Chapter 4
THE SEARCH BEGINS (2)
Rhea had finished her preparations to infiltrate the Scarlet Mountains long before the moon reached its peak.
She stood at the foot of the mountains, their slopes bathed in pale silver light. The wind sweeping down from the peaks carried the scent of ash and sulfur—
a familiar, comforting presence.
Like home.
Rhea paused at the mouth of a hidden tunnel. Her fingers tightened around the strap of the bag resting against her back.
The weight on her back shifted slightly, its faint warmth seeping through the fabric.
“I’ll get you out, Mother,” she murmured.
The moment Rhea stepped into the darkness of the tunnel, it swallowed her whole.
After following the tunnel for nearly a mile, Rhea felt heat press against her skin, familiar as a childhood embrace. The walls glimmered faintly with veins of molten ore, casting a dim crimson glow along the stone.
She didn’t need a torch. Not yet.
She had learned to walk these paths even before she could write her own name.
Every ridge in the rock, every fork in the maze of tunnels — they were carved into her memory. The Scarlet Mountains was where she grew up.
The tunnels beneath the mountain range were a labyrinth to outsiders—but to her, they were the playground of her childhood, secret training grounds, and hidden escape routes.
She and her family knew the vast network of tunnels beneath the mountain range by heart—passages that could carry her to nearly any corner of the peaks.
She had spent the entire night moving through the Scarlet Mountains, choosing the hours when the assailants would be least vigilant.
For the journey, she carried only a small supply of food and water. Slung over her back was a bag containing the same giant egg she had kept hidden in her room—the one she had escaped with.
She moved quickly but without sound.
Rhea already knew what the organization that had invaded the Scarlet Mountains was capable of. When they first attacked her home, they had come fully prepared, armed with detailed intelligence on every creature that lived there—and their weaknesses.
They knew the dragons’ flight patterns. Their elemental affinities. Their attack ranges.
They had already taken control of half the dragons that dwelled across the mountain range.
Half the sky had gone quiet since that night.
Her grip tightened.
Mother is still alive. She had to believe that.
After all, she was the strongest of all dragons she had ever seen in her life.
The peak towered above them all—the Scarlet Peak, heart of the range.
That was where they were keeping her.
Rhea slipped deeper into the tunnel network. The passage narrowed, then split into three directions. Without hesitation, she turned left, ducked beneath a low arch, then descended along a slanted stone ramp marked with claw and talon scars.
She pulled a small cloth pouch from her belt and tapped gray powder onto the tip of a wooden stick. The moment it touched, a deep red glow pulsed to life.
Just enough light to see and not enough to be seen.
She had spent the entire night moving only when the invaders were least alert. Rotations changed at the fourth hour past midnight.
Since the day she escaped these mountains, she has gradually infiltrated them night after night, carefully observing the guards’ movements.
Just as Rhea turned a corner, her breath caught in her throat.
Rhea flattened herself against the rough stone wall, extinguishing the glowing stick with her fingers. Darkness swallowed her instantly.
A group of men emerged from the adjacent corridor.
They weren’t alone.
They had a lava salamander bound in heavy iron chains.
“Keep it moving,” one man barked.
“So this is how the dragons slipped around every time we came to catch them,” another muttered. “Clever beasts.”
Rhea’s nails dug into her palms.
They forcibly dragged the lava salamander to navigate the tunnels using it as a guide. Its glowing throat pulsed angrily as it resisted.
Lava salamanders could sense the mountain’s thermal veins better than any compass or map could tell.
The creature’s golden eyes flickered briefly in her direction. For a split second, she wondered—
Did it sense her? As the salamander nudged the men to move in the opposite direction.
She forced herself not to move. Not to breathe.
Seconds stretched like hours.
Finally, the group passed deeper into the tunnel, their voices fading into the labyrinth.
Only then did Rhea release the breath she’d been holding. Her lungs singed.
“So, they have already started mapping the tunnels too…” she whispered to herself. “I need to reach the top fast.”
She slipped her bag forward and pulled out a worn notebook.
Inside lay a carefully hand-drawn map of the entire mountain range—every hidden passage, every route marked.
Rhea stared at the route ahead.
If those men were advancing through that corridor…
“I guess this path is no longer safe.”
With a firm stroke, she crossed out the route in ink.
Then she turned back and took a narrower passage. As she moved deeper more voices echoed in distant corridors. Clashes of metal. The muffled roars of restrained beasts.
“How dare they…”
The words slipped through her teeth before she could stop them.
“How dare they use the mountain beasts to invade our home… I will never forgive them.”
Rhea’s anger burned hot in her chest—but anger alone wasn’t enough. She couldn’t stop them. Not yet.
“I’m still powerless…” she whispered bitterly.
But she knew someone who wasn’t.
If she could reach her mother… if she could free her from captivity… then all of this would end. Her mother would wipe them out without mercy.
And if something happens to her before she could free her—
Rhea had prepared a backup plan to save the mountains.
“If I fail today… I’m sure they’ll take care of it.” She nodded to herself, steadying her resolve, and pressed forward.
Then she heard a voice echoing faintly through the tunnels.
It was close.
And it felt painfully familiar.
“…That’s Draconic.”
The moment she recognized the language, she broke into a run.
“Go away… Don’t come…”
Her heart dropped.
She rounded the bend and saw another search party.
This tunnel offered no alternate path. There was only one way forward.
And the men had already sensed her presence.
They charged without hesitation.
Among them was a small red drake, a metal collar locked around its neck. Its wings tightly shackled, and its scales scratched and bloodied.
Rhea froze.
“Loi… you’re here…”
“Rhea! Run away! Rhea—run!” the drake cried in Draconic.
Rhea’s jaw clenched so hard it hurt.
