CHAPTER 59: SEALING THE BLACK DRAGON

Ard and Eva kept running around the crater toward the stonehenge, dodging the bursts of fire from Zorax’s mouth, since he couldn’t break free. Ard leaped and pulled Eva’s hand, who also jumped, avoiding a fiery blast. They also dodged and cut through the flames burning the ground using their swords.

When they reached the stonehenge, Ard saw the massive Zorax couldn’t turn around because of the chains binding his neck. His two enormous hands were struggling to break free of the chains.

Seeing Zorax helpless, Ard approached a menhir with runes on its surface and placed his palm on it. Immediately, the entire stonehenge emitted a bright light, and two sword-shaped keyholes opened—one black and the other white.

"Eva, put Exelion in the white keyhole. I’ll put Exgrandal in the black one. Hurry," Ard said, turning to look at Eva and getting ready to aim Exgrandal into the keyhole.

"Yeah, on three," Eva replied, preparing to plunge Exelion into the white keyhole.

"Three!" they both shouted.

"Clink," they immediately plunged their swords into the keyholes and twisted them to the right. Instantly, a bright light enveloped them, and they turned around to see a glow emerging from inside the crater where half of Zorax’s body lay.

"Groaaaaaaaar,"

Zorax roared fiercely. He struggled even harder, causing an earthquake. Ard and Eva immediately held hands because the ground was shaking. They watched Zorax’s body gradually sink deeper into the crater, but his hands were still clinging to the edge of the crater rim, still trying to climb out while continuously roaring and occasionally shooting fire from his mouth. Ard and Eva began to worry because Zorax hadn’t fully sunk and was still holding on, even turning to look at them with his clearly furious eyes.

"Graaaaah,"

Zorax spat his fire at Ard and Eva. Immediately, Ard and Eva deployed black and white protective auras that enveloped their bodies, crossing their arms over their faces.

"Ard... do something," Eva said, holding back the fire.

"This isn’t magic... I can’t use my counter-magic," Ard replied, struggling against the fire.

"Uh... right," Eva replied, resisting the fire.

Ard and Eva shifted, merging their energy. Then Ard and Eva looked at Zorax, who kept spewing fire at them. Suddenly, "skraaak," a black and white beam rolled, and a white beam shot toward Zorax’s head. Ard and Eva immediately turned to see Ace, the Garuda, and the Griffin shooting beams from their mouths at Zorax.

"Groaaar,"

Zorax, hit by the beams from Ard and Eva’s familiars, immediately stopped his fire breath as his head was slammed back. "Clunk," the hands holding the cliff released, and his body began to rapidly fall into the crater. Ard and Eva immediately ran to the edge of the crater, then looked inside. They saw Zorax sinking into the crater, which was almost closing. Zorax kept roaring, his head turned to look at Ard and Eva with pure rage until finally his entire body was swallowed into the crater with a large magic circle and glowing runes on the crater walls covering the entire crater. The seal was closed again, and Zorax would not be able to get out.

Ard and Eva immediately sank down, sitting on the ground. They both sighed in relief. "Caw," Ard turned to see Ace, who had shrunk and was approaching him. Ard raised his arm, and Ace landed on his forearm. Ace immediately pressed his head against Ard’s forehead, who also leaned closer, smiling.

"Thank you. If you hadn’t helped us, our magic energy might have run out before he could be sealed," Ard said.

"Cawwwk," Ace flapped his wings happily.

Ard turned to look at Eva beside him. He saw Eva holding her Griffin with a wide smile, pressing her cheek against her Griffin, which also looked pleased. Ard smiled, watching her. Then he looked back at the crater, and his face suddenly grew serious again. Ard pondered, looking at the crater, then he turned back to the stonehenge behind him and looked at the crater once more. Eva, who had turned and saw Ard silent, immediately moved closer to him.

"What is it?" Eva asked.

"This is weird... there’s no way Zorax could have escaped on his own, but who is capable of opening the seal besides us... for some reason, I have a bad feeling," Ard answered.

Hearing Ard’s words, Eva’s face also grew serious immediately. She turned to look at the crater and then turned back to the stonehenge.

