Chapter 323: Returning Back To The Surface-2

Heavy gales spiraled furiously as Seth’s wings flapped heavily, his frame growing distant as he ascended even higher.

"Um, boss?" Lara anxiously called, bracing low upon his back like the rest of all 140 members of division one, all nervously clutching tightly to the ridges of Seth’s scales, generating enough grip to keep them steady during Seth’s rough ascent.

Seth let out a low growl in response to Lara’s call.

"I know you said this isn’t time for questions and all but aren’t we going the wrong way? I mean the exit is down there!" she relayed in a high pitched tone, her voice echoing through the howling wind.

Seth let out a gruff roar, his voice echoing in their heads. "Well you don’t expect me to fit through there now do you?"

Lara’s eyes widened, staring at the fast approaching crimson ceiling of the underground space, almost yelling at him. ’Well, how the fuck are you going to fit through there?’

But before anyone could question further they were forced to throw back all their focus on their grips and stability upon Seth’s draconic back as his massive frame came to an abrupt halt, his wings pulling to a stop and generating massive quaking explosions.

His fore limbs coiling tight, and his tail flicking, the whole group tensed...

The division had spent too long a time facing dragons as enemies so there was no way they wouldn’t recognize the posture a dragon took before releasing a breath while flying, especially since that was the dragon’s main form of attack.

But as for what it felt like to be on a freaking colossal dragon while it made this move?

Well, let’s just say there’s a first time for everything...

Purple pulses rippled through the seams of Seth’s scales, the sight causing the evolvers to tighten their grips in fright as Seth’s frame rose in an upright manner, building enough resistance and stability to fix himself in the air.

A low rumble resounded from his throat billowing with thick black smoke, his snout flaring as he heaved...

Seth felt the sudden surge of essence on an intrinsic level, a feeling he was well acquainted with but not on a level of this scale.

His pathways, large and fat, were flooded with essence, channeling their force into a crystalline force situated at his chest, he felt the rapid buildup of pressure and heat, combusting into furious embers as the element peaked.

Brilliant light sparkled from his eyes, as his maw snapped open, directed by pure instinct Seth’s neck coiled backward fueling pressure as he let loose a devastating concentrated beam of flames.

The recoil force rippled through his very being but it was okay, his form was built for this, the only ones having the worst time were his soldiers, screaming as a recoil jerk almost sent them flying.

Their frames flailing loosely, some actually losing grip, but fortunately were quickly caught with one arm by quick-witted teammates.

The group gritted their teeth and held on tightly with all their might, eventually a rain of molten lava began to fall, the unprotected twenty of the division suffering the most as the downpour began.

But they could only grit their teeth through it, as Seth’s flame breath began to melt through the ceiling, the downpour actually the result of this process.

His wings began to move pushing against the pressure of his own breath tearing a pathway above, Seth continued his ascension slow but steady, boring his way up as purple flames carrying unfathomable temperatures raged.

The pathway big enough for passage, the crew quickly began to depart the flaming lands, long at last.

"HAHAHA! I can’t believe it’s over!" Doyle laughed loud and excitedly, despite the molten splatter falling against his exposed flesh, he couldn’t care less.

The mere fact that they were all leaving intact was an exciting precedent for the humans, they had jumped down that pit with the resolve to die for the goal.

Yet here they were whole, not perfect but at least they were alive. The humans glanced at one another feeling giddy by the mere fact they were going to have the chance to see the sky once more.

And all this was possible because of him, Seth Duskreaver!

They didn’t understand the means this man held, they couldn’t even fathom his ways, after all this was a human who had by some means morphed into a freaking dragon! The biggest they had ever seen at that.

They really were lucky to have him as a leader...

...

Above the surface, jogging down a jagged, rough slope was none other than Brandon, huffing short of breath, his essence reserves were critically low, his will also low, the only thing quite passable was his vitality which was around the mid-range.

In the distance he caught sight of the rendezvous point, relief washing over him at the sight of human silhouettes gathered in wait.

It seemed his division wasn’t the only one done on their end, and that was a huge relief, even as a flame user he was fed up with this place and its stuffy air.

Reuniting with the others he could finally get a brief moment of rest collapsing upon an elevated rock, steamy puffs of breaths clouding his helm.

His eyes rolled towards Uriel sitting in a lotus position in the corner, "So how was your side of things?" he asked lightly, making small talk.

Uriel’s closed lids broke open, his eyes turning towards Brandon. "Not fun for one," he sighed...

Brandon nodded wearily, "I agree, I never knew dragons could be such a pain in the ass."

Uriel chuckled, the conversation progressing naturally as more and more evolvers gathered towards the spot, Lukas descending with his troops, followed by Dorian, then finally someone familiar, Jack.

The division leaders made small talk as they settled, the conversation naturally finally getting to a certain point.

"I swear the same thing happened on my end!" Brandon exclaimed, suddenly sitting up and leaning forward as he began to explain.

"This pathetic dragon big and all, attacked my division. I was forced to part ways with them to face the monster properly, we engaged for a few bouts, the monster mostly having the upper hand and just when I was about to start turning the tides, when out of nowhere it suddenly stopped." Brandon paused to take a breath, the others silent in attention.

"Before I understood what was going on the monster had been encased in an indestructible, cocoon-like shell, I had assumed it was a defensive skill of sorts..." Brandon muttered, finalizing his narration.

Silence followed as the group digested the info and processed likely estimates of what was happening.

All of them facing dragons had ended up watching their foes fall into the same state, obviously this wasn’t a coincidence.

Uriel scratched his chin in contemplation... "Could we be witnessing a mass racial evolution of sorts?"

Unfortunately before anyone could agree with his theory, Jack’s head whipped towards the sky, his expression going dark. He yelled at the top of his voice in alarm. "GET READY, WE HAVE AN INCOMING!"

Just as he made that statement, a massive beam burst upwards from the distance, a new threatening presence bleeding into the air. The entire human forces felt their blood run cold.