They ran as fast as their legs could carry them.

With Cruise leading the charge, hundreds, possibly thousands of people sprinted across the landscape until the stadium was nothing more than a blimp in the distance. Many of them refused to look back, even when a tornado of fire had erupted into the sky a short while ago. No one knew for certain what was happening inside of the structure. All they could do was run and pray that the Dragon Slayer would protect them. For Helen and Jess, those fears were multiplied infinitely.

Helen kept stalling, almost crashing into people as they ran by her. She wanted to wait and see if her daughter was following. But, Jess pulled her along so that they were not crushed by the stampede. She would need Erika and Jon's help to keep her moving. However, Jon struggled and almost buckled. Thankfully, he had the help of his own children along with Naomi and Jasmine.

Seeing her oldest friend stumbling to his feet, Helen regained her focused and helped him up. ''I'm sorry…''

''She'll be fine,'' Jon whispered to her. ''She's a strong girl. In more ways than one.''

There was no time for idle talk. They had to keep moving with the crowd. At the front, they could just about see Cruise and Giovanni. The two of them slowed down and seemed to be engaged in a heated discussion. Helen made sure that Jon was being looked after before she hurried forward to see what was going on.

''We can't slow down,'' Cruise stated, pointing to the horizon that laid out before them. ''We're so close to our destination. I can taste it.''

''There are people with their feet bleeding,'' Giovanni snapped back. ''If we're not careful, we're going to leave people behind.''

Cruise opened his mouth to say something but stopped himself.

The action was not lost on Giovanni, who scowled at the Viper. ''Are you really going to resort to abandoning people that need us?''

After a moment's hesitation, Cruise glared at him. ''The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.''

''Bullshit!''

Helen stepped between them before things escalated. ''Look, we're getting nowhere arguing like this. We need to keep moving. There are enough of us to look after the weak.''

''And when they become weak themselves?'' Giovanni questioned. ''Helen, I know that finding this weapon is our goal, but I can't lose more people.''

She noticed his softening expression. She couldn't recall the last time she'd seen Giovanni look so lost. He had served the council ever since he was a lad. Now, they were all dead, by the hands of someone who was supposed to lead them. She couldn't blame him for his reaction. She also couldn't think of anything to say that would lift his spirits.

''The Dragon Slayer!''

A voice cried out, forcing everyone to turn their heads and look back for the first time since they escaped from the stadium. Helen was running before she could even see her daughter. She pushed her way through the crowd until eventually, she saw Isabel running back to them, alive and well. The historian almost cried with joy as she ran into Isabel's arms to hold her tightly. They were soon joined by Jess and the others who had all come to check if Isabel was okay. More people crowded around, throwing dozens of questions at Isabel, all based around the same topic.

''We're not safe here,'' Isabel yelled loud enough for her voice to sweep over the crowd. ''I've bought us some time, but we have to keep moving.''

''How?'' Jess asked. ''What happened to the Dragon?''

Isabel clenched her fits. ''It was toying with me. I'm nowhere near strong enough to kill it. I had to trick it to give me a chance to escape. But, it'll come after us again. We have just under a day to think of our next plan.''

''We have our next plan!'' Cruise shouted from the front, getting everyone's attention. ''A day is all we'll need to reach the weapon. That is our next and best plan.''

Helen slowly turned back to Isabel. ''Isabel?''

''He's right,'' she responded solemnly. ''Mom, I can't beat it. This weapon might be our best shot.''

Isabel hated to sound so defeated, but it was the truth. The Dragon's power was overwhelming. Without the weapon, there was no hope. Now, more than ever, she hoped that this trek wasn't in vain. Because they had no other options.

With nothing more to say, Helen nodded. ''Alright, let's keep moving then.''

XXX

The journey over the next few hours was excruciating for many.

Thankfully, Isabel was around to help. Using her strength and stamina, she was rushing around to help those having too much difficulty venturing forward. The last of the water and food that they had gathered together was being passed around. With time so short, Isabel wasn't thinking too far into the future. They would reach their destination very soon according to the map Cruise and her mother were reading. However, after that, there would be a dilemma with no more food or water. Despite the Dragon being a long distance away, Isabel felt like she and everyone around her were still back against a wall and being toyed with by the monster.

They quickened their pace. Hoping to find the weapon before their time was up. Isabel was certain that they were too far away even for Dragon hearing. But, she could still feel an unnatural aura coming from behind. It felt like the Dragon was breathing down her neck. Unlike many times before, the heat was sickening for her.

Walking beside her, Jess was helping some of the elderly keep with the group before she noticed the dejected look written across Isabel's face. ''Are you okay?''

Isabel sighed. ''A long time ago, I believed it was possible to fight a Dragon. After today, I'm not so sure…''

She flinched when she felt Jess take her hand. Glancing up, she saw her friend offering the kindest and warmest of smiles. ''A long time ago, people believed it was impossible to kill a Drake or inspire hope. You did the impossible. What's stopping you from doing it again? Maybe not today, but tomorrow? Or the next day? Who knows? I know you can do it. And I'm going to be the first to say I told you so when it happens.''

A faint smile grew across Isabel's face. Her doubts weren't completely gone. But, Jess's words did soothe her spirit.

Her ears perked up when she heard her mother and Cruise speaking at the front. Dozens of feet stopped moving as if they were waiting for something. Curious to see what was going on, Isabel hurried forward, bringing Jess with her as they still held hands. Once they reached the front, they saw the front line had stopped and was gawking at the two map readers. Cruise and Helen were staring down at something beneath a pile of rocks and sand. Isabel leaned forward, noticing a metal door slightly ajar that revealed a flight of stairs descending downward.

''The weapon is underground?'' Isabel said.

Helen nodded unconvincingly as she gazed at the map one last time. ''This is where it leads. I'm wondering if the weapon was here, but was destroyed by…''

''No,'' Cruise interrupted, kneeling to remove the rocks off of the door. ''The weapon has to be down here. Help me remove this. This should be easy for you.''

He glanced at Isabel, staring at her with a face that appeared to have the same level of charisma and confidence she was used to seeing from him. But, Isabel wasn't the only one to notice the worried look in Cruise's eyes. He stepped aside so that she would have easier access to the door. Isabel sighed quietly before easily moving the larger rocks off the door and pushing it back. The hinges snapped like wet paper causing the door to clatter down the rickety stairs. As the light from outside poured inward, the shadows disappeared and bugs and rats scurried to find darkness. A creaking echo sent a chill down Isabel's spine as she peered inside.

''I can't hear anything,'' she said. ''At least, nothing that's alive and that can kill us.''

''Good.'' Cruise said before taking the first step inside.

Before he could get too far, Helen grabbed him by the shoulder. ''Hold on…''

''We can't wait any longer. We may only have a few hours left before that Dragon comes after us.''

''All I was going to say is that a few of us go down first. There might not be anything alive that can kill us, but we still don't have a clear idea over what this weapon is. Let's not put everyone at risk.''

Behind her, Giovanni nodded. ''That's a good idea. Once we're sure it's safe and that there's enough room, we can bring everyone else down for safety.''

Cruise glanced at them before nodding. ''Okay, who wants to take the road to hell with me?''

''I'll go,'' Helen said. ''I want to see what this weapon is.''

''I'll come down to protect you,'' Giovanni said.

Isabel hesitated. ''Should I come or stay to protect everyone up here?''

It was Erika who stepped forward. ''You said the Dragon wasn't going to come after us until our time was up. Do you think it will keep its word?''

''I think so. It's treating all of this like a game or a hunt.''

Erika nodded. ''Then you go with them. They might need you if something else blocks their path. We can stand guard up here until it's safe.''

Beside her, her two young daughters stepped forwards with their fists raised in the air. ''We're brave warriors, like you, Isabel. We will protect everyone.''

Isabel smiled at them before turning to Jess. Her friend smiled brightly. ''I'm coming. I'm used to the underground too.''

''Then that's settled,'' Helen said. ''We're going to make sure it's safe before we bring more people.''

Only a second after deciding who was going, Cruise was already scampering down the stairs. The uneasy creaking rang throughout the dark corridor. Isabel, Helen, Jess and Giovanni followed closely. For Isabel, it was a strange sensation. Everything seemed so calm and quiet, yet she couldn't stop this feeling that there was something going on in this place. There was a certain vibration and heat that this place emitted that made her stomach feel queasy. A strip of glass on the walls flickered dimly, giving the group some much-needed light so they didn't have to rely on Isabel completely to be their eyes and ears.