“But I can’t leave you. I will get you out.”
“Don’t worry about me and save the Crimson Monarch,” the drake answered desperately in the draconic tongue.
“We found the girl! Capture her! The boss will be pleased!” one of the men shouted.
Before she could react, an arrow whistled past her face.
“Go!” Loi roared, lunging at the men despite the chains binding him. He slammed into them, sending two sprawling against the tunnel walls.
But one of the captors quickly pulled out a strange firearm. With a sharp crack, it launched a small vial that shattered against Loi’s neck, injecting its contents directly into his bloodstream.
The red drake staggered.
Then collapsed.
“How resilient are these beasts? This is already its third dose,” one of the men muttered.
Rhea’s nails dug into her palms.
She could do nothing.
Nothing but run.
She turned and sprinted just as a barrage of flaming arrows shot toward her. Several pierced through her skin before she managed to activate her shield magic, a translucent red barrier flaring around her body.
She leapt and plunged into a vertical shaft, twisting midair before slamming against a slanted rock slope. She kept rolling and continued sliding downward without slowing, until the tunnel spat her into a lower passage.
In her desperation, she had dropped her supplies—food, water, even her notebook—scattering them across the stone floor when she leapt into the vertical pit tunnel.
But Rhea didn’t stop.
She couldn’t. Not until she had reached the top.
Without giving up, Rhea continued her climb through the maze-like channels, searching for another path toward the summit.
The surface was no option. The invaders were spread across the mountainside. She would be spotted instantly.
She was already out of food and water.
Her notebook was gone.
But this was still not enough to stop her, with the map already etched in the back of her mind.
By the next morning, Rhea had finally discovered another safe passage leading to the peak.
Her legs trembled. Her throat burned from thirst. Her wounds had crusted over, and her vision swam at the edges.
But when the faint light of morning filtered down through a narrow crack in the rock, she knew.
She had reached the Scarlet Peak.
Her fingers brushed against a familiar stone outcrop near the summit. Heart pounding, she crouched and turned over a flat rock she herself had carved years ago.
She pushed it aside.
The hidden mechanism activated, and the entrance to her family’s cavern opened.
A vast hollow chamber revealed itself inside the peak.
This was Rhea’s home.
Or at least… it used to be.
Her breath stopped.
Where warmth and scattered treasure had once filled the space, a massive iron cage now dominated the chamber. Black pillars anchored it to the stone.
And inside—
A colossal crimson dragon lay chained to the ground.
“Mother…”
The words tore out of Rhea.
Chains wrapped around the dragon’s neck, wings, and legs—thick black metal embedded with glowing symbols. Even from afar, Rhea could feel the oppressive magic radiating from them.
She looked around quickly.
No guards.
Without hesitation, she ran forward.
“Mother! Are you alright? Mother!”
The dragon stirred.
Massive crimson eyelids lifted slowly, revealing eyes the same burning red as Rhea’s own.
But something was wrong.
They looked… distant.
Unfocused.
As though her soul were drifting somewhere far away.
The dragon suddenly shrieked.
A deafening, hostile roar filled the cavern as she reared back violently, chains clanging.
Rhea froze.
“Mother—don’t you recognize me? It’s me!”
The dragon’s pupils narrowed.
Her chest expanded. Heat gathered in her throat.
“Wait—!”
In the blink of an eye, flames began to swirl behind sharp fangs.
“I even brought brother back!” Rhea cried desperately, pulling the bag forward and opening it to reveal the giant egg. “We can leave! We can escape together, Mother!”
The cavern trembled with her shout.
For a brief second—
The dragon’s gaze shifted.
Her eyes fell on the egg.
Something flickered.
The fire in her throat faltered.
The crimson dragon let out a low, confused rumble.
For a moment—
She was back.
But then the chains suddenly tightened.
Metal bit deeper into the dragon’s scales. The restrictive magical formation in the chains flared violently.
The dragon roared in agony.
“Don’t hurt her!” Rhea screamed, rushing toward the bars.
She grabbed them with both hands, trying to pull them apart with raw force.
They didn’t move.
They didn’t even shake. In fact, her hands weren’t even large enough to wrap around their full girth.
The dragon’s instinct flared. Sensing danger toward her child, she gathered what little magic remained and unleashed a violent firestorm to the left side of the cavern.
The blast tore through one of the stone pillars.
Smoke filled the air.
A calm voice echoed through it.
“So even after being drained of magical energy for days… she still has this much energy.”
Rhea’s blood ran cold.
She slowly lifted her gaze.
Two pairs of eyes emerged from the darkness above.
Watching her.
“What are you doing here, girl?” the voice continued, chilling and amused.
Rhea’s breath hitched.
Those eyes.
She would never forget them.
The same eyes that were responsible for burning her home.
The same presence that forced her to flee.
“You bastard…”
Her body trembled—not with fear.
With rage.
“Free my mother!” she shouted, flames igniting around her fist. “Why have you trapped her?!”
She lunged forward, fist blazing with concentrated fire.
But the man didn’t move.
He simply reached out, catching her wrist mid-strike.
The impact alone sent shockwaves through her arm.
Before she could react, he twisted and flung her aside like she weighed nothing.
Rhea slammed into the stone floor, the air knocked from her lungs.
Before she could rise—
Dark metal bars descended from above.
A second cage crashed around her.
She grabbed the bars immediately, trying to burn through them.
But it had no effect.
The bars absorbed her flames like water swallowing sparks.
The crimson dragon let out another thunderous roar and unleashed a concentrated beam of fire straight at the man.
He didn’t move.
He simply raised one hand.
Darkness spilled from his palm like ink poured into water.
It swallowed the fire in one go and extinguished it as easily as snuffing out a candle.
Silence fell.
