Draxis let loose a geyser of blue magma. Every tree in its path near and far incinerated instantly. Eve ran to the front of the group and slammed her staff to the ground. A barrier enveloped them, shielding them from the flames. The snow around them vaporized into scorching steam, and the earth outside the barrier began to melt away into molten rock and sludge.

Everyone felt their consciousness slipping. It was as though the heat was sapping away at their stamina. Itsuki dragged himself to Eve. He drew his sword and offered it to the sorceress. 

"Can you do something… like that time with the… cockatrice…?"

"The sword isn't responding… I can't hold on much longer!"

Deena ran over to keep them from swaying into unconsciousness. She was the least affected by the heat, but some of her scales were beginning to peel. She wiped the sweat from her face, scraping off a loose scale from her cheek.

"Mage-girl, any tricks up your sleeves?"

"This is all I can do!" Her voice grew desperate. "Itsuki's sword can resonate with my staff… but nothing's happening!"

"Deena," Itsuki took a deep breath. "I have a plan."

"Whatcha got?"

"Uhm… it's something Vic told me. I just need you to trust me."

It took Itsuki two hands to lift his sword a meager three feet. He turned his gaze at her. She glared into the maws of hell with unflinching resolve. The glow from blue flames tinged her crimson scales into a shade of purple had made her look stupidly attractive. No amount of mental practice prepared him for this. He could only hope Vic's teasing wasn't just mere teasing.

"D-Deena!" He called her name with a half a mind to abandon this absurd plan.

She finally turned to look him in the eye. "You… got a serious look there. If you really have a plan, now's the time—"

"I think you're really cute!"

"Wha—" Even Eve was flabbergasted by his sudden outburst.

Deena's face might have turned redder than her scales. "W-w-w-what are you saying in a time like this?! Have you lost your mind?

"No. I really do like you!"

"Hey… if you don't quit it… I'm going to punch you…"

Itsuki felt his sword humming. He wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but he didn't want to look away from Deena to check.

"When you slammed that dragon with his own tail, I thought that was the hottest thing in the world!"

"S-stop it…"

Itsuki didn't want to give her the chance to step away. He closed his eyes, leaned in, and kissed her. Deena's body jerked back in surprise, but their lips never parted. He was afraid he would lose consciousness at any moment. Then he felt the blazing scales on her arms wrap around his body.

He almost forgot that they could be turned to ashes in the next second. Her lips were something beyond soft. It was like soft-serve ice cream with caramelized blood. He didn't care that she tasted like iron. Or that he was on his toes to even reach her. He hoped she didn't mind that his lips were cracked. After all, what could he have done? First it was freezing cold, then it was blazing hot. Human lips weren't designed to stay pristine in extreme weather. 

The kiss continued longer than he expected. Were they dead? Did they already go to heaven? If he were sentenced to forever be attached to Deena, it might not be so bad. Maybe if he were to just... 

"Don't get carried away!!!" She punched him so hard it sent him flying to the other end of the barrier. "Oh shit…"

The sword clattered to the ground, but the magic was already taking effect. Tendrils of energy emerged from every one of them. Sarrul, Maya, Eve, Shade, Rust, and even Deena emitted their own color of mana. It swirled around the barrier and wrapped around Itsuki's sword before being siphoned up by Eve's staff.

The barrier expanded. Thickened. The heat subsided, replaced by a cool wind. None of them could believe their eyes. Sarrul waved a hand through the rainbow.

"This is… our mana?"

Deena ignored the alchemist's ramblings and clapped her cheeks a few times. She pressed a finger to her lips. A smile crossed her face. She turned to the edge of the barrier and looked south. An enormous field of mana was approaching. That idiot did it. He had bought them just enough time. Her smile curved into a smirk.

⚔ ⚔ ⚔

Outside of the barrier, another party led by two dreadsteeds was fast approaching. Piper rode atop Valor and stood at the tip of the group. Taisha flew beside them on their right, while Aura and Theradis rode upon Wrath just behind them.

