Part 1
After dinner, the Red Team returned to the dormitory.
Before the boys and girls separated and headed toward their rooms, Rose stopped everyone.
"Listen up."
The team turned toward her.
"Get enough rest tonight. Don't stay up on your phones. We have no idea what we might find on the battlefield tomorrow."
Several recruits exchanged nervous glances.
"I usually wake up early," Rose continued, "so I'll wake everyone before Sergeant Bill arrives. I want everyone dressed, equipped, and ready to go."
Everyone nodded.
"Yes, ma'am."
The boys headed toward their side of the dormitory while the girls went to theirs.
As everyone showered and prepared for bed, Rose checked everything one last time.
Their equipment.
Their supplies.
Their combat uniforms.
She made sure nothing was missing.
Tomorrow would be their first real day near the front lines.
Nothing could go wrong.
Not because of carelessness.
Rose checked on the boys first, making sure they were settling down for the night. Then she returned to the girls' dormitory.
By the time everyone was finally asleep and Rose's head touched the pillow, it was 9:42 p.m.
Her eyes slowly closed.
And the world around her disappeared.
⸻
When Rose opened her eyes again, she found herself standing inside the strange world within her mind.
The queen was stretched across a couch, eating fruit and smiling happily.
The moment she saw Rose, her entire face lit up.
"There you are!"
She jumped to her feet, ran toward Rose, and wrapped her in a tight hug.
Rose froze.
She was still getting used to this side of the ancient Blackwell Queen.
"Okay…"
The queen released her and smiled.
Rose suddenly remembered something.
"You know, I never caught your name."
The queen blinked.
"What?"
"Before. You were telling me your name, but somehow it didn't go through."
Rose crossed her arms.
"So tell me again."
The queen giggled.
"Ha! How interesting."
She turned away dramatically.
"I'll tell you later."
Rose stared at her.
"Seriously?"
"Yes. Now sit down."
The queen grabbed Rose's hand and pulled her toward the couch.
"I want to know something."
Rose sat beside her.
"What?"
"Where are we going? What are we doing?"
Rose raised an eyebrow.
"You don't know?"
"I only know what you tell me."
Rose sighed.
Then she explained everything.
The military base.
The wounded soldiers.
The destroyed convoy.
The war.
And the mission waiting for them in the morning.
As Rose finished, the queen slowly tilted her head.
"Oh…"
Rose noticed the change in her expression.
"What?"
"So that is why I felt something familiar."
Rose frowned.
"What do you mean, familiar?"
The queen's smile widened.
"You're going to meet my baby."
Rose blinked.
"Your what?"
"My baby!"
Rose stared at her.
"You have a child?"
The queen burst into laughter.
"No! Well…"
Her eyes moved from side to side.
"Not exactly."
Rose immediately became suspicious.
"What did you do?"
The queen smiled proudly.
"I created something."
"Ariel—"
The queen's eyes widened.
Rose paused.
"What?"
The queen quickly smiled.
"Nothing."
Rose narrowed her eyes.
"You almost reacted to that name."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
Rose stared at her for another second.
Then she sighed.
"Fine. What did you create?"
The queen leaned closer.
"Something beautiful."
Rose already knew she was not going to like the answer.
"What did you create?"
The queen smiled brightly.
"A dragon."
Rose stood up.
"You created a WHAT?"
The queen burst into laughter.
"A dragon!"
"How do you just create a dragon?"
The queen shrugged.
"It wasn't easy."
Rose stared at her in disbelief.
"And aren't I already part of the Dragon and Phoenix Clan?"
"Yes, but this is different."
The queen stood.
"What I created is not part of this world."
Rose became silent.
The queen's playful expression slowly changed.
"I used magic."
She paused.
"Forbidden magic."
Rose stared at her.
"Of course you did."
The queen smiled.
"Do you remember the black book?"
Rose nodded slowly.
"Yes."
"Good. I know you read it."
The queen walked around the couch.
"There is a page where I wrote about how to create your own dragon."
Rose's eyes widened.
"I don't remember reading that."
"That's because you weren't paying attention."
Rose frowned.
"I read the whole book."
"Then read it again."
The queen smiled proudly.
"You'll discover what I used."
Rose crossed her arms.
"You said this thing was made with your blood."
"Yes."
"And you used forbidden magic."
"Yes."
"And you still call it adorable?"
The queen looked offended.
"My baby is adorable."
Rose stared at her.
The queen continued proudly.
"And obedient."
Rose did not look convinced.
"It would recognize its mother from anywhere," the queen said. "No matter how far away I was."
She leaned closer.
"Because it was made with my blood."
Rose's expression changed.
"And now?"
The queen smiled.
"It will smell you."
Rose stepped back.
"Excuse me?"
"It won't recognize you."
"That doesn't make me feel better."
