The road leading to the undercity was far simpler than Meena had expected. There was no grand hidden tunnel or secret elevator. It only required descending the cracked concrete steps of what used to be a subway entrance, then pushing through a rusted iron gate positioned at the edge of the abandoned station grounds.
Time and neglect had eaten away at the structure. The faded subway sign hung crooked, barely readable. The walls were stained with soot and old graffiti, and the air smelled of damp metal and dust.
"They call this place the Hollow Pathway," Kai said with a low whistle.
The small dragon remained perched comfortably atop his head, clearly having decided it was its favorite resting place. Sometimes Kai honestly wondered if the creature did anything at all besides sit there and purr.
"Gee… I wonder why," Meena sneered, rolling her eyes as she walked briskly behind him.
Her phoenix fluttered somewhere above, its fiery feathers briefly lighting the darkened stairwell before vanishing into shadow again. Kai sighed and turned around to face her while still walking forward, somehow managing not to trip.
"Why did you join me on this journey again?" Kai asked, glaring at her expectantly.
Meena exhaled slowly.
"I think I needed a break."
"From what?"
"From everything."
Kai frowned. "Meena, you just became a more important figure up there. They'll be searching for you now. All the forces of the city."
"That's their problem, Kai," she replied, her tone light and almost carefree. "Not mine."
"That's—"
"Inspiring?" she cut in.
"No," Kai snapped. "Stupid."
He clicked his tongue in quick succession, shaking his head.
The phoenix screeched sharply and flew past them in a seamless, noiseless streak of flame and motion. The dragon on Kai's head purred in response. Kai glanced up at it, then back at Meena.
"Tell me something," he said, turning forward again but slowing his pace to match hers. "What changed?"
"What changed?" she echoed, unsure what he meant.
"At the CVA quarters," Kai pressed. "When they took you. You were different when you came back."
Meena's expression softened just slightly. She looked toward her phoenix, now perched on the rusted metal remains of what had once been a train car.
"Nothing," she said. "Just normal checks and tests."
Kai groaned loudly. "You're lying."
"Tell me how you upgraded him," Kai continued. "And what's with this Ignis stuff?!"
At the mention of the word, the phoenix shrieked and immediately took flight, flames rippling across its wings.
"Ignis," Meena said calmly. "That's his name."
She raised her right arm, spreading her fingers. In a smooth, graceful motion, the phoenix flowed downward and perched effortlessly on her index finger. She lowered her hand and let him hop onto her shoulder.
Kai watched, stunned.
He lifted the dragon from his head and held it close, studying its beaded jade-black eyes.
"So all I have to do is give him a name?" Kai asked.
The dragon stared back at him, almost expectant. It purred softly.
"Dracon," Kai said.
"Dracon?" Meena repeated.
He nodded. "Yes. His name is Dracon."
Instantly, a soft purple glow pulsed from the dragon — and from the faint mark forming around Kai's arm. The dragon purred louder in agreement. Kai felt its weight shift, grow heavier for a moment — then lighter.
The glow faded.
Dracon now bore thin purple stripes running across its scales.
"That's amazing," Meena whispered.
Ignis took off again, and this time, Dracon's wings snapped open in response.
Kai stopped abruptly.
All this time, he had thought Dracon was just a lazy scaled lizard.
Now, with a single name, the creature beat its wings and lifted into the air, following after Ignis in soft, powerful flaps.
"That's wild," Kai muttered.
"I think they'll get along," Meena said with a small, excited smile.
Ahead, the battered gate came fully into view.
In just a few minutes, they would be stepping into the realm of the forbidden.
**
Kai didn't see the fireball coming.
Meena did.
Her instincts flared. She yanked Kai sideways just as the blazing projectile smashed into the ground where he had been standing. The impact sent sparks and heat ripping through the air.
She leaped backward in one smooth motion, dragging him with her.
"Are you okay?" she asked, hauling him upright with surprising ease.
Kai stared at her, breathless — more shocked by her strength than the attack itself.
Since when could she do that?
Was that an effect of beast ties? Could he do that too?
His eyes scanned the area.
Dracon and Ignis were nowhere in sight.
A group of men stepped into view, whistling and laughing low and maliciously. They wore bright red shirts. Many bore scars across their faces and arms. Their bodies looked hardened, battered by countless fights.
One of them at the front clapped slowly.
"We're going to keep her," one man said, grinning. "She's got good skills."
"We don't want trouble," Meena said, still holding Kai by one arm — though he didn't need it anymore.
"Oh?" another man sneered. "She thinks she has a chance?"
Laughter erupted.
All except one.
The man at the forefront remained silent. His face was stern, not twisted with the same cruel amusement. He raised a clenched fist.
The laughter stopped instantly.
"The girl says she doesn't want trouble," he said calmly, stepping forward.
The air beside him warped.
A creature materialized — as if stepping out of thin air itself.
It was monstrous.
Its body was that of a hulking beast, but sprouting from it were multiple heads — each belonging to different creatures. One head still smoldered, flames leaking from its jaws.
The fireball's source.
Meena and Kai tensed.
"Ignis" Kai heard Meena mutter and then Before the men could speak again, a screech ripped through the air.
Ignis dove from above in a blazing arc, crashing directly into one of the beast's heads in an explosion of fire and force. The creature roared in pain, staggering.
A split second later, Dracon slammed into its side, purple energy pulsing through his stripes. His claws tore across thick hide, ripping scales and flesh alike.
The beast howled, thrashing wildly.
"Now!" Meena shouted.
She surged forward, faster than Kai had ever seen her move. Her connection flared, and Ignis spiraled back toward her, channeling heat and light into her strike.
Kai followed, instinct overriding fear. He couldn't do anything at the moment...but he knew Dracon could.
"Dracon! Assist them!"
Dracon circled back, unleashing a pulse of crackling violet energy that slammed into the creature's core. Ignis followed with a spiraling inferno, flames tearing through the monster's unstable form.
The creature shrieked as its bodies — its heads — began collapsing inward, unable to withstand the combined assault of the two newly awakened beasts.
With a final, thunderous blast of fire and violet light, the monster disintegrated into fading embers and smoke.
Silence fell.
The red-shirted men stood frozen in shock.
Ignis and Dracon hovered proudly in the air, flames and purple light reflecting in Kai and Meena's eyes.
They had won.
Two under-matured beasts.
One spectacular victory.
"What?" Kai said amazed at what had just happened and Meena smiled at him...how dis she know what to do!? He thought, feeling a little bit dizzy, he staggered and held himself.
"Are you okay?" Meena asked looking at him concernly and he nodded
"Just dizzy" he said and then she smiled and her attention turned towards the men..The pressure in the air changed.
"Now...who are you again?"