Chapter 43: A Glimmer of Hope
Kaelen's breath quickened, and his heart pounded violently in his chest. The Abyss Dragon was getting closer, its massive head nearing his face, its yellow eyes gleaming with the glint of hunger. The smell of sulfur and death filled the air, and Kaelen felt the cold heat of the beast's breath.
"Kaelen!" Emily screamed from behind him, her voice filled with terror.
In that critical moment, Kaelen remembered something. He remembered how the previous monsters were affected by strong light, and how the Commander hated the glare. These dragons were not the same, but they were creatures of darkness.
Faster than lightning, Kaelen raised the flare in his hand, not to light the way, but to throw it. With all his strength, he hurled the burning flare directly at the eye of the dragon that was closing in on him.
It was a sudden and unexpected move. The flare hit the dragon's eye with a flash of fire, and the beast let out a thunderous shriek that tore through the silence of the abyss. It wasn't a shriek of pain, but a shriek of sudden rage. The dragon retreated quickly, its wings flapping violently, creating a vortex of wind that almost knocked Kaelen off the ledge.
Kaelen seized this moment of confusion. "Now! Move!" he yelled, and began to move faster on the narrow ledge, ignoring the danger.
Emily, Caleb, Ethan, and Laila followed him, almost running on the narrow edge, their eyes fixed on the faint shimmer on the other side. The other dragons had now taken notice and began to coil in the air, letting out angry growls.
The dragon that was hit by the flare was still retreating, shaking its massive head, but it wasn't seriously harmed. It was just a sudden shock. It quickly regained its senses and began to chase them with the other two dragons.
They were running on the ledge, with the abyss lurking on one side and the dragons chasing them on the other. The dragons' wings flapped in the air near them, creating strong drafts of air that almost pushed them into the chasm. Their teeth gleamed in the darkness, and every growl sent terror into their hearts.
The faint shimmer on the other side was getting clearer with every step. It wasn't just a light, but a glowing blue light, pulsing slowly, as if it were the heartbeat of a massive being.
"It's... it's not a normal exit!" Ethan said, his voice breathless from the running and fear.
As they got closer, the blue light grew brighter, revealing a massive gate, made of strange stone, surrounded by ancient runes that glowed with the same blue light. The gate was located directly at the edge of the abyss, as if it were waiting for them.
The dragons were closing in fast. They were a few meters away from the gate, but the dragons were picking up their pace. The dragon that was hit by the flare was the closest, its massive jaws open, ready to pounce.
"Get in!" Kaelen yelled, pushing Laila and Ethan towards the gate first. Then he pushed Emily and Caleb.
He was the last one. As he was about to jump towards the gate, he felt something grab his ankle. One of the dragon's claws had caught him. The dragon pulled him with force, almost dragging him into the abyss.
Kaelen grabbed the edge of the gate with both hands, struggling against the dragon's strength. The blue gate glowed brightly, as if responding to their presence.