The stairs stopped and the group were greeted with a narrow pathway leading to hundreds of small bunkers. Beds and tables were scattered in each of the rooms. Despite the coat of dust that covered everything, this place still seemed most intact when compared to other historical places that belonged to the old world. It was as if this place had been forgotten by the world and by time. Helen's eyes were everywhere, scanning every detail as she became fascinated by every trinket that they passed. It was a shame that she couldn't stop to inspect the relics. But, they had a mission.

''How do we know we've found what we're looking for?'' Jess asked.

''If this weapon can kill a Dragon, I imagine we can't miss it.'' Cruise replied.

Just when it seemed like they were going to wander aimlessly, Isabel felt another rush of heat coming from a corridor to her left. Her heart was skipping. ''I think it's this way.''

''How do you know?'' Helen asked, concerned by the way Isabel's face was becoming pale.

Isabel licked her lips. ''There's a taste in the air. It's like metal with ash.''

Giovanni paused. ''Hold on, is this weapon safe to approach?''

''That just makes me feel more assured this is what we need.'' Cruise said, rushing ahead down the corridor Isabel was gesturing to.

They soon came upon a large steel door that was bolted shut. Isabel placed her hands upon the door. Before she pushed it down, she felt another wave of nausea hit her. Whatever was in this room was giving off a terrible stench that only she was reacting to. She didn't need to use her full strength to push the doors down. They crashed to the floor, creating an echo that reverberated loudly throughout the room. Although, a room might not have been the best word to use to describe this place. It was a hangar with two rows of massive cylinders with pipes and machinery around them that stretched as far as the eyes could see.

The group slowly walked inside, gazing at the strange cylinders apprehensively. ''Are these the weapons?'' Giovanni questioned.

''It doesn't look like they work,'' Jess said.

Cruise shook his head. ''No, one of these has to work. We can't have come all this way in vain.''

Helen looked at her daughter. Isabel was slowly walking forward as if she was drawn to something. ''Sweetie, what's wrong?''

Isabel rubbed her sweaty brow. ''There's something hot over here. I think it's coming from one of these big things.''

She walked around one of them and nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw something. There was a control panel behind one of the giant cylinders with four chairs tucked in. Sitting on those chairs were four dried-up skeletons with dusty uniforms still clung over what was left of them. Isabel didn't walk forward until everyone else was standing next to her.

''Sorry,'' Isabel whispered. ''Part of me thought one of them would jump out at me.''

Helen slowly approached the control panel. She glanced at the uniforms that the skeletons were wearing, noticing stars and symbols on each of them. ''These are flags from nations of the old world. Different nations working together on whatever this is.''

She brushed her hand against the bottom of the panel, clearing away the dust that revealed a name inscribed on the desk.

''Tsar Bomba Resurgent…'' the name seemed to trigger a memory for her. It was a name that she had stumbled across in one of her many historical findings. Suddenly, everything made sense. She gazed up at the cylinder in front of them with horror. ''It's a nuclear bomb.''

Isabel stared at her mother. ''Is that a good or bad thing?''

''That depends on how far away we are if one of these goes off.'' She turned around. ''Why did you pick this one?''

''The others are cold. But that one is still giving off some kind of energy. I felt it, even back at the entrance.''

Helen stepped away from the bomb quickly. ''It's still active. We've managed to find the last one.''

''Helen, what is a nuclear bomb?'' Giovanni asked.

''More importantly,'' Cruise continued. ''Can it really kill a Dragon?''

''I believe so. If what I've heard about them is true, this bomb will create an explosion too great for even a Dragon to survive. The destructive power of a bomb that had a similar name to this was enough to be felt throughout half the world. If they made another version of that bomb, this will be a power not felt on this planet in hundreds of years.''

Isabel couldn't believe what she was hearing. But, the frightened expression on her mother's face was more than enough to convince her. ''But, what is it doing down here? Why didn't they use all of these to kill the Dragons when they first arrived?''

Helen looked at the skeletons once more. ''I think that there were too late in deciding whether to use the bombs. If they had used them, there might not have been a world left to save. It's more than just another explosion. The fallout from this could damage part of the world beyond repair. Even if the Dragons were killed by this, there could still be fatality for humans long after it's detonated.''

Jess gulped. ''So…how can we use it without endangering anyone?''

