2025-02-19 09:30:23“This feels like a trap,” Doug muttered, gripping his sword as he walked beside Elijah.
Elijah’s eyes remained fixed ahead. “Maybe it is. We don’t have a choice.”
They moved cautiously through the dense forest, the branches overhead casting jagged shadows under the moonlight. Every step was slow, measured. The rebels were watching them—Elijah could feel it. Hidden eyes, waiting for a reason to strike.
Cassian, just behind them, kept his voice low. “If they don’t want to help, what’s the plan?”
Elijah didn’t hesitate. “Then we make them.”
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The Unstoppable Dragon Marshal 316. A Prisoner’s Defiance
“You look tired, Sophia.” Lando’s voice echoed in the dimly lit chamber where Sophia sat, her hands resting on her lap, her expression blank. She didn’t acknowledge him. She had stopped dignifying his words with a response days ago. Lando sighed and leaned against the cold metal table. “I know you hate me. But you need to understand—I’m the only one keeping you from complete ruin.” Sophia finally turned her gaze to him, her eyes sharp. “I don’t need saving, least of all from you.” Lando let out a dry chuckle. “You’re stubborn. I’ll give you that.” She was more than stubborn. She was determined. Every moment in this facility, she studied her surroundings—the routines of the guards, the placement of surveillance devices, the way The Warden operated. She wasn’t waiting for rescue. She was planning her own escape. The door hissed open, and The Warden entered. His presence was suffocating, commanding, as if the air bent to his will. “Sophia,” he greeted smoothly. “How are you
The Unstoppable Dragon Marshal 317. Fire in the Dark
“Move! We don’t have much time,” Elijah ordered, his voice sharp over the crackling of distant flames. Cassian was right beside him, gripping his weapon. “No resistance so far. That’s not a good sign.” Elijah nodded grimly. The underground facility stretched before them, dimly lit corridors twisting into darkness. They had expected guards, alarms, a fight—but instead, the silence was unnerving. The rebels, moving in disciplined formation, exchanged uneasy glances. Doug tightened his grip on his sword. “Marshal, this feels like a trap.” “I know,” Elijah muttered. “Stay sharp.” They advanced deeper into the facility, their boots echoing off the metal floors. Then, without warning, the lights flickered. A deep, guttural growl echoed through the corridor. Cassian tensed. “What the hell was that?” The answer came in the form of a shadow lunging from the darkness. It wasn’t a man—it was something else. Twisted. Unnatural. The creature’s body was humanoid but grotesquely alte
The Unstoppable Dragon Marshal 318. The Hunt for Answers
“Elijah, you need to see this,” Cassian said, his voice tense. Elijah turned from the dim lantern casting shadows on the stone walls. Cassian held the decrypted data chip, his expression grim. Doug stood nearby, waiting. The flickering light barely reached the edges of the battered war table between them, but the weight of what they had just uncovered made the space feel suffocating. “What did you find?” Elijah asked, stepping closer. Cassian inserted the chip into the old projector, and a series of documents flashed onto the cracked surface of the wall. The text, though worn with age, was clear enough to read. ~Sophia Donald. Subject 09. Genetic Anomaly Detected. Experimentation Status: Approved.Elijah’s jaw tightened. He had expected something like this, but seeing her name in black and white made his stomach churn. “They’ve been monitoring her for years,” Cassian muttered. “Maybe since birth.”Doug exhaled sharply. “Sir, this isn’t just about Sophia. Look here.” He point
The Unstoppable Dragon Marshal 319. Shadows of the Past
“Keep moving,” Elijah ordered, his voice firm. The wind howled through the wasteland, carrying the scent of ash and decay. The land before them stretched endlessly, a graveyard of forgotten battles. Crumbling watchtowers, rusted weapons, and scorched earth told the tale of past wars—wars that had shaped the world they now struggled to survive in. Doug tightened his grip on his weapon as he scanned the ruins. “Sir, this place… it feels wrong.” Cassian nodded. “Too quiet. Someone’s watching.” Elijah didn’t need to be told. He felt it too—the weight of unseen eyes, the tension of an ambush waiting to happen. He glanced at his men, weary but determined. They couldn’t afford to turn back. Night fell fast in the wasteland, wrapping them in thick darkness. They set up camp within the broken remains of a collapsed building, the crumbling walls offering minimal protection from the cold. “Elijah,” Cassian muttered, crouching beside him. “We should set extra watches. If I were The Wa
