Crimsonfire Attack!

After uttering those words, Valeria ignored Tristan. She stretched her legs on the table, folded her arms, and closed her eyes, pretending to sleep. Tristan was left perplexed, unsure of what to say or how to feel, knowing what she had just confessed.

The rest of the flight grew increasingly quiet, with Valeria asleep and Tristan lost in his thoughts, contemplating Valeria's words.

Suddenly, a jolt rocked the plane, throwing Tristan and Valeria from the couch. The aircraft shook violently, diving and ascending in rapid motions like a turbulent roller coaster ride.

Amidst the chaos, a deafening scream filled the cabin, nearly piercing Tristan's eardrums. The lights flickered, dimming the cabin, while the alarm blared incessantly with its piercing beep beep beep sound.

"Tristan! Valeria! Buckle up! Hold on to something!" Prince Alex's urgent voice boomed through the cabin's speaker.

In an instant, Tristan and Valeria fastened their seat belts, securing themselves to the couch. The plane maneuvered sharply, veering left and right and occasionally dipping and rising as if evading an impending threat. The aircraft rolled, causing Tristan and Valeria to feel their feet momentarily leave the floor, giving them a sensation of weightlessness.

With a burst of yellowish light surrounding the plane in the sky, Tristan turned his gaze toward the window, and what he saw shocked him. Valeria shared the same astonishment.

Something unleashed blazing fire upon the aircraft, its fiery assault moving so swiftly that only the shadowy blur of its form was visible.

"It's Crimsonfire!" exclaimed Valeria, her voice barely audible amidst the commotion. Meanwhile, the massive aircraft continued its evasive maneuvers, dodging the incoming blaze.

"What is that?" Tristan shouted over the tumultuous noise.

"Ask your AI!" Valeria shouted back, pointing her finger toward Tristan's forehead.

"Ah, right!" Tristan responded, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Daggo! What exactly is Crimsonfire?" Tristan yelled, his voice filled with urgency and concern.

"Crimsonfire is a wyvern, a colossal two-legged flying creature known for spewing blazing flames from its mouth while soaring at tremendous speeds," Daggo informed Tristan, projecting an image of Crimsonfire along with its strengths and weaknesses directly onto Tristan's retina. Valeria also caught a glimpse of the information flashing in Tristan's eyes.

A moment later, the aircraft suddenly regained stability, flying smoothly once more. However, the constant beeping persisted, and the cabin remained dimly lit.

"Get ready, everyone! We're going to counterattack that accursed beast!" Lady Ayana's voice commanded through the speaker.

A mechanical whirring sound reverberated through the cabin. Within seconds, thunderous booms and vibrations rattled the aircraft as Lady Ayana unleashed the plane's weaponry upon the unseen creature. The sound of the beast's pained screams echoed continuously, growing louder by the moment.

Now, Tristan could catch glimpses of the wounded wyvern on the aircraft's flank, its body, and wings riddled with holes, yet still struggling to stay airborne. As Tristan watched, the beast steadily made its way toward the window closest to him.

Reacting swiftly, Tristan unbuckled himself and Valeria, grabbing her hand and propelling both of them toward the door leading to the bridge. Just as they reached for the door handle, a loud creak pierced the air, followed by a tremendous boom that created a sudden rush of air, threatening to suck Tristan and Valeria out of the aircraft.

Fortunately, Tristan managed to grasp the door handle tightly, preventing their untimely expulsion. The cabin pressure plummeted as the beast's colossal, clawed wing tore through the aircraft's side, ripping it apart.

Anything in the cabin that wasn't securely fastened was violently pulled towards the breach and sucked out into the frigid air, including the pantry table and the cabinet full of food.

Tristan and Valeria would have met the same fate if not for Tristan's quick reflexes in holding onto Valeria and the door handle. With all his strength, one hand gripping Valeria's tightly and the other clutching the door handle, Tristan was single-mindedly focused on ensuring Valeria's safety.

Maintaining his firm grip, Tristan pulled Valeria closer, and from the look in her eyes, he could see that she wasn't afraid. With one final tug, Tristan brought Valeria close to his chest, and her free hand clung to his body, her forehead just inches away from his lips. Her eyes and lips hovered near his neck and upper chest.

As she tightened her embrace, her forehead met Tristan's lips while her lips pressed against his chest.

They held each other tightly, with one hand intertwined and the other gripping the sturdy door handle. For the next few seconds that felt like mere moments, the aircraft gradually descended, attempting to stabilize the pressure. During those precious minutes, Tristan and Valeria clung to each other, hearing and feeling the rhythm of their breaths and heartbeats.

In that tight embrace, Tristan and Valeria realized that this was the first time they had ever held someone so close and the first time they had shared such strong emotions with another person.

...

As the aircraft descended, the pressure gradually stabilized, and nothing was forcefully pulled out. Tristan and Valeria remained seated on the floor in front of the bridge door, tightly holding onto each other and the door handle, sensing that releasing their grip would mean losing their anchor.

Suddenly, the door handle began to move, slowly opening the door. Tristan and Valeria released their hold on the handle, breaking their embrace. Prince Alex and Lady Ayana emerged from behind the door, smiling and folding their arms.

"Excellent job, Tristan. Your reflexes were incredibly quick, and your strength was impressive," Uncle Alex praised, extending his arm to lift Tristan and Valeria from the floor.

"I must say, Tristan, Valeria, I'm thoroughly impressed by what you two just did. You two have displayed remarkable strength and courage, my dear," Lady Ayana added, her gaze fixed on Valeria.

"How did you know all the details, Uncle?" Tristan inquired, his curiosity piqued and his relief palpable.

"From the CCTV footage, of course," Uncle Alex replied, pointing to several small dots in the cabin and a couple near the bridge door.

While Tristan appeared relieved, Valeria's response conveyed a sense of discontent. She seemed upset about something.

"Uncle Alex, we haven't entered any danger zones, and if I recall correctly from my studies, encounters with Crimsonfire in this sky zone are highly unlikely," Valeria stated with intensity in her tone and gaze.

"Excellent memory, Valeria!" Uncle Alex said, giving her a reassuring tap on the shoulder.

"Enough chit-chat, Alex. Why don't we invite the lovebirds to come and join us inside the bridge? My team will seal off the damaged cabin; it's no longer habitable. The bridge is spacious enough for all six of us," Lady Ayana suggested, urging Alex to allow Tristan and Valeria into the bridge.

Tristan and Valeria entered the bridge with Lady Ayana, followed by Uncle Alex. Meanwhile, the co-pilot and engineer began the process of sealing off the compromised cabin.

The bridge boasted seven seats, with the pilot's seat situated at the front and center. Tristan and Valeria took their places in the last row.

"So, what about my question, Uncle Alex?" Valeria directed her question toward Alex, but her tone served as a reminder to everyone present.

"Yes, about that. It means our journey is no longer a secret to our adversary," Uncle Alex replied calmly. However, his eyes betrayed a deep sense of concern.