The dragon shrieked as if it was still not ready to give up.
The man lowered his hand.
“Still so feisty…” the man’s voice echoed through the cavern. “Perhaps this will put you back to sleep.”
He snapped his fingers.
The chains around the crimson dragon flared with a sickly violet glow.
From within the metal links, sharp needles extended — barely visible — and pierced into her neck. Thick purple liquid surged through them.
Smoke rose from her scales.
The crimson dragon convulsed.
Her roar shattered the cavern walls.
“Mother!” Rhea screamed, gripping the bars of her cage. “Stop it! Stop hurting her!”
The dragon thrashed wildly, claws gouging trenches into the stone floor. Fire erupted uncontrollably from her jaws, scorching the ceiling black.
Yet the purple glow intensified.
“I see… still resisting,” the man observed calmly.
The dragon lifted its head, trembling violently.
Her body began to radiate heat — intense, blinding heat. The air shimmered around her as she forced her own internal temperature higher and higher, attempting to burn the foreign substance out of her veins.
Stone began to melt.
Even inside her own cage, Rhea felt her skin blister from the rising temperature.
“Mother, keep fighting it…!” Rhea shouted.
The man’s tone didn’t change.
“I wonder what would happen… if I doubled the dose.”
With another snap of his fingers, the injection hissed against her scales for a second time.
More purple liquid surged.
The dragon’s scream turned feral.
For one final attempt — one final act of defiance — the Crimson Monarch unleashed everything.
A roar erupted from her that echoed beyond the peak — beyond the mountain — shaking the entire Scarlet Range.
Her fire aura exploded outward in all directions. Flames spiraled violently, carving through rock, igniting magma veins, ripping apart the cavern walls. The magical pressure alone forced Rhea to her knees.
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The mountain answered her cry.
The volcano trembled—
—and then exploded.
Outside, molten lava burst from fissures along the peak.
The sky above turned red.
To an outside observer, it would have almost looked as if the mountain was screaming.
Inside the cavern, magma surged through cracks in the floor, flooding outward in glowing rivers.
Rhea shielded her face from the heat.
“Mother—!”
The crimson dragon stood at the center of the chaos, fire spiraling around her like a blazing sun.
But even suns burn out.
The firestorm raged for several seconds.
Then—
Silence.
The crimson dragon stood motionless.
Smoke curled from her scales.
Her aura faded.
Her head lowered slowly.
“That,” the man said coldly, “finally got her to obey.”
Lava flooded into the cavern entrance, threatening to swallow everything.
He didn’t even look concerned.
“As for this… clean it up.”
“Yes, Master.” A second voice answered from the shadows.
Rhea was surprised to realize there was someone else in the cavern, and she hadn’t even noticed till they showed themselves.
Suddenly, the temperature dropped violently.
An unnatural frost spread across the cavern floor. Ice raced over the molten lava, hardening it instantly into blackened stone.
Within seconds, the eruption was silenced.
Only smoke lingered.
“As for the dragon,” the man continued, “I will be taking her with me.”
The massive cage around the Crimson Monarch began to rise.
“It is time we claim the rest of their colony. And also deal with the nuisances that have suddenly appeared in the mountains.” He said with his eyes smiling, glancing at Rhea as if he already knew what she had planned.
“Yes, Master. I will inform the others to take care of them.”
“And keep an eye on the egg, it can be useful for his research.”
“Yes, master.”
For the first time, the man giving out orders stepped into clearer view.
His entire body was still wrapped in shifting darkness—as though shadows clung to him unnaturally. His face remained obscured, but those eyes—those merciless, hollow eyes—crept fear in her heart.
Rhea’s breath hitched.
He began walking toward the cavern exit, and the crimson dragon followed.
“Mother…?” Rhea whispered, her voice cracking.
The dragon did not look back.
“Mother!” she screamed, slamming both fists against the prison. “Mother, it’s me, Rhea! Please don’t go!”
There was no reaction.
The chains around the crimson dragon’s neck glowed faintly purple, and her once fiery crimson eyes were now distant… empty.
Step by step, she moved behind the man who had broken her will.
“Mother… please…”
Rhea’s knees buckled.
Her voice grew smaller.
“…don’t leave me.”
But the crimson dragon never turned back.
And as the shadowed man led her away, the entrance to the cavern sealed behind them—plunging Rhea into silence.
Alone.
With the ashes of her home cooling around her.
◇◇◇
Cold.
That was the first thing Athena felt as she slowly opened her eyes, only to find herself seated inside a cage woven from strange silver fibers. Crystal-like octagrams floated along its surface, binding the structure together.
Athena quickly realized she couldn’t sense her magic properly.
“For how long was I out?” Athena asked herself, but from the look at the sky, it shouldn’t have been more than an hour.
All she remembered after escaping from the volcanic explosion was a sharp electric shock, and then she fainted.
She turned her head.
Beside her lay a tall woman wearing round spectacles, her white hair tied neatly at the back. She was dressed in a short coat over trekking gear.
“Who is she?” Athena wondered.
She gently shook her shoulder.
“Maybe she was captured too…” Athena murmured to herself. “If she’s hurt, I’ll use healing magic.”
The moment Athena activated her healing spell—
A violent surge of electricity exploded through the cage.
“Ahhh—!” Athena screamed as the current tore through her body, her muscles locking painfully.
She would have collapsed—
—but a firm hand caught her wrist mid-fall.
“…Thanks for waking me up,” a calm voice said.
Athena blinked.
The woman she had tried to wake up was now upright.
Despite her delicate appearance, her grip was incredibly strong—steadying Athena with ease. The opaque glasses hid her eyes, but her lips curved into a casual smile.
“I don’t think using magic to escape from this cage is an option anymore,” she continued lightly.