The Unstoppable Dragon Marshal 320. Sophia’s Chains
“You’re wasting your time,” Sophia said, her voice steady despite the cold metal restraints biting into her wrists. The Warden sat across from her, calm, composed, his piercing eyes studying her like a specimen in a lab. “Am I?” he mused, tilting his head. “I think, in time, you’ll see things differently.” Sophia forced a smirk. “I wouldn’t count on it.” The room around her was stark white, devoid of warmth, devoid of life. A single monitor flickered to the side, filled with images—visions of destruction, cities in flames, people bowing before a figure she barely recognized—herself. The Warden leaned forward. “Look at them, Sophia. This is your destiny. A world free of weak rulers. A world that kneels only to true power.” She turned away. “You call that a future? Looks more like a nightmare.” He sighed, as if disappointed. “You resist because you’re afraid. Afraid of what you could be.” Sophia glared at him. “No, I resist because I have a choice.” The Warden’s lips twi
The Unstoppable Dragon Marshal 321. The Ruins of Truth
“There it is,” Cassian muttered, lowering his scope. “Or at least, what’s left of it.” Elijah stood at the edge of the cliff, gazing down at the ruins below. The lost research facility lay in shambles, half-buried under rubble, its structure barely holding together. Wind howled through the broken metal beams, carrying the scent of dust and decay. Doug stepped forward, his expression tense. “Doesn’t look like anyone’s been here for years, Sir.” “That’s what worries me,” Elijah said, his eyes narrowing. “If The Warden didn’t bother to salvage this place, then either it’s worthless… or it’s too dangerous.” Cassian adjusted his gloves. “Either way, we need to get inside.” The descent was rough, loose debris making every step a potential hazard. When they reached the entrance, they found their first obstacle—massive steel doors, rusted but still intact. A faint red light flickered on the control panel beside them. “Security’s still active,” Doug noted. Elijah glanced at Cassi
The Unstoppable Dragon Marshal 322. Breaking Point
“Do you see it now, Sophia?” The Warden’s voice was calm, almost soothing. “This is who you are meant to be.” Sophia gasped, her body trembling. The air around her pulsed with raw energy, crackling like a storm barely contained. The sterile white chamber seemed to shift, bending under the sheer force radiating from her. “No,” she whispered, shaking her head. “This… isn’t me.” The Warden watched her with a knowing smile. “But it is.” Sophia’s breaths came shallow and fast. Moments ago, she had been strapped to a machine, her mind forced into visions—visions of fire, destruction, and a power beyond her control. She had seen herself standing atop a ruined city, people kneeling before her in fear. Her hands curled into fists. “You forced this,” she spat. “You’re making me see what you want.” The Warden folded his hands behind his back. “I only unlocked what was already inside you.” Sophia wanted to deny it. To scream that he was wrong. But the lingering heat in her veins, th
The Unstoppable Dragon Marshal 323. The Chase Begins
“She’s gone.” The soldier stood stiffly, his breath shallow, waiting for The Warden’s reaction. The silence stretched between them, heavy and suffocating. But instead of rage, The Warden merely smiled. His eyes, sharp and knowing, gleamed under the dim light. “Let her run,” he said, his voice smooth, almost amused. The soldier hesitated. “Sir, should we—” The Warden’s gaze flicked to him, freezing him in place. “She thinks she’s free,” he murmured, turning toward the massive map stretched across the wall. “But freedom is an illusion. She will learn that soon enough.” ...Sophia ran. Branches slashed at her arms, her legs ached, and every breath was a fight. But she didn’t stop. She couldn’t. The cold night air burned her lungs, but it was nothing compared to the fear clawing at her chest. She had heard them. The hunters. They were coming. The eerie silence of the forest was the worst part. No birds. No rustling leaves. Just the whisper of the wind and her own rag
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329. Into the Storm
“This is madness,” Lando muttered, tightening his cloak against the bitter wind. “A frozen death trap waiting to swallow us whole.” “No other way,” Elijah said, his voice firm as he led the group through the narrow path. The wind howled through the ravine, a brutal force against their already exhausted bodies. Doug kept pace beside him, eyes scanning the ridges above. “Marshal, we’re exposed here. Too easy to ambush.” Elijah knew he was right. The walls of ice loomed over them like towering prison bars, offering no cover. Every step forward felt like an invitation for an attack. Sophia shivered, pulling her arms tightly around herself. The cold was relentless, seeping through her bones. Her body still ached from the last fight, her mind even more so. She could feel the power inside her, restless and hungry. Cassian trailed behind, checking their back. “No movement yet. But it’s too quiet.” “Always is,” Lando said grimly. “Right before the knife sinks in.” The wind picked
328. The Hunt Never Ends
“We need to keep moving,” Elijah said firmly, scanning the horizon. The cold night stretched endlessly before them, the distant howling of wolves blending with the wind. Doug adjusted his rifle and nodded. “Yes, Marshal. But they’re gaining on us. We can’t keep running forever.” Sophia, leaning against a rock for support, tried to steady her breathing. The escape had drained her. The battle had taken more than just her strength—it had carved something dark inside her, something she wasn’t sure she could control. Lando let out a dry chuckle. “Oh, we could keep running. But it won’t matter. The Warden isn’t hunting us.” He tilted his head toward Sophia. “He’s hunting her.” Elijah’s eyes darkened, but he didn’t take the bait. “And yet, here you are, running with us.” Lando smirked. “Self-preservation. The Warden isn’t the forgiving type.” Doug shot him a glare but stayed silent. The tension was thick, but they had bigger problems. Their pursuers weren’t far. Cassian returne
327. No Way Back
“They’re everywhere!” Doug shouted, firing off a round as he ducked behind a broken tree. Elijah gritted his teeth, his sword slicing through one of the Warden’s men. The ambush had been fast—too fast. They had barely taken a breath before the enemy forces had surrounded them, cutting off every possible escape route. Sophia moved beside him, her breathing heavy. For the first time since her capture, she was fighting at his side. Her hands trembled, energy crackling at her fingertips. It felt different now—stronger, wilder. “I can stop this,” she murmured. Elijah blocked a strike, shoving an attacker back with sheer force. “Not like that,” he snapped. She met his gaze, frustration and fear warring inside her. “If I don’t, we’ll die.” Lando’s voice cut through the chaos. “She’s right.” He crouched beside Cassian, both of them covering Doug’s flank. “The only way out of this is a full-scale wipeout. And she’s the only one who can do it.” Elijah’s jaw tightened. “Absolutely
326. Reunion in the Dark
“She’s here!” Doug’s voice cut through the silence, his breath visible in the cold night air. Elijah rushed forward, his boots crunching against the ice-covered ground. The dim moonlight barely illuminated the small clearing where Sophia lay motionless in the snow. She was barely breathing. His heart clenched. He had imagined this moment over and over—the moment he’d finally find her. But not like this. Not pale and broken, her clothes torn, her body trembling. Elijah dropped to his knees beside her, his gloved hand brushing her cheek. “Sophia.” His voice was low, urgent. “Wake up.” A flicker of movement—her eyelids fluttered open. Her golden-brown eyes locked onto his, but something was different. There was a strange glow beneath their depths, something unnatural. “Elijah…” Her voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper. “I’m here,” he murmured, his grip tightening around her freezing hand. “You’re safe now.” Behind him, Cassian shifted uneasily. “Marshal… we need to be c
325. Blood in the Snow
