"D-Dra-Dragon!!!"
"Yeah, we see it, dimwit," Vida snapped, her voice sharp with irritation, though her eyes betrayed the same unease the rest of them felt.
Chip's face, however, wasn't pale with fear—it was flushed with excitement, his eyes shining like a kid on Christmas morning.
"Y-You don't get it," he stammered, pointing at the towering statue. "This—this dragon, the way its body looks like it's carved from bone—it proves it! It proves my theories about magic existing are right!"
He darted toward Vida, grabbing her hands tightly, his voice trembling with joy.
"T-This is incredible! I've finally witnessed real magic!"
Vida yanked her hands back in mild disgust, her face scrunching. "Tch. What are you even fussing about? We've already seen Rangers fighting gigantic monsters on the news. This isn't anything new."
Chip opened his mouth, ready to argue, but then paused. He thought about it—monsters had shown up before, true. Still, his lips twitched as he mumbled under his breath, "Well… I still think magic is way cooler."
The others didn't bother responding. They let the silence hang, dismissing Chip's outburst as one of his typical "nerdy" rants.
All five turned their eyes to the massive statue that loomed in the middle of the expanse. It was ancient, worn, yet eerily lifelike, as if at any moment it might breathe. Its gaping jaws were frozen in mid-roar, its wings stretched out as though ready to take flight. The sheer scale of it made them feel small—insignificant.
For a long moment, awe and fear kept their voices down.
Then Madison broke the silence, her soft voice carrying an edge of uncertainty. "So… what do we do now, guys? Do we move forward, or go back?" She nervously pulled out her phone, snapping a few pictures of the statue, though her hands trembled as she did.
Chip immediately piped up. "Forward! What if we find a wizard? What if he bestows us with magic powers, and then we get to fight alongside dragons, and maybe—"
He kept ranting, his imagination spiraling, his arms waving excitedly as he painted scenarios in the air.
The others ignored him. Nick pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing heavily. If he'd known helping that old man would dump him in a nightmare world full of freaky statues and endless forests, he'd have told the geezer to shove off.
"I think," Xander said, stretching his arms behind his head lazily, "that we should stay here for now and set up camp. There don't seem to be any animals around. Might be safer."
"Yeah," Nick admitted reluctantly, scanning the area. "There's enough dry wood and leaves. We could make a fire and put up some shelter."
Vida and Madison nodded in agreement.
Their eyes, however, drifted to Chip, who was sitting cross-legged on the ground, muttering something about "arcane sigils" and "mana reserves" with the dazed look of someone lost in fantasy.
Suddenly, Chip stiffened. A shiver ran up his spine like claws dragging against it. He could swear something was staring at him from behind. Whipping around, he found nothing. Only shadows.
Embarrassed, he turned back to the group and coughed. "Cough, cough—so, uh, what's the plan again, guys?"
Vida smirked cruelly, walked over, and gave him a few swift kicks to the backside. "The plan, dundo, is that you're helping us gather wood."
"Ow! Ow! Okay, okay!" Chip yelped, scrambling to his feet, rubbing his sore cheeks. "No need to hit so hard!"
— ✦ —
For the next twenty minutes, they gathered dried wood and leaves, carrying them back to the clearing where the dragon statue loomed. They worked as a makeshift team, though tempers flared occasionally.
The only one not lifting a finger was Xander, who lounged against a tree with a self-satisfied smirk, spinning a twig between his fingers.
Nick finally snapped. "Dude, why the fuck aren't you helping?"
Xander shrugged lazily. "What do you mean I'm not helping? I'm supervising. Management, dude." He gestured toward the pile of wood as though his presence alone had doubled their progress.
Vida and Madison exchanged a glance. Without a word, they walked up, cracking their knuckles menacingly.
Xander's eyes widened. "Wait—hey, calm down, ladies, no need for violence—"
But the look in their eyes told him they weren't bluffing. He chuckled nervously, springing to his feet. "Alright, alright, I get it! I'll help, jeez."
He darted off before they could swing, knowing from experience they wouldn't hesitate to smack him around. Toby's shop had taught him that lesson more than once.
— ✦ —
Two hours later.
The forest was dark, the kind of dark that pressed in on you, suffocating, endless. Their only comfort was the small fire crackling at the center of their camp, its glow painting their tired faces with warmth and shadows.
They sat in a rough circle, their bodies aching, their stomachs empty.
GRUMBLE!
Chip clutched his belly dramatically. "Ughhh, I'm so hungry," he whined, letting his head droop against his knees.
Vida groaned. "You're not the only one, idiot. We're all starving."
