Chapter 121

Bredret's eyes were closed tight as he leaned against the wall of the cave. A flask in his hand as he sipped at his drink. Around him he could hear the sounds of everyone else resting while they waited for Vorbuk to have time to awaken from his temporary slumber. They needed to rest their bodies as well after experiencing the fall into the river. Next to the wolf he could see the crown prince Leo sitting quietly from the corner of his eye.

Slowly stepping over to the wolf he knelt down. Placing his hand down on the shoulder of the wolf. Beneath his hand he could feel the softness of the wolf's fur against his skin. He could also feel the cold aura from Vorbuk's mana working violently to stabilize itself.

What is this? It feels like.. Bredret could see Leo glaring at him curiously from the side. There was probably nobody who would not be filled with caution around him. A dragon's temper and actions were not something anyone could predict. When it came to Bredret that fact was even more true.

"What are you doing?" Leo's faint question could be heard as Bredret focused on the mana flow.

"Have you ever met a dragon that couldn't understand mana? I am observing his current state." Bredret retorted back at him. A smirk on his face as if he felt pride in his words.

"Can you tell what is wrong with his mana?" The prince watched as Bredret's eyes glowed a golden hue for a moment. Pulling his hand away from Vorbuk only once the light in his eyes had returned to normal.

"The mutt is truly a foolish one." Bredret leaned back against the wall. "He obsorbed too much mana from the area."

"What do you-?" Leo wanted to ask but he was quickly answered before the question even left him.

"His species is not one common to areas with such dense mana," Bredret stood up and turned his back on the prince as he spoke. "All species require time to adjust their bodies to know how to properly control their mana. It is a natural instinct that they gain from growing over time to become stronger. Thus causing the continents layout to be the way it is. The strong reside along the strong and weak among the weak."

"Is there a method to help him?" Daryl's voice finally broke the silence from across the cave. Beside him Zoe was resting with her head on his lap. "If anyone here can help him wouldn't it be-"

"Of course, I know how to help him guide the mana flow. The question is whether or not he will be able to maintain the method I can show him." Bredret thought for a moment the method he would show Vorbuk was his own and would have its own risks.

The process of mana control that Bredret would need to teach the sleeping wolf was not a method he could know the outcome of beforehand. It would have been easier for him to consider helping the extra mana be expelled from Vorbuk, but given they were in a territory with high mana accumulated those efforts would only become wasted if the wolf collapsed again.

Should he consider himself lucky that he will get such a gift from this dragon? Or more lucky that I am offering to help with something so bothersome? Bredret pondered the question in his mind as he placed his hand once again on Vorbuk's shoulder. A golden light enveloping around the wolf as the dragon began to use his own mana to try and help stabilize the wolf's condition.

After a while Vorbuk's eyes began to twitch.. Because deep within his dreams he was only aware of the darkness surrounding him. Everything felt cold and empty.

A sudden warmth could be felt. Like a flame had lit itself within that vast dark void he had found himself trapped within.

Minutes turned to hours as the night got colder outside the cave. Bredret had finally pulled his hand away from helping Vorbuk. Daryl could tell from a glance that the dragon was trying not to show his exhaustion out of self pride, but it was noticeable from Bredret's paled expression.

"We can't stall around here much longer. If he doesn't wake up soon we will need to move him ourselves. If that beast is from the dungeon we will be at risk of it coming straight for us before we are prepared." Daryl said to them as he had more experience with surviving dungeons then the crown prince. Leo knew he was not in a position to pretend to know more then he did so he nodded in agreement.

"I shall carry him." Ashley stepped forward and hoisted Vorbuk up in his arms like nothing. For the vampire race the weight of a large wolf was nothing.

"What are you rushing for? He didn't say we were leaving this moment." Leo glared at Ashley but that glare was quickly broken as Vorbuk's servant nodded towards the cave entrance.

"I think we best leave right away." Ashley's voice was lowered but calm.

Ba-Dump!

As prince Leo turned his head towards the front of the cave they had entered he could hear the deep growling of an enraged tiger closing in on their location. They had no choice but to enter the cave without Vorbuk conscious.

"Go! Hurry!" The prince whispered in a rushed tone to everyone as soon as he realized the situation they were in was getting worse. He knew Ashley would not let anything happen to Vorbuk since he was bound to him so he could only entrust the vampire to protect him as they quickly fled inside the dungeon.

I can't let anything happen to the others-! Prince Leo thought to himself as he kept himself at the back of the group to ensure nobody got left behind. At the front Daryl would lead their way forward with his own personal experience in traversing the land. If anyone was suited for taking the lead the prince knew it would be Daryl.

As soon as everyone was inside the cave entrance Leo turned and glanced at the way they came in. Raising his hand towards the ceiling of the cave he concentrated his aim.

"Fire Ball." He muttered under his breath. A ball of flame shoot forth at the ceiling. Rock and dirt began to collapse in front of the way they came blocking it off. He knew it would not stop the beast from following them completely. "... Maybe this can buy us some time at least."

"Your Highness, don't lag behind or we could loose you in here." Daryl called out to him from a ways ahead when he realized Leo had lagged behind them to seal the way they came. He almost wanted to praise the prince for considering such a method to help them gain some distance from the beast. The prince seemed as though he was growing as a person the more time their group spent together.

The Crystal Tiger's claws scratched against the crystalizing ground beneath him as it followed the weak scent of it's prey. A soft fog exhaling into the cold air as it breathed.