Affinity:Chaos

Alice was lost for words because of Void's current greedy look as he approached the crystal on the dragon's head.

What the group didn't understand was why didn't Void choose any of the shiny things on the ground, rather, he had to go for the one that seemed embedded in the dragon's head.

The dragon currently had its eyes shut, which means there was a chance they might be able to obtain some things and leave this place successfully.

Other than Klaus and Reynolds, Alice and Grey wanted to leave this place as soon as possible. They aren't able to sense the stage of the dragon, and there are only two possibilities, either the dragon was just a normal magical beast, or, its stage was far above theirs.

Given the fact that it is a magical beast, it was impossible that the former was the reason, so they were left with the last possibility, the dragon was far stronger than they were.

'Void, don't touch it.' Grey tried persuading Void.

'But…it's shiny.' Void managed to reply, although barely, it was better than his previous ones.

'There are other shiny things on the ground, why don't you pick from them?' Grey continued persuading.

He had a feeling that if Void removed the crystal from the head of the dragon, then it might wake up. If they want to survive, then the dragon should stay asleep, if it wakes up, then according to Klaus, they were doomed.

'This is shinier, also, it's a treasure.' Void said excitedly.

'Oh, what does it do?' Grey asked a little interested.

But Void's reply threw him off his feet.

'It keeps the dragon asleep.' Void said, without showing any signs of retreating.

'Damn it! We're dead.' Grey almost wanted to cry.

The crystal keeps the dragon asleep, so why would Void still want to remove it? Isn't that the same as signing their deaths?

"What's wrong?" Alice asked when she saw Grey's expression.

She guessed Grey was trying to persuade Void to leave the crystal alone, but she never expected him to wear such an expression.

"We're dead." Grey declared to the group.

"Huh!" The others exclaimed in unison.

"You see that crystal there?" Grey pointed at the crystal, which prompted the others to nod.

They all saw that Void was licking his lips while staring at it.

"Well, that is what's keeping the dragon asleep, if that greedy cat removes it, then we're toast." Grey explained through gritted teeth.

He had even promised to give Void the multi-elemental sword he obtained in the lab if Void let go of the crystal, but he refused without even thinking about it.

"So what do we do now?" Alice asked.

"What else can we do other than escaping." Grey shook his head with a wry smile.

Even if he doesn't want to go without Void, he didn't have much of a choice here. He couldn't risk the lives of his friends because of Void's greed for shiny things. Had they been alone, then he would have tried to think of something, but since Klaus and the others were with them, he couldn't take the risk.

"Why don't we stay and fight?" Alice asked clenching her fist.

"Because we don't know just how strong the dragon is. Alright, everyone retreat immediately." Grey ordered and dragged the others.

Before they jumped down from the rock, Grey saw Void taking out a knife he wanted to use in extracting the crystal.

'Given the size of the crystal, it should take him at least eight minutes before he completely extracts it, by then, the others should have gone far.' Grey thought.

He didn't have any plans of leaving Void behind, he wasn't that heartless. Although if they were to fall into danger, it would be Void's fault, he knew the crystal would have other uses than just keeping the dragon asleep.

'Try not to die before I come back.' He transmitted his voice over to Void as they ran towards the spot where they entered the tunnel.

Given the stages of everyone, it didn't take up to four minutes before they got to the spot they used in entering this place, had it not been for Klaus who was slower, they would've arrived a little sooner.

Grey made the rock beneath them rise, taking them closer to the surface, before long, the group could be seen coming out of the hole in the big tree.

"Take this, follow it and you'll get to the array soon, wait for me there. Also, run as fast as you can, I'll try to delay the dragon." Grey said hurriedly while throwing the map to Alice.

Before any of the others could comprehend what was happening, an earthen wall appeared, blocking the hole that led inside the tree.

This was not a normal earth wall, rather it was the advanced form of it which was not only sturdier but thicker. But this naturally wasn't enough to stop the others.

While they were coming, he also made a small defensive array beforehand, while also enforcing the wall with a thick ice wall as well.

It would take the trio outside at least six minutes before they can break all three defenses.

Boom!

Klaus and Reynolds were the first to attack the wall. Even though Grey told them to leave quickly, they didn't plan to.

"Guys, don't worry about me. Do you think I'm tired of living? Go to the array, I've already memorized the map, I'll meet you there. Also, run quickly, because I think the dragon would be behind me when I'm coming over." Grey knew his friends wouldn't leave instantly, so he assured them once again before running back to the cave.

"We should leave, we'll beat him up when we leave this place." Klaus said angrily.

They knew Grey did this for their good, but they didn't like it. If they wanted to fight, then they should fight together, at least dying together would be better than dying alone.

"Don't worry, he won't die, not yet." Alice said to Klaus and Reynolds before they ran following the route Grey told them.

But she agreed with what Klaus said, they'll definitely beat Grey up once they leave this place.

The trio soon disappeared.

Underground.

Grey could be seen sprinting in the direction of the cave.

'Stupid cat! Greedy cat! Just wait and see what I'll do to you after we leave this place.' He thought angrily.

He wasn't confident in being able to fight against the dragon at all, but he was a little confident in escaping from here. While he was running here, he was already brainstorming on the possible things he might use to bar the way of the dragon while they escape.

And he had thought of a few, but that would all depend on the strength of the dragon.

'*Sigh* I really need to keep his obsession in check, or else it will be the end of me one day.' He shook his head once again.

The time he spent coming back was shorter than the time he spent when the group was leaving this place, he was naturally faster than them, added to his wind and lightning element, his speed was unbelievable.

He got back within two minutes, when he got there, Void hadn't been able to remove the crystal completely.

'Void, leave it alone.' He tried persuading once again.

When they were here previously, he thought of stopping Void, but when he recalled the space element, he knew even if he tried, it would be useless since he can't catch him.

'I'll need to think of a way to keep him at bay.' Void's obsession with shiny things was causing him a massive headache.