The electric current faded.
Athena swallowed and nodded quickly. “Agreed…”
The woman released her hand.
“So,” she said, brushing dust from her coat, “who are you, miss? My name is Karin.”
Athena hesitated for half a second.
“I am… Alice Hart.”
Karin tilted her head slightly.
“Oh? Don’t tell me you’re the new princess instructor the academy hired.”
“Wait—you know me?” Athena’s breath caught.
“Of course.” Karin tapped her own chest playfully. “I’m a teacher at the Grindelwald Magic Academy too you know. And I am leading the Otherworld Research Club students during this expedition.”
“Oh… so you’re Alicia’s teacher,” Athena realized.
“Yep.” Karin nodded proudly. “You know her?”
“Yes.” Athena’s composure cracked slightly. “Where is she? Is she safe?”
Karin’s smile softened.
“…I don’t know. We got separated. I remember a flash; something struck me from behind… and then I blacked out.”
Athena’s heart sank.
Her own memories rushed back in fragments—earthquake, smoke, lava bursting, and a sudden darkness swallowing everything.
She scanned the chamber again. But there was no sign of her student.
“Ingrid. I hope she is alright too?” Athena wished, but she could not bring the confidence and blamed herself for not being able to do anything.
For a brief moment, silence hung heavy between them.
Then Karin lightly bumped her shoulder.
“Don’t worry,” Karin said in a reassuring voice, winking. “We’ll get out of here. And everyone at the academy is strong and can handle whatever comes their way. They’ll be fine.”
Athena wanted to believe that. She truly did.
But before she could respond—
“Well, well. Look who’s finally awake.” A third voice echoed through the chamber.
A man stepped into view.
He wore an eyepatch over his left eye. His expression was amused. Resting on his shoulder was a weapon resembling a firearm — but the muzzle was far larger than any conventional gun Athena had seen.
“And here I was wondering who went and made you two the bosses,” he sneered. “Planning your escape already? Let me see you try.”
Athena’s jaw tightened.
Under her breath, barely audible, she whispered—
“Where are you, Alicia…?”
◇◇◇
“We’re finally here!” Ingrid threw her arms wide, grinning at the towering cliff as though claiming the mountain itself. “There’s no way anyone’s beating me to the top.”
Before them rose a steep, jagged mountainside, its peak vanishing into drifting clouds. Gravel crunched and slid beneath their boots while sharp winds whipped past them.
Ingrid stood at the base of the climb, hands on her waist, completely unfazed.
Athena, on the other hand, narrowed her eyes and scanned the area carefully to make sure nothing was out of place.
The wind direction. The rock stability. Unnatural markings in the stone.
“According to the map, we start here,” Ingrid said, stepping toward a peculiar rock formation jutting outward like a crooked nose. She tapped the map excitedly. “See? It matches exactly.”
The accuracy of the map only fueled her enthusiasm.
If the landmarks aligned…
Then maybe the treasure was real.
“Alright,” Athena said, laying out the climbing tools on a flat slab of stone. “Here are the ropes, hooks, and anchors.”
“Sweet. I am glad you came so prepared.” Ingrid looked fired up even more with how things went on so well.
However, Athena hesitated as her fingers hovered over the tools uncertainly.
Ingrid noticed immediately. “What’s the problem?” she asked.
“Nothing serious,” Athena replied. “I know how to use these tools in theory. I’ve read about how to use them in books. But I’ve never used them before or climbed a mountain like this. I’m just worried I might make a mistake.”
Ingrid laughed lightly and knocked a fist against her chest. “Oh, that’s simple. Leave it to me.”
Before Athena could respond, Ingrid had already grabbed the rope and hooks. She secured anchors into the rock, tested the tension, and in less than a minute had wrapped Athena securely with a harness.
“Tada!” Ingrid announced proudly. “All set.”
She tugged the rope once, then twice— making final checks.
The other end she secured to herself.
Athena blinked in genuine surprise.
“That was… impressive. Where did you learn to do this?”
Ingrid shrugged casually. “It’s not a big deal. I worked as a miner for a while to earn extra money. I also climbed mountains to extract ores. So I ended up picking up a few things on the job.”
“Ah… I see.” Athena fell silent. Confused whether to admire Ingrid’s strength or feel saddened by her situation.
But Ingrid’s eyes sparkled with determination. And she didn’t seem to care at all.
Her gaze was fixed upward.
On the treasure.
“Let’s begin the climb!” Ingrid cheered.
“Yeah—let’s go!” Athena echoed, lifting her voice and throwing one arm up enthusiastically.
The ascent was harsher than it looked.
The wind grew harsher the higher they climbed. Small rocks tumbled downward beneath their boots, disappearing into the depths below. The ground shrank into a distant blur.
Halfway up, Athena’s breathing grew shallow.
She risked a glance downward—
—and immediately regretted it.
The world beneath them looked impossibly far away.
“I know it’s scary,” Ingrid called from above. “But don’t look down for too long. Focus only on the next hold.”
“Yes,” Athena replied, steadying her breathing.
It felt absurd.
“I’m supposed to be your teacher,” Athena muttered quietly. “Yet I feel like I’m the one learning more on this trip.”
Ingrid smiled without looking back.
“That’s fine. The important thing is I’m not climbing alone.”
There was something sincere in her voice.
Athena felt warmth rise in her chest despite the altitude.
But suddenly, in the middle of their heartwarming conversation, the mountain began to tremble violently.
Dust fell from the cliffs. Pebbles tumbled into the abyss below.
“RRAAAARRRR—!”
A colossal roar ripped through the air, shaking the very stone they clung to.
Ingrid froze. “What was that?”
“It sounded like… a cry,” Athena said, a vague but uneasy feeling stirring in her chest.
