Chapter 35: Unforeseen
The group of elves had unadulterated fear on their faces. They seemed to know the owner of that roar well.
"It's awake. It's awake, we are all dead." One elf lost his composure and began frantically screaming all sorts of unintelligibles.
"It's not supposed to be awake for another few decades. What will we do?" A more calm elf addressed Livell.
"What can we do? We're done for, but at least we have won this place for our people. Our deaths are not in vain," Livell seemed content as he waited for death.
Xasha's forehead creased. He wondered what would make those fellows so afraid. Also, what would make them not try to run even after realizing they had caught the attention of such a fear-inducing enemy?
His question got answered in a way that left him with more questions than answers. In an instant, the group of elves disappeared without a trace or sound. It left no evidence of their existence behind.
Xasha only saw a shadow flash past his peripheral and a few times, and everyone had gone. He and everyone behind him heart's skipped a beat, and goosebumps filled their skin.
The shadow flashed again, but this time they realized it was flashing towards them. Everyone closed their eyes, waiting for their deaths to come, reluctant all the while. An explosion was heard that ricochet for miles, but after, it was silent.
Convinced they were dead, the group didn't bother to try moving or open their eyes. It was when they heard growling a ways away and felt a warm sensation coming from before them they took a peek through their eyelids.
The scene before them had their eyes shot open and their chest tightened. The one responsible for the growling of all things was a Massive Storm Dragon, with lightning flashing across its green scales. However, the dragon differed from Alexi, in that it had no limbs. Just a long body like that of a snake, and a gill-looking thing on its neck. It stared murderously as it growled at a lady with long green hair. Her hair was longer than she was, and there were butterflies all over her hair, holding it together like hairpins.
Those flies were alive and well. Everyone wondered why they would do such a thing and how they got into the basin in the first place.
The lady faced away from them, and all they could see was her big hair and nothing else. Seeing the hair and sensing her strength, everyone could tell who it was. But the question was now, why would she help them?
Xasha instructed everyone to remain calm and look for the best opportunity to retreat. He had his curiosities but was never one to look a gift horse in the mouth. The three groups got into defensive formation and moved in unison.
However, before they could get too far, a small flower flew from the lady's outstretched arm. It expanded rapidly to several dozen feet tall. It flashed and appeared under them, then the petals closed, imprisoning them inside.
Despite being inside the belly of the beast, so to speak, there was no panic. Xasha noticed there was no hostility coming towards them from the green-haired newcomer. In fact, the flower trapping them was a defensive one aimed at protecting them from the Storm Dragon.
The green-haired lady pointed at the tree left behind by Livell, and all the leaves followed her command and gathered around her. With no hesitation or words exchanged, she willed the leaves to attack the dragon. Unlike under Livell's control, the white leaves were moving incredibly fast. It was just a blur of twisting and turning white death.
The dragon was no slouch either, dodging with its massive body with ease. Xasha could not tell how strong they were. This was a battle far above his pay grade. All he saw were flashes of light, roars, and explosions. This went on for another few dozen hours.
Xasha watched the entire thing with his Open Eyes fully active, trying his best to learn all he could from these two powerhouses. In the end, the Storm Dragon actually broke through the fog and escaped, leaving behind a trail of blood. The green-haired lady went after him, and the two disappeared from his sight.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief but added another in frustration after realizing they were still stuck inside the flower petal.
Xasha wiped his face with his palm and spoke in flabbergast, "this, this is truly unforeseen."
"Will we make it out of this alive?" Ari asked in a shaking voice.
"Let's hope for the best," Xasha said optimistically.
"Ari, can't you teleport us out of here?" Alexi asked. Even he was unnerved by everything that happened just now.
"It's pointless. I can only fold space a few thousand miles apart, and if I go that far, it would use up all my Imperium. A few thousand miles' head start isn't enough to escape from such a person," Ari informed in a hopeless and dispirited tone.
Someone screamed, and everyone turned to find Bloom looking like she had lost her mind.
"It's okay, Bloom, it's dead," Xasha said from the front.
Everyone turned to look in the direction he was looking and saw the Storm Dragon falling through the fog above and crashing down on the sandy ground. Kicking up a dust storm with its massive body. Its tail fell into the ocean and caused a tsunami.
Everyone's mouths were left agave from the sudden change to the situation again. Another shudder ran down everyone's spine as the flower protecting them was slowly opening. Everyone was scared out of their minds, Xasha included.
A thought crossed their minds. Ari, Alexi, and Xasha acted at the same time. They channeled mana inside their weapons to summon their remnant spirits. Suddenly, a green light flashed, and Xasha disappeared. Ari looked behind them to find Xasha with a flabbergasted look on his face and a cute little thing rubbing her cheek against his with a content smile on her face.
He looked at Ari as if begging for help with his eyes, but all she could do was shrug her shoulder toward him. The awkward situation was one that no one here would have believed had they not seen it themselves. Xasha finally calmed down somewhat and returned the hug from the little girl.
"Thank you for saving me," he said in an appreciative tone.
"Of course, I'll do anything to protect mama," replied the little girl.
Xasha froze. So did everyone. An awkward breeze blew past the crowd before a glorious bout of unyielding laughter filled the basin.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone