Chapter 132 - The Beast Form of the Phoenix

  Soldier Greg:

  The duchess's family had left for the royal capital and would be ba a few days. It was the time of the magical academy entrance exams, always a chaotic period.

  In my day, it was madness, but thankfully, I stayed in the academy within our territory. As vassals of the ducal family, we had guaranteed schorships to the territory's magic academy, which covered all family members with magical aptitude. They funded our education and living expehroughout the years we honed our skills.

  I came from a family that had served as guards at Evenhart Fortress feions, and I was lucky to be born with the gift of magic. My father roud of me, and I even became popur in the vilge for being the first mage in the family. Five years ago, I was sent to study, aly, I returned for the most difficult mission of my life. I'm about to do a job nobody wants to take.

  "Hurry up, Greg!" Tom's voiterrupted my thoughts, urging me on.

  "Are you sure we have to do this?" I asked hesitantly, gng at my partner.

  Life at the fortress eaceful; after all, who would dare attack a pce guarded by an army? But the real issue wasn't invaders—it was something far worse living among us.

  "It's your turn to deliver the meat, and I'm only ing with you because you're new. Do you think I want to be doing this?" he replied, uo hide his disfort.

  I was carrying a rge sb of meat on my back, and we were approag the entrao a shed sealed off eo keep out sunlight. Whatever lived inside preferred the darkness.

  I stopped at the entraaring down what looked like a tuhat curved into the bess.

  "This is creepy. I’ve heard rumors, and now I'm scared," I admitted, my voice trembling slightly.

  I g Tom and noticed he was sweating, clearly uneasy as well.

  “Why do we have to do this and not the legacies?” I asked, trying to mask the fear in my voice.

  “Not even they go hat thing. Besides the young masters, only Lady Margaery and Lady Katherine ever step foot in there,” he replied, with a tohat suggested this wasn’t something to question.

  I stared into the dark entrance again, taking a deep breath.

  “Are you sure the creature in there will know the differeween this meat and me? Why don’t we just leave and fet about it?” I half-joked, hoping it could somehow be a real option.

  He gave me a horrified look.

  “Are you insane? You want to leave that thing hungry?”

  “You’re right…” I muttered, resigned.

  Why did I have to e back from the academy and end up doing something like this?

  I adjusted the meat on my back, making sure it wouldn’t slip off, and began walking again. Tom stayed by the entrance, watg me with an expression that made it clear he wouldn’t trade pces with me for all the gold in the kingdom.

  “Are you sure? Shouldn’t we wait until they return from their trip?” I asked, hoping to dey the iable.

  “When that thing isn’t fed, they know. And Lady Margaery spoils it like it’s her own child. You do not want to upset anyone, especially whatever lives in there.”

  I g the darkness again, and my legs began to shake.

  The stories I’ve heard about what’s in there... I really hope they’re just lies.

  “Good luck, Greg,” Tom said as I finally crossed into the tunnel.

  “Do I just toss the meat in there?” I shouted, trying to keep my tone light.

  “Don’t shout!” he whispered in panic, rushing toward me. “If it’s asleep, that’s better for both you and me.”

  I swallowed hard, unsure of what to do.

  Should I make some noise? Maybe if whatever is inside knows I’m ing, it won’t be startled if it wakes up and sees me.

  I kept walking down the dark tuhe shed had been remodeled and expanded with the help of earth mages to suit the preferences of the creature living inside.

  When I reached the bend, my heart began to race, and I felt the fear creeping up inside me.

  Calm down, Greg! You’re a soldier, and this is probably just a bunch of stories…

  I pressed on, turning the er and walking further into the pow, the daylight that had still barely reached the entrance was gone, leaving me in plete darkness.

  The silence made everything even scarier.

  Adjusting the rge sb of meat on my back to keep it from slipping, I tinued along what felt like a cave. Then, something startled me.

  “Shit!” I yelled, only to realize it was just my own shadow.

  The pce was dimly lit by a faint glow from a small crystal embedded in the wall. As I walked, more light crystals began to glow automatically, responding to my presend illuminating the path ahead.

  They really ied in this pce...

  I felt a little more at ease with the faint light, but I noticed that as I moved forward, the crystals behind me would dim, plunging the tunnel bato darkness.

  The meat was growing heavier on my back, a clear effey nerves. I was getting more tense by the sed, but suddenly, the tunnel came to an end.

  Did I make it?

  I realized that the walls of the tunnel had disappeared, opening into a vast, dark space where not even the faint light from the crystals could reach. I swallowed hard as I uood I had arrived at the heart of the ir.

  “I’m ing in…” I tried to say, but my voice came out shaky.

  My task was simple: leave the meat at the edge of where I stood.

  “Just a few more seds…” I muttered to myself, trying to calm my nerves.

  With difficulty, I pced the meat on the ground. I couldn’t just toss it carelessly, or I might irritate the creature living here. I had to set the food dowly, showing that I was being respectful.

  ‘Snooort.’ A hot breath blew against my face.

  “Holy shit!” I jumped in fright and looked back toward the ter of the ir, but all I saw was darkness.

  My legs began to tremble again as I realized something was defihere with me.

  I just hope it's asleep... please, let it be asleep, please!

  ‘Grrrrr!’ A deep, guttural growl came from the darkness, and I froze, raising my hands in surrender.

  “Please, Mr. Monster! I’m just here t the food, I’m unarmed!”

  Not that I’d dare to do anything, even if I was armed…

  Another hot breath blew from the shadows, and I could hear heavy footsteps approag, eg through the ground.

  What do I do!? What do I do!?

  I wao run away from this pce, but I knew any wrong move could be fatal. I couldn’t see what was lurking in the darkness, but I was certain it was massive. The sound of its footsteps and the heat radiating from it told me that this creature was every bit as terrifying as the rumors among the guards had said.

  The light behind me went out, plunging the entire area into total darkness.

  This ’t be happening… I must be the unluckiest guy alive.

  My body was frozen with fear as the presence kept getting closer and closer. My breath stopped pletely when I felt the hot air so close it almost brushed against my skin.

  “I… I… I’m just the new guy delivering food,” I stammered into the darkness.

  Silence reigned, and my body began trembling even more.

  “Is… is ahere?”

  'AAAAAAARRRRGGHHH!'

  “OH SHIT!” I fell backward, colpsing onto the ground as panic took over. A monstrous creature spat fire into the air and roared with ah-shattering sound.

  “HELP!” I tried to get up, but my legs gave out, sendiumbling again.

  The creature’s footsteps grew louder, closer, and I crawled along the ground, pletely paralyzed by fear. The vision of the winged reptilian monster, its face covered in spikes, sharp teeth bared, and fmes p from its mouth, was seared into my mind.

  Finally, I mao stand, though still shaking, and bolted back through the tuhe lights flickering on automatically as I passed.

  I gnced bae st time.

  ‘AAAARRGH!’ The monstrous being roared again, iing the sb of meat with the fire spewing from its mouth.

  “THIS ISN’T REAL!” I screamed, trying to vince myself as I sprinted, gripping the walls for support.

  The family pet… it’s a DRAGON!