Everyone flew onto the dragon's back one after another.
The last intact section of space cracked, then began crumbling at the edges. Seraphina beat her wings with all her strength and shot through the exit before the collapse swallowed the battlefield.
The darkness snapped shut behind them.
They had made it safely back outside.
The barren plain was still silent. There was no sign of life anywhere, only the low howl of the sea breeze blowing in from the distance.
Once everyone had steadied themselves, however, they noticed something strange.
Was the ocean closer than before?
Ethan looked around at the sunken ground and the horizon, which now seemed almost level with them. He stared for a moment before understanding.
The explosion they'd used to clear away the blue soil had blasted the entire region more than a hundred feet lower. The area was already surrounded by seawater, so once the elevation dropped, the ocean naturally began pouring in.
"I finally understand Malverin."