“I won’t die here.”Sophia muttered the words through gritted teeth, pushing forward through the biting wind. Snow whipped against her face, the freezing air seeping into her bones. Her legs felt like lead, her breath came in ragged gasps, but she couldn’t stop. Stopping meant death.Her body ached, every step a battle. She had lost count of how many hours she had been running, how many times she had stumbled through the endless white expanse. The world around her was eerily silent, save for the distant howling of the wind.And the hunters were getting closer.She could feel them. Even without seeing them, she knew they were near. The Warden’s creations—twisted monsters with enhanced speed, strength, and senses far beyond human capabilities. They had been bred for one purpose: to track and kill.And right now, they were tracking her.A branch snapped somewhere behind her.Sophia spun, her breath catching in her throat.Nothing.Just the trees, standing tall and lifeless, their blacken
324. Unlikely Allies
“Elijah Norton.” Elijah barely looked up as Lando strode into the dimly lit war room. His hands tightened into fists at the sound of the man’s voice, but he remained still, his expression unreadable. The tension in the air was suffocating. Doug stepped forward, his voice rigid with contempt. “You’ve got some nerve showing your face here, Yale.” Lando smirked, completely unfazed. He moved with an air of confidence, like he belonged—like he hadn’t been one of the reasons Sophia had been taken in the first place. “I could say the same to you, Commander,” Lando replied smoothly, then turned his gaze back to Elijah. “I assume you know why I’m here.” Elijah’s eyes darkened. “That depends. Are you here to waste my time, or do you actually have something useful to say?” Lando chuckled, but there was no humor in it. “Straight to the point, as always.” He folded his arms, leaning slightly against the table. “Sophia has escaped.” Silence. Elijah’s fingers twitched, but his expres
323. The Chase Begins
“She’s gone.” The soldier stood stiffly, his breath shallow, waiting for The Warden’s reaction. The silence stretched between them, heavy and suffocating. But instead of rage, The Warden merely smiled. His eyes, sharp and knowing, gleamed under the dim light. “Let her run,” he said, his voice smooth, almost amused. The soldier hesitated. “Sir, should we—” The Warden’s gaze flicked to him, freezing him in place. “She thinks she’s free,” he murmured, turning toward the massive map stretched across the wall. “But freedom is an illusion. She will learn that soon enough.” ...Sophia ran. Branches slashed at her arms, her legs ached, and every breath was a fight. But she didn’t stop. She couldn’t. The cold night air burned her lungs, but it was nothing compared to the fear clawing at her chest. She had heard them. The hunters. They were coming. The eerie silence of the forest was the worst part. No birds. No rustling leaves. Just the whisper of the wind and her own rag
322. Breaking Point
“Do you see it now, Sophia?” The Warden’s voice was calm, almost soothing. “This is who you are meant to be.” Sophia gasped, her body trembling. The air around her pulsed with raw energy, crackling like a storm barely contained. The sterile white chamber seemed to shift, bending under the sheer force radiating from her. “No,” she whispered, shaking her head. “This… isn’t me.” The Warden watched her with a knowing smile. “But it is.” Sophia’s breaths came shallow and fast. Moments ago, she had been strapped to a machine, her mind forced into visions—visions of fire, destruction, and a power beyond her control. She had seen herself standing atop a ruined city, people kneeling before her in fear. Her hands curled into fists. “You forced this,” she spat. “You’re making me see what you want.” The Warden folded his hands behind his back. “I only unlocked what was already inside you.” Sophia wanted to deny it. To scream that he was wrong. But the lingering heat in her veins, th
321. The Ruins of Truth
“There it is,” Cassian muttered, lowering his scope. “Or at least, what’s left of it.” Elijah stood at the edge of the cliff, gazing down at the ruins below. The lost research facility lay in shambles, half-buried under rubble, its structure barely holding together. Wind howled through the broken metal beams, carrying the scent of dust and decay. Doug stepped forward, his expression tense. “Doesn’t look like anyone’s been here for years, Sir.” “That’s what worries me,” Elijah said, his eyes narrowing. “If The Warden didn’t bother to salvage this place, then either it’s worthless… or it’s too dangerous.” Cassian adjusted his gloves. “Either way, we need to get inside.” The descent was rough, loose debris making every step a potential hazard. When they reached the entrance, they found their first obstacle—massive steel doors, rusted but still intact. A faint red light flickered on the control panel beside them. “Security’s still active,” Doug noted. Elijah glanced at Cassi
