Sanctuary: Safe Haven

Chapter 368 Feisty

Canna awoke in near darkness, his head throbbing painfully, as if it had been caught in a vice. The cold, damp air clung to him, and the scent of stone and earth filled his lungs. With a groan, he pushed himself up from the uneven ground, feeling the weight of fatigue pressing heavily on him. His body felt weak, utterly drained from the ordeal he had endured.

As his vision gradually cleared, Canna realized he was in an enormous stone chamber, deep underground. The walls, rough and unadorned, were stark in their simplicity—cold, gray stone, illuminated faintly by dim shafts of light that somehow filtered in from unknown cracks above. He knew this place—the bottom level of the dungeon where Tonitrum, the mighty dragon, is sealed. His history of this place pressed in on him.

Before he could fully comprehend where he was or what had happened, a figure moved into view, breaking the silence. The female demon knelt before him, her long, snow-white hair falling gracefully over her shoulders as she bowed. Her glowing crimson eyes, sharp and intelligent, flickered in the low light.

"Master, you are awake," she said softly, her voice steady, laced with respect. "You have been unconscious for three days."

Canna blinked, still groggy, the words slowly sinking in. "Three days?" he echoed, his mind struggling to catch up with the passage of time. The last thing he remembered was the overwhelming chaos—the blinding light, the fight in Hell, and Tonitrum's intervention. His head spun with disjointed memories.

The female demon nodded. "Yes, master. You have been recovering from the summoning. It took a much greater toll on your body than expected."

Canna winced, raising a hand to his head, which still throbbed. "Three days... what happened? Why am I back here?" He looked around, his mind racing, though his body felt like it had been through a battlefield of its own.

Before the female demon could respond, a familiar voice rumbled through the chamber, filled with both amusement and reprimand.

"Idiot. Meddling with forces beyond your comprehension again," Tonitrum's voice echoed through the chamber, the ancient dragon's head materializing in front of him. "You tried summoning a demon with an offering that large? You should have known better."

Canna groaned, pushing through the exhaustion clouding his mind. "My people... I need to be there. I can't... leave them like this."

With a concentrated effort, Canna raised his hand, summoning a portal with the last bit of energy he could muster. A black shadow shot out from it, Mortem, who quickly took to Canna's side, his shadowy form curling protectively around his master.

"Master, you're alive! What happened to you?" Mortem's voice was laced with concern, but Canna could barely register it. His vision was already swimming again, and his body felt like it was made of lead.

"Mortem," Canna whispered, his voice strained. "Take these demons... help them. Make sure... the base stands. I need... rest. Just... a little more rest..."

Mortem nodded, his face resolute despite the storm of questions raging inside him. "Rest, master. I will see to everything. Leave it to me." He glanced over at Tonitrum, giving the ancient dragon a respectful nod.

Mortem looked at the two demons, now his master's new subordinates. He sized them up with his keen eyes. They were clearly powerful, but their sudden arrival stirred a sea of unanswered questions. Still, there was no time for that now. His master's recovery took priority.

As Canna's body finally gave in to the overwhelming exhaustion, Mortem turned to the female demon, his voice firm. "Tell me everything on the way. We have no time to waste."

The female demon stood, her expression unchanged. "You have no right to command me undead. I only take orders from him. Show me the base that has to be protected."

The new additions to the sanctuary were not only powerful, but were also feisty.@@@@