Slowly—
They both looked up toward the sky.
The sky turned red.
Not sunset red.
Not warm crimson.
A violent, bleeding red.
Ash clouds spiraled upward like black pillars clawing at the heavens.
“Don’t tell me this mountain is really going to—”
“Don’t jinx it!” Athena snapped instinctively.
The words barely left her mouth when—
The mountain exploded.
A deafening blast tore through the peak. Molten rock burst skyward in a roaring column of fire and smoke.
Then the lava began to fall, pouring down from all sides.
For a split second, neither of them breathed.
Then instinct took over.
“Run!”
“Run!”
Ingrid reacted instantly. She unhooked the lower pitons in one sharp motion, reducing drag and freeing their movement.
“Move right!” Ingrid shouted.
She had earlier noticed a narrow ridge carved into the cliff face.
This could be their only chance to escape.
The rock beneath their boots trembled violently. Rocks from above cascaded into the abyss as lava rained down like flaming comets.
They moved sideways, clinging desperately to the cliff.
One misstep and it could be game over.
Finally—they reached the ridge.
They collapsed against the stone just as a river of molten magma thundered past the cliff face, close enough for their skin to sting.
“I think we’re safe here for now—” Athena exhaled shakily. “Ingrid?”
Ingrid wasn’t moving.
She stood frozen, staring at the peak.
Her body trembled.
“Ingrid, are you alright?”
Ingrid’s fists clenched.
“Anything,” she muttered. “Anything but don’t let my treasure burn.”
Athena blinked, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. She hadn’t expected to hear that.
“This explosion won’t stop me,” Ingrid said through gritted teeth. “I’ll climb again. Even if the whole mountain burns down.”
“Ingrid,” Athena said firmly, gripping her shoulder. “I understand how much this means to you. But right now, your life matters more than any treasure.”
“No… but when will I get another chance to find a treasure like this. When I am so close.” Ingrid protested.
“As your teacher, my priority is your safety. We’re getting out of here.”
Athena’s voice left no room for argument.
Ingrid had no choice but to nod silently and accept the situation.
Athena then turned, quickly inspecting their remaining gear. The ropes were scorched but intact. The clips still worked fine. They might still be able to descend—
Then Ingrid’s expression changed.
Her breathing stilled, and her pupils sharpened.
Ingrid relied heavily on water magic. Over the years, her sensitivity to temperature and pressure of fluids around her had grown unnaturally refined.
And right now—
She felt it.
A wave of heat far more intense than before.
Approaching fast.
“Ingrid?” Athena began—
But Ingrid didn’t respond. She didn’t have time to explain nor look for a better solution.
She slammed her palms together.
Water surged violently from her core.
With every ounce of magic she possessed, she unleashed a concentrated jet downward, forming a spiraling water cocoon around herself and Athena.
And using the force of that jet as propulsion, she sent Athena and herself flying—
In opposite directions.
Athena was hurled away within a protective current.
From within the spinning water sphere, Athena watched in horror as molten lava swallowed the ledge they had occupied seconds ago.
The ridge they had been standing on was obliterated in an instant.
As for Ingrid—
The recoil was brutal. As she was blasted backward through the air.
Steam hissed violently around her as her water barrier absorbed insane heat.
Her magic was draining fast.
She tightened her jaw and reinforced the jet propulsion one final time, redirecting her trajectory toward a safer landing zone far from the lava streams.
“I’ve pushed us far enough… Miss Alice should be fine.” Ingrid murmured weakly.
Her vision blurred. And the water barrier flickered as the air inside the sphere thinned.
She had poured everything into that single spell.
The mountain stretched beneath her now—perfectly parallel to her drifting form as she arced through the smoky sky.
And then—
She saw it.
“What… is that?”
Through a break in the ash clouds, beyond the erupting peak, something impossible caught her eye.
Without fully thinking, she angled the last remnants of her water jet, guiding her floating bubble toward it.
Below her, the mountain burned.
Lava devoured forests. Ash blanketed the slopes. Shockwaves ripped apart the rocks.
She glanced back once at the erupting summit.
“I hope Alicia and the others are safe, wherever they are,” Ingrid whispered faintly.
Then she turned her gaze forward—
Toward the unknown.
◇◇◇
Miss Xu’s group had been making steady progress since morning.
The mountain path was uneven, scattered with loose stone and narrow ridges. The wind howled across the slopes, tugging at cloaks and backpacks.
Unlike the others, Miss Xu walked with confident familiarity. This was not her first expedition into these mountains.
“Our goal is to reach the summit before nightfall,” Miss Xu said, turning to face the students.
“You will learn how to survive in high mountains. How to gather your own food. How to identify different species of plants, animals, and monsters. What to get close to and what not.” Her sharp gaze swept across old students and new recruits alike.
“The senior students will assist the juniors,” she continued firmly. “Now. Let’s move.”
“Yes, ma’am!” the students responded in unison.
By midday, the sun hung directly overhead, heat pressing down on the rocky terrain.
“We’ll take a break here,” Miss Xu said. “Lunch time.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
The students had already begun adapting to her discipline.
“Food collection team, wood gathering team, tent setup team—move!”
“Yes, ma’am!”
The formation broke efficiently as the group had begun to function as one unit.
Regis was assigned to the food collection team.
She moved swiftly between the trees, light on her feet, scanning branches for edible fruit.
Then—
Her ears twitched.
She froze mid-step.
The other students paused.
“Is something wrong?” one of them asked quietly.
Regis tilted her head slightly.
“It’s just…” A strange feeling crawled beneath her skin. “I feel…”
Regis quickly realized she couldn’t explain it.
It wasn’t exactly danger she sensed—
But something entirely foreign.
