Somewhere along the way, the ice became clear and there were preserved corpses of dragons. Some were really close, and some of them had an expression of pure rage with their teeth bared. Their sizes measured around hundred meters. Melody trembled profusely, her back hunched, as she walked with her hands joined with Yao Jiji and eyes shut. Meanwhile, Yao Han was monitoring the progress of the water that was slowly filling their way through the tunnel, occasionally hurrying the group off.
They didn't even had the leeway to rest for a few moments and they were fighting back their lethargy as they advanced forward. When they finally sighted red light coming off from the end of the tunnel, they also heard incredible growls.
Melody hiccuped.
"Dun wowwy, sishter."
"How… how are you so ca-calm about this?"
"Um…."
"I can feel it…," Yao Han interjected.
"Feel what?" Hernan asked.
"Wait for a moment, please. Since the water is still rising, we should let ourselves be submerged as soon as it reached at the end of the tunnel. However… if some of the monsters there are known to have fire power, then we will be trapped before we even swim into their lair. So, we need a diversion," Yao Han said as he observed his companions. "Besides, we'll have outside help. I can feel it, there is a very familiar power seething just above. If we can somehow got that person's help, then we'll be saved at least in the nick of time."
"... who are you talking about?" Hernan asked.
"Mister," the child called as he gazed at the raising level of icy water. "We have no time. You'll see later."
"Um… who will divert their attention?"
Yao Han and Yao Jiji looked at each other as the older sibling nodded his head.
"Promise us that you won't freak out. You just have to remember that if you backed out now and made a commotion, we'll all be dead."
Suddenly, Melody collapsed on the ice and her eyes trembled.
"What's wrong?" Hernan immediately went over to her. He tried to raise the woman, but her legs didn't have any strength. She was short on breath and she could feel herself tremble from the cold water that soaked her butt.
The water level already reached them and Hernan didn't have any choice but to carry the woman in his arms and retreated closer to the end of the tunnel. Just as he took a few quick steps closer, his body suddenly felt heavy. He knew this sensation. This helpless sensation that he felt when that terrifying volume of mana engulfed his entire being. He also trembled, but his strength remained. Yes, if these two children were familiar with Emersyn's mana, then they must have known each other. For some reason, he didn't feel repulsed by the idea and just trusted the siblings leading them to their safety.
Yao Han didn't have any time to reveal his card, so he quietly transformed into his battle mode. His teeth turned into sharp knife-like fangs, his claws elongated, his eyes turned vicious red, and his body turned into a beast with thick bristle-like fur.
Melody shook as she was about to yell when Yao Jiji covered her mouth with her small hands.
"You pwomised, sishter…."
Melody bobbed her head like a broken toy. However, she was afraid that these monsters might attack them despite their generosity clearly portrayed. She immediately slapped Yao Jiji's hands and nestled herself into Hernan's body, heaving. It was her first time being backed into the corner like this. Her emotions were a wreck as events of today passed through her mind in a loop.
Yao Jiji's eyes trembled as she pouted and just crouched down when Yao Han sneaked out. Hernan felt the extremely cold water touched his calves. He bit his bottom lip as the cold numbed his legs, then his whole body. Yao Jiji strained her ears, ignoring the numbing cold that penetrated her skin.
Exactly as they submerged in ice cold water, Yao Jiji grabbed Hernan's arm and throttled them forward with her own strength, out of the tunnel. The little girl swam her way out, then grabbed Hernan and Melody to hide behind a boulder that had a few decorations. She could see the surprised expression of the rock dragon as he watched the raging water entering through a small tunnel. It was so small that he barely noticed it.
Then, the rock dragon slammed a boulder onto the hole and proceeded to observe this small creature in front of him. It has been a while since he saw a combat rabbit. More like, hundreds of years and it made him feel nostalgic.
"Hey," the dragon's maw opened. He expected the little creature to be afraid, but it just stared at him and never redirected its eyes. "Did you come out of that hole?"
The rabbit nodded its head.
"I was lost when I entered a hole, and somehow, it started having water in it and I was trapped. I'm sorry, if I ever disturbed you."
The rock dragon's eyes went wide and leaned his head closer.
"Aren't you just a child?"
"I… yes, mister."
"Well, I should be the one apologizing to you. You're in a prison cell with me. Though, you can just fit right through the fortified bars and escape, but it's too dangerous for you. You just have to say that you are fortunate that I am the one who you encountered than those vicious dragons with a mana chain bounding them on their limbs and necks. However, I can't do anything for you."
"Mister, why are you here?"
"Well, as you can see, I am taken hostage. It has been… hmmm… a few decades since I have been here."
"Then why aren't you escaping?"
"I can escape, but I won't. Once I do, my family will be killed by the supreme dragon. I do have some findings that the Demon Lord is finally back. You see that hole where… that hole that I just blocked? I have a few children running errands for me. I am just hoping that the Demon Lord will come here and destroy this place into smithereens."
"Mister, she is here."
"Here? The supreme ruler?! Quick, you have to hide!" The rock dragon lowered his voice.
"No, no. The Demon Lord. She's above us. I can feel it!"
"..."
"Her name is Emersyn, and she's coming!"
"Are you sure it's really her?"
"Yes. Actually, mister, I came from a human settlement---"
"What?!"
"...!"
"You… what did the humans do to you?!"
"..."
"For you having to escape like this… I really despise humans…!"
Yao Han panicked, but he tried to compose himself as he glanced back at one particular boulder with a few decorations. He was about to introduce his companions to this kind dragon, but his expectations were betrayed and he had no choice but to find another way out on his own. He had to inform his little sister of his plans later. Also… their rations were at his hands…. They wouldn't be able to hold on much longer.
"Mister, I have a little sister."
"She's with you?"
"Yes. Unfortunately, she can't come out since she's afraid of you. After all, it has been her first time to see a reaaaaally huge dragon."
"Oho. How old is she?"
"She's two."
"Indeed, a baby will always be afraid of big and scary things. I'm sorry, but I can't really have much of a leeway to transform into another form. I hate to inform this, but we do have a human form."
"I also have it, mister."
"Don't worry, I already know that you are a monster. Your little sister too. Of course, even if our Demon Lord is human, technically, she's not human. So, I can understand."
"Can't you smell us, mister?"
"Of course not. My senses are restricted here."
Bingo.
"Jiji?" Yao Han called.
The little girl peeked through the boulder with her eyes trembling. The rock dragon awed in sight of a cute creature and beckoned her gently with his claw.
"It's okay, you can come closer."
"Mistew…?"
"Ack! So cute! All the children I employed were all so brutish and furry, so I haven't had this kind of euphoria."
Yao Han directed a judging glance at the dragon and protected his sister.
"Wait, I don't have that kind of preference. So, rest assured."
"Really?"
"... of course! What do you take me as?!"
"Okay, as a precaution, I will remain here and Jiji can escape ahead and lead Emersyn here."
"Hey, why are you talking about the Lord with only her name?"
"I knew her personally, of course. You can say that we are friends!"
"Fwends! Esyn!" Yao Jiji quipped.
"Ack! So precious!"
"So, Jiji."
"Ywes?"
"Can you get Emersyn for us?"
"Owkay! Jiji ish gwood!"
Once Yao Jiji stealthily escaped through the humongous corridor, she sighed heavily.
"Why ish Jiji haf to bee two? I am fwour!" She cried.