Zain and Raina swiftly caught up to the guards chasing Draig, their bodies propelled through the air by Raina's flight magic. The rush of wind and the blur of the landscape below only intensified their urgency. Upon landing, the guards dismounted and bowed deeply, their expressions a mixture of relief and anxiety.

  "Where is Draig?" Zain demanded, his voice edged with concern.

  One of the guards, a young man with a tense jaw and wide eyes, stepped forward. "Young master, you were still inside the hall when Draig came out alone. We tried to speak to him, but he didn't respond. He just started sprinting towards the gate of the stronghold. Once he exited, he transformed into a black dragon and flew towards what the gnomes call the cursed land. We have been pursuing him ever since." he explained, his voice trembling slightly.

  The guards were visibly nervous, shifting uneasily from foot to foot. They had never seen a dragon before, and the thought of Duke Izark's wrath if anything happened to Draig weighed heavily on them. Before they could stammer out any pleas for forgiveness, Raina intervened, her tone brisk and authoritative.

  "All of you should go back. Return to the gnome's stronghold and wait for us there. The other team has left for the Dukedom and will be coming with backup. Hopefully, we will return safely, but if we don't, tell Duke Izark one thing: say that 'there is a Nova.' He will know what to do."

  Her words sent a ripple of fear through the guards. 'Nova' was not a term used lightly. It represented the pinnacle of strength, an entity capable of catastrophic power. The implication that they might be facing a Nova was enough to make their blood run cold.

  "Why are you still standing here? Go now!" Raina's command snapped them out of their stupor.

  The guards quickly mounted their horses and headed back to the gnome's stronghold, casting nervous glances over their shoulders.

  After the guards left, Raina cast a protective spell over herself and Zain, and they soared through the air toward the cave system. Her speed was astonishing, and within minutes they arrived at the entrance, the landscape below a patchwork blur of greens and browns.

  At the cave's entrance, they saw Draig standing in his human form, eerily motionless. The sight of him, so still and silent, sent a shiver down Zain's spine.

  "Zain, be careful. He might not be the same person." Raina warned, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. But Zain, driven by concern and affection, ignored her caution and ran straight to Draig, his heart pounding in his chest.

  Since Draig's birth, Zain had been by his side every day. They had grown incredibly close, like brothers forged by time and trust. Zain's sense of responsibility for Draig was profound. The moment he discovered Draig was missing, all thoughts of negotiations and alliances vanished. His sole focus was ensuring Draig's safety.

  When Zain reached Draig, he wrapped his arms around him in a tight hug. "Why did you run away? You could have gotten lost. What if someone attacked you?" Zain scolded, his voice a mix of relief and reprimand. After a barrage of questions, he finally stepped back to let Draig speak.

  "Zain, something is calling me in there." Draig said, his voice filled with a strange mix of fear and fascination.

  Hearing Draig's words, Zain and Raina both sighed in relief. He seemed unaffected by any curse, yet his words puzzled them.

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  "What do you mean, Draig?" Zain asked, his brow furrowed with concern.

  "I don't know. My heart is telling me to go inside these caves. I feel like there's something in there that I need." Draig explained, his eyes reflecting a deep, inexplicable compulsion.

  "Are you sure you want to enter these caves? You know they're not safe." Raina said, her voice tinged with caution.

  "Big sister Raina, I know they're not safe, but I'm strong. You don't need to worry. I'll go alone." Draig replied, his tone steady and resolute.

  "No, you're not going alone. Raina and I will accompany you." Zain insisted firmly.

  "Are you sure, Zain? I have a bad feeling about this. You already know the presence I sensed might be a Nova or something close to that realm." Raina cautioned, her eyes narrowing with concern.

  "Yes, I know, Raina. But you also know Draig needs destruction energy to grow. There's a good chance something in this cave system could help him." Zain countered, his determination unwavering.

  "Yes, but that doesn't mean we should risk our lives." Raina argued. "Wait, what was that?" She paused, her expression suddenly shifting to one of alarm.

