[ DANGER: UNKNOWN MANA SIGNATURE FOUND ]

Great. Just what I needed. A big, glowing, red "fuck you" from my own damn system.

"Everyone get ready," I grunted, trying to sound like I had a clue what I was doing. "Something’s here."

I tried that new wolf sense Reika gave me, closing my eyes to focus. Big mistake. All I got was a wave of nausea and a feeling like I was standing next to a bonfire made of garbage and lightning.

The princess’s nice flower smell was completely gone, replaced by this nasty, stinging crap that screamed monster.

I couldn’t tell if it was left, right, or about to chew my face off, but my gut was screaming one thing loud and clear, we were no longer alone.

We walked for a few more minutes. The halls were all decorated with the same old, faded tapestries of dragons. Boring. Then my system decided to be a dick again. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

[ DANGER: UNKNOWN MANA SIGNATURE NEAR ]

"Great," I muttered. "Just what I needed."

Reika stopped dead in her tracks. Her ears, which had been twitching at every little sound, went flat against her head. A guttural growl started somewhere deep inside, the kind that meant she was about to get bitey.

"Something is above us!" she snarled.

I didn’t even have time to look up. One second the ceiling was fine, the next it just exploded. Chunks of rock and dust rained down on us.

I threw an arm over my head, because that’s all I could think to do at the moment.

Through the haze, I heard them land. Not a thump. A scraping sound, like claws on stone. Three of them. Big lizard-dog things, all black scales and glowing red eyes. They looked fast and extremely hungry.

The one in the middle, the big bastard, opened its mouth and screeched.

It wasn’t just a noise. It felt like a hot needle being shoved into my brain. My vision went blurry for a second. That’s all the time they needed.

The other two scrambled, their claws making a horrible sound on the floor. One shot past me, blocking the way back to Valka’s hole. The other stopped at the end of the hall, cutting us off. We were in a goddamn box.

The big one took a step toward us, its lips peeling back from teeth that looked like broken glass. Yeah. This was going to suck.

The big one took a step toward us, its lips peeling back from teeth that looked like broken glass. Yeah. This was going to suck.

"Adrian!" Celeste yelled, but I was already moving.

I channeled that dark, heavy mana from Valka into my spear, the head of it turning black as night. I didn’t have time to be subtle. I didn’t have time to be smart. I just reacted.

I lunged forward, aiming for the big one’s head. The Drake Hound was faster. It sidestepped, and my spear, empowered by dark mana, slammed into the stone wall instead. The impact sent a spiderweb of cracks through the rock, but the monster was already coiling to strike.

"Reika!" I yelled, trying to pull back.

She was already on it. Ice shot from her hands, not in a neat little blast, but a wild, chaotic wave that flash-froze the floor. The lead Drake Hound’s paws stuck fast, and it skidded, its angry screech turning into a surprised yelp as it slid sideways.

That was the opening.

Before the other two could flank us, Celeste’s arrow hissed through the air. It wasn’t a fire arrow this time. It was a glowing, crackling bolt of pure lightning that slammed into the Drake Hound on the left.

The creature convulsed, its body seizing up as the electricity arced across its wet scales. It fell to the ground, twitching, smoke rising from its fur.

"Nice one!" I shouted, parrying a clumsy snap from the stuck lead monster.

The third Drake Hound, the one on the right, didn’t hesitate. It leaped, its claws aimed right for Valka’s face.

Valka didn’t even draw a weapon. She just stood there.

As the monster flew through the air, she moved. One smooth, fluid motion. She caught the Drake Hound by the throat in mid-air, her fingers sinking into its scaly flesh.

She slammed it down onto the stone floor with a sickening crunch. The impact was so hard the stone itself cracked. The creature lay there, dazed and whimpering, as Valka placed her heavy boot on its neck.

"Bad dog," she growled.

The lead monster finally broke free of the ice, shaking shards of frozen water from its paws. It was pissed. It let out a roar that was pure fury and charged me, its jaws wide open.

This was my chance. I dropped the spear. I didn’t need it.

I met its charge, my hands glowing with Celeste’s fire mana and Valka’s dark mana combined.

It was a volatile, unstable mix. I channeled Demon’s Grip, not into a weapon, but into my own hands. The dark mana made my grip unbreakable, while the fire mana made my touch burn like a brand.

I caught the monster by its fucking jaws.

It was the stupidest thing I have ever done. The force of its momentum sent me sliding back, my boots scraping against the stone, but I held on.

Its teeth, meant for rending flesh, couldn’t find purchase. The dark mana reinforced my grip, and the fire mana started to cook it from the inside out.

It thrashed wildly, its head whipping from side to side, trying to shake me loose. I held on, my muscles screaming, my own mana reserves plummeting.

"Adrian, finish it!" Celeste screamed.

I couldn’t. I was barely holding on.

Then Reika was there. She slammed into the monster’s side, her own small body adding just enough weight and confusion to throw it off balance. It stumbled.

That was all I needed, twisting using the monster’s own momentum against it. I slammed its head into the stone floor. Once, twice, three times. The dark mana in my hands pulsed with each impact, and on the third hit, the monster’s skull shattered.

It went limp. I let go, stumbling back, my hands smoking and my entire body trembling.

Silence fell. The only sounds were our ragged breaths and the crackle of Celeste’s lightning still fizzing on the dead Drake Hound.

I looked at my hands. They were burned, but already healing. I looked at the dead monsters. I looked at my girls.

Reika was grinning, covered in ice shavings. Celeste was nocking another arrow, her face a mask of concentration. And Valka was just standing there, menacingly. Her foot still on the neck of the creature she had disabled, looking bored.

"See?" I said, trying to sound cool and failing miserably. "Told you I had it."

Valka lifted her foot, then stomped down, crushing the whimpering Drake Hound’s skull with one casual motion. "You were slow," she said, her voice flat. "But effective. I will give you that."

My system window popped up, covered in celebratory, flashing dicks.

[ COMBO ACHIEVED: ELEMENTAL SYNERGY ]

[ NEW TRAIT UNLOCKED: MANA COMBUSTION ]

[ WARNING: UNSTABLE. MAY CAUSE RECOIL OR BACKFIRE. ]

"Great," I muttered, dismissing the screen. "Another way for me to blow myself up."

Celeste ran to my side, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and awe. "Your hands... are you okay?"

"I’m fine," I said, though I felt like I’d just tried to arm-wrestle a volcano. "Let’s just... find the princess and get the hell out of here before something bigger shows up."

We moved deeper into the passage, the air growing colder, the scent of flowers getting stronger. We were getting close. The passage opened into a large, circular chamber. In the center of the room, suspended in the air by glowing golden chains, was a young woman.

She had long, silver hair and small, elegant horns poking through it. Her eyes were closed, and she looked peaceful, but a single, crystalline tear was rolling down her cheek.

She was beautiful. She was a dragon. And she was completely trapped.

My system popped up one last time.

[ QUEST UPDATED: THE TYRANT DRAGON’S PRINCESS ]

[ OBJECTIVE: FREE THE PRINCESS ]

[ WARNING: THE SEAL IS POWERED BY A SACRED BOND. BREAKING IT WILL HAVE UNKNOWN CONSEQUENCES. ]