Then—
“RRAAAARRRR—!”
A colossal roar tore through the mountains.
Every head snapped upward.
And what they saw—
Made their blood run cold.
The summit in the distance erupted.
Smoke exploded into the sky. The heavens turned crimson. Ash spiraled upward like a storm devouring the sun.
“This can’t be…” someone whispered.
“The mountain is exploding!” another student completed.
The ground began to shake violently. Trees cracked and toppled. Birds scattered in chaotic flocks. Monsters that once lurked silently in the region now burst from hiding, fleeing in blind panic.
“Everyone! Regroup and head to the base camp!” the student leader shouted.
Panic threatened to spread—but training held them together.
Regis, however, did not move.
Because beneath the thunder of collapsing rock…
Beneath the screams of fleeing beasts…
She heard something else.
Voices.
Not one.
Not two.
Countless voices.
Weak. And desperate.
Calling to her.
Her eyes sharpened.
“…I’ll be back,” Regis said quietly.
Before anyone could react, she leapt forward—straight toward the chaos.
“Hey! Come back!” the student leader shouted.
But Regis didn’t look back.
She sprinted through falling ash, dodging streams of lava carving new paths through the forest. She vaulted over shattered logs and slipped past stampeding monsters without slowing.
The voices were pulling her.
Guiding her.
Behind the mountain.
But that made no sense.
Behind that ridge was nothing but wasteland.
Still—
The voices in her ears persisted. And with every step, they became more vivid.
As she rounded the far side of the mountain, the destruction gradually faded behind her.
And then—
The terrain shifted.
The barren wasteland was not empty.
“How did no one ever know about this?” Regis questioned to herself when it struck her. “Has this been hidden here all this time.”
Regis slowed, trying to catch her breath.
Behind the mountain, carved into the cliffside itself—
Was something massive. Her eyes widened.
Ancient structures embedded in stone. Towers half-swallowed by rock.
“…Should I go back now? Or explore more.” Regis was in a dilemma when she heard the irregular voice again.
The eruption still raged behind her, smoke rising like a war banner.
And in the midst of the chaos, a stray thought flickered through her mind.
“Where are you, Alicia?”
The voices in her ears grew louder. There were no specific words, no meaning. All she knew was that the voice was asking her to follow it.
And Regis stepped forward—toward whatever had long lain hidden in these mountains, concealed from the world.
…
Once the students returned to base camp, the chaos had begun to settle. Ash still fell around them like black snow.
Miss Xu stood at the center of the camp, calmly but quickly accounting for every student.
The students stood in uneasy silence, shaken by the eruption, dirt streaking their faces, uniforms torn from scrambling down unstable slopes.
“…eight… nine …”
She paused.
Her eyes sharpened.
“…Where is Regis?”
The student leader stiffened. “Ma’am… she didn’t listen to us. When the eruption started, she ran deeper into the mountains.”
“What?”
Shock flickered across Miss Xu’s face.
From what Miss Xu knew, Regis wasn’t reckless.
This compelled her to think there could be a different reason.
“No matter what the reason, she shouldn’t forget the first rule of the nature club. The group always stays together.” Miss Xu exhaled slowly. “Once the eruption stabilizes, we’ll organize a search team. Until then, half of you stay alert here in case she returns. No one wanders off alone.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
Miss Xu then turned to assess the perimeter when—
“Hahaaa…”
A third voice echoed across the camp.
“And where,” it continued, “do you think you’re going?”
The students froze.
From the smoke ahead, a massive silhouette emerged.
The man who stepped into view was nearly the size of an ogre—broad-shouldered, towering, muscles straining against worn armor.
In his hands rested a grotesque weapon: a massive rod with a hammerhead on one side and a curved axe blade fused to the other.
Miss Xu immediately stepped forward, positioning herself between the stranger and the students.
“Who are you?” Miss Xu asked calmly, though she could already feel it.
The man’s fighting spirit was overwhelming.
This was no common mercenary.
The giant grinned, revealing uneven teeth.
“You don’t need to know that.”
He rested the massive weapon on his shoulder with disturbing ease.
“But I can tell you this—” His eyes gleamed with cruel delight.
“My master has ordered that no one leave these mountains.”
The wind shifted. Ash swirled around him like a dark cloak.
“And when I say no one leaves…”
He lowered the weapon. The ground cracked slightly beneath its weight.
“I mean, no one alive.”
◇◇◇
A giant round white table stood at the center of the clearing, lace cloth fluttering gently in the mountain breeze.
Porcelain teacups clinked softly.
Hana and the maid trainees sat gracefully around it, backs straight despite the uneven forest ground. At the head of the table sat Madam Elowen, posture immaculate, gloved fingers delicately lifting her cup.
“So,” Madam Elowen asked smoothly, “how did you all like the tea?”
“It’s exquisite, Madam,” one maid replied. “The leaves were boiled to perfection.”
“The aroma blends beautifully with the mountain wind,” another added. “It enhances the atmosphere.”
“And these bloom cakes complement the sweetness of the tea perfectly,” a third chimed in.
Hana nodded earnestly. “Yes… the cake is delicious,” she muttered, nibbling again.
A few of the trainees giggled at her single-minded devotion to dessert.
Madam Elowen sighed lightly.
“Miss Hana, if you truly wish to serve your master properly, you must learn more than how to enjoy cake. You must understand tea.”
Hana blinked, unsure what the mistress meant.
“You must study the varieties of leaves. The seasonal preferences. What ladies favor in winter versus spring? What is the trend? What soothes a foul mood? What elevates a joyous one. Service is found in the smallest details.”
“Yes, Madam,” Hana replied obediently, though her hand slowly reached for another bite.
The giggling grew louder.
Madam Elowen narrowed her eyes… then waved it off.
