I am forever thankful to my readers who's been so patient waiting for my updates.

Here's chapter 32 as a token of my gratitude for those who genuinely like my story.

Enjoy reading!

Chapter 32 - Red Gemstone

Calling this place a hell hole is definitely an understatement. Aside from the hot temperature inside this cave, guards keeps on appearing like devil spawns. To make matters worst, their Lucifer, aka Corvus, sets the alarm on, making everybody inside aware of our escape.

They keeps on swarming like ants but Axel, together with Marshall, manages to downplay the amount of people who are after us by using their sheer force.

Martial Arts comes in handy in this kind of situations. Maybe that's why Al keeps on telling me to take those extra lessons whenever he visits us in the palace.

Blag...

One man was down after Marshall gave him a jab on his stomach.

"Step aside!" I heard somebody shouted. I turned and saw a tall burly man came into view. He's holding an axe that is larger than his body. 

Can he even swing that thing?

The moment those words quickly pops on my mind, Axel, in a lightling flash, landed a punch on his face.

Ouch.

Stunned, the man lose his balance and accidentally release his hold on the axe cutting his arm in the process.

Double ouch.

I cringed at the sight. The man cried in agony and Axel didn't even bat an eye before delivering his kick, making the man lie unconcious and bloody to the ground.

I froze and stared at the bloody mess. The pile of unconscious people keeps on increasing as the two continue to deliver their blows.

This is not what I want. I told myself internally.

Busy with my own thoughts, I didn't noticed a man was about to shoot me with his gun until Axel pulled me into his arms.

"Woman! Don't just stand there!" Axel shouted. Anger is evident on his face.

The bullet barely missed my left shoulder. If I'm wearing a long sleeve shirt, I'm sure that I have to say good bye to that clothing.

Before the man even manages to pull another trigger towards me, Marshall appeared behind him with his hand dangerously wrapping his neck.

I didn't saw what happened next, because the next thing I knew, Axel covers my eye with his big callous hand, but I didn't missed the cracking sound that echoed. I didn't need to see to know what happened because I only need to put two and two together.

"If you can't take it anymore, don't watch," Axel suddenly whispered in my ear. It's barely audible, but I heard it loud and clear. Then he spin me around before removing his hand from my eyes and clasps his hand over my wrist.

"Let's go," he said before he starts dragging me with him.

I didn't protest. I let him lead the way not because I'm shaken by the scene that unfold in front of me earlier, but because some wayward thoughts starts swriling in my head.

Is he, by any chance, worried about me?

I just shook my head in denial. Get a grip Tasha. That will never happen. It's not part of his personality to do charity. Everything he does comes with a motive.

"Where are we going?" I suddenly asked trying to stray my unwelcomed thoughts.

"Out," I heard Marshall answered on my side.

"We need to get the stone first," Axel spat.

Of course, that answers my unspoken question.

Yes. All he ever cares about are his stones.

I turn my head towards Marshall and caught him looking at me with an expression that I can't fanthom but quickly mask it with a frown as he shifted his gaze towards Axel.

"If you want the stone very badly, you can take it all you want, just don't drag her into this," he said with annoyance.

"As much as I don't want to involve her because she's a hindrance to my plans, I cannot..." He said ticking me off but I decided that it's for the best just to keep my mouth shut. I just stared and waited for him to finish his statement, but the last part completely caught me off guard. "-I can't let her go this time because, past or present, she's the center of it all."

"What do you mean by that? Aren't you the one who drag me into this?" I shove Axel's hand that is currently holding my wrist and stopped running.

"Now is not the t-" He started but I completely cutted him off.

"Answer me!" I shouted fiercely.

Just by looking at Axel, I know he's really pissed, but I'm not backing down. I need to know! I'm done being left alone in the dark.

"Hanapin niyo sila! Di pa sila nakakalabas dito sa kweba! (Find them! They're still inside this cave!)" I heard somebody shouted, but what caught our attention is the proximity of the sound. It's not very far from where we are standing.

I may not understand it, but I know that it's a signal that we should go...and fast!

I sighed in frustration.

"We shouldn't stand idly on this area." I heard Marshall said before turning his body in one of the passageways. "This way."

I shot Axel a pointed look, "This is not over," I told him before following Marshall.

After series of turns, we ended up standing in front of a big metallic door. Our experience a couple of hours ago flashed inside my head, making my face paled.

What if he's going to lock us up again, but this time we cannot escape?

I shook my head by the absurdity of my own statement.

No! Why would he do that? We wouldn't be out of the dungeon if it wasn't for his help.

I look up to the door once again and eyed it with curiosity.

There's something inside this door that made me anxious.

I tried to touch the metallic walls but Marshall caught my hand on a vice grip before I come in contact with it.

"Don't touch it or you'll burn your hand," he said before letting go and approached a small glass box at the side of the iron door. He stick his hand to the glass and it was then followed by several clicking sounds before it finally opened.

As the door slowly reveals a dark path, a hot air pressure greeted us.

Hot.

One word that can describe what I felt the moment the air hits my skin.

"Come," he urged before taking a step inside. One by one, the lights on the side lits up, revealing a staircase going downwards.

I stared at him with an expression of confusion and bordeline to mortification. "Are we really going down there?" I asked. Hesitating whether to follow him or not. For what I gather from Benny earlier, he told me that we're going to climb a volcano, an active one if I might add! I'm sure that what lies down there is something you can describe as blazing hot.

Marshall stared at me, probably weighing my reaction.

"If we stay out here, they'll take us back into the dungeons," Axel spat.

Right. He got a point.

I noticed Marshall wanted to say something, but he just shook his head in resignation and turn before descending downstairs.

As we go deeper, the temperature continue to increase making me sweat heavily. I wanted to slap myself when I saw the two men with me, they didn't even look bothered by the sudden rise of temperature. They're not even soak in sweat!

I shook my head in resignation. This two will be the death of me. I can't keep up with their God-blessed bodies. I'm starting to wonder if they even bleed, but then again, I saw Axel's blood earlier. At least he's human.

I got distracted from my reverie when I felt something heavy is looming around. I stopped dead on my tracks like something is stopping me to go further. The anxiety I felt earlier returned, same as the wails I heard outside the cave.

I didn't know when did  they noticed that I'm lagging behind them, but they stopped walking.

"What's wrong?" I heard Marshall asked. Concern is evident on his tone.

"W-where exactly are we going?" I managed to asked.

Marshall's expression changes from concern to uncertainty. He looks like he's debating whether to tell me or not.

"Tell her. She could feel it too. There's no point hiding it from her," Axel said nonchalantly.

"This passage leads us to the center of this volcano."

"But why are we going there? Aren't we suppose to go up and escape?" I asked with a frown.

Marshall looked at me with determination. "It will be once I retrieve my stone,"

Chapter 32 End

Time check: 12:49am.
Omg. I really need some sleep 😂😂
Unedited chapter.
Next Update: Chapter 33 - Bombs Away

Toodles!