Although the cavern had fallen silent, there was the tension knowing that something was hiding in the depths of darkness, just beyond the waters. Oliver knew that whatever the creature was, it would not come down the cave to his men. The path was practically untouched, evident that nothing had passed through for a long time. 

But the beast must be an apex predator because no other animal would dare enter the cave because of its looming presence. 

Still wrapped in Draco's arms in the water, Oliver nuzzled against him. "We should head back."

Draco groaned. "Do we have to?"

"I'm sure my men heard that creature and you. They should be on their way here."

On cue, the sound of hurried footsteps reached their ears.

"We're fine," Oliver called out before they turned the corner and entered the cavern. He heard their steps falter. "Go back, and we'll meet you shortly."

"Boss, are you sure?" A soldier asked.

"I'm sure. Go back."

They waited until the footsteps receded, and they exited the pool. Suddenly, Oliver paled. "Do you think they heard?"

Draco chuckled and leaned down, grazing his lips against Oliver's ear. "A little late to worry about that now."

Oliver tried to pull away to gather his clothes, now acutely aware of his nakedness. But Draco pulled him close, refusing to allow him to escape. "Don't worry, my Ghost. You were frustratingly modest with your sounds."

"Frustrating?" Oliver whispered his question.

Draco smirked. "When I have you alone, I'll make sure you don't hold back."

Oliver flushed and pushed him away. "Shameless dragon," he murmured as he gathered his clothes.

"Says the shameless ghost who lured me into the water in the first place." Draco quipped back, drawing a chuckle from Oliver. 

They dressed leisurely, stealing glances at each other. When Oliver was dressed, Draco took his cape off the ground and wrapped it around his shoulders. 

He adjusted it and then cupped Oliver's cheeks. His amusement had turned to pure concern. "Be honest with me. Are you alright?"

Oliver smiled warmly. "I'm more than alright. You're quite the attentive lover."

Draco's eyes widened, and he started to stammer. "Not that... I mean, I'm glad.. but not that." He rubbed his eyes and whispered a curse. "I wanted to make sure I didn't frighten you."

Draco seemed ashamed of almost shifting. But Oliver was unperturbed. He kissed Draco's lips lightly. "You are the last thing that will frighten me. That includes the dragon that is a part of you."

Draco's eyes warmed, and he fiercely kissed Oliver back.

When sated, they walked back to the group, their fingers intertwined. 

The soldiers were about to ask about the roars they heard but paused when they saw how Oliver and Draco were holding hands.  

"Gods be damned," Ian groaned.

Oliver raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"I owe Sarah some coin," Ian said bitterly. The other soldier grumbled alongside him. 

"Why?" Oliver asked with pursed lips.

"She's the only one who betted that you two were already together. If you waited a damn week, I would have won the pot."

"You were betting on our relationship?"

Ian coughed and walked to the entrance of the cave without answering. Every other soldier shifted and avoided eye contact.

Oliver rubbed his temples and gave Draco a helpless look. He chose to change the subject. "Whatever we heard most likely won't come this way. This cave has not been used for many years, so it probably cannot travel here. Everyone should rest for the night."

"What do you think it was?" A soldier asked. 

"It didn't sound like a Wraith, bear, or wolf," Oliver said quietly. He turned towards Draco. "Do you think it may have been a drake?"

Draco gripped his spear. "Possibly. Or a serpent of some sort."

Oliver looked out of the cave and saw it was still dark. Everyone set up around the campfire except for Oliver, who remained closer to where the cave bent.

Draco sat down next to him and stifled a yawn. Oliver took his hand and pulled Draco over so he could lean on Oliver's shoulder. 

"Sleep a little." He urged.

"Promise me that you will let me take the next watch." He said in a heavy voice.

Oliver gave a quiet mhmm, letting Draco close his eyes. 

He figured Draco had used too much energy between his magic against the Wraiths and his close transformation. He flushed and had to contribute some of his exhaustion to their activities in the pool.

This was a new venture for him. One that scared him as much as it excited him. Still, if the pain he suffered were payment to be with Draco in this life, he wouldn't hesitate to pay the fee tenfold. 

He smiled as he gazed at the sleeping man next to him. 

When the sun rose the following day, they found that the fog had lifted.  The Wraiths would not attack when they could not hide. Oliver announced that he wished to explore the cave some more. They argued but reluctantly agreed when Draco assured them that he would 

To be safe, they cleared the traces of their camp and parted ways.  Oliver and Draco stood in the darkness alone; the ambiguity from before had disappeared as they set their minds to focus on the task at hand. There was a creature within these caves, and it could be a disaster if they let it be.

Ian had given him a luminous stone, which now created a dim glow that danced off the cave's walls. However, matter how far they explored, they found no trace of a monster or beast. Was this truly an undiscovered route?

They lost track of when it was day or night; however, it did not deter them.  When they were tired, they rested. Oliver would take first watch, while Draco would relieve him later. They never slept at the same time. 

