CHAPTER 54: THE EXTRACTION

Liam Hale.

An adorable little boy with fluffy brown hair and warm chocolate-brown eyes was currently struggling to decide if this was all a dream or reality.

Just that morning, he had gone to school as usual, played a spirited game of tag, and for once hadn’t lost or scraped his knee. He had even come home to find his mother waiting with snacks.

Everything had been perfectly ordinary.

Until his mother’s voice rang out from the other room.

"Liam, pack your bags. Grab your most important things."

"What? A bag?"

"Yes, grab your things and rush down!"

Rush down? His mother never told him to rush anywhere. She was the one who always said running inside the house was for hooligans and people who wanted broken furniture.

He clutched his homework with both hands, eyes darting around his room like the ceiling might collapse at any second. What counted as "most important things"?

In the end, he decided on: his schoolwork (because his teacher was scary), his piggy bank (obviously), the family photo album, his snack box, and the smallest toys he owned. His handheld console joined the pile without question.

Liam tried to stuff in his favorite golem plush, but the bag was already bulging. He settled for taking the smaller water slime pet instead, plus a few changes of clothes. By the time he zipped the bag shut, it looked ready to explode.

He stumbled downstairs, the backpack covering more than half of his small frame.

"Mom, Dad! Is everything alright? I brought all my money and snacks!"

His mother gave him a quick pat on the head, the kind that said "good job" but also "don’t ask questions right now." Honestly, even Lawrence and Renee Hale had no idea what was really going on.

While packing in their room, they had been speaking in hushed whispers in the kitchen.

"Is it finally happening?" Renee asked, pulling a sleek black duffel from the cupboard—one that had clearly been sitting there, ready, for years.

Lawrence frowned at her. "What is that?"

"My emergency bag. I always thought it was better to be prepared."

He narrowed his eyes. "But... you think it’s not them?"

"No, I don’t think so," Renee said firmly. "That would be close to impossible considering everything."

Her husband moved through the kitchen with a serious air, double-checking appliances, making sure there were no fire hazards. "Go see if Liam needs help."

Renee hurried to find their son half-buried under a backpack almost as tall as he was.

"Liam, good boy. We’re going now. Was everything unplugged?"

"Yes, Mom!"

They stepped outside together and froze.

A sleek, black, and incredibly ordinary-looking vehicle was parked right in front of their modest home. It looked so normal that it felt suspicious.

The three Hales exchanged a glance before the man in a crisp suit standing beside the car gestured them over.

"Sir Hale, it’s been a while. The Dragon Lord sent me to assist you today."

Liam overheard the suited man’s words and nearly let out a shriek that would have startled the entire street. The sound died in his throat when his mother placed a firm hand on his mouth.

"Liam, be good now. It’s really late. We don’t want to inconvenience anyone."

Her voice was calm, but her eyes held the sharp glint of someone rapidly connecting the dots. She had suspected this might happen.

Renee wanted to ask what was going on, but when her husband gave a small shake of his head, she let the questions die. Lawrence had worked long enough with this particular family to know their style. If they wanted you to know something, they would tell you. Until then, you got nothing.

He was right. Kael had sent this transport the moment a reliable driver familiar with Lawrence Hale was available.

And the timing could not have been better.

As the vehicle pulled away from the curb, the rumble of its engine stirred life in the quiet neighborhood. Curtains twitched, doors creaked open, and people began stepping out into the night air.

"I swear I’ve seen that face somewhere before..." one of the newer neighbors murmured, eyeing Lawrence with curiosity.

A few of the older neighbors drifted closer, their steps too casual to be innocent. Had Kael waited even a little longer, the Hales would have been surrounded and pelted with questions they could not answer.

The vehicle’s windows were tinted, but the shapes and movements outside were still visible. Porch lights flicked on. Front doors opened. People began crossing lawns just to get a better look.

"Mom, is something wrong?" Liam asked, hugging his backpack like a shield.

Renee had no answer. She truly had no idea how serious this was, or why it was urgent enough to warrant a late-night extraction.

The driver, for his part, didn’t look troubled at all. He merely stated, "We’re in a bit of a hurry," and kept his focus on the road. Whatever was happening, he seemed more bemused about being in this modest neighborhood than worried about their destination.

That changed when they arrived.

The moment the car passed through the wrought-iron gates, it was like stepping into another world. The driveway wound through acres of manicured gardens, dotted with elegant lanterns casting pools of golden light. Ancient trees lined the path, their branches arching overhead like a cathedral ceiling.

The manor itself rose in the distance—an imposing masterpiece of stone and glass, crowned with sweeping balconies and carved dragon motifs that caught the moonlight. The front entrance alone could have swallowed their entire living room, and the enormous double doors gleamed like they had been polished that afternoon.

When the car came to a stop, they were ushered inside without delay. This proved challenging when Liam kept twisting around to gawk at everything. The marble floors, the glittering chandeliers, the silent portraits of dragons of the past—all of it seemed like something out of the storybooks he loved.

Lawrence, however, took in the surroundings with a far more reserved expression. He had only been here once before. Dragon Lord Kael Dravaryn’s private estate was as grand as he remembered, though he could not help but notice the difference.

Where the former Dragon Lord’s estate had been alive with servants, attendants, and bustling staff, Kael’s domain was far quieter. No one lingered unnecessarily in the halls. Every presence seemed purposeful.

They were guided toward a suite of rooms and asked if Liam would like one to himself. The boy’s eyes lit up instantly, but before he could answer, Renee decided they would all stay together "for the time being."

The look she gave her husband over Liam’s head was sharp enough to cut stone.

They could not speak freely with so many ears nearby, but Lawrence understood her unspoken question.

Was Riley in trouble?

Had he finally done something drastic, like finally attempt to kill the Dragon Lord?

Lawrence almost wished that were the case. That would have been easier to process than the real reason for their sudden relocation.

Far away, back in the den, a certain dragonling was also making his case.

"Uncle, if it’s like this, then wouldn’t it be possible for me to come with you?"

Kael, seated with the unshakable calm of a mountain, gave him a look.

"If you are able to look like that, who would notice me if I also changed?" Orien pressed.

"Everyone," Kael replied without hesitation. "Because there are only supposed to be two beings here. A third would be noticed immediately."

"Hey! I helped you! Why are you being like this?" Orien’s tail lashed in indignation.

"Quiet," Kael said, the single word carrying enough weight to still the air. Orien’s jaw clicked shut, though the glare remained.

"If you are desperate, then come. But not like that. Or like this."

"Huh?"

"If you are truly willing, you know what you must do."

Orien froze, eyes widening in silent horror.

"Uncle!!!"