The morning sun rose over the distant peaks as the Lycan brothers and their companions trudged onward, the cold mountain air of Fujifable now long behind them. The professor's fate weighed heavily on their hearts, but there was no time to mourn. The scroll map had pointed them to their next destination, and with determination burning in their eyes, they pressed forward. By late afternoon, the horizon shifted. The rolling hills and snow-kissed forests of Fableville gave way to a land unlike any they had ever seen. Jagged cliffs bordered wide open plains where colossal trees reached high into the sky, their trunks thicker than the towers of Fableville's castle. The air was hot, heavy, and alive with sound—deep guttural bellows and high-pitched screeches echoed across the land. Lucidar. The land of dinosaurs. They stood at the edge, staring into the vast wilderness before them. "Those… aren't just echoes, are they?" Rowdy muttered, clutching the hilt of his weapon. "No," Lev said firmly. His golden eyes scanned the tree line. "That's them. The guardians of this land. Be ready. Nothing here will welcome us." As if on cue, the ground trembled faintly beneath their feet. The distant silhouette of a massive, long-necked sauropod lumbered between the trees, its head towering far above the canopy. The group froze in awe as its deep rumble shook their bones. "By the moon," whispered Razor. "They're real…" "Very real," said Hellen, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "And very dangerous." Brasco crossed his arms. "Let's just hope none of them get too close. We've got bigger problems than giant lizards." They pressed forward, hiking deeper into Lucidar. The path wound through dense jungles of ferns taller than men, vines thick as ropes dangling above them. Every so often, the group glimpsed creatures moving among the foliage—triceratops herds grazing peacefully, their horns glinting in the sun; pterosaurs circling high above, their shadows darting across the earth; and smaller, quicker predators slinking through the undergrowth, watching with intelligent eyes. The deeper they went, the more suffocating the tension became. The air reeked of musk, damp leaves, and danger. Every sound was amplified—the snap of a twig, the rush of leaves. After several hours, they reached a fork in the land where the map indicated a boundary. The parchment bore a clear warning etched in bold runes: Do Not Enter. Rowdy squinted at the markings. "Well… looks like the long road bends that way." He pointed to the left, where the path stretched on through tangled swamps. "But if we cut through here—" he gestured toward the forbidden route, "we save a whole day." Lance scowled. "There's a reason it says do not enter."
"And there's a reason we're running out of time," Brasco countered. "The huntsman isn't waiting for us to stroll at our leisure." Lev weighed their options. The forbidden path was dense and dark, but it would indeed cut their journey in half. He turned to the group. "It's dangerous either way. But the map chose to mark this path for a reason. If we go through…" He hesitated. "We'll need to be ready for anything." "We've faced worse," Razor growled. "Ha!" Rowdy chuckled nervously. "Easy for you to say." Finally, Lev nodded. "We take the shortcut. Weapons ready." They moved cautiously into the marked passage, hacking through the dense brush. The jungle grew eerily quiet, save for the distant calls of unseen creatures. Then The silence broke. A sharp, chilling screech pierced the air. The undergrowth rustled violently. From the shadows leapt sleek, scaled figures with razor-sharp claws and teeth glinting in the sunlight. "Velociraptors!" Hellen shouted. A pack of them—six in total—darted from the foliage, their yellow eyes gleaming with predatory hunger. The battle was immediate and fierce. Rowdy swung his axe, narrowly missing one that leapt for his throat. Razor tackled another mid-pounce, pinning it to the ground as its sickle-claw thrashed wildly. Brasco slashed through the air, driving two raptors back, while Lance fired bolts of energy that lit up the jungle. Hellen ducked under snapping jaws, rolling to her feet with her blade drawn. Lev roared, his Lycan strength bursting forth as he grabbed one raptor by the neck and hurled it against a tree with bone-cracking force. "They just keep coming!" Rowdy shouted, kicking another away. "Keep moving!" Lev commanded. "Toward the shard!" The group fought and ran, weaving through the jungle as the raptors pursued. Finally, after a grueling chase, they burst into a wide clearing—and froze. Before them stood a towering metal fence, half-rusted but still intact. Behind it shimmered a faint magical aura, and in the center of the enclosure stood a pedestal. Resting on it was the object they had come for—the third shard of the axe, glowing faintly with otherworldly light. Beside it lay another rolled scroll, waiting. They rushed inside, forcing the raptors back through the gate and slamming it closed. For a moment, they breathed in relief. Then the ground shook. Heavy, thunderous footsteps echoed through the clearing. From the far end of the enclosure, three colossal shadows emerged. "Please tell me that's not—" Rowdy began. But it was. Three massive T- Rex's stepped into the light, their jaws snapping, eyes gleaming with primal fury. Each one was larger than a house, their roars deafening enough to rattle bones. "Of course it couldn't be easy," Brasco groaned. The beasts advanced. "Distract them!" Lev barked. "Hellen—come with me!" The team scattered. Razor and Brasco darted left, drawing one T. rex toward them with shouts and weapon strikes. Lance unleashed blasts of energy, catching the eye of another. Rowdy hollered at the third, waving his arms like a madman before sprinting in the opposite direction, the massive predator thundering after him. Meanwhile, Lev and Hellen sprinted for the pedestal. "Hurry!" Hellen urged as the ground quaked behind them. They reached the shard, its glow pulsing in their hands. Lev grabbed it, the raw power humming through his veins. Hellen snatched up the scroll map. The three T-Rex's roared in fury as they realized their prize was stolen. "Time to go!" Lev shouted. The team regrouped, weaving between snapping jaws and crashing tails. With every ounce of strength, they fought their way back through the gate and into the jungle beyond. The T- Rex's slammed against the fencing, but the ancient barrier miraculously held—just long enough for the group to vanished into the shadows of Lucidar. Breathless and battered, they finally emerged at the edge of the land by nightfall. The cries of dinosaurs faded behind them, swallowed by the distance. Hellen collapsed against a boulder, unrolling the map. Her face fell. "Lev… this isn't the full map." Lev took it, scanning the parchment. Indeed, it was only half—its torn edge teasing the existence of another piece. But clear enough was the next destination, marked with ancient script. "It points to the other half," Lev said grimly. "And with it—the path forward." Rowdy groaned, dropping to the ground. "Half a map, three giant lizards, and raptors that nearly ate us alive. I'm starting to think this axe doesn't want to be put back together." Lev tucked the shard and map safely away. "Want it or not, we're not stopping. This shard brings us one step closer. And wherever the other half of this map leads…" "…We'll be ready," Hellen finished. The group exchanged weary smiles, their laughter echoing faintly as they set off into the fading light. Ahead lay danger, mystery, and another trial that none of them could yet imagine. But for now….they had survived Lucidar.