  "What happened, Raina?" Zain asked, his heart rate quickening.

  "There's a portal opening in these caves." Raina replied, her voice filled with a mix of shock and dread.

  In the Miraz plane, a portal opening was a significant event. It referred to a passage to another plane, a phenomenon that could be natural or created by invaders. Such events were taken very seriously by the plane's powerhouses.

  A portal opening could signal a large-scale invasion. The Novas of the Miraz plane would usually deal with such situations swiftly to prevent escalation. If the portal led to a lower-level plane, they might expand it for conquest. If it led to a similar-level plane, they would close it to avoid additional wars. Already at war with five primary planes, another conflict would stretch their forces to the breaking point.

  Now that Zain and Raina had found this portal, it was their responsibility to conduct an initial examination and report to the Emperor.

  "Zain, you really know how to find trouble. We have no choice but to go inside." Raina said reluctantly. As an Apex mage, it was her duty to investigate potential portal openings.

  "Let's go! Stay close to me. Most portals are not extremely dangerous, but for someone like you, Zain, who has just started training, it could be fatal." Raina warned both Zain and Draig before they set off to explore the cave system.

  The caves were a labyrinth of twisting passages and shadowy recesses, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and ancient stone. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the sound of their footsteps echoing off the cavern walls. Most of the caves were empty, devoid of any sign of the portal. After what felt like hours of searching, they reached the deepest cave, the one where Rishi and her friends had met their gruesome fate.

  "Zain, I'm sure this is the one." Draig said, his voice a whisper that seemed to linger in the air.

  "Yes, Draig is right. I detected very small time-space fluctuations here." Raina confirmed, her eyes scanning the cavern with a mixture of caution and curiosity.

  "Okay, let's go in. We'll look around and see if there really is a portal." Zain said, his voice steady despite the tension in the air.

  They followed Raina into the cave, their footsteps echoing in the eerie silence. The deeper they went, the more the atmosphere seemed to close in around them, the darkness almost tangible. After a while, they reached the end of the cave.

  "Raina, what do you think?" Zain asked, his voice hushed.

  "There's definitely a portal here. But there's also Abyssal energy, which is concerning." Raina replied, her tone grim.

  "Why is that?" Zain asked, a sense of unease creeping into his voice.

  "Because..." Raina began to explain, her eyes narrowing.

  Portals acted as gateways from one plane to another, emitting the essence of the connected plane. In this case, the portal emitted Abyssal energy, indicating it likely connected to the Abyss plane.

  The Abyss was ruled by demons, infamous for their insanity and power. It was considered the worst plane to go to war with due to its nigh-endless army of demons. The powerhouses of the Abyss, including the Lesser and Greater demon lords, were formidable. The Demon Kings were so powerful that even Novas avoided them.

  If this portal indeed led to the Abyss, it would be a major crisis for the Miraz plane, which was already engaged in multiple wars. Adding the Abyss to the mix would overwhelm their forces.

  "So, do you understand now why this is bad news?" Raina asked, her expression serious.

  "Yes, I understand." Zain replied, the gravity of the situation sinking in.

  They searched the cave for any clues about the portal, but found nothing concrete.

  "Are you two sure there's something here?" Zain asked, frustration edging his voice.

  "Are you doubting me?" Raina retorted, her eyes flashing with irritation.

  "Zain, I'm telling the truth. Something is calling to me." Draig insisted, his eyes wide and earnest.

  "Okay, let's calm down and take a break to clear our minds." Zain suggested, trying to maintain a sense of calm.

  Just as they were about to rest, a voice echoed through the cave, sending chills down their spines.

  "What are you little things doing here?"

  A man, cloaked and covered from head to toe, stood inside a huge crack in the cave wall. His presence was almost spectral, his figure blending into the shadows. His voice was low and resonant, carrying a sense of authority and danger that made the hair on the back of Zain's neck stand up.