different monster, no doubt.

"I'll stay behind," he decided, avoiding Ireela's gaze.

"Master!" she protested. Nox shook his head.

"I promised I'd keep you safe, and you promised you'll do exactly as we tell you." His intense gaze froze her, a strangled whimper escaping her throat. "Please, Ireela. There's no time!"

"But—"

Galos pulled her arm, cutting off her next words. She shrieked, struggling against his steel grip, but she was soon dragged away. Moments before darkness swallowed them, Galos looked at Nox.

With a nod of reassurance, Nox turned his back on their retreating forms and jogged back to the previous chamber. He didn't stay long to bid farewell; his will would just desert him if he did, endangering all of them.

Besides, he didn't plan on dying. Not when Estella was still waiting, no doubt worried out of her mind.

He stood by the entrance, waiting, Erebos gripped tightly in one hand. The ground trembled. Thud, thud, thud. A frantic pattern, as if something was barreling toward his position with heavy footsteps. Something large.

It wasn't a Remnant. The terrifying presence he felt last year back in the Coltar Ruins was absent. But he could sense the malicious intent oozing from the creature, a frustrated fury born out of its prey escaping its roar.

The footsteps slowed. Nox looked around. The chamber was relatively large, the ceiling no higher than the hallways of the Academy. It would hive him room to maneuver, provided that the creature wasn't larger than his assumptions. He wished the torches were lit, but the exit was wide enough to let some light in from the outside, though it barely illuminated half the chamber.

A growl echoed in the gloom, and Nox turned his gaze toward the arched entrance. Yellow eyes peered at him from the darkness. Its bulk rose out of the entrance, and from where he stood Nox glimpsed plate-like brown scales and spikes sharper than swords.

The creature approached, maw slightly gaping as it breathed heavily, revealing rows of white teeth. Its legs, wide as trees, took it closer to Nox. A Cave Dragon, and an adult at that.

Nox watched it warily. It couldn't have been new here; Cave Dragons stayed in their territory until death. But that wouldn't explain why there were griffons in the keep and whatever that tentacled creature was.

A mystery to solve later. The Cave Dragon rose on its hind legs, exposing its armored belly, and roared a challenge. Loose stones fell from the ceiling. Snarling, the Cave Dragon charged.

Nox was already moving. Its torso was nearly impervious even to an Animarta, but there was a weak point he could exploit. Thrusting his free hand forward, he shouted, "Burst!"

A pillar of ice rose out of the floor. The dragon smashed through it, showering the chamber with glittering shards, but Nox had anticipated that. He dashed to the left, toward a marble pillar broken in half.

The dragon followed, baleful eyes glowing with hate. It covered the distance between them in three powerful strides, its heavy footsteps shattering the ancient floor.