''I don't think we can,'' Helen said. ''We can't outrun the blast. Our best hope would be to go down one of the underground tunnels.''

''Then it's settled.'' Cruise stated confidently. ''We wait for the Dragon to come here and find a way to remotely detonate the bomb once everyone is deep enough underground.''

Helen let out a panicked laugh at his nonchalant tone. ''That's easier said than done. I'm sure I can find something here to help me understand this. But, we don't know how powerful this thing is. And we won't be able to come back up here again once it goes off. We'd need to put hundreds of miles between us and this place. I know it doesn't look like much, but this thing here could be almost as dangerous as a Dragon.''

''This bomb doesn't want to kill us. The Dragons do. This is our only shot.''

''Cruise, my daughter can barely stand next to this bomb. This proves that this heat and energy would be too much for even a Dragon. If this thing goes off and we're not far enough away, there's going to be no survivors.''

The small slither of silence was broken by Isabel. ''We have to do this.''

Everyone turned to her. She looked at the bomb once more before shivering and locking eyes with her mother.

''We don't have any other weapons that can hurt the Dragon. I can't kill it. This is our only chance.''

Helen stared at the ground. She had to say it, but she knew they were right. They didn't know the true destructive power this bomb had. Even she wasn't fully sure. All she had to guide her were old stories and history books talking about bombs that weren't even as powerful as the one standing behind her was named after. She had no doubt that if the Dragon was close enough, it would die. But, if everyone wasn't far enough away, they would also die. And those that miraculously survive would wish for death.

''Fine,'' she said. ''But, we don't do anything until we're sure how to use this. We need to find manuals. Hopefully, they've survived their time down here too.''

Cruise smiled and stared at the bomb in awe. ''You smell that? Nothing else in the world smells like that. Smells like victory.''

XXX

HELLO MY SWEET SUPERSTARS! I REALLY HOPE THAT YOU LIKED THIS NEW CHAPTER. I JUST WANTED TO FIRSTLY SEND YOU ALL A VERY BIG APOLOGY FOR THE LONG WAIT FOR UPDATES. I'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH STUFF IN MY PERSONAL LIFE INCLUDING WORK. THANKFULLY, THINGS HAVE CALMED DOWN AND I'VE MANAGED TO GET BACK ON TRACK WITH MY WRITING. IN FACT, I WILL HAVE BIG NEWS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF MY WRITING AS A WHOLE WHICH I'LL BE SHARING ON MY PAY-TREE-ON AND TWITTER VERY SOON.

REGARDING RISE OF THE DRAGON SLAYER, YOU WON'T HAVE TO WAIT AS LONG FOR NEW CHAPTERS. WE ARE NEARING THE END AND CHAPTERS WILL BE RELEASED MORE FREQUENTLY UNTIL THE CONCLUSION. I HOPE THAT YOU'RE EXCITED FOR WHAT'S COMING. THE NEXT CHAPTER IS THE BIG FIFTIETH CHAPTER. WE SHALL BE CELEBRATING WITH ANOTHER BIG ISABEL X HELEN X JESS LOVE SCENE. SO, YOU HAVE THAT TO LOOK FORWARD TO.

IN OTHER NEWS, I HAVE A BRAND NEW POLL ON MY PROFILE TO VOTE FOR FUTURE STORIES. IF YOU WANT TO VOTE OR KNOW OTHERS WHO MAY BE INTERESTED IN VOTING, GO AHEAD AND SPREAD THE WORD.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE PATIENCE AND SUPPORT. THINGS HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT FOR ME, BUT I WANTED TO DO MY BEST FOR YOU ALL BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN THE BEST TO ME. I REALLY HOPE THAT YOU LIKE THESE UPCOMING CHAPTERS. THIS STORY HOLDS A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART AS MY FIRST ORIGINAL STORY. I WAS NERVOUS ABOUT SHARING IT WITH YOU, BUT YOU'VE ALL GIVEN ME THE CONFIDENCE TO TRY. NEVER LET ANYTHING HOLD YOU BACK. WRITE AND INSPIRE OTHERS IF YOU CAN. LET'S MAKE THE WORLD A BRIGHTER PLACE FOR EACH OTHER. STAY SAFE. LOOK AFTER EACH OTHER. AND TA-TA FOR NOW.