Boiling Isles: The Next Generation - Act I.

Chapter XLIX - Flames

Instead of slowing, their descent accelerated with ever-increasing ferocity.

Beneath them, the gaping maw of the abyss yawned like a bottomless vortex. The waves of the Boiling Sea didn't simply crash into one another, they swirled, twisted, billowed, and then crashed back down, as if impatiently awaiting their victims.

Priscilla's gaze darted back and forth in desperation, her fingers trembling as she tried to cast a spell. But the magic shattered around her, and instead, she coughed up blood.

Hecathriel's teeth clenched in pain and furious helplessness. His wings instinctively spread halfway, but her muscles did not obey her completely; the wings could not open wide enough to support her.

Azura's body tensed in the freefall. Her stomach churned as gravity pulled her relentlessly downward. The thought that only a few seconds separated them from vanishing forever into the waves of the Boiling Sea squeezed her chest with icy dread. Her heart pounded wildly, each beat seeming louder than the last.

At that moment, a sudden wave of heat spread across her face. The next instant, a sharp, searing pain shot through her head. Azura gasped and instinctively clutched her temple. The pain wasn't merely physical; it felt as if something was trying to break through from within. Then an aged yet respectful voice rang out in her mind.

"Lady Alpha, we're arriving!"

Azura's eyes snapped open. Through the whistling air, she gazed toward the Isles, where she spotted three figures rapidly approaching. At first, they were just faint, glowing dots in the sky, but within seconds they began to grow. Their outlines became increasingly distinct, until finally they materialized before her as enormous, flying creatures, heading straight for her.

The robust bodies of these flying creatures were covered with golden scales that lay perfectly aligned, one upon the other, and radiated a soft, inner glow. Their chests, however, glowed more intensely. Their wings were enormous; lightning-like veins ran through their translucent membranes. Their limbs were muscular, and their claws were long and razor-sharp. A row of small spikes lined the tip of their thick tails.

Horns curving backward rose from their heads; their faces had harsh features, and sharp teeth glinted in their slightly parted mouths. Their eyes shone; they radiated an alert, conscious intelligence.

Although Azura had only ever seen them on the yellowed pages of textbooks, she recognized the creatures immediately.

Luminary wyverns.

By then, the descent was proceeding at a terrifying pace. The dark surface of the Boiling Sea was frighteningly close; even the details of the waves had become visible, and the mist rising from the depths stung Azura's eyes.

One of the wyverns soared above her in a flash. His massive body sliced effortlessly through the air. The claws on his legs spread apart, then closed around Azura in a single, precise motion.

His grip was firm and decisive, yet surprisingly gentle, as if the creature instinctively knew just how much force he could use without harming the human girl.

The sudden jerk snapped Azura out of her free fall. Her body lurched forward, and for a dizzying moment, the world blurred around her. The whoosh of the fall died away, replaced by the terrifying, almost unnatural silence of weightlessness.

The wyvern began to rise in a wide arc, away from the yawning abyss and up toward safer heights.

Azura gasped for air, and the wyvern turned his head slightly backward in midair and glanced at the brown-haired girl. His eyes narrowed for a second, then he tried to reassure Azura with a smile-like gesture. The next moment, he turned back and continued to slice through the air.