Chapter 60

The Wyrm emerged from the black sand, its body long and scaled with a dragon like head. As more of it became visible, she was shocked by the size of the monster below. It stretched for hundreds of feet, its torso smooth and sleek. It could almost be mistaken for a dragon if it wasn’t for its lack of wings and limbs.

Descended from an Elder Dragon, Wyrms had inhabited the Midnight Desert for millennia. Rarely seen by those seeking to cross the desert, they only came to the surface in search of Mana rich prey.

Astrid silently chided herself for her stupidly. It was obvious that the creature was here for her, looking for the crystal she had thrown. Like a moth to a flame, the Wyrms were drawn to the intense magic she had released.

The monster rose from the sand, its nose, merely slits on its face, twitched as it smelled the air, looking for the source of magic it had felt. Its forked tongue flicked out of its mouth, its razor-sharp teeth visible for moment as it tasted the scent of Mana, before quickly whipping its head around to focus on the fleeing humans.

Astrid was gripped tightly in Marali’s claws, hanging above the ground as the Swan furiously flapped its wings, desperately seeking to escape the monster behind it.

At their side, the Eagle carrying the hooded man did the same, while the heavily armored warrior channeled his mana into his magical boat, the wooden vessel a blur as it streaked across the sky.

The Wyrm focused in on them, its yellow eyes latching on to their fleeing figures, before narrowing its eyes in anger.

It opened its mouth and roared, the noise creating a shockwave that stirred up the sands beneath, blowing dust into the air for miles around. The wind hit the swan, creating turbulence that threatened to rip Astrid from its claws. It was over in a moment, and Marali righted herself, her wings beating faster in a rush to escape.

Astrid watched as the Wyrm took in a massive breath, and her hair ruffled as she felt the wind suddenly reverse, sucked into the creature’s lungs. Its chest expanded, glowing with a bluish light. She could only stare in fascination as the glow grew brighter, lines of light visible beneath the Wyrm’s scales, as it drew in more air.

The massive creature ballooned, almost comically, while the light within it grew brighter.

Reaching the pinnacle of its breath, its body nearly as bright as the sun itself, the Wyrm unleashed the air it had drawn in, and the world turned to fire.

A stream of blue fire shot out of its mouth, streaking across the sky in an instant. Astrid felt the intense heat form the flames as it fired pass her. She barely had a moment to take in the sight of it striking the flying boat beside her, before it was gone, a burning wreck falling towards the ground. The armored man piloting it simply ceased to exist, and nothing but ash remained.

Screaming in shock at the death before her, she turned to see the hooded man urge the eagle to dive, a jet of sand erupting from the ground from his magic to screen their retreat.

Marali was caught in the sand as well, covering her from the Wyrm’s sight while she dived. Reaching the ground, she weaved between the dunes, using their height to block them from the monster.

Astrid’s last view of the scaled beast was its open mouth, roaring in frustration, before it plunged back beneath the sands.

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Her hands wouldn’t stop shaking, making it difficult to tie the bandage around Marali’s wing. They had escaped, finding shelter under a rock overhang. Blessedly shaded, she and the swan had collapsed on the ground as soon as they were safe.

Finally finished wrapping the swan’s wound, she closed the bag containing her medical supplies, tucking it away with her mother’s other materials. Astrid leaned against the cliff wall, her hand idly stroking Marali’s feathers when the Swan curled into her, falling asleep instantly.

She wished she could sleep as well, but the horrors of what she just witnessed appeared every time she closed her eyes.

Being an adventurer was dangerous, it was something that everyone knew. But she hadn’t thought it would be a danger for her. Death was an abstract thing, something that happened to other people, but not her.

Seeing how easily that Wyrm dispatched the people around her, how she killed that young man…shuddering, she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to will the bad thoughts away.

Sleep was a long time coming.

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It had been days since the attack, and Astrid had thought herself safe. They had been flying across the dunes when she had spotted distant figures pursuing them. Merely black specks on the horizon, Astrid had learned from experience that anyone could be a danger in this place.

“Marali, we need to find a place to hide.” She shouted to her companion over the winds. The giant swan’s only response to her comment was to fly faster and lower, her clawed feet barely over the dunes.

“There!” Astrid shouted, pointing at a cleft in the hard packed, black sand. It was a deep chasm, barely large enough for the pair to fit into. The swan settled onto the ground, and Astrid hopped off, her shoes making a crunch as she landed.

“Follow, quickly!” Astrid urged, walking to the edge of the cleft, and looking down. It seemed like a path, worn into the ground by flowing water. The wind across the flats had left it exposed, and she found it was solid under her feet when she lowered herself down.

Ducking into the cleft, she gave Marali an encouraging wave, before she followed the path downwards.

It was a wide passageway, although the giant swan brushed against the sides, causing sand and dirt to fall onto Astrid’s hair and shoulders. Deep beneath the surface they traveled, and although it was shadowed from the sun by the high walls, they were able to see in the dim light.

It had been days since she had last been out of the sunlight, and it took her eyes a while to adjust.

After a few minutes, the passageway opened to one of the most beautiful sights that Astrid had ever seen in her life.

It was an underground oasis, sheltered from the sun by high cavern walls and an overhanging rock ceiling with a small opening in the top, creating a pillar of light that fell onto crystal clear, sparkling clean water. To the side of the cavern was a waterfall, the rushing water making a dull roar as it splashed into the pool.

All around the cave were plants. Growing green vines climbed the walls, and ringing the water were flowers and trees. The air was humid and warm, and the leaves dripped water from the moisture.

So many plants and flowers that Astrid didn’t know the names of, in all colors of a rainbow. Red roses, small purple flowers that grew on long stalks, even large, yellow flowers that were bigger than a person!

And through it all, she could feel the thrum of mana as it filled the environment. It was intense, greater than anything she had experienced before. She could feel it all around her, like a static charge before a lightning storm.

Breathing deeply, Astrid let the mana fill her depleted core, revitalizing her. Behind, Marali did the same, and a shimmering haze covered her white feathers. Like a human, the Swan could used mana to grow stronger and bigger.

Astrid felt refreshed in this oasis, and her worries seemed to slip away, like a weight was lifted off her shoulders. Smiling widely, she was just about to speak to her companion when something in the water caught her eye.

In the center of the pool of water, a small rock jutted out, directly under the shaft of light from the opening in the ceiling. In the light, growing on the rock, was a perfect, black rose.

“Midnight Desert Rose!” Astrid whispered, her eyes opening wide in shock. She could feel her heart racing with excitement as she took a step forward, intent on getting a closer look at the exotic and rare flower.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. Something’s in the water, guarding that flower.” A voice spoke from the side.

Spinning around, Astrid saw a man standing near the far wall. With long, black hair and a handsome face, she recognized him as the foreigner she had seen at the start of the test. She took a step back, her hand reaching into her bag, ready to pull out one of her mother’s offensive talismans.