Nick rubbed his stomach too, reluctantly admitting, "She's right. Haven't eaten since this morning. Can't believe I'm saying this, but I'd even kill for one sandwich."
Even Xander, usually smug, looked drained. "Man, I'd settle for instant noodles right now. Not picky."
Madison looked at all of them quietly, then smiled softly. Her voice, calm and gentle, broke through their shared misery. "Okay. I know we're all tired and hungry, but… maybe instead of sitting here sulking, we could… talk? You know. About ourselves. It might take our minds off things."
The fire popped, filling the silence.
One by one, the others glanced at each other.
Vida sighed first. "Fine. But don't expect me to spill my whole life story." She flicked her hair back. "I'm Vida. Obviously. I work at the Rock Porium with Madison. DJ gigs, mostly. Music's my thing. Don't care what anyone says about it."
"Cool," Xander nodded, smirking. "Guess I'll go next. Xander Bly. The guy who keeps things together around here. You've probably noticed I've got natural leadership skills."
Nick rolled his eyes so hard it hurt. "Leadership skills my ass."
"Hey, hey, easy there, dude," Xander said, raising his hands in mock surrender. "I'm just saying I know how to handle people. Ask Toby."
Madison chuckled faintly, then glanced at Chip.
Chip perked up. "Me? Well—I'm Chip Thorn. Huge fantasy buff, obviously. Comics, D&D, video games. Always believed magic was real. And guess what? Totally called it!" He grinned proudly, gesturing toward the dragon statue. "I mean, come on. Proof!"
Vida muttered, "Nerd."
"Better than being cranky all the time," Chip shot back, though his grin didn't fade.
They all looked at Nick next.
He leaned back, arms crossed, his face shadowed by the firelight. "Nick. That's it. Nothing to say."
The mood threatened to dip. But Madison leaned forward, her eyes warm, encouraging. "C'mon. Just a little? Doesn't have to be deep."
Nick hesitated, then sighed, rubbing his temple. "…Fine. Grew up moving around a lot. Never stayed in one place long. Bikes are my thing. That's all you're getting."
It wasn't much, but it was something. The others didn't push.
For a moment, they sat there in relative peace. Talking, joking lightly, letting the firelight ease their nerves. For a brief while, they almost felt like normal young adults hanging out.
— ✦ —
Then the air shifted.
At first, it was subtle—a breeze brushing against their faces. But it didn't stop. It grew stronger.
Nick's eyes narrowed. "Wait. You guys feel that?"
The wind whipped harder, rustling the trees violently. The fire sputtered, nearly dying.
"Yeah," Vida muttered, standing up. "This isn't normal."
All five rose to their feet, alert. Their eyes darted around the clearing, their bodies tense.
The dragon statue loomed above them, its shadow stretching impossibly far.
Then—
Its eyes lit up.
A deep, glowing red.
The sight rooted them in place, fear surging through their veins like ice water.
Before anyone could scream, the statue's gaping maw glowed. A swirling golden portal formed within its throat, radiating an unnatural hum that vibrated in their bones.
Then the pull began.
The portal sucked at the air like a monstrous vacuum, its force targeting them directly.
"W-What the hell is happening?!" Xander shouted, his voice barely audible over the roaring wind.
"Run!" Vida screamed, grabbing Madison's hand.
They sprinted, but the pull was relentless. Leaves, twigs, even stones ripped from the ground and vanished into the light.
Nick dug his heels into the dirt, grabbing Chip's arm to anchor him. Chip screamed, clutching at Nick desperately.
"I-I can't hold on!" Chip cried, his feet dragging toward the portal.
"Don't you dare let go!" Nick barked, his own muscles straining as the wind whipped his hair into his face.
Madison clung to Vida, her nails digging into her sister's jacket. "I don't want to die here!"
"None of us are dying!" Vida yelled, though her voice cracked with fear.
Their hearts pounded. The force only grew stronger. One by one, their grips began to slip.
For a brief moment, silence cut through the chaos. Each of them realized the same terrifying truth.
This might be the end.
"Guys—!" Chip's voice broke, high with fear.
"Don't say it!" Nick snapped, his own fear burning behind his eyes.
The pull became unbearable. One by one, their feet left the ground, their screams piercing the air as they were yanked toward the glowing maw of the dragon.
Their last sight was each other—faces twisted in terror, hands outstretched, desperately trying to hold on.
Then—
FWOOSH!
The portal swallowed them whole.
And the clearing fell silent.
Only the dragon remained, its red eyes dimming back to lifeless stone.
— ✦ —
I like this chapter, guys. How's the novel coming along, guys? Are we all enjoying it?
So, I will be uploading another one today and making up for the missed days in the coming days.
Love you all