Chapter Twenty-three

He took a step forward, but the dragon's voice halted him.

"No, retreat for now," the dragon cautioned. "A confrontation with them would be unwise. They would seize the opportunity to capture you, leaving you without a chance to escape."

Zeomora cast one last glance at the skyship before turning and fleeing into the wilderness.

Avalon, observing the scene from the skyship, raised his hand, signalling his subordinates to stand down. "Let him go for now," he commanded. "Pursuing him would be akin to playing into his hands. The opportune moment will arise when he will be forced to make a desperate choice: fight or perish."

Minutes later, Zeomora stumbled into a rocky terrain, his breath ragged from exertion. He paused, leaning against a large boulder, his hands trembling as he assessed his injuries.

"I am strong," he muttered to himself, "but I need to become even stronger."

A deafening roar echoed through the air, snapping him out of his reverie. He looked up to see a monstrous wild boa