As the days bled on, Oliver and Draco found that the air in the cave started to change. They both recognized magic dancing with oxygen, but it was somewhat ominous. 

Their steps had become lighter, and they blended with the darkness until it was nearly impossible to detect them.  However, Oliver's feet faltered when he saw a pale light seeping through a crack in the walls. They cautiously looked through the opening.  

Oliver held back a gasp as he found they were overlooking a large cavern lit up with numerous luminous stones.  Their tunnel was at a higher level than the cavern floor, allowing them to observe the layout from above.

Many makeshift homes were built on one side of the cavern, and a large altar was erected on the other side with a large curtain covering the entire all. On it was a painted sigil of a bear wearing a crown.

Ravagers.

This was their base—or one of their bases. And their population was not as scarce as he had assumed. An army of Ravagers was training in combat in the middle; half with weapons, and the other half was practicing various elemental magic.

Magic was stirring in the hands of Ravagers, and they were close to becoming a full fledge army that could threaten a kingdom. 

This cavern alone could hold tens of thousands of men, and it was unknown how many more were hidden inside the Asksno Peaks. Oliver's mind was racing because in all his years commanding on the battlefield, the only magic he encountered was Holy Magic, primarily used for shields and healing.  He had never devised a plan to combat magic before, but this didn't mean he wouldn't now.

Both Oliver and Draco didn't need to communicate.  They were counting the forces below, their weapons, and supplies.  They calculated how many years it would take for them to grow into a force of destruction, and it wasn't a good outcome. Oliver suddenly realized why Rucrea was destroyed so easily.  Not only were their forces depleted because they were fighting the war against Bierze, but in this age, no one had the power to create a magical defense. 

Oliver's heart beat wildly as he felt the magic run amok, and his eyes landed on several palm-sized spheres on the ground next to the magic users.  He observed how the spheres would dim every time magic was used.  He sucked in a cold breath and realized that this army's magical power was siphoning magic from these spheres. His eyes did not leave the magic users, and watched how the magic moved through their bodies until an element was generated. He strained his ears to listen to the Ravagers instructing the magic users, trying to understand the concept of magic.

The Ravagers stopped their actions when horns blared, and a figure walked up to the altar with slow and heavy steps.  No other sound was made when the man stood on the altar.  He raised his hands, and every single Ravager fell to their knees. 

Oliver shook, and his eyes strained toward the man's hands. That's when he saw it. That tattoo on the back of his hand. This was the bastard who plotted the wars for a wish—the person who ordered him to die. 

The Ravager King. 

"My people, you have suffered..." The Ravager King said.  Oliver suppressed a shiver as he heard the familiar voice: metallic and bone-chilling.

Oliver clenched his jaw and started pulling at his sword's handles.  His aura was chaotic and full of bloodlust. His mind flashed through his memories of his imprisonment in the tower before his death.  

"You've endured longer than I ever expected, Son of Kardos."

"We have waited centuries to rise from the darkness and reclaim what is ours." The king said with deep seeded anger interlaced with his voice.  The kneeling army hit their hands on the ground creating a uniform bang.

"Our ancient enemies have disrupted our plans, but it was only a setback.  Soon the Swords of Moonlight and the dragons will fall."

"The dragons are extinguished, and the Kardos clan will meet its end... soon, I will be able to rise."

More cheers reverberated off the cavern's walls.

"All is within my grasp." He held up his first. "Soon, the magic will be unsealed and unleashed to the world.  We will rise from the dark caves of the continent and consume the surface!"

"When all obstacles are cleared, I will take over the Bierze kingdom, and my people will be able to live on the surface again."

"Our plans began because of a prophecy ages ago and were derailed by the sealing of our powers.  But our great elders have found hope. Nearly a year ago, the magic of the world fluctuated. After their tiresome investigations, they have concluded that a dragon heart has entered a mortal man's chest. When we find the person who received such a priceless gift, we will take his heart, and our magic will be greatly replenished."

The walls shook with the cries and cheers of the men below as they punched the ground enthusiastically, but Oliver felt none of it. His hand had fallen from his swords to his chest as he paled. He feared that he would die at the hands of the Ravager King again.

"Die in the manner I wish, and I will support a peaceful era on the continent."

"Even if it takes us decades, we are patient. We have waited and trained for generations, and it will be this generation to emerge and scorch the earth. We will have our wish, and then we will have our fill!"

Wish?  Did they still seek the Anima Wish?

Oliver backed away from the crack and the cheers, and his hands curled around the necklace hanging from his neck.  

These Ravagers seemed to mock him. 

He didn't realize that Draco had knelt before him until Draco's hands rested on his shoulders. "They will never touch you. I won't let them." Draco's voice rumbled with a growl.

He lifted Oliver's pale face and kissed his forehead. "Remember, you are mine.  Although you are strong, I will always protect you."

Oliver nodded stiffly. The world was changing, and he felt he could no longer determine what would happen next.  He had made different choices in this life, which had altered so much.  But at the same time, he believed he was gaining more information on the destruction of the kingdoms... and it stems from the Ravagers and their ancestors, who are fighting to unseal their powers.

