The Seven Wonders of the World

42. Dragon Chase

The Group would be driving through the road, as they noticed the sky had seemed to get darker and darker as they drove more deep into the abyss they were entering.
Zoela, the driver, looked up as she saw the dark clouds and the thunder storms coming from the sky, speaking in an anxious tone as she said, “Here we are, we're at the Battlefield.”
“At bad timing too,” said Alucard, “this is one of the darkest times of the year, atleast in this region anyway, it usually clears up a bit but it's still dark.”
“What is the battlefield anyway?” said Rater. “Why do they call it that?”
“Because everybody dies here, they say once you go in, you'll never come out. It's a graveyard for us humans, that's why people narrowly avoid it and stick to their day-to-day lives. It's what seperated us.”
“Seperated?” said Rater.
Zoela nodded. “On the world map, the Battlefield is almost like a plus-shaped area, dividing the world into four regions, the reason for that is because Livinio had created an area for him and his disciples and as a result he split the world into four pieces, which is why the Battlefield almost feels like a border. We all hail from the South Blue, one of the sunniest places in the world. So all of this darkness is foreign to us.”
“The Battlefield had a name, a long time ago, that is,” said Alucard, “it was called Lista'shs Palabang, which means Lion's Palace. But that name soon became extinct and was there on known as the Battlefield as soldiers and rangers battled it out for what you so wish to look for, Rater.”
“Is there a way out?” said Sora.
“There is,” said Alucard, “the other side, that is. It will not be easy though, the other places of the world we can explore, but it'll be foreign to what we know of, culture, the way they speak, everything will be different.”

“So is it wise to enter the Battlefield at all?” said Rater, who was now considering the situation. He was not one to shy away from challenges, but he also knew that there were risks involved in entering an unfamiliar territory. And since the group could not return to their homeland, it was a big decision.
“That depends on whether you want the possibility of a new adventure or being stuck in this endless darkness,” said Alucard, his tone somewhat ominous as he delivered the verdict.
“Adventure it is then.” said Rater, determined to see this through.
“I am with you as well,” said Sora, as she nodded along with Rater.
“I wouldn’t really call it an adventure,” said Zoela. “The Battlefield is a place of darkness and despair, it isn't a place that you would take as a holiday destination.”
“It doesn't matter,” said Sora, his tone and demeanor as determined as ever. “I want to see what lies beyond. I want to see what the Battlefield has in store.”
The group continued their journey down a dirt path, as they entered a darker area. The sky was still covered with thick clouds, making it hard to see much of anything at all. The air was thick with an ominous feeling, as if something deadly was approaching them and it was only a matter of time before it overtook them. The group kept moving forward, as they tried their best to keep an optimistic attitude despite the foreboding atmosphere.
As they travelled through the dark terrain, the feeling of danger only grew stronger. The air grew thinner the further they went, as the clouds above them grew thicker and darker, the thunder and lightning making it seem like the sky itself was about to break and unleash its destructive power upon them all. The silence was deafening as the darkness continued to slowly surround the group even further, making it seem as if they were truly alone in this place. Even the most resilient members of the group started to feel the pressure of the ominous atmosphere.
“Maybe this isn’t such a good idea,” said Uyutsu, his voice filled with discomfort.
“We have to keep going, there is no turning back now.” said Rater, his tone determined yet uneasy at the same time.
“I don’t like the atmosphere here,” said Zoela, her voice shaking slightly even though she tried to hide it. “I think we should leave this place while we still have the chance.”
“Damn it,” said Sora, “we got here this far, let's not get scared now!”
“It's not about being scared,” said Zoela, who looked like she was trying to hold back her fear. “This isn't just some random fear. I can feel the darkness surrounding this place, it's getting heavier by the minute. I think we should turn back, while we still can.”
“No way,” said Rater, his tone becoming more resolute as he saw his friend’s discomfort. “We came here for a purpose. We cannot turn back now, not with something so important. We have to keep pushing forward.”
“And what if it was a mistake coming here in the first place?” said Zoela, as if she was looking for reassurance that they were doing the right thing by traveling to this dark place.
“But we don't know if it’s a mistake or not, we have to keep exploring to find out for sure.” said Sora, who sounded like he had made up his mind about what they were going to do.
“But this darkness, it’s so ominous,” said Uyutsu, his tone becoming more and more anxious as he spoke.
“Maybe it’s because we aren’t used to it,” said Rater, who was trying to downplay the effect of the darkness on his companions. “Let’s just proceed carefully, but keep moving forward until we find our objective.”
“I suppose that’s our only option,” said Zoela, as she let out a sigh, trying to muster up the courage to continue forward.
“I agree,” said Sora, “let’s just keep going.”
“Alright,” said Uyutsu, gritting his teeth as he prepared himself to face whatever might come their way while continuing down the path.