Sanctuary: Safe Haven

The atmosphere in Fernwood grew heavy with anticipation as multiple forces converged upon the small village. The king's elite soldiers moved with precision, their presence unnoticed by the villagers, their eyes scanning the streets for any sign of their target.

Simultaneously, the Veiled Order's operatives blended into the shadows, their movements swift and silent. They communicated through discreet signals, coordinating their efforts to trap Canna and Kael.

Inside the Adventurer's Guild, Canna and Kael were finalizing the paperwork for Canna's ID. The guild master, an elderly man with a kind demeanor, handed Canna the completed card. "Welcome to the guild, Canna. This ID will serve you well in your travels. If you need any assistance, don't hesitate to ask."

Canna thanked the guild master, slipping the card into his pocket. He turned to Kael, a sense of accomplishment evident on his face. "I guess we're officially part of the world now."

Kael smiled, clapping Canna on the shoulder. "Let's find a place to rest and plan our next move. We still have a lot to do."

Canna and Kael were about to step out of the guild, unaware of the forces lying in wait. As Canna put his hand on the guild's door, he froze, his eyes turning serious as he looked at Kael. "Something's wrong."

Kael, noticing the seriousness in Canna's eyes, immediately went on alert. "What is it? Enemies?"

Without another word, Canna grabbed Kael's wrist and dragged him to a secluded corner of the guild. "We have to go back to the domain now."

Canna opened a portal, and the duo quickly stepped through, narrowly escaping the trap set for them.

When Canna and Kael arrived back in the domain, they saw Grimruk flying—or rather, falling. Canna quickly used wind magic to soften the impact. When Grimruk landed, it was clear he was injured. Grimruk's arms were shaking as he pointed toward the cave where Stormbringer was.

Canna could feel through their bond that Stormy was hungry. Being a baby dragon, the scent of so many groundhogs had likely riled him up, leading to Grimruk's injuries.

"Mortem, heal him. Vorgrim, get those rowdy male groundhogs that always fight. They'll be Stormy's breakfast."

"Yes, master."

"Understood, my liege."

With his orders given, Canna turned to face Stormy. Even with their bond, there was one issue with dragons, especially one as young as Stormy—their instincts. Right now, Stormy was madly hungry, and Canna's job was to suppress him for just a few minutes until Vorgrim returned.

"Stormy, it's me. Don't—" Canna's words were cut short as Stormbringer fired a concentrated lightning breath attack. With no time to dodge, Canna countered with his own lightning breath.

The two breaths collided, appearing evenly matched for a moment. However, Stormbringer's breath began to overpower Canna's. Canna stopped his attack and used the moment to create distance.

Stormbringer roared, his eyes blazing with hunger and rage. He charged at Canna, the ground trembling beneath his powerful strides. Canna swiftly cast a wind barrier to deflect the dragon's attack, but the force of Stormy's strike shattered the barrier, sending Canna sprawling.

Rolling to his feet, Canna summoned a series of water spikes to slow Stormy's advance. The young dragon smashed through them with ease, his primal instincts driving him forward. Canna knew he had to change tactics. Summoning a powerful gust of wind, he aimed to knock Stormy off balance. The dragon staggered but quickly regained his footing, launching another lightning breath.

Canna barely had time to cast a shield, the lightning crackling around him as he struggled to hold the barrier. The intense energy of the attack pushed him to his limits, sweat pouring down his face. Just as the barrier began to falter, Vorgrim arrived with the groundhogs.

"Here!" Vorgrim shouted, throwing the groundhogs toward Stormy. The scent of fresh prey immediately caught the dragon's attention. His hunger took over, and he pounced on the groundhogs, devouring them with ferocity.

Breathing heavily, Canna watched as Stormy ate. The battle had only lasted a few minutes, but it had felt like an eternity. He knew that raising a dragon would be challenging, but moments like this reminded him just how high the stakes were.

"Thank you, Vorgrim," Canna said, his voice strained. "Mortem, how is Grimruk?"

"He will recover," Mortem replied, his hands glowing with healing magic as he tended to Grimruk's wounds. "But he will need rest."

Canna nodded, turning his attention back to Stormy. The young dragon, now half-sated, looked up at Canna with a mix of curiosity and affection. Canna approached cautiously, extending a hand.

"It's okay, Stormy," he said softly. "I know you're hungry, so eat up a lot"Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Stormy sniffed Canna's hand before nudging it with his snout. The bond between them was strong, but Canna knew they had a long way to go. He gently patted the dragon's head, feeling the warmth of his scales.

"Go on, there's still more from where that came from" With that Stormbringer quickly devoured the groundhogs, as he was eating Canna went near Grimruk.

The black orc was injured to such an extent, Grimruk was a strong great-calamity yet it only took Stormy not even less than 2 minutes to mess Grimruk up this bad.

He then looked at Kael and spoke, "Let's spend a few more days here in the domain, Stormy is awake after all. Let's continue again with our journey after a couple of days."

Kael nodded, after seeing that small exchange of Canna and Stormbringer he knew that without Canna here Grimruk would have been dead.

Canna spent the next few days ensuring Stormbringer's needs were met.

_____

Meanwhile, the forces lying in wait outside the Adventurer's Guild remained vigilant, their eyes never leaving the entrance. Hours turned into days, and the anticipation turned into frustration. The king's elite soldiers, trained for patience and precision, grew restless. They had expected a quick and decisive capture, but the prolonged waiting tested their resolve.

In a darkened alleyway, hidden from view, the Veiled Order's operatives communicated in hushed tones. "It's been too long," one of them whispered, his eyes scanning the deserted streets. "They should have emerged by now."

Another operative, cloaked in shadow, nodded in agreement. "Something must have happened. We need to inform the elders. This delay is suspicious."

As the sun set on the second day, the soldiers and operatives began to suspect that Canna and Kael had somehow evaded them. Their initial confidence wavered, and doubts crept in. Had they missed a crucial detail? Were their targets even still in the village?

General Alaric, observing from a distance, clenched his fists in frustration. His elite team had been reduced to mere sentinels, waiting for a ghost. The villagers, oblivious to the tension, went about their lives, further highlighting the absurdity of the situation.

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By the third day, the mood among the waiting forces had shifted from anticipation to desperation. Whispers of retreat and failure circulated among the ranks. The king's soldiers exchanged weary glances, while the Veiled Order's operatives contemplated their next move.

Despite the growing frustration, none dared to abandon their posts. The fear of failure and the consequences of letting Canna slip away kept them rooted in place. But as the hours dragged on, the realization dawned on them all—they had been outmaneuvered.

Canna and Kael were long gone, leaving behind only a trail of uncertainty and missed opportunity.

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