"You’re right, Ard. It shouldn’t be possible to open the seal without Exelion and Exgrandal... are there other Exgrandal and Exelion swords besides ours?" Eva asked.

"That’s what confuses me. There’s a chance someone else has another Exgrandal or Exelion... sealing it completely or opening the entire seal requires both swords, just like what we just did. Even in my dream when I unsealed the demon god Malekh, it didn’t open completely because I only opened one key using Exgrandal. It’s the same now, because Zorax wasn’t completely released. He was still chained and only halfway out of the crater. Whoever opened Zorax’s seal only had one of the two swords," Ard answered.

"Hmm... you’re right. That means the person only had one of the two key-swords, but... who has Exgrandal or Exelion besides us?" Eva asked.

"Well, that’s the point. Who did this? We both know, don’t we? Besides the two of us, no one can hold Exgrandal and Exelion. The culprit must not be just anyone," Ard said.

"Hmm... you’re right," Eva replied.

Then they both fell silent, deep in thought. The atmosphere became quiet. Suddenly, "thud," a loud sound was heard behind Ard and Eva. They both immediately turned back. They saw several men descending near the stonehenge using ropes from above. From their clothes, it was obvious they weren’t good people; they looked scruffy and vicious. Ard and Eva immediately stood up and turned around, completely on guard. They both gripped their swords tightly, and their familiars hovered, ready to stand guard.

A man wearing a bandana, with a thin beard and mustache, black dreadlocked hair, and a muscular body clad in leather armor, stepped forward, approaching Ard and Eva. He raised both hands, and his sword was sheathed at his hip.

"Who are you?" Ard asked.

The man didn’t answer Ard’s question. He just smiled, but his eyes intently scanned Ard and Eva from head to toe and back up again. Finally, he stood in front of Ard and Eva, still holding up his hands and smiling. Ard and Eva could see that the man in front of them was quite handsome for someone who looked like a bandit.

"I should be the one asking you that," the man replied.

"Huh... why should we be asking?" Eva asked.

"Because this is still my territory," the man replied.

Ard immediately observed the man in front of him from head to toe and back up again. Then Ard smiled and dropped his defensive stance.

"Are you the bandit leader of this mountain named Vahn?" Ard asked, smiling.

"Hooo, so you know me, huh? Who are you?" Vahn asked.

"Vahn? Oh, so you’re Vahn," Eva said, dropping her stance and lowering her sword.

"I guess I’m famous, but that’s not important. What’s more important is what did you do to that big dragon that came out of this crater and looked really dangerous? Where is that dragon now?" Vahn asked.

Ard and Eva raised their swords again, then pointed the tips of their swords at Vahn’s face. But Vahn’s expression remained calm, and his smile didn’t disappear at all from his face, as if he wasn’t afraid at all, even when confronted with two sharp sword tips.

"What do you want?" Eva asked.

"Haaah... I’m asking what happened, where the dragon went, what you did. We thought we were going to be destroyed by that dragon just now," Vahn answered.

"We didn’t do anything. The dragon disappeared on its own," Ard replied.

"Hmm... it seems you don’t trust me, huh?" Vahn muttered, observing Ard and Eva in front of him.

"You weren’t the one who opened the seal?" Eva asked.

"Huh? Seal? What do you mean?" Vahn asked, his face now turning red.

"I’ll tell you, but not here," Ard replied.

Eva immediately glanced at Ard with a very serious look, a face that said, "You’re going to tell him?" Ard glanced back at Eva, then winked at her with a small smile.

"Hmm... alright, come with me. We can talk at my headquarters," Vahn suggested, turning around.

"Alright," Ard replied.

Vahn turned, then walked toward his subordinates, who were still gathered around the stonehenge. As they walked, Eva shifted closer to Ard.

"Hey, Ard, why didn’t you just tell him we need his help crossing into the Ateras Kingdom so we can get to the Rellios Kingdom?" Eva whispered.

"Be patient. Don’t just rush right into it. We need to figure out what kind of person he is first," Ard replied.

"Hmm... alright, I understand," Eva replied.