Amelia burst into the adventure guild, her voice cutting through the chaos.
"GUYS! PLEASE HELP US!" she screamed, panic lacing every word.
The crowd froze for a moment before scrambling toward her, swords drawn, spells at the ready. Meanwhile, I remained hidden beneath the ground, drawing mana from the plants around me, letting my body rest while Maria hunted me relentlessly. She leapt from tree to tree, her half-human, half-dragon form slicing through the air, intent on turning me into pieces. Above, the Fate Dragon's voice echoed in my mind.
"My child, you are… interesting," the dragon said through telepathy.
I let out a dry laugh, still low beneath the soil. "HAH… so I lost, didn't I?"
"Your definition of lost is flawed," the dragon replied calmly. "You still cling to life, even without anything left to live for."
I let out a long breath, tasting the earthy air. "HMMMM."
"I know your past, your present… but your future… only God can decide that. We are not so different," the dragon continued, voice heavy and patient.
"Talking about clingy… what's your problem? Why do you want our bodies?" I spat, my voice edged with venom.
"War," the dragon said simply. "Humanity has fallen, and our duty… the last three of us must restore balance. Humans never played fair; they must pay their debt."
Recognition flickered in me. "I… remember now."
"That's right, my child. The dragon of the stories your parents told you—the one your knight spoke of—is me. The Fate Dragon."
My mind raced, memories of old tales flooding back. Then his voice cut through the recollection. "But today… I lost this battle."
"Huh? Why not just send Maria to hunt me down? She's clearly stronger than me, isn't she?" I murmured, my hands digging into the soil as I felt the weight of my fear and exhaustion.
Heavy footsteps thudded above, and I looked up, catching sight of Amelia leading the entire adventure guild toward us. Lion-rank magic users and swordsmen, tiger-rank spellcasters, and bear-rank swordmasters—an overwhelming force—but I didn't flinch.
"Today's battle was delayed. Our conversation is not over. We will meet again. Farewell… Jeffrey Atlas," the dragon's voice intoned, and my eyes widened as his massive wings lifted him into the sky.
Maria clung to his back, her expression unreadable.
"Pathetic," the dragon said, glancing down at me.
Maria chuckled, her sharp eyes glinting. "Isn't his pathetic face… adorable?"
"Correct," the dragon replied.
As they soared away, members of the guild unleashed spells, weapons, and magical onslaughts, but a single sweep of the dragon's wing sent them all hurtling into the unknown. I fell back into the ground, chest heaving, hope draining fast. My vision blurred, and I felt tears threatening to spill.
No. I would not cry. I would not beg. I would return to reality. And the Fate Dragon… he would fall.
"COWARDDDDD!" I screamed, my voice raw, echoing through the forest.
Amelia's hand rested gently on my shoulder. "Everything is going to be alright. We're all safe."
She smiled, but I could see through it—the sorrow she carried, heavier than any of ours. She had lost two friends today: one trapped in a coma, another only half-alive. The cruelty of this world pressed down on us all, but we survived. For now.