Chapter 253 The Grand Escape, Part 2/2 [Bonus]

Later the same night:

POV Ariane:

The sounds of clanging metal came from all directions. Two young women stood in the middle of a garden. Colourful flowers and trees were growing all around, and green hedges obscured their vision. But they could still see orange lights passing through the leaves, steps and voices resounding over them.

"Be careful. She has taken lady Ariane as her hostage."

Flickering orange lights of torches were quickly approaching them, accompanied by steps and metallic clanging.

Suddenly the shorter girl with frosty white hair, Ariana, pulled Tanya's hands, pulling them into a bush.

The sound of steps got closer to them, the bright orange light flickering outside of the bush, passing through the green canopy of leaves.

The white-haired girl pushed herself closer to the black-haired one, her heart pounding. They both held their breaths, hugging each other in an attempt to become harder to spot.

The horned black haired held her hand ready, already preparing to cast magic, mana gathering at her fingertips if they get discovered.

Ariane just crouched there unmovingly, confused as her cold aura and blood mixed and interwoven with the blazing heat circling through Tanya's veins.

She felt much calmer, enjoying the heat passing through her body.

'I wonder what my ancestors were; maybe the dragon will know.'

The sounds quickly passed, becoming quieter and quieter.

Both of them breathed out in relief.

They were trapped, the guards were everywhere, and it was only a matter of time before the archduke returned home, making their attempt end.

However, both of them held, knowing the rescue was already on its way.

'Where is he? He was supposed to already appear.'

Suddenly the leaves rustled, orange lights flickering through the sky. The flapping of wings descended at the garden, the whole air turning warmer.

Massive spheres of magma descended from the sky, glowing like miniature suns. They smashed against the ground, the orange light flooding the garden.

Ariane flinched, her heart hurting when thinking of the dying soldiers who thought they were trying to save her, 'No, the act must be convincing, or everyone will die.'

The glowing projectiles launched towards the sky, and something loudly screeched high above their heads.

A giant black beast landed before them. Its whole body was covered in thick black armour with magma leaking on the ground. Its two glowing eyes were looking straight at them.

Ariana just stood there watching the large wyvern. Its claws were easly big enough to tear her apart, 'No, that is wrong, that is not a wyvern.'

"Are you sure you will not burn?" finally, she woke up when Tanya spoke.

Doubts passed through her mind as she looked at the monster before her while feeling the searing heat all the way towards her.

"Yes, I will use my mana and protective ring."

Arrows whistled above their heads, raining upon the beast and bouncing off its black armour.

"Dammit, get on now!" a cold and rough, inhuman voice shouted through all of the commotion. A large mass of armour sitting on the beast's back looked straight at them.

Suddenly a hand wrapped around Ariane's waist. It was warm and hot. Her body lifted from the ground, and her eyes went wide as the woman, who wasn't much bigger than she, grabbed her into her hands as if she were just a small child.

Ariane gripped her tightly as the world around her turned into a blur, the woman jumping from the ground and landing on the beast's back.

An incredible heat surrounded her, the ring on her slender pale finger brightly glowing, her cold-feeling mana circulating through her veins. Her eyes flashed in icy blue light, frost spreading around her body, cooling her down.

The beast instantly flapped its massive wings, its body launching from the ground. Ariane tightened her grip, her head spinning as the beast shot towards the sky as she felt the content of her stomach move down in the sudden acceleration. The hot wind whistled all around her body, her long white hair waving behind her.

She closed her eyes, refusing to look down as tears formed in the corners of her eyes before evaporating and turning into steam. She knew she was always a coward, but even she felt regret for leaving her family behind. She didn't want to leave them, but she wanted to live even more.

'No, maybe I can still save them if I deliver my message.'

Her eyes were closed, but she felt and heard loud explosions around her and the whistling of arrows drowning out even the screaming of the winds.

POV ???:

Flames burned through the garden, small ponds of magma bubbling around with a strong smell of smoke and sulphur moving with the wind.

The guards were running all around, attending to the screaming injured soldiers.

Suddenly the air turned frosty and chilly, with frost spreading along the ground, painting the grass in a white coat.

The old man in a black, silver embroidered long coat landed in the middle of the garden, his blue eyes scanning his surrounding, the temperature of the air dropping around him.

"What happened!" he clenched his fists, his voice terrifyingly resounding through the whole garden, but inside he was smiling.

'It worked. At least she got away from here.' his head was hurting daily. He was old and stressed, and now he got into a conflict between immortal, unaging monsters, each competing for control of the country.

Even he didn't dare to bet which side would, in the end, come on top, 'The dragon has raw power, but the king has his ways. Even now, he is tricking more poor humans from neighbouring countries into throwing their own soldiers into a fire.'

"Dammit, how could you allow a prisoner not only to escape but also kidnap my granddaughter!"

The temperature dropped even further, thick clouds of steam rising out of the bubbling lava.

'This is the best. This way, our family will survive no matter which sides win.'