"But it will smell me inside you."
The queen placed a hand against Rose's chest.
"You carry part of me."
Rose looked down at the queen's hand.
"So, to my baby…"
The queen smiled brightly.
"You will smell like its mother."
Rose slowly looked at her.
"That somehow made it worse."
The queen burst into laughter.
"I wonder how old my baby is now."
Rose stared at her.
"How long ago did you create it?"
The queen suddenly became quiet.
Rose waited.
The queen looked away.
"That is a story for another time."
"Ariel—"
The queen quickly turned around.
"Oh! Look at that."
"What?"
"Our time is up."
The world around them began to fade.
Rose stepped forward.
"Wait!"
The queen smiled.
"I'll talk to you later."
Then she pointed at Rose.
"But when you see my baby, give it a kiss for me."
Rose's mouth fell open.
"I am not kissing a forbidden-magic dragon!"
The queen laughed.
Then, just before disappearing, she smiled.
"And once again…"
Rose became silent.
"My name is Ariel Blackwell."
⸻
Rose's eyes opened.
She immediately sat up and looked at the time.
4:27 a.m.
For several seconds, she remained completely still.
"A dragon…"
She rubbed her face.
"A forbidden-magic dragon."
Rose got out of bed.
"Of course."
She went to the bathroom, cleaned herself up, dressed in her combat uniform, and began waking everyone one by one.
Most of the team complained.
But they got up.
Then Rose reached Sophia.
"Sophia."
Nothing.
"Sophia, wake up."
Sophia pulled the blanket over her head.
"Leave me alone."
Rose stared at her.
"Sophia."
No response.
"Get up."
Sophia grabbed the blanket tighter.
"Leave me the fuck alone."
The room became silent.
Several girls looked toward Rose.
Rose stared at Sophia.
"You have five seconds."
Sophia opened one eye.
"Or what?"
Rose smiled.
Five seconds later, Sophia's entire mattress slowly lifted from the floor.
Her eyes opened.
"Rose…"
The mattress tilted.
"Wait—"
Sophia rolled onto the floor.
"BITCH!"
Rose looked down at her.
"Good."
She smiled.
"You're awake."
Iris quickly covered her mouth to hide her laughter.
Claudette turned away.
Sophia pushed herself up.
"Who the fuck do you think you are?"
"The leader."
Rose pointed toward the bathroom.
"And I'm telling you to get your ass up."
Sophia glared at her.
"You have five minutes to get ready," Rose continued. "Then we're going to eat, get on that truck, and head toward the front lines."
Rose's eyes began glowing gold.
"I told everyone yesterday to get enough rest. I told you not to stay up on your phones. And I told you we would be ready before Sergeant Bill knocked on that door."
Sophia stared at her.
"Fine!"
She grabbed her things.
"I'm getting ready!"
She stormed toward the bathroom.
Rose turned toward the rest of the girls.
"Is everyone geared up?"
Everyone immediately stood at attention.
"Yes, ma'am!"
Rose looked around.
"Good."
Three minutes later, the bathroom door opened.
Sophia walked out.
"I'm ready."
Rose slowly looked her up and down.
Tight jeans.
A tank top.
Her hair pulled into a ponytail.
Rose blinked.
"Is that what you're wearing?"
Sophia looked down.
"What?"
Rose stared at her.
"To war?"
Everyone turned toward Sophia.
"What's wrong with it?" Sophia asked.
"The base gave us combat uniforms."
"They're tacky."
Rose said nothing.
"And I don't like the way they feel on my skin."
Rose slowly walked toward a nearby table.
She picked up a small piece of ordinary cloth.
A golden flame appeared in her hand.
The cloth burned almost instantly.
Sophia stared at her.
Rose then picked up a spare piece of the material used in their combat uniforms.
She held the flame against it.
The material resisted the fire much longer.
Rose extinguished the flame.
"That is why they gave you combat clothes."
Sophia crossed her arms.
"They're still ugly."
Rose's eyes glowed gold.
"I'm not taking you to a fashion show."
The room became silent.
"I'm taking you to war."
Sophia stared at her.
Rose pointed toward the bathroom.
"Go change."
Sophia rolled her eyes.
"Now."
Sophia grabbed her combat uniform and returned to the bathroom.
Iris and Claudette started laughing.
Rose turned toward them.
"We have two minutes."
They immediately stopped.
The bathroom door opened again.
Sophia walked out wearing the proper uniform.
She stood beside August with an attitude.
Right on time, someone knocked on the dormitory door.
Rose walked toward it.
Her eyes were still glowing gold.
She opened the door.
Sergeant Bill stood on the other side.
For a moment, he froze.
Rose blinked.
The gold disappeared, and her eyes returned to their normal green.
Sergeant Bill stared at her.
Rose immediately stood at attention.