Taisha could see the battle taking place just ahead. A large barrier was being engulfed in azure flames. The heat grew stronger as they neared. Uprooted oaks and leaves, dried by the prolonged battle, made for perfect kindling. The forest was beginning to catch fire. The soil was no longer wet with snow, but dried like a desert.

She turned her head to the Princess. "Now, Aura!"

Aura's eyes took on the same blue shine as the flames assaulting the barrier. "Ladies! Show this overgrown reptile what you are made of."

Taisha and Piper welcomed the torrent of power flooding into their body. Their link to Aura allowed them to tap into her vast sea of mana. The thrill of being unbound from their limited potential was intoxicating.

"Piper, I need you to flank around Draxis' side. Wait for me to draw his attention away from the group."

"Yes, Vice-Captain!" Piper nodded, then she and Valor careened left past the ravine.

"Theradis, what can that obsidian staff do?"

"Enough, I should hope. It is a gift from Master Victor."

The dark elf drew two fingers across the length of the shaft and as he did, a dark miasma emanated from the body. It was as pitch black as Draxis' scales, but this darkness appeared to consume light around it. Taisha knew exactly where the staff was drawing that power from, and it made her hair stand on end.

Aura stared at him aghast. "You and Lord Victor dabble in things beyond your comprehension."

"These are desperate times. I shall join you ladies in the fight, if you will allow it."

"No. Protect the Princess." Taisha slowed her approach. "You two will have your opening when the flames have ceased. Get them out of there."

"Gods protect you, Taisha."

"You as well, Princess."

As Taisha made her ascent, the full extent of Draxis' breath had on the forests came to view. Hundreds of great oaks burned, and for every tree that crumbled thousands of leaves turned cinders scattered into the sky. A living inferno replaced the heavens and turned this part of the Oaken Wealds into a wasteland below. 

"This has to end." 

She held her necklace forward. Every link on the chain began to shine a blinding white. Her hand began to burn hot. Not from the dragon's breath, but from her own upsurge of mana. 

⚔ ⚔ ⚔

On the surface, Piper and Valor weaved between collapsing trees and magma spewing up from the ground. By now she was behind Draxis. She looked up in time to see cart-sized crystals slamming into him. He came away uninjured, but it was enough. Draxis forfeited his attention from the group on the ground in pursuit of Taisha.

Now was Piper's chance. She put her arms out to the side. Crumbling trees ceased plummeting, frozen in time. Dozens of charred oaks heeded her call and lifted into the air. What would have been impossible for her a moment ago was now child's play thanks to her link to Aura. Piper aimed her artillery at Draxis and fired.

A barrage of trees shot forth, forcing Draxis to pitch upwards to outrun the attack. Taisha intercepted and conjured a barrier to halt his ascent. Draxis smashed into the invisible obstruction and roared in frustration as dozens of charred oaks bombarded him. He came crashing down alongside a shower of charcoal and splinters, impacting the ground with such force a crater opened up in the ravine.

Piper welcomed Taisha's descent with a triumphant high-five.

 "Let's go meet up with Aura and the others—"

"That even slaves would oppose the Draconids. Unthinkable."

Draxis pulled himself from the crater blasting magma in their direction.

⚔ ⚔ ⚔

Meanwhile on the other side of the scorched ravine, Aura watched the battle rage on as she administered healing to the injured. She knew her two companions wouldn't last much longer against Draxis. Certainly they are holding him at bay thanks to her mana, but one wrong move will cost them their lives. There was also the repercussions of their link.

Aura turned to Deena, whose wounds have mostly healed. "Where is Vic?"

"I thought she was with you?" She answered with equal confusion.

"Guildmaster!" Rust clutched his chest. "Forgive me… the others, they are…"

"Their deaths are on my conscience, but there will be time to mourn later."

"What's the plan?" Maya asked on behalf of the guild members.

Aura glanced behind them and saw Itsuki face flat on the ground. Theradis was currently tending to him. She shot Deena an accusatory glance.

