Chapter 251: The Mountain’s Fall

They couldn’t understand what was happening.

Instead of tending to the obvious, grave wounds on everyone’s bodies, the surviving drakes were shoving things into their hands.

Literal things.

Bundles. Scrolls. Straps. Trinkets that even she could tell were artifacts.

Even Lawrence was suddenly handed a tightly wrapped bundle and told, without explanation, to put it inside his bag immediately.

In truth, the drake clan’s elders would’ve wanted to tell him to guard it with his own life, but as beings who turned the human away, how could they even have the audacity to say such a thing?

But there was no other choice. The divination had been correct. They were really struck by tragedy. They just didn’t think it would come much sooner than expected.

They thought they had time to prepare Renee at the very least. Maybe ease her into things just like the rest of them, but now they were just lucky enough that these two had come.

In particular, they were fortunate that the only one who could get through the magical barrier had come despite everything.

Lawrence obeyed despite being stunned. His brows furrowed in confusion, and yet he tried to absorb everything Renee’s grandmother was saying.

However, his wife wasn’t faring as well. Then again, unlike the stern young man, his wife was understandably upset because this was her family.

And none of them were making sense.

Renee’s mother grabbed her shoulders and hissed, telling her to stay in her human form.

That sounded odd. Because it would be more challenging to fight in their human form, but she thought it was because the cave wouldn’t be big enough to fit several drakes in their true forms.

But then her mother began stuffing items against her arms and chest while muttering a string of words that made absolutely no sense.

Her mother’s voice shook slightly as she said, “Remember, whatever you do, you must get away from here. They have a barrier that is preventing magical beings from leaving. So if we want you to escape, we have no choice but to seal you. You have to survive this, Renee. And whatever you do, just do not look…”

Everything felt wrong.

The moment her mother began her rambling, the tunnel felt like it was tilting. The air felt thin. Something sour clawed up Renee’s throat as her instincts screamed at her that they were not preparing an escape for the clan.

They were preparing an escape for her and Lawrence.

Only them.

The realization made her chest tighten until she felt like she might vomit.

Everyone spoke over one another. Her grandmother tried to shove another charm into her hair. Her uncle muttered about timing. Her aunt hissed at Lawrence to brace himself. Then she was dragged over to the center of what looked like a runic circle just as her mother seemed to be preparing for something else.

Her mind spiraled.

No.

Her breath quickened.

Stop.

Her pulse pounded.

Then it snapped.

“Mom! Stop it!” Renee shouted, voice breaking. Her hands flew up, trying to push her mother’s arms away. “What is this?! Why are you doing this?! Why are you gearing us up like this?!”

The tunnel fell into a brief silence, broken only by the muffled roars above them.

Lawrence, too, was hearing similar instructions. One of the elders had leaned close and whispered that if things turned for the worse, he needed to run away as fast as possible.

He didn’t know how to respond, but any answer he could have given was completely cut off by Renee’s outraged cry.

Her voice echoed against the walls.

“Why are you doing this?! Why don’t we all run away now instead of telling us all these pointless things!” she screeched. Her heart thrashed painfully in her chest. Nothing about this felt right.

Her mother froze, unable to continue with the sealing.

Then she met her daughter’s eyes.

“My daughter,” she said softly, “we’re very sorry you’re finding out like this, but there’s no time. Whoever is after our clan won’t stop until they get what they need, and right now, you’re a prime candidate.”

A chill went down Renee’s spine.

“Who is even after us?! And why?!” she demanded, voice pitched with panic.

“We don’t know,” her mother answered. Her eyes glistened. “But they have taken your younger cousins and killed anyone they claimed didn’t fit their requirements.”

Killed.

Killed.

The word punched through Renee’s skull like a blade.

Her legs trembled. She had been desperately clinging to optimism since she had found her mother and grandmother alive. She had hoped. She had prayed.

But killed?

She could barely form the next question.

Then father? What about father?

Before she could speak, her mother grabbed her hands.

“You need to escape. Because only then will we be able to fulfill our purpose.”

Renee shook her head so hard it hurt.

“What are you even talking about! We’re all going to escape! Mom!” she cried. Her voice cracked as she clutched her mother’s arms, trying to pull her along.

But her mother only continued with her preparations, her movements frantic.

Then she froze.

The tunnel had gone too quiet.

Renee watched her mother’s expression shift from grim determination to outright terror.

“No! There’s no time for the seal,” she whispered. “They’re coming.”

Maybe it was how everything once again stilled. The same kind of stillness they experienced right before those monsters arrived.

They can’t wait this time.

She tried to shove Renee toward the narrow opening.

“Now. You need to go. Now!”

Renee, for the most part, didn’t budge. She couldn’t. Because if she moved, then she’d probably regret it all her life.

But everything erupted into chaos.

Bloodied relatives suddenly rushed forward with what remained of their strength. They grabbed Renee, hauling her toward the human-sized exit. She fought back, clawing at their arms, begging them to come with her, but they pushed her forward with desperate determination.

They deposited her right at the edge of the narrow tunnel.

“Lawrence Hale,” one of the elders rasped, “get her out of here, and you will have our blessing.”

Another elder reached out, voice cracking.

“Please. Get her ou—”

BOOM!

A massive explosion suddenly tore through the mountain, and light flooded the tunnel, only obscured by the scattered debris and rubble.

The shockwave hit them like a hammer.

Renee and the others were thrown backward as the world shattered into dust, sound, and darkness.

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