"Red Team is prepared, Sergeant. We are ready for breakfast."
Sergeant Bill hesitated.
"At ease, Private."
Rose relaxed.
Then she turned toward her team.
"Let's go."
The Red Team headed toward the cafeteria.
Sergeant Bill walked beside Rose.
He said nothing.
But he could not stop thinking about what he had just seen.
⸻
After breakfast, Sergeant Bill stood in front of the Red Team.
"We're heading out now. Hopefully, all of you have everything you need. We won't be back here until the shift change."
The team followed him to the same hangar from the day before.
One by one, they climbed into a military truck.
Rose was the last to enter.
Sergeant Bill directed her toward the front.
Once everyone was inside, he turned toward the team.
"Listen carefully."
Everyone became silent.
"We are going to split into two teams."
Several recruits looked at one another.
"Rose will divide you. One team will come with me. The other team will go with Rose."
Claudette frowned.
"Why?"
Sergeant Bill looked at the team.
"This is a rescue operation."
Confusion spread through the truck.
Claudette raised her hand.
"Sergeant Bill?"
"Yes?"
"Are we going to the front lines?"
She hesitated.
"And who exactly are we rescuing?"
Sergeant Bill looked at her.
"At the moment, that information is confidential."
The truck began to move.
"Once we get closer to the rescue point, you'll be told who we are rescuing."
Rose stared through the windshield.
Ariel's words returned to her mind.
You're going to meet my baby.
Rose narrowed her eyes.
Something about this mission did not feel right.
⸻
Part 2
The truck continued down the narrow forest road.
Rose watched everything through the windshield.
The deeper they traveled, the more uneasy she became.
Something was wrong.
She had felt it from the moment she arrived at the military base yesterday.
The gruesome scene.
The wounded soldiers.
The destroyed convoy.
Now, as she studied the road ahead, she began noticing the signs.
Broken branches.
Deep tire marks.
Damaged trees.
Places where heavy vehicles had been forced off the road.
Rose's expression slowly changed.
She turned toward Sergeant Bill.
"Is this the same route?"
Sergeant Bill looked at her.
"What?"
"The route from yesterday."
Rose's voice became colder.
"The convoy that came back destroyed."
Sergeant Bill said nothing.
Rose slowly turned her entire body toward him.
"The wounded soldiers."
Still nothing.
"The vehicles that were torn apart."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Did that happen on this road?"
Sergeant Bill swallowed.
"Yes."
Rose stared at him.
"And you waited until now to tell me?"
Everyone in the back became silent.
Sergeant Bill shifted uncomfortably.
"Nothing like this has ever happened on this route before."
Rose's eyes began glowing gold.
"That wasn't my question."
Sergeant Bill started sweating.
"Yes."
Rose felt a headache coming on.
She pressed her fingers against her temple.
"You could have debriefed us before we left."
"Rose—"
"You brought my team into the same route where an entire convoy was attacked, and you gave me no time to prepare them."
Sergeant Bill looked away.
"This wasn't my decision."
"Then whose decision was it?"
"General Baxter's."
Rose stared at him.
Sergeant Bill sighed.
"I wanted to tell you. But General Baxter ordered me not to say anything until we got closer to the rescue point."
Rose looked at him in disbelief.
"How stupid can you people be?"
Sergeant Bill's eyes widened.
Rose leaned closer.
"If someone on my team gets hurt because of information you kept from me, General Baxter will answer to me personally."
Before Sergeant Bill could respond, golden energy spread from Rose's hands.
A barrier formed around the entire truck.
The driver looked around in confusion.
"What the hell is happening?"
"Keep driving," Rose ordered.
"But—"
"Drive."
The driver immediately faced the road.
Rose turned toward her team.
"Everyone, be on guard!"
The entire Red Team focused on her.
"We are taking the same route as the convoy that was attacked yesterday."
Fear appeared on several faces.
Rose continued.
"James. Selene."
Both immediately looked at her.
"I need you tracking."
Rose pointed toward James.
"Use your hearing. Three-mile radius. If you hear anything—anything at all—you tell me immediately."
"Yes, ma'am."
She turned toward Selene.
"Third eye. Watch everything around us."
Selene nodded.
"I'm on it."
Rose looked at the rest of the team.
"Everyone else, stay ready."
The truck continued deeper into the forest.
⸻
For several minutes, nothing happened.
Only the sound of the engine could be heard as the vehicle moved along the road.
Then James suddenly lifted his head.
"Rose."
Everyone looked at him.
"I hear something."
Rose immediately turned toward him.
"What?"
"Footsteps."
"How many?"
James closed his eyes and concentrated.
His expression changed.
"Seven."
Sergeant Bill stared at him.
"Seven what?"
"I don't know."
James tilted his head.
"They're running toward us."
Everyone became silent.
"From where?" Rose asked.
"The sides."
James listened again.
"And behind us."
Several recruits gasped and grabbed the handles beside their seats.
Sergeant Bill stared at James in disbelief.
Rose remained focused.
"Selene?"
Selene's third eye opened.
She looked beyond the walls of the truck.
"There's something else."
Rose turned toward her.
"What?"
"Something is flying."
"How far?"
"About two miles away."
Selene frowned.
Rose noticed immediately.
"What is it?"
"I don't know."
Her expression became uneasy.
"But it doesn't feel like a shadow."
Rose tightened her grip.
"Keep watching it."
⸻
The truck sped through the forest.
James continued listening.
"They're getting closer."
"How close?"
"Less than a mile."
Selene suddenly spoke.
"I can see them now."
Everyone turned toward her.
"What are they?" Sergeant Bill asked.
Selene concentrated.
"Three on the right."
She turned her head.
"Three on the left."
Fear spread through the truck.
"And the seventh?" Rose asked.
Selene slowly looked upward.
"I still can't identify it."
Rose turned toward the driver.
"Keep driving."
The driver gripped the steering wheel.
"I am."
"Do not stop for anything."
Rose raised both hands.
The golden barrier surrounding the vehicle grew stronger.
Selene suddenly gasped.
"I can see them better now!"
"What are they?"
"Lizard-men."
Everyone stared at her.
"And trolls."
Sergeant Bill's face changed.
"Trolls?"
A massive boulder suddenly flew through the trees.
"INCOMING!" James shouted.
The boulder slammed into the back of Rose's barrier.
The entire truck jolted violently.
Several recruits screamed.
The barrier flashed but remained intact.
"Drive faster!" Rose yelled.
"I am!" the driver shouted. "We're almost there!"
Another boulder flew toward them.
Rose strengthened the barrier.
It struck.
The truck shook again.
Rose gritted her teeth.
Her golden eyes burned brighter.
"How much farther?"
"Almost there!"
Then Selene screamed.
"ROSE!"
Rose looked at her.
"The thing in the sky!"
"What about it?"
"It's coming down!"
A dark figure descended from above.
Selene's eyes widened.
"I know what it is."
"What?"
Her face went pale.
"A lich."
The creature crashed against Rose's barrier.
The entire truck shook.
It rose into the air.
Then attacked again.
And again.
Its terrible scream echoed throughout the forest.
Several recruits covered their ears.
The lich continued attacking the barrier.
Rose gritted her teeth.
Her arms began trembling.
"Why is it attacking like that?" Sergeant Bill shouted.
Selene watched through her third eye.
Then she realized.
"It knows!"
Rose looked at her.
"Knows what?"
"We're getting close to the safe zone!"
The lich struck the barrier again.
"It knows we're about to escape!"
Everyone inside the truck held their breath.
Even the driver was sweating.
The only thing standing between them and the creatures outside was Rose.
"Come on…" Rose whispered.
The barrier flickered.
"Stay up."
A lizard-man suddenly leaped from a tree.
"ABOVE US!" James shouted.
The creature landed on top of the barrier.
Rose's eyes flashed.
The barrier released a powerful burst of energy.
The lizard-man was thrown backward into the forest as the truck sped away.
The lich screamed again.
"Almost there!" the driver yelled.
Rose could feel her strength being drained.
Then the forest suddenly opened.
A massive castle appeared ahead.
A weakened magical barrier surrounded it.
"There!" Sergeant Bill shouted.
The truck raced toward the castle.
The lich attacked one final time.
Rose forced more power into her barrier.
The truck crossed the boundary.
Instantly, the creatures stopped.
The trolls remained among the trees.
The lizard-men watched from the shadows.
The lich hovered in the air.
None of them crossed the boundary.
But they did not leave.
They simply watched.
The truck slowed to a stop.
"We made it," the driver whispered.
Rose dropped her barrier.
The golden light disappeared.
She lowered her trembling hands and stared through the windshield.
The massive castle stood before them.
Its magical barrier was nowhere near as strong as the one protecting the military base.
Rose could feel it weakening.
But for now…
It was keeping the creatures outside.
Everyone remained silent.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
Then something strange happened.
The lich stopped screaming.
Rose slowly looked back.
The creature hovered beyond the barrier.
It was staring directly at her.
Rose's eyes narrowed.
The lich tilted its head.
For one strange moment, Rose felt something.
Recognition.
But it wasn't recognizing her.
Ariel's voice suddenly echoed through Rose's mind.
You carry part of me.
Rose's heart began beating faster.
The lich slowly backed away.
Then it disappeared into the forest.
Rose turned toward Sergeant Bill.
Her eyes began glowing gold again.
"You better start talking."
Sergeant Bill stared at her.
Rose stepped closer.
"Who are we here to rescue?"