"I… may have slugged him…"

Aura sighed deeply and turned to face the others. "We will be retreating. Draxis is beyond what any of you are capable of handling."

"And leave the Royal Cassun staff? Let's aid them instead!" Shade protested.

Maya grimaced at the notion. "If anything, we need to retreat."

"Aura," Deena cracked her knuckles and spat blood onto the burning dirt. "Get me in there before those two bite it."

Aura nodded. Both of their eyes flashed blue. "Join them. Escape together when you find the opportunity."

"By your Command, Princess." The half-dragon's muscles swelled. "Won't need to run if we kill him, right?"

"Escape when you find the chance."

A gong went off in Deena's head. "Ow! Okay, okay. Not like I can disobey anyway."

Deena lowered herself to the ground and launched into a sprint, kicking up dust and ash in her wake.

"Wha… what are they…?" Eve squeaked in astonishment. "She was dreadfully injured just a while ago. And those mages, they conjure spells the Court could only dream of."

"They are my treasure and my pride. Now come, we must not waste the precious time they have afforded us!" Aura smiled, but underneath her veneer of optimism lay fear. She and Deena both knew the three of them still weren't enough. They needed their Captain.

⚔ ⚔ ⚔

Draxis, the Harbinger of Calamities, was unshakable. Aside from losing a portion of his tail, the rest of his frame was unblemished. The gnats proved more than a simple nuisance. They invoked spells that could level cities. When did a kingdom of slaves nurture such powerful magisters? Was this a trick by Lucien? Or was this the Headmaster's doing?

"Piper! Give me a lift!"

The aberration had returned. It looked healed. Stronger. Overconfident. How revolting. The elf-vermin lifted another volley of trees which the mutant hopped onto. It sought to lay its filthy hands on him again. He thrashed his wings, summoning a gust of cinders to knock away the trees. All but one continued unabated.

Draxis reared his tail and swatted the tree. Bark rained over him and clattered against his impenetrable scales. The aberration latched itself to his left wing. Below, the elf-vermin and bat-vermin kept a distance. Their hands weaved spells that he recognized. He underestimated the vermins and had fallen for their trap. 

"See ya on the ground!" It saluted him and dove off.

It was then silver chains revealed themselves on his entire body. He tried to fly up, but the bindings pulled taut. What did it mean ground? As if he could be brought to the ground a second time— ?!

Something yanked on the chains with enough force to pull him some meters down. Suddenly the ground came closer. And closer. He couldn't control his wings. The chains had grown tighter, constricting his entire body.

Draxis crashed to the ground for the second time today. He laid there in his second crater thinking. He had lived a thousand years. His flight prophesied the fall of many kingdoms. 

He was being made a fool of. These insolent vermin think they can defeat him. Absurd. They stand in the way of the Draconids. Impossible. To impede the Harbinger of Calamities, herald of his kin…

⚔ ⚔ ⚔

Deena discarded the ethereal chains and clapped the dust from her trembling hands. Superficial burns in the shape of the links were seared into her palms. By the time she reached Piper and Taisha, her legs collapsed from under her.

"I'm beat…" She cried, flailing her arms.

Taisha grabbed a hand and started mending it with healing magic. "Be still. Those are mana burns."

"How're you guys holding up?"

Smoke escaped from underneath Piper's shirt when she stretched the collar. "I'll… be fine! How about you, Valor?"

Valor shook his mane and nickered cheerfully at them.

"Ohh, he finally hatched! What's up, buddy—!" Deena moved a hand to pet him but felt a shock cut into her body from her palm. "Owowowow!"

"I said be still! We aren't used to having so much mana flow through our bodies."

"Aura told me to escape with you guys the first chance I get, but I might be out of commission."

"I can still fly." Taisha stretched her wings and winced. There were flecks of mana burns all across the webbings.

Deena pulled her hands away from the succubus. "I can still use my legs. You get on Valor."

"Wait, but where's Vic? I don't want to leave without her."