The history of the Eternal Wars echoed in his mind.

"Kirith," Oliver murmured. "Gods... the Ravagers are the remnants of the Kirith empire."

Draco was frozen when he heard this. "So they escaped into the caves like rats." He said after a while with a hostile voice. He took a deep breath. "Oli, we need to go and inform the other kingdoms.  We can either go back the way we came or go further and hope that it connects to Rucrea."

"Further... Bierze will not help with this ordeal."

Draco held his hand and pulled him to his feet. "Then we move quickly."

They ran through the cave that was becoming narrow.  Because the cracks in the walls were more frequent, they put away the luminous stone to avoid being seen from the cavern below. 

They ran past a particularly large crack in the wall when a terrible roar made them stumble.  They stopped and hesitantly looked through the gap.  They found themselves on the other side of the cavern, but this time they were positioned behind the curtain. 

Below them was a large dragon-like creature with two legs and wings.  However, its wings were torn to shreds, and the beast was chained to the ground so tightly that it could only move its head. Its eyes were dull and grey, revealing that it had been trapped in darkness for far too long.

Around it was countless spheres like Oliver had seen before near the magicians.  

Draco shook beside him. "Wyvern... one of the last magical creatures of the land and skies."

"What are they doing to it?"

"Stealing her magic so they can use it for themselves... such a horrible and slow death." He clenched his jaw.

The wyvern turned slightly, and her blinded gaze seemed to pierce through the crack.  A miserable whine echoed and stirred their hearts.

The look she gave Oliver resonated with him.  He knew that look because he had given that same look to Draco when he asked him to kill him.  He sighed heavily and knew that he could not leave the wyvern to suffer. 

Draco seemed to have the same idea and made a move to climb through the crack but cursed when his shoulders were caught. Oliver pulled him back, knowing his slimmer build would be able to fit. With some effort, he was about to squeeze through, but he was still high above the wyvern.  Oliver steadied himself and slowly climbed down the wall using rocks and crevices as footholds.

He could feel Draco's concern from above and the wyvern's desperation behind him.  Once he reached the floor, he looked around cautiously and made his way to the front of the wyvern to face her.

The wyvern purred as she lowered her head and pressed her nose against Oliver's chest.  He reached up and gently caressed her face.  

"Are you sure this is what you want?" He whispered.

She raised her head and exposed her long throat and chest, making Oliver want to cry out.  The scales that were supposed to protect her heart were ripped off, revealing her bloody flesh.  He could even see how her chest pulsed with each heartbeat. 

He suddenly felt the pain and the weight of his request in his previous life.  It is heart-wrenching to be the executioner.  

Even if they could break her chains, they would have to face the Ravager army.  The wyvern lost her sight alongside her ability to fly because of her torn wings. She could not survive on the outside.  She was probably taken as a hatchling and raised in chains behind the curtain.  She was siphoned of her magic and suffered with every breath she took.

Oliver wanted to choose how he was to die, which is why he made such a selfish request in his previous life.  This wyvern was asking him for the same thing... and they both knew that his sword was merciful compared to her current fate. 

Oliver pulled out his blade slowly with deep and even breaths.  

"I'm sorry." He said softly and launched towards her, his sword piercing through the exposed flesh and plunging into her heart. 

He pulled out the sword, quickly wiped it clean of blood, and sheathed it.  He stepped away, avoiding the hot blood that coated the floor.  The wyvern lowered her head again, her eyes half closed and pressed her nose against Oliver's chest again.  The spheres around her flickered and became dark.  The magic swarmed around the wyvern and then rushed into Oliver.  

Oliver trembled as he felt the intense magic pour inside him, and his vision blurred.  Oliver woke himself from his dazed state when she slumped to the ground. He ran his hands over her scales, trying to show her a sliver of kindness so that she knew she was not alone when she breathed her last. 

Oliver numbly stepped back when she no longer stirred. His muddled state was replaced with rage.  He hated the people who did this.  With a trembling exhale, he ran towards the wall, avoiding any blood, and started to climb. 

He found it harder to climb up than down, especially with his blood boiling from the magic the wyvern gave him. He heard a clammer from the other side of the curtain and started to move faster.  He felt his hands cut open from the rocks but continued onward without releasing a sound.  He heard the voices become louder, he made the mistake of looking over his shoulder, and his hands slipped. His breath caught in his throat as gravity started to shift. 

Before he could fall, a hand shot out from the crack and grabbed his arm.  He was pulled upwards and through the gap just before the curtain was pulled aside.

Draco held him tightly in his arms. "Are you okay?" He asked with a little panic setting in.

Oliver nodded. "We need to run."

Draco pulled him to his feet and took off through the cave. Oliver felt the magic pulsing through him the entire time.  It was overbearing and threatening to become chaotic and rip through his flesh. It blurred his vision, so he let Draco lead him through the darkness.

The unknown lay ahead while the drums and cries of the Ravagers echoed behind them.