CHAPTER 5 – The Guardian of the Lost Kingdom
The entire cave shook so violently that massive chunks of rock crashed from the ceiling.
The mercenaries scattered in panic.
"What is that thing?" one of them shouted.
No one answered.
Another crack split the stone floor.
Then...
A gigantic white-scaled body slowly emerged from the darkness beneath the chamber.
Its head alone was larger than a pickup truck.
Its golden eyes glowed like burning suns.
The air became heavy.
No one dared breathe.
The massive serpent didn't hiss.
It didn't roar.
It simply looked at everyone.
That single glance was enough to freeze every soldier where they stood.
The white snake that Emily had rescued slowly crawled forward.
To everyone's amazement, it lowered its head respectfully before the enormous creature.
Emily suddenly realized the truth.
The snake she had saved wasn't the Guardian.
It was only...
The Guardian's child.
The giant serpent turned its glowing eyes toward Emily.
She expected death.
Instead...
It slowly lowered its enormous head until its eyes were level with hers.
For one long moment, neither of them moved.
Then the impossible happened.
A voice echoed inside Emily's mind.
Not through her ears.
Inside her thoughts.
"You chose compassion over fear."
Emily gasped.
She hadn't imagined it.
The creature was speaking directly into her mind.
"Because you saved my child... your life now belongs to the desert."
Before Emily could respond—
CRACK!
A tranquilizer dart struck the giant serpent's neck.
The enormous creature roared for the first time.
The sound shook the entire mountain.
Emily spun around.
Colonel Hayes stood with another rifle already loaded.
"I don't care if it's a monster or a miracle," he growled.
"It's worth billions."
Dozens of soldiers opened fire.
Not bullets.
Powerful tranquilizer darts.
The Guardian's massive body staggered.
The little white snake threw itself in front of its parent, taking several darts instead.
Emily screamed.
"STOP! You'll kill them!"
Hayes smiled.
"Exactly."
But he had made one fatal mistake.
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He had forgotten the ancient warning carved into the cave.
Never harm the Guardian.