“I will let it pass this once. Our true objective today is to find the essence of moon leaves and craft a proper infusion from them.”
“Yes, Madam!” the maids answered in unison.
Then—
The sky turned red.
“RRAAAARRRR—!”
A monstrous roar tore through the mountains like a shockwave. The earth trembled violently. Trees shook.
The ground split in jagged lines across the clearing.
Several maids screamed.
Teacups toppled.
One trainee collided with another, both scrambling in confusion as tea spilled across the pristine tablecloth.
“Compose yourselves!” Madam Elowen’s voice cut sharply through the panic. “Even in disaster, a maid does not abandon her dignity.”
The trembling maids froze.
“But madam, the mountain is exploding, and there is fire everywhere.”
“We need to run.” The maid trainees appealed.
“Look at Hana,” Madam Elowen continued calmly. “She remains focused on finishing what is before her.”
Hana was indeed still seated… carefully brushing crumbs off her lap before taking another bite.
“Madam,” one trainee whispered, “I think she just doesn’t care what’s happening…”
“Quiet,” Madam Elowen snapped. “And never talk back to your senior.”
The maid trainee immediately bowed her head.
“Sit down and finish your tea. Panic solves nothing.”
As if in obedience to her words—
The tremors subsided.
The roar faded into distant rumbling.
The clearing returned to uneasy calm.
The students slowly exhaled in relief.
Then—
“Well now… “What fancy little scene do we have here?” A third voice intruded.
From the tree line, a man stepped forward.
He was tall—unnaturally so—with a long black coat that hung like torn wings behind him. His boots were heavy, metal-plated, crunching over broken branches.
Across his back rested a massive sword nearly as tall as Hana herself, its blade darkened with dried blood.
A thin scar ran across his lips, permanently twisting his smile into something cruel.
His eyes gleamed with predatory amusement.
“Who carries a giant table and delicate little teacups up a mountain?” he mocked, glancing around at the lace cloth and porcelain.
Madam Elowen lifted her cup with absolute composure.
“Mind your manners, young man. We are in the middle of a tea session.”
The villain’s brow twitched.
“If you have business with us,” she continued coolly, “you may wait until we finish.”
The maids straightened slightly, clinging to her calm.
“How dare you, old hag. I guess you really have no idea what situation you are in right now,” he sneered, unslinging the enormous sword from his back. The blade hit the ground with a heavy thud, cracking the soil beneath it.
“I wonder,” he said softly, stepping forward, “if you’ll keep that same tone when I shove this blade through your throat.”
◇◇◇
“Ah… my head hurts…”
The girl groaned as she slowly lifted her chin.
“Ione… you’re finally awake…”
“Noelle?” Ione blinked, trying to focus. “What happened to us?”
But before Noelle could answer, Ione became aware of the strain put around her limbs.
Her wrists were bound tightly behind a thick tree trunk. Coarse rope dug into her skin. Another set of ropes secured her ankles, forcing her to sit upright against the bark.
Noelle was tied to the same tree beside her. Metal collars circled both their necks.
“…I guess we’ve been captured,” Ione muttered.
“Yes,” Noelle replied grimly, glancing down at the collar. “And we’re in a very tight spot.”
She tugged slightly at the metal band.
“It’s suppressing our magic,” Noelle added. “Aren’t these the same collars monster tamers use to capture beasts that have gone berserk?”
Ione tilted her head, examining it curiously.
“Oh. I’ve never had the chance to try one of these before.”
Noelle stared at her.
“…And what reason would you have to do that?”
Ione shrugged slightly. “Pure curiosity.”
Noelle sighed. Even now?
“But do you remember what happened?” Noelle pressed. “Before we blacked out?”
Ione looked up toward the misty sky beyond the trees.
“No idea. Maybe a dormant volcano just decided to explode out of the blue. But to me it almost looked like… the mountains were crying.”
Noelle gave her an odd look.
“…Crying?”
Ione didn’t elaborate.
“Isn’t that too big of a coincidence for a mountain to explode and us being tied here for no reason?” Noelle scoffed.
“You got a point there. This situation is too odd. But it’s not that bad being tied up with you here.” Ione smiled.
Noelle's expression suddenly darkened. “Can you sense Alicia?”
After a moment—
“…No,” Ione said quietly. “I can’t feel her at all. She must be quite far from us.”
Noelle clenched her fists.
“It’s my fault. I should have been more vigilant.”
“If what I’ve seen about Alicia is true… she’ll survive.”
Noelle took a slow breath.
“Then we’ll get out of here and rescue her, too.”
A sudden laugh echoed from the mist.
“Haaa… haa… already planning your escape?”
A large figure emerged through the haze.
A massive, round-bellied man stepped forward, his boots sinking slightly into the damp ground. His clothes were stained and ill-fitted, leather straps stretched across his girth. A cleaver hung from his belt, nicked and chipped from rough use.
Behind him, through gaps in the trees, a towering waterfall crashed down violently—the very cliff from which the girls had fallen.
“Do you even know,” the man continued, scratching his chin, “that we were ordered to kill you on the spot? You should be happy that I am kind enough to have decided to let you live.”
Noelle’s eyes sharpened.
“Why have you captured us? And who gave you the order,” she demanded. “Do you even know who we are?”
“Oh, I know enough,” he chuckled. “Noble girls from that prestigious magic academy, right?”
His greedy eyes dragged over them.
“But who cares about names? All that matters is the price you’ll fetch.”
He stepped closer, looming over them.
“The slave market pays well for beautiful young noble girls like you. I’m sure that once I sell you, I’ll be set for life.”
Noelle’s jaw tightened.
“You won’t get away with this.”
The man burst into laughter.