Piper glanced around the field. Aura, Theradis, and the group of guild members had already recovered and were climbing out of the ravine. Vic was nowhere to be seen.

"I thought Vic was with you?" Her voice filled with worry.

"I ran off… Sorry. Aura should've been the last one to see her." Deena cast her eyes to the ground in shame. When she did, she saw the fissures open up at her feet.

The Wealds shuddered as though the flames had made the ground brittle. They backed away as hot steam spewed from the gaps. Draxis crawled out from the crater, lava and smoke poured from his jaws like an active volcano. He slammed a claw down, splintering the earth before him. Pillars of fire erupted from the fissures. 

"Hopelessly, you cling to fragile alliances while greater forces conspire against you. If you defy the quick death I offer as mercy, then so be it. I will acquaint you with suffering."

Deena was the only one to notice him lower his hind legs. "FAN OUT!"

Draxis lunged. Valor bolted away with Piper, but Taisha couldn't fly. Deena grabbed her and hurled her across the field. She lifted her arms to brace for the inevitable strike, but…

It never came.

The dragon's silhouette looming over her was shrouded behind a cloud of dust and ash. As though the gods had stopped time, the battle came to a pause. A rush of cold air filled Deena's lungs and swept away the veil that hung over the devastated landscape.

There standing before Deena, holding back the claw three times her size with strength matching the dragon's own, heels digging into the dirt was none other than—

"Vic!"

"Grrrr…!" The Captain… or who Deena thought was Captain Vic, answered with a snarl. 

Draxis lowered his head to the sudden impediment. "Another goat-vermin…? No. I recognize this stench. You are…"

Vic released her grasp on the claw, disappeared, and materialized on top of Draxis' head. He was too slow to react. A fist cracked down like thunder. His head hit the ground so hard it shattered the rest of his horns.

She disappeared again. This time reappearing behind him. She grabbed ahold of what was left of his tail and flung him like a ragdoll.

"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The bestial Vic howled in triumph.

Deena rubbed her eyes to make sure what she saw was really happening. She heard Taisha running to the Captain, but held her back before she got any closer.

"Let go! Let me go to her!" Tears streamed down from Taisha's face.

"As if. She'll tear you apart. What happened?!"

"She's… she's enraged."

Vic turned her crimson irises at them and vanished.

"Ah, shit." Deena anticipated the attack, shoved Taisha aside, and threw her arms out.

Her hands connected with a pair of fists that could only be described as meteors. They crashed down on her threatening to tear her arms off. If Deena wasn't bolstered by another source of mana she'd likely be missing two limbs from the blow.

Vic's face came so close Deena could taste her breath. She saw no thought or intellect going through her Captain's eyes. There were only the dilated pupils of a predator hunting for sport.

Deena dropped to her knees and spoke through gritted teeth. "C-Captain… this really hurts, y'know? I'll promise to do extra chores from now on if you let go… owowowowow! My arms' gonna snap!!"

Valor charged head-on into Vic, knocking her away from Deena. He reared up and loosed a howl to rival Vic's earlier outburst.

"Valor, you stud! Thank the gods… the last thing I need is an angry Vic-styled pummeling…"

"Uwawawawawa…!" Piper was mortified. "V-Valor! That was your master you just headbutted! Bad boy. Bad! But I'll forgive you for saving Deena."

The dreadsteed shook a layer of embers from his mane and grunted disapprovingly.

Taisha picked herself up, marched straight to Deena, and grabbed her by the collar. She was visibly upset and pouting. "Throw me on the ground one more time, and I am charming you and Itsuki into doing unspeakably lewd things."

"Wha— I was… you were gonna… oh, come on!" Deena stammered over her words, the thought and sensation of the kiss still fresh in her mind.

Draxis crawled out of the hole uninjured and angry. "A spawn of Septus taunts me at every corner of the world. No matter. I will see your kingdom of slaves burn, and its ashes shall be the beacon that summons the Draconids."

With this omen, Draxis took flight. His destination… south to Cassun.