32 Chapter 31

The participants were getting closer to their goal. The sky was getting darker and darker. Soon the sun would come home in the universe tired under the horizon and a dark night would raise new fears for the future.

Sophie kept hearing a whisper in her head. And she became more and more worried with every step of the way closer to the top of the mountain.

Miracle had not yet returned from the expedition. Sophie looked at Rebecca. She knew that the girl and the firebird were bound. But Rebecca didn't seem too worried. There was pride and hope written on her face. For the first time of the Tournament, she looked proud – her truly great personality.

Besides her own voices in her head, there was something else strange. It was about Axel. The more they soared, the warmer his hands were getting. They were almost seeing the beak on the mountain when Sophie stopped at the scene and brandished her hand while issuing a silent scream.

Axel and the others looked at her in a slick and anxious way. The boy reached out to her to calm her down, but she jumped a few steps back.

"Your hands... they...are very warm. Already even hot! What's wrong with you, Axel? Can't you control the fire in you?!" Sophie was angry at him as she shook her hand, which had turned slightly red.

"Wha...what!? How..." Axel was stunned. He looked at his hands. There was a fear in his amber eyes. 'No....things from years ago are being replayed....why...' memories of his childhood conquered him. He was going to explain to Sophie, even though she didn't know what had happened years ago.

But that's when Miracle screamed over their heads. She was back. The mystic bird took shape and landed on its patron's hand. Rebecca gently stroked her. The girl stood in one place and closed her eyes. In this way, she would see what Miracle has seen.

Everyone was holding their breath. The minutes passed so slowly that they tortured everyone. Eventually, Rebecca abruptly opened her eyes and took a deep breath. She looked at the others, and there was so much fear written all over her face. Her mouth was slightly open and trembling a little.

"No, there's no way. . . . . . that place is hell! Minutes before the mountain's ridge approaches, the road ends. Literally! There's a whole lake of bottomless lava... it would burn you even if you are just a little bit close to the fluid! Near the lava lake, Miracle didn't even dare to continue...but she heard thousands of screams from an animal....which must have been gone for such a long time." She explained, looking without seeing, holding her breath as if she could not breathe a drop of air.

Sophia's bones started freezing and hurting. There was no way she could have misunderstood that description... they were heading to the lair of a monster....of the exact same species that had taken away all her happiness. How could her mother allow such a thing!

"But how... I thought all dragons were in reserves....they are a protected species at risk of extinction....they have no right to keep them locked in such places!" Axel was angry too, but for other reasons. His family took care of dragons for decades.

And he himself...well in general, he cared for them a lot, and now they were imprisoning such mythical creatures in such a place? He couldn't believe it.

"You... you think these monsters should live? Are you serious? They're monsters! They all should die!" Sophie replied with trembling voice, pissed off. A voice deep inside her said 'Oh, isn't it? So, you're denying the fact that they're important, right? You hate us?' the girl was frightened and looked past. No, there was no one....so... the voice was connected to these monsters? 'Us?'

She was about to continue arguing with Axel when she heard someone barely catch her breath. It was Mariana. Because of the much excitement, they had completely forgotten that she still couldn't breathe in Ron's hands.

"We….the day will soon pass….we must find some kind of shelter for the night��..but then we must move on....this place is awful from the start, and when a full day passes...I don't want to even think about it." Teresa said and stroked Mariana on the head with care.

Mateo tried to use his rune, but that would have only helped in a few short moments. Everyone tried to help. Out of concern, Sophie forgot about the fight with Axel, at least for now, and hurriedly searched for a hiding place.

Rebecca let Miracle into the air and told her to look for shelter. The bird returned after a few minutes and directed them to a larger cave.

"Well... Now all that's left is for someone to protect... split into shifts?" The girl asked the others.

"I…think I can help with that," Camille replied, and her eyes lit up in bright pink.

Near her, a gentle pinky reddish glow appeared. It slightly began to form in shape, and eventually turned into a tiger with golden and dark red almost black stripes. The big cat opened its eyes and looked arrogantly and haughty at the other. Only when it looked at Camille that its face softened and snouted slightly at the girl.

"Hello again, my girl. I haven't seen you in a long time." she squatted and hugged the tiger.

She didn't look like herself at all. It's like she was a completely different person - calm, kind and caring. And how come she has already known her Spirit Animal? Everyone looked at her with an open mouth. She spotted them and looked at them pouted.

"What? Why are you staring like that? Is it so strange to express concern? I can't believe it." she frowned, and her gaze ignited. Yes, that was their Camille. "That's Glory. When we were kids our parents taught us how to summon our Spirit Animals. Well not exactly...it's harder for us to summon them over time. The most important thing is that she will protect us while we are sleeping."

The heroes ate some food that the villagers had given them in the first challenge and prepared for bed. Sophie was still mad at Axel and didn't talk to him all night. Isabelle and Lucas haven't spoken yet either. They both stood on the sidelines conceived without talking to anyone.

They tried to give Mariana as much water and food as possible, and she even opened her eyes for maybe a minute or two. Her delicate blue eyes opened, and she smiled slightly, grateful for the food. Then she closed them down again, exhausted.

In the end, everyone went to bed exhausted, and only Ron stayed awake. In the beginning, he had tried to fall asleep, but unsuccessfully, worried about Mariana.

He got up quietly and approached Mariana. She slept and breathed quietly. The girl looked like an angel, and for a moment he just stared at her stunned by her beauty. "Please…get better and get our lives back... mine and of all of us' he thought, sitting next to her. He contemplated her until he fell asleep without even noticing.