“You two should stop dreaming about escape,” he sneered. “And accept your fate quietly. It’ll hurt less that way.”
◇◇◇
“Ahhhhh!”
“…Oof.”
“Ehhh—!”
“Ouahhhh…!”
Alicia hit the ground with an undignified thud, landing squarely on her butt before flopping flat onto the cold stone floor.
For a brief second, there was silence.
Then—
Thump.
Another round object dropped directly onto her stomach.
“Ahhhh—!”
That was the final blow that sealed the deal for her.
Alicia lay there, eyes shut, faint slivers of light filtering through the thin cracks in the ceiling far above.
She lifted her hand as if to reach for the light and grab it, but it was not enough, and then succumbed to pain; her hand fell back down in a swift motion.
“Wake uppp! It’s not like you are dead.”
The small black dragon suddenly began hopping on her chest.
“Get off me, dragon…” Alicia muttered groggily, as if waking from a nap rather than surviving a catastrophic fall. “I was just having a moment.”
The dragon huffed but hopped aside.
A faint golden yellow glow shimmered across Alicia’s skin as her regenerative magic activated, knitting bruises and soothing internal strain. Within moments, her breathing steadied.
She finally took in her surroundings.
A dark cavern stretched endlessly in all directions. The walls were rough but unnaturally hollowed, branching into multiple tunnel paths like a massive underground maze.
Even without light, she could sense how far the cave network extended—deep into the heart of the mountain.
“So the mountain wasn’t just rock…” she murmured. “It’s hollow.”
She considered teleporting back immediately to regroup with the others.
But the dragon had other ideas.
“I smell it!” the little black dragon suddenly declared, darting forward into one of the tunnels.
“Hey! Don’t just wander off—it’s pitch dark in here!”
Alicia quickly conjured a floating orb of light. The tunnel illuminated instantly, shadows retreating from the glowing sphere.
“I can smell that familiar scent!” the dragon called excitedly. “That nice smell!”
Alicia blinked.
“…Wait. You mean Rhea?” Alicia concluded from one of their previous conversations.
But the dragon didn’t stop to confirm. It rushed deeper into the maze.
“Hey, wait! Explain what you mean first!”
After several minutes of chasing through twisting tunnels, the dragon abruptly skidded to a halt.
“Look what I found!”
Alicia caught up, slightly breathless.
In front of them lay a small cluster of items placed against the cave wall:
A travel ration pack.
A half-filled water bottle.
A pouch of fire-starting magic powder.
And—
A rough leather-bound diary.
Alicia knelt down slowly and picked up the diary.
“…Is it really okay to open someone’s diary?” she muttered. “It could be personal.”
She hesitated.
Then, as she lifted her hand from the cover—
The diary fell open on its own.
“…Oops. It opened by itself.”
The dragon stared at her.
“How evil.”
“I did nothing,” Alicia said defensively. “It clearly wished to be read.”
The dragon sighed.
“…Never mind. Let’s see if there’s anything useful,” Alicia said, leaning closer. “But why would Rhea’s diary be here in the first place?”
Her expression slowly grew serious.
“Did she fall down here too… and get trapped?” Alicia wondered.
Alicia flipped through the diary slowly.
No words. No dates.
Only drawings.
Crayon-like sketches filled the pages.
A little girl playing in the mountains.
Surrounded by dragons.
Sleeping curled up beside them.
Sharing food.
Flying on their backs.
Laughing beneath a sky drawn in uneven blue strokes.
Alicia turned another page—
And her hand froze.
Her breath caught.
Something stirred deep inside her chest.
It showed a young Rhea holding a baby dragon in her arms, both smiling in childish exaggeration.
The lines were clumsy. But the emotion was unmistakable.
Although it also brought back a memory. Something Alicia did not want to remember.
Beside her, the black dragon had gone completely still.
Its golden eyes were locked onto one particular drawing, pupils narrowing as if recognizing someone in it.
“Hey. What happened?” Alicia asked, trying to redirect attention.
The dragon blinked.
“…Nothing.”
But its gaze lingered.
Alicia exhaled and continued flipping.
Then—
“Look.” The dragon said, placing a paw firmly on one of the larger drawings.
It wasn’t just a drawing.
It was a map. It was again hand-drawn but detailed.
It had all the twisting tunnels and hidden chambers.
Several paths were also marked with heavy black crosses. And the strokes looked fresh.
“Was Rhea navigating this entire maze…?” Alicia whispered.
Her eyes drifted back to the earlier pages.
“And what exactly is her relationship with these dragons…?”
There was only one way to know. Find Rhea.
“So can you read the map and tell us where we are and how to get out?” The dragon asked. It looked at Alicia hopefully.
Alicia stared at the chaotic scribbles.
Then nodded confidently.
“Hell no.”
The dragon’s eyes flattened.
“Useless.”
“I heard that!” Alicia snapped.
The dragon had already darted forward.
“Hey! Come back here!”
She lunged and nearly caught its tail, but it slipped away easily.
“Give me that book!” The dragon snatched the diary between its teeth and brought it close to its snout, sniffing it carefully.
Alicia crossed her arms.
“…What are you doing?”
“Follow me,” the dragon said seriously. “I think I know where she is.”
Then it turned to one of the darker tunnels.
“Oh? So now you’re a dog too?”
The dragon stopped and glared.
“I am not,” he snapped. “I simply have superior sensory perception.”
“That’s a fancy way to say better nose.”
The dragon ignored her.
“Follow me.”
He started moving deeper into one of the tunnels.
Alicia sighed but followed, keeping her light orb hovering above them.
“Fine. But I’m warning you,” she said firmly, “you’re still not allowed to eat her when we find her.”
The dragon huffed indignantly.
“I already told you. I don’t like eating humans.”
◇◇◇
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